Chapter 14
When Caroline stepped in her flat after coming back from her shift at the Mystic, she saw an envelope that had been slipped under her door. She carefully picked it up, frowning. And then after opening it, her breath caught in her throat. It was a drawing of her, of the first night she sang at the Mystic. Klaus name was signed at the bottom of the drawing.
-O-
Inspector Coleman was in his office when a knock on the door interrupted him reading a report.
"You called for me, Sir." Officer O'Leery came in.
"Yes. You've got contact on the streets don't you ?"
O'Leery straightened.
"Some."
"I want you to spread an information carefully in the Mikaelsons territory. The younger Mikaelson sister has a lover."
The Officer was surprised at the order and it showed on his face.
"Understood ?" Coleman raised an eyebrow.
"Yes Sir." O'Leery saluted and exited the room.
Coleman leaned back on his chair. Internal fighting was the worse to closely knit organizations like the Mikaelson's. The reason he didn't reveal the name of the lover was, so it got more impact when revealed, and even if the information was wrong, it would have still created tensions, so it was no skin off his back.
-O-
Klaus entered the Mystic and instead of going to the booth directly, he headed for the bar. His eyes spotted Caroline at the other end and judging by her quickly averting her eyes, she'd noticed his arrival too. However, he didn't go for her, he leaned on the bar facing Gloria.
"What can I do for you Klaus ?" The older woman said, one of the rare people left to address him without fear in their voices.
"Have Caroline bring some shot to my booth." He casually said while observing the bar owner reaction.
As expected, she threw him a sharp glance, but kept quiet. Which meant she liked her new worker, but the blond girl wasn't someone she'd protect from him like Matt or Bonnie, yet.
Klaus made his way to the booth as he thought about that. There he found Kol already nursing a drink.
"Big brother, came to relax ?" Kol raised his glass smirking.
Klaus didn't deign answer, he sat across the younger man as his eyes went to the stairs. Caroline was making her way up with a tray of small shots and one glass of Bourbon, brows pinched. Klaus lips curled into a smile.
"She's a pretty little thing." Kol interrupted his focus.
"Say another word and I'll tear out your liver." Threatened the older Mikaelson, he was in no mood for Kol's fun.
Kol raised an eyebrow, half amused, half surprised by the vehemence in his brother's voice even as he never took his eyes away from the blond girl making her way to them. Still, he kept quiet.
Then Caroline was before them.
"Your drinks Mr Mikaelson." She lowered the tray to the table before putting the Bourbon before Klaus, who took it quickly enough to brush his fingers against hers, but she acted like nothing happened despite the shiver that went through her. Instead, she put the three shots on the table. As Klaus was watching her over the glass rim, taking a sip from his drink.
"How about a shot with me Caroline ?" He smiled invitingly.
Caroline locked gaze with him, she hadn't been that happy to be sent here with drinks, she wasn't one of the floor girls after all and liked having a counter between her and the patrons beside, but then again, only Gloria generally delivered the drinks of this particular booth so it wasn't like she was treated as a regular waitress. Anyway, she didn't think she could refuse the drink, it was only a shot, and she'd promised Gloria to sing tonight, just her luck Klaus would be here. The alcohol might do her as much good as the practice with the musicians these last few days.
She nodded. Klaus smiled and raised a shot to his own lips.
She took the small glass and drained it in one go before crisply putting it on the table again.
"In a hurry Love ?"
"I got to go back down." She shrugged and then turned around and left. She didn't think she was too rude, perhaps a bit abrupt though, but the alcohol had warmed her and she felt like she needed to leave the presence of Klaus Mikaelson unless she became more intoxicated.
"Isn't she stunning ?"
If Kol had been surprised before, he was even more so hearing those words from big bad Klaus.
"She certainly looks good walking away from you." He joked, but at the same time reasserting his view on the blonde barmaid, she'd captured his brother's attention, pity the fools who'd try to get their hands on her now.
"I take that as a challenge." Klaus didn't get mad, instead smirked and took another sip of Bourbon.
Meanwhile, Caroline headed for the stage. She couldn't back out now, it wasn't that bad last time and she'd promised Gloria.
Taking a breath, she nodded to the musicians and the music began.
Feet don't fail me now
Take me to the finish line
Oh my heart it breaks
every step that I take
But I'm hoping at the gates
they'll tell me that you're mine
Walking through the city streets
Is it by mistake or design ?
I feel so alone on a Friday night
Can you make it feel like home
if I tell you you're mine ?
It's like I told you honey
Don't make me sad
don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough
and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh
let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk
on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard
in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
'Cause you and I
we were born to die
Lost but now I am found
I can see but once I was blind
I was so confused as a little child
Tried to take what I could get
Scared that I couldn't find
All the answers honey
Don't make me sad
don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough
and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh
let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk
on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard
in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
'Cause you and I
we were born to die
We were born to die
We were born to die
Come and take a walk
on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard
in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Don't make me sad
don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough
and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh
let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk
on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard
in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
'Cause you and I
we were born to die
We were born to die
The music stopped and applause reverberated in the Mystic. She blushed a bit and escaped toward Gloria. The older woman welcomed her with a satisfied smile and a glass of water. She gulped it down, she was parched.
Her eyes had kept straying to the upstairs booth without her consent while she sang and now as well. She trembled a bit as she saw Klaus intense gaze focused on her and turned her eyes back to Gloria before her. The older woman was watching her calculatingly. She swallowed.
"What ?" She asked, hoping to sound innocent.
Gloria made a wry smile, obviously she hadn't succeeded and her shoulders slumped.
"I'm not the type to tell others how to live their life, but I do have a piece of advice for you Caroline Forbes. Be careful with your heart, Sugar, 'cause Klaus Mikaelson isn't one to mess with casually."
Caroline wanted to protest, but she could not really, she felt more and more attracted to the mobster even as she knew what kind of person he was, and the reason she came here is at best for him to be sent to jail. She couldn't continue like that. She was betraying her duty, her father otherwise.
-O-
A group of men with bandages and swollen faces were hiding in the shadow of an alley, watching as another group of men emptied a truck, putting the merchandise in the warehouse. Those men were part of the Mikaelsons.
"We'll show those bastards Mikaelsons. Ready guys ?" The leader whispered before they all charged in, weapons out.
-O-
"Klaus we have a problem." Marcel entered the office without preamble. "The gypsies attacked one of our delivery trucks out of the blue, they stole two cases of bottles and smashed another." He reported.
Klaus and Elijah instantly turned grim.
"Kol." Klaus all but growled.
"I'll deal with it." Elijah rubbed the bridge of his nose before leaving.
"Marcel, make sure the next delivery go without a hitch."
The handsome black man nodded before exiting. He thought Klaus would have been more pissed, but then again, it was apparently related to Kol's antics.
The truth was Klaus was pissed, at his brother, at the gypsies, but the fact was it was within his expectations since as soon as he heard about the first altercation, he had more important things to deal with.
Which is why when Kol appeared before him, he didn't beat him up like the younger man was actually expecting after hearing what happened.
"Well, it's not that big of a deal, we're stronger than the gypsies. I'll just take some men to their encampment and smash it up." Kol shrugged.
"You won't do anything. Elijah went to clean up your mess and you'll listen to his arrangement. Understood ?" Warning coated Klaus voice.
Kol knew he shouldn't push it this time, so he nodded.
"There's one thing."
"What did you do ?" Klaus was exasperated.
"Why do you assume I've done something immediately." Kol nearly pouted as his brother gave him a pointed look in answer.
"Anyway, it's not about me. There's a rumor going around the streets."
"Why would I care ?"
"It's about Rebekah."
Instantly Klaus face turned darker.
"Who's spreading things about our baby sister ?"
"I don't know about that. But some of the men might have heard and tell you, so I thought that would be bad if that was the case."
Now Klaus was on his guard.
"What's the rumor Kol ?"
"Just stay calm, it's probably just bull. The rumor going around is that Rebekah got a lover."
Klaus felt his temper flare and rose from his chair.
"Remember, it's not proven yet."
"Make yourself useful and wait for Elijah to return." Klaus told him before leaving the office.
"Well, I tried to say it nicely so he wouldn't go into a rage." Kol mumbled before flopping on the sofa for a quick nap.
-O-
Klaus stormed into the house to find Freya alone, surprised at his brusque entrance.
"Where's Rebekah ?"
"What happened Klaus ?" She frowned, suspicions already forming in her mind.
Klaus walked up to Freya and asked point blank,
"Does Rebekah have a lover ?"
"She's at the theater, you should ask her herself. Do listen to her." Freya sighed internally, that's why she had advised her sister to talk to Klaus soon. She only hoped it didn't blow up in all of their faces as she watched Klaus leave.
Lyrics is from Born to die by Lana del Rey.
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