Crowded streets are cleared away one by one
Hollow heroes separate as they run
You're so cold, keep your hand in mine
Wise men wonder while strong men die

Breaking Benjamin – So Cold

Chapter 52

Last Christmas

California, 1 year earlier, the Christmas Eve

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you, sweetheart?" Mrs. Mills asked. "You shouldn't have to be alone in Christmas…"

"I won't be," I assured. "My father is coming home tonight, he promised that he will. Go, I'm sure your husband is already waiting."

Mrs. Mills bent down and kissed my forehead. Normally I didn't appreciate people touching me, but I liked her, she was a sweet woman and she kept me company when papa wasn't home.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Eva. And thank you again for your generous gift."

"You're welcome and Merry Christmas for you and Mr. Mills as well. Enjoy your holiday at the spa."

She smiled at me warmly and picked up her purse on her way out, she truly deserved a holiday. The house was very quiet after she had left; it had been decorated earlier today. Papa wasn't very thrilled with Christmas, but I liked it, I always had. It was nice to decorate the house and sat by the fireplace, even though it was warm outside. I really missed the Christmases in New Orleans and even in Chicago. I missed my family. One year Klaus had hosted a big Christmas ball for the whole society of New Orleans, everyone had been there.

I remembered the music, the dancing and the gorgeous bronze gown Rebekah had given to me. It had been six months after I had returned to New Orleans and things had started to slowly settle down. Besides of some tension between papa, Rebekah and Klaus, we had almost been like a family again. Me, papa, Rebekah, Klaus and Kol. I couldn't help but wonder where they were tonight.

I truly hoped that Rebekah was happy with Stefan or the ripper, as Klaus had called him, I hadn't heard from them since the 20's. At first I had been a little offended by Rebekah's decision, but how could I blame her for wanting to be with the person she loved. I just wished that Klaus would understand as well, although I doubted that. His possessiveness had gotten out of hands in Chicago, just before everything had fallen apart and I had lost most of my family. Papa never talked about that night, but I knew that he was hiding something from me. That something had changed him, made him colder.

At first I had suspected that Mikael had done something to him, maybe tortured him, but that didn't seem to be the case. Whatever his burden was, he refused to share it with me. I sighed and walked around in our big house, everything was ready for tonight. We had a Christmas tree, few presents under it, a nice movie and plenty of papa's favorite type of blood. I wanted to look extra nice tonight, so I went to my room and wore my new red and white polka dot dress. Not bad, I was pleased with my reflection.

For a moment I looked at the red roses on the dresser; they had arrived this morning with a note. "Something beautiful for someone beautiful." Right, sure. If I was so beautiful, why wasn't he here? Not that I cared. Yet I closed my eyes and smelled the roses. Merry Christmas for you too, wherever you are. I sighed and went back to the living room, now the only thing missing was papa. I waited and waited, but there was no sight of him. I passed the time by watching the TV, eating one of my blood popsicles, reading and walking back and forth, what was taking him so long? It was almost midnight when the phone rang.

"Papa?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for not calling you sooner; I was in the middle of something."

"That's alright, what time will you be home?"

The brief silence gave me an answer before papa spoke.

"Eva… I'm very sorry, but I can't come home tonight, I have…things to take care of. Please forgive me, I promise to make this up to you."

"Oh… Sure," I muttered. I should have known, this wasn't the first time.

"Sweetheart, I really am sorry. You didn't go through much trouble, did you?"

"No, not at all, I just hoped…"

"I'm sorry, but I have to go, I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Oh, and merry…"

I didn't have time to finish my sentence when he had already hung up. Right then. I poured myself a glass of wine and curled up on the sofa. A very merry Christmas to me.

"My phone is here," the brunette said and led me to a big living room. All my senses were sharpened, but I couldn't hear anything.

"Is there men here?" I asked shyly, I needed to know where the vampires were.

The brunette turned to look at me.

"What?"

I blinked my eyes and looked down.

"Mommy has warned me about strange men."

"Oh. Well, there are two of my friends upstairs, but no need to worry, they're nice guys."

"Really?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you're perfectly safe here, I promise."

I smiled too.

"Thank you."

She didn't have time to react in any way when I knocked her out and caught her before she hit the floor. Quickly I placed her on the sofa and tucked her in just in case the vampires would come downstairs; they would think that she was having a nap. Now I needed to find papa. Where would I keep a daggered Original…

Klaus had always kept the coffins in the cellar; perhaps that was a good place to start. I moved silently like a ghost, looking for the entrance to the cellar. There definitely was a cellar in a house like this, I was absolutely sure of it. Bingo. The door wasn't locked, obviously they didn't expect intruders. I zoomed down the stairs and saw that the cellar looked very old, the walls were stone. Was these some kind of prison cells? Apparently.

I frowned and started to search the place inch by inch. I almost cried out when I found papa, he was lying on the stone floor in one of these cells. His suite was torn, almost like someone would have tried to burn him. Someone had. The thought made me furious; I would certainly make them pay. I kneeled next to him and pulled the dagger out. The wait felt very long, I kept checking the hallway in case someone would be coming. Suddenly papa started to gasp.

"Papa?"

He looked completely shocked; I tried to calm him down by stroking his hair.

"Papa, it's me, Eva."

"E-Eva?" he gasped.

"Yes, I'm right here."

Something was wrong, his body started to judder.

"Papa? What's wrong…"

He jumped to his feet, clearly he was in pain.

"I can't be in this house…"

He hadn't been invited in. No more than a second later, he was gone. I zoomed after him, but went to the living room before heading to the front door. The girl was right where I had left her; I grabbed her by the leg and started to drag her towards the door. Papa had kneeled down behind the threshold, he looked terrible.

"Do you need to get inside?" I asked. "I can make this one to invite you in."

He looked up.

"You can't compel her, sweetheart."

I grinned.

"Who said anything about compulsion? I have other ways and these people deserve to pay for hurting you."

He smiled and looked at me warmly; I hadn't seen that look for a while.

"My sweet Eva… Could you bring the girl here?"

"Sure," I replied and started to drag her towards the threshold when someone grabbed me from behind.

"Eva!" papa shouted. My fangs were out in a fraction of a second, but I didn't have time to bite when my neck was snapped.