OUTCASTS
— 07. Bayou
Despite what she had told Klaus just the night before, as always, Cadence had jinxed herself. She ended up opening her apartment door to find Diego and another member of Marcel's inner circle.
She had been forced to call the babysitter before she was practically dragged to the compound.
In the courtyard of the compound, Elijah and Klaus were sitting together, glancing around at the vampires watching them warily.
"Not the most attractive community, are they?" Elijah suddenly remarked, causing Klaus to turn to his elder brother with an amused look.
"You do realize they can hear you?" Klaus asked Elijah, smiling slightly.
"You do realize I don't care?" Elijah retorted as he picked up his glass of scotch, much to Klaus' amusement.
Just then, Marcel walked in, followed by some vampires. "You know, Elijah, I liked you better in that box," He commented before turning to look at Klaus, "But Klaus, my sire, you I owe the world, and I always show respect to my elders. If your special lady friend is missing, you could benefit from the help of a witch. And, since I control all the witches in this town, I'll grant you one little locator spell. Cadence is one of my most loyal witches, my favorite one, at that. Need to find someone? I guarantee, she's your girl. I hear she has the magic of two elder witches running through her right now."
Marcel turned, as did Klaus and Elijah. They watched as Cadence was escorted in, clearly not looking about happy about being there.
Marcel then walked out, wishing Cadence good luck. The female witch sighed in defeat, making her way over to Klaus and Elijah. "Can you find her?" Elijah asked, desperate to get Hayley back.
"I can damn well try," She responded, wasting no time turning to two of the vampires to go find her some supplies.
Just moments later, Elijah sat across from Cadence as she began to perform the spell. Klaus anxiously paced near the table, briefly glanced down at the map Cadence was performing every few moments.
"I'm going to need some of your blood, Klaus," She spoke up, seeing as though Klaus' blood ran through the veins of the baby Hayley carried in her womb.
Klaus nodded, wasting no time biting in his wrist before extended his arm out.
"I could've sworn you didn't have any magic of your own," Elijah spoke up, clearly confused about the type of with Cadence.
"I sucked all of the magic from the coven's last living elders. I have a tremendous amount of magic that will most likely remain in me for a week at the very least," She explained as they watched Klaus' blood spill onto the map.
Cadence casually waved her hands over the map. As she continued to recite the incantation to the locator spell, a puddle of Klaus' blood traced across the map from their current location to where Hayley was in the bayou
"She's in the back country. Way up past Houma, deep in the Bayou," She explained in a calm tone, slowly looking up at Klaus.
"I don't suppose you could be more precise?" Elijah questioned, sounding slightly annoyed about her vagueness.
Despite being the first of the originals to meet Cadence, Elijah seemed to be the one who liked her the least.
He didn't trust her in the slightest. He noticed the way she continuously helped both sides, not having total loyalty to either of them. He knew she looked out for no one but herself and her sons and he didn't believe that was someone they needed on their side.
Klaus seemed to think otherwise, which Elijah didn't like whatsoever. Klaus was growing fond of the siphon witch and Elijah knew it wouldn't end well. Not just for Klaus, but for any of them.
"What's the matter, Elijah?" Klaus spoke up, noticing the suspicious look his brother was giving Cadence, "You're worried a bit of splashing about in the bog might ruin your expensive shoes?"
"As a matter of fact, after my recent confinement, I could use a decent stroll through the countryside," Elijah spoke up in a sarcastic tone.
Cadence sighed in defeat, glancing between Klaus and Elijah. She knew it wasn't a good idea for two original vampires to be going into the bayou, not when the majority of the pack was in wolf form.
"There are stories of exiled werewolves, encampments. If Hayley went out that far, chances are she went to find them," Cadence explained, despite having the feeling that wasn't the truth.
"Clearly, she hopes to make the acquaintance of more like herself," Klaus spoke up, turning to look down at Elijah, "I suppose our company wasn't good enough for her."
Elijah stood up, on the verge of walking away when Klaus stopped. "Well, aren't you coming?" his brother suddenly asked, causing Elijah to frown when he turned to see Klaus speak to Cadence.
Cadence frowned, turning to look at Klaus in confusion. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Surely, you know your way around the bayou better than we do," Klaus responded and Elijah stared at his brother in confusion, not seeing any point in Cadence coming with them.
"Niklaus, there's no need for the witch to come with us," Elijah complained, only to have Klaus ignore him and continue to speak to Cadence.
"My brother and I don't know our way around the bayou. You know how to get to the place on the map, we don't. We'll need your assistance in finding Hayley," Klaus continued on, an annoyed look.
"I thought I told you I'm done with vampire business for the next few days," Cadence reminded Klaus, who began to smile in amusement.
"Yet here you are, doing a favor for Marcel," Klaus responded, a wide grin on his face, "Come on, love. You and I both know your life as bartender was never this eventful until you met my family and I. Since you're here, your children are with their babysitter, which means you have the rest of the day to do nothing. Now, what would you rather do during that time? Spend your day off at your job or come play the hero with my brother and I?"
Cadence remained silent, giving Klaus an amused look as he began to smile. "Now, that you put it that like that..." She trailed off, her words dripping with sarcasm, "Maybe I will join you."
Klaus smiled in satisfaction, turning to look at Elijah. Elijah looked deeply annoyed, which was one of the main reasons he asked her to come. That, and because he had grown fond of her company as of late. She may have acted like she hated him, but it was clear she enjoyed his company just as much as he enjoyed hers.
"Good," Klaus stated, clapping his hands together, "Now, I won't have to deal with my debbie downer of a brother alone."
"Niklaus, the mother of your child is missing and you're worried about being stuck with me. Perhaps I should go alone, since you can't seem to take it seriously," He explained, earning an annoyed look from Klaus.
___
Once arriving at the bayou, the group of three got of the car before beginning to travel together. However, despite Cadence being the only one to know her way around, Elijah decided to take the lead.
"We should head south toward the water," Elijah spoke up in a stern tone, causing Cadence to give him a weird look.
"Since when did you become the boss?" Cadence suddenly asked, causing Elijah to give her an annoyed look.
"You seem quite determined to find the little wolf," Klaus spoke up, deciding to taunt Elijah about Hayley since he clearly had nothing else better to do with his time.
"If I'm moving too fast for you, Niklaus, you're welcome to wait in the car," Elijah retorted, causing Klaus to begin to glare at him, "Do be certain to leave the windows down. While you're at it, why doesn't Cadence join you, since you've clearly enjoyed her company above all else as of late."
"Ah, so I've touched a nerve," Klaus spoke up, beginning to smile in amusement, "You've begun to admire this girl. Perhaps that's why you've been barking orders since your return, hoping to impress Hayley by assuming the role of family patriarch."
Elijah stopped walking, whipping himself around to face Klaus. "You want to insist on treating her like a walking incubator then that's your mistake."
Klaus looked up, inhaling sharply. Elijah's eyes widened, realizing what was going on. "Have you found her scent?" He asked in concern.
"No," Klaus answered in a low, cold tone, "But I found someone else's."
Klaus sped over to a nearby truck, wasting no time opening the driver's side through. He began to rummage through it, tossing random objects out onto the dirt road.
Cadence walked toward the back of the truck, noticing how the back window had been shattered. There had clearly been a struggle.
"This vehicle reeks of someone I thought I was rid of," Klaus informed Elijah and Cadence as he continued to toss things out of the truck. He paused, an angered look on his face as he finally closed the door, "Tyler Lockwood."
"Who the hell is Tyler Lockwood?" Cadence asked, a confused look on her face.
"And why would your little hybrid sidekick from Mystic Falls have any interest in Hayley?" Elijah asked, deciding to ignore his question as he watched Klaus walk over to the back of the truck, right where Cadence stood.
Klaus sighed in frustration, turning to face Elijah. "He wants revenge because I went after his girl."
Cadence narrowed her eyes at Klaus, having the feeling he wasn't saying everything. "Something tells me that's not all of it." She stated and Elijah knew he could at least agree on it.
"Back when I had the means to sire hybrids, he was my first, although I didn't give much choice in the matter," He explained before hopping into the back of the truck. He took out an article of clothing, hoping to use it to track Tyler, "He was loyal in the beginning, but he grew insubordinate."
Cadence's eyes widened, realizing what was going on. "He broke the sirebond."
"Yes, and he turned the rest of my hybrids against me. I couldn't have that," Klaus paused, hopping off the truck before turning to face Klaus and Cadence, "So I massacred the lot of them."
Unamused, Cadence rolled her eyes. "Well, that's one way of dealing with them," She commented before giving giving him a look that told him to elaborate, "And?"
"Tyler ran like a coward before I could finish him off," He finished, causing Elijah to looked annoyed.
"Anything else that you would like to share?" Elijah asked as he moved closer to Klaus, knowing his brother well enough to know that definitely not the whole story.
"Well, there was this business with his mum," He informed him, causing Cadence to facepalm herself since she knew what he meant.
"You killed his mother," Elijah realized, giving Klaus a disapproving look, "Wonderful."
"He needed to be taught a lesson," Klaus complained, trying to reason with Elijah and convince him it had been necessary when it truly wasn't.
"And what lesson will you be taught, Niklaus, if retaliates by harming Hayley," Elijah snapped at his brother, causing Cadence to feel uneasy since she knew she was on the verge of being stuck as a bystander to the upcoming argument between the two brothers.
"So you do care about her," Klaus commented, pointing a finger at Elijah, "Well, go on, then. Have at it, brother. Save her. Claim what spoils you can," He paused, gradually beginning to smirk, "I've sampled what she has to offer, and, let me tel you, she is exquisite."
"Niklaus, so help me—" Elijah began to snap at Klaus, only to have a frustrated Cadence speak up.
"Enough!" She loudly shouted, causing both men to turn to look at her, "We don't have time for this. Hayley is out there and she needs your help."
"She's right," Klaus immediately agreed with Cadence, earning an eye roll from Elijah, "You can find Hayley. I'll kill Tyler Lockwood myself."
Klaus was on the verge of walking away, only to stop to turn to face Cadence. "What shall it be, love? Help my noble brother be Hayley's knight in shining armor or help me kill the bastard who dared kidnap her in the first place?"
Cadence awkwardly glanced between Elijah and Klaus before walking toward the latter. "Wise choice," He commented, grabbing her by the arm before speeding off with her.
_____
In the woods, Klaus and Cadence were walking together when they suddenly stopped, hearing a male voice coming from a distance. "Hayley?" The man she presumed to be Tyler called out, "Don't make this harder than it has to be. Give up now..." He trailed off, continuing to search around for werewolf girl, "I'll end it quick."
"What makes you think you can end it at all?" Cadence suddenly spoke up, causing Tyler to whip himself around to see her and Klaus standing before her, "It's quite the other offer, though. But something tells me it's not one we'll be giving you."
"Who's this?" Tyler asked Klaus, smiling threateningly as he gestured toward Cadence, "I see you've around found another pretty girl to latch your claws into. Over Caroline that quick?"
"Cadence Delacroix," Cadence spoke up, ignoring the mention of the unknown girl Tyler spoke of, "Pleasure, I'm sure."
"No pleasure if you're on this monster's side," Tyler snapped at Cadence, hatefully glaring at both her and Klaus.
"You look well, Tyler," Klaus spoke up, finally adding into the conversation, "I aim to change that."
"Harming a pregnant girl just to get revenge on Klaus. Now, that's something I never thought I'd see," Cadence spoke up in a sarcastic tone.
Klaus turned to Cadence, a mocking look on his face. "In all honesty, love, I never expected him to sink so low. I'm a bit impressed, actually. Aren't you?"
Cadence turned to Tyler, an amused look on her face when she saw how angry he seemed to be becoming. "I don't think he's happy about the way we're speaking about him as if he weren't here, Klaus."
Klaus turned to look at Cadence after glancing over at Tyler, continuing on with their taunting. "You're right. He doesn't look happy at all."
"What do you think your girlfriend Caroline would say if she saw what you've become?" Cadence suddenly asked, angering Tyler, "I don't think she'll happy when she hears her boyfriend tried to kill a pregnant woman."
"You know, Cadence, I think I'll ask her when I call her to tell her of his demise," Klaus spoke up, which set Tyler off the edge.
Tyler turned to Cadence, who was smirking in amusement after hearing what Klaus said. Knowing for a fact she wasn't a werewolf or Eve a vampire, he began to believe he had a chance against her.
Without thinking of the consequences, he began to rush at Cadence at vampire speed. Klaus was about to do something about it, only to have Cadence use what was left of her magic to make him go flying into a tree.
Klaus quietly laughed, satisfied with what Cadence had down to the hybrid. "Come on, mate. Give it a bit more effort," He encouraged Tyler in a taunting tone, "It is me you want, not her."
Tyler stood back, only to watch closely as Klaus lightly pushed Cadence behind him, as if he were shielding her from what he was going to do to Tyler.
Thinking of an idea, Tyler began to vamp-speed forward. Klaus ended up believing that Tyler was coming for him, only to be proven otherwise as Tyler grabbed ahold of Cadence, just before speeding off with her.
Klaus' eyes widened in shock, not understanding what was going on at first. He began to feel angered, fury filling his eyes as he sped off in the direction that Tyler had dragged Cadence in.