The Curse of Love (The Hybrid and The Wolf - Book 4)

Chapter 21 - Give 'Em Hell, Kid

Say not in grief, that she is no more, but be thankful that she ever was. And though she was taken far too soon, may her enduring light show us a way through this darkness. Let us mourn . . . because we cannot move on until we do . . . and though the pain at times seem like more than we can bear . . . make no mistake, we will move on.

I was getting ready for Cami's wake, which I was organizing. I wanted to go to Davina's funeral as well but I had a feeling that I wouldn't be welcome, not after last night . . .

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection, sadly. I was remembering Jackson's funeral, how I had set his body on fire and watched as his body sailed down the Mississippi river.

God, I miss him. Every day, I miss my brother and now, I'm gonna miss Cami and Davina too.

I was dressed in all black clothes and my hair was down, I walked over to my bed and saw my phone, I picked it up and scrolled through the photos. There were pictures of me and Hope, me and Jackson, me and Klaus - some of us kissing - me and Hayley . . . I stopped when I came across one of me and Cami.

I remembered the day I took this. Cami was still human and I had been recently released from the Crescent Curse temporarily by Davina. I had gone to her apartment to talk and vent about the issues I had with Klaus - it was when I was pissed at him for abandoning me in the Bayou.

I felt my eyes water just thinking about that day. I looked up to stop myself from crying and I put my phone back of the nightstand before walking out of the room.

I walked into Klaus's room and found him getting ready as well, I walked in as he fastened his tie. I noticed that it was little crooked, so I fixed it. Klaus looked at me, just noticing my presence and smiled a small smile. We both stared at the mirror once it was perfect. I then grabbed his coat and put in on him, I was aware of him staring at me as I straightened his collar, but I kept my focus on his coat.

After we were ready, Klaus took my hand and we walked out of the room together.

Later, Cami's funeral parade was marching through the streets of the French Quarter. I walked behind her coffin with Klaus and Elijah walking on either side of me as the band played loud jazz music behind us.

~*~*~

The Irish wake that I had organized for Cami was at Rousseau's and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was playing music while people drank and paid their respects. I marched through the crowd towards the kitchen like a woman on a mission.

"Okay, we can't run out of whiskey at an Irish wake," I told the caterers. "It's like the one rule, okay?"

I turned around and Elijah was walking towards me.

"Whiskey is important."

"Whiskey is important," he said in agreement. "I'm sure Camille would have appreciated all of this."

I looked down, briefly. "I hope so. It's the least I could do anyway, seeing as I'm the one who got her killed."

Elijah looked behind me towards the caterers, warily.

"Nina, it was not your fault," he whispered, taking my arm in a comforting way. "You need to stop blaming yourself."

"I can't," I told him before walking off towards the memorial table Klaus was standing by. I grabbed his arm and rubbed it, comfortingly. "Hey, do you need anything?"

Klaus looked at me and tried his best to smile. "No, I'm fine, love."

I looked at a picture of Cami and felt all the sadness and regret swell in my heart, my eyes watered instantly, but I fought them.