It was still raining by the time Diane left the restaurant. In one hand she carried her umbrella, and in the other she held a brown paper bag containing her and Andrea's dinner. She walked in silence toward the Inn, but it wasn't much longer when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She knew such feeling all too well and was quick to come up with a plan.

Knowing that she was being followed by someone, Diane took a sharp turn down an alley in between two shops located on her left. She listened with her ears, and could hear the splash of boots in the puddles behind her. Whoever was following her wasn't trying to hide anymore.

Diane quickened her pace, turning left and right down various alleys to lose whoever was following her. She needed to find a way to lose them, and fast. The last thing she wanted was to lead the stranger back to the Inn and put her goddaughter in harm's way. She would rather die.

When she came upon a market, Diane took this as her opportunity to lose the person who was following her. She weaved through the crowd, quick to disappear within it. Then she came behind the person who she knew had been following her, smirking as their head whipped around to find her again. "Looking for me?" she asked, causing the man to pause and turn around. "Nice to see you again, Marcel."

The King of New Orleans dipped his head. "Diane," he greeted.

"Why are you following me?"

"What are you doing back here?"

"Uh-uh," the witch shook her head. "I asked first."

Marcel rolled his eyes. "One of my guys said he spotted an outsider entering Kate's shop. He told me what you looked like, the way you carried yourself, even said he heard someone refer to you as Diane," he explained. "Now, when he said there was a mysterious brunette by the name of Diane visiting a witch's shop, it didn't take long to figure out who it was. So, I told him I'd take care of it."

"As honoured as I am to have the King himself checking up on me, it won't be necessary," Diane assured. "There is no need to worry about what I'm doing."

"I'm sure it is," Marcel said skeptically. He folded his arms over his chest. "Why is it you were visiting a witch's shop? You know about the rules. No magic in the city."

Diane rolled her eyes, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Yes, I know the rules quite well, Marcel. Remember, I was there when you established them. And for the record, I would break none of your precious rules. Even if I did, it's not like any of you could stop me." She leaned forward, smirking. "You see, being a centuries old witch has its perks."

Marcel continued to stare at her, frustration settling in his bones, twisting into his expression. He wanted to know why she was in his city, why she hadn't called to let him know she was coming to visit. "Diane, you're my friend, and that's the only reason why I told my guys to back off. Now," he paused. "Why were you really visiting Kate's shop?"

"You know, you are just like him," Diane observed. "Paranoid, calculative, skeptical of every move around him, not to mention incredibly arrogant and demanding. But I suppose that isn't your fault given the people you were raised by."

Marcel cut her off. "I am nothing like him."

"If you say so," Diane responded with a shrug.

"Enough," he said in frustration. "Just tell me why you're in my city."

"Oh, yes, nothing like him at all. The last thing Nik would ever do was claim an entire city as his own," Diane smirked. Then she patted Marcel on the arm and walked away. "Come along and I'll tell you why I have come to visit what was once my home, dear."

Marcel followed, taking Diane's umbrella and holding it over both their heads. "I'm listening."

"You remember my goddaughter, I assume?" Diane asked.

"Andrea?" Marcel nodded. "Of course I do. We were both there that day."

"Yes, we were," Diane said with a slight frown as she recalled the events that transpired on the day of her friends died and they left their child an orphan. "Well, my dear goddaughter has become desperate. Someone recognized her birthmark and told her she comes from an ancient pack of wolves called the Crescents that originated in New Orleans. She's come to the city to find them and meet her family."

Marcel sighed. "You and I both know that won't end well."

"No, it won't," Diane agreed. "And that's exactly why I've come here. I love Andrea more than anything in the world and would do anything for her, but... I cannot allow her to find her family. If she learns the truth... I don't want to see her hurt, Marcel."

"Neither do I," Marcel replied. Though he did not raise Andrea himself, a part of him still cared for the toddler he helped save after the gruesome death of her parents. "What can I do to help?"

Diane looked up at him and smiled at his offer. "As much as I appreciate the offer, my goddaughter is a clever woman. She'll know something is going on if the Vampire King of New Orleans himself offers his help to a werewolf and a witch."

With pursed lips, Marcel nodded. "Fair enough," he said. "My guys were a little suspicious themselves when I told them I would handle the mysterious witch named Diane all on my own. They'd grow even more suspicious if they found out I was helping both a werewolf and witch find the Crescents."

"Preciously," said the witch with a nod of her head.

"What will you do?" Marcel asked.

Diane bit her lip. "Well, that might be tricky."

"Why is that?"

"I might've told Andrea that we could stay in the city for a little while, and that I would help her find her family," Diane replied.

"But you said─"

"I know," she cut him off. "But she gave me those damn eyes and I couldn't say no to her. Excuse me for having a soft spot for the girl that I've raised as my own since she was a toddler." Diane ran a hand through her hair. "No need to worry, I've got a plan."

"Yeah, and what is that?" Marcel asked.

"As much as it will pain me to do this to her, I am simply going to make it seem like I am helping her find her family" Diane explained her plan. "But at the same time I will tamper with everything. I'm going to make sure that every step my goddaughter takes sets her back another three."

"Mother of the year," Marcel muttered, causing her to shoot him a dirty look.

"Do you want me to hex you?" Diane threatened.

"Sorry," Marcel apologized. "You know I didn't mean that. You've been a great mother to Andrea. Nobody could've raised her better. I just... why trick her by tampering with the investigation when you can just give false information?"

"Go on," Diane urged, eager to know the plan she could see cooking behind his eyes.

"Tell her that the Crescent Pack isn't here anymore, that they haven't been for years and they moved somewhere else," Marcel suggested.

"You don't think I've thought of that already?" Diane said. "I can't tell her that, because─" She stopped, lips smacking together to keep the information from slipping out.

Marcel lifted a brow. "Because, what?"

The witch hesitated, then sighed. "Because Nik was the person who recognized her birthmark and put the idea of coming to New Orleans in her head."

At the mention of the Original Hybrid, Marcel stopped walking, and he looked at her with wide eyes. "You've been in contact with him? For how long, Diane? Does he know about Andrea? Me? Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"One question at a time, Marcel!" Diane exclaimed. She sighed and licked her lips before giving him the answers he was desperate to know. "No, I haven't been in contact with him for long. We've only reunited recently. A couple days, in fact. No, he doesn't know a single thing about Andrea. And I didn't tell you about Nik for this exact reason."

Marcel looked worried. "Do I need to worry about him coming here?"

Diane shook her head. "Nik doesn't even know I'm here," she lied. But it was better to lie. Marcel didn't need to know everything. "Or that we've become good friends over the years. I didn't tell him where I was going, only that I had to take care of some family business."

"Good," Marcel nodded in relief. "I'd like to keep it that way. An Original is the last thing I want in my city."

Diane nodded, then looked at her watch and sighed. "I should go."

"Already?" Marcel looked sad that she had to go so soon. They didn't even get to catch up.

"I told Andrea that I was getting us dinner," Diane said, hoisting the brown bag higher in her arms. "If I don't return soon, then she'll worry about where I've gone."

"And you call me paranoid," Marcel joked.

"I've raised her to be weary of the supernatural," Diane explained. "Especially of those that live in New Orleans. Told her they're not exactly the friendliest folk."

"Go," Marcel said after a moment. "Stay in the city for as long as you need. I'll keep my guys out of the way. Just do me a favor and keep yourselves out of trouble. I don't want to have to involve myself."

"You have my word," Diane promised.

"Call me before you leave," Marcel said. "Maybe we can get some lunch. I wouldn't mind catching up."

"I'd like that," Diane smiled. She took her umbrella and leaned up to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Have a good evening, Marcel."

"Bye," Marcel replied, smiling back.

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a/n: I hope everyone enjoyed this filler chapter and the little taste of what kind of relationship Diane has with Marcel, who she did know in the past, as you'll discover with flashbacks over the course of this book.