AUTHOR'S NOTES; GUES WHO, MY DUDES!
Damn, its been a while, lol. Grad school is a whole thing and it requires like, 70 hours of time devoted per week. PER WEEK!
you can expect more updates more regularly through summer!
Anyway, to make it up to y'all, I'm posting a second chapter of this soon. Consider it a slightly delayed double update. This is that second update!
But then you won't hear from me until after finals. Tee hee. ✨
There are officially 8 parts to this series, so if you enjoy reading this soul's journey through the cycle of reincarnation across the multiverse, maybe check them out? Though, all fics can be read independently too!
As always, thank you guys for showing your love for my work. I hope yall enjoy!
Discord!
https://discord.gg/XhqUDAnbsH
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Caroline had vanished without a word, not returning any of my calls or messages. It broke my heart a little, but of course I didn't blame her. She's just a girl who had seen someone who had helped raise her not only in a terrible state, but one that clearly wasn't natural, flipping her world upside down. Despite her clear terror, she had still done as I asked and gotten me help, so I'm hopeful she'll come around.
Damon offered to hunt her down and compel her, but I declined, reserving that option as a last resort. Despite her blonde bimbo act, the girl is snart and more importantly, kind. She most likely recognized what she saw was supernatural and not to be spoken about, especially since she didn't call the ambulance. I have faith that we will eventually talk it out and in the meantime, she won't endanger me.
I eye Alaric and Jenna who are sitting real cozy at the Middle Eastern style table setting of my cafe, smirking at how closely they are sitting. I wiggle my eyebrows ridiculously at Jeremy who follows my cue to see the two, his nose wrinkling in disgust at the sight of his aunt and teacher just as the doorbell chimes and in comes a vampire.
One I don't know.
"Uh oh," I murmur, motioning for Remy to join me in the kitchen as I shoot a message to the group chat.
"Alaric."
"…Isobel."
"Oh, shit!" I hiss, shaking Remy vigorously side to side. "That's Ekena's mom!"
We pretend to be busy ourselves in the kitchen, Jenna anxiously joining us soon after to let Alaric talk with his ex. I feel my senses begin to tingle with incoming danger. Enzo, thankfully, is already around, having been upstairs with my kids, but Damon and Stefan arrive quickly from the back door.
"Compel my mundane customers home, please. Gently. Jenna, Jeremy, upstairs."
"But, Nyx-" Jenna starts, eyes drifting to Alaric.
"I know, Jenna, but I can't have you guys in the crosshairs. We'll have Alaric's back down here. Remy, you remember the combination to the safe, right? Protect your aunt and my kids," I order softly, hinting at the stake gun and vervain I have hidden up there, forcibly pushing the teen and his aunt towards the stairs as the alarm bells in my head ring louder.
"Should we call Pearl and the other Tombers?" Enzo murmurs.
"No need. We can handle it."
The cafe empties out pretty quickly and Isobel, foolishly, doesn't seem to care that she's outnumbered and potential hostages are being evacuated, ignoring the rest of us buzzing about since we are giving her and Alaric space. It's only the pain and distress from Alaric that has me finally sauntering over.
Isobel, who had been growing annoyed with Alaric turns to me, and the resemblance to Elena that even I could see has me slightly off put. The two are very clearly related, but Elena has never had such a gleefully, malicious look on her face. "Go to the kitchen and stab yourself."
"Isobel!" Alaric snarls, popping up and gripping my arm to hold me still as the compulsion settles over me.
"I will make you do as I ask," Isobek says smugly.
Stefan pulls me from Alaric's grasp, cupping my face between his palms to make eye contact with me, his vampire magic flaring as he gets ready to counter Isobel's compulsion with his own. I wiggle my eyebrows goofily at him, showing him I'm fine. Stefan choked laugh of disbelief as I pat his cheek before brushing him off with a grin to the surprise of all but Damon as I casually dispel the compulsion with the magic under my skin.
Isobel scowls, "Is everyone in this town on vervain?"
"Not everyone, no," I reply, tone as calm as ever. "But I'm afraid you won't find Mystic Falls to be a cake walk, either."
Isabel lunges at me, but Stefan shields me while Damon, pissed from the attempted compulsion, slams her into the ground by her throat. "Nuh uh. I don't think so."
"Damon," Alaric growls, voice filled with warning.
"Are you seriously still protecting her after everything she just said?" Damon snaps back, and I curse myself for not enchanting my ears and eavesdropping on the no doubt juicy conversation between Alaric and his undead wife.
"She is- was my wife," Alaric retorts tightly.
I pull the human back with me as the three vampires close ranks, Isobel finally growing cautious of her circumstances even as Damon releases her throat. "I just want to see my daughter, Alaric. I need you to arrange a meeting."
"The only reason you've shown your face to me after all these years-" Alaric starts bitterly. "-is to ask me to play messenger for you?"
I squeeze the teacher's arm in silent comfort, disgusted by the cruelty of Isobel to a man she not only married, but that looked for her endlessly for years after she disappeared without a word, apparently of her own volition.
Frustrated, I run a hand through my hair, hating the conclusion I've come to. "Stef, go get Elena."
"You can't be serious!" Damon exclaims loudly.
"I hate to say it, but it's not our decision to make whether or not Elena meets her bio mother. It's Elena's. At least here, we can make sure she's safe," I point out, resentful of my own logic
With reluctance, Stefan goes to get the girl, leaving my cafe in awkward silence.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Why did you want to meet me? It can't be just to catch up," Elena inquires, sitting across from her mother, eyeing the woman like she could bite her at any moment, and to be fair, that is a real possibility. Still, I feel a hint of admiration for the girl's show of courage.
"Because I'm curious about you," Isobel drawls almost playfully. "But the real reason is that I want what your uncle wants; Jonathan Gilbert's invention."
I groan in exasperation, heading to the kitchen with a roll of my eyes. Things had officially gotten annoyingly convoluted, and I am seriously considering just murdering my problems to make them go away. I pour myself a tall shot of espresso, hoping the caffeine will make my persistent headache go away and stop me from looking for some hard liquor.
"Angel?" Enzo asks softly, following at my side, clearly leaving Isabel to the Salvatore brothers to handle. "You don't look so good."
I give my friend a strained smile. "Things have been getting pretty hectic recently. I don't really like all of the threats I haven't Seen coming recently."
"Because your powers are all messed up right now, right?" Enzo deduces, wrapping an arm around me and I lean into my friend's hold for a minute. "I mean, we can't just give them the device. We don't even really know what it does, but still, it's not like we need it."
"That's kind of the problem, though," I observe. "We have no idea what that thing can do and putting an unknown, potential weapon into the hands of people who are very clearly not our friends… It's not something I want to do."
We stand together for a few moments, just resting, before some words are carried our way from the confrontation across the cafe. "I want the invention. And if you don't give it to me, the citizens of this town will pay for it," Isonel says, her voice carrying to me and something in the snaps.
XXXXXENZOXXXXX
Angel is a kind person. In fact, she is definitely the kindest person I've ever met.
I have vague memories from long ago, ones of a woman with gentle eyes and soft hands that smelled of lavender, of the woman who turned me and the feeling of the sincere kindness she held. It had been something I had never experienced before or since.
Except, of course, my guardian angel.
Even Maggie, my first love, as much as I adored her, was not truly kind. No Augustine researcher could have been. She had been beautiful, fierce, and clever, but kindness was not something I associated with her even after I fell in love. Never once had Maggie taken off her vervain bracelet and rarely if ever had she gotten within arms reach of my cage. She never really trusted me even though she was my whole world and claimed I was hers. In the years since I compelled her to forget my love for her, I often thought back on her.
Is it really love without trust? Had her love been real or had she just wanted to become a being of power, a vampire?
I never found the answers to those unspoken questions, not even all these years later.
Nyx is different. She is another beautiful, passionate woman full of life, but her soul is so, so gentle that I swear sometimes my heart aches just from the sight of her. Honestly, Nyx is a fucking weirdo for sure, but her vividness is similar, if in subtler way, to Maggie. But even though I never loved Maggie less for her flaws, she would never have reached out her hand to someone she didn't know like Nyx. Maggie could never have offered compassion and understanding without reserve. That required a strength that neither Maggie nor I am capable of.
In all my years, only Nyx and my sire, Lilly, had kindness as deep and endless as the ocean.
However, between one moment and the next, that kindness, that sensation of all encompassing warmth and safety, is gone in between one moment and the next, nowhere to be found.
Like a switch flipped, Nyx straightens from where she'd been slumped against me, face stone cold and eyes shifting from dark chocolate to blazing moonbeam.
Isobel starts screaming before Nyx even makes it out of the kitchen, crumpling to the floor.
"The hell-" Alaric hisses, jumping up.
"Nyx," I call hesitantly, hurrying after her, my hands clasping her biceps from behind to hold her in place, but I don't know if I should stop her or help her.
Elena, wide eyed, stares at her writhing mother on the floor before turning to Nyx, making the connection. "Stop it!"
"Come on, Nyx-" Stefan starts only for Damon to step between his brother and Angel.
"No, no, let her. This is as good a solution as any as far as I'm concerned," my brother in all but blood drawls, grabbing Elena as she tries to step towards the magic user.
"STOP, PLEASE!" Isobel shrieks, back arching, but Nyx merely tilts her head impassively. It's the look of a beast playing with its prey.
It has my fangs skidding out of my gums defensively, the hair on my skin standing up as I break out in goose flesh. Somehow, such a look on Angel felt so wrong yet not at the same time.
"Nyx!" Elena cries out again. Alaric, too, moves to approach Nyx only to be bodily blocked by Damon as well.
"Nyx," Stefan also tries again, but his priorities seem to have straightened out, his voice now softer and far more concerned as he takes in the cafe owner's distant expression and blazing eyes, the scent of her blood getting stronger in the air.
Nyx eyes him for a moment, but sighs. Isobel slumps, panting raggedly in a heap on the floor, the spell ending. Elena goes to move towards Isobel only to be stopped by a conflicted Stefan. Damon, however, just grins, nudging Isobel onto her back with his foot, ignoring the curses from Alaric.
Nyx drops elegantly into a nearby beanbag, somehow looking like she is seated atop a golden throne as she stares down at the wrecked and shaking enemy. "You dare threaten my town?"
Isobel looks up, face pale and filled with horror. "W-who are you?"
"I'm the one that protects Mystic Falls," Nyx drawls. "And the one you need to convince to leave here alive… or I guess, just not extra dead."
"You can't just-" Elena starts.
"Be silent, girl," Nyx murmurs, flicking lethal steel eyes towards the human, making Elena shut up so quickly her teeth click. Clearly, the girl is smart enough to tell that Nyx isn't entirely in control of her temper at the moment and that it would be very dangerous to push her right now.
My angel returns her eyes back to Isobel, whose attempt to crawl away is subverted by another kick from Damon, and I struggle to hide a grin until I notice the blood trickling from Nyx's nose.
"What is the device and why do you want it?" Nyx probes.
"I-" Isobel cuts off with another scream.
"Nyx!" Alaric beseeches.
"She was going to lie," Nyx responds evenly, ignoring the napkins I tuck into her hand, either not caring or noticing her own bleeding.
"Fuck! Okay! It's a weapon! Katherine wants it!" Isobel rasps.
"Lovely," Nyx declares flatly. "Next question. Why should I not just kill you here and save myself the trouble?"
"B-because if you do, Katherine will-"
"Katherine will what? Avenge you?" Damon purrs, strutting to stand behind Nyx wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind, and her eyes seem to lose just a hint of their fierceness at the affection. The sight sends a spike of jealousy through me. "Yeah, somehow I doubt that. Katherine won't stick her neck out for anyone."
"Why does Katherine want the weapon?" Stefan asks, still holding a struggling Elena against his chest.
"She wants the tomb vampires dead, okay? She's afraid someone she pissed off will find out she's alive and that she didn't die in the tomb," Isobel caves. "John just wants the vampires out of Mystic Falls and I'm helping Katherine as a friend."
Nyx suddenly starts to laugh, deep and heartfelt from the depths of her stomach and I flinch at the slight gurgle in her lungs. "Oh, this is hilarious."
I furrow my brow in confusion before it suddenly clicks for me. There are very few that a vampire like Katherine Pierce would find so terrifying. "Wait, no way. You mean the ones she pissed off…."
Nyx nods, eyes glittering even as they turn brown again, much to my relief. "Yeah, she's running from Klaus and the others. To bad he already knows she's still alive."
"Who's Klaus?" Elena asks, but Nyx waves her off dismissively.
"So, here's how this will go," Nyx announces, turning to a still terrified Isobel. " You're going to leave today with your life. If you even think about hurting a single innocent person in this town, I'm going to rip you asunder, no matter where you are. And trust me, I'll know before the thought has even fully formed in that empty head of yours. As for the device, you and John aren't getting it. This town remains under my protection and since no one has died here since I staked my claim over it, I doubt John really has any basis for a complaint about its safety. Besides,I'm pretty sure part of the reason you and John are here is that you think you're protecting Elena. But what you don't seem to understand is that Katherine doesn't want that."
"No! Katerine... She promised-" Isobel, for the first time, shows an expression beyond fear, anger, or indifference.
"Katherine lies. You might be her friend, although I doubt you're worth even that much to her, but she will never, ever, put anyone before herself. She's been running from the Originals for centuries and she needs Elena to be the sacrificial lamb to secure her safety and freedom. But me?" Nyx examines the woman cowering on the floor like a particularly interesting bug. "All the innocents in this town are under my protection. She will be safe."
Isobel hesitates, face conflicted, but one look at the cold gaze of the unknown being with the aura of a calamity has her reevaluating. "I understand."
"Get out of my sight."
Isobel throws one final look at Elena and disappears, leaving the cafe in silence.
XXXXXNYXXXXXX
"What are the Originals?!" Elena explodes, and I pinch the bridge of my nose, temper too close to the surface, only to find wetness across the skin. "And who is Klaus? And what do they want with me?!"
"Damon will explain," I state stiffly, wiping at the blood with the napkins in my hand, nodding in thanks to Enzo. I turn to head upstairs to recenter myself and see the others, wanting to get far away from here.
Logically I couldn't blame Elena. Her life was in danger and she had no idea why, but my unstable magic is roiling under my skin, leaving my veins feeling like they're filled with magma, my skin tingling and too tight. I need my potions and I don't have the patience to deal with her questions right now, the pain getting stronger with every passing moment.
"Hey! You can't just-" A hand grips my wrist and yanks me back around, revealing a fuming Elena, and I only barely manage to redirect my swinging hand to the table next to us, which promptly shatters under my hand, magic bursting from it.
I growl low in my throat, my grip on my magic slipping further, the sound of glasses breaking one after another loud in my ears. Elena screams and the satisfaction that brings me has me internally warring with myself. Insolent child! She dares to question me? When I hold her pathetic, useless life in my palms? When it is I who will ensure her continued wasting of oxygen-
My sight is blocked by Enzo, soft eyed and smirking as he carefully pulls me into a hug, his cheek pressing to mine briefly, ignoring the blood I smear on him.
I blink, staring at his collarbone, trying to shake the fog of anger from my mind, forced to inhale the scent clinging to him, the cafe's baking mixed with his cologne, something like bergamot and the woods. Gentle hands soothe over my head and back, my arms still limp at my side.
It is when a second person wraps their arms around us and ushers us away that my rationality returns, Damon's frosty blue eyes are positively delighted by my recent melt down, the bastard. A few moments pass and
I soon find myself caged in on either side, potions and a warm cup of tea in my hands as I stare into the dark liquid until I realize the two balls of light reflected in it are my own eyes. "…Oh."
I set the cup down, covering my eyes with the heels of my palms, only then remembering the blood smeared on them. Damon and Enxo lean against my sides, and I wonder vaguely when I'd been cocooned in blankets. My head throbs, and I let out a sigh when two little bodies crawl into my lap.
"Thea, Nico…" I mumble, ignoring the sharp knees and elbows as they crawl into place, burying their faces in my chest and neck.
"Your eyes are still glowing, Nyx," Remy's calm voice informs me, handing me more wet napkins. "This isn't as bad as last time, but…"
"I think it's time to kill Sheila Bennett," Damon declares cheerfully and I only barely comprehend his words fast enough to stop him from rising right then, making me instantly regret telling my friends of the entire situation in the first place.
"Damon, no."
"Damon, yes."
"I don't understand. I thought Sheila Bennet was your mentor, the one who taught you magic. Why…" Jenna trails off, her hand enfolded in a silent and brooding Alaric's. Enzo looks like he is only a moment away from joining Damon and hunting down the witch.
"Because Nyx is not a witch, right?" It's actually Jeremy that answers, hands folded over the discarded stake gun in front of him, a hard look on his too young face.
I purse my lips grimly, nodding. "Yup. Witches are pretty bigoted. They think themselves the only ones that truly understand the natural order, the only ones chosen by Magic or Nature. I'm too strong, much stronger than a witch, and my power doesn't work the same. Therefore-"
"-You're against Nature." Damon finishes.
"An abomination," I drone, almost boredom. "And it looks like sealing my magic for this long is finally manifesting side effects."
"So, let me get this straight. We have a council looking out for vampires in town, Isobel and John potentially waiting to attack, Katherine trying to what? Trade her life for Elena's? The Originals, and a sealed Nyx," Damon snarks, taking the napkins from me to get a spot of blood I missed on my face.
"Eh. Isobel and John are small fry. The Council is inconvenient, but I can probably still deal with them, either by force, or by pointing out that no one's been dying recently as proof that I have things under control. The Originals are handled as long as no one decides to be stupid and pick a fight with creatures far older and stronger than them-" I shoot my friends appointed look here. "-and I've already ensured Elena's safety from them."
"And your magic?" Jenna reminds.
"It's almost time to free it," I remark, visions flickering in rapid succession across my sight. "I'm just waiting for the lunar eclipse, which is less than two weeks after Founder's Day."
"A ritual during a lunar eclipse? That's cliche," Enso smirks.
I snort, shrugging. "We just need to hold out."
"But will we even be able to?" Alaric asks quietly, speaking up for the first time in a while.
Ain't that the question?
XXXXXXXXXX
"Your total is $26.33, Sheriff," I conclude with a grin, smiling at the older woman.
The sheriff beams as she takes her order and pays, the hustle and bustle of the stalls around us, creating a lively and cheerful atmosphere. Founder's Day was in full swing, and like many of the other businesses in Mystic Falls, I had set up a stall, several of the tomb vampires that had stuck around helping me run it for the day, trading shifts so that we could all enjoy the festival.
"I see you've hired a lot of new workers recently. Can I take that to mean that business has been good and you are expanding?"
I smile ruefully. "Yeah, for the most part."
In fact, business has been so good that even though I was employing so many vampires, I'd soon be able to afford the deposit on the house I've been eyeing for me and the kids. Despite all the craziness and chaos that's been going on recently, this life has never been better for me.
"I'm so happy and proud of you, honey," Liz says, and it's so heartfelt and genuine that I take a moment to step out from behind the stall and sweep her into a hug.
Liz, after so many years of hiring me as a babysitter for Caroline, had come to suspect how my so-called parents treated me. The woman had confronted me about it, only to face my stubborn denial. We both knew I was lying, but we also knew that there was no point in reporting domestic violence if the victim refuses to testify, something I could risk if I wanted to stay with my siblings. So instead, Liz made sure to hire me as often as possible, telling me to bring Thea and Nico along when I babysat Caroline, who by that time, was definitely old enough to not need a sitter. She also recommended me to all of Mystic Falls elite, most of which were founding families, as a babysitter, housekeeper, gardener, or whatever else they needed. All the various jobs I did allowed me to save up money for the café and keep my kids and myself safe and out of the house as much as possible.
Honestly, the woman was the closest thing I had in this life to a maternal figure, outside of Sheila. According to John, the council knew about my magic, which means Liz does as well, but she's never said anything to me about it. It seems that she, too, might see me as a threat to eliminate due to my nature as a powerful, unknown creature. I tighten my grip on Liz briefly, wondering how, if she knew about Sheila sealing me, she could still look me in the eye.
The thought makes me nauseous so I step back, the question on the tip of my tongue, but I chicken out at the last moment at the sight of her gentle smile. Instead, I blurt, "How's Ro?"
"Oh, she is wonderful! She's so excited about being on the float as Miss Mystic Falls. It's been her dream since she was a little girl, as you might remember. Although, she has been a bit off recently," Liz admits, her smile fading.
Internally, I wince. "I'm sure it's just nerves. You know how she gets about things like this. Her perfectionist nature is probably making her stress out about it."
"I'm sure you're right. Today's the last day of Founder's Day events anyway!" Liz agrees, calming a little.
"Thank gods for that." I snark, doing my best to keep my smile loose. "The parade is starting soon. You should go."
"I'll see you there?" Liz asks.
"Of course!" I chime, just as Nico and Thea blow in, having been off with Jenna and Alaric to play a few games. "I promised these little gremlins here."
Liz chuckles and heads out as Jenna and Alaric settle in at my sides. I slump briefly into Jenna. "I don't know if she knows about Sheila sealing my magic."
"I'm sorry, Nyx," Jenna murmurs, resting her head on mine and we spend a moment just standing together. But soon the insistent tugs on my skirt has the melancholy fading.
I smirk, scooping Nico up to sit on my hip, kissing his head, his light brown waves tickling my nose. "Mama!"
I flinch, checking the auras around me for our mother, but finding nothing besides Nico looking at me.
Huh. That's new. Both kids usually called me Baji, a Hindi word for sister. Of course, I was essentially their mother, but I never planned to take the title.
"Yes! Baji is Mama!" Thea squeals from my feet.
"…Thea," I start hesitantly, sharing a lost look with Jenna before I crouch down to my little sister's height. "Baji is sister, not Mama."
Thea frowns, curls bouncing as she shakes her head. "But you're our Mama. I learned about Mamas yesterday! Everyone has a Mama! So, Baji is Mama!"
I stare, completely unprepared for this conversation. Yesterday, I let them watch TV with Pearl while I was baking. Just what the hell had they watched?
Jenna gently nudges me. "What's better for them? In the long run?"
I glance back to hazel eyes, both kids staring into my soul. In the end, Jenna had cut to the crux of the matter. Would it be better, healthier, for the kids to just take me as their mother in title as well? It's not like I cared about usurping our real egg donor.
"Thea, Nico," I call seriously, looking them both in the eye. "I'm your sister. But, if you want, Mama is okay."
Thea tilts her head. "Mama?"
I swallow roughly. "Yeah?"
"Mama, mama, mama-" Nico bellows in my ears and I let out a watery chuckle as the two begin to chant like they're starting a cult, wishing desperately that I could remember more of my past lives, feeling like there is lost wisdom there that can help me just out of reach.
Another reason to curse Sheila, I suppose.
Eventually we manage to wrangle the kids into heading towards the parade. Alaric sets Thea on his shoulders while Nico rests on mine to see above the crowd.
"You did good."
"You think so?" I murmur to the teacher. "I don't know how I feel about it. I can't tell if it was the right way to handle it. What if it confuses them more?"
"Nyx, we all know you're basically their mother. If anything, it will give them some security. Perhaps it's even less confusing like this," Jenna encourages.
I bite my lip hesitantly.
"Does it make you uncomfortable?" Alaraic asks as the floats begin coming through, a hoard of cheerleaders distracting the kids. "You don't have to let them call you that. That's not a wrong depiction either."
"Nah, it doesn't bother me," I answer honestly.
"And you plan to raise them?"
"Of course," I respond a little sharply, eyes narrowing at the thought of anyone taking my brats.
"Then, you did good, Nyx," Alaric says softly, adjusting a wiggling Thea who, like Nico, is paying absolutely no attention to us with the parade ongoing. "All you can do is your best, even if it turns out to not work. You'll make mistakes raising them, but I don't think this is one of them."
"Oh, here comes the Miss Mystic Falls float!" Jenna squeals.
We cheer and waive at the float. Elena is also on the float as runner up with Stefan accompanying her, while Matt is there as Ro's partner. Caroline's aura stutters when she seems to catch sight of us, but to my relief, she doesn't seem scared, just confused and conflicted.
As far as I'm concerned, that's the best I can hope for.
The rest of Founder's Day goes off without a hitch.
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AN; Thoughts? Ships? Questions?