Ace of Hearts

29

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but Aunt V has to go for a little while." I explain to my toddler nephew as I set him down with one last kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise." Jack watches me over his mother's shoulder as she carries him off to bed.

Theo nods solemnly as he stands in front of me, and I know he doesn't believe that the call from Jade is my whole reason for leaving. It's not, the call was just conveniently timed. Right now, I need to leave New Orleans for a little bit—well, I need to escape Kaleb for a bit.

Not to mention that if what I think actually happened is true; they're gonna need my help now more than ever before.

"Hey, be safe." Theo warns as he grabs my arm before I can leave. "You just started getting to be a part of this family, and we'd like to keep it that way."

"I'll do my best." I want to tell him everything will be perfectly fine, but I can't make promises when I know they're lies. This is going to be dangerous, and I know I'm far too prone to taking unnecessary risks to guaranteeing my return.

Still, that doesn't keep me from taking a lingering look over my shoulder to remember what I have to return to and what I keep fighting for. It's their faces that burn into my mind as I drive away from home and safety back to the place where I lost myself and my heart—back to Mystic Falls.

...

My muscles are frozen stiff as I look at the Mikaelson mansion. Nothing about it has changed, and it physically hurts me to be back here. I keep expecting another hallucination of Kol to appear out of nowhere, to tease and lecture me like he always did.

I let my head fall against the wheel as I wonder if coming back here was a mistake. Of course, they're definitely needing me, but I don't know if I'll be any use to them like this. The only thing coming back here has done so far is brought back all of my grief that I've spent so long processing.

One touch and I might just shatter all over again, and this time, I doubt I have the strength to put myself back together again.

Still, I manage the strength to actually leave my car and head into the house. It seems so empty, more so than when I last left it. The silence that used to wrap around me like a comfortable blanket smothers me now. It becomes a horrifying ring in my ears as it pounds in between my footsteps.

There's only one person I can find as I search through the house, and I have to keep myself from walking away the moment I see him. "I'm surprised you came." Klaus speaks as he raises his glass to his lips. All the while, he doesn't turn around. Instead, he stares at the fire in front of him.

"I'm more surprised you told Jade to have me come." I reply as I lean against the doorway. "After your lovely goodbye and the fact that you still didn't listen to me, I figured you would have the situation under control."

There's no point in lying or hiding it. I am enjoying rubbing this in Klaus's smug face. He made it very clear that he didn't want or need me around; not to mention he ignored every single warning and piece of advice I gave on how not to wake up Silas. Yet, here I am. So, yes, I think I deserve the right to be a little bit smug.

"Yes, rub it in." The frustration and pride radiates from him. "Now, did you come to gloat or to help me?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"What I get out of this." A smirk slowly emerges across my lips as I saunter over to him. His eyes drill into the side of my head, and it only increases as I steal his glass and finish it in one swig. "Because, I'm tired of doing dirty work for vampires. First I have a vampire in New Orleans who wants me to help him keep witches in line, and now you want me to help take down the oldest, strongest immortal. I don't think so. If you're serious about needing my help, I want a few things in return."