Lucien's penthouse was a whirlwind of restless energy as he paced back and forth, his mind ablaze with plans for his ultimate move. The time frame was closing in, but he knew he had to keep his cool and maintain the facade of an ally to the Mikaelsons. They were still cautious of him but had not yet turned against him.
Years of meticulous building and scheming were finally reaching their climax, leading him to the only outcome he desired. He was about to move up the food chain and eliminate those who had once overshadowed him. Lucien was not born into privilege, and neither Mommy nor Daddy used dark magic to make him invisible. It was his sheer determination and cunning that had brought him to this point, where he stood on the brink of achieving his ultimate goal. The time for revenge had arrived, and Lucien was prepared to seize it with unwavering resolve. All he had to do was play his cards right and wait for the perfect moment to strike. Ever since Klaus and his siblings had stolen everything from him—his love, his identity, and a century of his life—he had been engineering every moment to bring him to this point.
When he stumbled upon the prophecy of doom for the remaining Mikaelson siblings, he knew that it was his destiny to be the one who would bring them down.
As soon as he arrived in New Orleans, he carried a secret weapon up his sleeve. He allied with the witches. The spirits of the ancestors were guiding him, anointing him as their chosen champion in the war against the Original Family.
Now all the pieces were in place. Tristan and the Strix were out of the picture, and Klaus Sireline was shattered. Rebbeca was under a curse, and as for Kol, well, the ancestors had a plan for him and his little witch. Finn was not going to be a problem, as he hated his siblings.
The vampire needed to gather a few crucial details before making his final move, such as the whereabouts of Klaus. The only threat to Lucien's plan was Elijah and Klaus; his sire was always one step ahead, and the lack of activity and silence were concerning. All tracking spells pointed to the Original Hybrid being in NOLA, never leaving the compound with his daughter and her mother. However, Lucien sensed that something was amiss; Klaus was not one to cower in fear. Despite his shattered Sireline, he remained the most powerful being—unmatched, indestructible, and immortal. Known for his centuries-old habit of eliminating enemies, their families, and allies, Klaus always made sure everyone knew their place and who held the power. But this time was different. Klaus had a run-in with Cortez and likely dispatched the vampire. Since then, the original hybrid has vanished from the radar.
Lucien dismissed the notion that his sire was cowering in fear, confident that Klaus would not be so easily intimidated. With a keen intuition, he surmised that Camille O'Connell, the Bartender/psychologist, held the key to Klaus's clandestine activities. He knew the connection between his sire and Camille; Klaus himself told him that he trusted the woman, and his sire was not the trusting kind, so Lucien resolved to pay a visit to the recently transformed woman, determined to uncover the schemes that Klaus was undoubtedly plotting.
Following a tiring and chaotic shift at Rousseau's, Camille O'Connell was finally ready to bring an end to her day. Embracing her newfound life as a vampire and trying to maintain some type of normalcy, she found herself taking up occasional shifts at the bar to ensure her financial stability. Despite being the sole inheritor of Kieran's legacy and estate, which did provide some relief, she still had financial obligations to fulfill. Therefore, she had no choice but to continue working as a bartender until she could secure a suitable place to complete her required practice hours. Her work as Klaus and Elijah's therapist for the past few months did not officially count towards her professional development.
As she positioned several stools on the countertop in preparation for vacuuming, the door unexpectedly swung wide open. In that fleeting moment, her vision played tricks on her. She briefly glimpsed him, dressed in black, sporting a mischievous grin, slowly making his way towards her. However, in the blink of an eye, the sight that caused her heart to race disappeared.
"Cami, Cami, how is the marvelous world of vampirism treating you?" She heard Lucien as he came closer to her.
"We are closed for the night," she stated, making it clear that his presence was not welcome.
"Come now, Cami, stop being a buzzkill," Lucien exclaimed with a grin. "It's not on me that you turned into a vampire. You brought that upon yourself when you decided to stick around Klaus Mikaelson or when you defied me and ventured out of the penthouse. Take your pick," Lucien stated as he approached the blonde vampire.
"Actually, Aurora did this to me," Camille retorted, annoyed.
Lucien's sinister laugh echoed through the barren wasteland of Rousseaus. "You believe that, Cami? I highly doubt it!" He declared, fixing her with a piercing gaze. "If it wasn't Aurora, it would have been someone else. That's just the reality for those who mingle with the Mikaelsons. Frankly, you should consider yourself lucky that Aurora decided to show mercy. She has granted you and Nick an opportunity. The two of you can unite and revel in that famous 'Always and Forever'" he scoffed, casually waving his hand in the air.
Cami kept her face neutral, neither confirming nor denying being together with Klaus. It was obvious that Lucien had no idea that Klaus was on the run. Maybe he was fishing for information, and she was not going to give him that pleasure.
"Lucien, what is it that you want? Is your own romantic life so lacking that you feel the need to involve yourself in the affairs of Klaus or myself?" Her inquiry was laced with a tone of superiority and disdain.
"Sweet Cami, your presumptions are truly quite amusing. I simply wanted to catch up, that's all," Lucien replied smoothly, his voice laced with a sinister charm. He moved closer, his face mere inches away from hers, his eyes gleaming with an insatiable hunger. "You look pale and tired; there is hunger written in your face. Your newborn cravings for blood and sinful delights must have taken a toll on you. Perhaps you would allow me to indulge in the depths of your desires and find a way to quench this burning ache that consumes you," he whispered, his fingers caressing her skin with a frigid touch.
Camille pulled herself away from his touch, obviously disgusted by his proximity and advantages.
"Nik may have you wrapped around his finger for now, but don't worry—he'll crash down soon enough. And when he does, maybe you'll finally see what you've been missing out on with me." Said, closing the space between them, his thumb now creeping over her soft lips.
Camille stepped back, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of anger and defiance.
In a resentful tone, she jeered, "Is there no trace of dignity left in you? Are you so desperate to become Klaus that you're willing to chase after every woman he's interested in? First Aurora, then me; who's next? Hayley? Maybe you should try resurrecting that witch Klaus was bedding a while back and see if she'll have anything to do with you. But I assure you, she'll reject your advances without a second thought. You see, Lucien women tend to go for originality and self-respect. Even the deranged Aurora considered you unworthy." Her words dripped with poison, and it hit him hard.
He had the urge to put an end to her right then and there, but Cami stood her ground. "Go on," she dared him. "Touch me again. We both know that in an instant, Klaus will end your pathetic little life."
Stepping back with a smirk, Lucien sarcastically questioned, "Oh, just like he ended Aurora's life?"
Those words shattered Camille's armor, allowing Lucien to witness the impact before she regained her composure and responded, "You're correct; he left her alive, despite her pleas for mercy and death. Touch me, and who knows, Klaus might grant you your wish to spend eternity in never-ending pain with the woman you are in love with."
"Boy, he has taught you well! For a moment there, I thought Niklaus was talking and not the sweet and innocent Camille. So you think that because you know someone like Klaus, you can understand someone like me?" Lucien watched as a shadow crossed Cami's eyes and continued, "You are a real fire, pet. Nik is a lucky dog, but he tends to let people down. Remember that," he declared before leaping out of the bar at high velocity.
Leaving behind a pissed and troubled Camille. She had sensed from the beginning that the guy was bad news, but now he gave her the feeling that he was dangerous to all of them.