Elijah's Miracles

The Devil's Due

I had a little piece of my family back, it was one of the best feelings in the world knowing that we were all together again for the first time in ten years.

Jackson and I met up on a balcony at the compound Quarter to discuss our plans for the Unification Ceremony. Jackson has his journal of werewolf traditions that he learned from Ansel while he was alive. I lean against the railing feeling warmth and breeze against my skin, I'd left Adam and Savannah to have some bonding time alone while Jackson and I talked.

"Thanks for meeting me here." 

Jackson smiles awkwardly.  "Heh, I ask you to marry me, you take off for three days! Good thing I'm a secure guy... sort of."

"Well I mean if anything, it was me who asked you." I turn giving him a playful smirk. But then the reality of what we were talking about doing.

I smile awkwardly.  "So, you ready to do this thing? Get hitched? Take the plunge? Slap on the old ball-and-chain?" 

Jackson laughs.  "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's not that simple. It's a mystical Unification Ceremony. It's not like we can just go to Vegas!" 

I mockingly complain.  "Aww but I've always wanted to get married in Vegas. You, sir, are no fun."  I move to sit in a chair on the balcony, and Jackson sits down in the chair opposite me.

"Look... as long as the werewolves need those rings, they'll be under the witches' control."  He holds up his journal.  "Now, if we wanna change that, we gotta do this by the book. Literally." He opens the journal to list off what we need to do in order to perform the ceremony.

"Oh goodie, a list." He rolls his eyes and I stick my tongue out at him.

 "We have to find a shaman who can perform the ceremony, trials to endure, devotion rituals..." 

He slows as my face reflects a slightly overwhelmed feeling.  "Devotion rituals? "

Jackson laughs nervously.  "Try not to sound too excited." 

"I'm sorry. This just all sounds very, um..." 

"...Intimate?"  I chuckle rubbing my arm nervously. He reaches over and grabs my hand in a reassuring manner smiling, something that makes my heart melt.  "Yeah... that's a marriage. Look, I know we're kinda diving into this thing, but... I think it's cool." He lays down the book and takes my other hand in his.  "I'm looking forward to the "getting to know you" part. Because I want to know you."   A sudden knock on the doorframe lets me turn to see  Hayley leaning there looking at the two of us.

"They're here!"

Jackson looks confused.  "Who?" 

Hayley raises her eyebrows and leads him downstairs.  "Come see! This was a combined idea of ours."  They head to the courtyard, where a large group of werewolves are congregating, including Aiden.

"What's Jared doing here?"

"Hayley and Aiden rounded up the most influential wolves so they can talk."

 "...About what? "

I point to the front door.  "About them."  A group of vampires, including Gia and Josh, file into the courtyard, led by Marcel. Marcel looks up at Hayley and nods to her in greeting. Jackson looks tense as he watches the two groups approach each other. Marcel stops in front of Jared and holds his arm out to stay his vampires.