Back in Alaric's apartment, Katherine awoke with a sharp intake of breath.
The room was dim, lit only by flickering candles and the low hum of magic in the air. Her eyes focused quickly, instinctively, and what she saw made her blood run cold.
The man from earlier stood several feet away, chanting softly and In front of him, someone sat slumped in a chair, wrists bound, head bowed. Two vases lay on the floor beside the chair one upright and brimming with blood, the other empty, knocked onto its side, crimson streaks staining the rug.
Katherine pushed herself upright with her hand went to her chest. Elena's necklace was gone.
"Alaric?" she called and the man in the chair lifted his head. Alaric Saltzman opened his eyes and stood.
The chanting stopped. The stranger bowed his head reverently.
"Alaric?" Katherine whispered again, backing toward the door.
She reached for it and Nothing.
The door wouldn't budge and the slowly, she turned. Alaric was walking toward her, his expression calm, his movements measured wrong in a way she couldn't immediately place.
"Zdravei, Katerina," he said softly.
He reached out and took her face in his hands, thumbs brushing her cheeks with almost tender familiarity.
"I have missed you."
Katherine froze, eyes wide.
"Klaus…" she breathed and his lips curved into a smile.
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At the Salvatore Boarding House, Michael watched the shock ripple through the room with open amusement.
Elena looked like she might collapse, her eyes quickly becoming glassy. Stefan had a complete look of shock on his face same as John although, Michael completely disregarded him. Damon's jaw was clenched so tight it looked like it might crack.
Michael took another slow sip of his drink.
'Hmm,' he thought idly. 'Well… that's understandable. It's not every day you find out your supposed father figure is being worn like an actual suit by a thousand-year-old vampire.'
He sighed internally.
'Maybe I really shouldn't have told them like that.'
"Wait," Stefan finally said, breaking the silence. "How do you even know that?"
Michael shrugged lightly. 'Because I've watched you all from a laptop in another world,' he thought.
Instead, he said, "I've been alive for a very, very long time, Stefan. And as I told you, I know their strategies."
He set his glass down and continued, his tone turning analytical.
"Klaus needs someone close to Elena. Someone none of you would ever suspect. Someone you trust unconditionally."
Elena's eyes widened further.
"Add to that," Michael went on, "Isobel being under his command. Which means she told Klaus everything she knew about Alaric. His habits. His mind. How useful his body would be."
He looked between them.
"All of that leads to the same conclusion: Alaric is the perfect vessel. At least until Klaus discovers whatever little plan you're cooking up to stop him."
"Slimy little bastard," Damon muttered.
Michael glanced at him. "Ironically, that's an astute statement."
Elena stepped forward. "We need to help him, Stefan."
"Oh, don't worry," Michael said calmly. "Klaus won't stay inside him for too long."
Damon frowned. "You said he was your professor."
Michael nodded, placing his drink down, he stood up and walked around the space and admiring their collection of books and furniture.
"Before Isobel Flemming became a vampire and left him, Alaric Saltzman was an experimental psychologist and a college professor at Duke University."
He looked at Elena.
"Your mother was a parapsychologist. She had a keen interest in vampires, a topic Alaric loved teasing her about."
A faint chuckle escaped him. "Bells conducted extensive research into vampire lore and weaknesses."
"Get to the point already," Damon snapped.
Michael smirked at that and decided to continue as he was. "For a time, I attended that university. And Alaric's classes."
He smiled, genuine this time.
"He is an exceptional mind. A wonderful teacher, I'll admit. We became friends rather quickly while sharing ideas, exchanging thoughts."
Not long after, Michael continued with a casual and reflective tone.
"I already knew of Isobel," he said. "I met her long ago during one of my travels." He paused, then added smoothly, "After she gave birth to you, Elena, I made it a point to research who she was."
'That's a lie,' he thought calmly. 'But they don't need to know that.'
"What I found," he went on, "was that she was a descendant of the Petrova bloodline."
"A bloodline," Michael said, turning to face them fully, "that I've been watching closely for centuries ever since Katerina fled from Klaus and Elijah."
He chuckled lightly. Elena frowned. "You talk like you know everything that's happened. If that's true, if you were around then why didn't you stop it?"
Michael's expression softened, just a fraction. "Because I arrived late. I was… occupied."
He made a faint face of distaste. "Occupied with some unnatural infernal abominations."
"What?" Damon asked.
"Nothing," Michael said smoothly, waving it off. "Back to you, Elena. I wasn't able to get there in time. But enough of that. I suspect you'll get a full recap sooner than you think from your other guest."
Damon and Stefan exchanged a look at what he meant by that.
"Isobel," Michael continued, "was the one who eventually figured out I wasn't entirely human. She noticed I hadn't aged a day since the last time we'd parted."
He chuckled at the memory. "She tried slipping vervain into a meal once. Invited me over after Alaric welcomed me into their home."
A faint smile crossed his face. "It was all well and good… until she became the very thing she was obsessed with."
Before anyone could react, Michael blurred away from his position.
In an instant, he was in front of Damon, "I found out she was attacked, killed, and turned by a vampire," Michael said quietly.
Damon scoffed. "Yeah, well, not exactly my finest hour. And I'm not apologizing."
He squared his shoulders, eyes flicking up to Michael, ready for whatever came next until Stefan stepped closer and placed a hand on Michael's shoulder.
"Easy," Stefan murmured.
Michael glanced at the hand, then stepped back with an easy smile.
"Oh, lighten up. I'm not upset. Far from it, in fact." He said as he the paced over to Elena and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. She stiffened, startled by the warmth of his touch.
"I expected it to happen sooner or later," he said softly. "After that incident, I left it all behind but not before giving Isobel a way to contact me, should she ever need help."
"So what now?" Stefan asked.
Damon crossed his arms. "Now Mr. Ancient here helps us figure out how to permanently stop the Originals."
Michael looked to John. "That isn't possible without the one thing that can truly undo their existence on this earth. And that thing is scarce."
"The white oak ash," John said.
Michael shook his head. "No. The white oak itself."
He opened his mouth to continue but his phone rang. He checked the screen and answered. "Cara."
A pause.
"I see," he said. "Keep watch. Don't engage. Do nothing until I say so." He ended the call and looked back at them.
"Well then, gentlemen… and lady. I believe that's enough introductions and storytelling for one evening."
He moved toward the door.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Elena."
Stefan frowned. "Wait, where are you going?"
Michael smiled. "Urgent business. Don't worry, I'm not leaving. I'll be around."
He glanced back at Elena, "Besides, I have a promise to keep. And I always keep my word."
With a smirk, he vanished, gone in a blink.
Damon stared at the empty space. "Great. Mr. Houdini just ghosted us."
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