Chapter 20

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I grumbled as I walked through the streets of Brightly. "You chose to walk," Nik said as he and Damon walked with me through the streets of Brightly. It was incredibly cold and I hated it. "It would have taken us a lot longer to get there," I told him. "Not even your insane driving skills can get us through the traffic that was caused by this sudden blizzard. Besides it's only my face that's cold." The jacket Alister had given me kept me nice a toasty. 

We got to the alley I was looking for and walked down it. When we got to the side door, I pounded my fist on it. It opened and Cedric stepped out. "Damn kid, you tryin' to wake the dead knockin' like that," he asked me. "I need in to the archives," I told him. He sneered, "For what?" "I need to check some of the records," I told him. "What makes you think you can just come and go as you please," he scoffed. I pulled my phone out and showed him the texts between his boss and I. He grumbled and opened the door, "I don't like you." "Oh no, my feelings are hurt," I said with a fake sniffle. I then rolled my eyes, "I don't care if you like me. Just do your job and be a good little bitch." I walked inside with Damon and Nik following me. 

"So why are we here," Damon asked me. "I need to cross reference something," I answered. "Something keeps bugging me about this whole reverse ceremony." We stepped into the large spiral room. "I see no ladders," Nik said as he looked about, seeing just shelves in the walls, going up. A chain hung in the center of the room and if you looked closely you'd see hand holds in the shelves. "I know," I said while removing my jacket and scarf. I then grabbed the chain and began to climb up to the level I needed to get to. I then swung till I was able to reach and grab the hold. 

"What kind of system is this," Damon asked me. "It's to prevent theft," I told them. "How did you even find this place," Nik asked me. "Alister gave me the number for the owner a while back. I come every now and then to do research for a job. The grouch in the hall is Cedric. He doesn't like me for the same reason Ace and the others don't like me," I said as my eyes scanned over the shelves. "What kind of things do they even document here," Damon asked as he walked to one of the shelves. "The correct question is, what do they not document," I told him. "They get information on many things both normal and other. Unfortunately having to shift through the fact and fiction is damn near impossible unless you know what you're looking for." 

When I found the book I was looking for, I made my way down the chain and opened the book. Nik and Damon read over my shoulders. The book I had grabbed talked about the ceremony and what we already knew. I then found the page that talked about how it was the Queen's bloodline that kept the veil up. "So if it's the Queen's bloodline that keeps it up, why is it that Lucifer can be used for the reversal," I asked out loud. "Isn't he draining the Queen of her magic," Damon asked me. "Yes, but I don't think he's absorbing it," Nik said with a nod. "Is it possible he's part of her bloodline," I suggested. "There was never any word of her being pregnant with a son," Damon told me. "Just because it was never spoken of doesn't mean it didn't happen," Nik countered. 

"Or he is her brother," I said, trusting my gut instinct. "Their parents could have had him well after she took the throne. Since they weren't the current rulers, no one cared enough to really say anything on it." "Baby brother pissed off living in big sis' shadow," Damon considered. "It's a possibility," Nik said with a nod. 

But what was the point? It had to be more than just the need to cause pointless chaos and to kill his sister. There wasn't anything to really gain. There was more to this than what we could see. I put the book back and looked around for anything else that could give me the answers I needed, but I couldn't find anything. I sighed and made my way back to the floor. I grabbed my jacket and scarf. Cedric gave me a glare, "You put it back right?" "No, I wiped my ass with it then left it for you to clean up," I told him with a smirk. He sneered at me and opened the door for us. The snow had made it's way up really high in the alley, past the protection of the leather boots I was wearing. I was beginning to hate winter time in Brightly. 

At home Damon and Nik left me as they went back to Drac's bar. I went inside and saw Alister waiting with hot chocolate and pajamas fresh from the drier. "You are my savior," I said as I moved to the living room to stand by the fire as I stripped off my snow soaked clothes, leaving on my thong and bra. I felt Alister's eyes roam over me as I put on my pj pants. I smirked as I put on the shirt. "What did you learn," he asked me. 

I told him of the blood line and our theories. "Unfortunately there wasn't anything else there that was all that helpful," I said before taking a drink of my hot chocolate. I sat on the couch and he joined me. "Did Cedric behave himself," he asked me. "He acted more civilized than usual, but I'm guessing it was because I had Nik and Damon in tow," I answered. He moved my legs to go across his lap. "Your feet feel like ice," he commented. "I know. It's why I always wear socks when I walk around the house," I told him. "They get cold easily. It doesn't help that with the amount of snow we walked through, that even though the runes kept my feet warm, they didn't keep the water out so eventually it soaked through the leather." 

He nodded, "I will fix that issue." I smiled softly, "They're fine." "You could get sick," He told me. "Or worse, turn me into an ice cube when you touch me with your feet when we go to bed tonight." I laughed softly and rolled my eyes, "You're not going to turn into an ice cube." He chuckled softly, "You don't know that." "If you shift you'll have a nice fur coat to keep you warm so you won't turn into an ice cube," I told him. He rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging on his lips. 

"So what did you do while I was taking on the harsh weather," I asked him. "I moved your things into our room," he answered. I smiled softly, "Good because it'd be rather annoying to go so far to get clothes." He chuckled, "Or you could just not wear clothes." "Then I'd never be allowed to leave," I pointed out. He gave me a knowing smirk, "I'm aware." I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help my smile. 

"What will you do with the room now," I asked him. "I don't know yet," he said. "Before you came, it always sat empty. Most of the house went unused to be honest. It has been made clear to me however, that the sun room, has stopped being a sun room." I gave him an apologetic smile. I never moved the furniture back since I have been in there almost everyday dancing as part of my work out regimen. "Not like we go out into the sun anyways," I told him. "So there was really no purpose for a sun room anyways." He chuckled, "I guess you have a point." 

After I finished my hot chocolate he took my cup to the kitchen. He then picked me up bridal style. I smiled and rested my head against his chest. He kissed the top of it as he carried me upstairs. Moments like these, I cherished the most. Especially since soon I will be going two years without them.

The thought hurt my heart, but there was nothing I could do about it. Unless the future changed again.

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