Laurel

18

As promised Josephine was perched on a couch in the drawing room, looking around with bright bird-like eyes. She stared directly at Laurel as she walked in the room and huffed. "Dede sweetheart come give Auntie Jo a kiss dear." She beckoned towards Delia, who obliged her odd aunt. "Well I can certainly see why you called for reinforcements Lina. She is something special. How about some introductions sweet sister?" Josephine's smile was nothing like her sisters, there was no warmth or kindness behind it. She was cold and unmoving, like a glacier.

"Good evening ma'am, my name is Damon, I'm a friend of Delia and Laurel's, and a demon" Damon said, offering his hand in introduction deciding being honest right away with this woman was probably the safest option right now. Her reputation long preceded her. Josephine did not take her hand and he was left hanging to awkwardly pull his hand back to himself.

"I guess you already know my name is Laurel, it's nice to meet you, thank you for coming to help." Laurel said quietly, obviously feeling a little uncomfortable under the waif woman's gaze and with the tension in the room.

"Oh sweet child, you are going to have to tell me all your secrets, best to get over whatever is holding you back. I can't help without knowing the full picture." Josephine said smugly, looking like the cat who caught the canary, like she enjoyed how uncomfortable she was making Laurel.

Delia directed everyone to take a seat and they got started breaking down all the things they had been able to piece together, leaving no details out. Damon brought up his suspicions of the car crash not being a complete accident and his lingering questions on how Laurel had survived it, and if she could maybe teleport. Laurel's eyes had gone wide when he shared that with Josephine and everyone else, she was hurt he hadn't mentioned it sooner to her beforehand.

Then he sent everyone an email copy of all the files Joy had been able to dig up on her. It was a harsh reminder for Laurel of her past, and all the things that had gone wrong for her. How whatever she was started to awaken when she was a teenager, and something big had happened on her 16th birthday. The articles about how she had given up dance and gymnastics and singing still made her heart hurt.

Laurel had to talk about her sex life, the partners she had had, and Josephine had made her share intimate details of what she enjoyed, what she felt, everything about her was laid bare in the room. Damon had helped explain Cole, and the lingering threat the other demon posed to Laurel, especially since it was highly likely the incubus was actively looking for Laurel again, thanks to Damon's investigator reigniting his desire. Damon filled in that he had met the demon several centuries earlier, and found the demon wanting for brains and skills, not putting a lot of stock in the incubus's abilities. If he was a man with a similar mind, he would be no threat, but even an incompetant demon was dangerous

Delia and her mom explained the curse, that it was only activated this weekend, leaving Laurel alone, that Laurel's inner energy didn't match with any being Caroline had ever encountered. Delia also mentioned she suspected there were more enchantments still on Laurel, possibly a glamor or a spell altering her appearance. Neither Delia nor the coven members present on the grounds were able to figure them out. Damon interrupted to include how neither he nor Delia could read Laurel like they could humans.

Finally her and Damon had to discuss their weekend activities, and how during their time together Laurel's eyes had turned gold. Laurel felt naked and exposed in front of Jo. She had no secrets left, all she had left was hope that the intimidating woman would have some answers. She looked towards the strange bird-like woman, eyes wide and searching.

"Well, this is quite the tangle to unravel indeed. You are correct Delia there is at least one more enchantment still in place but it appears to be breaking, Laurel was under a binding spell to suppress whatever she is, but her true nature is breaking free, I would imagine this process started on your 16th birthday, but the curse and binding worked together to keep her hidden. The glamor whats-her-face thought she saw was probably just an element of the binding, keeping Laurel hidden. I'd like to speak with the one who saw it, she might have a special gift we should investigate further."