All the cards

63

Amity met Isaac at the grocery store. He was almost finished getting the ingredients. He drove back to his home and the couple began cooking together. After a fifth glance, Amity sighed.
"Yes?"
"Nothing." He said quickly, as though he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have been.
"You're staring."
"I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"I'm not allowed to look at my girlfriend?" He countered as she stirred the sauce.
"What time is your aunt getting here?"
"In..." he looked at his watch. "In about two hours."
"Great, that gives me enough time to pop this in the oven and get ready." Her phone rang and she tried to ignore before giving in and answering.
"Lucien freed Aurora." He said.
"What?"
"Where are you?"
"With Isaac."
"Lucien's venom was derived from all seven packs. He'd been experimenting with the venom, trying to find the most lethal strain he could. The serum he made- he had enough for two. He's going to use it for Aurora."
"Lucien's bite almost killed Finn. We're going to need to find a cure, Nik. Your blood isn't going to work this time. Talk to Freya- if you can drag her away from Finn."
"A cure could take decades to find, Amity."
"I don't see what other choice we have. We need a cure in case Aurora decides to use her new lethal teeth to give you a love bite." Isaac glanced up at me.
"We could focus on finding a way to get rid of him."
"It's personal, Nik. Lucien's hated you for a thousand years. If you kill him, you might not truly be rid of him."
"You think he'll find a way to come back? It's impossible, especially with the other side gone."
"I just think we don't need a repeat of Silas, and while Isaiah's got a direct line to the dead, we can't risk it."
"Fine, continue with your date. Just be back early." She rolled her eyes and hung up.
"Everything okay?"
"Just Nik being Nik. His psycho ex escaped with the help of Lucien."
"You don't have to go, do you?"
"I'd say I'm sure Nik can survive a few hours without me, but I'm honestly not. I am sure, however that Lucien probably won't attack straight away. He needs time to get through to Aurora." Isaac moved behind her, snaking his arms around her waist as she started layering the lasagne.
"He'll be okay."
"Yeah."
"Thousands of people have tried to kill him. They all failed."
"You're right."
"And if he does die, my aunt's an ME, so she could do the autopsy." Amity laughed in spite of herself, turning around to face him.
"That's terrible." She tried not to smile. "It's not funny."
"I'm kidding. He'll be fine. He's a danger magnet, but he'll be okay. Okay?"
"Okay."
"You got a little something on your face." He reached up to wipe something off her cheek, his hand lingering slightly.
"Got it?" She asked and he nodded. He dropped his hand. She walked over to the oven to put away the lasagne, turning on the timer. Isaac pulled her to him once everything was done. "I should probably get ready."
"I happen to think you look perfect the way you are."
"You'd think I looked perfect if I was wearing a trash can."
"You probably would." She laughed and he took a step back leaning on the counter behind him, his hands on either side. "Ah." He flinched bringing his hand in front of him.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, I just-" the veins around her eyes emerged as she smelt blood. There was a small prick on his finger. He ran it under the tap and she walked towards him, willing her hunger away. "It's a small prick. Didn't realise the knife was there. It's not even going to need a band-aid." He closed the tap and faced her, smiling. "You look so concerned." He said, getting some tissue, and putting it on his finger.
"I don't like it when you get hurt."
"I'm fine." He pulled away the tissue. His finger looked clean, but the scent of blood was still somewhat overpowering. "See?" She grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand down away from her face. She felt her face morph and looked away from him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She said. "Just... blood. Vampire."
"Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I forgot."
"I'm fine. Just- Lia had to do a pretty big spell to save me and return me back to just a vampire. The thirst- it's different."
"Have you fed since Aria did the spell?"
"I had one blood bag."
"That's not enough, is it?"
"I can handle my thirst, Isaac."
"I know." He said. "But, correct me if I'm wrong, but a vampire's supposed to have a healthy diet of blood right?"
"I'll have some blood later."
"Or you could have some now." He said. He held up his wrist but she shook her head.
"I haven't fed from the vein in- since before I was daggered."
"I trust you. Besides we don't want you losing control and feeding on my aunt." He teased, moving his wrist up. She looked at him and he nodded. She held his arm, lowering her face slightly. Her lips grazed the inside of his wrist before she bit into it. To his credit, he didn't wince or flinch. He hissed slightly, but let out no other indication that it hurt. She drank until she felt his heart beat quicken. Not wanting to hurt Isaac, she let go. She bit into her own wrist and held it up to him.
"Here." She said. He drank it and watched as his wound healed. She wiped the blood from her mouth. "Thank you."

An hour and a half later, Isaac's aunt arrived. He greeted her at the door and made introductions, and soon enough they were sitting around the table.
"So how many tries did it take to make this tray? Pride would be proud." Loretta teased her nephew.
"It was all Amity." He said.
"That explains a lot." She said. "So, Amity. Isaac talks about you a lot."
"Does he?" She looked over at him. He was cutting a piece of his food and stuffing it into his mouth.
"How did you meet him?"
"It was when I first came to town. I was out on a grocery run and came across Isaac playing his guitar. I was drawn in to his music, so I stayed until he finished the song."
"Then she gave me a hundred dollars like it was loose change and I thought for sure it was by accident."
"It wasn't. I loved the way he played. It lifted my spirits. It was beautiful."
"He does have a way with that guitar of his."
"She started coming by every week after that and I finally worked up the courage to ask her out."
"So how long have you two kids known each other?"
"Um... almost three years, now." Amity looked at Isaac for confirmation.
"Yeah, almost three." He held up the wine bottle. "More wine?"
"Heavens yes." Loretta said and Isaac poured some into her glass. "So Isaac tells me you're a mother?"
"Yes I have a son. Izzy."
"Is he with his father right now?"
"Izzy's father is, um, dead. He died before Izzy was born."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Amity nodded.
"Izzy's with family right now."
"Oh, right." Loretta gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do you have any siblings?"
"Three sisters, five brothers."
"It must be nice, having a large family."
"It's never boring." Amity agreed. "It can be complicated but never lonely."
"How old is he?"
"Two years and four months."
"And Hope's turning two next month, isn't she?" Isaac asked. She nodded.
"Hope's my niece." Amity told Loretta. "My brother's daughter."
"I'm guessing you guys are very close."
"Most of my siblings and I are. There's always one person not talking to another, I guess. It can get dramatic."
"They mostly live together." Isaac said. Amity shrugged. Her phone began to ring. She checked to see it was Hayley.
"I'm sorry, I have to take this."
"Yeah, of course." Isaac nodded and she stood, walking away.
"Hayley, everything okay?"
"Izzy disappeared on Mary and we never really got around to warning her."
"I'll give her a call."
"No no no. I wouldn't have even called unless it was an emergency. If you want I can tell her, or make up a story. Whichever makes you comfortable."
"It's okay, I'll tell her. It should come from me. Just tell her not to worry, that it's normal, and tell her I'll give her a call later."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It just means he trusts her."
"Alright. Go back to your dinner, everything'll be fine."
"How's everyone else?"
"We're all fine. Freya's not leaving Finn's side, which is seriously annoying Klaus but Amira's keeping him in check. Kol's moping and Elijah's attempting to make nice with Amira. Nothing new."
"You should call Rebekah. Someone should warn her about Lucien."
"Right. I think Elijah was going to do that. I'm gonna go out for a walk." Hayley replied.
"Hayles..."
"I won't kill anyone this time. I promise."
"Get Amira to go with you or something? Or Kol. He needs it."
"I'll figure it out. Just go back to your boyfriend." Hayley hung up before Amity could reply. Amity walked back to the table.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything's fine." She assured and turned her attention to Isaac's aunt. "So you've known Isaac since he was born. You must have hundreds of stories to tell."
"Oh, honey, you have no idea."