I made my way back to the Mikaelson Compound after my little chat with Kaleb To find Niklaus and Elijah in a small argument.
"A little less criticism from you, and Hayley will be just fine," Niklaus said sharply to Elijah.
"What's going on here?" I asked cautiously as I strolled into the room.
Elijah kept his eyes on Niklaus with a shocked look, "Niklaus believes it is okay that the mother of his child is just fine!"
Niklaus glares at Elijah as Elijah continues to speak, "You'll take her to the Bayou. Find any remaining wolves. Perhaps her people can reach her. Now, more than ever, she needs a connection to something, some of her humanity, some degree of dignity."
Elijah storms past me and out of the room. I threw Niklaus a disappointed look before following Elijah outside and into the courtyard. I followed him of course.
"To do something useful, unlike everyone else," Elijah says as we leave the compound.
"Oh don't act like that!" I rolled my eyes at him.
He looked at me with narrowed eyes, "I saw you with that boy earlier."
"Jealous?" I asked, getting annoyed by him.
Elijah shook his head, "Those days are long gone. You could have been helping Hayley who went on a witch hunt with Niklaus."
"Last night, I literally risked my life fighting those werewolves when I didn't have to," I snapped at him. "You've already argued with Niklaus, and by the sound of it, Hayley as well. Don't piss me off too."
The rest of the trip was silent as we made our way to the Algiers where merchandise are being sold and musicians play their instruments. Marcel is speaking to a group of people.
From afar, Elijah and I listen to Marcel's speech, "Gia's proven herself. She knows what she's getting into. So, she's going to be the first one that I turn. Everybody else? First, I need to be sure that you can handle moving up a notch on the food chain. The emotional ups and downs, the solitude, and bloodlust. Imagine hearing the sound of a heart beating, beating, beating, and wanting more than anything to feed. That's what it's like to be a vampire. It's not for everybody. Some folks, well... let's just say it brings out the worst in them."
His words brought me back to 1821 in New Orleans, an interesting time in my life.
I stood beside Elijah and leaned into his side with a smile. In front of us was Marcellus who practiced the piano. Elijah kissed my forehead affectionately as the keys moved.
Marcellus sighed in defeat as he messed up, "I can't do it!"
"Now, you once said the same thing of your reading, and now you devour everything from sonnets to scriptures. So, devote yourself to your music, and soon you shall be Johann Sebastian Bach," Elijah smiled proudly at Marcellus.
I couldn't help but find myself smiling at the young boy.
"But I want to play like you," Marcellus spoke to Elijah with a smile.
As Elijah grinned, I said, "And one day, you will."
We were interrupted when someone clapped in the doorway, "Well, isn't this nice? My older brother, his girlfriend, and my ward, getting along swimmingly."
"Nikki," I trailed off and stepped away from Elijah's side.
Elijah turns back to Marcellus and pats his back, "We shall continue at another time. Why don't you resume your Hamlet? Act one, scene three today. Off you go!"
Niklaus waves at Marcellus who leaves the room. Niklaus stumbles down the small steps into the room with Elijah and I.
"Congratulations, you've been drinking," Elijah says as he cleans up the things from their session.
"Only to remedy the lifeless monotony that has overcome this household. You know, Rebekah's still pouting over the Governor's son," Niklaus doesn't seem fazed by the thought.
I muttered under my breath, "You have always been so insensitive."
Elijah shares my annoyed look, "When you threw him to his death, did you imagine a different outcome?"
"You monopolize young Marcellus with schooling," Niklaus sighs as he pours himself a drink. "He and I used to have such fun. If only there was someone with whom I could share a bit of roguery.
Elijah turns to leave the room, but I stayed. Niklaus had peaked my interest.
"Oh, yes! That's right," Niklaus pulls out a dagger, "There is!"
My eyes widened at the sight of the dagger. It was either Finn or Kol, but Finn was not someone Niklaus could share a bit of roguery with.
A look of horror crosses over Elijah's face, "You didn't."
Niklaus shrugs his shoulders with a mischievous smile before laughing wickedly. We raced down to the courtyard of the compound. Outside, bodies drained of blood were everywhere, whether it be on barrels or the ground.
I could see someone devouring a poor human before dropping them.
"Kol?" I asked softly with widened eyes.
He clears his throat and begins to clap his hands, turning to face us, "Bravo! That was delectable. But make no mistake, Nik-- I'm still cross that you daggered me."
Kol flashed over to us and pecked my lips. He lifted me in the air and sat down one a barrel behind him with me on his lap, "But, as far as apologies go, it's a start!"
"So, this is your idea of fun?" Elijah turns to face Niklaus.
"How are you darling?" Kol asks and kisses my neck sweetly, distracting me from Niklaus and Elijah's voices.
My heart's thumping had quickened and it suddenly felt hot.
I stood from his lap and faced the three brothers, "I--I cannot do this right now."
Before any of them could respond, I dashed away as fast as I could.
"Elijah. Alex. Didn't expect to see you guys on this side of the river," Marcel's voice brought me back to the present.
"Didn't expect to see you assembling a new vampire community. I guess we're both full of surprises?" Elijah muses.
Marcel turns back to the crowd before walking with us, "My community was fine until Klaus had the brilliant idea to make moonlight rings. Now that Harvest girl's making more, offering them to the wolves in exchange for their allegiance. And the wolves are just kneeling at her feet."
"You gotta love witches," I rolled my eyes.
He continues as if I hadn't spoken, "The Quarter's become a dangerous place, and you? You guys are the last true vampires left! You ask me, you're better off joining my community! Maybe that's why you're here?"
I snorted at his pandering while Elijah smiles falsely, "Hmm, no. I came to make you an offer: find me the white oak stake, and I'll let this little social experiment continue."
Marcel smiled fakely back at Elijah, "Aw, even if I wanted to help, I don't have a clue where the stake is."
"Yes, but you do have an ally in Davina. She can find it. Thing is, I'd speak to her myself, but I feel the conversation might become a little... unpleasant," Elijah's fake smile was long gone.
I felt myself tense. Out of all the witches, I liked Davina the most.
Marcel turned serious, "You don't go anywhere near her."
A smile appears on Elijah's lips, "Then, it's settled! You'll deal with the matter personally."
I am really sorry that this update is coming so late! It is my last week of summer, so my family, friends, and I are making the most of it! Right now we are in northern California visiting family so I have had barely enough time to write! I'm afraid to say that there will be no update tomorrow like normal. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It wasn't my best work, seeing as though it is 10:30 at night for me.