CHAPTER 3
"I cannot believe you disposed of those vampires without me. You know how I love to set things on fire!" Rebekah pouted at Klaus.
Klaus smirked, "Was I supposed to leave them in the front yard to rot? Besides, they were my responsibility. They attacked the helpless pregnant werewolf girl who's carrying my child!"
Rebekah started to say something, but then Hayley joined them, "The werewolf would like to know what the plan is, for saving Elijah, you know the good brother?"
"Elijah is perfectly fine where is, they won't and can't hurt an Original." Klaus wasn't worried. After all they had a plan, he and Elijah. And he was only helping to search for Elijah as a safeguard. Also, where Elijah was, there was that weapon of Marcel's, the little witch Davina.
Rebekah took a pencil from the desk beside her and threw it in Klaus' direction while yelling, "You don't know that, Nik. For all we know Marcel's bite could kill even an Original."
Klaus caught the pencil easily before it could embed itself in his face.
Klaus was now a bit angry at Rebekah, "I know Marcel, if he thought he had such power over us, he would have taken us out already. But he hasn't and he won't."
"So you don't plan to get Elijah back?" Hayley asked.
"Oh, I do. But like I said, Hayley, Elijah is not the priority, the priority is-"
"The priority is getting Nik's current obsession out of witches care." Rebekah interrupted him and shot daggers at her brother for having her priorities mixed up.
"He's your brother, Klaus, and he's at the hands of your mortal enemy." Hayley reminded him seriously.
Klaus rolled his eyes and sighed at the thought that neither Hayley nor Rebekah could just relax and let him take care of everything. So he turned around and sat in a chair and put his feet up on the desk next to it.
"Well, firstly, Marcel is not my mortal enemy- he's my friend. Albeit one who is unaware that I'm trying to sabotage his hold over the supernatural community of the French Quarter, but a friend nonetheless. And secondly, Elijah got daggered in order to gain Marcel's trust. He's exactly where he's suppose to be, but thirdly, in case Marcel doesn't hand him back in time willingly, we do need to get to him before things escalate between me and Marcel."
"So the plan is to just ask Elijah back?" Hayley asked in disbelief.
Both Klaus and Rebekah nodded.
"That's…that's not the whole plan is it?" Hayley stammered incredulously.
Klaus and Rebekah both rolled their eyes at Hayley for being so naïve.
"Oh please. Klaus may be a miserable excuse for a sibling, but there is none more diabolical."
"Meaning, that's only the Plan A, love! There's always a Plan B."
Hayley didn't really want to ask, but she had to know, so she sighed, "And what's Plan B?"
Klaus smiled devilishly, "War."
"You inner circle man lacks a sense of humor." Klaus commented to Marcel about Thierry after they had a little confrontation just a minute ago about Marcel letting Klaus get too comfortable in the city.
"He's a little overprotective, but loyal to a fault. I saved his life back in the '40s, found him dying of a war wound outside a VA hospital. He'd kill for me and die for me. Plus, that boy can play the trumpet like you would not believe. Maybe I'll see if he can play a little tonight at the party. You're coming, right?"
"How can I miss my chance to meet the city councilman and see how you play politics with the humans." Klaus was amused.
"Look, I could kill off the human leaders, but when word got out that people were mysteriously getting lost and killed, tourism would drop and you can eat on the locals only for so long. So I pay and they play. It's how NOLA works, has worked for 100 years." Marcel seemed to hesitate before continuing, "Listen, about your brother... I would love to help you out, but Thierry is right. My guys are on edge. They see the Original family moving in, vampires dying? It makes them nervous. If I hand Elijah back now, it might give the wrong impression about who's really in charge here. You know what I mean?"
"I thought you wouldn't care about that, given that you got new superpowers, thanks to Lucien Castle."
"What do you know about that?"
"I just heard some rumors that you now have a deadly bite that can kill even vampires, not to mention wolves, witches and humans. Now, even I am worried." Klaus smirked, trying not to show how much it really worried him.
"You have nothing to worry about, as far as I know, my bite won't hurt the Originals." Marcel tried to calm him down.
"Do I have your word on that, Marcel?"
It seemed to Klaus that Marcel didn't even know how much his bite could affect the Originals. Probably because he hadn't tried it on any of them. And Klaus wanted it to stay that way.
"Of course."
They smiled at each other.
Klaus and Rebekah waited at the cemetery gates for Sophie Deveraux. When she finally arrived, Klaus was pissed off, "Oh, so glad you could make it. Caroline is only sitting in your darn mausoleum and is wasting away, while you just dilly-dally."
"You're lucky I came at all. And Caroline is perfectly fine. We're taking care of her"
"Not good enough, you little witch." Klaus barked at her. "Now if you want me to take out Marcel, you are going to help me. Rebekah?"
"Hayley was attacked last night by Marcel's crew because somebody told him there was a werewolf in the Quarter. She only made one stop. Whoever saw her there ratted her out."
"And that would be the shopkeeper Katie. But why would he rat her out and to who?" Klaus asked.
Sophie sighed and it was readable to both Klaus and Rebekah that Sophie knew very well the answer to that question.
"Well? I don't have all day?" Klaus continued to shout at Sophie.
"Katie's boyfriend is a day walker, Thierry Vanchure."
"Marcel's right hand man…" Klaus amused.
"If that's all…" Sophie started to leave, but Klaus shouted, "Who said you could leave?"
"There's another issue we need to discuss." Rebekah explained more calmly.
"What else do you need?"
"It's very simple- We need you to perform a teeny, tiny locator spell to help us find our brother." Rebekah explained.
"Are you out of your mind? No way." Sophie said in disbelief and continued to repeat what they already knew. "Witches who practice magic in this town get caught, and then they get killed."
"Yes, about that. It seems you left out a crucial detail when we made our deal-Marcel's secret weapon, the way he knows when a witch is using magic..."
"Girl about yea high" Rebekah put her hand at her shoulder level. "Cute as a button, anger issues?"
"Davina? Where have you seen her?" Sophie asked in shock.
"I don't know. The little brat erased my memory right after she threw me out a window with her bloody mind."
"Let me cut to the chase. Davina has Elijah. You witches, I assume, want to get Davina away from Marcel. We don't know where she is. Ergo, we need magic."
"Davina would sense it."
"Unless, of course, another witch—- say, a traitor to the cause, Katie for example—- was to perform much more powerful magic at the same time. That would create a smokescreen, concealing your very small spell from Davina." Rebekah explained the whole plan to an incredulous Sophie.
"Katie doesn't deserve to die."
Klaus angrily kicked a stone at the gate, but it bounced back.
"Sophie Deveraux! You're in no position to be so principled. You can't win a war without a few strategic losses, no matter how regrettable they may be. How many times have the vampires been one step ahead, known something they shouldn't? Your sister, executed in the public square for practicing magic- who knew she'd be caught? Did she even attempt to flee?" Klaus asked.
"She was caught hiding in a cargo hold of a freighter before it set sail down the Mississippi."
"And who, pray tell- of Marcel's valued inner circle- manages his business at the docks?" Klaus continued to hint.
Sophie was stunned as realisation hit her, "Katie's boyfriend, Thierry."
After taking a paus to think, Sophie finally told them, "Okay, I'll do it, but I will have to do it in the cemetery."
"Of course." Klaus sighed.
"Then, Sophie, go and tell your prisoner, that she has plans tonight, overseeing-"
"No, I don't want Caroline involved."
"I already am involved, Klaus." Caroline's voice sounded from a mausoleum nearby. Only another vampire could hear her and Rebekah and Klaus heard her loud and clear. "I'll do whatever I can do help."
"Good, we will expect nothing less." Rebekah told Caroline.
"Rebekah!" Klaus sneered.
Klaus was sitting at a desk perusing some papers when his phone started buzzing. He saw it was Rebekah and answered it.
"Little sister!"
"Well, brother, I believe I've made certain Marcel will be properly distracted tonight." Rebekah let Klaus in on her little plan for the party at the Abattoir.
"Dare I ask?"
"Camille, the local bartender. I believe you have already met her."
"Ah, Camille. Lovely girl."
"'Lovely girl'," Rebekah mocked him, "That's all you have to say?"
"Yes, lovely girl. More than dinner, if my heart wasn't taken already."
Rebekah scoffed, "Nik, you don't have a heart."
"Debatable."
"If you could just get Caroline Forbes out of your system, things would be so much easier for you." Rebekah scoffed.
"Well, then it's good thing that I love challenges." Klaus was amused.
"And what are you doing to ensure Elijah's safe return?" Rebekah asked him then.
"Currently, I'm preparing insurance against the tender hearted."
"Meaning?"
"We need proper motivation for Katie to cast a powerful spell tonight. I'm creating that motivation. Marcel has ordered a rousting of the witches. And I, in turn, have arranged for things to go tragically wrong."
"Niklaus, can you be more specific?"
"The vampire Max, I bled out, he will attack Katie and that will piss poor Thierry off. Enraged, he doesn't think and will kill Max, making him a traitor. Hence Katie will succumb to magic to free her lover." Klaus smirked after explaining it to his sister who was impressed but too proud to let it show.
"So, I'll see you tonight then." She said to him and hung up.
Klaus and Rebekah entered the party just in time to see how Marcel noticed Camille in the crowd.
"Cami."
"Hey! Killer party."
"Oh, it's more of a work thing. I would've invited you-"
"Oh, no. We've been on one date. No explanation necessary. You do your thing, I'll entertain myself." Camille was being modest.
Marcel smiled and wasn't having none of it, "What, leave you alone, looking the way you do? Hell with that."
Klaus and Rebekah then joined them.
"Marcel. And Camille. Nice to see you here," Klaus right away greeted Marcel and Cami with an amused smile.
"Klaus, you made it. And with your sister. Rebekah, good of you to come."
"Well, I couldn't leave you alone with Cami, could I. I mean, she a darling, pure hearted. Just like you want them."
"Hmm. Don't be jealous, Bekah. It causes wrinkles." Marcel told Rebekah.
Cami was visibly uncomfortable and so Klaus told Rebekah with amusement, "Now, now, Rebekah, where did you leave your manners." Then he turned to Cami, "Can't take this one anywhere."
Cami smiled at all of them. Still feeling uncomfortable.
Then Diego approached Marcel and whispered something in Marcel's ear. Marcel then excused himself and all three watched as Marcel went and grabbed Thierry who had arrived with Diego by the throat, pushing him away from the main party. Cami was visibly concerned while Klaus smirked at Rebekah who just offered a little smile back.
As the three of them watched Marcel getting into it with Thierry on the balcony, Klaus turned to Cami, "Are you all right, love?"
"He's got a temper, doesn't he? I guess this is the moment I remember I know better."
Cami looked sad and disappointed as she walked away. Rebekah also excused herself and left the party. Josh, the new nightwalker Klaus had compelled to do his bidding, walked up to Klaus, standing slightly behind him as Klaus reached into his coat's inner pocket, withdrew a folded piece of paper and handed it to him. Josh quickly pocketed the paper and walked away. Klaus watched the balcony as Josh then appeared next to Marcel and handed him the document.
"We found this at his girl's place."
Marcel opened the folded paper, revealing that it was actually fancy parchment with the components of a complicated spell written out. Marcel looked even more angry when he recognized the spell.
"Still my friend, huh? That's funny, because it looks to me like that little witch of yours got her hands on a spell that I keep locked away."
"Marcel, I have never seen that." Thierry frantically defended himself.
"Shut up. I see on your hand, you still have the daylight ring I gave you. So, what would you need with the recipe for making new ones? Unless maybe you and Katie were gonna go off and start a little kingdom of your own?"
"Marcel, no!" Thierry argued.
"Here's a lesson in friendship- friends don't lie to me, they don't break my rules, and they do not steal what is mine."
Marcel was enraged and stepped closer to Thierry, baring his fangs and launching them in Thierry's neck. Theirry screamed in agony but it wasn't heard with the loud music.
Klaus looked on and was intrigued. He had been meaning to see what Marcel's bite could do.
Sophie was outside the mausoleum, where she had set up a map, a bottle of black sand, and a pocket watch to cast the locator spell. Caroline was standing next to her with her hands shackled together. Nearby at the gate stood Rebekah, looking anxiously inside.
"You're doing the right thing. It's the only way to find Elijah. And Davina." Caroline told Sophie.
"I'm doing what I have to do." Sophie quipped.
When Sophie felt Katie's spell starting, she also started chanting. It took a while and Caroline was getting anxious.
"Hurry." Caroline told Sophie impatiently.
Suddenly Sophie looked Caroline, "Something's wrong. Katie's magic stopped." Then she turned back to the map and said, "I can keep going."
"Caroline!" Rebekah shouted.
Quickly Caroline flashed to lean down and grab the map away from Sophie who looked at her incredulously.
"You may be willing to die to get your witch back, but Hayley and the baby will die with you. Elijah will never forgive us and rescuing him will be for nothing." Rebekah shouted at Sophie from the top of her lungs.
Caroline sighed and agreed with Rebekah, "It's over. We failed." Then she turned to Rebekah, "You have to call Klaus and find out what went wrong."
Rebekah just huffed, turned around and left.
"Katie, Katie, don't." Thierry mumbled in his half-sleep state while Marcel and Klaus watched on.
"Nasty bite, you got." Klaus concluded.
"It attacks the body basically the same way your hybrid bite does."
"It Kills vampires, not the rest of the factions."
"Don't worry, Klaus. Like I said, You and yours will never be harmed."
Klaus looked away from Marcel. He was especially worried because even if his family was in the clear, he still had Caroline and Hayley to consider.
"How much did Cami see?" Marcel suddenly asked Klaus.
"She just saw an argument, mate. It's nothing you can't fix. You really like her, don't you?" Klaus asked smirking.
"I like that she's not a part of any of this. Sometimes it's good to see the world the way the humans do."
"I am sorry about Thierry, you know? I can tell he was a good friend."
"I made him what he was. Obviously, my trust was misplaced."
"Doesn't make it easier."
"Yeah." Marcel thoughtfully agreed.
Camille was currently drinking a pint at a bar, still wearing her party outfit, when Klaus entered the bar and sat next to her.
"Camille-"
"Don't even try it. I get the bro code. You're here to smooth things over for your friend. It's very nice of you, but—"
"But you've been hurt before, and you aren't taking any more chances."
"Something like that. The guy I saw tonight? Not the guy I thought he was. And if he can turn on a dime like that—"
"Sounds like more than just a broken heart. Someone broke your trust. Camille, the brave bartender." He smirked and then smiled seductively at Cami who looked back at him. Cami swallowed, thinking about leaning in, but Klaus broke the eye contact.
"I'm sorry... But I need you to give Marcel another chance."
Cami cleared her throat, feeling both embarrassed and disappointed, "Oh, wow, I totally misread that."
"No, I misled you intentionally. You like me, but you see my heart is already taken by someone who is suffering in captivity right now and I need to get her free as soon as possible. That's why you have to go on another date with Marcel."
Then he looked straight in her eyes as he compelled her, "You went to Marcel's party. You danced. You feel badly that he had a row with his friend, but otherwise, all you remember is that it was perfect."
Rebekah was sitting at the piano, lazily playing a scattering of notes when Klaus entered and she sat up.
"Well, tonight was an epic failure."
"On the contrary, little sister. Tonight was a masterpiece."
"Are you mad? Katie died before Sophie could complete the spell." Rebekah couldn't believe her ears.
"Oh, I'm well aware. I killed Katie."
Rebekah was appalled, "You what?"
"There's no way our little suicide witch wasn't gonna try and take out Marcel with her. I saved his life, and in doing so, I now have him exactly where I want him."
"Sophie trusted you. I trusted you! Against all my better instincts."
Klaus was clearly offended as he put his glass of bourbon down on the piano. "Wake up, Rebekah- the witches are on no one's side but their own. This girl, Davina? That's all they want, and when they have her, what do you think happens then, a truce? Of course not. They will use Davina's power against all of us."
"Even if you're right, the plan was to find Elijah, and you've failed us."
"You always did lack faith. I told you there is more at stake than Elijah's freedom."
"Yeah, yeah, Caroline. All you did was really for her, right?"
"All I did was for All Of Us." Klaus shouted. "By protecting Marcel, I've cemented his trust, so much so that he's agreed to return Elijah to us. And when the time is right, when he has told me everything I need to know about Davina, I will have her for myself. And I will take down Marcel, free Caroline and ensure that neither her or Hayley has anything to be afraid of anymore. Are you getting it Rebekah or do I have to write it all down for you?"
"I have all the faith in the world that you'll get what you want, Nik. You always do, no matter what is costs the rest of us. You disgust me." Rebekah then left him alone.
Later, that night, Caroline was sitting on the one side of the gate while Klaus, who had changed clothes, was crouched on the other side.
"So the spell we did here, didn't work out. I assume Katie met her end before that?" Caroline asked him.
"Yes, it didn't work out the way we expected, but today I got Marcel to trust me even more than before and now he's practically eating from the palm of my hand." He smiled and then turned to serious. "Look, sweetheart, I know it's a slow process, but-"
"Don't worry about it, Klaus, I know you are doing everything you can. It's just I miss everyone back at Mystic Falls and they won't even let me make a phone call."
"You're lonely." He concluded.
"Sometimes, but not now." She smiled at him and he tried to reach for her hand between bars, forgetting they were spelled and his hand pumped into an invisible wall.
"Klaus."
"Those bloody witches. I would so like to rip Sophie Deveraux a new one, but-" Klaus was swearing in frustration.
"But you can't, because she's linked to Hayley and you have to think about the baby."
"To hell with the baby, the only reason I protect it is because of Elijah."
"That's a lie, Klaus. And you know it. The baby is what's most important, I get that better than you think. Promise me, you will always put the baby first." Caroline asked him.
"No—" Klaus shook his head.
"Klaus, please!"
Klaus sighed and closed his eyes in frustration, "Okay, I promise. But I won't be giving up on getting you free either."
"Fine." She smiled and he smiled back.
"You know, one of the witches told Hayley that it's a girl." Klaus suddenly admitted with a sheepish grin.
Caroline's face lit up. "Really? Aww… that's great, Klaus. I'm so happy for you, both of you."
They shared a moment where they looked at each other with a certain longing but then his cell phone buzzed. "Sorry."
He looked at the screen and wasn't happy to read the text Marcel had sent him.
"Marcel needs a drinking buddy. Apparently, he doesn't have enough vampires buddies to entertain him, so he needs me there now." Klaus said looking at the screen and then turned his attention back to her, "I'm so sorry sweetheart, but I have to go."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Klaus smiled at her and then in a flash, he was gone.