Prologue

New Orleans 1914

Ruffled sheets

Sinful embraces

Kisses with the devil.

Scarlet giggled breathlessly as she tried to escape.

"Kol" she whispered as she bit his ear, eliciting a groan from her lover.

"Papa will wake soon. I must leave now"

He didn't seam to agree, "Sera", he grumbled as he tightened his arms around her.

She had slapped him the first time he had called her that. She had heard rumours there were other girls. He had simply laughed and told her Sera meant 'sweetheart' in Italian. She had believed him.

His arms wound tighter around her as he tugged her closer. Bare skin against bare skin, Scarlett was almost convinced by him till she heard the chimes from the Church Bells in town.

"Kol Mikaelson!", she laughed as she pushed him away, her fingers untangling themselves from his. She paused and watched his brown eyes flutter open. Something about this moment seemed incredibly familiar to her. His lips parted and it looked like he was almost about to utter something else.

"Scarlett…"

"Why do I feel like we've done this before?", words slipped her mouth against her will.

His eyes lit up but strangely, in a way she hadn't ever seen them spark before. There was a certain kind of warmth in his gaze that she hadn't felt before.

Lips quirking, he muttered, "Have you dreamt about us sleeping with each other, darling?"

Her cheeks flushed the colour of her name.

"Utterly hilarious", she rolled her eyes and laughed at him.

"Now I must go…but will I…", she bit her lip, her eyes shy as she struggled to finish her question.

"Of course you'll see me tonight, my Sera", his voice was tender as he pulled her into an embrace, his lips pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Why do you call me that?", she grumbled as she pulled away.

He admired her curves as he watched her get dressed. A cocky smirk on his lips, he stretched out and let the sheets fall low on his waist. She blushed a bright red and refused to look at him.

"Why aren't you looking at my stunning body, love?"

"Don't answer my question with a question", she huffed, making him laugh.

"Do I amuse you Kol Mikaelson?", she asked pointedly.

"Not at all my love", he was stark naked as he walked proudly towards her. Holding her arm, he pulled her flush against his body before placing a lustful kiss against her lips.

"I will see you late tonight."

Upon seeing Scarlett's frown, he hushed her concerns, "I have errands to attend to"

"Will they involve Mary-Alice?", her sneer amused him greatly.

"Are you jealous my love?", he snickered, stealing a kiss from her sealed lips.

"I just don't know why she always hangs around you", she sneered, momentarily forgetting about his nudity.

"Also Astrid; infact, a multitude of girls in the quarter. They all have something strange about them. Why don't you have more…male friends?", she fumed when she saw his brows raise in amusement, laughter lines forming around his lips. He was mocking her and it ticked her off.

"People talk Kol! They think you're a lothario that uses girls. Papa doesn't think very highly of you and you seem to find this all highly amusing", she vaguely registered a vase in the room cracking, though upon receiving a response of stunned silence from Kol, she stormed out of the room.

Kol blinked rapidly as he turned to face the shattered and burnt pieces of ceramic on his bedroom floor. A smile formed on his lips, slowly widening till his cheeks hurt from how wide he was grinning. For some reason, Sera was growing stronger. He had seen fire behind her eyes as she fumed at him. This was the most potent use of power he had seen from her in many centuries and he had to figure out how to make it stronger. He had heard of a Paragon Diamond residing in Dowager Folean's house. Maybe it was time he paid her a little visit.

He was furious. Niklaus and his puppy, Marcel had taken the Diamond from him earlier that month. He was frustrated enough with Niklaus' treatment of the Quarter Witches but to deny him the Diamond was the last straw. He had a heated argument with Nik, trying to convince his brother that he needed the Diamond for Sera. He needed Sera to come back but Niklaus refused to believe him. Paranoia had filled Nik's head to the brink and he refused to believe Kol needed the diamond for any other purpose aside from killing him. Klaus had locked away Kol's witches shortly after taking away the diamond. Now Kol was left without a Diamond and without a Witch strong enough to create the cursed dagger to hold down his insipid brother whilst channelling him to heal Sera.

The past month had been a trying time for him. He had to hide his anger from Sera but that meant he fed more; got more reckless, showed his anger on Klaus' witches and the common folk in the Quarter. He had almost revealed himself to Sera the other day but luck was on his side. She merely thought he was kissing another girl's neck. She had slapped him. He didn't bother running after her, she'd die soon enough due to the curse anyway. He had seen her die too many times to let it happen again. He would fix this now. Permanently. He had a new witch on his side and Rebecca too. He'd find the diamond tonight and he'd get his Sera back. She wouldn't insist on being called Scarlet or any other name she had adopted over the past 600 years. She's be Sera and this would be the end of all his misery.

Klaus' speech about treachery filled Kol with worry. He frantically tried to bolt; even considered begging but Elijah would listen to nothing. Bitterness flooded his soul as he thought of how close he had been to ending his torment and hers too.. If his darling sister hadn't betrayed him, he would have the means to bring back his Sera. She was the only thing he could think about as the white oak ash covered dagger pierced through his heart. In that moment, he vowed to make Niklaus and Rebecca pay for every single second he spent separated from his wife.

He felt life seep into his pores as he drained dry, the body in front of him.

"Welcome to the 21st Century brother", Elijah had greeted him after his skin had returned to its usual pallor.

"100 years", Kol growled as blood dripped down his chin. Elijah offered him a handkerchief as he spoke calmly, "You'll be happy to know you have another chance with her".

Kol was unsure whether Elijah Was telling the truth or simply saying the only words he knew would somewhat placate Kol.

Upon seeing his youngest brother's sceptical glare, Elijah cleared his throat and withdrew his hand offering the handkerchief. Tucking it neatly into his front pocket again, Elijah soothed, "I'm not lying Kol. You know I don't lie"

Kol did indeed know that to be true. His brother was sly but he never outright lied, and so with a smirk, Kol spoke,"Let's pay our dearest brother a visit first, shall we? I have a dagger to stick into his heart".

Kol gripped the dagger in his hands till his knuckles ran white. Picturing plunging the very same dagger into his brother's heart filled Kol with excitement. He had a good feeling about this century. It was time he broke the curse placed on Sera.