Chapter Six: What is Mine

Rose's POV/

After having spent three days reading and rereading the spell, I had come to know it by heart. But, that would not help me without the flower. I had this feeling that tying myself to them would only lead to my death. But, my life meant nothing, if it would keep others from suffering, whatever fate the Ancestors have in mind for the Quarter.

"It would seem that the last remaining Echinacea paradoxa is in the hands of witches in Ireland. Their Coven is headed by a powerful witch by the name of Honora MacGrath. However, getting this witch to trust us, and give us even one flower of this rare plant may give us a problem." Elijah spoke as he entered the room I had been studying in.

"Honora MacGrath? She was once friends with my Mother. I may be able to speak with her, and get her to give you the flower."

"I do not see how it is safe for you to leave New Orleans. They will only follow you wherever you go. I will go and take Rebekah with me, to see this Coven and to procure the Echinacea paradoxa flower."

"If I cannot go with you, then I will at the very least give you a letter to give to her that may help your case."

I turned and began to write my letter, as Elijah went to find Rebekah to inform her of their impending trip. As soon as I had finished my letter, they were packed and ready to go to Lahinch, on the coast of County Clare Ireland.

That left me under the protection of Nicklaus, of whom Elijah had informed to treat me with respect. It was not as though I did not like Nicklaus. I, however, did not trust him with my life, as he had as yet to show any value of it. I truly hoped that he would leave me be, as he had seemed to be doing for the last three days. Just after nighfall with Rebekah and Elijah gone, I had gone into my room to get ready for an early bedtime. But no sooner had I walked into my room, that my world went black.

Nicklaus POV/

Since our conversation, I had been giving Rose space, as Elijah had asked or rather demanded of me. As she would have to face the full demise of her family by a spell of her own hand, and the grip of mine. However, now that Elijah was gone, I sought out the company of this strangely powerful little witch. However, when I came to her room where I had last heard her, I could smell that the presence of something dead and powerful had been there.

When I opened the door, she was not there, but her scent of lavender and nutmeg was almost overpowered by the scent of death. The little witch had gotten herself kidnapped. Normally I would not care what she had done, or that someone had taken her, but that they had done so right under my nose in my own house, that was unforgiveable.

He became an eerie calm, as the rage that boiled just under the surface, like the calm before an unbelievably destructive storm. Where would they have taken her? Then his mind wandered to the story she had told of her family. And something clicked inside his mind. They had taken her to the resting place of her Ancestors. So he followed the scent of death, mixed with lavender and nutmeg, deep into the bayou. When he got to them, however, he decided to lay in wait, and listen in to their planning, before saving his little witch.

"Now, now my powerful little girl. All we want is for you to help us to bring forth more of your beloved family. You are the most powerful witch in our line, and the first true Matriarch born in three centuries. You will be like a queen to all of us, better even than a Harvest Girl. Think of it. With one little spell you could rule all that you see."

A rather beautiful middle aged red headed woman, who looked much like Rose herself, likely being her mother, ranted at poor Rose. Who was not only bound, but gagged and unable to answer her. When she did pull the gag from her mouth, Rose spat at her as tears ran down her cheeks.

"You are not my family, nor are they. You took from me my only family, and now that they are dead and only your puppets, why would I want to bring them back?"

Her young voice held so much heartbreak and sadness, that anyone who had even an ounce of humanity, never would have asked of her.

Being done and having learned all I needed to know of their plans, I used my enhanced Vampire speed to come between the woman who must once have been Rose's mother, and the others who stood just behind her.

"You came into my home, and took what was mine, and I would like her back now." The evidence of my rage that boiled under the surface beginning to come out in my tone of voice.

"You seem to think that she belongs to you, when she comes from our line, and I am her mother. She is our blood, therefore, you cannot take her from us."

"You seem to think that I was asking. She denounced your line, and said you were no longer her family. Therefore, you have no hold over her." Containing his rage so as not to kill this woman, before she is bound to her body, was becoming harder and harder as she made a mockery of him.

"And what power do you hold over me, Little Vampire King? You are nothing more than two beings that should never have existed bound in one body. Nothing more than an Abomination."

And with that one single word, Abomination, my rage came forth like the first tidal wave in a great storm. My hand plunged straight into her chest, my fingers wrapped around her still beating heart. I could feel how her fear quickened it. I could feel the blood that encased my fingers and dripped down my arm. And just before I fully let all of my rage come forth and ripped out her heart, I heard a voice calling to me.

"Nicklaus, don't. If you kill her now she will only take another form and we will never know who she is until it is too late."

Hearing Rose's words, I released her heart, pulling my hand from her chest. I bit into my own wrist, and gave her my blood, so as to keep her from dying.

"You have escaped my wrath this time, but know that when the time comes I will take great pleasure in ripping out your heart and watching it take its final beat." With that I took up Rose into my arms and brought her safely back to the compound.

When I set her down in my art room, I began to cut the ropes that bound her wrists and legs and then, I asked her if she was all right.

"They didn't hurt you, love, did they?"

"Nothing that will last forever. As my mother always said it will go away before you get married." She smiled slightly, but it was a tired sad sort of smile the kind that hid pain. The kind I had given myself.

Not wanting to truly show my concern, I told her "off to bed with you love. You've had a long night."

She looked up at me for a moment, her eyes seeming to search mine for something, and she seemed to have found it, whatever she was looking for because she asked me, much to my surprise, if she could stay in my art room with me as she knew I would be up most of the night painting. What she did not know, was I had been painting her.

"Something wrong with your own room love?"

"I'd just feel safer here tonight."

"Fine then, Do what you like love."