The warehouse was silent save for the occasional drip of water from the leaking ceiling.
Lucien sat alone on a metal folding chair - the only furniture in the vast, empty space - watching the unconscious vampire chained to a support beam.
Heavy iron shackles bound her wrists and ankles, reinforced with sigils he'd carefully etched into the metal.
The vampire's head hung forward, dark hair obscuring her face, but Lucien knew exactly what she was.
What made her special.
He had sensed it immediately like the previous one - the connection to Klaus's bloodline.
The jaguar mark on his palm throbbed beneath its bandages. A small crimson stain had begun to seep through the white gauze, a constant reminder of the curse that had started all this.
Lucien flexed his fingers, wincing slightly at the persistent ache.
He checked his watch. Katherine should have returned by now.
Rising from his chair, Lucien approached the vampire, circling her with measured steps. Her breathing was steady, her body occasionally twitching as if caught in some unpleasant dream.
Good.
The herbs he'd used would keep her under until he was ready.
The heavy metal door creaked open, sending echoes through the cavernous space. Katherine entered, removing her rain-spattered jacket and shaking droplets from her hair.
Despite days on the run, she still managed to look immaculate - leather jacket, fitted jeans, hair falling in perfect waves.
"Did you bring it?" Lucien asked without preamble, not taking his eyes off the captive.
Katherine nodded, reaching into her jacket to produce an ancient-looking parchment, yellowed with age and emanating subtle power.
"Yes. The soul contract parchment, as requested. From my Prague safe house." She held it up, letting it catch what little light filtered through the grimy windows. "Same type as our contract."
Lucien finally turned to her, relief washing over his features. He stood and extended his hand. "Thank you."
Katherine didn't move to give it to him. Instead, she crossed her arms, the parchment still firmly in her grasp.
Lucien's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"We agreed you're the leader in our little partnership," Katherine began, her tone carefully controlled.
"But you, Lulu, haven't told me a single thing about what we're doing. After running from our hotel, changing locations three times in 48 hours, you suddenly wanted to capture this specific vampire."
She gestured toward the unconscious figure. "Then you sent me flying halfway across the world for eight hours straight to get this." She held up the parchment. "I think I deserve an explanation."
Lucien was silent for a long moment, his eyes not meeting hers but fixed on the captive vampire. Finally, he sighed, rising from his chair.
"Follow me outside," he said quietly. "We can talk there."
The sky outside was heavy with gray clouds, raining. The abandoned warehouse stood isolated in an industrial wasteland, not another soul for miles. Perfect for what Lucien had planned.
Katherine watched him expectantly, arms still crossed. "I'm listening."
Lucien looked away, gathering his thoughts, before his eyes shifted back to her. "I'm making a call."
"A call?" Katherine asked, confusion evident in her voice. "To who?"
Silence stretched between them for a heartbeat before Lucien answered.
"Klaus."
Katherine went rigid, her body tensing as if struck by lightning. Her eyes widened, mouth opening to unleash what promised to be an explosion of fear and rage.
"Klaus has the cure," Lucien interrupted quickly.
The words stopped Katherine cold, her prepared tirade dying on her lips. She stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Taking her silence as permission to continue, Lucien pressed on. "Klaus is a hybrid - The Original Hybrid, werewolf and vampire combined. His blood contains something unique, something that keeps two opposing forces in balance, even enhancing each other. That's the cure for werewolf venom."
He began pacing, words flowing faster now. "His hybrid side is sealed away, as you told me. I can free him from that curse. In exchange, I'll make the deal that he'll give us the cure and sign a soul contract never to harm either of us in any capacity."
Lucien's eyes lit up with conviction. "You'll finally be free from him, Katherine. After five centuries."
Lucien stopped pacing, turning to face her directly. "Don't worry, though. I don't expect you to be here when it happens. You can go somewhere far away until it's done. You'll be safe, you'll be free-"
Katherine's hand shot up, aiming for his face with vampire speed. Lucien caught her wrist mid-air, his reflexes enhanced by the Force. He stared at her in shock, confusion written across his features.
"What the hell was that for?" he demanded.
"Are you an idiot?" Katherine hissed, breathless, her face flushed with rage and worry. "That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard! Klaus is a monster - a god of evil! He will eat you alive!"
Her free hand gesticulated wildly. "And what the hell are you saying about me fleeing somewhere far away and leaving you alone with Klaus? Are you insane?!"
The drops of rain began to fall harder, pattering softly around them.
"What the hell do you want from me?" Lucien snapped, his own frustration boiling over. "This is the way to save your life!"
Katherine wrenched her hand from his grip - him releasing it rather than truly restraining her - and grabbed his shoulders, fingers digging into his flesh.
"How many times do I need to say it?" she yelled, her composure completely shattered. "I don't want you to be hurt! And dealing with Klaus - it's asking for far worse than being hurt! I'm not going to allow you to ruin yourself like that!"
Lucien gritted his teeth, swiping her hands away in frustration. "This is what you've wanted for five centuries!" he shouted back, rain continuing to soak through his clothes.
"This is what you approached me for! This is the end of your fears, your terror, your nightmares! Why should you even care if it's dangerous for me? I'm paying back my debt for you saving my soul! That's all there is to it! You should be happy!"
The rain intensified even more, as if responding to their emotions, quickly becoming even more of a downpour completely drenching them both.
Katherine's frustration erupted as she kicked the ground, the concrete cracking under the force of her blow. She began pacing frantically, hands running through her wet hair as she tried to calm herself.
"Katherine?" Lucien called, his anger melting into concern as he watched her unusual behavior.
She stopped suddenly, looking up at the sky, letting the rain wash over her face. Her palm pressed against her chest as she laughed - a broken, almost hysterical sound that echoed across the empty lot.
When she turned to face him, her expression bore a tearful, sad smile that caught Lucien completely off guard.
"Why...? Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, her voice barely audible above the rain. "This- This is the first time I've truly opened my heart completely. No one else has managed to make me do that."
She took a step toward him, rain streaming down her face. "No one has made me feel safe since my very birth besides you. First it was my own parents and their desire to use me. Then it was Klaus who wanted to sacrifice me on an alter. Then it was running for five hundred years from him - my vengeful god...
Never knowing peace, never being able to escape the nightmares. The fear, the trauma. And then- and then I find you. My final ray of hope. My chance at- at salvation. At peace... Don't you understand that you gave me the one thing I never had? Don't you understand what that does to someone - did to me? I love you...I'm in love with you."
Lucien stood frozen, rain plastering his hair to his forehead, as Katherine continued.
"I want to be with you," she said, her voice growing stronger. "I want to spend my eternal life with you, together."
She moved closer, her eyes never leaving his. "You see through all my manipulations without punishing me for them. You offer me protection without demanding ownership. Your smile..." Her voice softened. "Your smile makes me feel human again."
Another step closer. "You're possessive in a way that feels like I've been chosen, not claimed. An honour. You give me freedom within boundaries - something I've never had before."
Katherine was directly before him now, close enough that he could see the raindrops clinging to her eyelashes. "You see all of me - the monster and the human - and you don't flinch. Do you have any idea how rare that is?"
Her voice broke slightly. "For the first time in my life, I love something more than my own survival... You. And you're asking me to leave you alone with the creature that has haunted my nightmares for centuries?"
Lucien stood speechless, the rain streaming down his face. The weight of her confession hung between them, heavier than the storm clouds above.
After what felt like an eternity, he moved toward her, his steps slow and deliberate. He raised his hand to her face, the back of his fingers brushing her cheek with unexpected gentleness.
Katherine closed her eyes, leaning into his touch.
"I..." Lucien began, his voice soft. "I don't know what it's like to be in love with anyone. I've never experienced that."
His eyes met hers, unwavering despite the rain. "But I do know that I care for you. I don't want to lose you, so you have to trust me. Just please, trust me this once."
Katherine sank to her knees before him, the gesture so unexpected from the proud vampire that Lucien almost stepped back. She took his hand from her face, bringing it to her lips and kissing the back of it while maintaining eye contact.
"Of course I trust you, I already told you, I always will, my dear beloved god," she whispered against his skin. "How can I not? I love you. But I fear for you."
Lucien smiled gently, leaning down to kiss her brow. "Don't worry," he murmured against her skin. "I won't lose."
For a long moment, they remained like that, eyes locked in silent communication. Then Lucien gently dislodged his hand and reached into Katherine's jacket.
She didn't resist as he retrieved the parchment, her posture showing acceptance despite her fears.
Lucien turned back toward the warehouse, the rain beginning to lighten. At the door, he paused to give her one final look.
Katherine remained kneeling in the rain, her hands actually clasped in prayer - a gesture so uncharacteristic it momentarily stunned him.
"Lucien," she called, his name both a prayer and a plea.
He disappeared into the warehouse, the heavy door closing behind him with a definitive clang.
Inside, Lucien moved with renewed purpose. He opened his backpack, retrieving and tossing a white oak stake onto the ground before the vampire. It landed with a soft clatter that echoed in the empty space.
Circling behind the vampire, he kicked the back of her head, the impact jolting her awake.
"Wake up," he commanded, his voice cold and authoritative. "I have business with your Sire."
The vampire stirred, head lifting groggily. Her eyes focused first on the white oak stake in front of her, widening in recognition before turning a deep crimson red.
She struggled to turn, to see who held her captive, but Lucien's foot pressed firmly against the back of her head, keeping her facing forward.
"No cheating," he said softly, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "It's time to call Klaus."
The vampire went rigid beneath his foot, understanding dawning in the sudden stillness of her body.
Outside, the rain continued to fall as Katherine remained kneeling, her lips moving in a silent prayer to the only god she had ever truly believed in.
-----------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
I hope you guys aren't getting tired of Katherine and Lucien focused chapters - but I found it necessary for this one, since well, we're seeing the Big Bad Wolf soon.
I hope you guys are excited. Klaus is literally my favorite TVD character, so I can't wait to write him and Lucien's dynamic.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)