chapter 24 Oh, that's how

I stood silently after my rant nervously twirling hair with my fingers. I couldn't even look at their eyes.

I just wanted to crawl into some cave and stay there.

And the funny thing was that I didn't even know if it was nervousness or embarrassment for spilling my feelings and thoughts in front of them.

It would be quite pathetically awkward if they didn't respond to my wish to be together.

Scratch that, that would be beyond horrible.

At the only at the thought of their rejection, I could feel my panic rising.

My heart started to pound like crazy and my breath started to shorten.

Oh god no,

Not now. Not now. Not now.

Calm down.

Calm down.

Calm down.

I grabbed my head in both my hands, letting fingers to be deeply buried in the layers of my ashen blonde hair while clenching my eyes shut in order to try to calm my emotions.

I am Nicolette Green

Took a deep breath

I am alright

Hold it for a couple of seconds

I am safe

Exhale slowly

Everything is fine

But that still didn't help me to even my breath and calm the heart when dizziness started to cloud my mind.

I could just hear the frantic heartbeats of my heart.

After a few moments of thinking that I am going to pass out, I felt a pair of arms wrapping around my waist and leading me towards the sofa.

Or I think it was sofa when the said vampire carefully seated me and I could fell the soft leather underneath.

The two pairs of hands were stroking my back, arms, legs in soft calming moves and I could just feel my body tingling from affection.

They were whispering sweet nothings to me even if I couldn't understand clearly what they really were saying.

But it was working. My body started to respond to their words and touches and step by step I was calming down

The third pair of hands carefully freed the hair from my fingers and intervened our fingers together.

I finally opened my eyes and was met with warm, dark chocolate colour eyes of the Elijah. The dark haired vampire was kneeling in front of me, observing me with a concerned look on his ageless face.

"It's alright, elskan. It's alright, my beautiful." he coaxed me and I couldn't help but obey his command until my breathing evened and heart was beating at its usual rate.

"There you go, love. It's all well." Nik intervened and I couldn't but smile at him. Who knew that all three of them could be this good at calming people.

"You surprised us, darling," The younger Mikealson added and I just lowered my head at his shoulder.

That left me with the unanswered question. As if Elijah could read my mind he squeezed my hand and I lifted my eyes to meet his.

He reassuringly smiled.

The hope fluttered in my stomach.

"We didn't expect your wish to pursue this relationship, " he spoke and I looked at both Kol and Nik to confirm Elijah's words and they both firmly nodded. I frowned at his words in confusion.

"Honestly, we expected you to hightail as fast as you can from us back to your home," the hybrid chuckled and I gave him dirty look. After my glare, he raised his hand's palms up in surrender. "You can't blame us. Not many would have stayed."

I sighed. It was true.

Not many would have.

"As I said before, I don't care what you are or what you have done until you give me a reason." I honestly answered them and tried to convey my sincerity locking my eyes with each of them for a couple of moments. "I will accept you as who you are if you accept me as who I am," I finished lowering my eyes once again and nibbling my lower lip.

What happened next was in one word unexpected: Kol laughed. Not chuckled but laughed with his head thrown back. I gawked at him in confusion. Both Elijah and Nik were snickering too.

I scowled.

Do they think its funny?

"You surely didn't think that we would even think about declining your offer, love? " The blonde haired hybrid inquired me and I exhaled the air I didn't realize I was holding.

They still want me.

That's good.

That's very good.

I felt my lips curling into a wide smile.

Line break.

I couldn't believe it what the blond haired vampire was saying to me.

We all were somehow cuddling on the couch for some time just talking about themselves.

"You must be lying. It cant be." I sat up and turned so I was sitting on his lap face to face with my legs on both Kol and Elijah laps. The hybrid just winked and flashed his dimpled smile at me.

Charmer

"No way, you just tripping me." I scoffed disbelievingly and turned to Elijah and Kol with the hope that they will deny this piece of information but Elijah just shrugged his shoulders and the youngest one just simply smirked at me.

"Unfortunately, It's true, I was the one who walked in," the suit-wearing vampire answered my silent question and grimaced at the not entirely pleasant memory. "No thanks for the view, brother."

Nik just mockingly dipped his head at Elijah and wrapped his arms tighter around my hips. My body slightly shivered at his touch.

In a good way, of course.

But besides that, I still couldn't believe that Nik slept with Mary, Queen of Scotts.

The Mary bloody Stuart.

"Wow. That's incredible, simply incredible." I just burst into laughing fit simply amazed by the fact. "And how was she? Is she was any good?" Kol stared at me disbelievingly. I lifted my eyebrow in question.

"Well not every girl would react like you at the mention of past lovers," he explained and I snorted.

"Are kidding me? It is once a lifetime chance to ask him that," I explained and leaned to kiss the corner of his mouth.

"And besides that, I believe you have your own share of lovers throughout the ages that I couldn't wait to hear about." I finished with a wink and he grinned at me mischievously.

"You are so precious, our darling mate, too precious." he purred lifting my right hand and kissing the tender side of my wrist while still looking at my eyes.

My breath hitched.

Goodness gracious, they are going to be the death for me.

But the one question was still swirling in my minds.

"Tell me about mate bond," I whispered and they instantly stiffened. I sat up straighter now in Elijah's lap and turned my undivided attention to them.

"What do you want to know?" Nik asked and I shrugged my shoulders. He sighed.

"There isn't a lot of information about that, it's extremely rare but no less true." he started patiently and slowly if looking for the right words "Only supernatural creatures like werewolves and vampires can be mated and the whole bond can be viewed as both blessing and curse. " He continued and I felt my eyes widen at the revelation.

Curse?

"Curse?" I breathed my thoughts out loud and Elijah realizing what Klaus said and how that sounded instantly caressed my cheek if to reassure me that in this case it wasn't curse.

At least I hope it isn't

"What my dear brother is want to say," Elijah glared at his brother and wrapped an arm around my waist "The mate is the person who is compatible with us, the one who truly understands and complete us. And vampire can live without mate if he never finds it and be quite happy. It's not unusual." he stopped and looked at me to look if I was catching on what he was saying, I nodded to him to continue.

"But when we found and then bond with our mates, life without them is worse than hell. Or that's how others told us " I could feel my face blanching.

Oh, sweet freaking Margareta.

I was the chink in their armour. And because of me, they were more vulnerable.

Oh god.

"You said bonded? " I inquired to distract myself for the fact that I was weakness and saw how all of them grinned at me devilishly.

They really looked like brothers now.

With a matching look in their eyes and naughty grins on their lips.

I instantly knew the answer to my question.

Thanks again that I wasn't blushy type.

"Well darling…," Kol drawled huskily while leaning to nuzzle my neck. Elijah followed his younger brother example and buried his head on the other side of my neck. While softly nipping at the skin.

I bite back a moan. I felt so pleasurable.

Nik silently growled at being left out and to help his situation he started to caress my legs and thighs.

Bless me, that I was with a dress today so I could feel every single one of the hybrids touch.

And my skin was just tingling from them.

I couldn't help but moan out loud.

"You already know the answer, love" Nik purred seductively while still not stopping his ministrations.

Oh goodness, help me.