In the Abattoir's open courtyard, Klaus sat waiting with his brother laid before him, still staked by that accursed wood. His Hybrids lined along the wall with a number of them holding similar stakes, and Aya was chained against a pillar with metal plates fastened over her wounds to prevent their regrowth, somehow able to resist his compulsion, something she would come to regret as he tortured her.
"Well?" he asked, when the first scout returned.
"No signs of Tristan or his witches, or any other witches, anywhere in the city. Those who may have survived the culling fled. We'll have to leave the city to find one," reported the scout.
Two more scouts arrived, corroborating the information.
The fourth, however, had something new: "Finn's been spotted with the witch girl heading across the river; he looks injured."
"Across the river, you say?" Klaus repeated, as an idea began to form in his head. Tristan may have gotten lucky and escaped, but he'd be damned if he let Finn.
"Wait, you said injured? Explain," ordered Klaus, giving him his full attention.
"He had fresh wounds, somehow still bleeding when I left," the scout replied.
Klaus smirked, "Seems my despicable brother had a run-in with the Slayer. Now's the perfect time to put him in his place. Get ready boys, we're heading out."
...
"This the place?" asked Finn, following Davina's lead.
"Yeah, from what I can remember. Plus, I can feel the magic that was poured into it," Davina confirmed, stepping into the old home.
"Can you find it?" asked Finn, walking in behind her.
"I said I can, now back off and let me work, don't bleed on me," said Davina, shooing him away.
"Someone got off on the wrong side of the bed," said Finn under his breath.
"Try no sleep! Or did you forget what we were doing all last night, and then you come back and wake me up before I could get even an hour. Something you should be doing by the way, instead of out here bleeding all over the place putting yourself at risk," Davina snapped irritably, watching him shrink away remorsefully before putting her hands out and closing her eyes.
"Found it," said Davina, walking over to a hidden compartment beneath the floorboards.
Chanting a counter spell, she removes its protection, "There, it's all yours."
Punching through the wooden floor, he removes the safe and looks towards her again.
Rolling her eyes, she pushed him out of the way and chanted another quick spell to unlock it.
Opening it, he pulls out the golden dagger with a grin, ignoring the rest of what's in there.
"Thanks, you can keep the other stuff if you want, or anything here really. Check the place out and see what she has," said Finn.
"Don't mind if I do," said Davina, pulling out a small journal.
Shooting to his feet, Finn's eyes dart to the entrance, "Hold that thought, we may have company."
Moving her hand, Davina sent a pulse of magic out, "Hybrids, at least two," she warned.
"Stay here, I'll handle it," said Finn, slipping the gold dagger into the hidden sheath on his back.
"Wait, what about your wounds?" asked Davina worriedly.
"They're nearly closed, be back soon," said Finn, speeding away, bursting through the front door, intercepting the first Hybrid going for it, catching him off guard.
Grabbing him by the forehead, Finn slammed him into the ground, planting his head, and then, with another forceful push, squashed it.
The second Hybrid instantly retreated, but stayed in sight as if waiting for something.
"Is that all?" asked Davina, walking out when she heard nothing more happening.
"Seems like it, though the other one is still watching over there," said Finn, gesturing over in his direction.
Three more Hybrids showed up.
"I think you should go home now," said Finn, as an additional two showed up, making six.
"Uh, okay, but what about you? You might need me, don't forget you're still not fully healed," Davina pointed out.
"I'm healed enough for this, not like they have any magical weapons to use on me," said Finn, unconcerned.
"Fine enough to fight Klaus and Elijah if they show up?" questioned Davina.
Finn grinned, "If you had asked me that earlier, I might have agreed, but now, I'd like nothing more than for them to show up."
Picking up the Hybrid's body, he pulls out an arm and drinks what he can to fuel up.
Davina blanches, "Ugh, gross. Glad I'm not a vamp."
"Would you go home already? I don't want you getting caught up in this. You said yourself you haven't slept. Leave this to me, I'll handle it," said Finn, dropping the corpse.
"Whatever, you won't see me crying at your funeral, and I'll leave after I loot the place," said Davina, heading back inside before stopping at the door with a sigh and storming back towards him.
Finn frowned, "What are you doing?"
"Quickly take off your shirt, I'm not leaving until I help take care of those wounds," said Davina, authoritatively.
Seeing the determination in her eyes, he gave in, pulling off his shirt.
She scoffs disapprovingly, "Almost closed my ass! You're still leaking like a faucet from you're side."
"I thought you couldn't do anything about it anyway?" said Finn.
"I may not be able to fix the magical damage, that will take time, but I can at least seal the wound shut so the blood stays in… Don't move," said Davina, bending over, hands glowing a fiery red as she cauterized the wound, growing a layer of scar tissue that would fall off when he was back to normal.
"Argh fuck, you could at least warn a guy," said Finn, flinching.
"I said don't move," said Davina, finishing up. "There, that should hold well enough."
"What about my back?" asked Finn.
"Looks fine, doesn't need anything," Davina answered, glancing at it.
"Thanks, now get out of here, I'll deal with this," said Finn, looking back over at the Hybrids who had yet to move. He snorts before rushing over.
After he left, she pulled out her phone and called Sage. Let her deal with him.
.
Patiently waiting on the second story of a building, Klaus gazed out the window with his arms behind his back as a Hybrid entered the room.
"Well?" asked Klaus without looking.
"Right, sorry, sir. They're leading him over now with minimal losses."
"Good, when he gets here, release Elijah, then wait until he's completely focused on Finn before attacking," ordered Klaus.
"Understood sir."
"What about the witch?" asked Klaus.
"She didn't follow."
"Then I hope you at least sent a few hybrids out to track her," said Klaus calmly.
"Uh, no, sorry sir. We figured that would have distracted from the plan if Finn decided to go after them instead."
"Hmm, you're right, on second thought, you fools aren't nearly stealthy enough to pull that off," Klaus agreed.
Sighing in relief, they waited for Finn to arrive.
.
Chasing down the Hybrids through the city was rapidly becoming annoying, and it wasn't until they vanished around a corner that he noticed the streets were strangely empty.
Turning the corner, Finn halted his pursuit at the sight of Elijah's body lying in the middle of the street, practically gift-wrapped for him. Ignoring the hybrids who fled into the nearby buildings, he slowly approached, knowing this was likely a trap of some sort.
That was when Elijah promptly sat up with two unique stakes in his hands.
"Elijah? Where's Klaus?" asked Finn, eyeing the two stakes while keeping his head on a swivel.
Rising to his feet in a blur, "You should worry about yourself!" Elijah growled, vamping out.