Sorry this chapter is so long, at first I planned to have it be short but I got carried away. So here is the prologue to my Mikaelson Family story. You'll understand the point of this later. I promise. Hope you enjoy and have patience with this chapter. Happy Readings Guys! :-)
I walked into the Rousseau's bar and I saw Marcel singing on a stage. I was wondering how he was doing and how he survived when his singing was over. I stayed put, testing to see if my teachings were still in his head.
Apparently they were still in his head because it took him only a second to look at me. I smiled to myself. So he still remembered. Wonderful. Now it was time to see if he remembers his place around me.
"Klaus?"
"Marcel?" I returned his question.
"Must be a hundred years since that nasty business with your papa."
"Has it been that long?" I asked sarcastically. He started approaching me, so I approached me.
"The way I recall it, he ran you outta town. Left a trail of dead vampires in his wake." He was disrespecting me already? Oh well I'll give him a real chance.
"Very fortunate you managed to survive. My father, I'm afraid, I recently incinerated to dust." I growled, just thinking about that man made me angry, pissed even. The other vampires sensed my anger, and as the idiots they are they thought I was threating my own son, who I should probably remind of his own place. They stood up and got in a defensive stance. Half the bar were vampires. Interesting…
"Well, if I'd known you were coming back in town, if I had a heads-up—" Was he going to try and stand against me already? He would regret it… but first…
"What Marcel? What would you have done?" I said threatingly. We stood nose to nose, me ready to take him somewhere because I could sense rebellion in my little Marcellus. The matter was of WHEN he was going to strike. Marcels' eyes flickered.
"I'd have thrown you a damn parade." He was changing his behavior. Maybe I wouldn't need to remind him after all. He does need a chance to come to terms with me being here. He smiled, laughing. I laughed at myself and hugged him, he was very much alive. But why didn't he come looking for us? He stopped hugging me and put his hands on my shoulders.
"Niklaus Mikaelson. My mentor, my savior, my sire. Let's get you a drink." He paid for a drink and we had some vodka…After we were done with our first drink he ordered a bottle and two cups. We took our drinks in the back and sat at a private table. We had company though, so I wouldn't talk to him about the more important factors. Instead I'd talk about the bitch Jane-Anne. Marcel filled my empty glass back up but with a Bloody Mary. Good. Blood and alcohol. Then he gave himself one.
"It is good to see you." He said smiling.
"It's good to be home. Although please tell me the current state of Bourbon Street is not your doing." He laughed at my sentence. I smiled.
"Something's gotta draw in the out-of-towners, otherwise we'd all go hungry." I looked at one of the men flanking the room.
"I see your friends are daywalkers."
"Yeah, yeah, I shared the secret of your daylight ring with a few buddies. Just the inner circle, though- the family."
"Tell me: how did YOU find a witch willing to make daylight rings?"
"I got the witches around here wrapped around my finger." I laughed at him this time.
"Is that so? I'm looking for a witch by the name of Jane-Anne Deveraux. Has some business with me." He looked at his friend. I frowned. Then I put my smile back on.
"You're looking for Jane-Anne? You probably oughta come with me." He stood, laughing. "Ha-ha, show time!" We got up and headed out the door.
We were at the French Quarter. It was night and we were walking down a street with a crowd of people following us. Vampires were walking along rooftops and jumping on cars setting off car alarms. I wanted them to stay behind but for now I would let them stay.
"Oh, how's your family?"
"Those who live hate me more than ever."
"Ah, forget 'em. If your blood relations let you down, you make your own, eh? You taught me that. And what's mine is yours, as always. Even my nightwalkers, the riff-raff." He pointed at the vampires walking on the buildings.
"They're hardly subtle, are they?"
"It's the Quarter. Ain't no such thing as subtle, baby." Marcel putting his fingers in his mouth and whistled. The stupid crowd cheered and a vampire brought out a witch. She had her wrists tied with rope. Is this Jane-Anne Deveraux?
"Jane-Anne Deveraux! Give it up for Jane-Anne! Come on, let's hear it! Jane-Anne Deveraux, you have been accused of the practice of witchcraft beyond the bounds of the rules set forth, and enforced, by me. How do you plead?" He came to stand in front of me and whispered: "Was that convincing? I studied law back in the '50s. Hold that thought." He said before I could reply. Idiot. He returned to Jane. "Seriously Jane, tick-tock. You know the drill. How do you plead?"
"I didn't do anything." The crowd laughed at her, I tried to speak up but Marcellus interrupted me. Bratty child.
"Mm, that's a lie. You know it, I know it, and you hate that I know it. It drives you witches crazy that I'm aware of your every move. That you can't do magic in this town without getting caught. So, why don't we just cut to the chase, huh?" He snapped a leaf off of a plant that he had in his hand. Where the hell did he get that? "You tell me what magic you're brewing. I mean, tell me. I'll grant you leniency. Hey, I am, after all, a merciful man." I watched, waiting for Marcellus to stop showing off so we could actually get down to business. Jane scoffed at him and she looked disgusted by my boy. I couldn't blame her.
"Rot in hell, monster." The stupid vampires were murmuring, were they shocked that someone would talk like that to him? What was his position here? Marcel smiled though. He was going to go somewhere I didn't need him going.
"I'll tell you what. I'll give you one more chance..." Marcel started back toward me but he turned around so quick that the branch he had sliced open her neck. She began to gag and I couldn't get to her fast enough to save her. She died. He was going to pay for disobeying me. "Or not." Jane fell to the ground and the vamps cheered like they were happy about it. I stared at her body for any sign that I could save her. But there wasn't even the slightest movement of her chest. I felt the anger I had been holding come rising to the top. I walked up to Marcel, who was talking to his friends and turned him around to face me.
"What was that Marcellus?" I growled.
"Hey. Come walk with me." I followed, expecting an explanation and an apology. "The witches aren't allowed to do magic here- she broke the rules."
"I TOLD you I wanted to TALK to her. Marcellus."
"Hey, I'm sorry. I got caught up in the show. Those witches, they think that they still have power in this town. I have to show them that they don't. I never waste an opportunity for a show of force, ANOTHER lesson that I learned from YOU. And besides, anything that you could've gotten outta her, I can find out for you, and I will. I promise." I stared at him. I said yes then I would rely on him to tell me, instead of knowing he would tell me. He had changed A LOT since I last saw him.
"Well, whatever it was, doesn't matter anymore, does it?" I smiled at him and he smiled back, believing my lie.
"Good, good. Then let's eat, 'cause all that spilled blood makes me hungry, ha-ha!" I wanted to yell at him some more but let him free. He walked off and I saw the man who'd brought out Jane. I stopped him by putting a hand on his chest. He stopped and turned respectfully to me.
"Hey, Thierry, isn't it? Any more Deveraux witches where she came from?"
"Yeah. In Rousseau's." I had seen that bar before and told him thanks and headed off to the bar.
I went inside Rousseau's and saw the girl Sophie Deveroux. She was chopping vegetables. She seemed upset, after all her sister had just died. She turned around and jumped when she saw me. I just smiled at her reaction. Apparently the New Orleans still knew of me. HA! In Mikael's- Get off that train of thought you… you… you you. Silly hybrid.
"You're Klaus."
"I am. And you're upset. Sophie, isn't it? I assume this is because of what I just witnessed with your sister on the corner of Royal and St. Anne?"
"Did you enjoy the show?"
"It was a little melodramatic for my tastes. What did your sister want with me? Why did Marcel kill her?" I said, actually telling the truth for once. She opened her mouth to talk but her eyes dashed elsewhere. I heard the door open and close. Oh come on. We were getting off to such a good start.
"I see you brought friends." I turned to look at the men who came in bared my teeth at them and then, smiling, turned back to Sophie.
"They're not with me. I have no friends in this town."
"They're with Marcel. That's all that matters. I know you built this town, but this is his town now. He killed my sister because she broke the rules. So I talk to you in front of them, I'm next." She turned back around and left. I growled under my breath and approached the men at the bar and grabbed them hard on their shoulders. Hard enough to break a humans neck.
"Are you two gentlemen following me?"
"Marcel said we're your guides." I should have known it was Marcellus.
"Oh, he did, did he? He did. Well then, let me be exceedingly clear about something: if either of you follow me again, you'll do so without the BENEFIT OF A SPINE." I tightened my grip ready to snap their necks but a human appeared, ready to serve.
"Sorry for the wait. If you're here for the gumbo, I'm about to break your heart. We just ran out." I released them and planted a $100s on the bar for her.
"Your oldest Scotch for my two friends here, love." I said kindly. She took the dollar and smiled at me. I returned it and she walked away. I grabbed the men again, a bit harder this time. "If Marcel wants to know what I'm up to, he can ask me himself." I let go of them, being as rough as I could. I left the building, pissed… again. But even more so.
I walked into my old home and to my surprise, I found people drinking, dancing and having sex. In my house. I spotted one of the inner-circle men and approached him.
"Where is Marcel?"
"And who the hell is asking?"
"I assume you're joking." I growled. How dare he fucking question me! He should be lucky I didn't immediately rip his heart out.
"I only answer to Marcel." He said, standing up to me. That's it!
"Well then, in that case perhaps you'll answer to this." I grabbed the man by his throat and squeezed, hard enough to block his breathing. I put out my hybrid eyes and my vampire lines on my face. I raised my voice louder and louder until I was shouting at the dumb ass. "You're aware the bite of a werewolf can kill a vampire? Well, as you can see, I'm half werewolf, so I'm gonna ask you one more time: where is Marcel!?" I demanded and let him have just enough room in his throat to squeak out the answer. I heard Marcel behind me and he was beside me in less than a minute. He tried to make me drop the guy, I let go, only so that if need be I could grab hold of Marcellus. If he tried to blow me off he was dead.
"He-hey, I'm right here, I'm right here, e-e-easy now. Diego's just looking out for me. Nobody harms my guys- those are the rules." …
"I DON'T CARE about your rules, Marcel, AND I DON'T need chaperones. Why are you having me followed?" Marcel walked away from the others and I begrudgingly followed him.
"Come here. I get it- a show of force. You've made your point. Let it go friend, ah? For me." STOP PATRONIZING ME!
"Fine. Why don't you show me what you've done with the place, while you explain exactly what it is you've been up to in MY town?" Marcel paused but quickly smiled a wide dumb grin.
"Follow me." I followed him up the stairs and we arrived on the balcony overlooking my street. Easy Klaus. Don't fly off the rails. It's okay. Very okay. You've everything under control. I breathed deeply and breathed out until there was no more air in my lungs.
"Look at that skyline, huh? That there, that's progress. More hotels, more tourists, more fresh blood. And the humans? I taught them to look the other way."
"What of the witches? In my time, they were an annoying force to be dealt with, and now they live in fear. How do you know when they're using magic?"
"Maybe I got a secret weapon, an ace up my sleeve. Something that gives me complete control over all the magic in this town." I snorted, maybe he was using my old technique.
"Hm. Is that a fact?" I said a bit too kindly.
"Might be. Maybe I'm just bluffing." He lied. Marcel took out a mint and put it in his mouth.
"You take vervain?"
"Burns like a bitch, but I figure I should limit the number of things I'm vulnerable to. Don't be mad about that chaperone thing. I've told my guys to look out for you, that's all. That's what we do here- look out for each other." I don't need to be looked after I am a freaking Hybrid. "Mm, m-m-mm. New blood." I saw who he was referring to the girl I had paid earlier.
"Bartender, walking alone at night. She's either brave or dumb." I said laughing to myself.
"Let's see: brave, I let her live; dumb, she's dessert." I smiled and so did he. He jumped down onto the sidewalk behind the girl. She turned around at the sound of him. "You know, it's not safe here alone."
"You know, I have a black belt in karate." Marcel chuckled and I heard Elijah come onto the balcony too.
"Evening, Elijah." I sighed.
"Niklaus." Really? He wasn't going to return my greeting?
"What an entirely unwelcome surprise." I replied.
"What an entirely unsurprising welcome. Come with me."
"I'm not going anywhere. Not till I find out who's conspiring against me."
"I believe I just found that out for you." I turned around to look at him. He better be telling the truth.
So I followed him to the cemetery. What the hell!
"What are we doing here?"
"You want to know what the witches have in store for you? Follow me?" we entered one of the buildings. I saw Sophie.
"Sophie Deveraux. What is this Elijah?"
"He's all yours. Proceed." I instantly growled at the whole room. I was getting fed up with people trying anything on me.
"You know you're famous in this town? Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphan street rat, until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, he kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him, and you're gonna help me." It suddenly hit me that they wanted me to take him down, they wanted me to act this way. I was being fucking manipulated! I smiled at them. I was amused that I had almost played into their hands.
"This is why you brought me here?"
"Hear her out."
"I don't need to hear her out. I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah, what madness is this?" I demanded when I saw Hayley, of all people, enter the building, followed by others. I was being ganged up on. I could feel my anger rising even higher.
"Klaus. You need to listen to them." She said. I laughed. How dare she think I care for her just because I let her sleep in my bed with me? Even if we did have sex. It was horrible sex. I was just bored. And drunk.
"You're all out of your minds if you think some liquor-fueled, one-night stand, no offense, sweetheart, means a thing to me." I said astounded that someone could be so dumb.
"Marcel may be able to keep us from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new. For example, I have a special gift... of sensing when a girl is pregnant." Dumb girl. I laughed at her. Wait. Is she talking about me?
"What?"
"I know it's impossible..."
"What are you saying?"
"Niklaus... the girl is carrying your child." LIAR!
"No. It's impossible. This is a lie. You are all lying. Vampires cannot procreate." I said, trying to teach the idiots, Elijah himself should know that!
"But werewolves can." What the hell did that mean? "Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're THE Original Hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes." I tried to control my emotions but it was futile. I was spilling out. I turned to Hayley.
"You've been with someone else, admit it!" I yelled.
"Hey, I've spent days held captive in a freaking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would've fessed up if it wasn't yours?" I was about to reply when Sophie spoke, again they were ganging up on me. I'll kill them all.
"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress." As if I cared for her!
"Wait, what?"
"Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself."
"No you won't! I'll dagger you before you even get the chance!" However they were ignoring me, all of them. Grr.
"No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules." I turned slowly to face the bitch. I could barely contain myself but I could control my voice, so I used my calm and nicest voice, only able to at a quiet tone, lest I actually rip all their heads off.
"How dare you command me..." I couldn't help myself any more, I began to yell at her. "Threaten me, with what you WRONGFULLY perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear any more lies!" I tried to leave but Elijah blocked my exit.
"Niklaus. Listen." I tuned my ears into Hayley. I could hear a rapid heartbeat, a second heartbeat. I listened more, surprised, for a few more moments. I met Hayley's eye contact. I was a father? I felt happy for a second before I put up a wall immediately. I didn't give a damn. I turned to Elijah.
"Kill her and the baby. What do I care?"
I walked out of the damned building, headed to take Marcel from here before Elijah could kill him. However Elijah came and interrupted my path.
"Niklaus."
"It's a trick, Elijah!" I tried to convince him, but considering how my day was going down he wouldn't listen to me.
"No, brother. It's gift. It's your chance- it's our chance." I had been right.
"To what?"
"To start over. Take back everything we lost, everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. Our family was ruined- WE were ruined. And since then, all that you have ever wanted- all that WE have ever wanted was a family." That's right, correct yourself Elijah, you know not what I want.
"I will NOT be manipulated." I turned away from him but he was in my way again. I growled before I could stop myself, like self-consciously growling at him.
"So they're manipulating you. So what? With them, this girl and her child- YOUR child- live." You don't even know me do you? Maybe this will teach you!
"I'm gonna kill every last one of them." I shoved Elijah and turned away but he was yet AGAIN in my way. I was ready to snap his neck.
"And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?" IDIOT!
"People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid. What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?" I demanded.
"Family is power, Niklaus. Love, loyalty- that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognize as my own brother." Great I'd set off a lecture. "This is us, the Original family, and we remain together, always and forever. I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So save this girl. Save your child." He placed a hand on my shoulder and I put my own hand on his in a brotherly gesture.
"No." I whispered to him and then turned and stalked off, and finally the bastard let me go. I went to go talk to Marcel, maybe I could calm down with him. Then again maybe not.
I found my way back to my house and everyone was STILL partying. I found Marcel immediately.
"Hey, man. Where'd you run off to?"
"You mean your minions aren't still documenting my every move?" I said, pissed but trying to calm down.
"Someone put you in a mood. What can I do?"
"What you can do is you can tell me what this thing is you have with the witches." I said almost calmly.
"Oh, we're back to that?" He was disrespecting me yet AGAIN.
"Yeah, we're back to that." I almost snarled at him but I stopped myself from doing so.
"You know I owe you everything I got, but I'm afraid I have to draw the line on this one. This is my business. I control the witches in my town. Let's just leave it at that."
"YOUR town?"
"Damn straight." He said confidently.
I put my finger to my lips and then pointed it at him. "That's funny, because when I left 100 years ago, you were just a pathetic little scrapper still trembling from the lashes of the whips of those who would keep you down, and now look at you. MASTER of your domain. PRINCE of the city." The music stopped playing and the crowd began to watch us. "I'd like to know how."
"Why? Jealous? Hey, man, I get it. Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal colony into something. You started it, but then you left. Actually, you ran from it. I saw it through. Look around. Vampires rule this city now. We don't have to live in the shadows like rats. The locals know their place. They look the other way. I got rid of the werewolves. I even found a way to shut down the witches. The blood never stops flowing and the party never ends. You wanna pass on through? You wanna stay a while? Great. What's mine is yours, but it is mine. MY HOME, MY FAMILY, MY RULES." I'd had it. I challenged him.
"And if someone breaks those rules?"
"They die. Mercy is for the weak. You taught me that, too. And I'm not the prince of the Quarter, friend. I'M THE KING! SHOW ME SOME RESPECT!" He said glaring at me. I almost grabbed him to throw him over my lap but quickly remembered where we were. I took in the situation, trying to figure out what I was going to do. I sped quickly over to one of his men, grabbed him, viciously bit into him and fed. Then I dropped him I turned to Marcel with blood dripping from my lips.
"Your friend will be dead by the weekend, which means I've broken one of your rules. And yet… I cannot be killed. I AM IMMORTAL. Who has the power now, 'friend'?" I said and smiled at him. I looked to the whole room before I turned and left the building. Marcel would pay for his behavior later. I walked around the people in the square, trying to get far away from everyone. I stopped hearing a band play and noticed a man painting a on a large canvas. I saw the bartender from Rousseau's. She was also watching the man paint. I walked over to her and she didn't notice me until I was standing next to her.
"The hundred dollar guy."
"The brave bartender." I noticed the name tag on her shirt. "Camille. That's a French name."
"It's a grandma's name. Call me Cami. Amazing, isn't he?" I looked at the painter.
"Do you paint?"
"No, but I admire. Every artist has a story, you know."
"And what do you suppose his story is?" I asked.
"He's... angry. Dark. Doesn't feel safe and doesn't know what to do about it. He wishes he could control his demons instead of having his demons control him. He's lost. Alone." I thought of myself. I quickly diverted my eyes from the painter and smiled to myself.
"Or maybe he just drank too much tonight. Sorry. Overzealous Psych major." I laughed.
"No. I think you were probably right the first time." Cami smiled at me and then looked back to the painter. I left before she could realize it.
I went to Rousseau's and bought a bottle of whiskey and left. I walked down an alley into a secret area of New Orleans where no one was. I began to drink and heard Elijah come in. I didn't turn to face him. I didn't want to see him.
"Have I not made clear my desire to be left alone? "
"Oh, you demand to be left alone at least once a decade. Your words have ceased to have impact." I burst with that little comment and threw my bottle at him but it landed far from him, I was really that impaired? It bursts into millions of glass shards.
"Why must you keep harping on about the baby?! That child will never be born! In fact, Hayley is probably dead already." I said and smiled at him, a cruel smile. He was in front of me in a second. He grabbed my throat. He spoke, threatening me.
"You will not walk away from this!" I growled at him.
"Let. Me. Go." I had succeeded for once. I had made Elijah angry after almost a hundred years.
"I WILL NOT!" he threw me against the floor and before I could zoom away he put me back on my feet.
"Don't make me say it again." I snarled at him.
"I will not let go. I will never let go." I grabbed Elijah and hurled him against the metal gate. He stood up fast. He took one of the iron rods. He walked over to me. I was surprised. I was expecting something entirely different, exactly what I was/am going to do to Marcel once I was calm enough.
"Even if I have to spend eternity saving you from your own stubborn, petulant, vile self..." He sped over and smacked me with the iron rod. I snarled at his comment and his actions and he hit me again. "If I have to beat you as father used to beat you, to remind you of your own humanity to care about anything..." He tried to me again but I caught it, grabbed it and hit him with it like baseball… Elijah went flying against the same gate. He fell to the ground but he stayed there. I panted and dropped the bar. I walked to go sit near Elijah. I had won the fight, but this time it didn't feel good. He was still sitting on the ground.
"You're beyond pathetic, Elijah."
"Well who is more pathetic? The one who sees hope to make his family whole, or the coward who only see the world through his own fear?" Fearful coward? No. I kill people for sport, I was a murderer.
"I haven't cared about anything for centuries. Why on earth do you?"
"Because I failed you. Because the first time our father laid a hand on you, I should have struck him dead. I made a promise to you: always, forever, family above all." I began to laugh, even if I felt surprised that he would say that, I would make it appear that I thought he was ridiculous. I took his hand and helped him up. At least my anger had disappeared.
"You are a sentimental fool."
"Perhaps. But I've lasted this long in spite of it, haven't I?" He walked away, leaving me. I stood there looking after him, thinking.
After a while I walked down an empty street and sat down on a bench, tired of thinking for the day, either I need more beer or I need sleep. Elijah came and sat by me. Almost making me smile, almost.
"Are you here to give me another pep talk on the joys of fatherhood?" I sighed.
"I've said all I needed to say."
"I forgot how much I liked this town."
"I didn't forget. All the centuries we've spent together, and yet I can count on one hand the number of times that our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here."
"As did I." I said, close to tears.
"What is on your mind, brother?"
"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and... chase me off. He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be king."
"And what of Hayley and the baby?"
"Every king needs an heir." I said, and you I smiled.
"I made him in my image, and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want it back. I wanna be king."
"So is that all this child means to you? A grab for power?"
"What does it mean to you? "
"I think this child could offer you the one thing that you've never believed you had."
"And what's that?"
"The unconditional love of family." I looked at him and he stared calmly into my eyes. One of the reasons I love him is because when I demand it, even when I don't, he gives superb advice.
"Tell Sophie Deveraux we have a deal." He smiled at me. I smiled back.
I got up and we went our separate ways. I walked into the room my kid was in. The man I bit earlier was lying in the bed as he was dying. Others were surrounding him even Marc. When I came in he and another vampire, Diego rose to 'defend' their friend. As if they could stop me from killing someone…
"I had time to sleep on it last night. I am not your enemy." Marcel and Diego relaxed. "Where my family and I failed this town... Marcel succeeded." I reached over and grabbed a cup from the drink tray. I bit myself and drained blood into it. "My blood will heal him, as though it never happened." I said to them. Marcel nodded and Diego took the glass and gave it to Thierry. I would have to apologize later. "The Quarter is your home, but I would like to stay a while, IF I'm still welcome." Marcel smiled and aimed to hug me but instead he put his hand on my neck and laughed. I would have to play nice with the kid for a while.
"Klaus, can I speak to you?"
"Sure. What is it?" he led me to the kitchen.
"I don't want Elijah walking around town. Send him away or better yet why don't you dagger him and hand him over to me." I'll tell you why not. You're already in trouble but I can't exactly do anything about it right now… rather I won't.
"Fine. Agreed but I will be paid for it. I'll tell you when and how."
"Fine." He agreed.
I left my house and watched a parade of dancing and performing people moving down the street. I took out my cell and called Caroline. After all New Orleans was a city of many a arts.
"This is Caroline. Leave a message after the thank you. Thank you."
"Caroline. I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world, surrounded by food, music, art, culture, and all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me. Bye." I hung up and pocketed my phone and laughed. She was adorable. I walked down the street to find a place to live, then it clicked. I would live in his slave house, besides that is where Elijah told me to meet him.
When I got there I could hear him talking to that Hayley girl. I began to make my way over there.
"I will always protect you. You have my word on that." I appeared at that moment.
"And noble Elijah always keeps his word." I interjected.
"Is it done? "
"As a matter of fact, yes. Your underhanded deal worked quite well. Marcel was only too happy to accept my blood even as he accepted my heartfelt apologies. His man, Thierry, yet lives and I remain a welcome guest in the French Quarter. My only concern now is this coven of impudent witches."
"I believe them to be honorable. They did release Hayley to me. Although, they haven't been entirely forthcoming. Marcel obviously has something that they need. They don't want him dead. There must be a reason why." I just ignored him. I knew that information already, which was why I needed to show them who was actually in charge. Trying to use me… Hayley left the room to go find a bathroom. "In addition to the secret weapon he uses to control the witches, Marcel has assembled a small army of vampires. Working together, we can destroy them from the inside.
"And what of Rebekah? Has she stopped her pouting long enough to join the fun?"
"She has made her disinterest quite clear."
"One too many times daggered and shoved in a box, I gather? Or perhaps she doesn't share your unwavering belief that I can be saved."
"Rebekah may surprise us yet. After all, we all swore the same vow."
"I hope she stays far away. Because in my desire to reclaim this town, to steal from Marcel that which he holds most dear, I have realized one massive vulnerability. One weakness that Marcel could exploit."
"And what is that?"
"You." I daggered him and he groaned. "Forgive me, my brother. There is no power in love. Mercy makes you weak. Family makes you weak. If I am going to win this war, I have to do it alone." I put him in his box and took it to my house and put it in the basement.