POWER │ NIKLAUS MIKAELSON

V. OPTIONS

⟦     v. options . . .     ⟧

"ALRIGHT, THIS WAS EIGHT months ago, before I banned the witches from using magic." Marcel starts, as Leo and I sit down. "Relations between vampires and witches weren't what you'd call friendly, by any means, but let's just say, we were a little less divided. In fact, some of us were getting along just fine." He turns to me with a smirk, and tells us about how he was sleeping with Sophie.

"Oh, my God." I let out, in disgust. "I mean, I don't like Sophie, but even she can do better."

"You and Sophie?" Klaus questions. "You hypocrite. You torture those witches, and yet there you are, getting positively 'Romeo and Juliet' with Sophie Deveraux."

"Oh, it wasn't like that." Marcel tells Klaus, turning to me with a smirk. "It was a mutually satisfying hookup. I believe Valarie knows what I'm talking about."

It takes everything in me, not to break his neck, as I notice Klaus's grip tighten in his glass.

"So if Sophie didn't turn to you, her secret vampire lover, in her hour of need, what did she do?" Klaus asks him, with a fake tight lipped smile.

"Well, first, she went to our powerful witch in residence." Marcel tells Klaus. "But, I think she was too drunk to even help herself." I give him a fake smile, as he continues. "So, she did what any good girl would do. She went to her priest." He tells us how Father Kieran sided with Sophie. "The witches were furious with Kieran. Sophie tells me that the witches put a hex on his nephew Sean, made it seem like he was slowly losing his mind, in order to distract Kieran while they kept planning for the harvest."

"So they attacked Kieran's nephew." Klaus says.

"Yeah. Kid wasn't the same after that, ended up going postal." Marcel tells him. "Killing all his fellow seminary students, all of them, and then himself."

"I might have read about that." Klaus says. "The boy killed a twin. Or he was a twin or something."

I knew he was referring to Cami being the boy's twin sister.

"Oh, no, no." Marcel shakes his head. "They said that he had a twin sister."

"So, let me cut to the chase." I tell both of them, standing up and walking in between Marcel and Klaus. "Because I have things to do, unlike you both. Marcel told me he was going to stop the harvest, and I agreed to help. But when we got there, I found out sister and her husband were supporting the harvest, too. I told them, not to harm them, and guess what he did?"

"You didn't." Klaus asks him, and Marcel turns to me.

"They were killing kids, V." Marcel tries to justify, as he downs his drink. "I have a rule to protect children."

"You think, you're so moral by saving one kid out of four." I tell him, raising my hand, making him choke on the liquor. "But what about the 7 year old girl, whose parents you killed." He choughs, and leans on the bartop for support. "Because of you she's an orphan now." I close my fist, as my hand flashes red, and he grabs his head. "So, don't you dare tell me, you did the right thing, when I have to go home, and tell her that her parents are never coming home."

I release my fist, the red glow fading, as he finally breaths. I turn to Klaus.

"I think, I'm done here." I tell him, as he gives me a nod, and I walk out, with Leo following me.

"OKAY, FIRST, TELL ME why the hell did you track down the Blackwood coven in the first place?" I ask Leo, as we enter the apartment, and I drop the keys, taking off my coat.

I walk up to the kitchen, and pull out two cups.

"They had something, that I wanted." He tells me, as I pour both of us some coffee. I look at him, raising an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate, as he sighs. "It's a mystical object, that holds the power to talk to the dead."

I put down the coffee pot, and look him in the eyes.

"Why the hell would you need to talk to dead people?" I question him.

"Um... I was bored?" He tries, unsure, and I give him a look.

"Look, I know you miss them, Leo." I tell him, softly, and he stands up from his seat.

"No, you don't get it!" He tells me. "You miss them! I never knew them! You can't miss your dead parents, when you didn't even know who they were!"

"Leo..." I sigh, reaching out to him.

"I just want to hear their voice." He tells me, lowly, as I wrap him in a hug. "Just for once in my life."

"You can't change the past, little brother." I reply, as I make him look at me. "But, for now, let's just focus on one problem. How to get the Blackwood Coven off of our backs, alright?"

He nods softly, and I give him a smile. Before, we can say anything else, there's a knock on the door. My eyebrows furrow, as I make my way to the door.

"Hey, V." Marcel greets, smirking, as I open the door.

"Agh." I groan, as I slam the door shut.

But, his hand grabs the door, and he forces it open, stepping inside.

"Don't forget, sweets." He tells me, smugly. "I've been invited in."

I roll my eyes, as I raise my hand, and he falls to his knees, groaning.

"Fine, you can walk in here." I tell him. "But, what's to stop me from instantly ripping out your heart?"

I ask him, as Leo comes to stand by me.

"Because... I have a friend." He groans out, as he grabs his head in pain. "Who's at your niece's school right now."

I release my hold on him, as I grab walk to him, and grab his shirt. I yank him at the walk, and hold him there.

"I thought you had a rule about children." I seethe at him.

"Yeah." He replies, smiling. "But, doesn't mean, I can't turn them into vampires."

"You are loathsome." I tell him, and he laughs.

"Whatever you say." He says. "Look, there are two options here. Option A, you side with me, and your niece will come home safe and sound, or, Option B, you refuse, and there's a tiny vampire on your hands."

I grab his neck, and twist it, breaking his neck.

"Or, Option C." I breath out. " I kill you, I kill the vampire at Emma's school, and save her." I say, as he fall to the floor, lifeless. "Hm, I think that sounds better to me."