Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals.

I hope you like.

Camille O'Connell.

Lucien had done his homework. Bartender at Rousseau's, PhD student, niece of Kieran O'Connell who'd run New Orleans human faction like his uncle and his uncle before him.

Klaus had too many weaknesses for Lucien's liking, and Camille O'Connor was by far his most vulnerable pressure point. The blame for that lay at Camille's feet. Weak, human girl and she walked into interrogation liked she owned it; getting involved in supernatural murders.

Admittedly, Camille had Vincent Griffith all but attached to her hip. But Lucien had lived too long to know that the most powerful witches were still all too vulnerable and thanks to his thorough background check he knew that Vincent Griffith hardly qualified as a powerful witch.

The thirty minutes Lucien had spent with Camille had clued him in on a few more facts. Namely that Cami would not stop risking her neck. No, no she'd continue to move brazenly through New Orleans like she wasn't up against creatures that could kill her before she knew what was happening. Once upon a time Camille's bravery would have been admired; standing tall against impossible odds, the mark of a good knight. Today it'd be considered stupid. Lucien much preferred modern times.

Regardless of what he liked, Camille would continue to do the opposite. Run around, all but wearing a sign that read: "I'm Klaus Mikaelson's very tasty weakness, come exploit me". Klaus would not stop caring about her, which made Lucien's options very, very limited. Since even presuming Lucien could steal Camille away long enough to get the vervain out of her system without Klaus noticing, he'd definitely notice that Camille had left town. Lucien had done the math and he didn't like the odds that Klaus would figure it all out and come pull his lungs. Once had been quite enough thank you, no need for a repeat of that experience.

Camille would not trust him. So any hope that she'd accept his protection and come shack up at his penthouse was nonexistent. Real shame there. Cami was very pretty, and Lucien had always wanted revenge for Aurora. Just a taste, kiss her before Klaus claimed those lips. It'd be a fitting role-reversal.

So if she wasn't going to accept his protection, and was going to insist on running around, investigating supernatural murders Cami would just have to become a less vulnerable.

Simple in theory.

All Cami O'Connell had to was die. One snap of the neck; Lucien doubted she would feel a thing.

In practice…

Lucien sipped his scotch, running over the numbers again in his head. Klaus would do a hell of a lot worse than rip out if Lucien went about this directly. So sad for Camille. The direct way would save her a lot of pain. However, since as previously established Lucien wanted to save himself a lot of pain, this wouldn't be easy.

For Lucien anyway.

If all went well, Camille and Klaus wouldn't realize anything was afoot until it was too late. And they'd never, ever know Lucien was behind it.

Ever.

Originals

Cami had done her hair in a ponytail, probably to keep it out of her face while she poured over her psychology books. A glass of coffee sat untouched beside her, along with a half-eaten turkey club sandwich. Completely absorbed her in her work; she hadn't even noticed him come in. As if Lucien needed more proof. He could make a power-point presentation.

Accepting his order from the barista, Lucien crossed the café and slid into the chair opposite Camille. "Thought you could use a fresh one."

Fear showed, in Camille's eyes widening ever so slightly and a subtle tensing of her shoulders. "Thank you, but no."

"Oh please. If I wanted to kill you, which I don't and if I did I wouldn't because I don't because I like living and as we both know Klaus would kill me, I wouldn't bother with poison. I'd compel some poor human on the street to do it. Easy as pie."

"Go right ahead, I have a blackbelt. It's not humans I have to worry about."

"Mmm, feisty."

"What do you want Mr. Castle?"

"Lucien, please. I'd go on the whole Mr. Castle was my father but as I'm sure you can figure out, there was no Mr. Castle before me." Lucien winked, settling back in his chair.

Cami surveyed him, unsmiling and suspicion clear in her eyes.

"I'm just looking for a pleasant lunch with my lovely new acquaintance," said Lucien.

"Considering you're a vampire I could take that in a completely different way," said Camille.

"Oh come now. I've already said I'd never hurt you. In fact, I do have other motives." Here Lucien paused, sipping his own beverage. Human drinks really had gotten good since the middle ages. Iced hazelnut coffee, who'd come up with something like that? And who would have thought it could be delicious?

Camille gave no response, though she did settle back in her own chair. A show of being bored but humoring except; except bored people who humored others didn't have accelerated heart-rates.

"Like I said back at the police station, Tristan is the guilty party. Nik cares about you. If I know that, Tristan knows that," said Lucien. "How long until he exploits such information? You need my help Camille. At the very least, patch things up with Nik."

Lucien caught the flash of irritation, of longing, that crossed Cami's face. Then her mask was back in place. He cut her off before Cami could speak. "I know you're in love with him. He clearly fancies you. More than Aurora, more than any other woman I've seen him with."

"Tristan's sister who you were in love with," said Cami. "What happened between you too?"

Lucien smiled, "Now that's a long story darling, I'd be happy to tell you the whole thing; perhaps over dinner sometime."

It was Cami's turn to smile. "I'm afraid I have plans. Supernatural serial-killer on the loose and all."

"I'm happy to help you there as well," said Lucien. "I know better than nearly anyone. Arch-enemy and all that?"

"I'm sure you could if Tristan is the killer. Either way it's in your best interests for Tristan to be the killer or for us just to think Tristan is the killer," said Cami. "So I'm not very willing to trust a biased party."

"Perfectly understandable Camille, but again, let me appeal to your logic. Please. Using loved ones against ones enemy is villainy 101. Trust me, Tristan is well-versed in it. He'll know your hang-outs, he'll know your schedule, and he knows about Vincent Griffith and can easily find a way around him. He probably even knows about your arsenal of dark objects. So please, accept my help."

"And what would you have in mind?"

Before Lucien could make his suggestions several vampires entered the café. Not that Camille would know they were vampires and Lucien only knew they were due to prior dealings. They however, knew him on sight.

And approached the table in a group. No one had told them about strategy. Young vampires today, really.

"Corey Arnolds?"

"What's it to you?"

"You're coming with us."

Lucien paused, glancing at Camille. He reached across the table and caught her wrist at vampire speed. "No, I'm not."

Again at vampire speed he caught Camille in his arms and out of the café into the alley.

"Who the hell were those guys? And why were they calling you Corey Arnolds?"

"Well I've been alive for ages darling. I do have a number of aliases."

Three more vampires approached them. Evidently they had friends in the alleyway. So nice people could learn. They even came from both sides.

The one towards the back sped forward at vampire speed, and seized Camille. Lucien ripped his heart out, but not before Camille's arm was broken.

The other two vampires, not at all deterred by the take down of their comrade went for it. Lucien yanked their hearts out in unison.

With four people on the alley, Lucien vamp-sped over to the only one still conscious. "Are you alright?" He bit his wrist, "Here."

Cami shook her head. "No."

"You'll be in a cast for months. Please, Nik would kill me if he knew I got you hurt. I am sorry…" He held out his wrist closer to her. Cami hesitated a second before grabbing his wrist and drinking. Lucien watched carefully as she swallowed. He touched her arm, and felt the bones set themselves and mend beneath his fingers.

"Come on. Let's get you out of here."

Getting up however, found that the four vampires from inside the restaurant had followed them. These though took more stock in the fact that Lucien had just downed three of their comrades and were now wary.

"You'll want to be running off now," said Lucien. An arm securely around Camille's waist, he led her down the alley. They didn't make it five steps before one vampire rushed forward and snapped Cami's neck.

Lucien let her fall to the ground. He tossed that particular vampire into the alley wall; then wasted no time in relieving the final three of their hearts. Everyone in the alley now dead –or undead at least- Lucien turn to the only other conscious individual member.

"I did well?"

"Stellar acting job," said Lucien, reaching down to help Corey Arnolds up. "Sorry about shoving you."

"Course, you had to sell it," said Corey.

"Also…" Lucien yanked Corey's heart out of his chest. "About that. Can't have anyone in the know though. You understand."

Lucien picked up Camille, and escorted her from the alley to his car. "The Abattoir ," he ordered.

After setting Camille down opposite him, Lucien poured himself a glass of scotch and after a long, bracing drink sat back and grinned.

How to get Camille O'Connor to drink vampire blood and then die, without arousing suspicion? That had been the question.

The answer: Put her in danger so she became injured and then have that danger kill her.

Thankfully, he had countless enemies. Several of which were members of his own sireline. Many were nothing more than gangs really. While they all knew better than to go after him directly, they did occasionally pick off the underlings at the bottom of his long, long ladder. Underlings like Corey Arnold. Lucien had arranged for Corey to infiltrate one such group, find a number of bottom of the barrel underlings like himself, and get them to go after… well, who they thought was Corey Arnold.

He'd arranged for Corey to have one vampire break Cami's arm, and he'd ordered Corey to personally snap her neck.

Everyone in the know was dead. Investigations would lead to this being an attack on him and Camille had tragically gotten caught in the cross-fire. So sad.

Klaus would be furious but if Lucien played it right, he would keep his lungs inside his chest. Speaking of… Lucien dialed a number on his phone. Klaus answered on the second ring.

TBC

A/N: I do think that Hope is Klaus's biggest weakness. But Hope is also under constant protection. Whereas Cami isn't.

I do think that Vincent is a pretty powerful witch. But I also think that Lucien wouldn't think that.