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They were hunting her.
They were hunting HER.
She was just your average run of the mill witch. Hell, she didn’t even know she was a witch until recently. She didn’t even know how to do all the witchy witch shit. Why were they after--- She knew why. She didn’t want to think about the why of it. But she knew. Being associated with a Mikaelson was both the best and worst place to be in life. With the Mikaelsons, she was both safe, and a target all at the same time.
They were a family with more enemies than anyone in the world.
Lyza couldn’t find the air that belonged in her lungs as she stared at the Original vampire in front of her. Kol Mikaelson pressed a heavy metal object into her hands. She’d know it was coming to her, from the moment he picked the damn thing up.
“Listen to me, Elizabeth. This thing is loaded with wooden bullets. You shoot anything and anyone that comes through that door, and isn’t me. Do you understand?”
She nodded, frantically.
“Good girl,” he said.
He reached around the back of her neck, took off the necklace she wore. A vervain laced charm that kept her from compulsion. He was the one who’d given it to her, to keep her safe.
Her lungs were burning with the need to control her breathing. Her anxiety was climbing and climbing and climbing, and she wasn’t going to be much good to anyone if she passed out.
“Kol---” She whined, as she tried to regulate. He caught her gaze again, eyes dilating in that way they did as compulsion took hold. She was at his mercy.
“Breathe, darling. If that door opens, and you don’t see a Mikaelson, you shoot.”
Lyza sucked in her first full breath since they’d found themselves in this little room, and she blinked as her mind was returned to her own control. “Okay.”
“That’s my girl,” he said.
He took her in his hands, allowing them to frame her neck, cradling her face. He pulled her in closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he was gone.
She stood in that room with her back pressed to the far wall, facing the door. Her breaths were shaky, but stable enough to keep her from another anxiety attack. Her hands trembled the weight of the gun there, terrifying to her. She’d never even held one before, much less fired one.
She was going to dedicate so much fucking time to training her magic when this was over. So that she never had to hold a gun again.
She could hear the altercation outside the door, bodies slamming into walls, screams that died too quickly--- Either from snapped necks or ripped out hearts. Someone rammed the door, she raised the weapon as the door swung open with the sheer force of the blow. She fired at the unfamiliar face.
The bullet caught them in the arm, and they screamed their rage. In flash they were in front of her, hand around her throat.
“I’m going to enjoy feeling the life drain out of you---"
She had all of one thought in her head as the gun hit the ground. She lifted her hands to try to pry theirs from her neck, a futile endeavor. She needed to get them away from her.
Get them away. Get them away. Get them away.
The vampire’s grip dropped away as they stumbled back, gripping their head. She didn’t know what the hell she’d done, but something was happening, and she’d take what she could get. She just needed to keep them away long enough.
“You little bitch!”
Lyza bent and snatched the gun back into her hand, forcing her aim to still as she fired the next bullet close enough to hit her mark, the vampire dropped dead--- Black veins crawling over its skin as it’s undeath faded away, leaving nothing in it’s wake.
The sound of the struggle beyond the door died. And moments later, Kol was there in front of her as she crumbled into a mess of tears.
“It’s over, darling. It’s over. They’re gone.” He caught her as she fell, legs failing her.
He bit into his wrist, and pressed it to her lips. Already ahead of repairing whatever damage the other vampire had inflicted.
“Lets get you home, and into a nice warm bath. A glass of wine, your favorite ridiculous bath bomb, maybe a massage.”
She laughed at him between sobs and sniffles, as she tried to pull herself together. He lifted her up as if she were light as a feather, and the trip home was reduced to seconds.