The Good Daughter

Twelve

Rebekah was on her fourth dress by the time Nik found us. He stormed into the shop, something murderous in his eyes.

So dramatic.

"Nik, you've finally joined us." Rebekah waltzed out of the curtain, a short, low cut dress on. She tugged at the hem. "Are you certain there's not more to this?"

"It's just a style, Bekah. Even if it looks amazing on you, there's other kinds."

"Imagine my surprise when I discover I've been abandoned. By my own sister no less." Nik eyed the dead woman next to me. She'd been helping with Rebekah's clothes, but I'd convinced Rebekah to let me have her. I licked my lips, as if that'd destroy any evidence that it'd been me to kill her.

Fresh blood was always better.

"Don't be moody. You found us after all." Rebekah turned to face herself in the mirror.

Nik set his hands on top of the couch I lounged on. "Gloria says she has a lead."

Stefan shifted forward in interest.

I wanted more blood. Needed more. Though if I didn't want to get thrown into recovery, I had to be very careful. Nevermind that I'd go full ripper, these cravings were eating me alive.

Fuck Nik.

If not for those stupid daggers, I wouldn't be in this situation. In fact, I feel like that'd solve more of the family's problems if they didn't exist.

"Be patient Nik." Rebekah frowned. "Gloria can wait."

"Yeah Nik." I grinned as he glared.

While taking the daggers all together would be downright suicidal, I kind of wanted to, just to hide them. Then again, if I did that, Damon and Stefan were as good as dead.

"If it's going to be a minute, I want to go get a real drink." Stefan stood, gesturing to the ever growing stack of clothes that Rebekah hadn't tried on yet. "Since I'm off babysitting duty."

"Fine. Keep your phone on. I'll call when this nonsense is over." Nik waved him off and dropped into his recently vacated seat.

He left.

Another worker rushed in, her eyes bloodshot and face tear stained. She set more items down.

"I hate it. Apparently women in the twenty first century dress like prostitutes. I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."

"I take offense to that."

"You don't count, Morgana. I taught you style myself." Rebekah picked up another dress and a shirt with jeans. "Plus Elijah wouldn't let you dress this way in a million years."

"You'll be interested to know that she has been separate from our brother for a good ninety years. They only just had a reunion." Nik called the worker over and compelled her to find him something to drink.

Rebekah's eyes swung onto me, and I crossed my arms. "What happened?"

"They claim that they encountered Mikael and that's when Elijah told her to run. However I'm finding that story less than believable."

"Are you calling him a liar?"

"If the boot fits." Nik accepted his glass from the worker, something bubbly fizzled in it.

"Is that why you daggered him?!" I'd never really gotten to the bottom of that particular problem.

"No, I daggered him because I knew you wouldn't fess up if he were there to coddle you."

Rebekah watched the conversation like a tennis match.

"Well you have the truth so can he wake up now?" I leaned forward.

"No."

Fucking hell. "But he didn't do anything wrong!"

"You did."

I stood, throwing my hands up. "I need some air."

"Walk out that door and I will follow." I wanted to scream. He was so aggravating. "You cannot run away every time you've been upset. Best to nip that particular little habit in the bud."

"Is it so wrong of me to want space? Should I instead lash out or shout? Should I throw something? Like, like-" You? The word was unspoken and yet still so loud.

Nik's expression flickered. "I expect you to text me every half hour."

Wait. Really?

"And for your return to be before dusk. Unless Gloria provides me with information that would make our exit from Chicago sooner. Do you understand?" His tone was unusually controlled.

"Done." Easily so. Nik was letting me go out. On my own. Even with the shortened time constraints.

That never happened.