The warmth of the bond between Niklaus and I felt comforting and surprisingly familiar when I woke up in his arms that morning. Tears were dried on my eyelashes and under my eyes but thankfully my face was clean of makeup which meant I wouldn't have a terrible mess to smudge off of my features. I could remember changing out of my extravagant dress and showering (as well as crying, I did a lot of that yesterday) but I couldn't exactly remember how I ended up falling asleep.

Last night, Niklaus and I decided we wouldn't sleep at opposite ends seeing as almost every time we did, we woke up right next to each other. Therefore, he and I slept side by side but I remember we spoke well into the night about our pasts. Not about the bad and the bloody but the good things like where we had traveled and who we met along the way. It seemed like we would never fall asleep, yet, I was waking up with my head on his chest and a yawn climbing up my throat and puffing my cheeks.

"Watch the dragon breath" Nik snickered as I yawned and rolled away from him.

Glaring playfully, I leaned over, purposely yawning in his face before running off towards the bathroom before he could fully react. He, of course, opened the door before I could lock it, pinning me against the wall with a lazy grin on his face. With sparkling blue eyes and scruffy blonde bed hair, the man looked absolutely stunning.

"Thank you" I muttered, looking up at him with appreciation, "for last night"

His soft pink lips quirked into the smallest of smiles as his grip slipped and suddenly, we were exchanging breaths. A mere millimeter kept his lips away from mine. I closed my eyes before I felt the collision and still lost my breath all the same. With every kiss, I swore Nik had a new flavor. Last night, he tasted sweet and exactly like what I needed during that time but in that moment, he tasted vibrant, alive, and completely mine.

My fingers found the soft curls at the nape of his neck like it was a second nature. I tugged, he growled, and my skin ignited like a raw flame introduced to an abundance of oxygen. My body arched towards his and his large hands engulfed my waist, urging for my legs to wrap around his. Our tongues met briefly before our lips went back to war and our oxygen levels met impressive lows. One breath separated us but we were fused back together without a first or second thought.

We were solely acting on instinct. It was our bond, we were bound to each other, we craved each other. Intimacy was like blinking: impulsive, natural, easy. God, things had changed too quickly. He and I barely spoke or thought of the bond but (ironically) his mother shows up and we're attracted to each other like moths to flames.

Before I could transform and set my mate aflame accidentally, I pulled away and laid my head on his chest. His grip around my waist tightened and we took the same big, deep breath. I closed my eyes and just listened. First, I heard his breath, missing something—a heartbeat—and then I heard my own, quick little heartbeat dancing in my chest. Then, I heard the house and those inhabiting it.

Esther wasn't in the mansion, I noticed, and that was unsettling to me. Nik seemed to notice because he pulled away and lifted my chin to look into my eyes. That was always his first move when something was off about me, look and calculate, then speak.

"What's wrong?" He murmured rubbing my chin with his thumb, an attempt to calm me down.

I shook my head and took his hand away from my chin and into mine, "Esther isn't here"

"I know" he said kissing my hand, "But I have eyes on her"

"Eyes?" I questioned, looking at him curiously.

He broke into a prideful smile that made his eyes come alive, "Allies of mine that owe me a favor or two"

I raised an eyebrow, but I wasn't surprised. It was like Klaus to have a steady list of people he had either spared the lives of or blackmailed that would do nearly anything for him not to kill them. It was brutal, but it was Klaus, anyone was aware of that. They were hardly allies but if that was how he looked at it, I couldn't change that.

"Of course" I said, not pressing that subject but instead pushing another, "Do you think she's actually preparing for our ritual?"

"Not in the slightest" Niklaus said, as we pulled away and went towards the sinks, "I don't believe that after all this time, she would give me exactly what I want. She's witnessed everything that I've done from the other side and she has something planned for me"

He sounded completely paranoid, but I couldn't blame him, "You don't know what it is though, do you?"

"Not in the slightest" He said softly through a sigh as he turned off the sink and began pulling his shirt off.

By the time I finished brushing my teeth and washing the tear residue off of my face, he was just standing in his boxers with a mischievous grin on his face. First, I took in his physique, then I spoke.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

He cleared his throat, purposely flexing his biceps, "Well, I'm preparing to take a shower"

"I can see that" I said laughing a little as I took my hair out of the bun.

There was just a small air shift before I felt his cool breath on my neck and my heart skipped a beat, "Would you care to join me?"

In an instant, my skin was on fire, my breathing ragged, and my only stability became my iron grip on the marble countertop. My heart was no longer dancing but instead pounding angrily against my ribcage. Before I could respond, he kissed my neck gently and sent tiny blades of ice down my spine. His lips sucked, his tongue swirled and I said yes without even realizing it.

~*~*~

Elijah and Kol were the only ones in the mansion aside from Niklaus and I when we came into the living room area. Kol, of course, was smirking at us but Elijah was in another room, I could only sense his presence. He seemed conflicted though and I wanted to find out what it was about...after I finally got something to eat.

"Frisky in the morning are we?" Kol chortled before doubling over in laughter while I rolled my eyes at him and went towards the kitchen while I responded over my shoulder.

"No one told you to listen"

"No one told you to crescendo!" Kol exclaimed and even Klaus sniggered a bit causing me to huff playfully and hide my smile and laughter as I entered the kitchen to get breakfast.

Having quite the appetite, I began to prepare to make pancakes as Niklaus entered. At first, he just made himself a glass of blood and sat at the table, observing me as I fluttered around the kitchen, getting all of my ingredients. It was when I began buttering the pan that he appeared behind me, slipping his arms around my waist.

Hungry, Dear Angel?

He never outwardly spoke but I could feel his warm breath fanning against my skin, lighting me up with desire. I chuckled to myself as I stirred my mixture to perfection, attempting to ignore his attempts to get under my skin.

Dreadfully, I responded through our mental connection, wanting privacy from Kol and his snarky comments just as much as my mate.

I wonder why, Niklaus chuckled against the skin of my neck, kissing it briefly before nipping at it, daring me to gasp in pleasure and give away what we were doing.

I bit my lip instead and put the spoon aside before I began to pour my perfect pancakes, ignoring him. He, of course, took that as a challenge and drew me closer, making sure to press every hard aspect of his body against mine. I continued to ignore him but he continued to try to antagonize me. It was when I almost burnt a pancake when I finally responded.

Stop humping me like a horny animal Klaus, He chortled at that and bit me while growling softly.

But I am an animal love, but you can blame your smell on making me horny

I blushed at that, turning off the stove and going back to ignoring him as I dressed the flat breakfast foods in butter. I knew a thing or two about mating from common knowledge and what my Nana told me. One of the things was that one mate could indeed entice the other with their smell and I was completely aware I was doing so but it was because of Klaus and what was definitely not his phone in his pocket. Therefore, I was hardly to blame.

T-that's your fault too, even my mental voice was trembling, that was just shameful. He slipped his hands from my waist to my hips and began grinding against me causing me to bite down on my lip harder, trying to maintain bodily homeostasis.

Remember when I sent you over the edge with nothing but my bite, little love?

I gasped inwardly Niklaus don't you dare—

Before I could finish the thought, he covered my mouth and sunk in his fangs.

The pleasure was immediate; I hadn't even felt an ounce of pain due to the circumstances. The pleasure increased as he drank and I felt a haze come over me as I transformed, feeling my own fangs sinking into my lower lip and drawing blood. I wanted to moan but I fought it, not letting out a sound physically but mentally I was wrecked.

NikLAUS! I cried out grabbing his hair and pulling, causing him to growl lowly lowering his hands to the waistband of the leggings I wore. Just as the greatest pleasure came, we heard the door open and close causing us to break apart.

I whimpered pathetically at the loss of warmth and pleasure and Nik wiped his mouth before affectionately licking the blood away from my wound but it had already healed.

"There she is!" Kol announced as Nik and I composed ourselves before walking back to the living room area, my pancakes were completely forgotten by then.

I saw Rebekah with her dress from last night still on and her hair undone and rose my eyebrow.

"Who was the lucky—"Before I could even finish what I said, I smelt it on her and my expression dropped. She looked at me apologetically but I just ignored her, allowing her brother to pull me into his lap as he pulled out his sketch book.

"I guess it's karma then" I said humorlessly, ignoring Kol as he called her names.

Rebekah shrugged, "Of sorts...it was nothing personal"

I shrugged as well and Kol rolled his eyes, "Well at least she's having fun! I'm bored"

"Then leave" Rebekah snapped.

"I'll look pathetic if I go alone...Nik? We could get drinks" Kol glanced over at my mate who was beginning to draw a beautiful tree and Niklaus looked less than ecstatic about the idea.

"I've had plenty of fun" The blonde responded while grinning wolfishly as he buried his face in my neck causing me to chuckle.

Kol rolled his eyes once more, "Right, the mate...bring her along then, plenty of fun to go around...it's the least you could after sticking a dagger in my heart"

Honestly, I was wondering when one of his siblings would play at that angle.

Nik looked at me for approval and I just shrugged in agreement, it'd been a while since I'd gone to the Grill anyway, it could be fun to see Nik and Kol spending time together.

"Sure, I'll grab my jacket" I said before stealing a kiss from my mate then speeding off to the bedroom to throw on my brown knee high boots and my favorite black leather jacket.

Once I came back down, Nik and Kol were already headed outside and Rebekah and Elijah were speaking in the living room.

"Bye 'Bekah, bye 'Lijah!" I called, not really paying much attention to their conversation before leaving out the door.

The two Mikaelson brothers were arguing next to Klaus's shiny black car when I arrived. From what I listened to, it was about who was driving and who was sitting where.

"I'm driving you idiot, I haven't been daggered for years" Klaus snapped at his brother.

Kol rolled his eyes, "Its instinctual you tart, let me drive and you can mess around with your plaything in the back"

I growled autonomously at his rude remark in regards of me but Nik had already chastised him.

"Call her that again and I will rip out your liver. Her name is Evangeline and you will address her as such"

Kol just chuckled, smirking arrogantly, "Well this is a first, you must love her Niklaus...sure, drive, and Evangeline here can take shotgun, my treat"

Of course, he purposely used the word 'love' to make things awkward and annoyingly enough, it was. On the way to the Mystic Grill, Nik and I barely spoke nor looked at each other but Kol chatted away in the backseat, not forgetting to question us on our silence.

Getting out of the car was like being saved from suffocation. Love had never been something Nik or I thought about. We had struggled even deciding if we hated each other or not let alone actually loved one another. I had only loved a man once, and that was over two centuries ago. Sure, I loved Elijah but that was as a brother and nothing more.

Though we weren't on clear terms, Niklaus still grabbed my hand as we entered the bar and grill, of course claiming me as his, though I was sure I had his scent by then. My Nana had also informed me that once mates have sexual relations, they share a scent and well...yeah. Then again, the only ones who would know would be Niklaus and I and witches or wolves. Vampires didn't tend to depend on their sense of smell.

As we entered, I prayed not to see anyone I knew but I knew I wouldn't have such luck, if they weren't there now, at least one would be there later.

All eyes turned on us upon entering, the Mikaelson brothers ate it up but I just simply ignored it. I didn't care much for the attention, I just wanted a drink. Niklaus, of course, pulled me closer due to male attention and I did actually appreciate it. I liked knowing he cared as human was it was.

Matt Donovan was the only one I knew in the bar and of course he looked at me with the same disgust thrown at the Mikaelsons but he had to serve me so I didn't care.

Nik and Kol of course ordered whiskey and bourbon but I wanted something feminine so I politely asked for a martini.

"I'm gonna need ID" Matt urged rudely and I rolled my eyes at him.

Since he already hated me, I responded back just as rudely, "I wouldn't ask about ID when you're not even eighteen, which is the legal age for serving alcohol in the first place. Would you like to lose your job or would you just want to pour that glass of alcohol?"

I could feel the looks of satisfaction from the two men beside me but I ignored them as well, smiling contently as the high school student poured my beverage.

"I seem to be rubbing off on you love" Niklaus said with a look of content in his ice blue eyes.

"Now I see why mother claimed you as a member of the family" Kol chuckled sipping his drink, "Just missing the signature threat to rip out his throat but that was good enough, very cordial, this family needs that"

I shouldn't have found content in his words but I did honestly, and it caused me to laugh while Matt glared and moved on to another customer, maybe it wouldn't be so hard no longer being a Salvatore if I was accepted by the Mikaelsons.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Has 2016 been shitty for everyone or is it just me?

My senior year should be better than this.

Anyway, sorry this is a filler chapter but hey, everyone has to throw one out there every once in a while. There was a certain time that I wanted to give up on this story, I won't lie but I really fought that for you guys. The turnout wasn't the best but I jumpstarted myself by writing this so please don't give up on me just yet!

And yes, they did the nasty.

P.S. just as a warning, I need to edit a few already published chapters so they'll be popping up as updated but they aren't, just a few things that need to be fixed.