Chapter Twelve
Authors Note- Loving all of the positive feedback. Please continue to review, fav, and follow. Thank you.
Isabella's POV
The inside of the house was just as nice as the outside.
As soon as you take a step inside you are met with a large wooden staircase that divides the space. On the left was a living room. On the right was a hallway that led to a big, modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite, and white cabinets. There was also an office with a wooden desk, a chair, and behind it shelves and shelves full of books. Some of them weren't even written in English. Next to the study was a half bath with only a toilet and sink.
Upstairs there were six bedrooms. I had a separate room that overlooked the back yard. It had a Queen bed, a walk in closet, and wooden dresser. I could decorate however I wanted.
I frowned.
"What's wrong, love? Don't be upset. Tell me what's wrong so that I can fix it," Klaus said gently brushing his hands along my cheekbones.
I looked at Elijah as I spoke feeling like a five year old.
"I don't want my own room," I pouted, "I want to sleep with you guys."
Klaus chuckled and Elijah bit back a smile. "What? I know that my neediness is pathetic and hilarious," I said.
"No, its not. You just sound so cute that's all, but my door is open anytime. Actually, I think it would be best if we worked out some kind of sleeping schedule. One night you would sleep with Niklaus in his room and the next with me in mine. It would be nice to not always have to share you all of the time," Elijah ranted.
As much as I enjoyed hanging out with both of them at the same time, I knew that Elijah had a point. They wanted me to get to know them as individuals, so I should hang out with them separately.
"So who do I sleep with tonight?" I asked.
Klaus and Elijah shared a look before the youngest brother, the hybrid himself spoke up first and said, "Well considering Elijah slept with you the first night we met, I would feel honored if you slept in my room tonight."
Klaus' room was huge. The bed was the largest king sized bed I had ever seen. There was enough room for Elijah to join us and half a dozen kids. I shook my head. Why do I keep thinking about children?
Never going to happen.
The bed spread was white with a blood red throw pillow neatly place on top and a wooden frame. There was a cedar chest placed against the foot of the bed. Probably full of secrets and crafts from back when they were kids, just kidding.
There was also a little sitting table. A long wooden coffee table separated two, grand velvet chairs. There was a big walk in closet, nicer than my own. I would probably put some of my clothes in there two.
Lastly there was a bedroom with an old fashioned claw foot tub!
"This is where we will be sleeping tonight or in your room," Klaus offered.
"I like your room better," I admitted.
He chuckled before checking the time on his silver watch. "Its almost lunch time," he said, "you must be hungry."
"What about your friend Marcel?" I asked. "Who was he and why did you think he died? Do you believe Katherine? Do you think he really is alive?"
He sighed. "I do believe Katherine. I want to. Marcel was like a son to me."
"What happened?" I asked.
"How about I tell you while you eat at Rousseau's?" he suggested.
"Ok," I agreed.
Elijah decided came with us to Rousseau's. It was located smack dab in the middle of downtown. It was mostly a bar, but they served sandwiches too.
Outside it was a brick building located on a corner with golden letters advertising its name. Inside, there a huge bar with hundreds of types of drinks stacked on wooden shelves located in the middle of the place.
We sat down at a table near a window that was half open letting in a nice, summer breeze. Klaus began the story. I started to wonder if Marcel was closer to him than any of the others.
I ordered a turkey sandwich and lemonade while both Klaus and Elijah ordered some bourbon.
I felt like a child sitting with them. Even though I would be eighteen in a couple of weeks, I still wasn't old enough to drink.
There were old enough to have a Viking father and seen the Roman Empire rise and fall.
During lunch, Klaus mostly told me everything I had to know about Marcel. Only every now and then would Elijah speak up and tell me what he knew.
Marcel was born a slave and his master who owned a large plantation was his father, but treated him like an animal, maybe worse. There were frequent beatings. Not only did Marcel have that to worry about, he didn't even know if he would survive the fever that was spreading and took out thousands of people.
In case he died, his mother agreed that he wouldn't name him until he turned ten, but before he did, she passed away.
Klaus was actually the one to name Marcel. He save him from a whip in the hands of an evil, white plantation owner killing the latter in the process.
After rescuing Marcel, he asked what his name was and Marcel admitted that he didn't have one.
That's when Klaus named him Marcellus which means "little warrior." They decided to call him Marcel for short.
From then on Klaus raised him with the help of Elijah. Elijah taught him how to read and play the piano. Klaus taught him how to fight. They promised to turn Marcel into one of them, one day when he grew up and became a man.
I wonder if they wanted the same for me. That might be a little hard considering I am a woman.
Eventually, Marcel did become a man, but he went behind Klaus' back and fell in love with their sister, Rebekah. She shared the same feelings.
Klaus put her to sleep using the dagger and gave Marcel an ultimatum. Choose the Rebekah or immortality.
He choose eternal life and Rebekah slept in her room for one hundred years before Klaus pulled the dagger out of her chest and she awoke.
"That's horrible," I told Klaus horrified.
He nodded. "That wasn't one of my best moments."
Then they resumed their story.
Eventually, the two love birds reconciled, but shortly afterwards Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah's father, Mikael came and set one of the theaters they were at on fire. Marcel was tied up inside, but they never got a chance to untie him.
They barely escaped with their lives.
"So how did he survive?" I asked.
"I don't know that's what we came here to find out," Klaus said standing up, "if all goes well we can stay here a while."
"I don't see why not," Elijah pulled my chair out, so that I could get up. Ever the gentlemen. "I like New Orleans. What about you, love?"
Their nicknames for me made me all warm, fuzzy inside. "I don't know. I haven't seen much of the city yet, and something tells me that Marcel isn't going to be too happy to see us."
"How are we going to find them anyway?" I asked as we began to walk down the sidewalk. I was sandwiched in between them both as they both held me hands.
"Katherine gave me the address. I would've known anyway. It use to be our home," Klaus said with a grim expression on his face.
It use to be theirs. The Mikaelson's.
"What is Marcel's last name?" I asked.
"Gerard," Elijah answered.
Marcel's POV
I was in the courtyard with Thierry, when all of a sudden I smelled heaven. "Thierry, do you smell that?" I asked him.
"Sorry, man I must've passed gas," he said apologetically.
"No not that. It smells like vanilla and roses. The best scent in the whole world. Did you start gardening?" I ranted which was unlike me. I was usually the chill one in the group. I had to be. I was the leader of all of the vampires and witches in the area. No, I was the fucking KING!
He scoffed. "No, I did not start gardening. I am not a pansy."
"Anyways," I shook my head, "what are we going to do about the Mikaelsons coming?"
"Yes, what to do about that," a familiar voice with a slight British accent asked. I turned around to face my creator. The one who turned a poor, sweet innocent boy in a bad situation into practically royalty. Not only that. I was just as strong as him and smart, but I was also better than him.
Yes, I was better than Klaus Mikaelson and I wasn't even flesh in blood. Not an original. But I had all of the vampires in New Orleans to back me up.
Klaus may have made me what I was, but he also abandoned me when I needed him the most.
Friend or foe?
"Hey, man. My friend. Klaus Mikaelson," I held my hand out for a fist bump. I said his name for Thierry's benefit. We became friends after Klaus left New Orleans, before I made this glamorous place my own, what its known for. Jazz, art, all of the species getting along for the most part, and history.
"Marcel," he gaze me a fist bump before giving me a side hug. Then we pulled away. He looked into my eyes at loss for words.
"I didn't...I didn't know..." he looked away. I didn't recognize the expression on his face. "I didn't know you were alive."
"Never came back to check, but that's okay," I said even though it wasn't. I felt like I was chewing on my own tongue. "Did any of the others come with you?"
"Elijah and one other. I wanted to make sure it was safe before I introduced you to her," he said looking back at me again with a warning in his tone and eyes.
"I won't lay a hand on her," I promised assuming he was talking about Rebekah. They all left me. If I wasn't going to hurt him, why would I hurt her? She broke my heart twice, but after sleeping with countless girls after that, I got over it. "I promise."
He paused a moment and after finding me sincere, he turned around. "You guys can come out now," he said.
"You guys know that I only bite strangers," I said finding Klaus' overprotectiveness for his little sister hilarious. He knew that she was tough and could take care of herself.
But it wasn't Rebekah who stepped out into the courtyard. A girl, maybe seventeen, holding Elijah's hands shyly walked towards us with her eyes on Klaus. She made a point of not looking over at me and she was clearly uncomfortable and very intimidated. What stories did he feed her about me? He was the monster, not me.
Immediately, I felt protective over here like she was somebody I knew, somebody I had met before. As soon as her familiar brown eyes met my own, I felt like my world had shifted. No, she was my world now and I would do anything for her to keep her safe and happy.
She was the girl from my dreams, but not only that. I remember Klaus telling me about this once. The arousing scent, overprotectiveness, possessiveness, and change of perspective...She was my soulmate.