Chapter 30:
Kol had finally gotten her trust back over the next two weeks. She started to settle back into him again, to believe in him again. It was a relief, after so long of wondering if he had ruined their relationship entirely. If he was being honest with himself, he wouldn't have blamed her after his hasty return to Davina's side, despite the budding relationship with Mari at the time.
The only downside, of course, was having to share her with Niklaus. She had grown closer to him, while Kol had been gone. In that time, she depended on him, and that dependence didnt go away after Kol returned to her side.
Mari often wanted Klaus to go with them whenever Kol wanted to make plans. She slept in Klaus' bed more often than not. However, it was getting better slowly, gradually, and he had hope that things would go back to how they were before.
The problems had not ended, though; they only changed. As Mari got closer to Kol again, Klaus started to feel jealous. It didnt help that Kol sometimes intentionally interrupted moments that Klaus had alone with Mari. As much as he promised he could handle it, Kols deliberate attempts to get Mari alone were frustrating him.
Things boiled over one night so badly that it disrupted the entire compound.
Klaus hummed his appreciation of her beauty, admiring the gentle curves of her body as she stood before him in nothing but her underwear. He stepped closer to her, his hands gravitating to her mostly exposed hips so he could draw her closer.
"You are a delicious little thing," he said in a sort of hungry growl. He bent slightly to wrap his arms around the back of her legs, just under her rear. Klaud hoisted her up in his arms, looking up at her with a smug grin. She was blushing, her normally pale cheeks flushed with a light pink that only made him crave her more.
"Are you hungry?" She asked, bracing her hands against his shoulders. He nodded, then spun her around to drop her back on the bed. Klaus hovered above her with every intent to torment and tease the poor girl until she was begging him for me. He had plans, devious plans, and just thinking of the things he'd do to her got him excited.
His fangs slid from his gums, all too eager to sink into her soft flesh and taste the delectable blood that moved under the surface. As he was leaning down to take a bite of his little pastry, the door flung open, and Kol was instantly at her side.
Klaus sat back, frowning over at Kol. Kol smirked over at him, then looked down to Mari, who had crossed her arms now to cover her bare chest.
"Mari, love, Im absolutely parched," he complained in typical Kol fashion. Mari sat up slowly, looking at Klaus first, before turning to Kol. She kept her arms over her breasts.
"Um, o-okay," she stuttered out reluctantly. She turned her body towards his, tilting her head to the side to offer up her neck. Kol snaked his arms around her lower back, pulling her against him and biting down on her shoulder quickly.
As he fed, Kol glanced up at Klaus, holding his gaze for a long moment. Klaus wasnt sure if Kol was trying to be an annoyance, or if he himself was as jealous as Klaus had become. Either way, Klaus had had enough.
He stood, grabbed Kol by his upper arm, and yanked him away from Mari, unintentionally causing Kol to scrape her shoulder with his teeth. Mari winced, hand flying up to grab the stinging little scratched and look at Klaus in confusion and concern.
"Excuse me, darling, I need to have a word with my brother." Klaus gripped Kols shoulder tighter, and within an instant, they vanished.
Klaus shoved Kol back into the railing once they were outside the door. He stalked up to him furiously, standing about a foot away from him and crossing his arms.
"Must you always interrupt us, brother?" Klaus demanded, anger obvious in his gaze. Kol snorted at that, leaning back against the rail and shrugging his shoulders.
"I was under the impression that this was an equal relationship. However, it seems that you have much more time alone with Mari than I."
"Don't be a greedy child," Klaus growled lowly. "Mari decides where she goes and who she goes with. It's not my fault you ruined the relationship you once had with her by going back to that silly little witch."
"Watch your tongue!" Kol snapped, lunging forward to grab Klaus by his shirt with both hands. "Do not drag Davina into this. Do not insult her. She has done nothing to deserve harsh words from the likes of you."
"The likes of me? How should I interpret such words from my own brother? As I hear them, I can only thing you've grown to resent me. Is that true? Do you resent me, little brother? Or do you just resent the fact that my bed is where Mari prefers to be?"
"You are the reason this isn't working!" Kol shouted, shoving Klaus back as hard as he could, causing Klaus' back to slam into the wall, which caught the attention of Elijah downstairs. "You want her all to yourself just as much as I do!"
"The difference is that she chooses to be alone with me," Klaus hissed angrily. "You have to insert yourself to feel validated by her. I may desire alone time with her, but Ive never taken it away from you to get it."
"You lie. You most certainly have."
"What is going on in here?" Elijahs voice came from below them..Kol turned, and Klaus stepped up to the railing to look over.
"Nothing to concern yourself with. Kol is only being a needy infant," Klaus said. That was the last straw for Kol. He tackled his brother, snapping the railing with the force of his lunge and causing them both to go over and hit the ground below.
Elijah moved quickly to drag Kol away from Klaus, but it didnt seem to stop the altercation. Klaus pounced on Kol, snatching him from Elijahs grasp. They might have torn each other apart if Freya hadnt intervened.
She recited a spell as she entered the room, and Klaus and Kol collapsed into unconsciousness. She looked to Elijah for an explanation, but all he offered was,
"Go. Ill handle it."
Mari yelped as the door flung open and Elijah appeared in the room. She was still wearing only a pair of black lace underwear and nothing else. As she realized who it was, she quickly brought her arms up to cover her chest.
Elijah blinked at the sight for a moment, an impure thought crossing his mind briefly nefore he quickly turn around to focus his gaze away from her. Mari quickly grabbed the sheet from Klaus' bed and brought it up to cover herself.
"I warned you of this, Marigold," Elijah said sternly. "I knew this is where your three man relationship would end. I do not wish to see my brothers fight over you any longer. While they are asleep, I want you to leave. Pack your things. I will set you up in an apartment far from here. Your rent will be paif, and your brother may live with you, as long as you swear to stay away. And do not contact them."
"I can't... see them anymore?" She asked, her voice wavering. Elijah turned to look at her, notcing the tears welling in her eyes. "Elijah, I care about them. How do I... I dont want to."
"You must," he demanded quietly. "Listen to me, Marigold." She clutched the sheets tighter to her bare chest. "If you truly care for them, you must understand why you need to leave. They were going to hurt one another. Now, I do not mean to be cruel. I know it is not easy to say goodbye to loced ones. But you must. I will only ask once before I remove you myself. And if I do that, I will also take all memories of them from you."
It sounded brutal, even if she understood his intentions. He cared for his brothers more than he cared for Mari of course because they were his family. She couldn't ask him not to, as it would be unreasonable. She was a guest, if anything, and he was terminating her invitation to stay.
"Dont... Dont take my memories of them. Please. At least let me have that." She sniffed, pulling her glasses from her face to wipe the tears from her eyes. Her small frame was shaking now, and Elijah almost felt guilty for being so stern. However, he knew it was the only way to ensure she would leave. "Do I... have to go?"
"Yes." Elijah straightened his tie mindlessly, then cleared his throat and turned his gaze to the wall beside him. "Im afraid so. Otherwise, I will force you to go. My brothers... they cannot handle this arrangement. I let them try, for the sake of their happiness, but they are much too selfish. It isn't your fault, Mari, but you are the only one who can fix this problem they have created."
"But I... love them," she whimpered, more tears replacing the ones she wiped away. "Elijah, I love them so much."
"Yes, I know, but sometimes love requires sacrifice. This is the sacrifice you must make for them out of love." He walked back to her door, but paused. "Move quickly. You must be gone before they wake and try to stop you." With that, he left and closed the door behind him.
Mari cried the whole time she packed, but even though all she wanted to do was collapse and wallow, she knew she had to hurry and leave as Elijah had commanded, lest he force her out and take her memories from her.
Once she had finished packing, she dragged her things out to the taxi that Elijah called for her. He helped stuff her belongings into the trunk, then handed her an evelope with the words "my apologies" etched neatly on the front in fancy cursive writing.
"Be safe, Marigold," he said softly, opening the cab door for her politely. She stared at him for a moment longer, her eyes pleading, then she climbed in. Elijah shut the door and walked away, forcing himself not to look back, or to let his empathetic side take over. His family had to come first, no matter what.
Mari watch sorrowfully as the compound disappeared behind the buildings the taxi passed. She wondered how Kol and Klaus would react, or if they would come looking for her. Part of her hoped they did, but the other part knew it would be better for them both if they let her go. Without her, they wouldn't be angry with each other, and they wouldnt fight. It was the only thing she had to cling to, the thought that she was doing it for their sake.
Still, she would be lying to herself if she didnt admit that she hated it. She hated the thought of never seeing them again. Thinking of all the lonely, empty days ahead only brought more tears to her eyes. It was impossible not to cry. Mari felt like she was losing everything, her home, her friends, and the loves of her life. She would have given anything to be able to stay with them, but it wasnt possible. She was causing them too much pain.
So SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY. I actually ended up rewriting the chapter which is why it took so long :( im sorry guys. Hope you enjoyed anyways! Ill update soon :)