Selina Warren Mikaelson got up and headed to the kitchen, opening the blinds to let in some sunlight. Reveling in the early morning silence, she filled the coffee machine with water and brewing up some Arabica beans, her husband Elijah's favorite in the morning, as well as her own.
She made herself a cup of coffee, then stood staring out the window, wiping her hands on her skirt. Unlike her usual brightly colored, flouncy dresses, she wore her nicest two piece suit that morning, pleased that it still fit, even though she was starting to show a little. But it was important to look her best because she and Amy had decided to go to the Council and have a meeting with Alistair about Lucifer, because someone had to.
"Mmmm…" Selina heard the moan and bit her lip on a smile as two strong arms wrapped around her waist
"When did you sneak out of bed?" Elijah asked, his lips against her ear before he gently bit the earlobe and slide his lips down her neck. "You know I love waking up in your arms. I missed you."
Selina smiled. "You mean you like sex in the morning, don't you?" She teased. "Well, as penance, you can spank me if you want."
He whacked her gently on the bottom. "You know I would never refuse that," he told her with a grin.
"As for the actual answer to your question…I promise I wasn't just forgetting about you. You had a long day yesterday and still seemed to be sound asleep when I woke this morning. It was so peaceful that I thought it would be rude to ruin it for you. You deserve a good long rest." She kissed him softly on the lips and gave him a gentle hug.
Elijah grinned widely and kissed her back. "Yeah, yesterday was a hell of a day, let me you." Then he let her go for a moment to get himself a large coffee cup from the selection on the shelf.
"So…not to harp on this if it's not something you want to talk about, but…did Julian turn successfully?"
"Yes," Elijah informed her as he put the cup in the machine and pressed the button after choosing his coffee. "We did. And I'll tell you this: he's one of the hardest fighting humans I've ever seen. He was terrified about loosing his humanity! At one point, he even made me promise to let him die if we didn't succeed in changing him." He paused and took a drink of black coffee.
"Damn," Selina sucked in a breath, her blue eyes wide. "I'm so sorry, Elijah! That must have been so hard for you, dealing with all that guilt." She smiled and lowered her head onto his shoulder.
Elijah shook his head. "Not as horrible as having to deal with my Klaus and my father in the same room, let me tell you!" Elijah shook his head and looked out the window at nature.
"Wait," Selina put a hand on Elijah's arm. "Did you say that Mikael was there too when you were transforming Julian?" Her eyes were wide with shock.
"Yes, he came with Sybil," Elijah nodded. "Which was a blessing for poor Angelica. The woman's been through so much and needed someone to be with her."
"That's so good," Selina nodded. "Not that Angelica isn't an adult, but what she's going through, it's not something she should do alone."
"You're not wrong," Elijah agreed. "She was in terrible shape after that neighbor of hers was killed." He gave a loud sigh.
"Poor thing," Selina clicked her tongue and shook her head. "This whole mess with her father must have shaken her to her core."
"You can say that again." Elijah put an arm around his wife and kissed her hair.
Then she chuckled and gave him a wicked grin. "Now, be honest with me: which one is dead after last night? Was it Klaus, or Mikael? I hope your brother was the one who emerged victorious!" She gave him a playful wink.
Elijah chuckled and gave her a fond glance. "Actually, they both made it through okay. But it should not surprise you to know that they were bickering and causing trouble for each other non-stop like the worst kind of enemies, which I suppose they are. They were like women in heat!"
Selina put a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. "I would have loved to see that with my own eyes!"
"Oh, believe me, it was no joke!" Elijah rolled his eyes at his wife's hunger for drama. He grabbed an orange from the bowl on the counter and began peeling it. "Except…"
"Except?" Selina raised an eyebrow comically. "Except when Klaus punched Mikael in the face with his fist?" She grinned brightly.
"What do you mean by that?" Elijah asked in surprise. "I thought you and my father had reached a truce!" He winked.
"We did," Selina nodded. "And it means we can be in the same room together, be polite to each other, and you can be sure we won't burn the house down." She shrugged. "Now tell me: what do you mean by 'except'? What do you mean by that word?"
"Except I had the time of my life when Angelica and Sybil got back from picking up some pizza for dinner. And they got sick of Klaus and Mikael fighting so they put them in their place!" He grinned. "They were like trained puppies looking for praise! Bowing and scraping and calling them 'Queen'." He chuckled. "It was truly the funniest thing ever. They've definitely found their matches! They can't even so much as open their mouths or lift a finger to cause trouble without their queens calling them out on it!"
"Mmmm…" Selina crossed her arms over her chest, chin raised.
"What?" Elijah questioned.
"What's so funny about Angelica and Selina being called queens?" She asked, her gaze darkening as she narrowed her eyes on her husband.
"Ummm…" Elijah swallowed nervously and blushed bright red as he realized his mistake. "Nothing! Nothing is wrong with it, obviously! You know you're my queen in every sense of the word, Selina." He did his best to swim against the tide of the angry ocean as he gave her another kiss. "My Queen!"
"I have to give you some points for making an effort," she told him. "But if I don't go now, your queen is going to be late." She grabbed her blazer off a kitchen chair and put it on.
He smiled and reached out, putting a hand on her belly. "Look at that! You're starting to show!"
Selina chuckled. "Yes, your queen is going to bear one of your children once again, sir."
Elijah lowered his gaze, suddenly feeling a little shy. "I know you've gone through this a lot," he told her. "Thank you."
Selina smiled and put a hand on his cheek. "You know I always wanted to have a big family, Elijah. I enjoy carrying our children." She kissed him, making him smile. "Okay, now I really have to go!"
"Wait a minute," Elijah frowned as he looked her over. "I know you, and I know you don't dress like this so early in the morning."
"Dress like what?" Selina crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
"You know…professionally. Put together…you know…" he trailed off, feeling like he'd just walked into a trap.
"It's not that early!" Selina told him. "After nine! And besides, you know I get up earlier when it's my turn to take care of the horses."
"Well," he gestured at her outfit again. "Clearly you're not going to take care of the horses dressed like that!"
"Of course I'm not," Selina rolled her eyes. "I have a meeting with Alistair. I felt it was time to discuss the whole Lucifer issue with him in case the Council needs to do something." She spoke simply and then shrugged.
"Wait a second…" Elijah said as he put two and two together. "Why would you want to discuss that with Alistair? How would you know what's going on with Lucifer now? Don't tell me you went to Lucifer's mansion alone after I specifically and very politely asked you not to!"
He was trying to stay calm but failing miserably.
"All right, so I won't tell you that if you don't want to hear it," Selina replied. "I didn't go alone. Amy was with me."
"That doesn't make me feel better," Elijah lashed out. "And I'm sure it won't make my brother Kol feel good either!" He growled in frustration. "What would make you decide to do something so foolish in your condition?"
"I'm not a porcelain doll, Elijah Mikaelson!" Selina lashed out, poking him in the chest. "Just because we've had so many children, that does not make you my lord and master that I'm beholden to every second, understood? I'll do what I want, when I want, with whom I want! Am I clear?"
Elijah lowered his head and crossed both arms over his bulging chest, his lip jutting out in the pout. "Yes, it's clear…"
"What?" Selina growled. "It's clear what?"
"It's clear my queen," he finished with a sigh.
"That's better," Selina nodded, turning on her heels and making her way to the front door of the farmhouse. "Now, if you're hungry, there are muffins in the basket, and leftovers in the fridge. Don't wait dinner. I don't know when I'll be back!" She then slammed the door shut, leaving her husband alone in the kitchen.
Amy Burke, three times a Mikaelson, walked the length of the Council's corridors, doing her best to keep her balance on her fancy new heels, her red hair put up in a bun, and a fitted black and white dress hugging the curves of her body. Her behind swung sexily with every step. Finally she found her partner in crime, Selina Warren Mikaelson. "Sorry if I kept you waiting too long," she apologized, giving the woman a kiss on each cheek.
"Oh, no, don't worry about that," Selina shook her head, waving away her friend's concern. "I just arrived five minutes ago. Do you know where we're supposed to meet Alistair?"
"I texted him to ask last night and he told me he would meet us in the library," Amy replied before checking her phone to make sure.
"Good!" Selina nodded with approval. "And while you were doing that, I took the liberty of calling Avery Morningstar and informing her of the whole sad situation. She already knew, of course. Her sister, Azrael told her everything. But she promised she would meet Alistair with us."
"Azrael?" Amy raised an eyebrow. "What's she the angel of? I've never heard of her."
"Angel of Death," Selina replied with a wince. "Poor woman."
"Oh, my goodness!" Amy put a hand over her heart. "That's so sad! She escorted the old woman Lucifer killed to the afterlife, didn't she?" She shuddered. "I wouldn't want that job! Being a secretary doesn't seem so bad all of a sudden."
"Yes, it's certainly macabre," Selina nodded. "Shall we go?"
"Oh, yes," Amy nodded. "Come on!"
The women made their way down the corridor with Amy close on Selina's heels
Whistling with pleasure, Selina looked down and got a good look at Amy's new shoes. "Wow, those are designer, aren't they? Louboutin heels? You're looking very sexy, honey!" She couldn't help but compliment the redhead, especially since she never seemed to allow herself anything nice, so now that she had something, she probably wanted someone to mention it.
"They're really fabulous, aren't they?" Amy tried but couldn't stop herself from blushing as red as her hair as a grin curved her red lips.
"Definitely!" Selina nodded. "Maybe I should get a job here. Are they hiring secretaries and paying enough for fancy shoes?"
"Oh, please," Amy shook her head. "You don't need to be a secretary like me. You can buy your own shoes with your money from being an amazing businesswoman!" She also wanted to point out that Elijah could buy them for her, but she knew the brunette wouldn't like that.
She opened her mouth to change the subject quickly, but Selina had one more point to make.
"Wait!" She grabbed Amy's arm. "Did those come from Kol? You are so lucky!"
Amy raised her chin, blushing bright red. "What's it matter to you if my husband bought them for me or not?"
Selina shrugged, good-natured. "You're right, it's none of my business. But you would have to be blind not to see how much your husband has fallen for you. Am I right?" She tilted her head perniciously. "And you're wearing them so proudly that one has to conclude that you have feelings for him too."
"Will you mind your own damn business, Selina Warren Mikaelson?" Amy snapped but quickened her steps to get away from the other woman.
"So busted," Selina chuckled. "So busted, Amy. I hope you'll thank him when he gets back from Africa!"
"Mind your own business, I said!" Amy cried.
But instead of feeling shame, Selina just burst into laughter.
"Good morning, ladies," Alistair greeted both women as he reached the Council library and put the keys in the door, opening it wide so they could all head inside. "After you. I hope I didn't make the two of you wait too long."
"Thank you," Amy nodded and headed into the library, followed by Alistair, with Selina bringing up the rear and giving Alistair appreciative glances that he didn't see. "Don't worry. We just arrived ourselves."
"I love your shoes, Amy," he complimented her.
She blushed slightly. "Thank you, Alistair.
"They were a gift from her husband," Selina told Alistair in a stage-y whisper.
"Did anyone ask you to tell him that, Selina?" Amy snapped.
But Alistair wasn't thrown off; he was used to her being in such a way because he'd seen it for years, back when they and Klaus had been quite a team.
"I also can't deny you're looking very snappy yourself." She looked over his new designer suit with appreciation.
"As opposed to what other look, Selina, dear?" He tilted his head back, smirking. "My trampy look of years past?"
Amy lowered her gaze and chuckled while peering at Selina out of the corner of her eyes.
"Oh, come on, Alistair!" Selina crossed her arms over her chest. "You know you've never been a tramp. But becoming head of the Council has clearly encouraged you to up your game!"
He made a noise in his throat and pointed a finger at her. "I'll let that comment slide because we were good friends once." Then he winked at the dark-haired woman.
"How's Astrid?" Selina asked kindly, changing the subject. "And how is your son?"
"Leighton, he's…" he closed his eyes and heaved a loud sigh. "Some days are better than others, where his condition and pain are concerned," he told her, his jaw tensing. "As for Astrid, this is not the sort of place to talk about how she's doing. I'd rather not say anything to members of the Council."
"Well, it's nice to know that Leighton is making progress," Amy remarked kindly and put a hand on Alistair's arm.
"I'm not really a Council member," Selina protested. "Just a friend who's concerned about the marriage of two people I care about deeply.
"Or lack of marriage?" Alistair corrected with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry, Selina, but the subject is closed. If you want to know more about how Astrid is, I suggest you ask her. You'll get a very detailed account of how I stole her job and betrayed her as she gulps down one bottle of vodka after another."
Amy and Selina gave each other a look before Selina nodded. "Fine."
There was one more knock at the door, which caused a relieved Alistair to run and open it. "Here you are, Avery! You look lovely!"
"Well, thank you," Avery blushed. She wore an impeccable two piece white suit. "Alistair, nice to see you." She blinked when she noticed the other two women. "Selina, Amy. Nice to see you both."
"Avery, always a pleasure." They both greeted her with a smile.
Alistair shut the door one last time, then looked at the women who had joined him. "Now, color me intrigued," he said. "I'm afraid I'm not exactly clear on why we're meeting, but it's not every day I meet with three beautiful women in the Council's library." He then boosted himself onto the chair at desk and waited.
The three women looked at one another, and then averted their eyes, coughing awkwardly, before Selina spoke for the group. "If you were hoping we had something nice to talk to you about, I hate to disappoint you, but…it's about Lucifer."
Alistair raised an eyebrow, intrigued more than anything. Then he turned to Avery. "Pardon my language," he told her. "But what in hell has your brother done now?"
"He killed an elderly human woman," Amy blurted out, even though the question hadn't been directed at her. "I've heard it was an accident, but that doesn't matter, does it? And then, to top it all off, he almost killed her grandson too. But Klaus gave him his blood."
"Yeah, and then Elijah, Mikael, and Klaus worked on turning him into a vampire," Selina finished. "I would tell you more but that's all I know since I wasn't allowed to be there personally." She narrowed her eyes and growled a little, the slight still smarting. But then she relaxed and gave him a small smile.
"Are you serious when you say one human was killed and another was so badly hurt that they had to be transformed? Surely you must be joking!" Alistair's jaw dropped just a little, his hands firmly going to either side of his waist. "You know that can't be done in this day and age, Selina! It's not 1850 anymore!"
"I realize that it's not the preferred course of action," Selina conceded. "But would you have preferred to have an innocent man die?"
"No, of course not!" Alistair shook his head and began to pace back and forth the length of the library. "Can we prove this? And for your father's sake, Avery…what possessed your brother to start murdering people?"
"Well, the fear of what Angelica and Eleanor's abandonment will lead to for him his brought him to such a level of insanity that no one can even begin to understand it," Selina tried to explain. "Even if someone tried to talk to him calmly and sensibly and try to make him see reason, I doubt he would listen."
"It can be proved for sure," Avery nodded. "My sister Azrael escorted the woman, Mrs. Johnson, to heaven after her death."
"Excuse me for bringing up a subject that could be very painful," Selina apologized.
"Oh, you don't have to be sorry," Avery assured her. "I have no grudge against you. Nor do I think you have anything against my family. My brother was the cause of it, after all. If we need to have him pay for his actions, I'm not going to stand in the way. It was cruel in many ways what he did."
"Okay," Selina nodded and turned to face Alistair. "Can he be convicted by the Council court and then put in prison?" She blurted out.
"Well, of course anyone in the supernatural world who commits crimes against a human should go on trial. But where Lucifer is concerned…we don't have the authority to truly hold him accountable for what he's done. As a Celestial being, he's much too powerful and outside our jurisdiction."
The women groaned. "In other words, you can't do a thing," Amy sighed. "Damn!"
"That said," Alistair put up a finger. "While we might not be able to put him away permanently, we can still bring him in front of a committee and come up with some good, solid consequences for what's happened. You all who have seen what happened could come and help us sort it out, if you're willing."
Selina shrugged, feeling a little hopeful. It was better than nothing.
"Avery, I know your sister is busy, but do you think she would be able and willing to help the committee out?" Alistair questioned.
"I can't tell you for sure right here right now, but I'm sure that if she knew what we were doing, she would be more than happy to help," Avery replied. "As will I."
"Good," Alistair nodded. "Thank you. I'll work on getting something together and let you know when I have a date set for the committee to meet. And I can't forget to contact Eleanor and hear her side of the story." He paused, noticing the women shaking their heads at him. "What now?" He asked, confused. "Is there a problem?"
"I don't know how easily you'll be able to contact her," Amy told him with a wince. "We have reason to believe that Lucifer is holding her hostage at the mansion as well."
Alistair shook his head in disbelief. "If this is true, we need to act promptly and get her out of there!"
The three women nodded in agreement.
"With that being said, I wish you good day, ladies," he bowed slightly. "This has been a very informative meeting."
"Same to you," Amy and Avery returned and left the library.
But Selina stayed behind, arms crossed over her chest and smirking.
"What now, Selina?" Alistair sighed. "I don't have tie to waste!"
"Well, I never saw you look sexier and more dashing than you do right now," She complimented. "Keep it up, Alistair!" She winked and turned on her heel to walk to the library door, opening it and stepping out as Alistair grinned and shook his head.
"It's good to know some things never change," he bit his lip on a smile. "Selina Warren Mikaelson, you really are something else!"
Avery Morningstar rushed down one of the Council corridors before pausing and turning right and then left, nervously biting her nails all the while. Her brother, the devil himself, was in deep trouble and there was nothing she could do to help him or stop it!
And of course she was in agreement with everyone else that even if no one in the Council government could punish him in a permanent way, they still needed to deal with him somehow. That didn't make her a traitor or a bad person.
And she wasn't the only one of her siblings wrapped up in all this: since Azrael had been the one to escort the old lady to heaven after her death, she was feeling much less charitable toward their brother. (Well, because of what had happened with Mrs. Johnson and how Lucifer had treated Julian Johnson and Angelica, who the Angel of Death had a soft spot for.)
No one really blamed Eleanor for taking a human lover, the dead woman's grandson. Lucifer had tried to kill him for that, but thankfully, the Mikaelson men, Elijah, Klaus, and Mikael, had managed to safely transition him into a vampire. Only one human's life had ended because of what Lucifer had done.
The sound of laughter brought Avery's had up, and almost immediately, she saw Malachai Fale chatting and exchanging laughter with a tall blonde. Then, quite suddenly, he turned his head to stare at her, holding the laughter in as he saw the look of worry on her face.
"Would you excuse me?" He asked his companion before gently grabbing her forearm and kissing both her cheeks.
"Sure," she said. "Call me, okay?" She gave him a little wave, momentarily glancing in Avery before turning to walk down another corridor, her pink high heeled pumps clacking loudly.
Avery winced, then raised her chin, her hands balling into fists as anger overcame her, and she turned to walk away. Obviously Malachai had moved on, deciding he liked leggy, Barbie doll types instead.
"Avery! Avery!" Malachai called after her. But she ignored him. "Oh, come on! Will you stop acting like a spoiled rich girl and talk to me after we've said nothing to each other for ages? I saw you look at me! You could at least say 'Hello'! Don't you think you're being a bit much?"
"No," Avery replied easily. "I am spoiled little rich girl, remember? God's daughter!" She gave a sadistic chuckle.
"Oh, I remember," he drawled, raising both hands in the air. "How could I forget?"
"Leave me alone, Malachai! And while you're doing that…how about you think of your own bad behavior instead of just holding mine over my head?" She was getting so angry she was yelling as she looked over her shoulder.
"Excuse me?" Malachai replied. "My childish behavior? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, Avery?" He strode back to face her, barely any space between them.
"Why don't you start running after Barbie Girl instead of running after me, Ken?" She lashed out before she began singing: "I'm a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie world, life in plastic, it's fantastic! You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere…"
"If you ask me, you sound very jealous!" He told her, burying his hands in the pockets of his leather pants and chuckling. "Good song, though. I had no idea you had such a nice voice."
She came to an abrupt halt, facing him with her balled hands on either side of her waist. "I get it! You stopped! You stopped! He stabbed a finger in her direction and made a face like a little boy.
"That's so very mature, Malachai!" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What do you want?"
"Hello to you too, Avery Morningstar," he rolled his eyes too. "Such a friendly greeting!
"Whatever. It seems you have other things to do and I wouldn't want to be the one who caused you to make Barbie wait!"
"Her name is Suzette," Malachai replied. "She's a receptionist here at the Council.
"That's a dumb name," Avery scoffed. "Very fitting for a dumb bimbo." Although she mumbled under her teeth, he heard her anyway.
"What did you say?" He demanded, narrowing his eyes on her.
"Nothing," Avery sighed. "So did Suzette pick out those leather pants for you? Interesting choice for a workplace." She tried her best to look him over without being too obvious.
"Do you like what you see?" He asked with a grin. Because of course he knew she was looking. "No, she didn't. I'm an adult who can pick his own clothes, thank you very much!"
"I couldn't care less what you wear for your girlfriend," she informed him.
"She isn't my girlfriend," he corrected with a loud sigh. "We just had a drink once.
"Oh, you did?" Avery raised an eyebrow. "Was it an actual drink or just a soda because she's not old enough for anything else?"
"She lost her car keys, so I brought her home and she thanked me by inviting me in for some bourbon. Just a casual, friendly thing." He shrugged.
"Oh, my Dad, you're so gullible!" She rolled her eyes again. "She obviously wanted so much more from you than just a drink!"
"What did you say now?" He growled. "I'm not that sort of man, Avery!" He paused. "And don't forget that it was your own father who said I wasn't the right sort of man for you, if you're feeling jealous." He pointed a finger at her. "What do you want me to do now? Become a monk and never so much as look at another woman ever again?"
"No, of course not," Avery shook her head. "They wouldn't let you be a priest in those pants."
"Very funny," he commented with a wince.
"Fine, lets just drop the subject!"
"Fine," Malachai let out a big sigh. He knew he had every reason to want to fight with Avery, but it took a lot out of him, so eventually he had to stop. And, he realized, it was easier to be kind. He cleared his throat. "Even though we aren't together anymore, I think we can still be friends. You seem troubled. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Do you actually want to help, or is this something you're going to hang over me later?" Avery asked suspiciously.
"No, I want to help, truly," he assured her, although he didn't blame her for being suspicious. "So what's the problem?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll hear it eventually," she sighed. "Or some twisted version. Best I tell you the truth. It's Lucifer."
"What about him?" Malachai rolled his eyes. "What's he done now?"
"Something terrible," Avery swallowed and tried not to cry. "Something I never thought he would do. But I guess…I guess when we feel like we're losing what we love…we can be capable of anything, can't we? We're working with Alistair to deal with the problem."
"And when you say 'We' do you mean Selina and Amy are helping too? I saw them here earlier and I wondered what was going on."
"Yes," She nodded. "Alistair wants to make up a committee to deal with it. I bet he'll ask you to be on it. Lucifer killed an old human woman and injured a human man right after. The man's name is Julian Johnson, the grandson of the woman, who was Klaus' neighbor. Klaus, Elijah, and Mikael turned him into a vampire to stop him from dying."
"Please tell me you're joking!" Malachai's jaw dropped as he took her hands in his.
"I wish I could say that I was," she shook her head and shut her eyes tight.
"But why would he do such a thing?" Malachai questioned. "Especially after going on and on for so long about how he definitely was not that sort of person?"
"Well, there's a reason: Things between him and Eleanor haven't been going so well, and she took a lover. And that lover was Julian Johnson." She shared as Malachai's eyes widened.
"Would you…say that again!"
"I know," Avery nodded and averted her eyes. "Quite the story, isn't it?"
"If things are bad between them, I don't blame Eleanor for wanting to spend some time with someone else," he shrugged. "Do you?"
"Well, no, of course not," she shook her head. "Don't let my brother know I said this, but…no, I don't blame her either."
"I'm…I'm so sorry, Avery," he sucked in a breath and gently caressed her cheek. "I had no idea. It seems like your family is bringing so much heartache into your life."
She raised her eyes, her heartbeat picking up at his touch as their eyes met and he leaned forward, his eyes locked on her lips.
Blushing, she coughed and pulled her hand away, taking a step back. "Thanks, but I'm fine. Now you know what's going on!"
He coughed and nervously passed his fingers through his hair. "I have no doubt Alistair will say something to me. But I think it would be best to act as if he told me first."
"Thank you. And sorry for interrupting things with Suzette."
"You didn't!" he rolled his eyes.
She nodded before turning to walk down the corridor, A grin on her lips. "I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world. Life in plastic, it's fantastic. You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere. Imagination, life is your creation…"
"Really, Avery?" He shouted. But it just made her laugh, her chuckle loud in the hallway.
Celine Mikaelson pushed open the door to Noah's night club, her platform sandals clacking loudly, her ass swinging from side to side, barely covered by a short white tulle skirt.
She reached the bar and put a hand in front of her mouth to hide laughter.
Since it was a slow point in the day, her aunt Roxie and uncle Vince were playing with the karaoke machine, having picked a song from the '90s to blast over the speakers. Roxie sat on the bar, a blonde wig on her head, her body covered in a black leather dress, fishnet stockings, and black leather biker boots. She was holding a mic in her hand and singing as if no one could hear. Vince was next to her with a mic of his own and sunglasses perched on his nose.
"…I'm a blonde, bimbo girl, in a fantasy world, dress me up, make it tight, I'm your dolly."
Vince sang next: "You're my doll, rock n roll, feel the glamour in pink, kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky…"
Celine held it in as long as she could, but finally, it was just too much. She burst into loud laughter, making both her aunt and uncle jump out of their skin when they realized they weren't alone in the club anymore.
"Celine!" Roxie cried out, pulling off her wig and throwing it behind the bar as Vince helped her off the counter. "We didn't see you there!"
"Obviously, Aunt Roxie!" Celine replied, laughing as she stepped closer to the bar.
"I'll go stop the music," Vince decided and gave Celine a look. "Nice skirt, Celine."
"Can we really call it a skirt, though?" Roxie asked. "Isn't it a bit short to be an actual skirt?"
"Oh, come on!" Celine rolled her eyes. "It's a perfect length. When did you stop being cool?" She twirled, the tulle flying over her ass.
"No, it's not!" Vince mouthed, putting a hand over his eyes as he realized Celine wasn't wearing any panties.
"What are you doing here?" Roxie wanted to know. "Not that I'm not always happy to see you." She turned and rolled her eyes at her husband.
"I want to ask you the same question," Celine smirked. "I mean, that was quite the performance!"
"Oh, it was nothing. We were just making sure the sound equipment is in good shape. It was Vince's idea to use a song about the Barbie doll."
"Right," Celine chuckled. "It's not about the actual Barbie, Aunt Roxie. "It's a 90s song by Aqua about sex, BDSM, and sugar daddies. There was even a big court case about it because of how sexy it is!" She grinned. "Oh, I would have loved to live in the 1990s!"
"How the hell do you know all that?" Roxie asked, wide-eyed.
"How could I not? It's my style!" Celine gave a nonchalant shrug.
Vince came back from turning the music off, his eyes wide as he looked at his wife. Then he cleared his throat. "It's good to know she appreciates the classics, right?"
"Right," Roxie winced. "So…what brings Barbie here?"
Celine giggled. "I love being called that.
"I bet you do!" Roxie said, eying her husband.
Vince just shrugged. "They already knew that Celine had a particular taste in dressing and sexual kinks. It didn't surprise them anymore. And she was still young. It could be just a phase. Or maybe not!"
"What are you doing here, sweetheart?" Vince asked for what seemed like the millionth time, putting a few beer bottles on the counter.
"I've called Uncle Noah a hundred times. He's not answering my calls. We've barely seen each other or talked since the dance competition!" Celine held her phone in the air and stomped her feet. "Honestly, I'm getting worried! Especially after what happened at Grandpa's house with Lucifer! It was so horrible! You know what happened, don't you?
"Yeah, we know for sure," Roxie nodded and gave Vince a look. "Dad called and told me. Explained very firmly that we should stay clear of Lucifer, at least for the time being. Although I was quick to assure Dad that aren't in contact very much."
"That's a big relief for Grandpa," Celine said. "He…he loves you a lot."
"Noah took the murder hard," Vince remarked. "Poor guy. I bet he thinks he'll turn into his father."
"Yeah," Roxie sighed. "Poor guy's in bad shape. He's been spending a lot of nights at our place. Kind of a relief really. Easier to keep an eye on him."
"How can he think that?" Celine cried. "He's nothing like Lucifer. "He's kind…he's there for others! He would never kill anyone, especially not a poor old human woman!"
"You don't have to convince us! He's a good man and a good boss! I mean, he can be a bit peculiar sometimes but that's not a crime. He's actually a lot like you!"
Celine blushed. "I don't know what you mean by that!"
"Where is he now? He's not hurt or lost, or anything is he?" Celine begged them for information.
"No, he's getting what little he had there out of the mansion.
"My heart is breaking for him, poor man!" Celine put a hand over her heart, her breath picking up as she grabbed her handbag. "I need to go see him!"
"You should!" Roxie called after her. "Let us know what's going on or if we can do anything for either of you."
"I will," Celine promised before opening the club door and leaving.
Vince then tilted his head, both arms crossed over his chest, his narrowed gaze on his wife.
"What?" Roxie shrugged.
"You know perfectly well, what!" He told her. "Did you mean to send Barbie to Ken just now? Do you want your niece to end up in bed with her godfather? You know your brother will give you absolute shit for it! This is a recipe for disaster, Roxie!"
"Me? No!" She lied through her teeth. "And what if it's not a recipe for disaster? What if Celine is the one for Noah? What if they're so alike they're meant for each other? I've seen them on the dance floor and…I think all they need is a push in the right direction!"
Vince rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever. But don't come crying to me when your brother Adrian finds out about all this and comes here to murder you!"
Celine parked the Jeep (which their grandfather claimed was for all the triplets, but she and Laurelle knew it was mainly for his favorite, Michelle), and got out, shutting the door behind her and running toward the mansion. She knew her grandfather would be so mad if he ever found out she came here, so close to Lucifer. But she knew she had to come. She needed to find Noah and talk to him. Make him feel better. He shouldn't be punished and abandoned for his father's mistakes.
She reached the grand, tall front door, rolling her eyes as she saw the lion statues flanking it on either side. Then she pushed the door bell, tapping her feet impatiently as she waited to be allowed entrance. When no one came, she pushed the button again and again. Someone would let her in…even if she had to annoy them all for the rest of the day!
Finally, the door opened, and Celine let out a breath when she saw that it was Dexter and not the devil himself. "Oh, Dexter! I'm so glad you're here! Thank Steve!" She put her hands on her heart.
"Celine, come inside." Dexter gestured for the young woman to come in to the high-ceilinged foyer.
"Sorry for being so annoying with the doorbell, but no one was answering, and I really needed to get inside. I was worried sick!"
"Yes, I'm truly sorry about that," Dexter apologized. "We just have a lot of drama and bullshit going on right now…as you've probably heard."
"Yes," she nodded compassionately. "I have. Are you okay?" She figured there should be at least one person who asked Dexter that question.
"I'm doing as well as can be expected, thank you," he told her. "Nothing I haven't experienced before." They stood in silence for a few seconds and then he cleared his throat. "If you'll excuse me, Celine, I have to run down to hell where Lucifer followed Eleanor to make sure she's there. I have no doubt they'll kill each other soon. But it's the only place where she can find any peace, if that tells you the state of things at the moment."
"That's understandable," Celine sighed.
"I'm…I'm sorry, but…why are you here?" He asked, perplexed. "It's not like you're one of our normal visitors."
"I'm looking for Noah, I mean…I mean my godfather." She blushed a little. "Is he here?"
"Yes, he is!" Dexter nodded, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "He's finishing packing up what's left in his bedroom suite." He sighed. "It's truly a fucking nightmare what's happening to this family! If Lucifer doesn't get his act together, he's going to lose all his children! Not that Noah's a child 'cause he's clearly a grown man, but…you know what I mean."
"I guess," Celine nodded, biting her bottom lip. She knew all too well how much of a man Noah Morningstar could be!
"Do you need help finding Noah's suite? It's upstairs, the first one on your right," he told her. "I would help you, but I need to leave for hell immediately!"
"Yeah, don't worry, I'll find it," Celine assured him, giving him one last wave as he turned away from her and rushed down another corridor. "Thanks, Dexter!"
"Of course, Celine! My pleasure!"
Left alone, Celine lifted her eyes to the majestic staircase which would lead her to Noah's bedroom suit. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began ascending quickly, one step after the other. It was time to find him!
Her platform sandals hit the marble floor with loud clunks as she walked from room to room, opening one door after another and not finding a single soul. Finally, she paused, her right hand resting on her rising chest. There were only a few more places to look. A few more places he could be. She opened one more door and found him, pacing back and forth between open dresser drawers and a large suitcase.
"Noah," she whispered, taking a few steps inside the room, but he didn't hear her. Whether it was intentional or not, she had no idea. "Noah, it's me!" Her voice was a little louder now.
He suddenly raised his head, turning to face her with consternation and fatigue plastered all over his face. "Celine, what the hell are you doing here?"
"I…I…I was worried about you," she stammered nervously. "I heard what happened with your father, and…"
"There's no need for you to be concerned about that," he cut her off and threw more clothes in the suitcase. "It's not any of your damn business! It's all my family's crap, not yours."
She started badly at his words, her hands balling into fists. Damn him and his stupid bravado! Why wouldn't he just let her help him! "None of my concern? None of my concern?!" She yelled angrily, holding out her cell phone. "Do you know how many text messages and voice mails I left you, Noah? It would have been nice for you to respond back!"
"Yes, I know how many messages and texts you send me," he told her wearily. "I got them all. And stop calling me Noah. Call me Uncle Noah," he ordered matter-of-factly. "If you needed help or to talk, you could have asked your father or anyone else in your family. I'm much too busy these days, as you can see."
"Could I call you 'Uncle' she shouted back with a ruthless chuckle. "That is so you, just sweeping how you feel about us under the rug! You think it'll change things if I call you 'Uncle'? You think I'll suddenly feel differently? As for talking to other people…yeah, I could have, but I wanted to talk to you because it was you I was worried about!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Celine," he snapped, throwing his Ferreira hat on the bed. "You seem to have romantic feelings to deal with. Why don't you try watching some silly made for tv movie?"
"You know perfectly well what I want, and no Hallmark movie will fix it," she replied, chin raised and both arms folded over her chest. Then she found herself looking him over for the first time in what seemed like a very long time. "You…you cut your curly hair? And…you have a tattoo on your arm now!"
If he hadn't been sexy before, he sure was now! Well, of course that's how she'd always thought of him, but he'd really made himself sexy now!
"Yes, on both accounts. Ricky Mikaelson did it for me," he told her as he tried to avoid looking in her eyes. "I thought it would give me a bad boy vibe, just like my father."
"That is so far from what you are," she told him, shaking her head. "It's not something your father would do. It's something you, Noah Morningstar, would do! And I…I like it!"
"I told you to call me 'Uncle', Celine," he muttered between his teeth, quickly looking her way, his gaze sliding the length of her body. Damn, she was a vision in the tiny white tulle skirt, way too short for his sanity and to keep his lust-filled thoughts of her at bay.
"I know you're hurting, and if there's anything I can do to help…please? Please just tell me," she begged, nervously rubbing her hands together.
"Yes, you could do something to help me!" He snapped. "You can leave, damn it!" He yelled his head off, the intensity of his anger and frustration startling her. "I'm fed up with your little girl act! It's time for you to grow up and face the music! To like someone other than me! Someone who isn't your damn godfather!"
Tears began rolling down her cheeks and a sob escaped her throat. She put a hand over her mouth, then turned on her heel and stomped over to the open door.
She'd almost reached the threshold when she suddenly saw the door close in front of her eyes, making her cry out in surprise. She placed her open palms on the wood paneling and sobbed, feeling him come to stand behind her and breathe down her neck, the heat of his body against her back.
"I'm so sorry, Celine," he apologized. "Please forgive me. I'm all over the place. None of this is your fault and I never want to see you cry." This made him sob himself a little.
They stood in an embrace for a few seconds before she turned and glued her body to his, raising her arms to caress the nape of his neck. "I'm here, Noah. I'm here." She felt his arms wrapping around her body, and his hands sliding down to the small of her back.
Her soft lips met the roughness of his five o'clock shadow on his right cheek, then slowly slid down his neck.
"Celine, what are you doing?" He whispered as his breath picked up. "No, no, baby…no." He begged, but without much real feeling, because he couldn't push her away, his hands moving of their own accord, raising the tulle skirt, pausing as his hands moved and cupped her bare ass. "You…you're not wearing any panties!"
"Shush!" She placed a finger over his parted lips. "Anything for your pleasure, Sir," she whispered, then nibbled on his bottom lip.
A loud and guttural growl escaped him before he crashed his lips over hers, his tongue demanding total submission from her, which she gave readily, opening her mouth to taste him as hungrily as he was tasting her. It didn't take long for things to get hot and heavy, and soon she was grabbing his hand and sliding it between her legs.
"I'm a bad girl," she purred. "I'm very, very wet for you, master…what do you want to do with me?" She then slid her teeth on the length of his jaw.
His fingers found her founds in a matter of seconds, finding out how aroused she was by all this. His fingers soon slid inside her, in and out in rhythmic movements over his heavy breathing and her loud moans.
"Oh, yes," she begged. "Harder! Harder!" Her eyes closed as the intense emotion washed over her, her head falling against the door. "Take what is yours, Sir!"
And he didn't hesitate any longer, fingering her like a madman, so full of need that he couldn't have stopped if he'd tried. He felt her wetness reach the inside of her thigh and his own wrist. He fell to his knees, pulling her skirt to her ankles as she cried out in surprise, giving him a good look at what was his, as she'd told him.
She was beautiful, completely open to him like this, a trail of blonde hair leading his starving mouth right where it wanted so badly to be. It was time for him to taste her drink all of her.
Celine screamed his name as she felt his lips on her most intimate parts. Her hips began to move in rhythm with his mouth and tongue, biting, licking, drinking in her essence as his hands grabbed and slapped her ass for dear life. She then slowly unbuttoned her white button-down shirt and removed her lace bra to show him her small, perky breasts, gently cupping them both.
This made him raise his gaze, a growl escaping him as he reached up, moved her hands, and gently squeezed her breasts himself, then her nipples, a good pain that made her reach her release. "Noah," she murmured. "Oh, my god!"
He rose to his feet to wrap his arm around her waist and hold her still, and she could feel a distinct bulge against her leg. "Oh, Celine," he murmured, sucking in a breath. "What have I done? What did you make me do?"
The question was for her, but mostly for himself as he grabbed her chin and placed his wet lips on hers. "You taste like the sweetest honey."
"Thank you for making me come. Now I want your hard cock inside me, sir…" she whispered against his left ear.
That was like being hit with a sudden burst of cold water. He opened his eyes and gently detached himself from her, pointing a finger at her feet. "Get dressed," he ordered, passing a hand over the tense muscles of his face.
"Noah, what did I do? Did I say something wrong?" She felt off balance as she grabbed her skirt and pulled it up over her long legs.
"Leave!" He commanded. "And don't try to see me." He tried to calm his rapid breathing.
"I don't understand," she told him, truly confused by his sudden change in mood, biting her lip so she wouldn't cry in front of him.
"Yes, you do," he nodded. "You most certainly do!" He grabbed the door handle and opened the door for her. "Now leave!"
She stared at him for a few seconds, then quickly put on her bra and shirt, then grabbed her bag and phone, rushing outside as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Once she was gone, Noah lifted his eye to the ceiling and then went to slam the door closed. "Fuck it!" He murmured, kicking the door in anger and swearing again. "Fuck everything!"