Ardent | Elijah Mikaelson

Chapter 20

Rebekah purchased a red convertible.

They'd taken not two steps out of the airport when Rebekah saw a woman stepping out of a car she took a fancy to. One check and the woman had gladly given it away; now there was no need to pay for airport parking while she was traveling.

"Cute," said Evangeliya, wiggling into the passenger's seat as they drove close to New Orleans. "Where are we going, though? Haven't you not set foot here in almost one hundred years? A lot has changed since then."

"Then we'll stop and ask for directions when we near New Orleans," said Rebekah. "The house is in the French Quarter. As long as I can find where Royal and Dumaine are, I'll be able to navigate quite easily."

They parked next to a bar before entering the Quarter, the sky already darkening overhead. Inside were a group of vampires, seated at the bar and drinking while the poor bartender glared at them, likely wishing they would leave.

"Evening, gentlemen," said Rebekah as she and Evangeliya walked up. "Any of you able to tell me where I can reach Dumaine Street?"

One of the vampires looked them both over, licking his lips. "For a price."

Evangeliya cast him a cheeky smile. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way and I promise you that you don't want the hard way. So cut the crap and answer my friend's question."

Another man 'oohed,' making a face as if he was calling her 'crazy' with his eyes. "Calm your tits, sweet–"

She grabbed his head, slamming it onto the bar. His friends went silent. "I don't like your attitude," she sneered. "We came asking for directions, not asking to be sexualized."

"I don't think I like any of them," said Rebekah, putting her hands on her hips. "They've been rather rude. Six of them total... you take three, I take three?"

Evangeliya smirked. "Sounds like a plan to me."

The bartender was cowering behind the bar as the two attacked. Evangeliya decapitated the one whose head she'd already been holding, then pulled the chair out from under another's behind, breaking a leg off and staking him with it. The third tried to run, but she caught him by the heart, ripping it out and letting his body fall to the floor.

"T-There's construction on two main roads," squeaked the bartender as he emerged, eyes wide. "There's a detour to get to Dumaine. Go straight down and take a right at the second light, then a left at the third one after that, and then hang a right immediately after..."

"Sorry, darling," said Evangeliya, pulling him up and compelling him. "Go home, forget what you saw, you closed up early because there weren't any customers. Your boss gives you trouble, you send him to me." She reached for the pen in his chest pocket to write her number on his hand.

He nodded obediently and left.

"Well, that was fun," said Rebekah, motioning for Evangeliya to wipe some blood off her cheek. "You know, I could get used to this."

Evangeliya smiled slightly. "I could, too."

At last, Rebekah pulled up to a large mansion, coming to a stop right by the door. Evangeliya had tried to call Elijah when they reached Dumaine St. to let him know they were nearly there, but he hadn't answered.

This time, Rebekah called him. Once again, it went to voicemail, "Elijah," she said, annoyed, "you had better be in the bloody house, because we are here!"

The door opened a tad too easily as they reached the top of the steps. As soon as they walked in, a brunette walked downstairs, holding a fire iron. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded.