Curse of Ravens // Mikaelson

4 Partner in Crime

"They are unaware that their own Clan is hunting you?" Klaus Mikaelson's tone was the one where, he knows something was suspicious and was about to make a threat. A tone of disbelief and contained annoyance. I held the phone to my ear, sitting outside the Mystic Grill, a cup of coffee in front of me and a smoothie on the way. "Or they are gaining your trust to lure you into a trap of their own design. Eliminate them."

He does as all good fathers do, provide advice, suggestions, and demands. I politely thank the waiter as he brings me the smoothie, a strawberry and banana breakfast smoothie that looked better than the image on the menu. The waiter gave me a lingering look and smiled with his teeth as he leaves. Ah, he looked even better than the smoothie. I could do with a distraction from the looming problems at the Salvatore school.

"Alice?" My father's biting voice brought me back into the conversation.

"I'm here." I lean back in the chair, looking across the street to the park in the center of town and wondering about the moments my parents spent here. "I already threatened them of your involvement. As much as I hate to say it, I don't think they are lying. The only thing they knew about me was that I am Caroline's daughter and Hope's sister. Everything I told them was new information." I paused. "Clan Hela doesn't tolerate vampire sympathizers. I had to lie my way into their ranks last year. Yet two of their children are here, at a school with vampires."

"What do you make of that?" Klaus asked as he shuffles something around on the other end of the line. My eyes watch as a human family walk down the street with their little one, swinging the child by their hands.

"They don't send their witches and warlocks to supernatural schools, they educate them at their own academies. Which means Aleksandr and Anastasia were sent here for a reason. Years ago, because they've been here for a long while." I consider aloud. After some more shuffling on the other end of the line, I ask. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure the convent of witches hands over what we agreed too." He replied ominously. Niklaus chuckles on the line. "Their Chancellor thinks he has leverage on me because he knows I'm after the Hollow and he's withholding information. I'm reminding him who has the upper hand." I pick at a random piece of lint on my faded jeans and take a sip of my smoothie. Overwhelmed at how good it was, I quickly drink half of it and then regret it immediately as my brain freezes.

"Where's Mum?"

"She doesn't approve. She took a spa day." His sarcasm had me grinning again. "I'm working on her to bring you home. I need my partner in crime." I knew he was smiling from his words. I felt my heart ache with the longing of home.

I moved around with my father and spent plenty of time in New Orleans, but my home was where my parents were. It's not the place that makes a home. It's the people. My eyes flicked to a man walking towards the Grill, but he didn't see me, and walked inside.

"You know... it's not horrible here." I say softly, but it hurt in my gut just to say the words. There was a moment of silence. The wind blew through the trees from the park and it sent autumn colored leaves across the street, tumbling with a slight raking noise. People chattered in the park, laid out on picnics to enjoy the sunlight.

"Let up on Mum. I think I need to stay here for awhile. Aleksandr and Anastasia may not be an immediate threat to me, but their presence here strikes me as strange. My instincts aren't usually wrong. If they are a problem... Hope is here. She knows nothing about this. She's at risk now that they know about our bloodline." I explained further, eyes flicking up as the waiter cleared one of the outside tables of empty plates and cups.

"Family is what's important. Use the resources available at your disposal. Recognize distractions." Klaus advises, and I quickly looked away from the waiter. "Use caution. They may be few and may be young, but they are Clan Hela. Don't underestimate them."