Chapter fourteen

The past

"You were in a relationship with a werewolf?" Elijah asked, sounding astonished. His eyebrows rose in surprise and Kassandra sighed and ran a hand over her face.

"I must admit, my taste in men hasn't always been the greatest. I tend to go for the type of relationship that will never, ever be good for me and ultimately blow up in my face," she said.

"Just… a werewolf?" Elijah repeated, as if he couldn't comprehend why Kassandra would go for a hairy dog of all supernatural creatures.

She just shrugged. "So it wasn't the best decision I've ever made. What's so shocking about it?" she asked.

"I just remember not too long ago when you wanted nothing to do with me because you thought I was dangerous," Elijah said. "And one would think that a werewolf would be dangerous as well, considering that their bite can kill a vampire."

"That rumor's true?" Kassandra asked, eyebrows shooting up.

Elijah nodded. "Yes, very much so."

Kassandra just shrugged. "Well, it wasn't like I was all gung ho about dating a werewolf. But… Jackson was charming, and he eventually got to me." She smirked slightly. "Kind of like you."

Elijah's nose wrinkled. He didn't like being compared to a werewolf, especially one he considered belong in the deepest parts of hell. He was slowly starting to become protective of Kassandra- even though she didn't need the protection- and thinking about what Jackson had done to her made him want to rip the dog's heart out. He didn't care about what the repercussions would be. He wasn't threatened by his pack. He was an original vampire, no bite could kill him.

Kassandra stood up to get a bottle of wine from the kitchen. She knew what Elijah was going to ask her next, and she needed to have at least a buzz in order to have that conversation.

As soon as Kassandra returned with a bottle of red wine and two glasses, Elijah asked her exactly what she thought he would ask. "What exactly happened between the two of you, if you don't mind me asking?" he asked politely.

She sighed and popped the bottle open. "Fine, I'll tell you the story," she said, filling the two glasses with blood colored wine. "Just don't prepare yourself for a happy ending."

Elijah nodded understandingly and accepted the glass of wine she offered him. "Whenever you wish to start, Kassandra."

She took a deep breath and a big gulp of her wine. "It all started with him ruining my favorite pair of shoes."

Two years ago

New York City, New York

"Ruby!" Kassandra called, pushing past people to reach the girl. They had met a few weeks ago, when Ruby started to bartend at the same bar as Kassandra. She had instantly known that Kassandra was a vampire- because she was a witch. Unlike every other witch Kassandra had known, though, Ruby wasn't self-righteous or judgmental. She was a cool witch, and the two had instantly hit it off.

"Hey Kass," Ruby greeted her, smiling and patting the bar stool next to her. "Glad you could make it."

She shrugged. "Well, there was nothing good on TV," she said with a smirk. Ruby just rolled her eyes in response.

"I ordered you a shot," the witch told her, passing her a shot of tequila. Kassandra took it graciously. She sprinkled salt on the back of her hand, licked it off, tossed her shot back, and then bit into her lime.

She made a face as the tequila hit her. "Ugh," she muttered. "Tequila has never been kind to me."

Just then, somebody bumped into her and dumped their beer all over her brand new pumps she had paid an arm and a leg for.

"Oh my God," Kassandra said, looking down at her ruined shoes with a mixture of anger and sadness. Those poor things had barely seen the outside of her closet, and now they were doomed for the trash. "What the hell?"

"Shit, I'm sorry." She looked over to see a man in his twenties frown drunkenly at her shoes, an empty glass in his hands. "Didn't see you there, sweetheart."

Her nose wrinkled in disgust at him. He reeked of beer and cigarettes. "Whatever," she muttered, gritting her teeth in anger. She had half a mind to make him buy her another pair of Louboutins, but decided it wasn't worth it.

She turned back to Ruby, when the drunk jackass grabbed her shoulder. "Hey gorgeous," he slurred. "What's your name?"

She glared at him. "Don't touch me," she said, pushing him away. She wondered if he had any idea of what she was. Kassandra was very capable of ripping his throat out if she wanted to.

"Aw, honey, don't be like that." He offered her a lopsided grin that was a tiny bit cute. "I'm Jackson." He offered her his hand.

"And I'm not interested." Kassandra smirked at him and Ruby hid her laughter behind a cough.

Kassandra turned back to her new witch friend. "Can we get out of here?" She asked, eying Jackson with distaste.

"Sure." She nodded. "The martinis suck anyway."

And with one last look of disgust, Kassandra pushed past Jackson, hoping she'd never have to see him again.

Two weeks had passed, and Kassandra was working her shift when the door opened and a customer stumbled in.

She didn't bother to look up when somebody sat down in front of her. She'd make the other bartender serve them.

"Hey, it's the girl who's shoes I ruined."

Kassandra frowned and looked up to see a familiar face. She let out a groan. "And it's the drunk jackass who owes me shoes to replace the ones he ruined," she muttered.

"I prefer Jackson," he said with a grin.

"Well, I prefer drunk jackass," she retorted, still washing glasses.

"But I'm not even drunk right now, so your name wouldn't make any sense," he argued, and Kassandra just rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, guy. I don't really give a shit," she said, wishing he'd just go away.

Jackson leaned forward. "Let me buy you a drink," he said. "To make up for it."

"I would rather poke my eyes out," she spat.

Jackson smirked and leaned towards her. "Well, then maybe I could get you a glass of blood instead," he said, lowering his voice.

Kassandra froze. How could he possibly know?

Her eyes quickly scanned the room, looking for anyone else, but they were alone. In the blink of an eye, she slammed Jackson against a nearby wall by his neck.

"How do you know?" she hissed at him, eyes darkening and her grip tightening.

"I'll give you three guesses," he wheezed out, though there was still a smirk on his lips.

She narrowed her eyes. "You're a hunter?"

"Nope."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "A witch?"

"Not even close," Jackson answered.

And then Kassandra's eyes widened. "You're a werewolf."

"Bingo," he said, his irritating smirk growing wider.

Kassandra let him go and ran a hand over her face. "I think I could use that drink now," she said.

Every night after the two found out what the other was, Jackson came by the bar every night, until the point where Kassandra found herself missing him when he wasn't there. She found Jackson not nearly as annoying the more she got to know him.

Still, having any relationship with a werewolf would be stupid and reckless and possibly deadly. Because Kassandra knew the rumor that a werewolf bite could kill a vampire all too well. And she didn't want to take that risk.

But one night, when the bar was empty besides her and Jackson, he went in to kiss her. And when his lips touched hers, Kassandra decided the risk was worth it.

"And they didn't live happily ever after, the end."

Kassandra ran a hand over her face and set her empty wine glass down on the coffee table.

Elijah gave her a look and she sighed. "Look, there's really not that much left to it. Only the really crappy parts, but who needs to hear that?"

"You were falling in love with him, weren't you?" Elijah said softly.

"I told you I don't believe in love, Elijah," she said stubbornly.

"Kassandra-"

"Fine!" she exclaimed angrily. "Yes, I was falling in love with him. And then the crappy part happened and I fell out of love with him. It happens, no biggie."

"What did he do to you?"

Kassandra sighed and ran her hands over her face. "He broke my heart, that's what he did," she said quietly.

About two months after Jackson had kissed her, things had gotten pretty serious- at least, as serious as things had ever gotten for Kassandra.

She knew everything about his family, his past. His father was the leader of the pack, and he expected his son do step up after he died, but Jackson didn't want that. Still, with everything she knew, Jackson had yet to introduce her to any of his friends or family.

She pretended that she wasn't bothered by it, that it didn't matter to her. But it did. It did matter to her. He always said that his friends and family weren't as keen on vampires as he was, but Kassandra just knew that he was hiding something.

And one day, she finally found out just what it was.

"Jackson?" Kassandra called as she walked into his apartment one afternoon. She could hear a heartbeat, but Jackson never answered.

"Can I help you?"

A young woman with blonde hair and striking blue eyes walked out of a bedroom, wearing what Kassandra recognized was one of Jackson's shirts.

She stiffened, eyes widening. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly, feeling her heart drop to her stomach.

"Heidi," she answered, frowning at Kassandra's rudeness. "Jackson's fiancée. Who are you?"

"Babe," Jackson called, suddenly walking into the room. "Who's at the-"

When he saw Kassandra's accusing stare, he froze. "Kassandra," he breathed. "What are you doing here?"

Her glare cut down to his core, and with one last pitying look at Heidi, Kassandra turned around and stormed out of the apartment.

"Kassandra, wait!" Jackson chased after her, slamming the door behind her. "I can explain everything, okay?"

"You're engaged?" she snapped. "How long, Jackson?"

He sighed. "Look, it's complicated-"

"How long?" she repeated, her voice as cold as ice.

"Two years," he answered. "But, listen, Kassandra. I didn't have a choice, okay? Heidi and I, we've practically been arranged to be married since we were born. Her family's very prominent in the pack and my dad wants to make sure our blood line lives on, so that werewolves won't go completely extinct."

"You disgust me," she snapped. "I hope you rot in hell."

She went to walk away, when he grabbed her arm. "Please, Kass, let me explain!" he exclaimed. "When I met you, everything changed! You were different, and-"

"Just don't even try, okay Jackson? You can't explain this." She pushed him off of her, and he slammed into the wall, leaving a dent in it. "I hope I never see you again," she snarled. "Have a nice life, jackass."

And then Kassandra stormed away before he could stop her.

Elijah and Kassandra stared at each other in silence after she finished her story. After a while, Kassandra let out a deep sigh and set the empty wine bottle down.

"I'm gonna need more alcohol," she muttered, standing up to get another bottle of wine.

The look of pity in Elijah's eyes was the exact reason why she didn't want to tell him in the first place.

~SYH~

A/N: thank you to: jamiecarterannie, Lady Syndra, Storylover, Katherine Sparrow, SomebodyWhoCares, and Lady Wesker for reviewing!

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~Abby :)