K i l l e r s A n d L i a r s

"Do you have any idea what I've been through? I've spent the last two days chained up by an Original vampire."

"You met Klaus? I only know him by reputation, I've heard he's a real monster" commented Shane calmly as he organised his office.

"He's a vampire - werewolf hybrid. Do you know how hard it is to kill them?"

"From what I gather, you have to remove their head or their heart. That is according to lore. I'm just speculating."

"I had to figure out how to do it on my own. I could have used some of this occult Professor knowledge of yours. Then again, you've always been slow when it comes to providing answers."

" We had a deal. I'll give you answers about your hunter's mark when it's completed."

"So what you're saying is, kill as many vampires as possible."

"Come on, Connor, why do you think I sent you to Mystic Falls?"

Standing in Shane's office Bonnie was looking through a book while Malik browsed through his shelves getting more and more excited seeing the knowledge the professor has collected. All the different topics got him more and more excited but he restrained himself enough not to take it all off and snuck them home with him.

"I can't believe you wrote a book."

"I did. I wrote three books actually. Two of them are just too mortifying to display."

"Oh, I'm finding them online" commented Malik excitedly and walking to Bonnie looked at the book while Shane poured tea for them.

"No, you're not. Hey, come on, you promised, remember? No cell phones and no Internet during witch therapy" Shane took their cell phone from them and placed down a cup of tea for both of them. "Here, this is yours. Right now, I want you to focus and I want your undivided attention."

He sat across from the sibling on the other side of the desk and waited, Bonnie and Malik exchanged a look and they turned to Shane while sitting down slowly.

"You really think you can help us start practicing magic again?"

"Absolutely, I can. I invited you here because I can. But you know what, right now, just relax, drink your tea" they removed the lids from their tea and the professor began his explanation. "I got this in Australia when I was backpacking with these Aborigenes spirit guides. Trust me, it's better when you smoke it, but I'm trying to be a role model."

Both Malik and Bonnie laughed gently and sipped their tea, looking up Shane seemed slightly nervous, which made them curious.

"Listen the thing is what I have in mind might come off as a little unorthodox."

"Now I'm officially curious" spoke Malik and took another sip of his tea.

"Good" he got up and grabbed a metronome, placing it on the desk the siblings stared at it curiously. "What do you know about hypnosis?"

Professor Shane pulled the pendulum and it began to tick back and forth.

"You really think that would work?" questioned Bonie somewhat sceptically.

"You practice witchcraft, but you don't believe in hypnotism?" asked Shane but seeing Bonnie face he just put his hand to his ear. "Bonnie, listen, you're afraid to practice magic because those witch spirits convinced you it's wrong. They threatened your Grams and they made you feel guilty."

Malik watched eagerly noticing that Bonnie also placed her hand on her ear following Shane's movement without realising it.

"You just have to confront that fear and that guilt and remove it."

The moment he said that and put his hands down, Bonnie also did and Malik watched it with rising excitement how she placed her earing on the desk without noticing. He was in awe. 

"Maybe. I don't think hypnosis would work. Witches are naturally immune to any sort of manipulation."

"Really? Well, let me ask you something" spoke the professor and while leaning closer looked down on the desk. "Would you like to put that earring back on?"

Bonnie looked down and saw her earring lying on the desk. Professor Shane smiled and sipped his tea and Bonnie laughed; Malik was just as excited but it faded away as he began to realise something.

"What about me?"

"Ah yes... don't you worry Malik, it might take a bit more effort but I guarantee you we will break through. Let's not forget that your mental powers are currently turned off... once we have your magic back we can push through and claim it back so the spirits will not be able to manipulate you ever again."

Malik's eyes widened, Bonnie grabbed his hands excitedly and the sibling laughed in happiness.

The warlock was adamant on making this work. They did talk some more, had some tea and after a while Shane suggested they mediate and close their eyes. Malik let himself go and relax, thanks to the tea it seemed to work so much easier than ever. As they sat there Bonnie let out a sigh and spoke up.

"This isn't working. It's not you, I just – I can't get into hypnosis."

"Bonnie, what do you think we've been doing for seven hours?"

Malik's eyes opened widely and looking up at the clock he saw that too, however it was so difficult for him, he almost couldn't believe it.

"That's actually crazy" mused Malik with excitement in his eyes.

"Look, I'm good at this, okay? Trust me, you're doing a lot better than you were when you came in this morning. Here, you know what. Proof" he opened a drawer and pulled out a candle and set it in front of her. "I bet that you can light this candle as easily as I can sign my name. All you have to do is want to."

"I'm sorry, I just can't."

"If you can't, it's only because you're afraid. You're afraid of those spirits and what they might do to your Grams. Well, let me tell you something, Bonnie Bennett, you're stronger than they are. You have a power of your own you haven't even approached yet and you don't have to be afraid. Say it. I don't have to be afraid."

"I don't have to be afraid."

"Now, close your eyes and mean it."

Malik watched with great interest how Bonnie was going to perform, he watched her close her eyes and concentrate.

"I don't have to be afraid" spoke Bonnie gently then opened her eyes but the candle in front of her has not been lit. "Guess it wasn't good enough."

Malik was about to disagree noticing all the candles around the room but Shane was quick to respond.

"Oh, I don't know."

Professor Shane looked around the room which made the other two do the exact same and what they saw awed them instantly. Every other candle in the room has been lit. Bonnie smiled and laughed, turning to Malik she was quick to grab his hands.

"Come on, you can do it too."

"I might have to stop us here" spoke Shane gently. "If everything you have told me is true, Malik could potentially summon larger magic by accident... how about you come along tomorrow morning and I will find us a perfect spot?"

"It's alright" declined Malik with a smile. "Seeing Bonnie perform magic is enough proof for me. I believe you can help us professor."

"Please, just call me Shane" smiled the man.

"You lost her?" exclaimed Malik and Bonnie at the same time looking at the Salvatore brothers.

"Well, "lost" is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is."

"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse" commented Stefan looking worried.

"Why does Klaus even know about this?" asked Malik looking at Stefan.

"Well, he knew about it already, he's like a billion years old" commented Damon. "He said it was a witch's curse."

They both looked at the Bennett twins who let out a sigh and after exchanging a look Bonnie responded first.

"You know if we could do anything to help, we would. But..."

"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghost, whatever" interrupted Damon that had Malik get angry quickly.

"Even if we could do spirit magic which we can't..." interrupted Malik and took a step closer making Damon take a step back. "If what you've told us is true, it's conditional magic. Even with all the magic we couldn't break it, until the curse has served its purpose it cannot be undone."

"We can ask Shane for help; he knows everything about everything" offered Bonnie looking at the vampires.

"Great, you three do your thing" announced Stefan and began to leave.

"Where are you going?" questioned Damon surprised he was not involved in this.

"I'm gonna get her back."

Stefan left and Malik began to rub his eyes.

The Salvatore brothers were becoming reckless and thoughtless when it came to Elena. And that was alarming. Even without magic they were involving the siblings which wasn't promising. Malik knew he and Bonnie had to master this new magic ASAP.

Walking into school they headed to Shane's exhibit where he gave a lecture on the artifacts he decided to display. Among them was a big large rock that Malik looked at mesmerised, but then he focused on the pictures and images that all said SILAS.

"You're looking at what people believed to be the world's first tombstone. It belonged to a very powerful witch, a witch so powerful in fact that Silas, that was his name, created a spell that would grant him immortality. Now legend says that Silas did the spell with the help of a lady witch who loved him, a woman named Qetsiyah. Sadly for Qetsiyah, Silas wanted to give immortality to another woman, so Qetsiyah killed her and buried Silas alive, leaving him powerless, immortal, and alone."

Finally Damon and Bonnie walked into the room as well but it seemed they were listening to the speech as well.

"You got this?"

"Yeah, I'll bring him to you" reassured Bonnie but kept her eye on the professor while Damon walked away.

"Now, it's said that Silas wants to rise again. Regain his power, wreak havoc on the world. Maybe we should be afraid. Or maybe it's all a bunch of crap and this is just an old rock" said Shane with a smile and everyone there laughed apart from Malik and Bonnie who were more curious about the story. "All right, listen, enjoy exploring the exhibit. I'll be around to answer any questions. Thank you for coming."

Everyone got up and started to wander towards the exhibits while Shane walked over to the siblings.

"Hey, you made it."

"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a badass" commented Bonnie and while Malik nodded his head Shane decided to up them.

"Nothing compared to Silas."

"Perhaps" commented Malik with a small smile. "But it was him being sealed away not her. Anyway... we have a favour to ask."

"What's up?"

"We have a friend who needs your help regarding... supernatural stuff" spoke Bonnie quietly while looking around carefully. "Would you be able to help him out a little?"

"Yeah no problem, let's go."

They were about to go when his phone went off and looking at the screen it was Caroline calling which surprised him, but giving a look to Bonnie she gave a reassuring nod and walked away with Shane.

"Hey Caroline, what's up?"

"I need a massive favour..."

"Go on" sighed Malik but he already had an idea what was happening.

"We need you to keep Klaus occupied... just talk to him because he has Elena and we have a plan to get her out of his control but for that he needs to remain in one place..."

"You guys really need to stop putting me in this situation! You know I have Eric."

"Please, I will not ask you again, I promise!" begged Caroline to which Malik just sighed once more and began walking out of the school.

"Okay, where is he?"

He walked into the Mystic Grill, looking around he noticed Klaus sitting at the bar, drinking a glass of red wine. He took a deep breath and approached him, once he got behind him he spoke up while taking off his jacket.

"Place looks pretty good considering what happened to your hybrids here."

"Malik! To what do I owe the pleasure?" asked Klaus with a smile while Malik stood next to him.

"I'm here on a mission to get Elena back. A little birdie told me you have her locked up."

"Ah, they sent you to sweet talk me. Well, good form, but I'm afraid I can't do it."

"Why not?" asked Malik pretending not knowing about the hunter's curse.

"She needs my help" explained Klaus which had Malik somewhat surprised to see why he cared but Klaus decided to continue. "Look, I'm not gonna burden you with the gory details, I know you have enough on your plate already."

"That's none of your business, actually" commented Malik immediately.

"Yes, well, just know that if Tyler was still sired to me he never would have hurt Caroline. I wouldn't have let him. And I'm deeply sorry for you being punished by the spirits."

His honesty, caring and apology caught him by surprise, he just looked at Klaus unable to say anything, to which Klaus turned to the boy and spoke gently.

"Can I at least offer you a drink?"

Malik hesitated for a second but then a sudden thought appeared in his mind: Why not?

"Sure. Thank you"

Hearing that instead of Malik refusing the offer made Klaus smile and while the warlock took a seat Klaus ordered a drink for him too.

"So, you and Eric. I didn't see that one coming" commented Klaus but he was still smiling while he looked at his drink.

"Yeah I met him at the Boarding School I attended before my Grams died. We got assigned to the same rooms and he was still figuring things out. Although he helped me a lot to find myself but when my Grams died... my magic lashed out and I hurt him. So I've not talked to him until you brought him here."

"Had I known I wouldn't have asked him" commented Klaus which had Malik chuckle and taking a sip of his drink responded.

"I bet... but Eric and I— I don't know if we could ever be truly together. I mean look at my life. It's never-ending danger and evil comings. And everything that has been happening points towards something dangerous coming. I'm glad you sent him back. I'm not sure what I would do if he became collateral to this tragic town."

"Is it me or it sounded like a thank you and a compliment? Your niceness is very surprising..."

"So is yours" remarked Malik with a cheeky smile. "After our last conversation I'd thought you wouldn't be so eager to talk to me without being suspicious."

"Oh I'm certain there is a reason you're here. If you're hoping to have me release Elena you might be disappointed. I enjoy you but she cannot leave... unless you all want her dead."

"I heard about the curse" admitted Malik. "What do you know about it?"

Klaus remained silent for a moment before he began explaining what he experienced.

"I killed the original Five hunters. So I know about the effects of it... For fifty-two years, four months, and nine days. I was tormented, in my dreams, my every waking moment, relentless, never-ending torture. It was the only period of my life when I actually felt time."

"Oh no..." exclaimed Malik and quickly got to his phone but just when he wanted to message Stefan not to release Elena, he saw a text message that made him groan.

Klaus looked at the boy with great interest, Malik was nervous and looking and Klaus put his phone down.

"So... you are probably aware of this, I didn't just come here to try to get you to release Elena."

"You don't say."

"I came here to distract you so that Stefan could go to your house and break her out, which he unfortunately did. And this is the part where it get's unpleasant: he lost her."

Klaus got up in a fury but Malik moved just as quickly and grabbed his hand, and pulled him back.

"Klaus..."

"Malik, I do fancy you but if you don't stop talking, I—"

"We figured out how to stop the hallucinations" interrupted Malik quickly which made Klaus stop trying to walk away and turning back to Malik leaned closer with a dangerous face.

"Okay, you have ten seconds to tell me."

"This curse is conditional magic which means in order to break it, a condition has to meet. Luckily this one has two. One, the vampire dies. Two... a new hunter has to take their place."

"Judging by your tone you have this new candidate" spoke Klaus easing up but he kept his seriousness.

"We do" nodded Malik and looking around let out a sigh. "Damon already called Jeremy. He was able to see the mark, he has the initial on his hand. Once he kills a vampire, Elena's curse will be broken."

"Well then, I suppose we can just pick a vampire and have Jeremy kill them. Perhaps Damon or maybe Tyler..." started Klaus with a sly smile that had Malik roll his eyes.

"Fine, I'll play along. What do you want?"

"I give you a vampire, in return of something" explained Klaus which had Malik confused for a moment but then let out a sigh and put his hands in his pocket not breaking eye contact with the hybrid. 

"I'm dying of anticipation" responded Malik.

"Go on a date with me" announced Klaus bluntly which shocked the warlock.

"I'm sorry?"

"You heard me. A date with me, and I'll let Jeremy kill one of my hybrids."

Malik was shocked, he wasn't sure what has gotten into Klaus but seeing they were short on time he looked around before running his fingers through his hair looked at Klaus.

"Fine. One date."

"You've got yourself a deal" smiled Klaus and pulling his phone out called someone. "Stefan, you might want to bring young Jeremy to me. I have a proposition for you."

Once he hung up he just wiggled his eyebrows and after planting a kiss on Malik's knuckles strutted out of there. Malik looked after Klaus before he caught himself and walking away from the Grill decided to go home.

He knew that even this whole deal might make Eric uncomfortable but with Elena on the suicide run their hands were tied. He did not like this at all. Once again one of the Salvatore brothers acted out on a whim and someone else pays the price.

In the morning, before going around to see Shane again he decided to visit Tyler. He was told by Caroline that the hybrid named Chris, who was supposed to guard Elena was the one getting killed. It did not exactly surprised him. After Klaus found out about Elena's escape Chris' fate was sealed, Malik only hoped that the poor people getting involved would not pay the price. 

Caroline picked him up and they went there together. Walking into the house they saw Hayley asleep on the couch with Tyler was sitting next to her in a stupor with a bottle of scotch in his hands.

"Tyler" spoke Malik gently, which made Tyler stir but seeing the two of them spoke.

"It's just us. Paying our respects to Chris."

"Tyler, we didn't have a choice" tried Caroline but Tyler was quick to retort and disagree.

"I told him we had his back. I told him if he helped us he'd be free."

"But we needed to help our friend" pushed Caroline, hoping to change her boyfriends mind.

"Yeah, we helped our friend by handing over another friend."

"Chris wasn't..."

"Chris was a friend, Caroline. He's like me. He's part of my pack. All he wanted to do was be unsired by that disgusting piece of... "Tyler stopped himself and just let out a sigh, but after a moment of thinking he realised something. "How did you even get Klaus to agree to give up one of his hybrids?"

"I agreed to go on a date with him" spoke Malik carefully, seeing the rising anger in Tyler.

"Really? Is that all our lives mean to you? A date?"

"Don't you dare to put this on me wolf" growled Malik and took a threating step forward. "Perhaps next time you won't just make decisions that makes no sense! What were you all thinking trying to get Elena out?! If you would have stayed put and not get involved, we could have found another vampire and your friend would still be alive. I did what I had to, to ensure Elena survived the night."

"Oh really? By sacrificing..."

"That's your fault" spoke Malik and got into Tyler's face. "Klaus knew Elena got out, did you think Chris would have survived? The moment you convinced him to help, that's when it all went down. And now I had to make a deal with Klaus."

"How gracious of you..."

"Watch it, Tyler" warned Malik his eyes gently glowing. "Before you say something that you regret."

He turned around and walked out of there without waiting for a response from anyone. Not Tyler, not Caroline... no one.

As he walked out of there, he soon found Bonnie waiting for him in the car. Malik just got in quietly but still fuming which made Bonnie worried.

"Everything alright?"

"No, but since stupidity cannot be fixed there isn't much I can do. Let's go and see Shane, I'm excited for today's lesson."

Once they got there Malik seemed to relax and just let go of his frustration, in Shane's office he was excited to take a look at the tombstone that was on the display before, while Bonnie sat down with a book in her hands.

"Did your friend Damon get everything he was looking for in my files?"

"Yeah. Thanks. I have to ask, how do you know all this stuff?" asked Bonnie trying to move on from the hunter question.

"Guys, look, I've been around the world ten times over. I've studied every supernatural creature known to man; and for the record, witches are hands down the most powerful so, I'm in your corner all the way, I'm your biggest ally. But let me just say one thing, when your new hunter – and I know you have one – when he completes his mark, you're gonna want to come to me. 'Cause I'm gonna be the only one who can help, trust me on that, okay?"

Both Bonnie and Malik nodded, fully believing in every word he just said.

"The only one."