{"id":105,"date":"2024-08-13T13:46:06","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T13:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105"},"modified":"2024-08-13T14:12:41","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T14:12:41","slug":"chapter-01","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 01"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 01 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to get out of here,\u201d he said as he pulled her to her feet and grabbed her bag. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella growled as she pulled herself out of the boy\u2019s grasp and grabbed her bag out of his hands. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere with you. I don\u2019t know you. You… you just bumped into me and told me that we<\/em> need to get out of here.\u201d She held her bag close as she looked up at him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis area is being evacuated,\u201d the boy explained after a moment of silence. \u201cGas leak.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen you could have said something before,\u201d Bella huffed as she stomped out of the little cafeteria she had gone in to to temporarily hide from Edward and his siblings. They were on a senior school trip in New Orleans, but even though she really really liked Edward\u2019s company, for some reason he – and his brothers and sisters – were overly protective over her and it drove her insane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cullens had already made sure that her other friends, Jess and Mike for example, didn\u2019t talk to her anymore and it just really sucked. She wasn\u2019t sure what to think of that, to be honest, maybe it was for Bella\u2019s own safety now that the Volturi were still after her and Edward. It had been so much easier if the damn Volturi would just stay away or get their heads lopped off so that they wouldn\u2019t bother them again. Bella knew about keeping secrets, why didn\u2019t they trust her to keep theirs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment she stepped out of the cafeteria, however, Edward and Alice were beside her, with both of them sporting a look of disapproval. \u201cWhat?\u201d She groaned. \u201cI was safe. I was in…\u201d she couldn\u2019t even finish her sentence because the blinds of the cafeteria fell shut and the door closed with a slam. Looking around, she wasn\u2019t able to find the boy who had wanted her to get out of there and she was instantly worried. What if the gas leak he mentioned would caused the cafeteria explode and kill him? \u201cThere\u2019s someone in there, you need to get him out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need to do anything,\u201d Edward said as he protectively put an arm around her and started to pull her away from the cafeteria. \u201cJasper found a great place that serves good food. You\u2019re going to love it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEdward, no! You don\u2019t understand, there\u2019s—\u201d Bella said as she tried to pull out of his hold but, of course, he was stronger than she was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cForget what happened in there,\u201d Alice said as she gently caressed Bella\u2019s arm. \u201cIt\u2019s none of our business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the gas leak…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no gas leak. It\u2019ll be fine, but you have to get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeep quiet and come with us, Bella,\u201d Edward said with a smile on his face as they continued to walk down the street. \u201cThis trip was a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s for extra credit, Edward,\u201d Bella muttered, knowing from his tightened hold on her that she had to drop the matter. \u201cAnd since I\u2019m already doing bad with history, you and Carlisle agreed that —\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a mistake,\u201d Edward repeated calmly. \u201cRosalie is already talking to the teacher. Telling her that we\u2019re leaving tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Bella blinked at him. \u201cYou can\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not feeling well. Of course we can ask if we can go home earlier,\u201d Alice smiled brightly at Bella. \u201cWe can totally do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella managed to get out of Edward\u2019s hold and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. \u201cNo. You can go home, but — but I\u2019m staying.\u201d Vampires didn\u2019t need to breathe, however she could see both Cullens slump their shoulders as if they were letting out a deep breath. She knew that she tried their patience at times, especially now, but she loved the atmosphere in New Orleans. It was uncomplicated and the streets were usually always buzzing and there wasn\u2019t a dull moment. She knew for a fact that Charlie would love it here too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve talked about this, Bella,\u201d Edward said after sharing a look with Alice. No doubt they were communicating telepathically. Bella always hated<\/em> that. She never knew what was going on and only had their word to go on. She was fortunate that both Edward and Alice couldn\u2019t get into her head otherwise hell would have broken loose months ago. \u201cIt\u2019s not safe for you here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed as she lowered her head and nodded slowly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that you are mistaken,\u201d a voice sounded threateningly from behind them. Upon turning around, they looked upon a man with dirty blond hair, some scruff on his face and Bella had to admit, beautiful blue eyes. \u201cThe lot of you are soiling your underwear… Well, you would, if you\u2019d still be capable of doing so. The lady said no<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs if that ever stopped you<\/em>,\u201d Edward shot at him and put his hand on Bella\u2019s shoulder as if he made an effort to claim her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man blinked before a wide smirk magically appeared on his face. \u201cOh, how the mighty have fallen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMind your own business, Niklaus,\u201d Edward bit at him as he pushed a surprised Bella towards Alice, who protectively put an arm around her and tried to usher her off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet go of the girl, little imp,\u201d Niklaus said with a tone of warning in his voice. \u201cI recall her saying she wished not to leave. You know very well what would happen if you don\u2019t let go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alice gasped at whatever vision she’d received, quickly letting go of Bella and spun around to face the Original vampire. \u201cYou should listen to my brother, Niklaus,\u201d she said, not breaking eye contact with him. \u201cGet lost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I am listening Imp,\u201d he laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re in my<\/em> city where I\u2019m sticking to my own knitting and I simply do not like Cold Ones harassing young women in my <\/em>city. No wait, I simply don\u2019t like you so I advise you to watch your manners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be going home tomorrow. Mind your own business until then and stay out of ours,\u201d Edward said coolly before grabbing Bella again by her shoulders and tried to lead her away. \u201cStart walking, Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s the Volturi you\u2019re scared of, Bella,\u201d Niklaus addressed her by name at her retreating back. \u201cI can assure you that you\u2019re safer in this city than with the Cullens, wherever they must be residing these days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella stopped dead in her tracks, feeling slightly relieved. She didn\u2019t know this man but Edward and Alice certainly did, but if she was safe in New Orleans, why didn\u2019t Edward and Alice say so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour companions have realized today that a handful of my siblings and I have once again taken up residence in this beautiful city and that\u2019s why they want to leave. With you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause they\u2019re scared,\u201d he smiled widely at her. \u201cIf anything, I\u2019m worse than the Volturi. But just because Humpty and Dumpty here want you with them, I can assure you that you are safe in my city for as long as you\u2019re here. You can send them away, if you like. I hear that they very much dislike like the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She looked at him in shock and amazement before looking at Edward and Alice, who both looked like someone took away their favourite toy. She then looked back at Niklaus and slowly nodded. \u201cI\u2019d like to stay here and finish with our school trip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in school?\u201d Niklaus had a hard time keeping a straight face. \u201cI suppose virgins do belong in school…\u201d he snorted as he looked at Edward, who looked furious. \u201cYou like them young, huh Pup? Nothing wrong with that, as do I, but your toy is not quite my type.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, you\u2019re coming back to the hostel with us,\u201d Edward demanded, but she had already made her way over to the new vampire\u2019s side, much to her boyfriend\u2019s dismay. In a last ditch effort to sway her, he called out something he was sure would unsettle her. \u201cHe\u2019s dangerous, he feeds on humans!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella jumped at the information, right into the street and upcoming traffic, stumbling over her own feet and could feel herself falling. She had thought she\u2019d hit the ground but found herself caught by surprisingly warm arms and in an instant being set back down on the sidewalk. Edward and Alice were gasping in shock while Bella was looking at Niklaus. \u201cYou use your vampire abilities in busy streets?\u201d She was baffled. All of the Cullens made sure not to do that too much in public and yet, here was another vampire not caring about what he was doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHumans are much too self-absorbed in their own dealings to really notice what\u2019s going on around them and anyone who had seen, well there are ways of handling such things. Besides, I could not let you get run over when I\u2019ve just promised that you\u2019d be safe in my city for the duration of your stay,\u201d Niklaus explained before looking into her eyes, attempting to compel her to speak the truth. \u201cTell me this, what do you know about New Orleans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot much,\u201d Bella confessed, a look of confusion clouding her face. \u201cWe\u2019re on a school trip here but we\u2019re not really being educated about its history while we\u2019re supposed to write a paper on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd how much do you know about vampires? Only what them lot told you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did some research…\u201d she said slowly, frustration in her eyes before it disappeared as she glanced back at her marble friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome?\u201d he prompted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a werewolf tribe and I studied their lore after I tricked my best friend, who\u2019s one of them into telling me one of their legends and —\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWolves\u2026\u201d he mused curiously as he looked at her with more interest than before. As if it solidified some other decision he smiled at her. \u201cDo you really want to stick around with them while in New Orleans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is this? An interrogation?” Bella quipped, causing Edward and Alice suck in a breath as she seemingly threatened the volatile man. “If you can give me what they won\u2019t, then no, they can go away,” she said bravely, jutting her chin out in defiance. She knew that she was paying for this later, one way or the other, but seeing as they seemed scared of this Niklaus, she dared to feel confident. A couple of days without them would be fantastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Well, that was interesting,” Niklaus said as he straightened himself up and looked at the two unwelcomed visitors with a smirk on his face. “Run along now, little Cullens. It’s time to educate the young lady properly on New Orleans seeing as the school system and you young vampires are failing miserably.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Don’t do this, Bella,” Edward pleaded. “You don’t know him and he feeds on humans.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yes, you told me that already,” Bella said with an exasperated sigh and ran her hand through her hair. “I’ll be fine. You can call me on my phone.” She then looked up to the other vampire. “Just so you know, if anything happens to me, you’ll have my dad to deal with. He’s the police chief back home.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Alright little lamb, I shall keep that in mind,” he replied with an amused smile on his face. “Run along, Cold Ones, before I throw you out of the city myself.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alice put her hand on Edward’s arm. “Don’t, he’ll kill you and you know that. Let’s go, she’ll realize she’s made a mistake soon enough.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We can’t just leave her here,\u201d he argued with his sister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We don’t have any other option because if we try something, no matter what, it will be bloody and there’ll even be death. Let’s go and wait this out. She will<\/em> come home. I\u2019ve seen it. Shh…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella watched how a scowling Edward was being led away by his sister and let out a breath of relief. \u201cThank you,\u201d she said as she looked back at Niklaus. \u201cThey mean well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t say anything but extended his hand instead. \u201cI\u2019m Klaus Mikaelson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella Swan,\u201d she said blushing as she shook his hand. \u201cNice to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere are you staying, Miss Swan?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, uhm, a hostel at Carondelet Street. Not that they<\/em> slept and I must be the lucky one of the class as my bed is the only one without bed bugs but\u2026\u201d She put her backpack on her back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to go there and pack your bags. A Mikaelson always keeps their word. Nothing will happen to you whilst you\u2019re in my city, but you will need to be close so that I can get to you fast enough,\u201d Klaus spoke. \u201cReturn to the French Quarter when you\u2019re ready, I shall find you again and show you a place to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut school\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBring your teacher for all I care, it will be alright, Miss Swan. Hurry along now, I don\u2019t have all day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what if they\u2019re there?\u201d Bella cocked her head as she looked up to him. \u201cI mean, you went through all this trouble and when I\u2019m on my own\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus seemed to be thinking for a moment before he got his phone out. \u201cAs it happens, my brother is in the area taking care of some business. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s finished by now. He might even be a better candidate of enlightening you about the world you have stumbled into than I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let him make his phone call while she could feel her own phone vibrate in her pocket. She didn\u2019t have to look at it to know that it was one of the Cullens, trying to persuade her to come back with them, but being with Klaus – someone they<\/em> were afraid of for a reason still unclear to her – gave her a burst of confidence that she last experienced with Jake and his pack. This stranger – a vampire who fed on humans no less – seemed to be genuinely willing to help her to catch her breath from the Cullens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was well aware that the relationship she had with them wasn\u2019t a good one. It had been all nice and happy in the beginning, but after James, then after Victoria, they became more controlling of her, alienating her from everyone she loved and cared about. It was a good thing that Charlie was so stubborn, otherwise she would have lost him as well. She wasn\u2019t even sure why she stayed with Edward. He had left her once. He\u2019d probably do it again in a heartbeat. No, something had changed and she wasn\u2019t sure why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She tried to leave once, and he found her again. There was no sense in trying to run from vampires who could track you by their gifts and heightened senses. Not even when she hugged the entire Wolf pack in the reservation to mask her own scent. Essentially, it felt as if they were tracking her blood and that was creepy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not long after Klaus got off the phone the boy from the cafeteria earlier approached them with a big smile on his face. \u201cI knew it,\u201d he beamed at his brother before addressing Bella. \u201cHello again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou!\u201d Bella said in shock, staring back at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh good, you\u2019ve both met already. That makes introductions easier. Have fun,\u201d Klaus said with a smirk and left the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry about what happened earlier,\u201d he said, allowing Bella to smack him in the chest out of frustration and worry. \u201cBut you really had to leave that cafeteria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere was no gas leak, was there?\u201d she demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou had me worried about you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLittle old me?\u201d the boy chuckled and shook his head. \u201cDarling, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re Klaus\u2019 brother? Are you a vampire too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were<\/em>?\u201d she questioned, confused as she eyed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not in a habit of repeating myself, shall we go and gather your belongings?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they were on their way to the hostel, Kol, as he called himself, tried to figure out how much Bella knew about vampires and witches, just to get a kick out of how wrong she was. Well, she wasn\u2019t completely wrong with the Cold Ones and all that, but to describe them as powerful vampires was just laughable, he told her. She told him that she didn\u2019t want to know more about them or the history. Just about New Orleans so she could finish her damn paper and graduate. She kept to herself that she was trying find different ways to hide from the Cullens, but Kol wasn\u2019t fooled. He called her their human pet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKlaus is your brother and he\u2019s a vampire, but you\u2019re not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m human,\u201d Kol said as he helped Bella off the bus. \u201cI used to be a vampire but my mother was a powerful witch and she dumped me in this body and now I\u2019m human again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust a yes would have sufficed,\u201d Bella said with a shudder, but couldn\u2019t help but being curious. \u201cWitches are real?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAsks the girl who hangs around with vampires?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smirked. \u201cAnd werewolves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeriously?\u201d Kol laughed. \u201cWerewolves?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, technically they\u2019re shapeshifters who are descended from ancient warriors of the tribe but yeah, werewolves is an easier explanation. They grow in numbers when there are vampires around, there\u2019s this centuries old feud between the two, it\u2019s a long story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNew Orleans has just that, you know. We have a whole supernatural community normal humans shouldn\u2019t be aware of. There are vampires, witches and werewolves. Real werewolves who can only shift during the Full Moon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh! Like Children of the Moon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot quite, although there are similarities. I\u2019m surprised you know so much,\u201d Kol said as they rounded the corner onto Carondelet Street. \u201cAnd yet think that witches are the stuff of fairytales?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019re the stuff of fairytales,\u201d Bella shook her head. \u201cI just don\u2019t believe in it. The closest thing I can think of of being witches are some of the Cullens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, you poor child,\u201d Kol sighed deeply. \u201cNiklaus didn\u2019t tell me you were with the Cullens. Just that a handful of Cold Ones were in your way. Are you alright? Has one of them tried to marry you yet? What\u2019s his face? Edward?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know them?\u201d she asked hesitantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know of<\/em> them. Some of my siblings have encountered them in the last two hundred odd years, very young vampires they are. Presumptuous and manipulative. And if there\u2019s one thing that my brother Nik despises, it\u2019s the abuse of people,\u201d he explained sincerely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not being abused,\u201d Bella said quickly as she zipped up her hoodie as she saw Edward standing in front of the hostel. Of course they were waiting for her there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella said through gritted teeth. \u201cI\u2019m their prisoner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the same, isn\u2019t it? I want to bet that hugging them feels as if you\u2019re locked in a freezer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShut up, they can hear you,\u201d Bella whispered as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and continued to walk towards the hostel. She cursed herself that her confidence had gone back into hiding upon seeing Edward and that she felt awkward with Kol next to her. What could he do to protect her anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of them, love, and neither should you,\u201d Kol replied as he straightened himself up. \u201cHere is what\u2019s going to happen, doll. We\u2019re going to walk in there without acknowledging them and you are going to gather your things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about the teacher?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me worry about that,\u201d Kol smiled at her as they passed Edward, who looked like a marble statue more than ever, and entered the building. \u201cWow, the whole family is here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, the parents are home,\u201d Bella said, glancing at Rosalie who shot glares at her as they passed upstairs to the room she shared with them. Even on their senior trip, they had made sure that they had Bella all to themselves. Falling asleep with them around was uncomfortable, seeing as they didn\u2019t sleep. But after a so long she was sort of growing accustomed to it now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol kept watch while she quickly packed, and a million questions flooded her mind – screw the history of New Orleans, what was all the talk about witches? How different was Klaus from Edward? He certainly was warmer and did seem to have a healthy, natural colour on his face. And was Kol more than \u2018just human\u2019? Because she knew the Cullens and they would have snapped his neck if they were able to. “Has Klaus ever tried to be a vegetarian?” Okay, maybe that was a dumb question, but she was curious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol let out a hearty laugh. “There’s no such thing as vegetarian vampires, Sweetcheeks,” he eventually said. “Human vegetarians swear off all kinds of meat, yeah? Vampires thrive off of blood. Human blood is the best and tastiest, some eat only animals – which is a wee bit pathetic if you ask me because it makes them weaker, but there’s no such thing as going vegetarian and swear off blood.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I don’t understand,” she said confused as she closed her travel case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Well, say you’re going to swear off eating horsemeat because horses are cute and beautiful, but you continue to eat anything else like chicken and cows. Does that make you a vegetarian?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was baffled – of course not! She knew that the Cullens only fed on animals, even Jasper with his bloodlust, but she had always accepted it as them being vegetarian while it was nothing more than a change of diet because they loved humans so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol looked up when she<\/em> walked in. Of course, he hadn\u2019t seen her as they walked in and hadn\u2019t been able to spell her so that Bella had safe passage and it was hard for him to keep up his concentration when he saw her. \u201cMary Alice Claire, it\u2019s been a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry?\u201d Alice blinked at him and then looked at Bella. \u201cWhy are you packing? You can come home with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not going anywhere, Miss Claire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho are you?\u201d Alice demanded as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked up to Kol. \u201cI\u2019m Alice Cullen, who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo dear,\u201d Kol grinned as he made his way over to Alice. \u201cYou may be a Cullen now, but you\u2019re a Claire witch. Or you used to be anyway. What\u2019s it like to be back in your old stomping grounds?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, get out,\u201d Alice told her as she looked around Kol. \u201cI\u2019ll deal with him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Swan can stay if she likes, I mean, it\u2019s not every day that someone she knows gets caught out in a lie, is it?\u201d Kol said playfully and casually waved his hand to freeze the vampire in place. \u201cI know what it feels like, Love,\u201d he continued. \u201cNo longer being able to practice magic because you\u2019ve been turned. Must be harder for you seeing as the grounds of your magic is right here\u2026So close!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgain, who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, this is fun!\u201d Kol grinned as he continued to walk around the little vampire, taunting her. \u201cWhy can\u2019t you use your gift on me, I wonder?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s her,\u201d Alice answered after some hesitation, nodding to Bella. \u201cShe\u2019s extended her shield to you, somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy what?\u201d Bella stammered, watching the two with caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInteresting,\u201d Kol said appreciatively. \u201cWell then. My identity shall remain hidden from you for now, little vampire,\u201d he said to Alice before looking at Bella. \u201cSeems like Miss Swan has finished packing. Please don\u2019t follow us and go home. Niklaus Mikaelson is a man of his word and will assure her safety.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella snorted when she felt the familiar feeling of \u2018mommy vs daddy\u2019 thing happening right now, something she used to feel like when her parents would share custody over her when she was little. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, I\u2019m still not comfortable with you being here on your own. What would Charlie say? Or Mrs. Beauchamp?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs that the teacher?\u201d Kol asked Bella who nodded in response. \u201cLet\u2019s find her and sort this out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After dealing with Mrs. Beauchamp, which went far easier than Bella thought it would, they made their way back to the French Quarter in semi-silence. Bella had so many more questions she wanted to ask Kol, as he obviously knew more than he let on. Especially what happened with Alice, but she figured that he\u2019d offer the information himself if he felt the need for it. She didn\u2019t want to be the nosy girl. On the other hand, she had felt as if a door had opened wide for her and she wanted to get all the information now.<\/em> \u201cWhat did you mean by has anyone tried to marry you yet<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am not sure I\u2019m the one to tell, love,\u201d Kol said, inhaling sharply. \u201cI did not have anything to do with them personally, but my brothers have. I only know what they decided to share with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomehow I suspect that your brother isn\u2019t as talkative as you are with things concerning the past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol snorted and then nodded. \u201cVery well,\u201d he replied. \u201cFrom what I heard is that Daddy Dearest,<\/em> Carlisle Cullen is somewhat of a collector of gifted people to turn. It\u2019s almost as if he has a nose for it, that he can smell it in people\u2019s blood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat would explain Edward, Alice and Jasper. Emmett, maybe. He\u2019s super strong. But he didn\u2019t turn Jasper…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust because they\u2019re technically dead, it doesn\u2019t mean that they don\u2019t get lonely and seek for a mate. And I don\u2019t know this Jasper so I can\u2019t speak to his joining them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEsme.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know that Edward was his first. Maybe he wanted to find a mate for himself as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRosalie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee? It explains it all.\u201d Kol said with a big smile on his face. \u201cI didn\u2019t tell you anything new there, did I?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but if he\u2019s some sort of a collector, it still doesn\u2019t explain Esme or Rosalie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEsme is a beautiful, caring, maternal woman. Rosalie is drop dead gorgeous with a bite. But you\u2019re right. Maybe he wanted to surround his family with ordinary vampires to make them feel extra special.\u201d He smirked at her as he put his arm around her while they were still sitting in the bus. \u201cAren\u2019t you going to ask me about Alice?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you know Alice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy? It\u2019s possible, I used to be a vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, and how is that possible that you\u2019re cured now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is not my original face. My mother… well. She\u2019s a straight up bitch but she wanted us to stop being monsters and tried to put all of us in different bodies,\u201d he said with a shrug. \u201cShe only managed me and my brother Finn, and if I have to be honest, I like this. Not that I\u2019m wearing a different person but that I\u2019m human again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Bella asked as she looked at him. \u201cIsn\u2019t being immortal a great thing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had to give up witchcraft when my mother turned us into vampires to survive the werewolves, because you can\u2019t be a vampire and a witch at the same time. Some of Carlisle\u2019s gifted vampires or any of the gifted Cold Ones for that matter, must have some Witchy ancestor. What does Alice do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe sees the future and different outcomes of that future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, the power of precognition. No doubt a remnant of the Dark Magic she used to perform, not that it\u2019s harmful, but it\u2019s a form of personal gain, isn\u2019t it? It goes against nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI may have taught her some Dark Magic when we met…\u201d Kol smiled knowingly. \u201cYou see, I was a vampire and no longer a witch but I had discovered that I could still teach witchcraft. I discovered a different kind of Dark Magic that could help me when I was in Arabia. I taught Mary-Alice that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you sure it\u2019s your<\/em> Mary-Alice?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI never forget a face, darling,\u201d Kol smiled at her. \u201cThat\u2019s her alright. Perfectly preserved. Except for the whole hair issue. I should know. I was there when she got sired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella was stunned by what more Kol had to say about Alice, it all fit perfectly, apart from her darkened hair, but even for that he had a perfect explanation; she had dipped a little bit too far into the dark magic cauldron that her hair was permanently changed by her transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t strange for her to hear that other people knew of the Cullens as a family. They were one of the largest coven of Cold Ones, which was one of the primary reasons for the Volturi to keep a close eye on them, but was also why they wanted her either dead or changed just so she wouldn\u2019t reveal their secrets. Judging from Kol\u2019s short stories on their way back to the French Quarter, she could tell that things could have gone differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold Ones were taught to fear and obey the Volturi, as they were \u2018mighty,\u2019 \u2018vicious\u2019 and placed themselves at the top of the food chain, but Kol half jokingly said that that was just because they were scared little imps with money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These vampires, Klaus at least she observed, and others seemingly lived freely without any government over them and abided by their own rules. Even walked among humans in the daylight. The biggest difference she learned was that they didn\u2019t sparkle in the sunlight and literally weren\u2019t able to walk in the sun without combusting as they required protective, spelled jewelry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus, and his still vampiric siblings, were the known as the Originals, created by magic and were truly  immortal, while the humans they sired were not. The origins of the Cold Ones were still a mystery, but once Bella and Kol were in a coffee shop before going to Klaus\u2019 home, Kol explained what he knew, that they pre-dated the Originals but that it didn\u2019t mean they were stronger. The Cold Ones were fragile vampires, their skin wasn\u2019t human skin but more like porcelain and easily broken with force.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella found Kol as amusing as he was charming. He was completely different from what she was used to. He was funny and spoke directly. It was as if he didn\u2019t have a filter and that was so refreshing, so uncomplicated. Kol reminded her of Jacob, however, in recent years, Jake had kept more things from her than he should have. Maybe if he had been more open with her and more willing to fight for her, she\u2019d have ended up with him. But she wasn\u2019t entirely sure if Edward and his family would have let the entire wolf pack live for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou keep telling me about how awesome your brother is with his vampirism, but what about you? Are you just a human?\u201d Bella smiled at him as she sipped her coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t been paying attention, have you?\u201d Kol shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m a witch. My mother was gracious enough to put me into the body of someone who dabbled in magic already, and I\u2019m loving this new body. It\u2019s very handsome and fetching, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid the accent come with it?\u201d Bella grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPartially,\u201d he said with a nod, a bit of a smirk ghosting his lips. \u201cSome things just don\u2019t leave after a thousand years. Why? Is it a turn on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella could feel how her face started to get warm and she was certain that her skin had coloured beet-red by now. She silently cursed herself for agreeing with what he had said about himself, but she had a boyfriend for god\u2019s sake. This wasn\u2019t a good position for her to be in. If Edward would find out that she might be attracted someone else, especially a guy who complimented himself and assisted in a very complicated situation – and quite right too – hell was to be paid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m saying this, but enough about me,\u201d Kol said with a surprised expression on his face. \u201cI think you\u2019re holding out on me, Miss Swan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a witch too, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not?\u201d She stammered, unsure of what he was talking about. What was he going on about? \u201cSinceriously, I\u2019m nothing special. I was born in Forks, Washington, moved to Arizona with my mom when she and dad divorced and then moved back for some stability because my mom can be a bit flakey. My dad is a police chief and I\u2019m an average student prone to falling over without reason.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He tilted his head as he peered at her, leaning against his arm. He didn\u2019t say anything for a few moments but it was clear that there was something on the tip of his tongue. \u201cYou\u2019re cute. You know that? Mary Alice pointed out that your shield expanded, remember? Don\u2019t answer that, of course you do. Obviously you\u2019ve been able to thwart other gifts of their kind before you came here but you\u2019ve never been able to block hers as her precognition is derived from her dark magic days. You following me Poppet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought it was nice that Edward couldn\u2019t read my mind,\u201d Bella admitted slowly, almost as if she had to think about the words. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t think anything of it, to be honest.\u201d Did he just say that she was cute? Was that a throwaway comment or what? \u201cI\u2019m not cute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol continued on, a spark of excitement in his eyes as he stared at her. \u201cYou being here, for whatever reason, made your shield or whatever ability you have grow. Become stronger. Or you simply are something else<\/em>. The only thing possible that could block a witch would be\u2026\u201d he trailed off waiting for her to catch on, knowing that she was a clever girl. And hoped she was indeed what he suspected her to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t blocked a witch,\u201d Bella grumbled, suddenly uncomfortable under his attention. \u201cI blocked a Cold One.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho was quite the powerful witch in her time and had clearly retained one of her abilities during her transition,\u201d he pointed out to her. \u201cAnd I beg to differ on your opinion. However, that is an argument for another time. My brother should be arriving soon. He just might end up compelling some self confidence into you instead of you earning it yourself. Bloody wanker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella snorted. \u201cWas that what he was trying to do when he tried to interrogate me about my true feelings about the Cullens? It didn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol frowned slightly, but it was more in a combination of concerned anticipation. \u201cPossibly. I wasn\u2019t there to see but if it failed, then it would be one of two things. That shield of yours, which I doubt against his type of being. My money would honestly be on you being a witch, Dollface.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, you have a great imagination. You should write a book,\u201d she quipped before gathering her bag. \u201cMaybe it wasn\u2019t a good idea to leave the Cullens for a few days after all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey now. You decided to take a risk with us. Now give us the chance to prove ourselves to you,\u201d he protested as he held his hands up in defense. \u201cMaybe there is a way to prove some of what I said? What say you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella stared at him for a long minute, debating her options. It wasn\u2019t like she had many of them. Letting out a huff, she shook her head and turned away and closed her eyes to tried to temper her emotions. \u201cFine,\u201d she said as she put her bag back down and looked at him. \u201cBut other than that, I\u2019m not interested in talking about me because there\u2019s nothing to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol rolled his eyes at her objection but nodded in acceptance. \u201cFine. You win – this time,\u201d he smiled up at her through his eyelashes as he sent a few text messages out to his brother and his witch friend to set up their meeting and find out what was going on with their friend\u2019s new living arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, if it takes longer for Klaus to arrive, how about some food? I\u2019m starving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you in the mood for Love? This is New Orleans. We got jambalaya, gumbo, creole anything\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnything greasy,\u201d she said with a nod. \u201cI\u2019m tired of salads, rice, and burnt chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His lip rolled back as he made a face. \u201cThose bloody nits controlling what the hell you decide to eat as well?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cThey don\u2019t eat themselves and even though they genuinely try to make me something by watching the cooking channel…\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo Love. Trust me. That poor excuse for a family<\/em> know what the hell they are doing. They are trying to control you and have you submit to them. What for? I really want to know. When I tell Niklaus\u2026\u201d Kol trailed off as he looked around for something. \u201cCome on Poppet! There\u2019s a great little deli around the corner from here that has the best po-boys this side of the bayou. You eat meat, right? After all that babble of vegetarian talk, I bloody hope you eat meat\u2026\u201d he said as he eyed her with something more than hunger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you kidding me?\u201d She smiled widely. \u201cI could kill for a steak,\u201d she moaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Nuff said then, yeah? Let\u2019s get you that steak,\u201d he grinned, suggestively wagging his eyebrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella\u2019s phone vibrated in her pocket and she sighed as she got it out. She knew she had several missed calls already, but now she started to receive texts from Alice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGimme it Doll,\u201d he said as he held out his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could just switch it off,\u201d Bella said with half a shrug. \u201cBut Charlie might call me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll just keep on harassing you. You don\u2019t <\/em>deserve that treatment. We\u2019ll get you another way for your daddy to get you when we see Nik but you wanted your freedom from them. The only way you\u2019ll get it is if you take it yourself. They will just keep trying to suck you in until you have nothing left and are completely dependent on them,\u201d he explained gently. \u201cI can help you if want. But only if you let me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’m not sure if I’m ready for that,” Bella said after a moment of considering Kol’s words. She turned the phone off completely and put it in her bag. She wanted her freedom for a couple of days, yes. Klaus, and now Kol, were willing to give that to her. Which was nice, but she’d have to go back home eventually and she didn’t want to get into more trouble than she was already in. Eating a steak, eating something that hadn’t been approved in general, was going to be the first of many rules she was probably going to break, but she was going to do it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFair enough,\u201d Kol said with a slow nod and helped her up before heading out to the best steaks in New Orleans. \u201cYou up for a po-boy too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have no idea what they are so yes. Definitely.\u201d Bella grinned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood. Perhaps you\u2019re up for some mischief once we got you settled afterwards?\u201d He asked with a glint of excitement in his eyes. \u201cPaint the town?\u201d When he saw the look of agony on her face, he grinned. \u201cFine, I\u2019ll take you to something historical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol hadn\u2019t been lying; she had eaten the best steak she\u2019d ever had and was just in the middle of her sandwich when Klaus showed up with a young brunette in tow that was just barely her age. \u201cThat\u2019s Davina, she\u2019s Marcel\u2019s chuckaboo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella raised her eyebrow at that. Who was Marcel and what was a chuckaboo? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFriend. Mate. Go to witch. Little sister\u2026\u201d Kol said with a shrug and smiled at his brother. \u201cNiklaus! You won\u2019t believe the adventure we have had.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can still see the steak sauce dripping off your chin, Kol,\u201d Klaus keenly observed, a touch of aggravation in his voice. \u201cI take it that all went well then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was hard to keep a straight face when I saw them wearing gas-pipes,\u201d Kol snickered. \u201cI mean, no offence, gas-pipes are awesome, but their junk just doesn\u2019t work anymore so why show it off?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus sighed as he rubbed his eyes. \u201cMiss Swan, apologies for my brother\u2019s behaviour, I—\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need,\u201d Bella interrupted him with a smile. \u201cI think he\u2019s great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou hear that, Nik?\u201d Kol smirked. \u201cI\u2019m great!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI brought Davina. Why did I bring her for this girl?\u201d The older vampire questioned, ignoring his brother for the time being. \u201cNo offense, Miss Swan, I think that you are something special for being able to resist my compulsion but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe has a shield,\u201d Kol interrupted, growing serious for the moment. \u201cAnd it expanded onto me when we were getting her belongings.\u201d He then pointed over to his friend with a smile, who seemed to be staring at Bella with big eyes, as if she was in shock. \u201cEarth to Davina.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight, sorry,\u201d Davina said, shaking her head before making her way over to Bella to shake her hand. \u201cYou\u2019re a Higginbotham. Aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy mother is a Higginbotham,\u201d Bella answered, mildly confused and surprised at the same time. \u201cHow did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davina looked up to Klaus, glancing around hesitantly. \u201cWe can\u2019t talk here, we need to go somewhere private. The cemetery would be best. I\u2019m not saying anything else about this until we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time the group reached the mausoleum, Bella tried not think that it wasn\u2019t eerie at all to be at a cemetery with a pair of supposed witches and a vampire. Nope, not at all. She had her arm looped through Kol\u2019s as if to trying to stop herself from running. Cemeteries were filled with dead people, that was all. Ren\u00e9e would severely disapprove – she was sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be scared, Love,\u201d Kol said as he gently caressed her arm. \u201cNothing but good spirits in these grounds. This is sacred land and a source of power for many witches of New Orleans. It\u2019s quite a young cemetery too. Only been in use since 1833.\u201d He then smirked. \u201cThat\u2019s some information for your history bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, gee, thanks,\u201d Bella rolled her eyes at him. \u201cI need more than just a date, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI promise you that when you do leave, you\u2019ll have a ten page essay on New Orleans that will guarantee you getting a high mark in school,\u201d Klaus said before looking at Davina. \u201cWe\u2019re here. Now what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow much do you two know about my family?\u201d Davina asked the brothers as she leaned against one of the tombs with her arms crossed over her chest. \u201cI mean, the witches here in New Orleans use ancestral magic. I died because of the Harvest\u2026 but what else do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh shit,\u201d Kol said as he rubbed the back of his head. \u201cYou know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh yes, Kol, you had some fun with my grandmother. That\u2019s not news either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust spill the beans, Davina, I don\u2019t have all night,\u201d Klaus said impatiently, disregarding his brother who wanted to say something. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not polite to keep our guest in the dark either if what you want to say pertains to her that you dragged us all the way out to your ancestors\u2019 graves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright\u2026\u201d the young witch sighed. \u201cOur magic is passed through our female line. If the women of our family produce a boy, it\u2019s likely he\u2019s not magical at all, or not worthy of being a witch. Yes, this sounds\u2026 stupid and ignorant and unfair and all that, but the women in our family are more powerful. In fact, the New Orleans Coven hasn\u2019t known many male witches. At all.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKaleb was a witch,\u201d Kol spoke up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but he\u2019s from out of town, a different line. Different kind of magic, even though ancestral magic is still the strongest in New Orleans. Which is why you need my help with bigger spells,\u201d Davina pointed out. \u201cEven though you\u2019re over a thousand years old.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry, what has this to do with my mother?\u201d Bella piped up. While she was intrigued to hear about Davina\u2019s family history, but what was the point?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was highly unlikely that women of the coven bear boys. Simply because of the magic. But a few generations ago, a set of twins were born. A girl and a boy. Now, they grew up together within the coven and it was clear that the boy was magically just as strong as the girl, if not stronger. The exact details of this event have faded over the years, but I know that the boy was sent away to England out of France and adopted by a British family with the instruction to keep him safe from the dangers of the world, to keep moving as not to be found out that he was a Claire witch. This to safeguard the Claire lineage incase we\u2019d die out or produce barren children. The Claire family were amongst the first settlers in the New World and we made our home here in New Orleans. Since the happening of the twin birth, only women have been produced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe point, Davina?\u201d Klaus sighed as he sat down on one of the grave borders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe boy\u2019s last name was changed to Higginbotham. According to one of the most powerful witches blessed with the sight of the future, his line would only produce boys and his magical ability would fade over time. But <\/em>there would come a time where a girl was going to be born and the girl was going to be a vault of magic, all the unused magic all bottled up inside of her until she, or her offspring, would produce a girl of their own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mikaelsons quickly caught onto what she was saying and looked at one another, wide eyed as they struggled to process what they were hearing. The only one to be able to formulate any words was the subject herself. \u201cYou\u2019re saying\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am,\u201d Davina smiled at her. \u201cYou\u2019re a witch, capable of great things. Even bigger here in New Orleans where most of my – our <\/em>– family is buried,\u201d she continued. \u201cI could sense it immediately, though I\u2019m surprised Kol hasn\u2019t picked up on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho says I haven\u2019t?\u201d He eyed Davina as Bella gripped his arm tightly to hold him back. \u201cShe has this shielding ability that expanded onto me earlier, stopping a certain ex-witch from peeking into my head.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeriously?\u201d Davina smiled widely. \u201cThat is so cool!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would also explain why the Cold Ones want you so bad, Poppet,\u201d Kol said as he turned to Bella concerned, trying to stop her fingers from digging into him. \u201cMary-Alice obviously recognized the same in you as Davina just did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus\u2019s eyes quickly snapped to Kol. \u201cMary-Alice<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLong story, not for the small ears to hear about.\u201d Kol smirked as he pulled a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to Bella, who was still holding on to him. \u201cYou don\u2019t believe any of this, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella shook her head stubbornly. What she knew of her mother\u2019s side of her family did line up with what the girl told her but she still was having trouble accepting it. \u201cIt\u2019s just a coincidence that my mother has the same name as Davina\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPut your hand flat, like this,\u201d he said as he held up his hand. \u201cThe one with the lighter, you can keep hold of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella did as he told her to, feeling stupid. \u201cNow, repeat after me, and keep repeating until you see something happening and don\u2019t panic, the flames won\u2019t hurt you,\u201d he said as he encouragingly smiled at her. \u201cE Loke Gae La lidi.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella watched with fascination as while both she and Kol were saying the words, the silver lighter seemed to be going up in flames – that funny enough didn\u2019t hurt, much – and slowly changed into a gold color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol stopped chanting and smiled widely at Bella. \u201cYou did that. Now tell me, are you a witch?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. I guess I am?\u201d She whispered, still clearly unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Looks like you have a good subject to begin with for your paper now Love,” Klaus smiled over at her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davina wanted to continue all evening, wanting to test Bella and whatnot, but Kol interrupted her from spewing more words. \u201cWe do not want to overwhelm Miss Swan,\u201d he said as he protectively put his arm around her shoulders. \u201cMe thinks she should get some rest in. She\u2019s had a busy day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klaus curiously looked at his brother. Kol was looking out for someone else other than himself, was something out of ordinary for him and had him watching suspiciously. \u201cI\u2019ve had them clear a room on the first floor at my place,\u201d he eventually said. \u201cI wanted to put her up at the Plantation but that, of course, isn\u2019t possible and Elijah convinced me that if I want to keep my promise of keeping her safe for the duration of her stay, I needed to keep her close.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about you, Kol? You have your own place to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan\u2019t I stay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davina snickered as she walked away from the brothers and Bella. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo offense, brother,\u201d Kol said as he shook his head. \u201cThe company that you keep might not be so willing to honor your promises or might not have the same restraint as you, Elijah or our darling sister or even Marcel.\u201d He then cocked his head with a smile on his face as he looked at him. \u201cBesides, I think that a family meeting is long overdue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hybrid pursed his lips as he glared at the boy trapped in the human body. He hated that he was right and breathed out his fury through his nose as it was clear that he was in agreement. \u201cDon\u2019t make me regret this,\u201d Klaus told his brother as he started to walk towards the exit of the mausoleum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kol grinned at Bella. \u201cSee? Underneath all that gruff, he loves me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou really didn\u2019t have to do that, you know,\u201d Bella said as they started to follow Klaus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am not leaving you on your own in that place where you have the chance to become a late night snack for a hungry vampire that he likes to keep around his paranoid self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m living in a house with six Cold Ones and I didn\u2019t get snacked upon,\u201d Bella pointed out. \u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose Cold Ones have a hidden agenda, love,\u201d Kol countered. \u201cThey know you\u2019re special and they don\u2019t want anything to happen to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t that go for you as well then?\u201d She looked up to him with a smile on her face. \u201cYou don\u2019t want any harm come to me because I have this shield thing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t want any harm come to you because you\u2019ve been hurt enough, which is also Niklaus\u2019 reasoning. He stepped in for ya before he knew about all this, remember Pet? Just because you have something extra makes it a lot more interesting now. What you want to do with it is your own. We\u2019re not going to tell you what to do with the knowledge you have acquired in the last half hour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d Bella said as she kept looking at him. \u201cIt would be preferable if I\u2019d do something with it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnly if you want to, darling,\u201d he smiled at her. \u201cOnly if you want to. Nik promised you a safe couple of days here in New Orleans, what you choose to do with it is all up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella thought for a moment. \u201cSo, if I want to find out about how New Orleans came to be tomorrow, you\u2019ll be okay with that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure. We could visit all the museums if you\u2019d like. Then, afterwards, you can ask questions to people who actually were there when this was still a colony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow is that possible?\u201d She stammered and then mentally wanted to hit herself. \u201cNever mind. Of course. You and your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd our other brother Elijah. He sincerely likes to teach people things. He\u2019s also quite insufferable sometimes seeing as he thinks he\u2019s the wisest and most educated of us all. To be fair, he might give you the most accurate account of the past than me or Niklaus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd why is that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNik is a pompous ass and I was sidelined for a period of time.\u201d Kol smirked as he once again put his arm around her and continued to walk down the street towards the Abbatoir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 01 \u201cWe need to get out of here,\u201d he said as he pulled her to her feet and grabbed her bag.  \u201cNo,\u201d Bella growled as she pulled herself out of the boy\u2019s grasp and grabbed her bag out of his hands. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere with you. I don\u2019t…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":96,"parent":98,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-105","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 01 - MeekoBuggy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 01 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 01 \u201cWe need to get out of here,\u201d he said as he pulled her to her feet and grabbed her bag.  \u201cNo,\u201d Bella growled as she pulled herself out of the boy\u2019s grasp and grabbed her bag out of his hands. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere with you. I don\u2019t... Continue reading\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-13T14:12:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1150\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"575\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"46 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105\",\"name\":\"Chapter 01 - MeekoBuggy\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-13T13:46:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-13T14:12:41+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1\",\"width\":1150,\"height\":575},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Buggy\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=14\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Sanctuaire\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=98\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Chapter 01\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/\",\"name\":\"Meekobuggy's stories\",\"description\":\"fanfiction, blogs, and random thoughts\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Chapter 01 - MeekoBuggy","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Chapter 01 - MeekoBuggy","og_description":"Chapter 01 \u201cWe need to get out of here,\u201d he said as he pulled her to her feet and grabbed her bag.  \u201cNo,\u201d Bella growled as she pulled herself out of the boy\u2019s grasp and grabbed her bag out of his hands. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere with you. I don\u2019t... Continue reading","og_url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105","og_site_name":"MeekoBuggy","article_modified_time":"2024-08-13T14:12:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1150,"height":575,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"46 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105","url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105","name":"Chapter 01 - MeekoBuggy","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","datePublished":"2024-08-13T13:46:06+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-13T14:12:41+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Sanctuaire_sliderimage.png?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1","width":1150,"height":575},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=105#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Buggy","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=14"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Sanctuaire","item":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=98"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Chapter 01"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/","name":"Meekobuggy's stories","description":"fanfiction, blogs, and random thoughts","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=105"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105\/revisions\/130"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/98"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/96"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}