Lucas saw sitting at home reading this chapter for the homework they got assigned when Nick came down the stairs clearly ticked off.

"Where's Nadine" he said furiously.

"I don't know. I thought she came home last night" Nick gave him a look.

"Obviously not. You know I've been nice, I've been understanding, I've even been sympathetic but she's pushing me way too fucking far" Lucas raised his hands in surrender.

"I don't know where she is Uncle Nick. And believe me we can agree on Nadine going too far lately" Lucas didn't know what was going on. She was always under Paulie, she virtually never left his side. Nadine was a shadow of the person that he and Nick knew and everyday they've been getting more worried.

"I'm trying Lucas. I just need you guys to try too" he said defeatedly. Just as Lucas was about to respond Nadine walked in Paulie leaning against the doorway as she headed for the stairs. Nick blocked her way with crossed arms "Where the fuck have you been" Nadine raised an eyebrow at the man but shrugged.

"Out with Paulie. Went a bit longer than expected. Sorry" she then tried to push by but Nick pushed back.

"That's not gonna cut it. Where exactly were you? And why didn't you say you'd be late? A heads up would've been great" Nick said trying to control his sneer.

"Hey ease up Mr. Hewitt I took her out for a bit of fun and time got away from us" Nick clenched his jaw and pointed at the man in doorway.

"You shouldn't even-" Lucas interrupted him.

"Uncle Nick. I've got him, talk to Nadine I'll handle everything else" Nick stared at him for a moment before moving out the way and gesturing for Nadine to go upstairs.

"Dude what's up with Mr. Hewitt he's unusually uptight today" Lucas sneered a bit and crossed his arms.

"What the hell are you doing?" Paul frowned and stood up straight.

"I'm joking what else" he said raising an eyebrow at Lucas.

"Nadine is off limits. When you signed up to be a vampire you gave her up. Besides last I checked she was done with you anyway" Paul clenched his fists now. He didn't Lucas looking down his nose at him for his choices. Bastard always thought he was so much better than him.

"Newsflash! I can do whatever the hell I want to. With Nadine, without Nadine. It doesn't matter because you don't exactly have the power to stop me do you?" Paul asked his eyes darkening as tilted his head "So let's start the conversation over and we can pretend like this conversation never happened" Lucas' jaw ticked.

"I don't give a damn what you got. You're done with my sister and I'm not saying it again. Stay the fuck away" he said lowly earning a push from Paul that sent him flying back into the side table by the door.

"What the hell!!?" Nadine said coming downstairs.

"You can't tell me what to do. You don't have the power to. So like I said we'll forget this ever happened ok? Come on Dina I don't think we're wanted here" Nadine looked at him ready to respond when Nick came back downstairs.

"Nadine so help me God. If you leave I will hunt you down and drag you back to your room which you will never leave" Nadine rolled her eyes but sighed and shook her head at Paul. His jaw twitched and he looked back and forth between Nick and Lucas. They didn't know it but they'd made a mistake today.

Paul walked off and Nadine shut the door. Not two seconds later there was a knock at the door and behind Lori stood with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder.

"Aunt Lori?" Nadine asked opening the door a bit wider.

"Hey kids. Happy to see me?" Lori said stepping in.

"Oh I'm sure they're feeling something. I doubt happy is the word" Nick said crossing his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Lucas asked.

"Well this is my family's house. If I'm in town it only makes sense that I stay here" Lucas couldn't deny her that so he just sighed and nodded. Lori was the authoritarian type, thing is... she's hardly around. So her grounds for authority were practically nonexistent.

"Wonderful" Nadine said sliding past her Aunt to lay on the couch.

"This is a very warm welcome" Lori said sarcastically.

"Gee it's almost like no one wants you here. Shocking. I can't imagine why" Nick said earning a sharp look from Lori and Lucas.

"Play nice Uncle Nick" Lucas whispered making the older man roll his eyes. He hated every piece of her, and the alimony she drains from his account each month only made it grow. What did she even need it for? When it came time for her to take on her niece and nephew she was no where to be found. She doesn't deserve it in his opinion.

"Regardless I'm here for a couple weeks and I hope we can enjoy my stay. But I'll need a few changes around here to be comfortable. Starting with... Nadine feet off the couch. Did you guys have any homework you ought to be doing? If so go on and start" Nadine didn't have homework but to avoid disrespecting her dad's sister she went upstairs anyway with Lucas trailing behind. He didn't want to sit in the line of fire when these two were together. Once the kids were gone and Nick could get his lip to stop twitching Lori turned to him.

"So who-" Nick interrupted her.

"My girlfriend. That's all you need to know" he said making Lori frown. That wasn't supposed to be happening.

"Girlfriend? Hmm. Where's she from?" Lori asked.

"Again. She's my girlfriend and that is all you need to know Lori" Lori huffed and crossed her arms.

"I'm your ex wife and those kids aunt. I should know more than that" Nick chuckled humorlessly and turned to the woman.

"If you must know, Helena is a teacher at their school. So they're very familiar with the woman and happen to like her which is more than I can say for someone like yourself. So if all this is to figure out if I'm happier without you then consider the answer yes. Just yesterday I was a beacon of sunshine but today I might as well be a cemetery because you ARE KILLING ME" he said walking into the kitchen and pulling out his angry food. Carrots. He liked the way they snap.

"Carrots. Really? I haven't even done anything and you're already angry eating. Wow, didn't think I could still effect you so much" Nick stuttered as he tried to put in to words how her voice was like pulling teeth. Instead he just grabbed his carrots and went upstairs pulling out his phone to call his girlfriend. He'd need her if he was going to survive the next few weeks.

•••

Lori sighed her visit was already not going to plan and she needed to fix it. Soon. Next she headed over to Mayor Kentworth's Manor. The next council meeting was being held there. When she arrived everyone was waiting on her. The Mayor, some deputies, the Sheriff, a few founding family members that still cared, and a new girl Lori didn't recognize. When she walked in Sheriff Lan nodded towards her before addressing the crowd "Welcome to the Council Meeting. Lori welcome back, we've taken your advice about the attacks on the outskirts of town. Without your help we wouldn't have noticed the pattern. We've also taken your advice and put vervain in the water supply. Pretty soon we should see a halt in all of it. We just don't understand how they've been able to hide from us" Sheriff Lan said making Val's jaw tick. That's annoying. Val looked Lori up and down and decided that she did not like the blonde. No surprise, she never had.

"I don't understand either. I've been running constant night searches and nothing. Not even a whisper across high school parties which are the target of choice" Val said in her most concerned voice.

"I'm sorry. Who are you again? You seem... too young to be here" Lori's senses were keen but at closer glance she didn't need them to know this was bad. Valeria Boelyn. Known vampire. Sitting amongst the council trying to find her. Hmm. Lori couldn't deny vampires were indeed sneaky bastards. It wouldn't last long. All would be revealed with time.

"This is Valeria Boelyn. She may look young but since her parents died the responsibility of the council is her burden to bear. Let's all try our best not to make it a heavy one" Sheriff Lan said in warning. Lan could see where Lori was going with it and didn't like it.

"I've earned my place here just like you" Val said leaning back a bit on the wall behind her.

"Well then. The reason you can't seem to find these vampires is because... they walk among us. In the day" Lori said staring straight at Val. Val narrowed her eyes ever so slightly at the woman but said nothing.

"How can this be? Our Founders mention nothing about this" the Mayor said in panic.

"If that's the case how are we supposed to tell the difference between them and us? How do you even know this?" Lan asked turning to Lori fully.

"Because I've seen one. And by night's end I will kill it and bring it here. I will tell you how I caught it and I will tell you how we'll catch the rest" Val stood straight, she was intrigued now. If this woman meant her she'd no doubt be in for a surprise. Val wouldn't go down without a fight. Lori didn't mean her, she had special plans for the Boelyn girls. Simple deaths wouldn't cut it for those girls. Lori wasn't even sure she'd be able to touch them. Lan was one of the most hunters she knew. If Val got past him she would no doubt do the same to her. If Lori knew anything she knew that.

•••

Claire knocked at the door later that day and Lucas opened it with a big smile. He grabbed her face and kissed her softly twice before pulling her in. The two laid in bed wrapped in each other while Claire drew circle into Lucas' chest.

"My Aunt Lori is here and she can be a bit of a buzzkill hopefully she doesn't intrude but if she does I apologize in advance" he said looking down at her a bit.

"Did you say Lori?" Claire said frowning.

"Yea why?" Lucas asked

"Val came home from the Founder's council meeting she found her way into. A woman named Lori outed vampires for being able to walk in the sun. And said she had a way to get rid of us all" Lucas frowned and looked away. So that's why she was here. Nothing else made sense "Lori is also apparently the reason that vervain is now in the water supply. Me and Val are fine we get our water elsewhere. This isn't the first time the council has done this. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried. She's making big statements and even if Lori can't back it up. Val may just react because of the attention it brings" Lucas sighed, Lori was family but even he couldn't deny that he's worried. He doesn't know what Lori has planned but if it does end up causing Claire pain he'll have to do something. Lori, who stood outside of Lucas' door smiled slightly. She'd fix this. She'd fix it all soon.

•••

Meanwhile, as Val was on her way to the Council Meeting she was stopped by 3 faces she'd seen before. Her blood ran cold and she stepped back a bit. They were men from the tomb. All of them.

"Valeria Boelyn. Look what we have here. You made it out of the 1800s good to know. I'm glad I'll be able to kick your ass for getting us caught" one man said clenching his fists.

"You left us some of that boy's blood. And from there our friends brought us more. And more. We're all free now. Consider yourself dead little girl" they said lunging at her. Val geared up for a fight she knew she'd lose anyway. She could only hope someone was nearby to help.