Kindred Spirits

30 - You seem like a perfect gentleman

"You look wonderful, Cassidy!"

"Thank you, Mrs Lockwood." Cassidy smiled and hugged the Mayor back.

"Cassidy." Kol finally spoke, his voice quiet as he continued to stare at her with so much love. He gently took her gloved hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." Cassidy responded with a small smile, her stomach doing back flips, as cliché as it sounded. Damon watched the two in confusion, his eyes falling to a part of Kol's mate tattoo that was barely visible from under his suit jacket... but Damon was able to spot Cassidy's name on the tattoo. His eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Excuse me. I need to speak with Cassidy." Damon told, smiling politely at Carol before sending a forced, tight-lipped smile to Kol and taking Cassidy's arm gently.

"Oh, um, alright." Cassidy then turned to Kol. "But I do really want to speak with you. Find me later?"

"Of course." Kol nodded with a small smile. Cassidy returned it before allowing Damon to lead her away.

"Another one? How many Mikaelsons are there that are wrapped around your finger?" Damon questioned. Cassidy frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I don't know. This, maybe." Damon pulled down Cassidy's glove, revealing her mate tattoo where Kol's name resided, along with her other mates. Cassidy rolled her eyes, pulling her glove back up.

"So what if I've found another one of my mates? You've always known that I've had eight. I'm half way there! And after the amount of times that you have stabbed me in the back to get to my mates, I no longer care for your opinion on my love life, jackass."

"Fine, whatever. I know I've hurt you, blah blah blah... but I just wish you were mated to a semi-normal supernatural for once. Maybe a friendly witch or a cute little werewolf, but not the vampires who have been alive for a thousand years." Damon whisper-shouted, his eyebrows scrunching together. Cassidy opened her mouth to retort, but she stopped herself when a hand rested on her shoulder. She turned around to see Elijah stood there, staring at Damon with hard, calculating eyes to intimidate the younger vampire, and he then turned to Cassidy.

"I am pleased to see you out of your room, darling. You look incredible. My family and I are all to gather on the stairs so we can make our official welcome announcement. So, if you please."

"Me?" Cassidy's eyes widened. "You want me up there, too?"

"Of course. You are family as well, now." Elijah informed. Cassidy could hear her heart thumping in her chest. It was official. Her mates considered her as family. It made her feel amazing... she was accepted. Elijah held out his hand to her and Cassidy smiled a small smile, slipping her hand into his and quickly glanced at Damon, who was busy glaring at Elijah.

"If you'll excuse me, Damon. We'll talk later." So, Cassidy allowed Elijah to lead her to the staircase. Cassidy stood in between Rebekah and Kol, her hands folded in front of her.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please." Elijah called the guests together, and everyone turned their attention to the staircase where the Mikaelsons all stood. Mates and all. "Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."