Huntress in New Orleans (Book 9, TVD/TO)

Chapter 8__Voodoo In My Blood

I was in the hallway of the compound, on my way to the courtyard, on the phone with Alaric.

"You need to relax. I'm on my way to New Orleans right now. And I have good news. I went through the remains of the Lockwood estate, and I found you one creepy-ass, ancient finger bone."

"Your efforts are appreciated. Now, if you could only pick up the pace."

Alaric chuckled. "Easy, Nicola. The only reason I'm heading your way is because I don't want the Mikaelsons anywhere near Mystic Falls. Things tend to get murder-y when they're around."

"Well, that's a fair point. But said could be said for me recently."

"Oh, hey, listen, one more thing,. The Lockwoods, they didn't just safeguard the bone. They kept records with names, dates and locations. Turns out they had knowledge of other families that were charged with guarding the rest of the remains. Now, does the name Labonair mean anything to you?"

"It's familiar, yeah."

"Well, good. That might be a lead to help you find the rest of the remains. Which you'll have to do yourself, because my days of fighting monsters are over."

"Got it."

"You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay, Ric? Just finally got some help with learning how to control the Huntress, in New Orleans, where I figure out that there's an evil witch spirit that needs four of her bones to resurrect herself, and that my ex-boyfriend's family was entrusted with one of the bones and has the means to find another. An ex-boyfriend who, by the way, I had been forced to kill by the same Siren that killed my sister right in front of me to make me turn my humanity off."

"Sorry I asked."

I sighed heavily. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just on edge. I know that there's nothing I can do to make up for what I did to Tyler... but I have to try by fighting the same thing that his family was fighting."

"I get it. He would be very thankful, Nicola."

I looked down, sniffing. "Yeah."

"Okay, so here's the deal. I will be at Jack's Bar-B-Q Shack off Route 59 until 2:00. If you're not there by 2:10, I chuck the bone and the records in a Dumpster and I'm gone. And then you can fish them out of the trash yourself."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's almost working. And I will be there, but I won't be alone. Elijah thinks that you and I alone on this project isn't safe, so he's coming with me. We'll be there. I promise." I hung up. Elijah walked toward me, opening his mouth to speak, but I knew what he was going to ask. "I'm fine."

"How did you know what I was going to ask?" Elijah asked.

I shrugged sarcastically. "Just took a guess."

Elijah nodded slightly in amusement. "Right. Hope heard a message from the Ancestors. Klaus and Hayley will be going to have an audience with the dead."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because the Ancestors asked them to," Elijah answered. "We are at war with a creature we barely understand. But one thing is for sure. We need help. Niklaus and Hayley will get help from the witches. You're helping by bringing Alaric in so he can give us the bone and the means to find another."

"Yeah, he's made it clear that he's not doing this for you," I told him.

"But he is doing it for you, because no matter the way you left things with the people of Mystic Falls, he still sees you as a friend that needs help," Elijah told me.