I apologize for the incredibly long wait for the next chapter. I really wanted to put a chapter up before the show came on but alas school had other ideas. Stress and anxiety kept me from writing but I've started again and I really want to finish this.

I had already wrote most of this chapter so I'm not going to change too much but my writing style has altered a bit and there will be subtle differences.

Also now that we know Marcel's real last name I'm going to refer to him as Marcel Gerard. So here is the third chapter of cold love in New Orleans hope you all enjoy.

Iris

The feeling that Iris had to take the job had begun fading after about 20 minutes, and then she just felt annoyed. But those 20 minutes were long enough for her to end up at that man, Klaus' house. She considered telling the driver, J something, to take her home but odds are he wouldn't and since she was already here. I could get Klaus to deliver a message to Marcel for me instead.

She told J to go on without her, she'll find a way back on her own. Going up the stairs she knocked and waited. Then knocked again and again. The feeling that she needed to deliver the letter nagging at the back of her mind, preventing her from walking away. She was about to start kicking it when from the other side she heard a girl say.

"For god's sake Klaus can you stop being so childish?" When the door opened a pretty blond stood on the other side, she smiled. "Hi, can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Klaus." Iris said her voice sounding extra dull in comparison to the blond's perkiness.

I bet she was a cheerleader.

Cheerleader gave her a super watt smile and Iris was sure she frowned. "Come on in."

She walked in and looked around. Not bad, not huge but still bigger then my apartment.

"You know Caroline when I said you could stay here I didn't mean you could just let anyone in." Klaus said as he rounded the corner.

"I'm just trying to be polite." The Cheerleader –Caroline– huffed.

"It's unnecessary."

"So what, you wanted me to leave her out there?"

"You should have." They spoke as if Iris wasn't even there.

Klaus looked like he was about to say something else but Iris really wanted to leave so she cut him off.

"Um, hi, yeah. Marcel is waiting on his package."

Klaus disappeared into a room and reappeared with a small box. "Here." He said as he tossed it to her.

"No thanks you give it to him and while you're at it be sure to tell him that I refuse to be his lackey." She stopped and waited for him to threaten her or something. He seemed like the type. She thought.

Instead he stared at her for a few seconds with his eyebrows arched then he laughed. "Very well. I'll be sure to tell him. Tell me what your name was again?"

"Iris." I said and left.

Outside she let of a breath she had been holding. I didn't think it would've been so easy. Marcel struck her as a mob boss and she was surprised his lapdog would let her quit like that, despite the fact she hadn't actually accepted the job. Then there was the fact that Klaus slightly scared her though he was a lot nicer with that cheerleader, Caroline.

She shook her head and began to walk away. Stopping at the corner of the street realizing that she had no clue where she was or even how to get back to her apartment. A cab would've been the best bet. As beautiful as New Orleans was she didn't want to be caught strolling the streets alone, at night. Shame she didn't know the number for cabs here. One more block and then we hail down a stranger.

An hour and several blocks later she made it to a street she recognized from her earlier trip around town. She saw the bar from earlier, Rousseau's, and briefly, very briefly considered going in for a much needed drink but she didn't want to chance running into Marcel. So instead she ducked her head and hoped no one recognized her. Taking a quick peek at the bar she noticed a man wearing a flip cap looked up at her. Remembering that he was in the band and ran the rest of the way home, nearly getting run over for her efforts.

She grabbed at the mail sitting on the ground as she unlocked the door. Once inside she peeked out the curtain. Not seeing anyone she sighed in relief. She shouldn't be so paranoid. This place is different. She thought resolutely.

The first thing she did was get that drink, a necessity. Why did she feel compelled to take that job? Why did she want to do want Marcel asked?

"Because he's hot and his voice is urgh!" Iris said to no one in particular. Sighing she sat at her table. When she noticed there was a letter sitting in the center, at the top of the pile of mail. She didn't remember seeing it there before.

She picked it up cautiously, her heart racing and her breath coming out in little puffs.

Three words playing in her head over and over again. He found me. He found me. He found me.

Iris flipped it over and the only thing on it was her name written in a neat script. Inside the package was at least $500 cash and a little note that read.

Think of this as an advance for your services. I'm looking forward to working with you.

Marcel Gerard

"What the hell?" Iris muttered. She jumped when her phone suddenly rang.

She answered and pulled it to her ear without looking at who it could be. "Hello?"

"Iris. You found my note?" It sounded more like a statement than a question.

She dropped the note to the table and stood up. "Marcel, what the hell is this?"

"It's payment for your first job, though you didn't do what I asked." There was definitely a smile in his voice. As well as something else she couldn't recognize.

"I only left your office a few hours ago, how…?"

"I sent Ivan to drop it off as soon as you left."

She let out an exasperated breath. "Look, it doesn't matter because I'm not taking the money or the job. As Klaus should've told you." The need to obey him was completely gone at this point.

"What?" Genuine shock in his voice.

"I said I'm not taking the job. I don't know why I said I would earlier but I'm thinking clearly now and I'm definitely not taking it. I'll send you back the money or you can have someone pick it up."

There was silence then Marcel spoke quickly. "Fine, bring it to Rousseau's tomorrow afternoon. I'll pick it up from there." Then he hung up. Leaving her to stare at the phone for a moment.

This was when Iris realized she was in trouble and the panic attack began.

Caroline

"Do we really have to go see him?" Caroline asked.

Klaus smiled. "Yes, I think he's going to want this."

She frowned. "Don't you think he's going to be angry and I don't know maybe kill her?"

"Who knows, it will be entertaining regardless." Klaus' smile got wider.

She sighed and pulled him to a stop. "We are not going to let him kill her. She seemed nice.

Klaus shook his head. "You don't even know her and she didn't seem to like you very much."

"That doesn't matter and what makes you think she didn't like me?" Pulling her forward he ignored her question.

Caroline frowned. "Where are we going?" She thought they were going to the bar but then he turned down a different street.

"We're going into the compound." Klaus seemed angry when he said it.

Before she could ask more about it, Klaus pulls them to a stop in front of a building that reminded Caroline a bit of a castle. Pushing a gate out of the way Caroline was led into the compound. It wasn't really a mansion, though it was definitely as large as one, it was more like one square open space. With a huge gate and a stair case that led upstairs and led to many different rooms.

"This place is amazing." Caroline said in awe.

This comment seemed to upset Klaus further. "It is." The words were harmless but there was malice in his voice.

"Klaus…" Caroline started but she was interrupted by Marcel coming down the stairs with an older man, a priest, Caroline guessed by the roman collar he wore.

"Thank you, Kieran. I appreciate you helping me with her." Marcel said sounding sincere. But Kieran didn't seem to be phased at all.

"I'm just doing what I have to. As long as you do what we agreed on everything will be fine." They stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

Kieran looked over at the two who stood in front of him and walked up to Klaus, stuck out his hand and said, "You must be Klaus Mikaelson."

Klaus merely flashed his gaze to the hand and looked back at Kieran. "I am and who are you?"

Kieran pulled his hand back. "I'm Father O'Connell I take care of the human faction of New Orleans. From what I hear you're from the original family." He paused as if waiting for a response but Klaus gave none so he continued. "I have heard a lot about you mister Mikaelson, and I would appreciate it if you kept the death total to a minimum." He said that last bit with none of the friendly tone he started with.

Klaus said nothing and stared coolly at him.

Kieran nodded at Marcel and walked away. Brave, Caroline thought, turning your back on a vampire you just annoyed.

"Klaus, twice in one day, to what do I owe the honor?" Marcel stopped in front of them.

Klaus stepped round him. "The place is falling apart maybe you should take better care of it."

Marcel snorted. "My friends don't seem to mind. Besides it almost burned down, there's only so much I could do about that."

He spun to look at Marcel and opened his mouth before he stopped and closed it.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. Klaus has never been one to hold his tongue

"Why are you here, Klaus?"

Klaus tossed him the small package.

Plucking it out of the air, Marcel frowned. "What happened to the girl that was supposed to deliver it?" Marcel asked looking angry. Dangerous. Caroline took a step back.

"Your little bird came by and said she won't be running any errands for you. So I took it upon myself to bring it here. But I'm concerned, are you having trouble controlling your puppets?"

"They aren't puppets they're family but you wouldn't know anything about that would you? And the girl she's new. What did she say exactly?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow and looked like he was going to say something smart, or rather really stupid so she spoke before he could. "She said she refused to be your lackey. In those exact words."

Marcel looked as if he had forgotten that she was there, and then he nodded absent-mindedly. "Alright thanks. You know where the exit is Klaus." He gave Caroline a smirk then blurred up the stairs.

Klaus glared after him for a minute then dragged Caroline out of the building.

"What happened between you two?" Caroline asked, as they left.

"It's a long story."

They had walked the entire way back all while Caroline was badgering him about his relationship with Marcel. So far all she has managed to get out of him was that he turned him.

He got a break when Caroline's mother called her and began to ask Caroline question after question about her trip in Prague.

Rolling her eyes for the third time Caroline said, "Yes mom, I am safe and eating. " More eye rolling. "Mom it's a college trip and I'm a vampire. I'll be fine. I promise. Yeah I love you too. Bye."

Klaus raised an eyebrow at her from his spot on the other side of the couch. "Does she not know where you are?"

She furrowed her brows at him. "Of course not. She would've have vervained me and held me in a cellar if I told her I was here with you."

He chuckled shortly. "A little, extreme don't you think?"

"Extreme? That's a very rational reaction to this." She gestured to him and reached for the glass of blood he had brought her earlier.

He leans back on the couch resting an arm over the back, staring directly into her eyes. Others would think he was relaxed. Caroline knew better. He was more like lion ready to pounce if she said the wrong thing.

Despite that she starred right back at him mostly because she couldn't look away from the intensity in his eyes.

"Something I should definitely be locked up for." She said after a minute, breathless.

Klaus sneered and stood up. "Funny isn't that exactly what your father had done to you when he found of you were a vampire? I guess different rules apply to your mother. Or did you just enjoy the torture?"

Caroline sat up, taken back by the sudden change in his mood. Then she snapped, "What is wrong with you?"

"Should I not be offended that you believe that you need to be locked up for wanting to spend time with me?" Klaus said pacing away from the couch with Venom in his voice.

"Don't act so surprised Klaus! You killed a lot of people back in Mystic Falls, including my mom's friend, my ex-boyfriends mom, remember? You've done terrible things to a lot of people" She didn't like it this conversation. When she had to be reminded of all the horrible things he's done.

"Then why are you here!"

She brought the cup to her lips as she murmured. "I shouldn't be here."

"Then leave! The doors right there." He exclaimed, gesturing to the door. But after a minute he's the one who left. Slamming the door on his way out.

She shuddered out a laugh quietly. "Couldn't even make it one day without fighting. This was definitely a bad idea."

A hard knock shocked her out of her thoughts. Klaus wouldn't knock and it probably wouldn't be a good idea to let another stranger in after that fight. She decided to ignore it when someone from the other side said.

"Klaus, I know you're in there. You can't ignore me! I will break down this door."

In an instant Caroline blurred to the door and pulled it open.

"Haley?"

That's it for this chapter. I will be updating regularly from now on. (Every two weeks) At the very least I'll try, otherwise I'll let it be known when and why I won't.