Chapter 40: New Orleans Here We Come

Jade's POV: I answered Arianas questions by saying, "I'm not crying because if I cry then I have to face reality, the fact that I'm dating an immortal vampire who never ages, when I'm going to age eventually. I'm still in Boston because I'm in love with Charles and I could never just leave him, plus, I love all of you guys too, your entire family feels like my family, the one I never got! I survived all of this trauma because the dark magic makes the pain go away, I used a spell that would ease my pain and make it easier for me to live. I tried killing myself once in my own home, I'm not going to again. And for your last question Ariana, I do act fine and it's because I'm around vampires 24/7 pretty much, if I let myself be weak for one moment, then I'll get taken advantage of and I don't want that. I can't be weak." Nora cut in, "Okay, I know I've spent the last almost 3 millenniums in a box, but I know how to love, I understand why you're still here. But what I'm confused about is that you're still living in your house where your mother died, your sister left you, and where you apparently tried to kill yourself, why?" I turned to Nora and replied, "I have nowhere else to go. I won't leave Charles by going to my dads house in California, so I'm kind of stuck there." I smiled sincerely. Nora and Ariana smiled at each other and said in unison, "You have to move in!" My eyes bulged out of my head and I said, "WHAT? Are you two crazy? I can't move into the Suliman house. Elizabeth already wants to kill me, she'll do it too, and Charles and I are not ready to live together, much less with your entire family!" Nora continued, "Oh come on! You know you're stronger than Elizabeth, and you already pointed out that you're with our family 24/7, especially Charles. So you should just let me call Charles and give him the heads up!" I took a deep breath and said, "How about I just call him and ask what's going on." Ariana and Nora nodded their heads and I picked up my phone a pushed to call Charles. He answered and said, "Hello darling. Are you having fun?" I smiled and said, "I'm having a blast. Have you talked to Elizabeth yet?" "Actually I have. Elizabeth said that she's not even mad at you, she said she's wanted Nathaniel dead for awhile now, so you don't have to worry about her killing you in your sleep!" I sighed in relief, I knew what Nora and Ariana wanted me to say, but I couldn't bring myself to do it so instead I replied, "Okay, that's all I called for. I'll see you soon, I love you." Before Charles even said I love you back my phone was ripped from my hands by Ariana who said, "Charles!" I could hear him on the other line when he said, "Woah. Ariana? What's going on?" I didn't even bother trying to take the phone away from her because she is literally a vampire so I'm not going to push her. "Nora, Jade, and I are all on a plane right now, we're going somewhere very special, and we aren't coming back until we feel like it. But...I want you to know how much I want to slap you on the face and tell you to wake the f*ck up!" Charles on the other line said, "What are you talking about Ariana? Calm down!" Ariana rolled her eyes and replied, "I've only been awake for less than a week and even I see it! You and Jade love each other. Anybody but you two see that you'd die for each other and how much you care for her. I know you probably don't like showing it around all of us, but you're more in love with Jade than you were with that Amelia woman! That's why I'm telling you right now...Jade's mom is dead, her sister left her, and she refuses to go to California and leave you. So why don't you two just take the next step already! Move her in with you!" The line was silent for a second until Charles said, "I don't know how Jade would feel about that. I mean, yes I want to live with her, but what if she's not ready to take that step? What if she thinks we're moving to fast?" I bit my lip a smiled a little. Ariana said calmer this time, "You'll never know unless you just ask her. Once we get back I think you should! If you think you two are ready then you're ready. Talk to you later big brother!" Charles said before hanging up, "See you guys soon, oh, and tell Jade I said I love her too!" Then he hung up the phone and Ariana smiled and said, "I assume you heard that Jade!" I looked down, smiled, and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I looked up again and saw Ariana and Nora staring at me with smirks on their faces. I knew what they were thinking but I didn't care.

3 HOURS LATER

We all finally got off the plane. We were in New Orleans. Apparently the Sulimans found the town and built it up in the late 1600's, but later had to leave because of Natan and it was later 'founded' by some other guy in the early 1700's. Fun little story I guess. Anyway, Nora had no idea where we were or that this was an actual place until Ariana explained more, and I have never been to New Orleans. This should be fun. The first thing Ariana took us to do was go to her house here. It's a mansion, like the one in Boston only a little bigger. We went inside and I was in awe, it was gorgeous inside. Ariana said to follow her upstairs, so we did and when we got up there we walked into a huge bedroom. Ariana said, "Tonight, were going to party until we drop! Pick an outfit!" Nora and I walked into the ginormous walk-in closet and for being in a box for so long, Nora has amazing taste. She picked and sparkly green dress with spaghetti straps. Ariana picked more of a dancing dress, it's a deep red color. I picked a pair of strapped gold high heels to pair with the black spaghetti strap dress, it sparkles just like Noras. We all curled our hair and did our makeup. Once we finished getting ready it was probably 6 PM. Ariana said she knew of many good clubs back in the early 1900's that are still around today. She took us to one called 'Jaqueline's' we all got inside thanks to Ariana for compelling the security guard. Once we got inside I went and got all of us shots, then when we finished those we had some more, and more after that, and some more once we drank the last ones. I lost track of how much we drank before we left at around 9 PM. We took a taxi back to Arianas house and we turned on some music and sat on the couch with a bottle of whiskey in each of our hands. "I love this song!" I said aloud. We all started laughing for no reason and suddenly Nora said, "Jade. Why don't you just get turned?" We all stopped laughing and Ariana turned off the music. I answered, "I'm a powerful witch, according to what Daniel told me, unless you're an original you can't be a witch and a vampire. I'd rather stay mortal and powerful than immortal and vulnerable!" Nora got a slight devious smile on her face when she said, "What if we turned you into a heretic?" Arianas eyes widened as she replied, "Nora! You can't just say stuff like that. You remember what happened to the last heretics to roam the Earth!" I was confused so I asked, "What's a heretic and what happened to the last ones?" Ariana answered, "A heretic is a vampire and a witch. Elizabeth technically is only an original vampire with witch genes, she has only a small amount of power so she's not considered a true witch. So she's not a heretic, but the last ones that ever existed were some of the first vampires we ever turned. My family was so upset with the witches since my mother, a witch, was the one who turned all of us. Because of our anger we started turning every witch we saw, since we're the first vampires to ever exist, we're the only ones who can create heretics. But Nathaniel was so ruthless that even after turning them, he didn't like how powerful they were so he slaughtered them. It was either that or the magic would kill them eventually. That's why you cannot become one. You'll die at some point." I was intrigued, "Well, Nathan's dead, I wouldn't have to worry about that, and I'll die eventually being just a witch. Think about it, if I'm a heretic then I won't have to age, I'll be able to be with Charles and I'll be immortal just like him!" I said. Ariana tilted her head and said, "That's not a reason Jade. It's an excuse-" Nora cut in, "One hell of an excuse. Love is what drives us all, if it's love that makes Jade want to become a heretic and risk her own like to be immortal with our brother, who are we to say no to that!" Ariana seemed annoyed when she said, "I said no-" I cut her off this time and said, "Nora...do it!" With no hesitation she ran over to me before Ariana could stop her and she fed me her blood and snapped my neck...