laissez les bon temps rouler//jackson kenner

3.3

Jack and I head to St. Anne's to find Elijah. He is there working out with Hayley. I'm assuming she needs to blow off steam like Jack. She was stuck as a wolf for six months, something she has never had to deal with before. She never had to deal with the Crescent curse, being raised outside the Bayou. Elijah is hitting the punching back so hard he sends it flying across the room, where it knocks over a bench press.

"Something the matter, Elijah? There's nothing you want to talk about? Like... The Strix?" I mock.

Elijah pulls out a towel and uses it to blot the sweat from his face. Hayley follows him over to get some water.

When Elijah doesn't respond I read from the card. "'I do hope that you can come, old chum. And do bring that husband of yours. Signed, Tristan.'" I wave the invitation in the air and Elijah gives me a look as he walks over to pluck the invite out of my hand. "I was going for a walk with Jolie and Bryce, when some vampire gave it to me. Care to explain."

Elijah continues to skim the invitation, which reads in full "You are cordially invited to an evening of exquisite excess. The Davilla Estate, 7041 St. Charles Avenue. Midnight."

"You care to fill us in?" Jack questions.

"This isn't your concern," Elijah states.

He tries to walk past me but I grab him by the arm to stop him. "Oh, but it is. If Tristian is in town, things will only get more complicated from here."

Elijah looks to Jack. "So, what do you want to know?"

Elijah, Hayley, Jack, and I head to the compound. On the way up to the study I can hear Freya and Nik arguing.

"Your concern for my whereabouts is touching," Freya remarks.

"I simply want to know who is here at any given moment! I hardly think that's too much to ask," Nik insists.

"Well, as long as we're talking attendance..." Hayley says on the way in.

"Oh, good! It's my not-so-loving older brother and his wolf girl lover and my not-so-caring twin sister and her wolf man husband! What a nice, normal family gathering," Nik remarks.

Jack rolls his eyes at Nik. "Charming. Elijah was just catching us up on how you have no clue which one of your long-lost buddies you can trust and which one is trying to kill you."

"Well, clearly what the situation needs is more opinions," Nik states. Nik looks to Elijah. "I assume you told them about the bloody prophecy?"

Hayley glares at Elijah and he smiles in amusement. "I was just getting to that..."

Hayley turns to Nik. "Now would be good."

Nik rolls his eyes. "Well, it appears my old mate Lucien and his brother Chandler have acquired a genuine seer, and in an effort to prove their good intentions, they got her to show us some rather dire visions of future doom. It's grim stuff, really not for the faint of heart."

Jack looks confused. "Who's doom are we talking about here? Because if it's yours, I think we're all okay with that."

Nik chuckles. "Well, sadly, we're all on the chopping block. But, chin up! This witch claims her visions are constantly evolving. So, you may just get your wish!"

Hayley smiles. "Well, I want to meet this psychic witch." She turns back to Elijah. "Tonight."

Jack and I head back across the street to our apartment. Jack sits down on our bed holding Bryce in his arms. Marva is sitting next to him playing with her stuffed wolf.

I look through my closet needing something to wear tonight. To say my closet is bursting is an understatement. I sometimes find it hard to part with my favorite gowns and dresses.