Story update!

Sorry so sorry for the long wait!

Enjoy!


"Is drinking really good for a pregnant woman?"

I rolled my eyes downing another glass not shot of scotch.

"Every pregnant woman has their cravings, let me be."

"But alcohol-"

"I swear Sebastian if you do not let me be, I will end your life." I said so coldly that the few hybrids that were in the room immediately vacated.

He raised his arms in surrender a smile playing on his lips.

"And what's got you as moody as dear ole Nicky."

I glared at him my eyes flaring bright amber at the mention of me acting like my twin.

"I'd leave her be mate." Kol said snickering as he stood letting the tailors that they had compelled fawn over him.

"Mother, tell me what do you think of this dress?" Raynah asked. It was the 25th dress so far.

I sighed before looking over at my teenage daughter, it was still a shock even seeing her so…so old.

"You will look beautiful in anything my love." I repeated my words for the 25th time.

She pouted also noticing my lack of enthusiasm. "That's not helping at all; you've said the same thing about the other dresses…"

I sighed again before actually looking at the dresses. I carefully scrutinized each one, gauging the lengths and the styles. Of course what I said was true; my daughter would look good in anything she wore much like her mother but, since this would be her first ball as a teen, she would need something that screamed her name to the world.

I paused picking up a black dress.

It had a black velvet strapless corset with lace trimmings that cinched the waist before the skirt flared out. The skirt always was layered with black lace and was short in the front but not scandalously so; and had a velvet and lace patterned train in the back.

I walked over holding it up to her. The Gothic Lolita style would look lovely on her.

"Try this one with black lace gloves. When you're ready call for Mira; she'll know what to do with your hair and makeup, and Kol knows where I keep my jewels."

She nodded with a colossal sized smile taking the dress and flashing out of the room.

I took that as my que and headed towards the door.

"Sister before you disappear, just one last thing."

I merely raised an eyebrow turning to look at Kol.

He gazed at himself in the mirror before looking at me.

"Tell me how handsome I am." He said with a smirk.

I couldn't help but crack a smirk of my own.

"Beloved Kol, you should know by now I can't be compelled."

His smirk dropped, his face taking on a pout as the occupants in the room started chuckling.

When he huffed returning his gaze towards the mirror I flashed towards his side, kissing the corner of his mouth before whispering. "Very handsome brother…" and flashing back out.

"Might I accompany you mother…" I turned to see Royce holding out my jacket for me to step into.

I smiled at him. "Of course darling, I'm just going out for a bite and a bit of air though."

"That matters not." He said after slipping on his own jacket.

"No, I suppose not." I said my smile growing before I grabbed his hand and we flashed out of the manor.

I sighed as we strolled down the streets. The French quarter was filled with music, art, and walking snacks.

"Have you seen anything interesting lately?" I asked Royce after I bought us some benyas.

"No, nothing." He said with a frown, causing me to look at him with a frown of my own. I was all for the old saying no news was good news…

"And does that unnerve you my son?"

He sighed. "I- the last thing I saw was you torturing aunt Rine's doppelgänger and the blonde baby vampire…"

"But that was days ago."

He nodded. "Being here…I feel…constricted."

I frowned while stopping in front of a little bar.

"It's hard to explain, but I feel a dark presence here…"

"How dark are we talking?"

"Not Silas dark but dark enough to pose a threat if remained unchecked..." he said letting out a frustrated sigh after a moment.

"Whatever it is…is it blocking the flow of your other sight…" I didn't like that. I didn't relay on my sons gift per say, but I did appreciate having the ability of not going in blind.

Royce was more than just my baby boy, in times of war at risk of sounding like my brother… Royce was my most trusted tactician.

"No, not blocking at least not fully, it's kinda like trying to see through thick fog. It's very annoying." He said rubbing his temples.

"I see," I paused inhaling deeply when I caught the scent of a witch coming from the place. She was covered in a multitude of scents but the one I could spot from anywhere and was the reason that had my eyes flashing amber regardless of the humans around us.

Nicklaus.

"Hmm." I looked up the place was called Rousseau's

"Let's stop in here."

If Royce noticed my sudden mood change he surely chose not to comment upon it.

We walked in receiving a warm welcome.

We sat at a table and my eyes flitted around the room searching for the witch that carried my brother's scent.

"Hi is there anything I can get you?" A preppy girl said as she came over to us.

"Hmm…" I said glancing at the menu in front of me.

"Anything at all…"

I glanced up and a small growl escaped my lips.

The girl was practically raping Royce with her eyes as she leaned on the counter showing an indecently amount of cleavage while batting her eyes at him.

Royce didn't look the least bit interested though.

"No, there is nothing you could serve me that I would be the least bit interested in." he said in obvious irritation.

The girl flinched back like he slapped her.

I smirked. "However…"I said gaining her attention.

"If you could be a lamb and fill us up with two glasses of scotch with your blood that would be fantastic."

"What?" she asked confusion and fear coating her words, well that wouldn't do…

"It's all right you do not have to fear us, besides what's a little blood between friends? Do not get caught, and do be swift about it." I said compelling her.

Her eyes were blank as she nodded and left.

"I'm surprised..." Royce trailed off.

I returned my gaze towards my son who was staring at me. "What?"

"I was almost certain that you were going to kill her."

I smiled batting my eyelashes in an innocent manner. "Who said I'm not?"

He chuckled shaking his head. "So besides grabbing at bit, why did we stop here?"

"I don't know what you mean." I continued innocently.

If I was human I would have nearly chocked on my spit at the condescending look he shot me.

He really did remind me of Elijah at times.

"Fine." I pouted before my face grew serious. "There's a witch that's carrying the scent of my brother."

"Nicklaus…"

"Yes."

Royce seemed to sit up straighter than he already was. "What are you planning to do to the poor girl?"

"Nothing yet, I'm merely curious. Nic has always been fond of witches just like Kol but I find it strange that he would take one as a concubine when a whole coven seemingly wants him dead."

"Maybe he figures if he beds one, he could use her." Royce offered up.

"No." I said shaking my head. "I don't think so my dearest. I-"

I stopped as I caught the scent of the witch.

"There's our girl." I said my eyes narrowing as I laid eyes on her.

I looked over the witch. She wasn't the least bit appealing, if Nic was in fact bedding her, his standards had dropped severely.

A stringy brunette with a wide gap and a horrible fashion sense. I nearly gaged she was as bad as the baby vampire.

"Here you are." The waitress from earlier, returned to our table.

She had brought us two styrofoam cups filled with our beverages.

"Oh, clever girl, you just may live yet. Tell me my sweet, what do you know about that girl over there." I said pointing towards the witch.

"Who Sophie?"

I nodded leaning my chin on my hands. "Tell me everything you know."

"Her name is Sophie Deveraux, she had a sister named Jane and a little niece, but her sister has recently died in some freak accident."

"How?"

"I heard her throat was split open." She said shifting uncomfortably with a grimace.

"What of her niece?" I asked curiously my eyes darting around looking for a child that would share the scent of the witch named Sophie.

She shrugged. "I don't know, she used to come in all the time but then she stopped. Sophie and Jane seemed to be at odds for a while before they mended whatever happened between them. Then Jane died. Sophie stopped dating that really hot Marcel guy and has really been keeping to herself. I feel like everyone is walking on eggshells around her because she's pretty much lost everyone."

"Wait, she was dating a guy named Marcel? Was he tall dark and handsome?"

She nodded her dull eyes briefly glazed over with lust. "Yeah, Marcel is so hot but I think he's into the new bartender Cami now, I heard many things about him being a total bad boy though."

"Like?"

"Well my some of my girlfriends think he's like some type of dealer, or pimp. I heard he like totally controls the French courter and even has paid off the mayor." She said whispering to us after she looked around.

"Interesting." I said thoughtfully. I turned my eyes back on the girl. "What's your name darling?"

"My name is Vivian Scarlett, but friends call me Vivi."

"Well Vivi would you like to be friends?" I asked her with a grin.

She shrugged. "I mean like why not, I've already given you my blood…"

I smirked before looking at my son who rolled his eyes.

I looked back at the girl she wasn't ugly; she was a semi petite brunette with innocent features and soft brown eyes.

She looked the picture of innocence; I would need someone to tell me what happens in the restaurant if I don't want my scent all over the place.

There was too much risk, she was covered in Nic's scent and until I knew why someone needed to watch her.

My eyes returned to Vivian's.

"Why don't you leave early and come over our house… I have a daughter around your age…"

The girl perused her lips seemingly in thought.

I glared at her when her answer wasn't immediate. I wasn't really asking for permission…

"Hmmm sure that will be cool, but afterwards I'll have to leave, my girlfriend Gina said she got us invites to Marcels party that he's throwing and like I have to get dressed and stuff. There's like no way in hell I'm missing his party, any one whose anyone will be there."

"Well that works perfectly as we are attending as well."

"Really?"

I nodded.

"Awesome." She squealed before calming down a pout on her lips. "I don't think my boss will let me leave early thought he's such an ass."

I smiled. "Well I'm sure we could help convince him." I looked at Royce.

"Darling do you mind accompanying Mrs. Scarlett to talk to her boss?"

He nodded and stood and drinking his alcohol with blood before following her to the back.

I sat in my chair waiting in the meantime watching Sophie.

Vivian had said Sophie had at one point dated Marcel…and yet she smelled like Nic.

There's no way Nic would touch her if Marcel had her, his mind didn't work that way unless it was for revenge.

So what was it? Why was she so heavily coated in his scent?

I slammed my drink back and stood after leaving money on the table as they made their way back.

Royce's face was full of irritation but Vivian's face was full of amazement.

"I don't know how he managed to swing that but it was sooo cool." She chirped.

I rolled my eyes as we walked out of the restaurant. Silly humans being easily impressed.

"Are you guys like a family of hypnotic's or something?" she asked as we continued walking.

"No." I said my lip twitching with amusement.

"Cause it will be cool if you are, maybe you guys could like perform in the quarter, theres a whole bunch of phycis and who do voodoo people there." She continued.

This human girl was a talker….

I looked at my son to see his jaw clenching… my eyes glimmered with miscehif. It was so rare for Royce to lose his compose and now he looked ready to snap all over one human girl, it must be the grow spurge, all those damnable teenage emotions. Either way it would be fun to watch never the less…

"Oh, tell me do you believe in witches and magic?" I asked purposely to keep the conversation. I didn't need to say much the girl had the rare gift of being able to make a conversation out of anything.

"Well yes. My great grandmother told me this really scary story one time about a witch the cursed her stealing her youth and jinxing that she would never bore a son and like that's why our family only has daughters and why we all grey early…" she said her face scrunching up.

I laughed. "That didn't sound like a curse, merely just bad genetics."

Compelling a humans fear away always proves to be entertaining as they seem to always forget the company their keeping. Vivian is no exception, she took us being an and powerful vampire hybrid family in stride, she seemed even more inclined to come to our house.

She had been muttering curse about a woman with a last name Meyers and how we needed to in her mortal existence because of some novel she wrote apparently about vampires that was all one giant diss to our kind. I shook my head but listened as she listed off other authors some of them I actually meet when they were alive. Vivian continued to ramble when my son snapped.

"Can you be silent for five minute?" Royce snapped his eyes flashing gold.

"Yes. Like you don't even have to be rude." She said with a huff looking away from him.

She didn't make it past two before she spoke again.

"Anyways what's eating you? Thought your mama said you were at the top of the food chain?"

I laughed again as my son growled and streaked away from us.

I looked at Vivian who stared at the now empty space my son just left before looking at me with shimmering eyes. "That was sooo cool."

"And you shall prove to be very entertaining indeed." I said with a smile before picking her up and flashing after him.