Nico's POV:
The sound of my cell door opening awoke me from my restless sleep.
It felt too early for Xander to be here, but my sense of time had definitely been skewed from being down here.
I peered my eyes open, being met with the stone walls of the cell.
"Well, It's nice to see that you actually put yourself on the bed this time," His voice spoke from behind me.
His tone was odd.
The quiet and consoling undertones weren't there anymore.
I pushed myself up a bit and turned, seeing as he approached me with his hands on his pockets.
His expression was different too.
Overall there was a contentedness, but still a slight excitement in his eyes.
I rose a brow at this before speaking.
"It got cold last night." Is all I responded, moving the wing that was on top of me off.
It was cold every night, but I guess this one was the night where my body decided to care.
Plus now that I was actually eating, it decited to care about a lot again.
After that little blood fiasco with Xander, my intention seemed to have changed.
My sorrow split into anger, and for that, I needed my strength.
I sat up, hanging my feet over to touch the floor and look at him properly.
Once I did, I noticed that the cell door was still open.
"Leave that open for a reason?" I asked monotonously, stretching my wings and arms up.
His smile widened for just barely a second.
"Yes, actually," He responded, lifting a separate key from his pocket, "I'm getting you out of here."
I don't think I gave him the reaction he wanted, judging by the prompt sagging of his shoulders.
I didn't give him a reaction at all, just blinked at him in silence for a few seconds.
"Why?" I asked.
This all just seemed out of the blue, and at the current moment, I really didn't trust anything despite who it was coming from.
Especially with that weird smile he had on his face.
He sighed and stood in front of me, grabbing one of my hands and using the new key to begin unlocking it.
"Look, you're not gonna be happy about this, but I need you to trust me, he began, building my suspicions even more now, "Dad needs to see you."
I immediately drew my hand back, pupils thinning and claws extending on instinct.
Even my wings rose.
Xander's eyes just rounded, a slight panic adding to his features.
"You have to be fucking kidding me," I snarled, the anger that's been growing beginning to show itself.
Why the hell would he walk in here smiling just to tell me that.
He looked to be struggling for words for a moment.
"Look, I cant tell you why, but I can assure you that this will go just fine." He settled with.
"And I can assure you that looking at the man that killed Khloe will not go over just fine," I spat.
Although the sudden itching in my claws and fangs showed me exactly what my anger wanted.
Payback.
His panic changed to annoyance within a split second, honestly catching me off guard.
"For the love of God, Nico do you know how much shit I've done in order to get to the situation I'm trying to take you to? I didn't set all of these things up and spend my days away from the girl I love trying to keep you alive and stable just for you to be a stubborn asshole about it, so shut up, put those fucking claws away, trust me for literally just 10 minutes and let me take you out of here."
I stared in shock for a couple seconds.
I don't think he's ever talked to me like that.
Still, the back of my mind was beyond wary.
I listened to him regardless, retracting my claws and offering my wrists.
"Thank you," He quipped, inserting the key into my shackles again.
I don't know what the hell Xander was trying to pull off here.
He must know how bad of an idea this was.
I had become well beyond satisfied never facing my father again.
I looked down as one fo the shackles snapped open with a clang that echoed through the cells, Xander promptly focusing on the other one.
The feeling of it off did cause an ease that I wasn't expecting.
Xander spoke again.
"Look, I can only begin to imagine what you must be feeling, or what you want to do once you see him, but just try to keep it contained for two minutes? After that do whatever you see fit."
What the hell was he gonna say to me that could possibly make this any better.
He couldnt offer me anything as a consultation to what he's done.
I decided to keep my words to myself this time, just letting him continue.
The other snapped off a few moments later, Xander grabbing my hand and pulling me up not even a second later.
And just as soon he began walking, practically dragging me behind him.
"So does this mean I'm done with this cell," I asked as we weaved our way to the elevator.
"I can only imagine so," He spoke the second half of his thought quieter than the first, "It'd be kind of weird if you got sent back down after this."
Okay...?
Whatever the hell that means.
Xander hit the button in the elevator as he walked in, not even looking to make sure that the one he pushed was right
I just stared ahead as the elevator moved, a wide range of emotions mixing within me.
"Sheesh, you look like shit," Xander commented, his hands suddenly trying to fix my hair.
I swatted his hands away.
"The hell are you doing?"
He didn't answer, just shrugged his shoulders.
"Suit yourself man, just trying to help."
I tisked, running my own hand through my hair once just to get it out of my face.
The elevator dinged and Xander wasted no time.
Grabbing my wrist again, he walked through the doors before they were even fully open again.
A sense of dread swept through my just being on this floor, causing me to struggle to keep my claws contained at all.
Xander didn't even give me time to process or prepare anything in front of the throne room before he quite literally kicked the door open.
He walked into that room like he owned the place, and the first thing I noticed was the complete lack of guards.
It was just us three.
I willed myself to look at my father, claws shooting through the tips of my fingers once I did.
He sat exactly where he was the last time I saw him.
My eyes flickered down to where I could only imagine her body got dropped.
The memories took no hesitation in running through my head causing to fo nearly fail in suppressing a growl.
Two Minutes. Xander asked for two minutes.
So instead I just fixed an unwavering glare at him.
He was leaning forward, elbows sitting on the armrests, and hands intertwined at his mouth.
My wings flicked impatiently, and just like last time, my feral instances were clawing within me, begging to be let loose.
I could only imagine it wouldn't be long until I'd let them.
There was a look in my father's eyes that I couldn't quite read.
Finally, he let out a long, almost shameful sigh, dropping his hands to the armrest.
"Nicolas," He began, just the sound of his voice causing my fury to skyrocket, "I know that no amount of reasoning or explaining can ever justify how I handled that. I know it doesn't mean much now, and I have a long way to go to receive your forgiveness but I want you to know that I am truly sorry."
"You're sorry?" I began, my voice unexpectantly wavering.
I stomped forward a few steps, the anger rising with every word I said, "You're fucking sorry? You took every chance I had at finally being happy, murder the only woman I've ever loved, threw me down into the cells with chains around my wrists like some kind of criminal, and now all you have to say is 'sorry'?"
I could steadily feel my wings extend, the itching in my fangs becoming unbearable.
The seconds were ticking down fast until I was going to lose the ability to stop myself from shooting into the air
And this time I was aiming for his throat.
I could feel the instincts I wasn't really trying to hold back anymore slowly take over my brain.
This time I wasn't stopping till one of us was dead.
It that's what it took to feel some kind of revenge, some kind of mentality that she didn't die in vain, so be it.
I could feel the pressure building in my legs, ready to make my plans a reality.
Every muscle in my body was wired, and I was just about to put everything this put me through into action until-
"Nico?"
Everything stopped.
My movements, my breathing, my plans.
Everything.
One simple, quiet, and so tender call of my name caused my whole world to stop.
It was a voice I had heard so many times in my dreams lately, that the thought that this was just one of them caused my chest to ache.
At least until my father turned his head to where the voice had come from.
I didn't let myself do the same right away, now completely fearful that I'd just turn and no one would be there.
Just like the countless times before.
By breaths returned to me with that same fear. I could physically hear them quaver.
I knew that either way I'd have to look, and I knew that there were only two possible outcomes.
That either Id wake back un in that cell, or by some kind of miracle, all of this was somehow real.
My eyes moved before my head did, slowly turning before two female figures came into view.
I recognized my mother immediately, seeing her tightly linking arms with another as support as they slowly walked towards me from the door on the side of this room.
My heart pumped heavily in my chest as the fear that this was just another dream tripled.
Red hair, captivating ice blue eyes, and freckles in every place I remembered them being, covered in a loose cream gown.
The only thing that didn't match the memories I had was the height.
My voice was suddenly gone, taking the moisture from my throat with it as I just watched in disbelief, waiting for the moment where this all disappeared.
She walked with small, concentrated steps, like every part of her ached.
Even still she carefully removed herself from the hold my mother had on her and walked on her own.
I finally met her eyes after looking her over, my chest tightening and tears welling in my eyes as they crinkled in an equally teary smile before repeating my name again and stepping ever so slightly faster.
The relief in her voice somehow clicked something in my brain that maybe this was real.
Yet I wasn't ready to make that assumption and be wrong, so my body stayed still.
It just seemed so impossible despite how much I wanted it to be true.
At least until that visual ache in her body caused her to stumble, and I released everything that I was preparing prior to catch her before she fell.
I ended up on my knees, her body in my arms as her knees ended up on either side of mine
The physical feeling, the unusual chill to her skin, and the way she promptly hooked her arms around my back pushed me over the edge.
"Khloe?" The nerves showed through my voice as I looked down at her.
How? How was this possible.
How was she here?!
I...I heard her...
My hand moved to cup her cheeks she looked up, smiling in such a way that made me forget everything that's happened before this moment.
"I missed you," She spoke, her tears mirroring my own in the way they ran down her face.
"I-" I started to respond but stopped the moment I noticed something.
Fangs. Two little fangs sat where her canines used to be.
No way.
I set my other hand to join the first to cup her cheek, gently placing my thumbs on the corners of her lips.
She let out a small laugh, smiling and opening her mouth just wide enough to see that I wasn't just seeing things.
I released a small elated breath that turned into a hiccup.
There's no way.
This was too good to be true.
Too good to be real.
I had to be dreaming.
But the fangs, the cold skin...
She had every symptom of a newly turned vampire.
I drew my hand back and placed it on her arm, moving it off my back and bringing it between us.
I needed to be sure that this was real
Then, using my thumb and first finger, I pressed them against the base of her first finger, and slowly dragged them up.
Sure enough, a little claw sharpened from her finger.
I just started in awe, taking all of this in.
"You..." I began, looking back into her eyes as I held her hand against my chest.
Again, she let out a little laugh, "I guess our plans worked out a little earlier than we thought, huh?"
She placed her hand on my cheek, wiping my tears.
With just that touch alone, I could feel myself steadily relax after what had felt like forever.
As well as a happiness that I was sure that I'd never feel again.
"Oh my God," I brought her back into a tight embrace, holding her like my entire world depended on it.
In turn, she clung to my shoulders, maneuvering around my wings that I had just noticed were starting to finally disappear.
We both just sat there, crying within each other's arms, and falling harder against each other as each minute passed.
She was a vampire...
Khloe was a vampire!
I felt her grip slowly loosen on me, but somehow I knew it wasn't of her own will
She had to have been absolutely exhausted, and with everything going on, I was too.
I looked up towards my mother, seeing how she too had tears in her eyes and a heartwarming smile.
"You turned her?" I said as both a statement and answer, seeing how my father was approaching beside her.
She nodded, "We did. It took some tribulations and a lot of miscommunication, but yes, we turned her."
"It could have and absolutely should have gone down much better, and I can only blame myself for that one. We had a feeling this was what was going on between you two but couldn't figure out a way to ask you without... without it coming off wrong. We can try to explain it if you'd like, but I'm sure there's nothing you'd rather do than be alone with her." My father finished.
He was absolutely right.
Still, I couldn't believe he did this.
Never would I have imagined that this would have happened from them.
I felt Khloe peer over my shoulder as I heard Xander approach.
I turned right as he slapped a hand right in the center of my back, an almost smug grin plastered on his face.
"Congrats man. That's one hell of a girl you've got there. She flew through the changing process with ease."
My brows pressed together at this.
"You knew?!" I asked, hearing Khloe snicker quietly.
He seemed to smile at her action.
"Obviously," He replied. "Who's blood did you think she was living on? You have no idea how badly I wanted to tell you, dude."
My mouth fell agape, only now remembering that she was going to have to live on purely blood for the next while.
And all of the dangers that came while changing a human to a vampire, as well as the fact that I couldn't have been anywhere near her during that time.
But she did it.
She did all of it.
So I swallowed the anger that sprouted from what I said to him and carefully stood, taking Khloe with me.
I continued to hold her to me, keeping one arm around her at all times.
I just noticed that she was at the height now that she was the night of the ball, something that I didn't mind one single bit.
With my free hand, I extended it, gesturing for Xander to get over here.
He did, wrapping one arm around me, and the other around Khloe.
"Thank you," I whispered, "I'll return the favor whenever you need me to."
He let out a single laugh, "I'm sure Doe will be happy to hear it."
Xander stepped back and I turned towards my mother with the same gesture.
She practically ran to me, holding us both with a tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry this was how it happened, but I hope this makes up for it just a little," There was a hint of guilt in her voice as she pulled back and looked toward Khloe, "You're absolutely magnificent. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to handle my son."
Khloe smiled with an incline of her head, "He's a handful, but I'll do my best."
I gave her a quick squeeze at the snarky remark, heart fluttering at the sound of her melodic giggle.
My mother stepped back and I looked towards my father.
He didn't move, just gave a small, almost proud smile, and a slight incline of his head.
I mirrored his action, both of us knowing that we were going to have one hell of talk eventually.
My mother spoke again.
"Your room's all clean, so both of you go and rest. You both need it."