Finally my Call of Duty game arrived at the rental store in town, this morning Lery the seller sent me a message.
It didn't take long and I kept skipping and humming that I would finally be able to play, I would finally be able to play.
"Nikky… what are you doing?" Katherine commented, sitting in the chair eating a heavy breakfast with a glass of cow blood in the cup.
Yesss, my business worked out, with Bonnie and Abby's help we managed to magically mutate the cows and now their blood tastes like human blood.
She seemed to be playing around, enjoying the taste of the blood, so the experiment is a success and has already started giving me financial returns.
With websites on the web under the pretense of fake blood for vampire fanboys and with Slater's help.
Most young vampires buy cow blood...
Amara was next to Katherine taking care of her and wiping her mouth because of the mess she was making.
Bonnie and Caroline left early to do who knows what, and grandma and Abby are busy researching how to weaken the spirits.
So this is the perfect moment for me to play without interruptions.
--++--
I left the house and got into my car with the greatest happiness in the world and in less than 15 minutes I was at the game store.
I opened the door, looked at the storefront with the big "OPEN" sign and stepped in.
"Lary my great friend, come on give me my game!" I shouted as I walked in and Lary already had the game on the counter.
"Nik, my best customer… I already set yours aside," he picked up a case. "This is the special edition with character configuration."
"Yeeee!" I shouted, throwing my hands in the air and ran to grab the game.
"Yeeee!" I yelled, practically snatching the box from Lery's hand like it would disappear if I blinked.
He laughed, leaning his elbows on the counter.
"Calm down, champ… you still need to pay."
I froze for half a second.
"…details."
I threw the money on the counter without even looking and was already turning the box around, admiring every detail like it was a sacred relic.
"Special edition," I murmured, hypnotized. "Customization… skins… extra modes… Lery, you're a hero."
"I know," he replied, convinced. "Now go before you start kissing the cover here in the store."
I made no promises.
I left with long steps, almost skipping again, but holding myself just enough not to look completely out of reality… at least in front of people.
As soon as I got in the car, I placed the game on the passenger seat with exaggerated care.
"Ahh, right, I have to buy chocolate powder and coffee," I muttered, in fact Katherine finished all the chocolate powder and Amara and Bonnie finished the coffee.
Literally Bonnie and Amara don't go a day without coffee and get really temperamental without it.
Introducing coffee to Amara was a terrible idea, an immortal of 2000 years who spent most of that time imprisoned… of course she would get addicted.
Since I'm here I'll go to the wholesale market, it's cheaper than convenience stores.
--++---
I arrived at the market and saw the chocolate powder shelf, the coffee shelf, Rebekah Mikaelson… hmm better leave… I think it's better to buy at the small market near home… hmm let's support local business.
I turned toward the exit of the store and started leaving.
"Hey don't ignore me."
Huh, I think I heard something weird, am I getting sick? Better walk faster.
But unfortunately a hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me around, making me look at Rebekah Mikaelson's face.
"Need to talk, nephew," she said with a friendly smile.
Damn it, I just wanted to ignore her and go play my game in peace… I want to cry.
"You know I'm an Original like you and I have magic, right?" I asked seriously. "I could send you flying easily."
"In the middle of people in a market?" Rebekah shot back. "Come on, this is new to me too… I just want to get to know my nephew, you're the closest thing I have to fulfilling my dream of having a child."
Damn… I have no argument.
I opened my mouth… closed it… opened it again.
Nothing came out.
Rebekah noticed immediately and smiled, satisfied, like she had just won a battle effortlessly.
"See? You don't always have an answer for everything," she teased, crossing her arms.
I sighed, rubbing my face.
"Look… I just wanted to buy chocolate powder, coffee… and play my game in peace," I said, vaguely pointing to the exit. "Like, a normal day. No ancient family drama. Is that possible?"
"No," she answered immediately.
I blinked.
"You didn't even think."
"Didn't need to."
She took a step closer, her gaze now more… soft. Less teasing, more curiosity.
"How long have you existed?" she asked. "My family and I didn't know, if we did we would have been present in your upbringing."
I crossed my arms.
"I don't share…"
"You're special to us."
I rolled my eyes.
"Oh sure, special, unique, mysterious… I've heard that speech."
"No," she said, firmer this time. "I'm serious."
Silence.
For a second, the noise of the market returned — carts, people, cash registers… like we were in a bubble in the middle of everything.
Rebekah looked straight at me.
"I always wanted a real family," she continued. "Not just broken siblings trying to kill each other every century."
That… hit a bit more than I'd like.
I looked away.
"Then you chose the wrong family," I muttered.
"I didn't choose," she replied. "But I can choose what to do with it now."
Before I could respond, she reached out… and grabbed the game from the cart basket I didn't even remember pushing there.
"Call of Duty, huh?" she read, curious. "Is this important to you?"
"More than this conversation at the moment," I answered without thinking.
She laughed.
"Honest. I like that."
For a moment, I thought she would insist… keep talking… start an endless interrogation.
But instead—
She handed the game back to me.
"Go," she said, giving a small push to my shoulder. "Before I change my mind."
I blinked, surprised.
"…seriously?"
"Yes," she sighed. "But this isn't over. I'll find you again."
"I don't doubt it."
I was already turning to leave when she added:
"And next time… bring that game."
I stopped.
Looked over my shoulder.
"…you want to play?"
She gave a half smile.
"If that's part of your world… then maybe I want to understand."
I stayed silent for a second.
Then I smirked.
"Careful, Rebekah. This might be more addictive than blood."
"I doubt it."
"You've clearly never played multiplayer."
I left before she could respond, my mood absurdly better.
Unexpected side mission: survive an emotional encounter with an Original.
Main mission: FINALLY PLAY.
I got in the car, placed the game on the seat with all the respect in the world and started the engine.
"Now yes," I murmured. "Nothing can stop me."
--++--
"So we need a whirlwind of magic to end these spirits once and for all," Bonnie, grandma and Abby entered my room and turned off my video game.
Noooo, I had just turned it on.
"Are you listening, Nik?" Bonnie asked.
"Yes, yes I am," I said resentful about them ruining my chance to play.
"What can we do?" Bonnie asked. "You're better in this kind of situation."
"We can use the Originals, they're linked… so we can break one lineage and it'll break all of them, imagine a magical line connecting hundreds of millions of vampires… that's a lot of magic," I said looking at the screen, they turned off my game…
"Great, who?" Bonnie started thinking. "I would say Rebekah but no, they would notice she disappeared… I heard Kol is desperate for magic, we can set a trap for him… making him believe we'll teach him vampire magic."
Bonnie said and I stopped looking at the screen.
When did she get so scheming? My god I'm so proud.
I ran and hugged her and started rubbing my face on hers.
"Nik, stop hahaha," she complained, but didn't force me away.
"I'm so proud of you, you're acting like a true clan leader," I shouted happily. "Great, we can do this, how is Enzo doing with the evolution of vampire magic?"
"He's already mastering transmutation… and doing better in psychic arts, but he's terrible in elemental arts," Bonnie started speaking automatically. "No… I'm not sending my boyfriend into danger."
"But he's the most suitable," I said very calmly. "He's weak in magic because he's young and Kol won't suspect he's one of us."
"He will," Bonnie stomped her foot. "He was with us at the Mikaelson ball."
"Was he?" I asked innocently.
"Nik, stop it," she said. "You're dating Caroline and sleeping with Amara, don't think I didn't notice," lucky for you Caroline doesn't mind and she even likes Amara as a friend."
Yeah… nothing I can say.
"Besides, Enzo is a romantic, he hasn't even slept with me yet and I gave all the possible openings," Bonnie said dreamily. "He wants to get married and you're not going to ruin that."
I didn't need to hear that… how do I unhear that, I'm going to cry.
"I didn't need to hear that."
"Your problem," she stuck her tongue out at me.
"Fine, it'll be Slater," I said. "He learned transmutation and can use a bit of elemental art, he's young and Kol has never seen him."
Bonnie stayed silent for a few seconds… clearly recalculating everything.
"…okay," she said finally, calmer. "No overly complicated mind games."
I smiled slightly.
"Thank you. Finally someone thinking about my sanity… and my gameplay time."
She rolled her eyes, but didn't argue.
"Let's simplify then," Abby said, direct. "Slater is just… an apprentice."
"A talented apprentice," I added. "But incomplete enough to need a master."
Grandma nodded slowly.
"And this 'master'…"
"Doesn't exist," Bonnie concluded. "It's the trap."
Silence.
Simple.
Clean.
Dangerous.
"Kol meets Slater," I started structuring. "Slater demonstrates vampire magic — enough to catch attention, but not enough to satisfy."
"That will irritate Kol," Caroline commented.
"And make him curious," I replied. "Which is worse."
Bonnie started pacing.
"So Slater drops the information… that he learned from someone. A hidden master. Someone who masters what he can't."
"Kol will want to go after it immediately," Abby said.
"Obviously," I replied. "And that's where we guide him."
Grandma folded her hands.
"We need to choose the place well. It has to seem isolated… but with enough energy to sustain the ritual."
"Same abandoned church," I said. "It already has magical residue. Makes everything easier."
Bonnie nodded.
"Alright. So the flow is simple:"
She started counting on her fingers.
"One: Slater meets Kol."
"Two: shows enough magic to hook him."
"Three: mentions the master."
"Four: hesitates to take him… to make it believable."
"Five: gives in."
"Six…" she looked at me.
"Trap activates," I finished.
Caroline let out a sigh.
"I hate how simple this sounds."
"Because it's not simple," Abby replied. "It's just… direct."
I stayed silent for a moment… then raised a point:
"Slater needs to sell the story well. Kol isn't stupid."
Bonnie agreed.
"We'll prepare him. Consistent story. Details. Emotion."
"Especially emotion," grandma added. "Apprentices always have admiration for their master."
"Or fear," I said. "Both work."
Caroline tilted her head.
"And you?"
I paused.
"…supervision," I answered.
Bonnie narrowed her eyes.
"You're not staying completely out."
"No," I admitted. "If something goes wrong… I step in."
"It will go wrong," Caroline said immediately.
"Probably," I replied. "But then I fix it."
Bonnie sighed, but didn't argue anymore.
Plan defined.
Simple.
Fast.
Dangerous enough.
Perfect.
Silence filled the room for a moment… until—
My gaze slowly drifted… to the video game.
Still there.
Staring at me.
Judging me.
"…so," I said slowly. "How long is this going to take?"
Bonnie crossed her arms.
"We start today."
I closed my eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Accepted my fate.
"…five minutes first?" I tried.
"NO," four voices said at the same time.
My soul left my body again.
"This is oppression," I muttered.
Caroline laughed.
"This is priority."
I grabbed my coat, defeated… but functional.
"Alright. Let's trick an Original."
I took two steps… stopped… looked back one last time.
"…I'll be back," I promised the video game.
Bonnie pushed me out of the room.
"Move it, drama."
And just like that—
Mission updated: use Slater as bait.
Plan: simple and deadly.
Emotional state: betrayed.
Final objective…
Survive.
And, if the universe has any sense of justice—
Play.