Anemoia • Mikaelsons mate

Chapter 19

• • • New Orleans, present-day • • •

"You are so very lucky that I am not hexing you right this second for your attitude." Gloria hisses at the hybrid.

"We both know that you won't," Niklaus grins. He did enjoy pissing the older witch off, something that hadn't changed since the last time he had been here.

"Don't challenge me, Mikaelson. You've got some nerve to show your face and demand my help in the first place." Gloria snaps, eyes narrowed.

"And here I believed you to be a willing participant in my cause." Niklaus rolls his eyes dramatically.

"We both know I am only willing to help you with your problem, in exchange for-"

"I see I'm interrupting a rather interesting discussion." Rebekah states in a bored tone, her eyes going from her brother to the older woman behind the bar that she had identified as a slowly aged Gloria. She had quietly approached the two bickering people, observing the changes in Niklaus's appearance. She had also seen Stefan a few feet away and her heart had skipped involuntarily at the sight of him. With the three of them together it was as if nothing had changed, except for the aging of the witch. This notion turned her happiness into dread when she realized someone was missing.

"Rebekah," Niklaus greets, arms widening in a welcoming gesture. "How good of you to join us, I assume you have found my little 'welcome to this century' gift?"

"I prefer gifts in the form of diamonds and pearls, not smelly guards in a midlife crisis." Rebekah's tone was icy.

"Allow me to make it up to you, I will take you shopping tomorrow. My treat." Niklaus grins, his eyes briefly flashing gold.

"You're a hybrid now. Which means you have found a new doppelgänger." Rebekah's eyes widen and all resentment toward her brother fades for a moment.

Despite her faulty relationship with Niklaus, she had seen his struggle and known of his desire to release his true form. After failing to break the curse 500 years ago, she sensed a dejection in him. Her eyes glaze over momentarily when she thinks back to that time in her life, and her thoughts wander to her past lover and the horrible doppelgänger that had been the cause of her everlasting hurt.

"I am." Niklaus smiles a genuine smile, no malice sensible for once. He could almost see his sister's train of thought and felt for her, having known the same hurt as she had. "And I have."

"Rebekah," Gloria greets, breaking the spell between the siblings. Her eyes momentarily flit to Rebekah's out-of-fashion dress and she is once more reminded of the disastrous evening from so long ago.

"Gloria."

"Great, now that everyone is properly reunited, let's get down to business." Niklaus says before shifting his gaze back to his sister. "Where's the necklace?"

"What do you want my necklace for?" Rebekah narrows her eyes, a little disappointed her brother couldn't keep up pretenses a little longer. Her hands lift to her chest, fingers landing in the soft fabric of the scarf she had borrowed from the stranger in the alley. She hoped the poor girl had managed to find some way to heal her wound, or at least have it treated, she would like to see the girl again someday, maybe thank her for the scarf. Shaking off the unexplainable worry she felt for the stranger, she digs her hand through the fabric, searching for the familiar pendant, only to come up short. Rebekah freezes.

"I can't seem to make any new hybrids, and I need your necklace to determine why." Niklaus grits out impatiently. He had not woken his sister up for a round of 21 questions.

"I don't have it," Rebekah admits with a furrowed brow. Her eyes flit over to Stefan who cleared his throat, looking rather uncomfortable all of the sudden. She wants to investigate the shifty behavior of the Salvatore but Niklaus's snappy tone interrupts her.