laissez les bon temps rouler//jackson kenner

1.6

I'm sitting with my brothers in the living room. Classical music is playing in the background. Elijah is reading our mother's grimoire, while Nik is reading a book of poetry. I'm flipping through the pages of a magazine. A dead girl lays on the coffee table, her neck bleeding from puncture wounds.

It isn't long before Bekah walks into the room. "So, this is what you do the first time we're back together as a family? Vampire book club?"

Klaus doesn't look up from his book. "Reading edifies the mind, sister. Isn't that right, Elijah?"

"Yes, that's quite right, Niklaus," Elijah agrees.

Bekah gestures to the body. "And what's this business?"

"This is a..." Elijah gestures as though he's searching for a word. "...peace offering."

Nik sighs. "I presumed, after so much time desiccating in a coffin, that my big brother might be a bit peckish."

Elijah is slightly annoyed by Nik. "And I explained to my little brother that forgiveness cannot be bought. I'd simply prefer to see a change in behavior that indicates contrition and personal growth." Klaus rolls his eyes as Elijah gestures to the girl. "Not this nonsense."

Klaus grins. "Well, I couldn't very well let her go to waste, could I?"

"And what are you Else? Just an innocent bystander?" Bekah questions.

I smile. "Well the pregnant sister is not going to clean up this mess so I guess."

"Well, I suppose I'll go fetch the rubbish bin, because she's staining a two hundred-year-old carpet," Bekah says. She goes to get what she needs to scrub the carpet.

I get up when I hear Jackson in the kitchen. I lean on the doorframe and smile at him as he rummages through the fridge. "Good morning."

Jackson pears out from behind the fridge door and smiles at me. "Mornin'."

Bekah drags a trash bin through the backdoor.

"Listen, I know I'm the only one in this house that actually drinks milk, but would it kill any of you to make sure it's on the grocery list?" Jackson says.

"Speaking of, add bleach," Bekah says. She stomps out of the kitchen and into the living room.

I start rummaging through the cabinets to find a bowl and some cereal. Jackson continues to rummage through the fridge and freezer looking for something to eat.

"One day I think my siblings will be hospitable to you," I tell Jackson.

I walk over towards Jackson and place the cereal, a bowl, and a spoon on the counter.

"So are we going to talk about all that has happened since you came to New Orleans?" Jackson questions.

I go in the fridge and collect what I need. "Oh you mean me being attacked by French Quarter vampires, forcing you to live in a house with a secret dungeon full of coffins, and both of us nearly getting murdered by witches who are convinced our baby is Lucifer?"

Jackson looks at me. "Yeah I guess that would be it." I pour cereal into a bowl for him and then fill it with milk. "Oh... milk."

I laugh a little. "So, back to the murderous witches. I have some concerns."

Jackson looks slightly worried. "They're evil. And, my life is still magically linked to Sophie Deveraux, which is not comforting."

"Yeah well Elijah wants to take care of that problem," I inform him.

Jackson's face falls.

Bekah re-enters the kitchen, dragging the body of the girl Klaus killed across the floor behind her. "I am all for it. As soon as they're unlinked, we get to leave this crap town. Who do we have to kill?"