Morning light filtered through the ornate windows of the Mikaelson mansion, casting long golden rectangles across the polished dining table.
The family had gathered for breakfast.
Klaus sat at the head of the table, fingers steepled before him, observing his siblings with calculated amusement.
Kol was regaling Finn with some tale of debauchery from centuries past, while Elijah methodically cut his food into perfect squares, occasionally glancing toward the windows.
"Expecting someone, brother?" Klaus asked, noting Elijah's wandering attention.
Elijah dabbed his lips with a napkin before responding. "Merely curious about the private jet that arrived yesterday. Rather unusual, even for our standards."
A brief silence fell over the table. Rebekah's eyes flicked toward Klaus, then away.
"Ah, yes," Klaus confirmed with a casual wave. "A necessary arrangement for an errand I've approved."
Before further questions could be raised, Lucien entered with Katherine close behind.
He wore dark jeans and a simple button-down shirt, his hair slightly tousled as if he hadn't bothered styling it. Katherine moved with her usual feline grace, taking the seat beside him.
"Good morning," Lucien said, reaching for a glass of orange juice. His tone was light, but something in his posture suggested tension.
"Sleep well?" Klaus asked, his smile revealing nothing.
"Well enough," Lucien replied, exchanging a brief glance with Rebekah before turning to the rest of the family. "I should say that Katherine, Rebekah and I will be leaving the island today. For Prague." deciding to be direct about it.
Katherine's hand paused midway to her coffee cup, her expression flickering for just a moment before smoothing into careful neutrality.
This was clearly news to her.
"Is that so?" Elijah inquired, studying Katherine's reaction.
"Yes," Lucien continued, spreading jam on toast with deliberate focus. "It's been arranged."
Kol leaned forward, elbows on the table despite Elijah's disapproving glance. "My, my. The little prince ventures beyond his castle walls. How exciting."
Finn observed silently, his eyes moving between Klaus and Lucien.
"I've already made the necessary preparations," Rebekah added, a hint of smugness in her tone at being included in the planning.
Elijah set down his fork with precision. "Perhaps I should accompany you. Given recent... events, additional protection might be prudent."
"An excellent suggestion," Klaus agreed too quickly. "One can never be too careful."
Another silence fell, heavier this time.
Katherine's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Lucien. He continued eating as if nothing unusual had transpired, though his shoulders carried a subtle tension.
As breakfast concluded and the family began to disperse, Lucien approached Klaus, who remained seated, swirling a glass of blood-spiked orange juice.
"One final thing before we go," Lucien said, his voice carrying across the room. Everyone paused, turning back to observe.
Klaus's lips curved into a slow, amused smile. "Yes?"
"We need to verbalize our agreement," Lucien stated firmly. "That whatever harm might come from this trip is not your responsibility. Your act of allowing me to leave doesn't constitute causing harm if something happens to me, but you still cannot directly or indirectly cause me harm."
The room fell completely silent. Elijah and Rebekah exchanged glances, while Katherine's attention sharpened, her gaze moving between Klaus and Lucien.
Klaus studied Lucien for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Before we formalize this... are you certain about this trip, Lucien?"
His eyes flicked briefly toward Katherine before returning to Lucien's face. "Absolutely certain?"
The sidelong glance wasn't lost on Katherine, whose posture straightened imperceptibly.
Something about this journey involved her – but what?
Lucien hesitated, then nodded firmly. "I am."
"What exactly is happening here?" Kol interjected, unable to contain his curiosity. "You're making it sound as if the boy is walking into the dragon's mouth."
Klaus's smile widened as he raised his glass in a mock toast. "He might as well be."
"Nik!" Rebekah stepped forward, eyes flashing. "What is this? Yesterday all we discussed was Lucien wanting to visit Prague. If there's danger involved-"
"Peace, sister," Klaus raised his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "I meant it emotionally, of course." Again, his eyes darted toward Katherine. "There might be quite the... revelations that come from this trip."
Elijah caught the glance this time, his brow furrowing slightly. Rebekah too had noticed, her protective instincts visibly heightening.
"Let's just get it over with," Lucien interrupted. "The verbal agreement, Klaus."
Klaus set down his glass, all humor vanishing from his expression. "I, Niklaus Mikaelson, acknowledge that allowing Lucien Winchester to travel to Prague does not constitute causing him harm, regardless of what may occur during said journey."
"And I, Lucien Winchester, acknowledge this understanding and take responsibility for my choice to travel," Lucien responded formally.
The air between them seemed to shimmer momentarily, the contract binding them both to their words.
"Well then," Klaus's smile returned. "Have a pleasant journey."
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The private jet's interior gleamed with luxury – cream leather seats, polished wood tables, and crystal decanters of amber liquid catching the sunlight.
Elijah boarded first, conducting a thorough inspection before allowing the others to enter.
Rebekah followed, Katherine and Lucien came last, settling into seats across from each other.
As the jet taxied toward the runway, silence reigned.
Lucien stared out the window, his reflection in the glass revealing a furrowed brow and distant eyes.
Katherine watched him carefully, cataloging his unusual behavior – the tapping fingers, the slight tension around his mouth, the way he kept checking his phone.
Only when they had reached cruising altitude did she speak, her voice low despite with the rest being vampires, it being honestly redundant.
"When exactly were you planning to tell me about this trip?"
Lucien turned from the window, meeting her gaze. "I was going to tell you this morning."
"Before or after you told everyone else at breakfast?" Katherine's tone remained even, but her eyes held a challenge.
Lucien sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not what you think."
"And what exactly do I think, Lucien?" She leaned forward slightly. "Because right now, I'm thinking there's something important happening that you've deliberately kept from me."
"It's nothing bad," he assured her, though his eyes flicked away momentarily. "Trust me."
Katherine sat back, studying him for a long moment before responding. "I do trust you. That's not the issue."
Across the cabin, Elijah pretended to read a book while actually observing their interaction.
Beside him, Rebekah fidgeted with a bracelet.
"Nervous about your protective duties?" Elijah asked quietly.
Rebekah shot him a look. "Hardly. I'm perfectly capable of keeping one boy safe."
"Indeed." Elijah turned a page he hadn't actually read. "And do you know what awaits in Prague?"
"I know our destination," she replied carefully. "The purpose... is Lucien's to know and eventually share to all of us."
The journey continued in relative silence, the hum of engines providing a soothing background.
Katherine eventually pulled out a magazine, though her eyes frequently lifted to study Lucien, who had returned to staring out the window.
As they began their descent into Prague, Lucien's nervousness became a bit more, his fingers drumming more against his knee.
Elijah noticed but made no comment, simply adding this observation to his mental catalog.
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Prague greeted them with brilliant sunshine, the historic skyline of spires and terracotta roofs creating a postcard-perfect welcome.
As they descended the jet's stairs, a black limousine waited on the tarmac, a driver in a crisp suit holding a sign reading "Mikaelson."
Elijah conducted a subtle security assessment, his eyes scanning rooftops and shadows.
Rebekah positioned herself slightly behind Lucien, her stance casual but ready.
Katherine kept pace with Lucien, her gaze alternating between their surroundings and his increasing tenseness.
Inside the limousine, the driver confirmed their pre-arranged destination in accented English. Lucien nodded, then immediately pulled out his phone, studying a map of Prague.
As they traveled through the city, Katherine attempted casual conversation. "Prague has always been one of my favorite cities, you know. The architecture is remarkable – some of these buildings have stood since before even I was born."
"Mmm," Lucien responded, barely looking up from his phone.
Elijah and Rebekah exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them.
The limousine wound through narrow streets, passing historic buildings and charming cafes. Suddenly, Lucien straightened.
"Turn here," he instructed the driver, pointing to a side street. "We need to change direction."
The driver hesitated, glancing in the rearview mirror. "Sir, the destination-"
"Has changed," Lucien finished firmly. "Turn right at the next corner, then left onto Karlova Street."
Katherine's eyebrows rose. "Care to share what's happening?"
"Just a slight detour," Lucien replied, his eyes fixed on the streets passing outside.
After several more turns and additional instructions from Lucien, the limousine pulled to a stop beside a quaint restaurant with outdoor seating.
Red and white checkered tablecloths fluttered in the gentle breeze, and hanging baskets of flowers adorned the entrance.
"We're here," Lucien announced, his voice carrying a strange mix of determination and apprehension.
"And where exactly is 'here'?" Katherine asked as they exited the vehicle.
"You'll see," Lucien replied. "Just... wait a moment."
A moment of silence fell over the group as they waited. The sounds of the city continued around them – distant traffic, conversations in Czech, the clatter of dishes from inside the restaurant.
The restaurant door opened, and a young woman emerged carrying several shopping bags.
She was tall and slender with dark hair cascading past her shoulders. Her features held a striking familiarity – high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, the proud tilt of her chin.
She looked up, her gaze landing on Katherine.
Her eyes widened in shock, her body freezing mid-step. The shopping bags slipped from her fingers, falling to the cobblestones with a soft thud.
Katherine stared back in confusion, her brow furrowed slightly.
In the silence that followed, Lucien stepped forward, his voice carrying a slightly forced cheerfulness.
"After your change," he began, addressing Katherine while gesturing toward the frozen woman, "I- I found out I could sense you better. So much better that I can now sense those who have your blood inside of them, related to you by blood, I mean – if they're close enough in the bloodline that is."
Katherine's attention remained fixed on the stranger, but her head tilted slightly toward Lucien as he spoke.
"I remember the story you told me," he continued, "about your life before Klaus, before you asked for my help. And, well..." He paused, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Nadia is alive. She's been alive for centuries. She turned herself into a vampire and has apparently been searching for you all this time."
Lucien fell silent for a long moment, shifting his weight uncomfortably before extending his hand toward the still-frozen Nadia. "Tada! Hope you like the early birthday present!"
Katherine remained motionless, her eyes now intensely focused on Nadia's face.
Slowly, recognition dawned as she studied the woman – the echo of her own features reflected back at her.
Before Katherine could speak, Nadia surged forward with vampire speed, colliding with Katherine in an embrace that would have knocked a human off their feet.
Katherine remained stunned for several heartbeats, her arms hanging at her sides as Nadia clung to her, the younger vampire's body trembling with suppressed emotion.
Slowly, Katherine's arms rose to encircle her daughter, completing the embrace.
No words were said - both too shocked for it.
One from finally finding what they have been seeking for centuries, another for finding something they had thought lost for centuries.
Elijah and Rebekah observed with surprise and interest, while Lucien stepped back, giving mother and daughter space.
His expression carried a complex mixture of satisfaction and something deeper, more painful.
'I find myself curious as to why you regard them so,' Elijah mused internally, his gaze flickering toward Lucien. 'You care for them, that much is evident, and yet beneath your smile lingers a sorrow I cannot ignore. Tell me, what grieves you so?'
For a long moment they just stood there, observing mother and daughter, and Nadia finally letting tears fall, while Katherine gently ran her hand awkwardly down her daughter's back.
Then Lucien suddenly gasped, his hand flying to his temple.
The pain came so suddenly – a sharp, stabbing feeling, that became stronger by the moment. He dropped to his knees on the cobblestones, a groan escaping his lips.
Elijah was beside him instantly, one knee on the ground. "Lucien? What's wrong?"
Katherine broke from Nadia's embrace, her attention immediately returning to Lucien. "What's happening?"
But Lucien couldn't answer.
His vision had tunneled, the Prague street vanishing around him. Instead, he saw a motel room – dingy and sparsely furnished.
Sam Winchester sat on the edge of a bed, a phone pressed to his ear.
"Like you don't know," a woman's voice came through the phone. "I think it's time we talked."
"Pamela," Sam's voice was cold, controlled.
"In the psychic flesh," the woman replied. "Well, not literally. That would be stupid, considering what you've been up to."
"How did you get this number?" Sam asked.
"Please. I'm a psychic. And you've been leaving quite the psychic trail, collecting all those little pieces of me, trying to set up my destruction with them. Subtle as a freight train to anyone with any form of mental abilities. A wound in literal fucking time."
The vision shifted, showing seven ancient vampires approaching the motel.
They moved fast - faster than any couple centuries old vampire - these ones were at least a thousand years old, and were from the America strain.
Behind them, barely visible to normal eyes, lurked hidden figures – demons that had been secretly following Sam, protecting him without his knowledge, under Azazel's orders.
The vampires attacked, subduing the demons before turning their attention to the motel.
Two of them leapt upward, punching through the wall directly into Sam's room.
"What the-" Sam blurted out, barely having time to stand before one of the vampires was upon him, a pale hand plunging into his chest.
The vampire ripped out Sam's heart in one pull.
Sam could only gasp, eyes wide, before he suddenly fell face first onto the floor next to the vampire's feet.
"As His Majesty commanded," The vampire said, before taking a bite out of Sam's heart and throwing it onto his body, then turning into bats and flying off.
The vision ended fast, returning Lucien to the Prague street.
But the certainty was still there – this wasn't merely a possible future.
It was going to happen.
He could feel it in his fucking bones, in bloody heart.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The word tore from Lucien's throat, and with it a wave of red power, rippeling outward everywhere.
Instinctively, the destructive Grace that Raphael had awakened within him surged to life.
Lucien channeled both Dark and Light sides of the Force into it, pouring power into the divine essence.
And reality just... obeyed.
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Miles away, in a nondescript American motel, the seven ancient vampires turned to dust before they could even start their attack.
Sam looked up in confusion, sensing something had changed but didn't knoow of how close he had come to death.
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Back in Prague, a strange silence fell over the street. Katherine reached toward Lucien, concern evident in her expression. "Lucien?"
A shadow had fallen over Lucien and Elijah.
A tall figure stood behind them, his presence commanding despite his casual posture. Before anyone could react, he had already reached down and grasped Lucien's wrist.
Elijah - still on one knee - turned his gaze upward, and saw.
Dracula stood revealed in full sunlight, completely unaffected by its rays. A slight smile played across his lips as he looked down at the boy in his grip.
"Finally, I've got you, Son of Yahweh."
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it.
So... Lucien reunited Katherine with Nadia, and Dracula is here.
How did Dracula find Lucien though? How did he set it up - cause clearly he did.
I hopefully foreshadowed it well enough, in the Sam chapter, and emphasised it in this one too.
Let's see if you guys get it. If you did - great, I did a good job.
If not, well, better luck next time for me.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)