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Leave me out with the waste
This is not what I do
It's the wrong kind of place
To be thinking of you

It's the wrong time
For somebody new
It's a small crime
And I got no excuse

Damien Rice – 9 Crimes

Chapter 43

Turning the tables

New Orleans, 17 years earlier

"Klaus? Klaus?"

Reluctantly Klaus opened his eyes, he had a terrible hangover. The first thing he saw was Marcellus standing next to his bed.

"What?" Klaus muttered. His young progeny looked very tense with arms crossed over his chest.

"Elijah."

Klaus closed his eyes and sighed, he wasn't really surprised.

"How bad?"

"You better see it yourself," Marcellus huffed. "But I should warn you, he decapitated your men."

Klaus gritted his teeth, this was the last straw. Those young vampires had been useful to him.

"Where is he?"

"In the parlor. Not alone."

That definitely wasn't a surprise. Klaus was in a very bad mood when he got dressed and marched to the parlor, followed by Marcellus. There were headless bodies lying around the room, Elijah had made a terrible mess. The rugs, the furniture, even the curtains were covered with blood. Elijah was sitting on the sofa surrounded by three giggling half naked women. They all had bite marks on their neck, above their breasts and even on their thighs.

"Brother!" Elijah greeted Klaus cheerfully and wrapped his arms around two of the women. "You missed a great party!"

"So it seems," Klaus replied icily and stepped over a body lying on the floor. "What the hell is this?"

Elijah shrugged.

"They bothered me and my ladies."

Klaus clenched his fists in anger and glared at his brother.

"I have had it!"

Elijah smiled and licked the neck of the woman sitting on his right side.

"Oh no, I'm in trouble now."

Klaus' eyes narrowed.

"I'm done cleaning up your mess…"

Elijah burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry, that's just…hilarious coming from you."

"I'm warning you, brother," Klaus hissed through clenched teeth.

Elijah placed a sympathetic look on his face.

"Oh, you don't like cleaning up other people's messes? Well boohoo, cry me a river. Try doing that for few centuries, then we can talk."

Klaus lost his temper and zoomed in front of the sofa, yanking Elijah to his feet.

"Enough! This ceased to be funny a long time ago, turn it back on!"

Elijah looked at him with cold eyes and smiled.

"Turn what back on, brother?"

"You know what! This isn't you!"

"Oh but it is. For all those years you told me to loosen up, to forget my pathetic morality and now I have. You should be happy, brother, you got what you wanted."

Klaus was so furious that he couldn't speak, he had never wanted this. Yes, maybe he had mocked Elijah for his morality, but this… The worst part was that he had done this; he had turned Elijah into this…thing. Elijah raised his eyebrows.

"What, nothing to say?"

"What would Eva think if she would see you now?" Klaus asked callously.

For a very brief moment he thought that he saw something in Elijah's eyes, but it was gone in a fraction of a second.

"Eva who?" he huffed coldly and freed himself from Klaus' grip. "Now if you'll excuse me, I was in the middle of something."

The women were still giggling when Elijah sat down between them and ignored his brother. Klaus was unable to speak, this had gone too far. He turned around and marched out, Marcellus was right behind him.

"You have to do something," Marcellus said. "Things can't go on like this…"

"I'll take care of it," Klaus snapped and slammed the door to his room shut before Marcellus managed to come in. Klaus sat down on his bed and closed his eyes; he needed a moment to calm down. Everything was a mess. Eva was gone, Rebekah was in the coffin and Elijah… Of course Klaus had known how much his brother cared about Eva, but he could have never imagined something like this. Klaus opened his closet and picked up a small wooden chest. He placed it on his bed before opening it. Eva's journal, one of her dresses, an old porcelain doll she had kept for decades, a small portrait of her and…the letter she had sent to Elijah after she had left.

Dear Papa

I am not sure what to write, my heart is too broken to think clearly. Surely you know by now that Klaus told me the truth about Owen. I am not going to lie, being betrayed by all of you, my family, hurts more than anything. I loved him with all my heart and he loved me, it was pure and innocent. Knowing that he never willingly left offers me some kind of comfort, but it also fills my heart with pain and bitterness. That does not mean that I wouldn't love you anymore, of course I do, you are my father, but I can't be with any of you right now. I need time and I ask you to give me that. There is no need to worry about me, you have taught me well. Goodbye for now.

Eva

Too bad Elijah had never seen this letter; he was under the impression that Eva had simply abandoned him. Of course he hadn't wanted to believe it at first, not before knowing for sure that Eva had left New Orleans willingly. Klaus gritted his teeth, this had to be the worst thing he had ever done. He hadn't told Elijah the truth simply because he didn't want his brother to hate him. He had thought that Elijah could handle this, just like he always handled everything, but apparently losing a child had finally been the thing to push Elijah over the edge.

Klaus hadn't fully understood that she really was Elijah's child; he would have done anything for her. Klaus had done everything he could to find her, but obviously she didn't want to be found. The whole thing was nothing but a damn mess. Funny, he had never thought he would still be able to feel guilt. That was the only reason why he hadn't daggered Elijah. He needed to find Eva; she was the only one who might get through to Elijah. Klaus was furious at her for daring to walk out like that.

No one walked out on him, she would learn obedience, he would… Tears were forming in his eyes; he picked up her dress and inhaled her scent. Eva… His Eva. He loved her and he needed to get her back. Elijah needed to get her back. Klaus took a dagger out of his pocket and placed it on the bed next to the letter. Those were his two options, he could either accept Elijah's hatred or dagger him until he would find Eva. Klaus crossed his arms and looked at the two objects. There was no doubt in his mind what he needed to do now.

New York

Kol stared at the ceiling in the dark; unfortunately he started to be almost sober. The woman lying beside him was asleep; he didn't know or care what her name was. He had paid for her services; he had no interest to know anything about her. Fortunately for her, he had fed right before coming here; that was the only reason why she was still alive. The brothel had seemed like the easiest option, he hadn't felt like wasting his time seducing some foolish woman. Humans were all so pathetic.

He had tried few vampire women as well, but they hadn't been much better, they thought that just because he slept with them, they were somehow special to him. What a joke. He didn't care about anyone; he hadn't for a long, long time. All he cared about was having fun and enjoying himself. Lazily he stood up and got dressed, the night was still young. He marched out and headed to the staircase when he suddenly froze. That voice… He would have recognized it anywhere.

"Enough, mister! We are going home!"

"Come on, Eva," a drunken man's voice complained. "I'm not drunk…"

"Not another word, Damon, I mean it."

"You're emharrashing… emmarrashing… embarrassing me…

"Good, I hope I am!"

It took a moment before Kol was able to move; slowly he walked towards the staircase. What he saw downstairs made him froze again. It really was her… There was a dark-haired man lying on his back in the middle of the floor, Eva was dragging him by his leg towards the door. People were staring at them and few men were chuckling.

"Shame on you, mister!" Eva snapped. "I was worried sick and this is where I find you!"

"Come on…"

It was Eva, his Eva. Kol's eyebrows furrowed. Who the hell was this man? After Eva dragged him outside, Kol was finally able to move again. He needed to go after her.