Lex

"I told you, I'm choosing to stay here." I reply earnestly. Reluctantly stepping out of his embrace.

Klaus pauses for a moment, his face contorting into some unreadable expression. It wasn't exactly kindness but it was a safe bet he wouldn't be going for my neck anytime soon.

"You're friends will be out of the quarter by nightfall. I'll make the arrangements," he bows abruptly, running impossibly fast; away from me.


"So Klaus showed up after all" Marcel smiles.

Diego frowns, "Yeah, he crashed the party, nearly killed Felicia and Otto and made away with the werewolf girl."

"How old did you say she was?" Marcel inquires.

"Couldn't be that much younger than his sister," Diego replies.

"Pretty?" Marcel asks offhandedly, looking over the documents scattered across his desk. So many bills to pay, so many politicians to bribe.

"Does it matter?" Diego says his teeth clenched.

Marcel sighs,"Just trying to figure out how the hell you didn't notice she was a werewolf when she was grinding up all over you and every other of my men."

"We weren't too distracted my her 'looks' is that's what you're trying to imply," Diego sounds disgusted, "she didn't smell like a wolf. All human."

"And you've never seen her before since that night? She isn't one of the wolves we ran out of here?" Marcel checks.

Diego shakes his head, "Never saw her since the night of the party or since."

"Then I guess I'll have to pay Klaus a visit.

I didn't bother going back to the house, it was his fault he forgot he'd banned me from leaving the house.

Instead, I walked in the direction of the Quarter. Evil vampire minions of Marcel be dammed, I wasn't going to let some fascist "vampire king" ruin my first visit the New Orleans.

I looked up at the blaring afternoon light, it all seemed too picturesque. The mufti-coloured displays and the scent of essential oils and Cajun food filling the air, mothers with their strollers and a few tourist groups in pretencious t-shirts snapping pictures.

It wasn't so long ago that I was one of them but, being a witch didn't lend itself to staying mundane.

"You came back," a voice said appreciatively behind me, "I gotta give you props for that," an all too familiar deep timber stands behind me, mouth spread into a sardonic grin.

I hold up two fingers to stop him, "Just give me two seconds," I say, reaching into my pockets to pay for the benigns and coffee.

"It'll be my treat," Diego interrupts, throwing down a few crisp bills in front of the vendor, "gotta treat a girl before you take her out,"

I roll my eyes, "Look, just tell Marcel I've got a deal for him -he'll take me up on is if he wants to stay King of New Orleans."

"Is that so?" another vampire interrupts.

He nods, introducing himself, "Marcel, I'm sure you've heard of me, kid. Now, tell me about this deal of yours."

Beneath his friendly smile and calm demeanor, I could sense a writhing of a strong -but desperate- man.

"You're old friends Klaus wants to take all of this," I gesture widely, "away from you -or I should say back. And I know, you can get a white-oak stake into my hands."

Marcel's arm reaches out like lightning, poised to snap by neck.

I manage to side-step his hold, "Think about it," I breath out.

"I don't know who you think you are kid, but Klaus is a dear friend who's proven his loyalty to me- I'm not gonna risk pissing off the Orginal family for the sake of an angsty werewolf -or whatever you are. Now, if and when Klaus becomes a problem, he'll be my problem to deal with, personally," he seethes.

I look him and and down, "You have a week to consider," I say dismissively.

He laughs, "You've got guts. You're lucky Klaus saved you that night. If he's trying to test me, give him a message: Don't."

"Well, I off," I say, turning.

He grabs my shoulder, "Hold on, I didn't say you could leave. Werewolves are banned from the quarter."

"I didn't trigger my curse-okay!" I shout, ripping his hand off my shoulder. And I don't plan to anytime soon.


"Are you sure?" Agnes stresses, tugging her purple headscarf into place/. She'd been searching through grimoires for the better part of this morning and it had just passed noon.

"I saw her cut herself and heal Hayley with some sort of chant," Kate says. What Kate didn't say was that she hid while the others confronted Klaus.

"I thought the last of the blood mages died out last century," Bastiannna comments.

"Do you know her name?" Agnes asked.

Kate shakes her head, fumbling, "I didn't know Klaus would have a witch with him."

"You did what you could," assures Agnes.

"If its true, then this girl could be the answer to our problems," Bastianna marvels, "the witches of the French Quarter will rise again."

"And to my knowledge it was the Mikealsons who ended the others of her bloodline," Agnes adds.

Suddenly, a door slams open.

"Agnes? Where are you!" Sophie shouts, her footsteps slowly making their way to the back of the bar where Agnes and Bastianna was treating Kate's wounds.

Agnes gave both women a hard look, "Don't breathe a word of this to Sophie. As far as she's concerned, we're still allied with the Originals."

Bastianna nods and sneaks Kate, the only witch to survive their first attempt to kidnap Haley out through the back door just as Sophie rounds the corner.

"Can you guys help me bring this stuff in? The shipment of supplies just arrived."


Lex:

"Do you always try to unnerve your guests?" I ask, shrinking away from the feel of him beside me.

Klaus had jumped up onto the balcony while my back was turned so that I was cornered between the railing and the wall when I turned to face him.

"Just ones that are trying to hide from me," he smiles genially.

When I didn't reply, he switched tactics.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble," he began.

Before his phone rang.

I looked down at the screen, "Huh, guess a little more can't hurt."

Klaus glared at me but snapped his phone to his ears, "What, Marcel..."

I did my best to slip away but he slammed his hand against the wall, blocking my way out. His eyes bore into mine; daring me to make a move.

"Uh-huh, is that so?" Klaus comments over the phone, cocking a brow curiously at me, "I'll deal with the matter..."

After a few moments, Klaus pockets his phone.

"Do you have a damned death wish?" Klaus asks, rage bubbling in his voice.

"I need to know what's going on," I shout, frustrated, "I finally understand how Hayley feels -don't look at me like that. I know you would have us both chained to the walls if you had your way. It's horrible, feeling powerless and alone. I don't have anyone."

I looked into his eyes and he knew. Knew what it felt like to be abandoned, came from different paths but we had that in common.

"Then use you powers to help me win this war. Help me bring Marcel to his knees and get Elijah back," He softly urges.

"If you want what's best for you family, then I should be nowhere near you," I reply.

"We're the same, you and I," Klaus continues, "Aren't you tired of hiding who you are?"

"I won't help you kill innocents," I say, "but, as a favour, for saving my life; I promise you're brother will be safe."

"That's suffcient," Klaus amends, bending his head down so we're at eye-level, "For now.


LEX:

"Do you ever regret it?" Connor asked as we basked in the glow of the midday light.

I leaned my head back, squinting up as the cicadas started to buzz and the wind became a little stronger, "Sometimes, but I'm getting over it," I joke, "especially after what you did."

"Hey!" he faked innocence, "I was all shocked and broken -because of you. Forgive me for being a weak, weak man."

I sigh again, letting his warm hand cover mine in the grass.

In our dream, everything is surrounded by a golden glow as we lay next to each other, his werewolf bite disappearing from his neck.

"It's my fault for getting myself involved in a love triangle. Fighting for the affections of a man like you... I should have known," I say

"Come on Lex," he shifts his weight rising to wipe the tear that escaped from my eyes, "happy thoughts, remember? You'll be rid of me in a few days."

I shove my emotions into a corner and smile, "How long till they come for you?"

"It shouldn't be long now," he grins, resting back into the grass, "just a week or so before they find me, I can sense it. Then I'll be the one greeting you from the other side."

I look into his baby blue eyes, the same excitement and honesty in them that drew to me him the first time we met at school. I smile, "I'd like that."

"You couldn't by any chance track me down and-" Connor began, rubbing his neck with his hand.

"-No!" I reply in horror, pulling away from him, "You can't just cheat on me after I literally came back from the dead for you and expect me to drive a wooden dagger through your heart Connor. I love you but, you deserve this. I'm sorry, I have my own vampire to kill."

I stood up and clutched my head in vertigo, Connors voice began to fade and I thrashed, feeling a blinding light come into focus and iron chains on my arms.

I'm not going to be locked up again...

"No!"

Klaus' hands gripp my shoulders, holding me down on the sofa I'd fallen asleep in.

I froze when I met his wild eyes.

We stare at each other for a moment, we'd been doing that a lot today.

"Nightmare?" he asks softly, sitting down by my feet.

I sit up, crossing my legs to give him more space on the sofa. The blue damask and books of Elijah's library coming into focus.

"Yeah." I breathe.

"Care to talk about it?" he asks.

I shake my head, "Just the same ol' things. Regerts, betrayal and stupid decisions based on love."

He chuckles, "That's why we use armor... and revenge."

"What good is revenge on a dying man?" I ask.

"Sometimes, there is honor in revenge," he replies.

"And sometimes, it's just not right. Beside," I sigh pushing myself up, "I believe in karma."

"Of course you do, you're a witch," he chuckles.

I gasp and lean in to whisper conspiratorially, "Be careful with the 'w' word, wouldn't want anyone knowing our secret."

"Which is?" now Klaus smiles, amused.

"That you're secretly harboring a bane to your king, Marcellus," I tease.

"If he ever was King, he won't be for long," Klaus disparages.

"Well, power isn't everything," Rebkah interjects, striding into the room, "Don't look at me like that, Elijah's always had the best vintage when it came to wine," she says, lifting up a red wine bottle dated 1790.

"No it's not," Klaus replies though his tone was anything but sincere.

"But it sure is pretty nice to have," I inject, "you know, being able to do anything you want and having the power to stop the baddies rolling around."

He smiles at me, "Indeed, little wolf."

I roll my eyes, "Just call me Lex."

He salutes, "Lex, yes miss."

Rebkah gags, "You've already got one wolf knocked up, let's not try for me."

"Like I'd fall for the likes of him," I reply.

"We need to get going Lex, it's the Dauphine festival and I have other errands to run," Klaus says.

I push myself up, sighing, "It must be hard work, trying to dismember an entire vampire army."

"How do you know about that?" Klaus asks, offering his arm. He wasn't worried in the least that I know.

I take his arm, "You aren't exactly keeping it a secret. Besides, Becks here spilled the beans."

Klaus gave a hopeless look in Rebkah's direction, "How much did you tell her."

She shrugged, "Enough, now that she's practically joined the family."

"Huh?" I say, dumfounded until I realise what she means, "I wasn't flirting with... if that-"

"Let's go love," Klaus interruptes, ushering me out.


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