Void

2.05

The streets were filled with people and carts of others. Some were tourists, but most of the people here lived here. I knew that a lot of them were also vampires since they were banned from the Quarter. Zach had insisted that he showed me around from across the river. Zach walked with me through the streets. Even though it was across the river there were still some people playing jazz. I smiled at it and Zach asked, "You like jazz music?"

I nodded, "Sometimes I think I was meant to be born here, in New Orleans where all the jazz music is."

Zach laughed, "Sometimes I wish I wasn't born here." He glanced around. "That I wasn't brought into all this supernatural crap."

I prompted, "But..."

Zach continued, "But without it, I never would have met Marcel or Davina. Or you."

I smiled, "I am flattered, but I don't date vampires. That is a very dark road."

Zach chuckled, "How?"

I admitted, "They act like they really do like you, then they charm you, and when you are so far under their spell, they get you to do any magic for them." Zach looked surprised by the information. "Or you just become a human blood bag."

Zach denied, "Not all of us are like that."

He stopped when he realized just how true my words were though. Zach grabbed my arm and forced me to look at him. Zach asked, "Did you date a vampire like that?"

I denied, "No, nothing of the sorts, but one of my friends did. It did not end well for that vampire when all was revealed to me. He had a little heart attack."

Zach noted, "Remind me not to piss you off."

I nodded, "It's been noted."

We started to walk again and I couldn't help but let my eyes roam the streets and everything in it. However, this was nothing like the actual Quarter. I asked, "Do you miss it?"

Zach questioned, "What?"

I answered, "The Quarter. Being able to walk on the streets every day." I knew that I was missing something about home, so I couldn't understand how Zach could be so close but so far from his home. "Do you miss your home?"

Zach rebutted, "Do you miss your home?"

I answered, "Really only a few people." Zach glanced at me. "Some places. Definitely not high school."

Zach chuckled and asked, "Who?"

I smiled, "My Dad, Stiles, Scott, Mama McCall, Lydia."

Zach asked, "What the hell is a Stiles?"

I smirked and knew the answer quite well. I chuckled, "My brother."

Zach's head snapped to mine fast enough to give a normal person whiplash. Zach asked, "Your brother's name is Stiles?"

I corrected, "His nickname." I was the one who had picked up on the nickname and started calling him it when we were kids because I couldn't pronounce his real name. "No, his name is too hard for normal people to pronounce."

Zach opened the door to a building for me and I looked up at the sign. Zach assured, "I know it's sketchy, but it's good. I promise."

I walked inside and he followed. Zach motioned to a booth and I walked over to it before sliding into it. Zach slid into the other side. Zach asked, "So, you're an artist?"

I vaguely responded, "Sometimes."

Zach leaned for and questioned, "And others?"

I smiled and leaned towards him before whispering, "Nothing exciting."

Zach scoffed and leaned back. Zach nodded, "I'll admit you got me there. I wasn't expecting it." I could see the curiosity in his eyes. "Really, though what do you do in your spare time when you aren't drawing or going to school?"

I shrugged, "Depends. Most of the time I have I try to use to find my mom." Zach didn't look too surprised by that. "The only reason I wouldn't is if someone else was with me, then I'd act like a normal teenager, not a teenage witch who is looking for their mom."

Zach asked, "You still haven't found her?"

I shook my head, "No, I've asked and asked and asked and asked, but nobody seems to have ever seen her apparently."

Zach had sorrow and his voice was laced with pity as he pointed out, "Your lead could have been a fake."

I sighed, "Yeah, I know." I really was hoping that I could just find my Mom again. It had been 12 years after all. "But it still doesn't hurt to check it out. I just wish I could see her again. Just one more time. That's all I really want."

Zach asked, "Why?"

I looked up at him, "I need to know why."

Zach nodded and stated, "Why she left you."

My lip trembled as I nodded with tears in my eyes threatening to spill over. Zach grabbed my hands in his own and assured, "It's gonna be ok. You will find her. I will make sure that you find her."

I searched his eyes to see if he was lying and he wasn't. I smiled and took one of my hands from his grasp to wipe away my tears before saying, "Thank you."

Zach asked, "So if you're a witch and you have your mother's blood, why don't you just use a locator spell?"

I shrugged, "Tried it. Multiple times, but she's being cloaked, by powerful magic. I doubt it's as powerful as mine, but I've never really tried to focus on breaking it."

Zach nodded and his phone chimed. He groaned but pulled out his phone anyways. Zach turned it on and looked at the screen. He got up, "Order anything, it's on me. I have to go. Elijah's missing and they need my help tracking him."

He kissed my cheek and I was surprised by it but I didn't have any time to react to him because Zach was out of the door before I could realize it.