I got a text from my phone as I read Elijah's journal for this year. I was so close to learning where exactly Elijah had hidden Tristan. The reason I hadn't found it yet? I had to keep putting it back. Why? Because Elijah cannot know what I am doing. I'm not supposed to be reading his personal stuff, and I know just a few years ago he got onto Hayley for doing it.
I looked at my phone and growled. 'Bring me my dark objects at the cemetary, or I'll be keeping this white knight.' I slammed the book shut before sliding it back in place. I gathered up some of her dark objects. Who says I can't just come take them back? I know for sure I'm going to be relieving Will Kenney of his happiness. I need to make Cami pay, and if killing her isn't the answer, killing her friends was.
…
I arrived to the cemetery, I'd placed the ones I could trust in her hands in a suitcase and was bringing her the suitcase full of dark objects to hold onto until I deemed it ready to yank away. These dark objects are mine, and mine alone. I spotted Vincent. Great.
"Ah, Vincent." I headed toward him, knowing this is where Camille would be. "I should have known Camille would seek powerful fools to aid in this rather futile gambit. As I send you off to join your Ancestors, just know this is her fault. After all, are you not her friend?" I lunged for him but was blocked. Barrier. I glared at him.
"I was hoping for a simple trade, but seeing as how everything you took can't possibly fit in that briefcase, I'm gonna go ahead and assume that 'simple' ain't exactly your style."
"Why don't you take down this barrier? I'll show you precisely what my style entails." I noticed Cami come into view from behind one of the tombs.
"Seriously? I have an ancient, mystical weapon of doom, and instead of agreeing to my very fair trade, you're making threats."
"There she is! Traitor to my family, thief of that which is mine." Did she just say fair? "Fair? Are you kidding me? One object for an entire arsenal? That's not fair at all, my dear. I could just end this with a call to your Uncle Kieran but seeing as I've never been one for 'tattletales' I'll keep that up my sleeve until the very last moment, shall I?" She rolled her eyes at me.
"Don't be dramatic. Like I said, I wanted your attention. And, seeing as you're here, I'd say I got it."
"Yes, a rather effective tactic- one I usually reserve for enemies. And I thought we were friends."
"We are. But relationships are built on trust and equality, and we don't have either if you're confiscating my stuff." I sneered at her.
"And so your response is to steal what's mine in an attempt to bend my will to yours."
"I just want back what you took." She looked at the suitcase. "What, that's like, a third of them? So, would you like a third of the white oak?" I rolled my eyes at her sass.
"Are you really going to do this?"
"Okay, listen- I'm gonna leave you two alone. But, uh, y'all want my advice? Y'all best to finish this up before someone finds out what she took." I glared at him as he left, before sneering into Camille's eyes. So much for friendship!
"I think you need to calm down. Count to ten. Focus on your breathing."
"We are through with you telling me how to 'handle' my emotions. Is it amusing to your feeble little mind, endangering my family? Don't you understand that you hold the very means of ending your life as well as my family's?"
"Am I laughing? I want to put this all behind us."
"I'm gonna ask you one last time…"
"–Give me the white oak stake? Am I right? My answer is: 'Happily! As soon as you stop screwing around and give me back what is mine.'" She wants a stall out? Let's see who lasts longer.
"If I give your trinkets back, I embolden all manner of foolishness. You will grow arrogant under the false belief you have power, and ultimately, you will end up dead."
"Klaus, you're afraid something will happen to me? Guess what– Something already did! I died!" I remember clearly what my sisters did to you.
"Fine. I'll retrieve your toys." Most of them anyway. "Keep this bloody barrier up until I return."
…
I was in my study, collecting dark objects into a duffle bag. I froze for a moment, smelling the surroundings but no scents were out of the ordinary. So I continued about my job. Then I heard Hayley waltz in.
"Hey! Hey! Are you serious with all that noise?!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Has Camille's betrayal inconvenienced your otherwise tranquil day?" She sighed in frustration.
"Kolinn and Geena have been upset. The only thing that calms them is their favorite toy, which Cami stole to get back at you." Well their going to need to find a new favorite toy aren't they? "So, if you wake them up with all this slamming around, so help me, Cami will be the least of your problems." Oh, I'm sorry. Am I supposed to be afraid of a little wolf? I sighed, getting a hold of my rampant emotions the best I could.
"It pains me that my children are upset. So, I'll add it to the long list of grievances I'm already tallying, hmm?"
"I know that you're angry at Cami, Klaus, but you know as well as I do that she's not in her right mind." Try murderous.
"I beg to differ. Camille seems quite lucid, tucked away behind the barrier spell in the City of the Dead as she taunts me with the very means of my demise."
…
I arrived to the cemetery again this time carrying a duffle bag. It held within, most of her dark objects. I headed toward the last place I met them. I felt something strange, just like earlier. "If someone's playing games, just know the contest ends when I rip out your innards!" No answer. I dropped the bag. "Camille!" I shouted. No answer still. I pulled out my phone to see I had no service. Just great! "Camille if this is some stupid trick to get back your objects, you can reconsider getting anything! Camille!"
"She can't hear you." I spun to see a new witch I'd never seen before. "As a matter of fact… pretty soon now, she'll be dead. I hope you two parted on good terms." I growled, lunging for her. She vanished.
"Show yourself!" I turned and suddenly I knew. She wasn't an Orleans witch…
"You're one of the coven affiliated with the Strix."
"My Sisters and I have come for the one thing that can kill you."
"Well, perhaps I'll find your sisters and feed them what remains of your insides." I roared, lunging, hands out but I was blocked by a barrier spell.
"I have a better idea." Then suddenly everything went black as I heard the snapping of my own neck.
When I woke, I rushed to Camille, to see if she were alive or dead. She was alive. However, I didn't like what they told me. "YOU LOST IT!" I roared in my frustration. I grabbed her by the neck, slamming her head against the bricks of the mausoleum before just as quickly releasing her. I vamped to the other side of the room, pacing.
"Klaus, I'm sorry." I ignored her plea.
"You realize this is your doing? Your attempt to manipulate me played right into our enemies' hands!" She sighed.
"And I said I'm sorry."
"Your apologies won't bring back what's been lost!"
"Then shut up and let Vincent track down that witch!" Said witch stood.
"Just where do you think you're going?"
"I want to find her just as much as you do, but I cannot concentrate, not with this pointless bickering."
"Well, then, by all means, please, go, attend to your task." I said as lightly as I could. He left and Cami headed to follow him. I blocked her path. "You, however, are not going to leave my sight! What were you thinking? Did it occur to you the immense danger you placed yourself in? You were almost killed!"
"I would have been. Thank God I had my dark objects." She sounds just like a teenager, she's making the same argument Rebekah would make. "The amount of vulnerability you're feeling right now, Klaus… that's what I deal with all the time. Why do you think I'm so desperate to protect myself? If you had just given me what I asked for…" I snapped at her.
"Do not blame me."
"I took a calculated risk, yes. Did it blow up in my face? Yes. And I am sorry. I am. But if you had just listened to me, we wouldn't be here right now." I heard her phone start ringing. "It's the same story with you, Klaus. For a thousand years you- you control, you manipulate, you do whatever you need to do to get your way. And I'm not gonna be a part of it anymore. I don't care how high the risk is."
"Answer your bloody damn phone, would you?!" I shouted at her, the ringing was getting incessantly annoying. She sighed and answered it.
"What?" She snapped.
"Cami, you have to listen to me. One of the Strix witches knows where you are and she knows that you have the white oak."
"You're a little late, kiddo. She already took it, which means… I guess the Strix have it now."
"No, you don't understand. When she got inside my head, I got inside hers. She's not working for the Strix. She's working for Aurora." I clenched my jaw shut when I heard her say that. But then I released it as I remembered she's missing Tristan just as much as I. To join her side, I'd need something. Like the location of Tristan de Martel.
…
We were in Cami's apartment and I had taken back the objects I'd brought her, the second time of course. I'd skillfully hidden the duffle bag from her. I just needed to make sure Camille knew the consequences of her actions for going against me.
"I have killed many, many people for far less than what you've done."
"What do you want me to say, Klaus? 'Thank you for not killing me?'" I sighed.
"You're in the throes of a metamorphosis you cannot possibly comprehend. One that has clearly impaired your judgment." She gave me a look.
"I may not yet know who I am, or what-"
"You're a vampire."
"-I am, but I do know I will never live in fear of anyone again. Ever." She turned from me. Clearly, our friendship was over for her… so it would have to be for me too. So be it.
"We were friends. You could have trusted me." I vamped from her house, heading home. I'd had enough for one day.