As Astrid left the nursery, she shut the door softly behind her, took a deep breath, and wiped the sweat from her forehead, glad that her son had fallen asleep at last. She loved him of course, but he was exhausting. She knew for a fact that Helene had not been this much work. Now all she wanted to do was follow his lead and get some rest herself while she had the chance. Or maybe that wouldn't do any good. He would start screaming again the second she closed her eyes.
Her body feeling very heavy and hard to move, she dragged herself to the living room, sat down in a rocking chair, put her head in her hands and began to sob. Everything was a mess now. She'd always prided herself on knowing what to do and being in control of everything, but since Helene had injected her with demon blood, her whole world had been turned upside down. She felt like a stranger in her own life and her own body. Sure, it had been to save her little brother, and sure, Astrid hadn't relished the idea of losing the pregnancy either but, truth be told, now she realized that she hadn't been so attached to it that it was worth not being able to look at herself in the mirror anymore to save it.
"What is it?" Came Alistair's voice, suddenly enough to make her jump out of her skin. Apparently she'd been crying louder than she'd realized.
"It's nothing," she said in a surprisingly dry tone before wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine. Everything is fine."
"Is he…?" Alistair began the sentence and then trailed off, unable to finish.
"Is he what?" Astrid snapped. "Dead? In pain? Well? If you're looking for any other answer than 'in pain,' I can't give it to you. He's always in pain. I thought you would have noticed that by now, Alistair."
Alistair put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. "For a second there, you gave me a terrible fright. I thought something terrible had happened to him. And luckily for us, you're exaggerating about his amount of pain. I played with him this morning and he was completely calm and content. He even smiled and laughed."
Astrid scoffed. "Wonderful. He was without pain for an entire hour!"
"Are you all right? He asked, trying to sound supportive in her time of trouble and not betray that he was mad enough to slap her. "You don't seem to be holding up very well. Maybe we should go see the doctor." He had no idea if the doctor would be able to help because he wasn't exactly sure what was wrong; whether it was some depression after giving birth or the side-effects of demon blood, or something else, but he knew he didn't like it. He'd thought that after their son had been born, they would be able to rekindle the feelings they had once had for each other, making them as strong as they used to be. But now he wasn't so sure.
"You don't have to pretend to care about me," she said warily as she began to pick up the baby things scattered around the living room. "Not when I know you're mad at me."
"Yes, I'm mad at you," he agreed since she'd brought it out into the open. "What's gotten into you? Why have you been such a complete bitch lately?"
She looked unaffected by the question. "Well, if you're unhappy with me, even after everything I went through to give you a son, maybe you should just go through the divorce like you were planning to do before I gave birth. That might be for the best." She shrugged, saying it as if she were asking him to go out and buy bread at the grocery.
Alistair's jaw dropped a little. "Seriously, what in the world has gotten into you, Astrid?" He grabbed her roughly and pulled her against his muscular chest.
"How can you ask that?" Astrid cried. "Look into my eyes! They're red!"
"So what?" Alistair asked. "Sean told you that you won't be a demon forever; it will all go away eventually. Until then, you'll just have to live with it! I'm surprise you don't just accept it as part of being sure your son is alive!"
"Oh, yes," Astrid drawled. "I put myself through so much for a boy with a handicap. If I'd had a girl, at least it would have been worth it. But for a boy, it's all just a waste!"
Full of rage and not thinking of what he was doing, Alistair gave her a good hard slap, making her gasp, stumble, and nearly fall. When she was firmly on her feet, she put a hand to her face and stared at him with shock.
"Don't you say that about my son again!" He commanded, his voice shaking with fury and hurt. "Do you understand me, woman?"
Her face crumpled and she began to cry, realizing that she'd gone to far. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Alistair, I'm so sorry!"
"You don't have to be sorry," Alistair hissed, shaking his head. "I'd have to be blind not to see you're going through something but we have a boy who's helpless. I'm here for you, so put all of it aside and act like a mother for once! At least pretend that you love him!"
"I love him with all my heart!" She protested, her voice cracking.
"Why don't I believe you when you said he was a waste?" Alistair spat. "You love yourself more! It's all about you and the demon genes these days. Not a thought for anyone else!"
"I'm sorry," Astrid apologized, taking slow steps toward him as Alistair looked her with eyes narrowed with suspicion. Suspicion which intensified as she reached him, smiled seductively, and ran a hand up his chest, a finger of her other hand slowly tracing his jawline. "You know," she purred, "with that beard, you look awfully sexy!"
"Stop it!" He cried, grabbing her wrist and making her cry out with pain as he twisted her arm to get her away from him.
"Why?" Astrid hissed, showing her teeth. "Is it because I'm a demon now, you don't want to have sex with me anymore? You don't think I'm pretty enough?" She laughed. "Well, at least our last fuck on my desk was a good one. At least I got a good orgasm or two out of it!"
"It's not because you're a demon now that I don't want to be inside of you," he shook his head. "After all my years with Klaus, I can tolerate that sort of darkness. If you hadn't become a complete bitch, I definitely would bring you back into my bed."
"I bet I can convince you to change your mind very easily," she challenged, biting her bottom lip and reaching out to stroke his bulge. "I'm very good at that, aren't I?"
"Astrid!" He warned, grabbing and squeezing her wrist again, hoping the pain would deter her from going any further.
"What?" She asked, unmoved by his tone and leaving a trail of kisses and bite marks down his neck.
"Don't!" He growled, shutting his eyes and trying not to let what she was doing affect him, even though it was, very much. Damn it, it was so much!
"You're so sexy," she whispered, standing on tiptoe to bit his earlobe and lick the inside of his ear.
"No!" He shook his head, although, much to his chagrin, he pulled her close and grabbed her butt before coming to his senses and pushing her away. "We can't do this! We can't! Stop this nonsense this minute!"
"Fuck you!" She spat angrily when she realized he wasn't falling for her.
Alistair smirked. "You wish!"
"Can't you play with me just a little?" She whined. "You know how much I crave sex these days!"
"I certainly do," Alistair nodded. "But I won't just be your booty call!"
"What do you expect me to do instead?" Astrid cried out in frustration.
"Grow up, care for your son, and be my wife!"
"But I can't!"
"Yes, you can!" Alistair told her. "You've been strong all these years. You can do it again! Think of others like you always have and stop always thinking of yourself!"
"You don't understand!" Astrid wailed. "I would love to, but I can't go back to the Council while looking like a demon!"
Suddenly, a baby's shrill cry filled the house. "I'll go take care of our son," Alistair said. "While you sit here and pity yourself."
"Just a minute, please!" Astrid pleaded, grabbing his arm. "You have to tell me what to do! I can't go to the Council looking like this! I'm not even a full witch anymore!"
"You mentioned that," Alistair replied. "And there's no need to worry about the Council; I have everything under control." A wicked grin was curving his lips. "Excuse me." He pulled her arm out of his grip and made his way toward the nursery while Astrid stared after him, shocked.
"What do you mean?" She yelled after him. "Alistair Fale, come back here!" But she got no response, so she sat back down on the couch and sighed, wishing passionately for a drink.
After it seemed like she had been crying alone for eternity, the doorbell rang. Astrid let this go on several times before she realized that the person on the other end wasn't going away and she might as well see who it was.
When she opened the door and saw her daughter, Helene's eyes went wide with shock. "Mom, are you all right? No one was answering the door. I was worried!"
"Never better!" Astrid responded, pasting on a fake smile for her daughter. "How are you?" She slammed the door behind her daughter's back and put her hands on her hips. "How are you and what can I do for you?"
"No," Helene shook her head. "Mom, you're not fine. That much is obvious." She dropped her bag on a nearby table and followed her mother into the living room. "Seriously, what's wrong? Did Leighton have to go to the hospital again? Did you and Dad have a fight?"
Astrid rolled her eyes. "Your father the super hero is in the nursery taking care of your brother because apparently I'm not good enough to do it myself." She grabbed a bottle of gin and poured herself a big glass. "No need to keep away from this since I don't have a baby to feed." She held the glass up. "Cheers to all the bastard husbands!" She toasted and downed the glass before pouring herself another.
"Why would you think you're not good enough to care for my brother?" Helene asked, trying to take the gin away.
"His words," Astrid said. "Your father's, not mine."
"Will you…when did you start drinking at this time of day?" Helene questioned.
"Just now," Astrid said. "As good a day as any to start."
"What can I do to help?" Helene asked. "You can't go on like this."
"I don't think I need any more help from you," Astrid snapped at her daughter who winced as if she'd been slapped hard. "You injected me with demon blood and ruined my life!"
"I did what I felt I had to do," Helene defended herself. "Otherwise, you would have died and so would Leighton. He may not be completely well, but he has a chance at a normal life!"
"And that was worth turning me into a demon and ruining my reputation and livelihood?" Astrid questioned; eyes narrowed.
"It's not permanent!"" Helene tried to reassure her mother. "The effects will go away eventually!"
"You better hope they do," Astrid snapped. "You and your father both. I hate having these hideous red eyes! Do you know what it's like to look in the mirror every morning and realize that you've become a monster?"
"You're not a monster, Mom," Helene tried to reassure her. "You're-"
"Oh, stop!" Astrid cried and threw her wine glass hard against the wall, making it shatter. "I can't go to the Council like this! What do you expect me to do about that?"
"Stop it!" Boomed Alistair's voice, startling both his wife and daughter. "Astrid, if you're going to get violent, I want you out of here. I will pack your bags myself if I have to."
"Fine," Astrid shrugged, unaffected.
"H-hi, Daddy," Helene greeted Alistair shakily. She wasn't used to seeing either of her parents so tense and angry and it was beginning to scare her.
"Hello, dear one," Alistair greeted, his expression lightening considerably as he came to put his arms around her and kiss her hair. "Don't mind your mother; she's in one of her moods. What are you doing here?"
"I thought you and Mom could use some help with Leighton. And it looks like I got here just in time."
"Thank you," Alistair breathed a sigh of relief and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the nursery.
"Are you sure you want me to go?" Helene asked. "Are you and Mom gonna be okay?" She sounded worried because she was.
"Yes, I'll be fine," Alistair sighed. "And we will…eventually. Thank you for watching your brother. I'm on my way to the Council." He gave her a smile and a salute once he saw she'd reached the nursery.
"Tell me why you need to go to the Council," Astrid demanded when he got back to her. She seemed much more alert now.
"Well, someone has to lead and clearly you're in no position to," Alistair pointed out bluntly.
"So you'll tell them that I need more time?" Astrid asked hopefully.
"That," he nodded with a sly grin as he grabbed his blazer, "and telling them also that in your absence, I would be more than happy to take over; in fact, I insist on it."
"What?" Astrid yelled. "You can't do that!"
"I certainly can, and I will," Alistair nodded.
"You've always wanted something like this!" Astrid said, stabbing him in the chest with her finger. "In fact, that's probably one of the reasons we've stayed married: you were just biding your time until you could steal the Council out from under me!"
"What I think or what you think about it doesn't matter," Alistair said. "You take care of yourself, that's all that matters now. It's the only way you'll get your position back."
"Oh, like you'd let that happen," Astrid's eyes narrowed.
"I might, if you're nice to me," Alistair said. "You never know."
Although things had been uncomfortable at her parents', anything was better than the complete and utter boredom of her home life. In fact, if it wasn't for Madeline and Braydon, Helene knew, without a doubt, that she would have left this sham marriage of opulence, titles, and boredom. Sure, she supposed that in a way, her unhappiness was her own fault because she was too stubborn to just be with her husband like he wanted her to be. That it was her fault she didn't have much of a marriage. She also supposed that she should be counting her blessings that the wedding had kept her from prison. But that wasn't enough anymore. She was getting the point where she'd rather be in jail than be in a loveless, sexless marriage with a tall, handsome man she loved with all her heart!
The doorbell rang and then Ludovic appeared as if from nowhere to answer it. Helene actually sat up to get a look at him, since he spent his days locked in his office working while she took care of the children, had spa treatments, and was basically a drain on society that would shame both her parents if they knew just how useless she had become. She kept watching, her magazine on the floor, as he opened the door and cried out.
"Margarete!" He cried in shock as a tall blonde launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist.
"Hello, sucker!" The blonde smiled and kissed him deeply.
"What a pleasant surprise!" He told her after lowering her down to the floor. "What brings you here?"
"Oh, not much," she shrugged. "I heard my old pal Prince Ludovic was in town and I thought to myself, 'Why don't I go visit that asshole'?"
Ludovic chuckled and pulled her inside. "Well, I'm very glad you did!"
Meanwhile, Helene was silent on the couch, craning her neck to get a better look at the strange woman.
"Who's that, Mommy?" Madeline asked as she came into the living room, a doll clutched tightly in her left hand.
"I don't know, sweetie," Helene said, not looking at her daughter but reaching out for her free hand as she came near the sofa. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."
"I think she's pretty," the little girl smiled. "I like her long blonde hair. I like her just like Daddy does."
This made Helene grit her teeth. "Yeah, I see that!"
"Why are you mad, Mommy?"
"I'm not mad," Helene tried to reassure her daughter. "I just want to know who the strange woman is. Your daddy didn't tell me anyone was coming to visit."
"Are you mad because Daddy likes the lady more than you?" her daughter pressed.
"What?" Helene choked on her spit and began coughing. "Darling, don't say things like that!"
Madeline shrugged, unaffected by her mother's discomfort. "Is it okay for me to ask Daddy and the pretty lady to go out and get ice cream?"
"No!" Helene shook her head. "If you want ice cream, you'll get it with your daddy and me. I don't want you going somewhere with a stranger."
Madeline pouted. "But you never want to come!"
"Well, I'll make a freaking exception this time if you want ice cream so bad," Helene snapped. "Now, go to your room and play with your dolls."
"But I want to stay and meet the pretty lady!" Madeline stomped her foot.
"Well, I'll meet her for you," Helene said. "And Madeline?"
Madeline paused. "Yes, Mommy?"
"Do you think the lady is prettier than me?" She asked, full of jealousy and needing an answer, even though she knew it was a terrible thing to ask a five-year-old.
"I don't know," Madeline shrugged. "Ask Daddy!" Then she ran off to her room before Helene could get another word out of her.
Helene shook out her hair and straightened up, striding toward Ludovic and his lady friend, making sure the slit in her white dress showed her legs. They were laughing loudly, and she gave them a smug smile. "Ludovic, darling, you didn't tell me that we had a guest!" Her eyes swept the body of the blonde. She was beautiful, and obviously a werewolf.
"I didn't tell you that we had a guest because she's mine, not yours. She wasn't meant to spend time with both of us."
"So? I still want to know who comes into my house, especially since we have small children!"
"Oh, fine," Ludovic huffed. "Helene, this is Margarete. We used to be lovers a long time ago!" He purposefully drew out the 'l' word just to annoy her. "She came to town and wanted to catch up on old times. I'm sure I don't need your permission to do that?"
Helene just stuck her tongue out.
"I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience," Margarete said. "He told me that you were only married to help each other out. I wouldn't have come if I'd known you loved him!"
"Even if I did, that doesn't mean you can't visit," Ludovic hissed making Helene feel like she'd been slapped. "Want to go get a drink?"
Poor Margarete looked back and forth between Ludovic and Helene, unsure of what to do. Finally, Ludovic took her by the arm and said with false cheerfulness, "I don't know what we're standing around for! Let's go to my study and get that drink!" Then he dragged her off, leaving Helene alone, tears rolling openly down her cheeks.
She knew this was her own fault. She deserved to feel like she was being stabbed in the heart but that didn't make it hurt any less. Even though she wasn't showing it now, she loved her husband deeply and the thought of him being with another woman, and an old flame so much more like him…well, it was almost too much for her to bear. She had to get away. Maybe take the children and go somewhere? It wasn't like Ludovic would miss them. He had his little friend to keep him company. His little friend and the blonde. That should be enough for him. Sighing, she wiped her nose and headed for her bedroom.
Walking on her tiptoes, Madeline made her way to her father's office and knocked on the door. "Daddy, can I come in?"
"Yes," Ludovic nodded and let her in, kneeling in front of her and pushing some hair out of her eyes. "You did well." He gave her a high five and then took some money out of his pocket. "The twenty, as promised. Maybe we'll go out and get you a new doll or some ice cream."
"You did very well, sweetie," Margarete added. "Thank you!"
"But Mommy is crying!" Madeline pointed out as she put the money in the pocket of her jeans. "Say you're sorry! Don't you love her anymore?"
"I do," Ludovic nodded. "I love her very much, but I need to make her realize how much she loves me because I think she forgot and lost faith in us. Do you understand, sweetheart?"
"Yes!" Madeline nodded and gave her a smile. "I do. But will you tell her you love her soon?"
"Yes," Ludovic promised, giving his daughter a tight hug. "I will, darling. I swear."
Ludovic stood in the entranceway of his and Helene's bedroom, watching look out the doors that led to the terrace for a few minutes and then cleared his throat. She didn't look up. He cleared it again, No response. Finally, he yelled, "Damn it, Helene! Look at me!"
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said and glared at him as he crossed his arms and glared back. "Was that a royal command? If not, you could at least say 'please' before you start ordering me around."
"This is serious," he told her. "The children wanted to know why their mother wasn't at dinner."
"What did you tell them?" Helene asked.
"I just said you weren't feeling well," he replied. "But what's the real reason?"
"I just wasn't sure there was room for me at the table with that new girlfriend of yours here," Helene explained. "I mean, is she a girlfriend? Or a fuck friend? Whatever she is, I didn't want to get in the way, even though I am your wife. So, I decided to stay in here until you would come and tell me to play the role of wife for you."
Ludovic chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Helene demanded of him.
"Well, it's just that I think it's cute that you're jealous," he taunted with a smirk.
"I'm not!" Helene cried. "I don't like you right now and I certainly…I certainly don't give a fuck about who you sleep with." But the effect of the words was ruined as her voice broke before she could finish the sentence, because regardless of what she said, she did care, and she cared a lot.
"I brought her here because I have sexual needs that you have made clear you're unable to take care of," he explained. "So I decide to lift that burden from your shoulders and renew an acquaintance with an old friend. Since we used to be lovers so long ago, it shouldn't be difficult to get that back."
"Yeah, I agree, from the way she was sticking her tongue down your throat," Helene spat. "And by the way, I am perfectly capable of fulfilling your stupid needs, thank you very much, Prince Ludovic! And way better at it than some stupid blondie who wouldn't know how to make you come just by rubbing you the right way!"
Ludovic clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That's not very ladylike," he told her. "What's gotten into you? Is the Ice Queen finally thawing at last? And wanting to rub me the right way! Talking about sex when I was sure you'd forgotten what it was!"
"You know what, fuck you!" Helene snapped. "I've never been an Ice Queen. I've never been ladylike either. I just…I just hate this!" She grabbed the skirt of the designer dress she wore and balled it up in her fists as tears began rolling down her cheeks. "I hate these clothes, I hate this apartment, I hate all of it!"
"And you think I don't?" Ludovic questioned. "We had to do this to save the kids! It could have been more tolerable than it is. Enjoyable, even. It would have been so easy to make the best out of a bad situation, but you…you pushed me away!"
"It never would have been tolerable!" Helene shook her head and unzipped the side zipper on her dress. "It would be like selling my soul! I can't say enough how much I hate these clothes, and this stupid penthouse, I hate our stupid neighbor, Mrs. Winston, who can't mind her own damn business and is always looking in on us, like right now!" She pointed and Ludovic had a fleeting glance of someone looking at them from a nearby window before the shades were brought down. "I hate that we have t o play fancy and fake to make your parents happy. I hate that you're a prince! I miss…I miss…" She trailed off and began sobbing,
"What do you miss?" He asked as he watched her. "Please, tell me."
"I miss the man from the woods. I miss sleeping under the stars. I miss swimming in the lake, sometimes naked, sometimes not." She chuckled. "I miss being able to be wild and untamed while knowing no one will look over my shoulder and judge me for it." She looked into his eyes as she said this and didn't blink.
She swallowed hard, took his hand and kissed it lightly, and even as light as it was, the touch of her lips to his skin sent shocks through him. "I miss you too," he confessed, hating that she looked so hurt and lost. "I miss the girl who…I miss the woman I lived in the woods with and was the happiest I've ever been. I know it might not seem like it, but I want nothing more than to get the life we had in the woods back and it makes me so happy you want it too."
She looked up and shook her head. "You're lying!" She spat, pushing him away. "You're with Blondie now."
Ludovic smiled and shook his head. "I'm not with her."
She fiddled with the hook on her bra and then pulled it off as Ludovic's eyes widened. "You want me to just take your word for it after you sprang her on me like that?"
"Yes, you need to," he nodded, reaching out to cup one of her boobs. "And not that I'm against this sort of show. In fact, I like it very much. But what about Mrs. Winston? Do you want her to see everything too?"
"Yes!" Helene nodded, pulling her panties down and tossing them aside. "I want Ludovic to fuck me hard against the open window so she can see it for sure. Make sure she gasps. Can you do that for me? Love me as a man, not a prince?"
Ludovic grinned and played with her hair. "It could be arranged," he said. "If it'll get me my wife back."
Helene smiled. "You never lost her."
Then Ludovic pulled off his polo shirt and undid his pants, lifting Helene and balancing her against the window as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he began pushing into her hard while crashing his mouth on hers.
After the kiss ended, Helene noticed Mrs. Winston's scandalized look. "Enjoying the show, Mrs. Winston?" she asked as Ludovic blazed a trail of kisses down her neck.
"You're so bad!" Ludovic chuckled, pausing for a moment before carrying her over to the king-sized bed and setting her down.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet!" She promised with a wicked grin. "You want me to show you bad?"
"Sure," Ludovic nodded and lay down, letting her climb on top of him as she ran her fingers lightly down his chest and kissing his fingers. "And please, don't hold back."
"Oh, don't worry," she promised and began riding him hard. "I would never!"
Later, as they caught their breaths, Helene cleared her throat. "I needed that," she said. "And I'm so glad we did it. I…I've been so scared I lost you."
"I know we lost our way," Ludovic admitted. "But if it ever happens again, just know that I'll always want to find my way back to you, even if it takes an eternity."
"But…but what about Margrete?"
"I suppose I can confess now," he sighed. "I brought her here to see what sort of reaction you would have. If it would make you want to admit your feelings for me. Madeline was in on it too."
"Oh?" Helene's jaw dropped and she punched him gently on the shoulder. "I should be mad at you, but…I suppose it was the kick in the butt that I needed to admit to myself that I…I love you very much and I care a lot if you have sex with other women because the only person you should be having sex with is me!"
"Even if I make you live a life that makes you miserable?" Ludovic asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, we don't have to stay like this, do we?" Helene asked. "If we both put our heads together, I'm sure we can find a way out. We're smart enough. Are you up for it?"
"Yeah," Ludovic nodded and kissed her hand. "Definitely. If I ever want to be happy again, and I do, I have to get away from my parents."
"Well, now that we're in agreement, we should probably get some sleep, so we'll be ready to work on our battle plan tomorrow."
"Yes," Ludovic nodded, turning off the light over the bed and pulling the blankets over them. "I couldn't agree more."
Wishing she were anywhere else, Natalie Mikaelson drove up the long drive of Milo's family mansion and then parked her old mustang before slinging her backpack over her shoulder and looking at herself in the rearview mirror. She would love to turn Malachai Fale into something like a pig for abusing his authority and forcing her to write a stupid essay with Milo Morningstar. But unfortunately, using her powers in such a way was frowned upon by witch society or something so she couldn't. She just had to come here, get the stupid essay over with, and leave. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to come back.
Knowing that she was going to be facing Milo's mother, she'd tried to dress presentably: a clean pair of dark wash jeans, white sneakers, and a black, off the shoulder coastal t-shirt. She'd even put on a little red lipstick. She hoped Milo didn't think this was all for him or she'd never hear the end of it. But it was necessary because she had no doubt that he'd cried like a baby to his mother after she'd branded him, and though she was a genuinely nice person normally, Eleanor Morningstar was not someone you wanted to anger by hurting one of her children.
Natalie stepped up to the door, rang the bell twice, and stepped back, waiting to accept whatever Ellie would do to her.
The door opened and the person on the other side barely had time to say 'Hello' before she blurted out, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Morningstar, I promise that when I branded Milo, I didn't hurt him that badly!" And she was shocked at the answer.
"You're the one who branded my little brother? Good! Sometimes he can be such a punk!"
Confused, she looked up, seeing not Ellie, but a similar looking young woman in a black pantsuit and stilettos with a pink shirt underneath. "You're not Mrs. Morningstar, you're Angelica! You own Chic and Classic Style! You stage homes and do a damn good job!" She blushed. "Sorry about my outburst. I thought I would have to plead with your mother for mercy."
Angelica chuckled and blushed. "My parents are out, so your life is spared for the moment. Come in and tell me more about this 'punishing my brother' thing."
Natalie stepped inside, still in awe at her luck. Not long after, she was sitting down on a sofa with some lemonade, and a curious Angelica was talking to her.
"So, you're Natalie Mikaelson? My brother's been complaining about you a lot, but I don't see why. You're beautiful! That pixie cut of yours does wonders for the shape of your face!"
"Thank you," Natalie blushed, shocked that this very accomplished woman was praising her. "I just…can I say that I'm an enthusiastic admirer of your work? I hope I can be as successful as you some day in whatever it is I'm going to do."
Angelica blushed. "Thanks, but it's nothing really. Just something I do to pass the time. Did someone color that hair of yours or is it natural? I mean it has to be natural cause your mom is a red-head and your dad…"
"How do you know anything about my parents?" Natalie asked.
"Oh, I see them around the city," Angelica shrugged.
"You really think the cut looks good?" Natalie asked, her voice full of doubt. "I've never thought I looked good."
"How could you not with those good genes?" Angelica asked. "But enough chatting; you came here for a reason, didn't you? That paper my brother has been complaining about every chance he gets, right? Let me get him so you don't have to sit and wait all day." She got up and strode to the bottom of a nearby stairway, yelling with surprising volume: "Milo Morningstar, you get your ass down here right now!" Then she looked at Natalie's surprised expression and blushed. No one really expected her to be someone who swore and them looking shocked when she did always made her feel a little embarrassed. "Sorry," she apologized. "Sometimes, you really have to yell for him, or he'll never stop doing his hair."
Natalie lowered her eyes and chuckled. "Oh, I know, believe me!" Then she cleared her throat. "As you can tell, I wasn't expecting you to be the one who answered the door, but I'm glad it was you, as opposed to, say, your mother. I've been afraid to face her since Milo and I, you know, we did the…the…" she trailed off, embarrassed to say it.
"You mean the branding thing?" Angelica elaborated for her, grinning and crossing her arms. "Actually, that's the reason I've been asked to watch you and Milo tonight. My parents went to a restaurant and Mom wasn't exactly excited about leaving you unsupervised, but don't worry; I won't be breathing down your neck. You do what you have to do and I'll be in the parlor just down here getting work done if he tries to be sneaky with you and it's more than you feel you can handle." She paused. "Oh, and you don't have to stay in your coat; you can take it off and throw it on any chair. I don't mind."
"Thank you," Natalie said, then shook her head. "I can't believe you know about the branding thing. I wasn't trying to make any sort of point, or anything. He was making me mad, and I know it's inexcusable but I just…"
"Oh, please!" Angelica dismissed Natalie's fears with a wave of her hand. "I think it's a wonderful, kinky idea, and if I had someone in my life who could do it for me, I think I would ask!"
"But…but I branded your brother," Natalie reminded her. "And he branded me back. Doesn't that bother you?"
"No," Angelica shook her head. "Sounds like you're even to me!" Then she turned and frowned at a grouchy Milo as he descended the staircase. "What took you so long?"
"Well, what did you want?" He grouched.
"Natalie is here to do your paper," she said.
Milo didn't hesitate another second; soon he was next to Natalie and looking her over. "Well, well, well, Mikaelson. I wondered when you were gonna show your face. Ready to get this crap over with?"
Angelica slapped the back of his head. "Would you address her like a gentleman, please?"
"Fine," he spat, rubbing the back of his head. "Hello, Natalie. Nice to see you."
"Nice to see you too," Natalie replied through clenched teeth.
"Would you like to come upstairs with me and work on our paper, so I can get away from my sister, who is abusing me?" He asked, one eye on that sister.
"Oh, you don't need me to abuse you," Angelica told him. "You have my friend Natalie for that." She then gave the redhead a wink.
"Oh, fuck you," Milo snapped at his sister as he went up the stairs with Natalie on his heels. "How's that for gentlemanly?"
"Have fun, you two!" Angelica called, ignoring her brother and heading into the parlor to see what was on her plate for the evening.
"After you, my princess," Milo drawled after opening the door to allow Natalie into his bedroom.
Natalie rolled her eyes and tried her best to get in the room without touching even the tiniest bit of him. And when she crossed the threshold, she was shocked to see a room that was neat and impeccably organized.
"It's so neat and clean!" She cried.
"What do you have against neat and clean?" Milo asked, pushing a lock of his dark hair out of his eyes as he shut the door behind them.
Natalie shrugged. "I'm just not a neat person myself. You'd probably hate being in both my rooms."
"Yeah, I probably would," Milo nodded. "But don't worry, just because I'm neat, it doesn't mean I don't like being dirty in other ways…" He winked suggestively.
She gave a nervous chuckle and backed up against his bed. Her legs hit the bedframe and she let out a squeak and sitting hard on the mattress.
Milo smirked and advanced on her, pulling her to her feet and putting his hands on her hips before inhaling the soap scent of her neck that had a faint scent of roses.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I'm doing what we both want, Natalie," he murmured, pushing up her shirt and lightly tracing the branding with his fingers and gently biting her earlobe.
"Stop!" Natalie hissed. "We're supposed to be working on our paper! And your sister is downstairs!"
Milo scoffed. "She doesn't care what we do as long as I use a condom!"
"Milo!" She said his name, but it sounded more like a moan to his ears as he kissed a trail down her neck. "Why are you fighting this? You had to know what your being in my bedroom would lead to!"
"Yes!" Natalie nodded, and then shook her head. "I mean, no!" She pushed him away and then turned to face him. "You don't even like me!" She reminded him. "And you think I'm ugly!"
"What?" Milo asked, completely dumbfounded. "Where's all this coming from?"
She poked him in the chest. "It's coming from you always telling me that you think I'm ugly!"
Milo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Come now, Natalie. A guy doesn't kiss a girl if he thinks…I mean, if he's not at least a little attracted to her." It was the best he could give her without confessing all his true feelings. "Are good now?" He held out his right hand. "Because I'm really tired of fighting with you and I'd like to make out."
"Not so fast!" She shook her head. "So, if you don't think I'm ugly…do you think I'm beautiful?"
He blushed, wishing she would stop asking him such stupid questions. "Well, you're not ugly, but…you're a good, solid average."
"Average? Wow," Natalie said, playing along. "How generous of you! Good to be with someone who's in the same boat as me. Wouldn't want to go above my station and be with someone too attractive for me."
"Excuse me!" Milo was red with outrage. "I am Milo Morningstar, son of the Devil himself! I could have any woman I want in my bed right now. Do you know how lucky you are?"
"Oh, yeah," Natalie scoffed. "It's like I won the lottery because a man told me I was average! Please, call the other girls you have on your speed dial. It'll be easier to write a paper on how a toxic mind works if I see you only using women for their bodies. And thank you for helping me dodge a bullet!"
"You want me to do that so you can go see your boyfriend, Nico, behind my back," he lashed out.
"Well, he's sure better than average!" She said with a grin. "Did you see all of his muscles? Oh, my gosh, he's so hot!" she fanned herself with her hand. "It's making me sweat just thinking of him. I bet he's as hard as rock under his shirt!"
While this show was going on, Milo frowned, put his hands on either side of his waist, then tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for it to be over. "Stop lying!" He demanded. "I know you're not with him and that the two of you are just friends. He told me so! You're just trying to piss me off."
"Yeah, we're friends," Natalie nodded. "But with some very good benefits!" She gave him a wink.
It was then that Milo finally realized she was messing with him. He decided to take revenge. He grabbed her and began to tickle her without mercy.
"Stop it!" She cried, laughing. "Milo, stop!"
"It seems someone is ticklish!"
"No," she cried, her voice full of desperate laughter. "Milo, stop!"
A cry of surprise escaped her lips as she felt herself being pushed back onto Milo's bed. Then his body fell on top of hers and he silenced her protestations with a kiss.
"Can we do this?" He asked. "Please?"
"Yes," she nodded and continued to kiss him, her hands going in his hair as the kiss deepened, their tongues entwining as she felt him slip his hands under her t-shirt to cup her breasts.
He then knelt down in front of her and removed his t-shirt, letting her caress the branding on his stomach.
"Let me make one thing very clear to you," she told him firmly, holding him at a distance before he could lay down on top of her again. "I'm not gonna sleep with you."
"Is it because you think I'm gonna be sneaky and not use protection?" Milo asked. "I will, I swear. I have everything!" He took her hand and kissed it gently.
"I won't sleep with someone who thinks I'm average!" Natalie proclaimed. "But since I'm bored, I might be willing to make out with you."
She was unwavering and Milo was giving himself a mental kick for saying something so stupid before. "Oh, all right, fine! Make out it is! At least it's something!" He then helped her off with her t-shirt and his eyes widened when he saw what was underneath. "That's the bra I gave you!" He cried. "You kept it!"
Natalie went bright red when she realized it. "It doesn't mean anything!" She said with a desperate shake of her head. Now he probably thought she'd worn his stupid underwear so that he would see it when she slept with him and she was being a tease.
"It means plenty, and you know it, Mikaelson," he told her, putting his hand under her chin so that their eyes met before softly kissing her parted lips.
"But what about the paper?" She reminded him.
"Oh, shit!" He swore. He'd completely forgotten about the paper and now that she was sitting in front of him in her underwear, he was in no mood to do any sort of schoolwork.
"I have an idea," Natalie smiled. "We could use that song, Toxic? It's got the sort of vibe we're supposed to have for this paper. And some other Britney Spears songs too. Easy as pie."'
"Brilliant!" Milo chuckled as his eyes strayed from her face. "Would you be a slave for me, Mikaelson?"
She chuckled. "In your dreams," she said, her breath picking up as he kissed the curves of her breasts. "Not gonna happen!" But her body was beginning to heat up and her brain wasn't letting her think anymore, just do dumb stuff like undoing his zipper and slipping her hand in his pants while did the same to her until they both cried out and held each other tight, their hands roaming all over each other. She knew she hated him, but that could wait until tomorrow. Now he was all she wanted.
Angelica strode inside one of the parlors at the mansion, took a deep breath, kicked off her pumps and collapsed on the small sofa, taking a deep breath before grabbing her tote bag and opening it to remove her laptop and see if any emails had come in while she'd been driving home, as was her custom in the evening; she could see what new events people wanted planned or who wanted their house decorated; she was still a little surprised she'd gone into a side business, but people thought she had a sense of style and good taste so why not capitalize on it when she had the time?
Nothing particularly caught her eye as she scrolled through her messages, except one: from a Sybil Vane Mikaelson. Mikaelson. She scoffed. Probably nothing serious. Probably just some ploy from Klaus Mikaelson to get into her panties or something. Not that his stepmother and stepfather seemed like the sort to be dragged into something like that, but one could never be too careful. But curiosity and good sense got the better of her. If this was a real job, she didn't want to risk offending a particularly lucrative client. She clicked on the email and read it.
Hello, Ms. Morningstar,
I have heard many good things about your skills as a designer, and I was wondering if you would be able to help my husband and me come up with ideas for our twins' nursery. If you're unable to find the time, that's all right; I know you're busy. But we would be delighted for you to accept.
Best regards,
Sybil Vane Mikaelson
A nursery? Angelica thought to herself. Well, that's unexpected. Her mind then drifted to her son, Shane, who had been coping surprisingly well with her and Sammy's split, especially since it had been a mostly amicable one.
But back to the job. She would take it. After all, Klaus had left the city. He wouldn't be sneaking around and trying to get his paws on her. Yes. That was the smart thing to do.
As she read over her emails, Angelica tried to concentrate but the loud, insistent ringing of a nearby cell phone kept interrupting her. She tried to ignore it, but it just wouldn't stop. Growling impatiently, she strode over and grabbed the phone out of the jacket pocket, looking it over out of curiosity, groaning when she realized it was Natalie Mikaelson's phone. She groaned, hoping the person on the other end wasn't who she thought it was. "Natalie, your phone is ringing!" She yelled. But she knew Natalie was in Milo's room and even with her voice as loud as it was, she probably wouldn't be heard. Finally, she just picked it up, making a face when she saw the person on the other end was referred to as "sexy wolf". Either her brother had competition or…never mind, she shook her head. It was none of her business. "Hello," she said cautiously. "This is Natalie Mikaelson's phone but she's busy now. May I take a message?"
"Oh, Angel," drawled a voice on the other end of the line. "I like the idea of you playing secretary. Would you play it with me, and would there be a sexy outfit involved?"
"Oh, in your dreams, Klaus!" Angelica scoffed. "And even if they're there I don't want to know about it."
"Well, fine," Klaus said. "What are you doing answering my daughter's phone anyway?"
"She left her jacket down in one of the parlors and it wouldn't stop ringing when you called cause it was in the pocket. I was working and thought it was mine at first." Angelica explained even though she knew she didn't owe him any kind of explanation. "It's very annoying just to let it ring for ages like that. Can't you hang up eventually?"
"Not if I think my daughter might be in trouble and that's why she's not answering," Klaus shot back. "You know the feeling. Don't you have a boy of your own?"
"Never mind," Angelica quickly changed the subject. "How did you know it was me?"
"You have a shrill voice and a nagging tone that are very difficult to mistake," Klaus replied.
"Same to you," Angelica returned primly. "And don't call me Angel. My name is An-gel-i-ca. Or is it harder for you to say four syllables compared to one?"
"Two," Klaus returned immediately and the smugness in his voice was obvious. "Angel has two syllables, love. Or have you forgotten how to count?"
"Oh, shut up!" Angelica scoffed. "Why do you go under sexy wolf on your daughter's phone?"
"A. I will call my daughter whenever I want, B. It should be obvious that I am a sexy wolf, and C…will you answer the question about why you have my daughter's phone?"
"You're right, you can call your daughter whenever you want," Angelica conceded.
"How kind of you to give me permission, Angel," Klaus drawled.
"B, you might think you're a sexy wolf, but I disagree. Everyone has their own tastes I guess, but you're not mine."
"Well, then apparently you're blind, aren't you?" Klaus asked. "Or too simple to understand my allure."
He said it matter of factly, but it made her laugh so hard that her belly started to hurt.
"I don't know what you find so funny about the truth, Love," he told her mockingly. "Maybe you're just too stubborn to admit it to yourself."
"Do you realize how funny you are?" Angelica got out. "It's unbelievable that you're so full of yourself, Mr. 'Sexy Wolf'. And I can assure you with a degree of certainty that I will never, ever join your fan club of thousands of women who have lost their minds and slept with you. I mean, no disrespect to Selina, Amy, and Sybil, but you were not their brightest moment." She paused. "And I know darkness, all right? I don't need you to show it to me. My family is like the Addams Family. Darkness is part of us all year round."
"Where's my daughter?" He spat, making her grin. She had hit him where it hurt, and she knew it.
"Your daughter, Natalie, who is an absolutely charming young woman, and polite too, something she probably picked up from Amy…" she continued to needle him.
"Oh, believe me, Angel," he hissed, enjoying her growl of frustration when she heard the nickname. "She's very much my daughter, even if she doesn't make it obvious to everyone."
"My sympathies to her for being spawned by you," she said. "And to answer your question at last, Natalie is here at my parents' mansion, doing a school paper with my brother, Milo. She left her jacket down here, the phone was in it, and your call interrupted my work, so here we are."
Klaus chuckled. "I'm sure she was over the moon to be paired with your brother for this assignment."
"I'm not sure," Angelica replied. "Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. It's hard to tell with those two. They could actually like each other for all I know."
"Yes, maybe," Klaus conceded. "And what about you? If I understand correctly, it seems like you've become the old maid chaperone who must sit around and watch younger, more attractive women than yourself have fun and flirtation? I understand. It must have been hard to have Sammy dump you. Is it going to take long for you to lick all your wounds? Poor thing. Maybe I could give you the numbers of some men who would be more than willing to show you a good time."
"Tell yourself what you want about me, Klaus," Angelica replied. "I honestly could not give more of a fuck about what you think of me." She paused. "And by the way, I'm not just here doing nothing. I had a lot of things to do to keep my successful businesses running. Or did you forget that I'm a remarkably successful businesswoman?" She paused. "You probably did; I bet that scares the hell out of you."
"Open the video chat!" He demanded, a grin on his lips.
"No, thanks," she replied dryly. "Not interested."
"Why not? Are you scared of me, Angel? Scared of yourself?" Then he burst into the most irritating laughter.
She couldn't let that stand, so with a growl of frustration, she turned the video chat on, placing it on the coffee table and giving Klaus an excellent view of the fact that the only thing she wore under her blazer was a pink lace bra. "What do you want, Mikaelson?" It didn't escape her notice that he wore no shirt, and his curly hair was damp. He must've just gotten out of the shower. It was a surprise, but she managed to stay stoic until she realized that his chest muscles were really starting to get her going. Damn him and his sexiness!
"Do you always dress so suggestively when you have male clients?" He asked, his eyes going straight for her cleavage. "Or am I just lucky?"
She shrugged and undid the only button on the blazer so he could see everything. "Does it bother you that I'm not afraid to be sexy?"
"Not in the least, Angel, but is it appropriate? You don't sleep with them too and then give them a discount, do you?"
"No, I don't!" Angelica shouted. "How dare you?! It just…I'm just doing what I must do when dealing with clients like you, who only think with their penises. It doesn't hurt anyone, and I get extra money in my bank account. It's how I've gotten so successful. A powerful woman knows how to play the game. And will never be defeated."
"Yes," Klaus smirked. "You tell yourself what you need to, Angel."
"What? You think I'm not successful?"
"Of course, you are! But I also think you bite off more than you can chew sometimes. Am I wrong?"
"Well, I have a meeting with Sybil and your stepfather next week to go over a nursery for their children," she said. "Would you like me to give them your regards?" She tilted her head and smirked.
It threw Klaus for a few seconds but then he just grinned back. "Yes, love. Please do."
"I sure will," she assured him, trying to sound as bitchy as possible. "Anything else?"
"Yes," he nodded, running his hands through his curly hair and making her tingly, damn him! "Would you please tell Natalie that I will call her back? Thank you for looking out for her."
"Of course," Natalie nodded.
"Take care, Angel." He gave her a nod and then closed the video chat.
Alone, Angelica breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Grandpa, that's done," she whispered to herself, and did up the button of her blazer. She stood up and walked to the bathroom, gasping in surprise when she walked past the hall mirror and saw that her cheeks were flushed. "What the fuck?" She whispered and quickly powdered her face. It was probably nothing. The temperature had been warm in the parlor because the warmth she was feeling could not have anything to do with Klaus Mikaelson. That was for sure!
Alone in his dark room, the baby boy finally fell asleep after a day of fighting both pain and joy, comforted by his father and sister. Then, a figure emerged from the darkness, striding slowly to his crib. She smiled at him and straightened some of the tuft of hair on his head before slowly stroking his cheeks. The baby startled in his sleep and grabbed her finger with surprising strength.
"You don't give up, do you?" Azrael asked the little boy. "You were supposed to be in Heaven already, and yet…you're still here." A long sigh escaped her lips. "I guess I need to wait for you to be ready, Leighton." Then she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Whose idea was it to give you such a silly name anyway?"
A soft chuckle escaped her lips before she heard footsteps nearby. Gasping, she turned invisible and hid behind a curtain in case it was someone coming to do him harm. But she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the tall blonde woman enter the nursery and approach the crib. It was only his mother.
"Hello, sweetheart," Astrid greeted him, gently picking him up and carrying him over to a rocking chair. "Mommy's here. I got you." She paused. "You have to know that I love you with all my heart, but I'm not well, Leighton. That's why I can't love you in the same way that your father and sister do. But I love you so much and I always will." Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she kissed him gently and put him back in his crib.
Behind the curtain, Azrael was crying too. She closed her eyes and disappeared because it wasn't time for her to take Leighton yet. She didn't know when, but there was no way she would separate that poor boy and his mother.