• • •
His talk with Elijah darkened his mood drastically, Klaus decided to go straight to the source, Marcel. Confrontation with Marcel didn't exactly go as planned, so he walked it off.
Out in the street he navigated through crowds of people. He stopped to see a band of musicians, then noticed a man painting a large canvas. He noticed the bartender from earlier standing and watching the man paint, too, and approached her. She noticed him once he's standing next to her.
"The hundred dollar guy." the bartender greeted.
"The brave bartender." Klaus greeted back. He looked at her name tag. "Camille. That's a French name."
"It's a grandma's name. Call me Cami." She smiled. "Amazing, isn't he?" she said nodding her head to the painter in front of them. They observed the painter once more.
"Do you paint?" Klaus asked.
"No, but I admire. Every artist has a story, you know."
"And what do you suppose his story is?"
Cami thought for a moment. "He's...angry. Dark. Doesn't feel safe and doesn't know what to do about it. He wishes he could control his demons instead of having his demons control him. He's lost. Alone." Cami answered, unknowingly describing Klaus as she did so. Her words hit right home. Klaus' eyes were glistening. He teared his eyes away from the painter, smiling ruefully to himself.
"Or maybe he just drank too much tonight. Sorry. Overzealous Psych major." Cami chuckled turning to Klaus.
"No. I think you were probably right the first time." Klaus shook his head and smiled. Cami smiled back at him, then glanced back at the painting.
"So, do you—" She looked round but Klaus was gone "--paint?"
Klaus walked down a deserted street and sat down on a bench. A bench he told Machae was his favourite place to think. His mind went back to the woman he undeniably missed. After a minute, Elijah arrived and sat beside him.
"Are you here to give me another pep talk on the joys of fatherhood?"
"I've said all I needed to say." Elijah simply said.
"I forgot how much I liked this town." Klaus mumbled, his eyes looking around the street they were in.
"I didn't forget. All the centuries we've spent together, and yet I can count on one hand the number of times that our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here." Elijah told him.
"As did I."
Elijah looked at his brother who was deep in thought. "What is on your mind, brother?"
"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and... chase me off. He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted." He said angrily.
"Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me." He continued seething. "I want what he has. I want to be king." His eyes full of revenge and determination.
"So is that all this child means to you? A grab for power?" Elijah looked at his brother in displease.
"What does it mean to you?" Klaus asked back.
"I think this child could offer you the one thing that you've never believed you had." Elijah voiced his opinion.
"And what's that?"
"The unconditional love of family." Elijah answered genuinely. They held a meaningful stare before Elijah asked. "So what of Hayley and the baby?"
"Tell Sophie Deveraux we have a deal." Klaus answered.
"Every king needs an heir." Klaus smiled.
Elijah smiled, pleased. After sending the text to Sophie, he decided to bring up another issue he had been holding on. "I met Machae earlier. She's here with a friend."
Klaus sighed, watching little video of Machae sometime ago in Edinburgh while playing with the necklace he gave her hanging on his neck. "I know." Elijah was shocked. He was waiting for a more excited response – he had been searching for her for months after all – and let alone Klaus knew before he told him.
"I believe she had business with Marcel." Klaus told him. Elijah raised an eyebrow at him in a way 'What makes you think that?'
"She didn't see me but I saw them dancing and singing, irritatingly too close for Machae to be with anyone." Klaus said, clenching his jaw.
Elijah looked at him in amusement. "And you automatically assumed she had business with Marcel?" he asked in amusement. "Perhaps you are just jealous, brother." He teased.
Klaus laughed at this, but there was fear concealed in his eyes. "I have no need to be jealous brother. She's mine." But even the statement held such confidence, Elijah could see the truth underlying it. Klaus was jealous.
"Sure brother, sure." Elijah sassed as Klaus glared at him.
Just then Klaus heard distant voices talking about his brother, he quickly sped them both in the shadows, hide themselves.
Then he heard her voice. His heart already thumped faster without even seeing her.
"I've poured my hearty anger out to Elijah and all you gathered is that he's hot?" Machae asked Iz incredulously.
From their hiding spot, Elijah was smirking smugly to Klaus who rolled his eyes.
Iz rolled her eyes at Machae. "You showed me photos of Kol. He's hot but you didn't bloody tell me it runs in the family." Iz exclaimed.
Machae rolled her eyes. "You haven't even met the other brother." she mumbled to herself.
Even though Iz didn't catch what Machae said because she was too out of it, Klaus did. it brought a smile on his face to hear Machae said it. Elijah got the front row seat of this.
Elijah was actually confused as to why Klaus hadn't confessed his feelings to Machae already. It was as clear as day he can see his brother loved her, what held him back?
"Come again, what was that?" Iz asked.
"Nothing." Machae dismissed her.
"Why are you coming with me anyway?" Machae faced her friend.
Iz scoffed. "What do you want me to do? Have you sneaking out on me again? Not a chance. Besides I couldn't sleep when you sighed every 5 minute so now I'm just wide awake."
"I didn't."
Iz gave her a look as Machae rolled her eyes. "I did."
Iz sighed. "Look I know you can't sleep with that million thoughts on your head. With that nasty witch bitch business, meeting Elijah, Marcel and New Orleans in general. I mean I don't blame you. This is where you died basically."
Machae gave her a look at her last part. "Turned." Iz corrected.
Behind the walls, both Elijah and Klaus were shocked to hear the new information. Klaus knew how bad Machae's turning affected her – basically as her haunting past. It got Klaus thinking if she was willing to come here, she must have had one hell of a reason.
"You're right. Every turn I take here just another one of memories haunting me, which is exactly why I am diving right into it. To end it once and for all." Machae smiled.
Iz looked at Machae weirdly before saying. "Ok that's kind of a twisted logic but whatever. Is that why we're here?"
Machae hummed and nodded.
"Ok, what about Marcel?" Iz asked.
"What about him?" Machae asked nonchalantly.
Iz raised an eyebrow at her. "I know you have a plan, Ma – "
"Nat." Machae quickly cut Iz off. Machae touched her ears and eyes casually, a silent code for 'Ears and eyes everywhere', Iz got the message and gave the slight nod.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Machae shrugged. "I am simply making friend with Marcel. Friends support each other, you know?" She smiled innocently.
Elijah might not get the message but Iz and Klaus certainly translate it alright.
Machae knew Marcel controlled the witches. Hence, she was going to cross the witches – after her experience I didn't blame her really. Then, befriending Marcel was a way for her to earn his trust for him to retrieve whatever Machae needed from the witch – which in this case, unlinking spell and the information on Shadow Knight pack, but Klaus didn't know that.
But Klaus knew Machae better than anyone and Marcel too in this case. What Machae truly meant was she was going to have Marcel wrapped around her fingers since Marcel, like Machae, wasn't risking whatever valuable information slipped up to a 'mere friend'. She had to be inside his inner circle, someone he trusted.
Machae might have asked Marcel to ask Camille out but Machae knew how to play the game. She knew how to turn things around to her. Oh she sure did.
Although he didn't like that part of the plan, he was still impressed by her.
Divide and conquer.
Her ultimate strategy of winning kingdoms back in the day.
He had seen her in action and it was damn effective.
Klaus looked at Machae in admiration. She truly was brilliant. Conniving and cunning, she truly was his Queen. Because her plan could as well work with his very own mission.
Elijah narrowed his eyes at his brother's expression and he knew that look right away. "What are you scheming, brother?"
"She truly is magnificent. I'll tell you later, Elijah." He grinned.
"Wait, Titty Twister is that way." Iz called Machae pointing to the other direction.
Machae kept on walking. "I know. We just have to make 1 pit stop." She walked to one of the houses at the end of the street, nearing to Klaus and Elijah's hiding spot.
They stopped right at the house Klaus and Elijah were hiding, but didn't see the brothers as Klaus already sped them both to the other part of the house.
Elijah already looking at his brother with 'why the hell are we hiding' look when Klaus just told him to be quiet.
Truth was Klaus was not ready to face Machae, after their last meeting ended ...not so good. She hurt him badly and so did he to her. But he knew he was at fault here.
"What are you doing?" Iz looked at her friend confusedly.
"Well if you're stuck with me, might as well follow me." Machae continued to concentrate at her task. "Come on, we are in desperate need of fun. We need to shake that horribly depressive chip off your shoulder, little Iz."
Klaus turned to Elijah, whispering. "My words exactly to Stefan."
Machae walked around the front porch, step by step feeling the creak of the wooden floor until she hit one spot that sounded different. "Got it." she smirked.
She pulled open the wood and dived her hands inside to pull out a bottle of wine. "Alex's secret stash. He had good stuff, some he stole from me, it was mostly his though."
"1918. Single Malt." Machae handed Iz the bottle. "And my overdue vodka." Machae pulled out another bottle.
She sat down at the small stair at the house's front porch, just staring ahead with a thoughtful expression on her face.
Iz stared at her friend with confusion, but sat down next to her regardless.
"Iz." Machae called. "Why did you come with me?"
"Didn't we just talk earlier, I can't sleep – "
"No." Machae turned to face her. "I mean why did you come with me?"
Iz sighed. "Nat, whatever you say, you are my friend. You saved me that day and taught me everything I need to know about a vampire's life. You're practically my mentor, Nat. And I understand you're now at your low –"
"I don't need your sympathy." Machae snapped, glaring at her.
"I'm not giving you any!" she cried. "I am doing what you did for me. I'm paying you back."
"I didn't help you to – "
"I know, I know. I want to." Iz exclaimed with so much conviction.
However, Machae still adamant about her decision sending Iz back home. "Don't you miss Harold's sandwich? Come on, I know you do."
She rolled her eyes though she had a teasing smirk. "Not as much as you miss his ass."
This time it was Machae's turn to roll her eyes. "It was one time, Iz. One time." She held up a finger, emphasizing her point.
"Thanks for ditching me that time too, by the way." Iz laughed her ass off at this.
"Don't be a baby. It's not that bad."
"You're not the one who had to deal with an angry boyfriend!"
"I'm not the one who slapped his boyfriend's butt!"
"You dared me to!"
"I can't help it." Iz shrugged. "He's thicc."
Machae hummed in agreement. "Facts."
Behind the wall, Elijah and Klaus had a very different reaction. While Elijah was somewhat weirded out and amused at the same time, Klaus had a 100% disbelief and a tiny noticeable jealousy when he subconsciously looking at his own butt.
"Oh mate...we never really spent a normal Saturday night, have we?" Machae sighed. "I mean the most normal one was probably that one time we played Call of Duty together for the first time."
Iz instantly burst out laughing. "You mean that one time when you purposely killed yourself?"
"I was testing it out!" Machae said in protest. "Besides, who are you to talk? You didn't even last 30 seconds."
"That was my first time –"
"And I beat yo ass for the rest of the night." she smirked smugly. Iz rolled her eyes, having no come back while Klaus had a proud smirk, muttering under his breath, "That's my girl."
"To this day, I still don't understand why you were craaackking up till the morning came because I accidentally shot a butt."
As if triggered, she was a laughing mess once again. "H-he was crawling around y-you a-and you just shot at his freakin butt."
Her friend frowned in confusion. "Uum yea... cause as far as I'm concern I just shot the guy so he be dead and I won the game quick."
Still not over laughing, she continued. "Still though you shot his butt!"
Machae just sighed and shook her head. "Girl I swear you have a butt fetish."
Iz just laughed it off again and shook her head in remiscene. "Oh good times..." Machae turned to her, smiling. "You miss it? The normalcy?"
This took a few moment for Iz to answer. "I mean I guess, but this is also a new adventure for me, you know?"
"There won't be more adventure if you ended up dead." Machae sighed. "Iz, I meant it when I asked you to go back."
"Are you serious? We literally just got here and we've talked about this million times before. –"
"Yes, and that was before we knew Jane-Anne is dead."
"Neither of us knew. So, we just have to find another lead then. There will be a great sense of uncertainty of entering a new territory, I get it, we don't know what's waiting for us on the other side, but you know as well as I do I can handle myself and most importantly I am with you." she said sincerely. "I know you have my back, Nat."
Machae rubbed her hands on her face, tired. "I do Iz, always. You know that and I have no doubt in my mind, you are more than capable of handling yourself. You are, after all, my prodigy. But the woman you knew is gone, I am not the same person anymore. You, of all people, should know that."
"With Jane-Anne dead and now the freakin Originals were connected, it changes everything. There's gonna be a war and Marcel's not even my end goal. I am joining a war with no armour. The woman you knew, the all-protector is gone. She's gone, ok? And I don't- I can't have any more blood on my hands. Not yours, please." I pleaded, desperation leaking out of my words like flood.
"And have yours on my hands?"
"I didn't say that. I've been dead 3 times and my blood wasn't and will never be on your hands, Iz. This is my doing."
This ticked Iz. She really wanted to curse at her and laid down all facts evidence to support her argument, but they were still out in the open. So, she settled down with some Russian - Machae taught her - hopefully no one understood Russian around here.
She gripped her hairs in frustration. "Пиздец, Nat! этот человек уничтожил вас, а вы даже не встречались с ним. Идете против него в одиночку? Прежде чем ты это узнаешь, ты погибнешь.[Damn it, Nat! This man destroyed you and you haven't even met him. Are you that suicidal to go against him alone? Before you know it, you're gonna get yourself killed!]"
"You know, I'm 150 years old. I've killed 10x as many enemies as that. And every one of them would have killed me but none of them succeeded completely. I'm only alive because fate wants me alive. This son of a bitch is just the latest of a long line of bastards, and he'll be the latest to feel my vengeance - fate wills it so."
"What if you're wrong?" Iz asked quietly.
A heavy silence washed them both. Machae stared blankly at the ground, eyes empty. "Well, if I'm wrong, then... what more could I lose?" A single tear escaped Machae's eyes and she wiped it away before Iz could see it.
From behind the wall, Klaus' hands trembled as he slide down the wall. A wave of guilt crashed him down like a bulldozer. The memory of their last argument played in his mind. He killed her family. He failed her at her lowest moment.
"Their deaths or any deaths might not mean something to you, Klaus but it does to me when it was them."
Her words then stung, but now it ripped his heart to pieces. what more could I lose? He hated the fact that she said that in the first place, he hated even more the brokenness in her voice as she said so. I could lose a lot. Me, personally, I could lose you. I could lose everything.
Elijah, on the other hand, felt he was in a stuck position. Unlike Klaus, he understood perfectly what Iz was saying in Russian. He knew who she was talking about and immediately knew what Machae's endgame was. He was equally concerned for both Klaus and Elijah's friend – he already considered as sister. Machae was in her worst condition he had ever seen, understandably so and his brother was also tortured watching his love in pain with his guilt eating him alive.
Iz turned to her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. She sighed defeatedly. "I...don't know what to say. Truth to be told, you're right. I can't say I will surely survive this because we're going blindly on this mission. I'm also not sure about you, Nat. You run along all day and night half-drunk 24/7. This is literally the most sober I've ever seen you in this 2 months. But I trust you and if that's what you think it's best, then I'll leave."
"I won't make you promise you'll be ok, I know you won't do it." Machae looked down silently agree. "Just promise me you'll call me if you need help. You have me, Nat. Remember that."
"I will." Machae nodded. "Thank you."
"Also...Nat." Iz called. "About that phone call..."
Machae sighed, placing both of her hands on Iz shouders. "Iz darling. Take the flight, go home and sign the deals."
"I don't have the final say, it's your company – " Machae cut Iz off.
"I think we both know it has been your company for a century now." Machae smiled at her. "Come on now, are you seriously going to miss it? We both know the deals from those brands are too rare to pass."
Iz nodded. "I still need your signature though. You are still the owner."
"No, you don't." Machae pulled out a key from her pocket and handed it to her. "In my apartment – yes my actual apartment not the beautiful lake house you claim shitty-ass house - go to my walking closet, open the 3rd door on the left, at the back of the 2nd shelf at the top there should be a wooden cover, behind that there is my letter handing you officially as the owner of Mpowerfashion."
"Congratulations, new CEO of Mpowerfashion." Machae smiled at starstruck Iz. "Wow...I can't – I don't know what to say. Bloody hell! Thank you, Natalia." Iz smiled in gratitude before pulling Machae into a hug.
They pulled away. "Speaking of phone calls, Joe called me yesterday still begging me to perform. Well after 100 years of waiting I say it's time, we make a deal. He hooked me up with James' cousin, he owns same business here, in return I give him one hell of a show worth 100 years waiting." Machae informed Iz.
"What show? And are you sure about him? What makes you think he'd want a show worth 100 years?"
Machae raised her eyebrows. "Of course, I'm sure. Have you seen me?"
Both Iz and Elijah rolled their eyes, thinking they couldn't see more Kol in Machae than right now. While Klaus smiled amused, in his head: she worth way more.
"And about that show..." She smirked. "Ready to strip?"
• • •
Klaus entered the Titty Twister bar for the sole purpose in finding Machae. After hearing she was going to strip in the bar, he snapped and went after her to stop her from going. But she and her friend were already gone. He also still had questions about who this James was and what business was she talking about.
Once he entered the bar, he was taken aback by how crowded the bar was. Men drinking with women in her undergarments and poles in some kind of cube boxes for display. His eyes scanned the woman in boxes, but none of them were Machae. He even asked around for Joe, but they didn't know where he was.
Suddenly, the crowd noise faded, the host grabbed the mic on the stage and informed them they would be having a special performance tonight. The music picked up the change in atmosphere and played a more sensual song. They presented her as the "The temptress...The Seductress"
Klaus instantly knew this was Machae. He was right. The moment she walked out of the opened curtain, all eyes were on her.
She had a featherly crown on her head displaying her sensual body proudly in her black bra and panties.
Klaus' mouth opened agape watching her. He was stunned by her beauty. He walked towards the nearest table unconsciously unknowingly sitting beside Iz, never breaking eye contact with Machae.
It seemed, Klaus wasn't the only one hypnotised by the Russian beauty, the whole bar was.
Machae swayed her hips throwing away her crown seductively catching every eye in the whole bar and began her performance.
She didn't notice Klaus at first, but when her eyes scanned for Iz. She saw him.
There he was looking dashingly hot than the last time she saw him. Even though she might have had an inkling he was in New Orleans when Elijah mentioned him earlier, she didn't expect to see him here. This wasn't his type of bar.
So when the two met each other's eyes. They were in their own world. Her eyes never leaving his, and he hers, as she walked towards Klaus. He was in a trance of her seduction.
He wasn't the only one. Machae herself was also lost in his sight. The past months she couldn't deny he was constantly on her mind. No matter how busy she was, how anguish she was, how drunk she was, he was there. She missed him, terribly.
Her mind went blank when she saw him and resulting her standing in front of him, dancing sensually crouching down to grab her bottle of vodka beside him.
She missed him hard, yes. But that didn't mean the underlying anger vanished completely. It was still there.
She raised her leg to his chest and gave him a little shove until he was pushed leaning back in his chair. Machae brought up her legs higher, hanging ghostly above his lips and poured the vodka through her legs. The hybrid accepted the drink, never breaking his eye contact with her. His eyes showed pure adoration and lust. He wanted nothing but to claim her right then and there.
Once he had enough, she stood up, raised her leg and licked the liquid on her leg herself in a seductive manner and drink from the bottle itself. She swayed her hips a little before crouching down. She leaned closer until her face was just inches from Klaus' and poured the vodka in her mouth to his.
Licking some from the corner of his lips before pulling away licking her own lip, teasing him.
Iz who was beside Klaus was staring at the two with mouth agape. She had no idea this was Machae had in mind when she agreed to performed. The man beside her – whom she didn't recognize – also seemed to be completely in trance and his eyes held so much emotions that was reflected in Machae.
It was clear to Izzy that the two had a history together.
Machae turned around and created some distance from Klaus before she danced as if she was inviting him to come with her. She almost succeeded when Klaus got up from his seat about to join Machae on stage before a gun shot was heard.
A scream was heard before the bar owner dropped dead. With that, chaos started.
Iz sped both her and Machae away from the bar. Not wanting to get in the middle of the crossfire. Machae had one last eye contact with Klaus before she was grabbed and dragged to run by Izzy.