Good to You

Chapter Eighteen

A/N: I want to take a moment to discuss a few things regarding the story. One this story is not going to follow all of season one, I might use some of its themes but I'm going to veer away from canon when the truth about the babies is revealed.

Secondly, Katherine and Stefan are going to have a bigger role to play in the story eventually.

And last this is primarily a Klaroline story but the side pairings will be Stebekah and Kalijah.

Warning: This chapter has SMUT.

300 years ago, Klaus and his siblings helped build New Orleans. In their absence, a new king arose. Now Klaus returned and took Marcel's kingdom as his own. Klaus had hoped this would bring his family together. He was wrong.

Caroline sat tensely at the head of the long dinner table in the courtyard of the compound. She felt like she was surrounded by enemies on all sides. Being surrounded by Marcel's inner circle around the table, it was reassuring to feel Klaus's presence just behind her, she glanced at Hayley at the opposite end of the table, not looking too pleased to be there.

Klaus reached around her, grabbing the fork next to her, calling for everyone's attention by tapping his glass with it. "Let us begin with a toast to our shared gift: immortality. After a thousand years, one might expect life to be less keenly felt, for its beauties and its sorrows do diminish with time. But, as vampires, we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine."

His hand landed on Caroline's shoulder and she glanced up at him, catching his eyes. "Some more than others."

Klaus pulled his gaze from her and gestured toward a group of waiters and waitresses and they stepped forward joining them at the table, one for each guest.

Caroline swallowed hard, she was slowly realizing sometimes bloodshed couldn't be avoided but that didn't mean she wanted to feed off of innocent people.

She looked down when Klaus's hand moved in front of her as he produced a glass, she could see was already filled with blood. She felt a small smile tug at her lips, appreciating that he knew she didn't wish to take part in drinking from innocents.

She accepted the glass, her fingers brushing against his.

Klaus faltered for a moment at the simple touch, before straightening his shoulders and focusing back on his speech. "Insatiable need, exquisite pain..."

The servants slit their wrists with knives, filling the cups with blood for the vampires.

"Our victories, and our defeats." Klaus continued, turning his gaze to Marcel.

When Marcel met his gaze he thought about the last time he saw Rebekah.

"You can't afford your wounded pride. With Klaus in control of your empire, you need to give him what he craves most: loyalty." Rebekah stressed. "Or, at least, the illusion of it."

"I took his girl. I ambushed him, tried to bury him alive." Marcel pointed out. "He's not gonna trust me."

"He will, because he wants your allegiance," Rebekah replied. "Speaking from my experience, I know that if you play the part, all is forgiven. But, if you give him any reason to doubt you, he will strike back." Rebekah took Marcel's hand in her own. "Make me a promise, Marcel. You will do whatever it takes to stay alive."

"...To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow..." said Klaus.

"...and the party never end!" Marcel finished.

Diego watched Marcel with judging eyes.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"I just don't get it, man. We would've stayed with you to the end." Diego argued, looking at Marcel like he couldn't possibly understand how his friend could have doubted how far they were willing to go. How far he was willing to go for him.