Vulnerable

Chapter 31

Chapter 31: I'm Not Into You

{D. K}

Dakota woke up the next morning in her underwear and a thin tank top, blood smeared all over her face and body. Multiple bodies were scattered on her floor, some dead, some just asleep.

After her humanity switch was flipped, she decided to throw a last minute party and since she didn't have any neighbors for miles, they partied the night away. The doorbell disturbed her from her way to the bathroom. "What?"

There Kol stood in all his glory, wearing dark wash jeans and a dark grey shirt. In his hands was a cream envelope with a red sticker to keep the envelope closed. Dakota snatched it from his hands, her eyes quickly skimming the words, while Kol took in her appearance. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"Even if you did, you wouldn't have cared." Dakota retorts, closing the invitation and placing it back in his hands. "Is there a reason why you decided it would be alright to personally give me this invitation? There is a thing called postal, and they do what your doing except they don't ring the doorbell at nine o'clock in the morning."

Kol was slightly appalled at her tone, wondering if she had forgotten him. "Do you know who I am?"

"Conceded." She snorts. "Kol, ex-husband, and apparently you're a Mikaelson, something you neglected to tell me during our time together."

"I didn't think it mattered."

Dakota stared blankly at him. "You made a false last name, and I married into it. Then you left me without a single word and now eight centuries later your back and think none of it mattered."

"I understand how that sounds, and I'm sorry."

"While that's nice and all, I'm busy," Dakota pointed behind her, the front door opening more to show the fallen bodies. "—I have leftovers to eat before they go to waste."

Kol stopped the door before she could shut it in his face. "You've turned your emotions off."

"Nice observation. Goodbye Kol."

This time, Dakota shut the door and Kol got the message.

•

•

•

The Mikaelson family all gathered in the living room, each one preparing for the ball that would take place that night. Soft music played throughout the home while compelled humans tailored the men's suits, a woman clipped their nails and gave Rebekah a manicure and pedicure.

Kol stood before the mirror, ogling himself in his jet black suit that fit perfectly on his toned body. "Rebekah, tell me how handsome I am."

The blonde examined her finished hand, approving of the color and allowing the woman to move onto her other hand. "Oh, Kol. You know I can't be compelled."

Klaus barged into the room, ruining the first joyful moment the family had had since they were all reunited. "You went after Elena," Klaus snarled at his only sister. "Do you want another dagger in your heart?"

Heels clacked behind him, catching his attention. "For an original hybrid, I expected your threats to be more bone chilling rather than redundant."

Klaus stared at Dakota in shock that she was standing before him. He made a move to get closer to her, but the look she sent his was had him doing otherwise. "What are you doing here? I thought—"

"Actually, you didn't. You don't think Klaus, you just do. Impulse. It's your thing." The venom in her tone caused even Finn to flinch in sympathy for his brother. "But anyway, I'm not here for you. Rebekah and I have a hair appointment at two."

Rebekah stood up from the couch at the reminder, making sure not to smudge her nail polish. "That's right. Try not to kill each other while I return."

"Cassandra." Kol called out, using Dakota's middle name with a smirk on his face. "Are you going to pretend I'm not here?"

"That's the plan."

"That hurts my feelings, I thought we were closer than that."

Dakota let out a breathy laugh, rolling her eyes at the man she used to be married to. "That's understandable, after few centuries in a box side effects are bound to sprout up. Yours must be brain damage."

"You know, I like pretty little things with sharp tongues."

By now, Klaus was shaking as he watched his youngest brother and girlfriend (was she still his girlfriend? They never officially called it quits.) flirt before his face.

Dakota didn't respond, instead she linked arms with Rebekah and walked out of the home. She drove to the hair salon, keeping the conversation with Rebekah light and simple.

An hour into getting their hair done, Rebekah couldn't hold it in anymore. "What's going on between you and my brother?"

"Nothing, Klaus and I are taking a break."

Rebekah peered over at the fellow vampire with a blue gaze. "I wasn't talking about Nik."

"Well, nothing's happened between Kol and I either."

"What happened before? You two obviously have history."

Dakota shifted in her seat, touching a fresh curl that had been doused in hairspray to keep it there all night long. "We were married, he left, Klaus daggered him."

"Do you still love him?"

"No." She answered without hesitation, and she wasn't lying, she didn't love him anymore. Klaus had strolled in and evaded her every sense, but he didn't need to know that. Dakota could tell Rebekah was going to ask more questions and she didn't feel like going through the third-degree with the blonde. "So, who are you taking to the ball?"

"I'm not."

"Why? Matt likes you."

"He thinks I'm a bitch."

"You are." Dakota laughed when Rebekah shot her a killer glare. "A beautiful blonde bitch."

Rebekah turned her attention to the mirror, nervousness and unfamiliarity flowing through her veins. "You think he'd go with me?"

Dakota pulled an invitation out of Rebekah's bag, holding the thick and expensive paper between her two fingers. "I think you need to use your charm to make it happen."

Rebekah followed Dakota's advice, taking charge and asking Matt to be her date which he accepted. "I'm nervous." The Original spoke, looking down nervously at her dress smoothing out the already perfect dress. The dark green shade complemented Rebekah's tanned skin perfectly, and her blonde hair was straightened with the sides bobby pinned back.

"Don't be, you're gorgeous," Dakota was looking at herself, one hand leaning on the wall while she put in her black heels to match her strapless maroon colored dress.

Rebekah gave Dakota an appreciative smile. "Thanks."

"I'm going to go get a drink."

"Champagne's downstairs."

A devilish grin took place on Dakota's face, reminding Rebekah for the first time that day that Dakota had flipped the switch. "Not that kind of drink."