Changeless ( Sequel Of Timeless.)

Chapter 10

Caroline dropped Bonnie off at her house and went home to pack for New Orleans. Her mind started forming the to-do list of things she would need to accomplish before they set out. She would need to check the weather, to know what kind of clothes to pack, not to mention she had no idea what they might be doing while they were there. What did one pack on an expedition to convince a coven of witches to turn one into a vampire again? Would it be a formal type of affair or business casual?

In the morning she would have to send out messages to her prom committee, and remind herself to keep tabs on them while she was away. She vowed that no matter what happened in New Orleans, she would be back in time for prom. Bonnie suggested that maybe Caroline give up the reigns to prom, to which Caroline replied, "over my dead body."

The plan was to leave the following morning at dawn. The drive would take about 13 hours, putting them in New Orleans sometime in the evening. The idea of being cooped up in a car for half a day with Kol, Bonnie, and Klaus wasn't at all appealing, especially with the tension currently running between herself and Klaus.

She pulled into her driveway and saw her mother's cruiser parked on the street.

Coming up with an argument to convince her mother to let her go had completely slipped her mind. She knew her mother's patience with her constant comings and goings was starting to wear thin. Liz may have accepted the supernatural turn of her life, but that didn't mean that she always let her run off on life risking adventures without dispute.

Caroline went inside and found her mom sitting on the couch, enjoying some late night bad TV. It was one of those reality investigation shows, where men and women are murdered out of nowhere by their wives or husbands and the family recounts how they should have seen it coming.

Liz smiled at her as she walked in, glancing at her watch, a subtle hint that Caroline was out too late. It must have been a long day, Caroline thought. Liz had removed her shoes and gun belt, but still wore the rest of her uniform.

"It's a school night, young lady."

"Sorry," she offered. "Supernatural business."

Caroline missed Liz's frown as she dropped down on the couch next to her.

"Anything I should know about?"

"Well," Caroline began, there was no point in stalling. "I'm going on another trip. A short one. To New Orleans."

Liz gave her a skeptical look. "And when is this trip happening?"

"Tomorrow." Caroline ventured, the word going up at the end, like a question.

"For how long?"

"I don't know," she replied. "A few days."

Liz leaned forward and grabbed the remote control, flicking off the television set and turning her full motherly attention to her daughter. Caroline gulped. She knew whatever her mother was about to say wasn't going to be good.

"You've already missed over a week of school," Liz said. "And I ignored it yesterday when I got a call that you had skipped before the day even began. Caroline, I don't mean to be insensitive, but you aren't a vampire anymore sweetie. You're mortal, which means you've got to get used to living life like the rest of us again."

"But that's just it Mom. I'm going to New Orleans to find out if I can become a vampire again." She left out the part where it might not even be possible, or that she could die in the process.

Liz shook her head. "I don't know about this. Every time you kids dig into more supernatural stuff, you just seem to make a bigger hole for yourselves."