0200
Neah
'Sometimes, it's so frustrating when he is right.' Nyx groans. She was just as eager as me to put an end to Samara, but Dane was right, we couldn't risk losing Klaus, not when we don't have the full picture.
"So we are just going to let her live?" I whisper to Dane as my claws retract. They were coming out with next to no pain now and sometimes, I didn't even notice they were out.
I could see Samara staring at us. A mixture of fear and hope that she thinks Dane is saving her.
And now she was awake, I couldn't hear her whimpering anymore, though there is no denying that there is a link to me. I could order her. I could feel it, but could she?
"Why is everything so loud?" Samara suddenly cries, as she plants her hands over her ears. It was interesting how sound was the last thing to come to her. It was the first thing that hit me when my binding was broken "You have your Lycan, you dumb bitch!" Blair screeches and Samara winces.
"You're wrong." She cries back
"Enough!" Damien snaps.
"Eric, bring Blair to my office," Dane tells him. "Damien, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
'Is he going to kill Blair? We have information now. We don't need her anymore. So he must be, right?' Nyx asks
'I don't think he is.' I could tell Dane was mulling something over, if he was going to kill her, he wouldn't be considering other things and he would have just done it.
He gestures to the steps and holds a hand out to me. He doesn't speak until we are outside. "We are going to have to find somewhere else to put Blair."
"Why? She is locked up in the cell."
"Yes, but she has just made it very clear that she is pissed off with Samara now that some of the truth has come out. Moving forward, she's going to be useless in getting any information. And you heard her. She wants to kill Samara. She will be too focused on that. Again, if Samara dies, there is a good chance Klaus will be killed. I know you don't want that."
I shake my head, "You're right."
"So we are going to play this tactfully. I'm going to offer the bastard a trade."
"A trade?"
"Klaus for Samara and Blair. Two for the price of one. We can see just how much he loves his sister because it's either none or both."
"Won't that just make him think Klaus is worth more?"
"Contracts or deals often mean offering something that is worthwhile. Something that the other party thinks works in their favor. It doesn't necessarily mean it will, they just have to believe it will.
I stare at him as Damien and Eric appear with Blair. She is quiet, keeps her gaze low, and does not fight the men as they move her forward.
"We don't even know how to get in touch with him." I look around the park grounds. "We don't even know where he has taken Klaus."
"Something tells me we won't need to. He will soon learn that the spell or drug that he used has worn off and he can link his sister. He will probably turn up on our doorstep if he is that desperate to get her back."
"Okay." I mutter "And what are you going to do with Blair?" I ask as the slamming of the dungeon door makes me jump. "You said she can't stay in the dungeon. You can't possibly think that I will agree to let her live in the house.
"Of course not. I need to find someone that will keep an eye on her and I know just the person to ask."
He had never been the one to make people wait for their death. If death was what they deserved, death was what they got. So why was he content with letting her live?
"You think Cooper will be pissed if we kill her too?" I ask
"Possibly."
"She's too much of a risk." I keep my voice low as Damien and Eric take Blair towards the house.
"She is, but I don't think you are her target anymore. She didn't want to come here. She came here because Samara talked her into it. I don't think you have been her target for a while. I'm not saying forgive her, because there is no way she deserves that. But maybe we can put her to work, nothing security-based. Just while we figure out the next steps."
'To work?' Nyx scoffs
My eyes flash up to his. "You're playing your little game again aren't you?"
He drops his arm over my shoulder and squeezes me into his side, but doesn't answer my question.
In his office, Blair has been dumped into the chair. Her eyes focus on her knees and she keeps her hands clasped together on her lap.
No one speaks as we wait. Several minutes go by and Blair becomes more fidgety. Her whole body trembles as her leg jigs.
Ryken knocks on the open door. "You called me Neah, is this about Kade? I know we haven't...." His eyes drift to his stepdaughter and a scowl appears. "What has she done now?"
"It's complicated," Dane tells him.
"I'm assuming you thought it would be best to tell me rather than her mother? How long does she have?"
"That will depend on you, Ryken," Dane tells him
"Me, you want me to decide how she dies?"
I see Blair's eyes widen and Nyx laughs, 'She's practically shitting herself. But why is Dane lying to Ryken?'
'You know he has his ways of testing people.'
"Blair is not safe in the dungeons anymore. You are her stepfather. I am requesting that you take her in and keep a very close eye on her." Dane tells him.
I still didn't like it, but I didn't want her anywhere near the house either.
What was the saying, keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer?
Klaus had taught me that.
"Take her in? You want me to take her into our home?" Ryken acts like we are asking him to stick his head into an open flame.
"Take her in, feed her, keep an eye on her, don't let her out of your sight. She will be put to work with a guard and when work is over, she returns home to you and does not leave the house unless it is myself or Neah who requests it." Dane tells him
"She is your stepdaughter, Ryken. She is your responsibility. If you say no, I understand, she will not live to see another day. If you say yes, your family's lives rely on her doing what has been asked of her. If she fails or steps out of line in any way, she will not be the only one to face death. Do I make myself clear?" Dane asks
"I have a baby." He protests with a frown
'What are we going to do if he says no?' Nyx asks
'I guess we will deal with it if it happens.'
"If I do everything that's required, I get to live?" Blair asks in a whisper
No one speaks and after a few seconds, Blair nods her head. "You are going to kill me anyway."
"I will do it!" Ryken announces and everyone's eyes move to him. We were all expecting him to consider it but still said no.
"You will?" I ask as Blair stares at me with wide eyes. She is just as surprised as I am.
"I will kill her myself if she doesn't follow orders."
Blair looks at me, her eyes full of tears. "Thank you."
"It's not me you need to thank." I leave the office before anyone else. My own heart racing as my head pounds.
'I don't like it either.' Nyx grumbles. 'She was set on destroying us.'
I wait at the top of the stairs, but it's some time before the rest of them appear. Ryken has his hands on Blair's shoulder, her eyes are still low as he pushes her through the front door.
Damien tags along, I'm assuming to make sure there is no problem. Eric disappears through the door. Dane casts his crimson eyes up at me from the office door. "I know you are not happy and this is just temporary."