Claudia Lockwood-Mikaelson

Chapter 20 - An Old Lover

It's been a few weeks now and I'm back at Stanford for the first semester. I stayed at home with Dad for a while since my fight with Nik as I needed time to think things through. He realised we had had a fight but didn't pressure me to open up. Surprisingly my dad was actually the one person who encouraged me to go back to New Orleans to talk to Nik, he didn't seem pleased we argued and tried persuading me not to spend too much time away from him. I have no idea why, I thought he hated him.

I didn't mention Mum or Aunt Carol but I'm pretty sure Dad is aware Nik told me. I mean, what else would have made me drop everything and leave New Orleans seeing as I was so adamant I wanted to be there.

I miss Nik. Even though I hate him right now. It upsets me that he didn't say anything when I told him I was leaving. He clearly doesn't care. If he did, he wouldn't have let me go back home. I had to go through a full moon without him and it was truly awful. I struggled immensely with the pain and completely lost control when I turned. I'm just thankful I didn't hurt anyone. I don't want to live with the pain of turning without him every month. Sometimes I think it would be an honest relief if I died to never experience that again.

I can't see how I'm ever going to make up with Nik and he doesn't want me around either since he didn't ask me to stay. I'm dreading seeing him the next time I visit Maeve. Maybe she can fly out to see me instead so I don't have to face him for a while.

I've been focusing on my studies a lot more and it's been really strange not having Maeve around with me at Stanford now she's graduated. I miss her so much. It's odd being back here and not meeting up with her in the day or seeing her in the evenings. I'm currently on my way to my first seminar of the morning and my phone rings and I immediately pick up, it's Maeve.

"Claudia you have to help me. I don't know what to do," she says to me tearfully.

"Are you okay Maevey? What's happened?" I ask her worriedly.

"Please don't be angry with me for not telling you sooner." She gulps and takes a deep breath and I brace myself for her next words. "It's about Jannah. She's not Jannah." She starts crying again and I wait for an explanation, confused.

"Elijah loved a witch called Celeste decades ago. They all thought she died but she's been possessing the bodies of witches to stay alive ever since. She's Jannah."

"What?" I freeze in shock. "Jannah is actually Celeste? Your husband's ex-lover?"

"Yes, we found out a few days ago. I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I didn't think you wanted to hear about anything like this since you're having a hard time at the moment," she explains. I don't know how she's knows I'm struggling since I haven't told her, but she's right. I've been finding it hard being away from New Orleans and Nik. Evidently she knows me very well because I didn't even have to say for her to work it out.

"I'm fine Maevey," I lie to her. "And don't apologise, you're telling me now. Is this why you're so upset?"

I'm not annoyed at her for keeping me out of the loop. I understand her reasoning but not why she is suddenly telling me now, out of the blue. My head is reeling from what she has admitted about Jannah. I would never have known if she hadn't told me. There was never anything suspicious about her behaviour, she was always so lovely to us both. I suppose it makes sense as to why Jannah hasn't responded to my texts recently, she must have realised Maeve would tell me sooner or later. I'll have to call her later and see how she's doing.

"Elijah's been spending more time with her than me recently. It doesn't help that they have to work together so I don't even have any excuse for feeling so jealous. I just hate it, I don't know what to do. He's been giving into everything she asks of him and they've been alone together a lot more than usual."