Want to know something funny? When I had spoken to Marcel earlier, he had failed to mention that Klaus had bitten Thierry at the party the night before. It beats me why, but what I was mostly focused on now was to find that hybrid son of a– You get what I mean. I was angry with Thierry, sure, but that didn't mean that Klaus was allowed to hurt him. Oh God, I was pissed with everyone. Don't judge me. We all have our bad moments in life. I just happened to have a lot of them.
"I'm going to find that bastard and–" I growled through my teeth, but a hand stopped me. I looked up to find Marcel looking at me.
"No, you're not." He said slowly. "He healed Thierry. It's okay now."
"What do you mean, 'it's okay'? So Klaus has the freedom to go around and bite us now?" I argued, crossing my arms. "That's like apologizing before hitting someone. Stupid." I held his gaze, but Marcel shrugged.
"So what are you going to do then? What can you do to stop Klaus?" Marcel replied as we walked down the stairs of the compound. There were red cups spread across the room, and the evidence that there had been a party there the night before was very clear.
"I can– I can– I don't know." I sighed, giving up. Marcel was right. I was being irrational. I could always deal with Klaus later. "So you're saying that Thierry is alright?"
"He's healthy as a horse." Marcel smiled, taking my hand in his. "Now, what about that lunch we were speaking of?"
"I have something to do, but maybe in two hours or so?" I rubbed my neck with my free hand and gave him an apologetic smile.
"Yeah, sure."
"Do you have something to tell me?" I asked Thierry casually about one hour later, as soon as I had figured out where that lying fox was hiding. He looked back at me, swallowing his burger slowly.
"No?" He said, but I saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes. I passive-aggressively spun my knife on the table, an easy-going smile spread across my face. "Why?" He gulped, his adam's apple bouncing.
"Oh it's just… Well, I'm sure you have nothing to do with it." I chuckled, still avoiding his gaze and playing with my knife. My burger was long gone, but I didn't have the energy to order another one.
"Nothing to do with what?" It humored me how Thierry's voice was getting guiltier by the second, and I smiled at the fear seeping into his voice.
"I've heard some rumours about the witches in the french quarter knowing about my special power." I finally looked up at him, and stopped playing with my knife abruptly.
"Come on, give me a break. I nearly died yesterday." Thierry put on a hurt face, but my face was hard as stone. "Guess not."
"This could cost me my life, Thierry." I told him. "I haven't told anyone about Katie. I expect you not to tell anyone about my secret either." Thierry looked away guiltily, and I sighed.
"She's my girlfriend. I'm sorry, I let it slip out. It was a mistake." He apologized.
"Well, your mistake could lead to my death. Do you know what people are ready to do for my powers?" My voice wasn't calm anymore. It was filled with rage and a twinge of panic. "I could get captured and enslaved and…" I stopped talking, shuddering at the thought.
"Calm down. It's just Katie." Thierry tried to comfort me, but I glared at him instead.
"No. Your precious little witch has spilled to others." I shot back at him. "I had a vision." I stood up abruptly, walking up close to him. I lowered my head to watch him dead in the eye and bared my fangs. "Next time you feel like spilling out about my secrets, think twice." Thierry didn't move, but I saw his eyes harden with anger. After a few intense seconds, I backed away and felt the warmth from the veins under my eyes disappear.
"So, in short, you have to newbie vampires spending their time in a warehouse on the outskirts of town?" I asked Marcel, my mouth full of omelette. He flashed me a smile while picking up a fry with his hand.
"Well, technically, just one. The other one wasn't worth saving." He shrugged, and I put down my fork.
"I'm not some kind of hero, Marcel, but I still don't approve of you killing people." I said, looking down at my plate. I had been battling these thoughts about Marcel for quite a while now.
"We're vampires, baby. Killing is what we do." His brown eyes watched mine with humor.
"We both know that is a fat lie." I scoffed. "We don't have to kill to feed."
"Yes, but the hunt is in our nature. You can't tell me you don't feel it in your bones." The humor was gone now, replaced by seriousness. His eyes were soft, yet my heart turned to stone.
"I–" I looked out the window, at loss for words. I was met with a familiar sight that made the blood in my veins freeze. "It's them." I breathed. Across the street, the two vampires from my vision were walking. Rachel, the pink haired one, was wearing heels that made her even taller. They were both dressed up very elegantly, and they suddenly felt even more threatening. Suddenly, Sofia turned her head straight towards me and our eyes met. I instantly grabbed Marcel's hand.
"Julie, what is it?" He asked me urgently, squeezing my hand and following my gaze.
"It's the two vampires from my vision, Marcel. They've found me." I looked away from them, not wanting them to realize who I was. They might have heard about me, but they probably didn't know what I looked like. I saw the recognition in Marcel's face as he saw them.
"Okay, we need to get you out of here." He said, but I sensed that he wasn't even nearly as worried as I was. However, I nodded and followed him as he stood up. We walked out from the back of the restaurant (of course Marcel knew the owner), and I looked behind my back every two seconds. I knew that I shouldn't be so afraid of these two women. Not when the original hybrid was in town, whom should be the real threat. But something in their eyes had been so desperate; I had a feeling that they'd do anything to get away from those people who were chasing them.
"Where are we?" I asked Marcel dumbfoundedly as we arrived before a large factory of some sort. He Walked toward the door without answering, but I followed him in anyway. The big metal door creaked as Marcel opened it, almost as if a wall cracked inside of the building. I followed him down a set of frail stairs, and it amazed me how they didn't break under his weight. When I walked down the staircase myself, my heart beat like a drum.
"Okay, here's the thing." Marcel started as soon as we got down the stairs. I looked around me and seemed to be in a large storage room. The brick walls were lined with shelves, and the only light coming into the space was from a tiny little window on the right wall. "I need your help with something." He added, his eyes filled with a plea.
"Where are we?" I asked him, feeling the insecurity seeping into my heart. Two months ago, I wouldn't have questioned him and helped him at once. But lately he had been doing his own thing and keeping secrets from me.
"I don't want anyone to hear us." Marcel explained as he put his hands on my shoulders comfortingly. The set of familiar brown eyes watched me intently, and warmth returned to my heart. "Klaus is upstairs, taking care of my new vampire. He can't hear us down here." The warmth went away and I sighed. Klaus, Klaus, Klaus… It was as if Marcel was in love with him or something. That would be very unsettling.
"Alright then, what's this favor you want to ask of me?" I asked my boyfriend, letting my annoyance show in my voice by shaking my head.
"I want you to predict his future and report back to me."
"What?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" I growled, recoiling from him. God, he was confusing.
"My vampires have told me some unsettling business about him. I think that he's planning something behind my back." Marcel explained, and I let out a sarcastic chuckle.
"So one second you tell me to stay away from him, and the other you want me to spy on him?" I raised my brows at him with disbelief. I saw the annoyance in his face too. The tired creases on his forehead and the coldness in his eyes.
"I need to know what he's up to."
"Well, you're gonna have to find another psychic then. You know as well as I that I can't decide when I have a vision." I muttered, pacing around in the room restlessly. The room was starting to feel confining, and I didn't like the way Marcel wanted to use me against Klaus. My boyfriend let out a sigh and dragged a hand across his close-shaved hair.
"Just tell me if you have a vision about him, will you?" He asked me sincerely now, and I stopped pacing, along with my heart. Now was probably the time to tell him about the vision I had had three years before. But I was particularly angry with him in that second, so I decided not to.
And that second vision of Klaus and I dancing? That would not be a good idea. Besides, that wouldn't help either Marcel or me. It was solely between me and Klaus.
"Sure."
"Great. Now, I want you to help Klaus with the newbie while I seek out those two women from your vision."
"You WHAT? They could be dangerous, Marcel. Secondly, you want me to stay here with Klaus? What if I have a vision?" I argued restlessly.
"If you have one, just turn away. You usually only space out for a few seconds." Marcel explained simply. "I want you to help with the newbie since I think he might need someone like you to comfort him." I breathed out slowly before nodding.
"Alright, I'll do it. But you owe me." I pointed my finger at him and held his gaze while he nodded.
"Juliette! What a pleasure." I hadn't even been in the room for two seconds before Klaus turned his smirk to me. I rolled my eyes and walked up to him while looking at the boy in front of him.
"Who is she?" The man asked with confusement. He seemed to be as old as I, possibly a bit younger. Well, he seemed to be my age when I was turned. 18. His brown eyes were filled with anger, fear and disgust. Apparently, he had been there when Marcel had gotten rid of his little friend.
"She is right here, and my name is Juliette." I cocked my head to the side and made a quick decision. I wanted to know more about this potential newbie vampire before Marcel took him into his army. So, for the first time, I chose to deliberately have a vision. I had no idea if it would work. It would always happen when I least wanted it. But, with a confident and welcoming smile, I reached out my hand to him. I figured that since I had my back to Klaus, he wouldn't notice anything strange.
"I'm Josh…" The guy said slowly, very skeptically while shaking my hand. It hadn't worked. I shouldn't even have been surprised. This power had never done me any good.
"Josh here, has agreed to help me with something." Klaus smiled, his devilish dimples showing. I turned around to really face him and noticed that his brown hair looked slightly ruffled, and I ignored the heat flowing to my cheeks. Psycho, psycho, psycho. Dangerously hot psycho. Stop it, Juliette!
"And what is that?" I crossed my arms, raising my eyebrows suspiciously. I didn't like the way the hybrid was grinning at me. Klaus clicked his tongue as he helped Josh up from his sitting position on the floor. Now that I thought about it, something seemed wrong with the newbie vampire. For once, he wasn't even struggling against Klaus, who had certainly turned him into a vampire.
"Josh is going to do my bidding for a while now, not Marcel's." I stopped in my nervous pacing, widening my eyes. Klaus was now casually picking his nails while looking at me with a challenging gaze. Watching my every move, like a predator. I had to think my actions through.
"Why exactly are you telling me this? Marcel is my boyfriend. My loyalty is with him." I answered calmly, not looking away from Klaus. I wouldn't back away from him. If I showed myself weak in front of him, who knows what would happen?
"Because you're not going to tell him." Klaus's finger pointed at me while his smile didn't fade. I was starting to think his face might fall apart from all the smiling. "You see, I know some things about Marcel that you might want to know, love." The mocking in his voice had disappeared, and he seemed more sincere. His words instilled a fear in my veins I hadn't felt in a while. What did he know about Marcel? Could I trust him that he would be telling the truth. And, what was in it for him?
"Tell me more."
"For one, your dear lover–" I was about to laugh at his ancient language when I remembered that he literally was a thousand years old. "-is right now standing outside this building, talking with my little sister, Rebekah. Did you know that the two of them have a little romantic history?" In any other situation, Klaus's accent would've sounded sexy, but right now I was not thinking about that. Rebekah? Who the hell was she? And why was Marcel speaking to her? When he was supposed to find my potential attackers?
"I assume you haven't." Klaus nodded, starting to walk around me. Oh, how he was enjoying this. His pleased smile was making my blood boil. "Now, I could tell you more, or I could let you go and kill Josh." So this was the manipulating monster that Marcel had warned me about. I hadn't believed him entirely when he had told me how smart this man was, but now I knew. But, the jealousy burned in my bones and I wanted to know more. I wanted to know if Rebekah was a threat.
"Tell me more." I commanded Klaus. Meanwhile, Josh was looking at us dumbfoundedly, his face having a slight green tint to it.
"As you please." The hybrid chuckled and stayed right in front of me. A bit too close for my liking, actually. The smell of blood and seabreeze invaded my senses and woke up my heart. "Rebekah, my brother Elijah–" Klaus saw my confusion and explained himself "–whom you haven't had the pleasure to meet yet–" He continued reaching out towards my hair. "and I, raised Marcel together. During this time, Marcel fell desperately in love with Rebekah. When he had grown into a man, Rebekah found herself returning his feelings." Klaus was now twinning a lock of my blond hair between his fingers and his blue eyes were watching me intently. I felt sick in my stomach and pulled away from him.
"Stop!" I growled. "I don't want to know anything more. I get it. They were in love." I couldn't hear it anymore. My stomach was already twisting with jealousy. I got an idea. I concentrated on my vampire hearing, tearing my eyes away from Klaus's hypnotising ones.
"No use, love. They've left. Perhaps together." The original hybrid winked and I wanted to slap him right there. However, I was alone in a warehouse with him and a newbie vampire who was following his orders. I wondered why Josh was listening to Klaus when it hit me.
"You've compelled him, haven't you?" I asked, cocking my head towards Josh. Josh looked from me to Klaus with a confused expression. Klaus grinned back at me.
"Clever girl." He acknowledged, and I flashed him a charming smile. If this was the game he wanted to play, so be it.
"Then why haven't you compelled me already? You know that I don't have any vervain in my system." Klaus seemed to be buying my flirtatious tone, and leaned in towards me.
"Why, hasn't loverboy warned you about my special powers? Hasn't he made you drink vervain like he did his minions?" He whispered in my ear. I had to physically stop myself from shuddering. Klaus was standing so close, so close, I couldn't breathe. I felt attracted to him, that I couldn't deny. But I didn't want to. I wanted Klaus to be gone from my life. I wanted things to go back to the way they were before he came back to town.
"Wouldn't you like to know that?" I smirked, watching Klaus's jaw clench. He was trying to be patient, I could see that.
"I know Marcel better than anyone, love. I know that he cares about everyone. I know he has a sense of loyalty that's hard to find." Klaus pulled away and held my gaze. His blue eyes were electrifying. "Most of all, I know that the way to Marcel is through his heart." Oh no. Oh no, oh no. I was starting to regret my stubbornness of not taking the vervain. It hurt, okay? But I had a feeling I knew what Klaus was about to do.
"You're going to tell me every move Marcel makes. Who he meets, what he does and why he is struggling against my power. You will tell me everything." Klaus spoke slowly and carefully, adamant not to break eye-contact with me. I broke out in laughter. Big mistake. He had been trying to compel me! Oh, you should've seen the look on his face when he realized that it hadn't worked. It was priceless. The hybrid was now stepping away from me. Hey, at least he wasn't smiling anymore. Oh no, he looked like he was about to kill me. But try as I may, I couldn't stop laughing.
"I'm sorry." I wiped my tears, taking deep breath to stop my outbreaks of laughter. Klaus angrily grabbed my arm, and the inevitable happened. My vision disappeared and I saw flashes of pictures.
Klaus was walking among a crowd in a ballroom, and it seemed to be during the medieval times. The men were wearing tunics and black leather vests, all of them carrying a sheathed sword in their belts. Klaus's hair was shoulder-length, and he was as usual wearing a devilish smile on his face. The women along the sides of the ballroom were gaping at his beauty, smiling at him flatteringly so that he would notice them. All but one. I followed Klaus's eyes and saw a woman in the far back corner of the big ballroom. She was wearing the most beautiful dress of them all; a satin dark blue gown lined with gold. Her blonde hair was luscious and fell in waves on her back. She wasn't looking at the handsome man, but at the painting before her. She was making slow streaks of color, creating the most beautiful picture of a lake I had ever seen. Klaus seemed to notice it too. He walked up to stand next to the woman, who didn't even throw him a glance. He watched her paint silently, without uttering a word.
"Are you going to stand there and watch me, or are you inquiring after something?" The woman asked him, and I recognized the voice. She cocked her head to the side to look at Klaus, and I saw who it was. It was Rachel, one of the two vampires from my dream/vision. Klaus laughed happily and looked back to the painting.
"Just admiring your work, love." He explained, smiling at the lake before him. Rachel raised her eyebrows as she kept painting.
"People usually don't notice my paintings." Her accent was very much like Klaus's, and I assumed that that this was in England. "I'm not a man, you know." A roll of her eyes. I liked her for her courage, even though she was kind of threatening my life.
"They're wrong, love." Klaus shook his head, and I noticed something different about him. He didn't seem as cold as he was now, but at least a little bit more innocent. Maybe he hadn't yet had the time to become evil. "Are you interested in selling this? I can give you a very good price." Rachel turned her eyes and looked at him like she couldn't believe him. She opened her mouth, and then closed it again.
"It's not for sale." She said curtly, and I was surprised by her lack of formality. I had thought that women in medieval times were more or less forced to act nice with every man they saw. Klaus noticed too, but it only seemed to humor him.
"May I at least ask you for a dance?" He grinned at her, reaching out his hand. Rachel looked at him suspiciously, squinting her eyes.
"I don't dance with men whom have not even introduced themselves to me first." She spoke, and a lady to her left scoffed at her while walking past. Rachel was young; she didn't seem much older than 20 years old. She was certainly expected to have taken a husband by this time. However, something told me that not many men were as intrigued by her manners as Klaus was.
"Klaus Mikaelson. And what is your name, if you allow me to ask?" He took her hand and pressed it to his lips softly. Something changed in Rachel's posture; she seemed to relax more.
"Rachel Vaughan, mylord." A smile spread across her rose lips.
"Now, will you dance with me?"
"Yes, I will."
I returned to present time with a gasp. Shit shit shit. I only had a few seconds to react, for Klaus was looking at me intently. I had to come up with something.
"I don't feel very well." I croaked out, before faking a faint. It was risky. I didn't know if he would catch me. Luckily for me, he did. I fell into Klaus's arms and felt my brain really give up as I was starting to lose my consciousness for real. Apparently, my head was burning up from all the information I was given all at once. The last thing I heard before everything went black was Klaus's worried voice.
"Juliette?"
