Sophia's POV
I awoke to sunlight shining into my face and sighed as I slowly blinked my eyes open as I moved to look around spotting Nik standing by his easel like I did every morning as although he had started coming to bed at the same time as me as it usually meant sex which was no different to last night it still wasn't surprising to find him at his easel when I woke up.
"Am I ever going to wake up next to you again?" I asked smiling towards him. "I mean after the night we had, I'd kind of hoped you'd sleep in for once"
"Yes, well morning sun offers the best light" he replied finishing his brush stroke before he turned towards me and smiled. "Hold still, I'm almost finished" I scoffed since of course he was painting me.
I used to wake up all the time to him painting or sketching me throughout our many years we have been together and I definitely knew it wouldn't be the last so I held my position, for the moment anyway.
"You know before you, I would have been far too modest to pose in the nude, not that you really gave me much of a choice"
"Well, I didn't hear you complaining too much at the time my love, modesty is for the weak" I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him before I stood up holding the sheet to cover myself seeing as if this was like any of the last times I'd romped around naked, one of his siblings was going to walk in but Nik quickly grabbed the canvas off the easel and turned it so I couldn't see it.
"Since when do you hide our masterpieces from me?" I questioned. "Did you paint me with horns or something?" I asked and he smirked looking down.
"The painting is a gift" he argued with a smirk.
"What's the occasion?" I asked stepping closer, putting my hands on his shoulders.
"When have I needed an occasion to shower you in presents?"
"Well why can't I see it now then?" I argued and he just smirked again before leaning down and kissing me. "Nice try Niklaus, but you're not distracting me"
"Worth a try" he teased making me roll my eyes before I stepped away swishing the sheet in my wake to add extra flourish which was enough to entice him into another round but it was quickly interrupted by the sounds of a jack hammer hitting the concrete which was distracting enough so it ruined the mood and so we dressed and left our room seeing Elijah surrounded by construction workers.
"Enough!" Nik yelled. "With all the racket"
"Is there a problem brother?" Elijah asked with a smirk looking up at us. "Gentleman please" he dismissed the workers as we walked down the stairs.
"I agreed to a general sprucing up, not a bloody three ring circus"
"Marcel and his minions abused our home for the better part of a century, now you might be content to live in squalor, I'm not" I scoffed out a laugh but I couldn't help agree.
"Well, I have to agree this place can definitely use a little help" I smiled at Elijah as we reached the bottom of the stairs.
"I also agree with them" my smile dropped as I turned seeing the redhead I liked least in this world enter the courtyard and of course she turned her attention straight to Nik. "It's a new era in the French Quarter, this place could use a makeover" Nik quickly put his hand on Elijah's shoulder and led him away.
"Careful Elijah, when this one agrees with you it's a sure sign she wants something" he warned him as he continued to the bar and poured himself a drink and of course Geneieve was here to raise a request.
"Actually, I do have a request I'm told our Coven hasn't been able to celebrate feast days in the open since Marcel restricted the use of magic, now with the new peace I'd like that to change"
"Am I to assume that you have a certain feast day in mind?" Elijah asked her.
"The Fete-Des-Benedictions" I raised an eye since I remembered that Festival, it was one of Kol's favorites and we had gone together before Nik had daggered him that fateful year, the very thought made my smile drop as I reminisced my best friend. "Feast of the Blessings, in the past members of the community offered witches gifts in exchange for blessings" I should have known why Kol had been so interested as he spent majority of the night flirting with the witches. "We'd like to use it as a forum for introducing our young harvest girls to society"
"So, your coven attempted to destroy our family and you yourself held my siblings in unspeakable torment and you would like a party for the witches" Elijah questions her as Nik laughs at the audacity making Geneieve turns to him.
"I made amends with your brother" she replied making me tense up as I glared at her but she turned back to Elijah. "Why don't you think it over?" she added before leaving the three of us in the courtyard.
"Oh, don't be such a stiff Elijah the tourists love a good festival besides what better way to cement the solidarity than a show of faith toward a onetime enemy?"
"Well, I think it'll be fun" I smiled walking over and took a seat in Nik's lap stealing his drink from his hands having a sip.
"One would think you two would be a little more interested in attending to the needs of the woman carrying your child" Elijah argued ruining the good mood instantly.
"So, she's the reason behind this oh-so-thoughtful renovation" Nik replied standing up so I was forced off his lap as he walked towards Elijah. "Elijah, the truth is the woman carrying our child is werewolf royalty, she's far safer in the bayou with her pack than she would ever be here with us"
"And I'm always checking on her" I added walking towards then. "I was actually on my way to check on Hayley after Nik and I finished our business before you so rudely interrupted us with your noise"
"Don't worry, I'll bring her home before the birth" Nik finished before he begun to walk away. "No child of mine will be born in a swamp" he added making me roll my eyes as I started to follow him.
"Our child Nik" I reminded him before I grabbed his arm pulling him to a stop before I leant up and pecked his cheek with a smile. "I'm going to check on Hayley, miss me while I'm gone my lover"
"I shall miss you my love" he smirked pulling me in for a real kiss before we parted ways.
When I got to the bayou, I was not expecting to find so many werewolves occupying the space outside the riverside shack that Hayley had been camping in with her fellow werewolves, these ones did not smell local meaning I had no idea who they were and that made me nervous enough to venture closer than I usually did when I checked up on Hayley.
"You've gotta be kidding me seriously, what is going on, who are all these people, why are they standing out here all weird and lurky?" I overheard Hayley ask and spotted her standing on the porch of the shack with her werewolf friend Eve and I got even more anxious for the fact she didn't know any of these people either.
"They've come from all over. All the packs" Eve replied.
"Why, to see a baby that isn't even born yet?" Hayley asked and I frowned at that.
"Forget the baby, these freaks they came here to see you" Another werewolf...Oliver I think interrupts coming out of the shack. "You know, given the place your parents held in pack hierarchy, maybe they think you're gonna be the long-lost werewolf messiah or something"
"Great, no pressure or anything" Hayley sighed out loud right as Oliver's phone rang and he excused himself.
Upon sticking around for another hour and coming to an unrelenting conclusion that Hayley was in no danger I returned to the compound in order to search through my closet for something to wear this evening as there was to be an after party to the festival for the tourists that the witches were to put on.
I had many dresses but none were speaking to me, granted it was probably due to my reluctance to attend this party as it brought back memories, I have very much tried to suppress these last months since Kol's death.
"Mm hello love" I smiled as arms wrapped around my waist from behind. "Trying to find something for tonight"
"Mm-hmm and suppressing old memories" I replied leaning back into him.
"Kol" he guessed immediately and I nodded my head. "I remember you going with him to the last Feast of the Blessings, you wore a gorgeous little red dress if I'm remembering correctly" I smiled as I pulled myself out of his grasp.
"Maybe I was just trying to get some attention" I reached up and pulled down two different dresses, one was blue with a plunging v-neckline with and even lower back as well as a spicy black cocktail dress I'm sure was actually Rebekah's and held them up against my body alternating them in front of me.
"You certainly had my attention, as well as many others who unfortunately were punished for staring longingly at what was mine that night" I rolled my eyes at him from behind the mirror.
"So where did you go earlier while I checked on our baby?" I asked seeing as he was supposed to be more open with me.
"I had that chum Oliver fetch me Carry"
"Your descendant?" I asked turning to face him as I put down the dresses onto the ottoman in the middle of the room. "Why?"
"This ring, I remember it from my childhood" he held up the ring that Elijah and Rebekah had retrieved from his descendant during that werewolf hunt a few months ago. "It used to house a stone"
"A stone?" I asked stepping closer to see the ring more and saw where a stone or jewel would have sat if there was one and I looked down at my daylight ring. "This is how you're going to make the moonlight rings for the werewolves?" i asked and he nods. "What stone do you need?"
"I'm trying to figure that out" he replies
"Thank you for being honest with me" i smiled at him.
"Well love I did promise I would be, which is why I'm also going to tell you I was also with Genevieve today" he added and instantly my mood shifted.
"Oh?" I questioned trying to contain my displeasure to that news. "Doing what?" i asked and he smiled coming towards me.
"It was not like that, I assure you my love" he placed his hand on my cheek and raised my eyes to meet his. "Cami once again asked for my help with Father Kieran and I went to the witch to ask for help"
"You asked for help?"
"It occasionally happens" he replied rolling his eyes at me making me smile.
"Let me guess her answer was 'NO'?" I asked going back to the topic of my least favorite witch.
"You could say that, she wants my mother's spell book" my eyes widened before they narrowed.
"What would she want with that?"
"I haven't the slightest idea but she won't be getting it" i nodded my agreeance. "Wear that green one" he suddenly added pointing to a dress on the hanger before he was leaving the room making me roll my eyes but did pull it down and hold it against my body and I hated to admit that it was perfect, my husband knew fashion that's for sure.
I arrived in the street festival clad in the dress that Nik had picked out with black heels and my hair down as I hadn't been bothered to style it any particular wayand was just in time to watch as Genevieve steps offstage and I glare at the bitch before I turn to watch the show as Monique steps forward first and creates a mild earthquake that rumbles the ground below us, then the next girl steps forward and raises her arms creating very strong winds that blow around the crowds of tourists before finally Davina steps forward then turns around and raises her palm to the fleur-de-lis sign behind her, which immediately ignites with fire and sets off dozens of fireworks, which makes the crowd cheer again, the humans all thinking this is just ashow before I step off to the side towards the entrance to the after party for supernatural's where the real party was as I was meeting Nik here.
We were entering through a gate one by one with Elijah being the front man seemingly welcoming everyone in and I couldn't help laughing a little as I couldn't help overhearing the colorful things in which Davina had to say to the pretend noble original vampire.
"Sophia, you look lovely this evening"
"Thank you Elijah" I replied stepping inside and went in search for Nik not seeing him yet so I accepted a drink from the bar before all our heads look up as Genevieve clinks her glass with a knife.
"Welcome, as is our time-honored tradition you are all welcome to deliver your offerings it is our custom that no one should be turned away, no blessing be denied" she states and the guests line up to bring their offerings to the Harvest girls with the first being Hayley with the gift from the werewolves, she smiles at Davina and is about to give the gift to her but is stopped by an attendant who gestures for Hayley to give the gift to Monique and she reluctantly does followed by the next person who was a lady I recognized from the last party, she was leader of the human faction now and she gives their gift to Abigail continuing on with everyone else and I watch with a heavy glare as no one gives their gift to Davina especially as Davina's face falls and I see Genevieve smirking at the sight, she is such a bitch and is clearly trying to single Davina out and isolate her.
"Josh!" I suddenly hear Davina yell out and I turned seeing Nik holding the poor boy by the back of his neck pulling him towards the main stairs, he was dressed in an all black suit that made him look devilishly handsome.
"Ladies and gentlemen may I have your attention please, we are gathered here today to pay homage to our beloved witches but one very special witch has been utterly ignored" he spoke up, his voice echoing through the room in his usual way. "That seems a little unfair to me" I smiled a little at his interruption since it seemed at least someone agreed with me that Davina was being ignored and everyone watched as he holds out a small box towards her as his offering.
"No, I don't want your gift" Davina immediately protested making my smile widen that she still held her grudge towards him.
"I understand why you would reject me given our past, in truth many of us here today have been wronged in the conflict which my brother's treaty ended, your friend Josh was involved in a plot to kill me it would be well within my right to execute him here and now but in the spirit of solidarity and for your favor Davina I hereby pardon him" Nik announced before turning to Josh. "Josh from this day forward, you have nothing to fear from me...please" he says then hands Davina the box before he leaves the center of attention heading towards me making me smile as he takes my waist and pulls me towards him. "You look ravishing my love"
"Thank you, you don't look so bad yourself even if your late"
"Forgive me, I had a vermin problem to deal with in our home" he replies and my face drops at the meaning of that but before i could ask he pecks me on the lips. "Don't worry love, it's all taken care of" he states before i see his eyes go across the room towards Hayley. "Would you excuse me for a second love, I'll be back in a moment" he excuses himself and goes towards her.
I let out a sigh as I walked back towards the bar to get another drink, now I knew why Damon drank so much when he was under pressure, it soothed me while I watched Nik talking with Hayley overhearing that apparently, she now knew about the deal Nik had made with the wolves about the moonlight rings but before i could make my way bakc to Nik when Hayley had walked away the sound of drums suddenly sounded as a large group of drummers marches into the party down the stairs .
"Happy Fête des Bénédictions" the one in the front calls out. "We have a message for all of you from Marcel Gerard" I frown and look around for Hayley spotting her near Elijah before my eyes go back towards the drummers eyes going wide when they take out straight razors and slice their wrists open, bleeding all over the floor and the vampires in the room start to get antsy at the smell of blood, myself included as I feel the veins move around my eyes since I haven't really been feeding well lately but I wasn't an animal and restrained myself.
"Control yourselves, this is a vulgar trick" Elijah yells out. "We do not violate our agreement" he adds right before the lights suddenly go out and the next thing I heard was growls and screams from the vampires feeding on the drummers, as well as other humans at the party.
I felt myself getting pushed and shoved before I was knocked to the ground in the chaos so I placed my hands over my head as I cowered low on the ground trying to stay in control of myself as the scent of blood grew stronger in the air while the crowd dissolves into chaos before the lights are suddenly switched back on and I looked up seeing there are dozens of dead or injured humans lying on the ground, some right in front of me bleeding out and my resolve was slipping before I heard my name getting called out.
"Sophia!" I looked up from all the blood trying to find the source of the voice but my eyes met Hayley's as she stared at me in fear and I realized what my face must have looked like before my eyes dropped to where I could see the beating vein on her neck feeling the pain in my gums as my fangs grew down.
"Elijah?" I hear Hayley yell while I look around and my eyes finally meet Nik's in fear seeing him staring back with a mix of emotions on his face before he came over and helped me stand holding me tight to his side while Elijah helped Hayley up.
"You're okay love, breathe through the hunger" I nodded holding tight to the lapels of his jacket in fear that if I let go I'd do something Id regret as I looked around at the carnage that Marcel has wrought as well as his message on the one of the walls 'THERE WILL BE NO PEACE' and it was written in blood, I turn back to Nik.
"Get me out of here" I beg him and before I could even blink he swooped me up into a cradle and fled the room getting me away from the blood out into the fresh air putting me down in a courtyard.
"How long has it been since you fed, Sophia?" he asked and i frowned since I didn't even know anymore.
"I don't...I don't know, it's been a hectic couple of weeks, it's lowered my tolerance" I replied feeling the tears roll down my cheeks and he quickly shushed me pulling me into a hug.
"You preserved Sophia, out of all the vampires in that room you are the only one that showed restraint" i shook my head since I nearly didn't, I had looked at Hayley and for a moment I had wanted to lunge for her neck, to taste the blood that was connected to the blood of my baby.
"I wanted to hurt Hayley, I wanted to feed on her Nik" I admitted.
"But you didn't love" he pulled my face back to meet his eyes cupping my cheeks. "You are the strongest person I know-"
"Can you take me home?" I asked cutting him off since I didn't want to hear that, I acted like a baby vampire back there and it brought back all my insecurities of my first year as a vampire, I thought I'd never go back there, that I'd never lose control over my impulses but I almost had and it could have cost me everything so right now i was in no mood for him trying to make it okay right now.
He dropped me off getting me settled in our room with a glass of blood kindly asking that I drink it before he left stating he had something to do while I sat staring at the furthest wall with my knees pressed against my chest before I turned my eyes to the glass that Nik had left me taking it and drank it since I could not let what happened tonight happen again then stood up and stripped out of the dress getting straight into bed not bothering with pajamas trying to sleep off tonight but was quickly interrupted when I heard Nik's voice as he returned.
"Well, I see that you've already avenged the little wolf but judging by your look, you're still out for blood" I frowned as I stood up grabbing one of Nik's shirts that were on the ground from one of our rendezvous in the sheets slipping it on as I walked out onto the balcony looking down seeing them in the indoor corridors.
"If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results, then surely my quest for your salvation ranks me as one of the maddest of men" Elijah replies without even looking at Nik.
"Come on then, what horrible deed has the bastard done this time?" Nik asked him.
"Do you know in the past I actually appreciated the methods to your manipulations. however now here we are poised on the brink of a new era which will benefit not only your home but your child and you go behind my back to conspire with wolves" I frown at the fact that Hayley clearly told Elijah the deal with the wolves.
"Conspire is hardly the word I would use for a family council, lest you forget Elijah they are my family as much as any Mikaelson, a name in truth I cannot even call my own" Nik replied making my frown deepen at his words.
"How casually you disavow 1,000 years of allegiance towards you" Elijah remarks after speeding down the stairs to stand in front of Nik.
"And now that I've found the remnants of my other family, am I to ignore their plight?" Nik asked him. "I would've thought you'd support my desire to help them, when in doing so I help Hayley and the child"
"Do not question my allegiance towards that child" Elijah argues
"Oh and I suppose your affection for Hayley has nothing to do with your tireless dedication" Nik argues back throwing what we all know to be true in Elijah's face. "Yes, you see I saw how you cared for her tonight, called her name in the dark, the zeal with which you destroy those who would harm her" Elijah suddenly grabs Nik and pushes him face first into the steel banister before Nik breaks his hold and turns only to get shoved back and down held again
"I have denied every single impulse I have ever had for that woman-"
"I'm warning you..." Nik began only to get cut off.
"I'm warning you" Elijah shoves Nik back. "I've forgiven you, I have stood by you, I've forsaken every single one of my desires in the name of your ridiculous redemption, no more...if I want something I'll take it and nothing, nothing will stand in my way" he states before leaving Nik who turns and leans against the banister so I speed down towards him and place a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry to wake you love" he quickly apologizes clearly mistaking my undress as a sign id been sleeping.
"I wasn't sleeping Nik, how could I after tonight" he turns and pulls me into his arms letting me rest against him before he suddenly picks me up and carries me back upstairs putting me back into our bed and tucked me beneath our sheets before he kisses my forehead.
"You should try and sleep" he states before he stands.
"You're not joining me?" I question him.
"Forgive me love, I have another matter to attend to" he replies before he begins to walk out of the room.
"Nik" I call and he stops turning to me. "Thank you, for tonight" I felt the need to say something and that's all I could muster up.
"Any time love" he smiled before he left and I let out a sigh before i turned to the night stand seeing my phone already plugged into the charger smiling at the fact that nik must have put it there before I grabbed it and started scrolling through my contacts contemplating calling someone but realized I didn't really have anyone to call, I mean I could call one of my brothers but I'm sure they've got their own lives to deal with and don't need me to cry about something as pathetic as this so I quickly shut the screen off dropping it back onto the night stand.
I stood and walked over to the bookshelf to find something to read in order to pass the time as I had a feeling I wouldn't be sleeping tonight but stopped when I spotted the covered up canvas that Nik had been painting this morning and curiosity got the better of me as I pulled back the sheet smiling at the sight of me painted laying in our bed with a sheet leaving things to the imagination and a note was scribbled on the bottom.
To my love, my inspiration and my muse.
I love you with all my heart, Always & Forever
Yours, Niklaus
"That was supposed to be a surprise, my love" I dropped the sheet turning guiltily to find my husband staring at me from the doorway.
"Curiosity" I shrugged walking towards him. "Why do you look so sad and angry at the same time?" I questioned cupping one of his cheeks.
"Never you mind" he replies suddenly picking me up so I'm forced to wrap my legs around his waist.
"Nik...we're okay, aren't we?" I asked him and he pulled back to look at me.
"Of course, you are the only thing right going on for me right now" he answers making me smile as he puts me back in our bed for a third time tonight only this time he sheds his clothes and joins me allowing me to cuddle against his side.
"So what were you saving that painting for anyway?" I found myself asking him.
"Go to sleep Sophia" he chuckles before kissing my forehead and I rolled my eyes at him before closing my eyes and let myself drift knowing I was safe and comforted in his arms.
A/N: Sorry for the long-ass hiatus that I have taken from writing as life got in the way and I drifted away from writing but I'm back and with hopefully more updates to this story.