Lexi stepped into the Abattoir with the slow confidence of someone who'd walked through worse. The air inside was cooler, carrying the faint scent of old blood, bourbon, and dust. Light streamed through the high windows, fractured and dim. It was too quiet. Even for this place.
Her boots echoed across the cracked tiles as she moved deeper into the compound. The architecture hadn't changed much, though the vibe had. Marcel's touch was everywhere—polished wood, reinforced steel, a sense of control layered over the chaos. It was a fortress dressed up as a home.
"Alex!" she called, her voice echoing off the walls. No answer.
She frowned. Her instincts prickled. Something was off.
She took another step—and pain exploded through her body.
Vervain.
It hit her like fire, searing through her veins. She stumbled forward, catching herself on one of the support beams, her skin blistering on contact. Chains clattered down from above, wrapping around her wrists before she could react. She hissed, baring her fangs, the scent of burning flesh sharp in the air.
"Son of a—" she spat through gritted teeth, jerking against the restraints. The chains tightened, biting into her skin, soaked in enough vervain to make her vision blur.
Marcel's voice drifted down from the balcony above. Calm. Regretful. "I really am sorry about this, Lexi."
She looked up slowly, eyes blazing gold, fangs bared. "You better have a damn good reason before I rip your heart out."
He stepped into the light, his expression tight but controlled. "I can't let you take this from me."
Lexi laughed bitterly, even through the pain. "Take what, Marcel? You think this little kingdom of yours is safe? You think they won't come for you?"
He descended the stairs one slow step at a time, his gaze locked on hers. "They will. Eventually. But not yet. Not if I play this right."
"What the hell are you talking about?" she hissed.
Marcel came to a stop in front of her. "You shouldn't have come back. None of you should have. This city—this place—it's mine now. I built it from the ashes you all left behind. Klaus and his family think they can waltz in and take it back like it's still theirs? No."
He shook his head. "I can't let that happen."
Lexi tugged at the chains again, wincing as smoke curled from her wrists. "You think chaining me up's gonna stop anything? You're just poking a sleeping bear, Marcel."
He didn't smile. "You don't get it. This isn't about stopping you. It's about balance." He took a step closer, lowering his voice. "You remember Alex and Erik?"
Lexi's eyes narrowed. "Of course I remember them, one of them is my brother you bastard. What about them?"
Marcel looked away for a moment, his jaw tightening. "They were going to call the Originals back. Let them know they were alive. I couldn't let that happen."
Her heart dropped. The world tilted. "What did you do?" she whispered.
"I daggered them," Marcel said quietly. "Both of them. They were my brothers once. My family. But they were going to hand everything we built away."
Lexi stared at him in stunned silence, the words hitting harder than the vervain ever could.
"You—you daggered them?" she finally said, her voice low, trembling with fury. "They trusted you."
"I know," Marcel said, his eyes filled with something close to guilt. "But you don't understand what we made here. We built something different. Something that worked. Humans, witches, vampires—balance. For the first time in centuries, this city was ours. And they wanted to throw it all away. Call Klaus. Call Viktor. Bring back the monsters who made this place bleed. I couldn't let them."
Lexi's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You really think you can hold back that tide? They're already here, Marcel. Your balance is a fairy tale."
He met her gaze, his own hardening. "Maybe. But at least I tried."
She leaned forward as much as the chains would allow. "You betrayed the people who would've died for you. That's not balance. That's fear."
Marcel's jaw clenched. "Maybe. But fear's what keeps people alive."
Lexi laughed—a sharp, broken sound that turned into a grim chuckle. "You always were good with speeches." Her eyes flicked past him, her tone shifting, quieter now. "Good thing I didn't listen to Kai."
Marcel frowned. "What?"
And then the air shimmered.
Kai appeared out of thin air, standing a few feet behind Marcel with that signature, twisted grin on his face. His hands were in his pockets, eyes dancing with cruel amusement.
He tilted his head, looking at Lexi. "Told you this would happen."
"Shut up," Lexi muttered.
Marcel spun around, eyes wide. "What the—"
Kai smiled wider. "You didn't really think she came alone, did you?" He raised a hand, his fingers sparking with a pulse of energy that crackled in the air like electricity.
Lexi's voice was steady now, cold. "Kill them."
Kai gave a mock bow. "With pleasure."
The room exploded into motion.
The lights flickered and burst. Magic rippled through the air, tossing furniture aside like it was made of paper. Vampires poured in from the upper balconies, fangs bared, but they never made it halfway. Kai waved his hand and they froze mid-step, their eyes rolling back as veins darkened across their faces.
Marcel lunged for him, fast—but Kai was faster. He flicked his wrist, and Marcel was hurled across the room, crashing into a column hard enough to crack the stone.
Lexi twisted against her chains, the vervain burning deeper. Kai snapped his fingers and the bindings shattered, metal clattering to the ground. She dropped to her knees, coughing as the smoke cleared.
"Careful," Kai said with a smirk. "Wouldn't want you passing out before the fun starts."
Lexi stood, shaking off the pain, her eyes glowing red. She turned her gaze on Marcel, who was pulling himself to his feet, his face a mix of rage and disbelief.
"This is for Alex and Erik," she said softly.
Then she was on him.
She moved like lightning, her fist slamming into his chest. The impact sent him flying backward again, through a table this time. Marcel rolled, landing in a crouch, his fangs bared, his eyes burning red.
"Big mistake," he hissed.
Kai laughed from behind her, spinning a glowing sigil in the air. "Oh, I like this guy. He still thinks he can win."
Marcel roared and charged again. Lexi met him halfway, the clash shaking the walls. It was pure chaos—magic, blood, and fury colliding in one violent symphony.
Through it all, Kai watched, grinning like a child watching fireworks, his eyes flickering with wild excitement.
Marcel ducked one of Lexi's swings and slammed his hand into her chest, sending her flying. "You don't understand what's at stake!" he shouted.
She rose, blood on her lip, her fangs glinting in the light. "I understand betrayal."
Before he could move again, Kai snapped his fingers.
The room filled with light.