Chapter 22: The Town Pariah

Date: June 16, 2020

Author's Note: Hey guys! With everything going on, it was rather difficult to find inspiration to write/finish this chapter. I hope you all are safe and sound and I hope I can bring about a good source of entertainment for you! That said, this chapter is pretty lengthy (the longest one yet), but I didn't want to break it apart so here it all is. The time jumps a bit while you read but it's not very important don't stress over it lol. Just know that most of these events are happening separately and in some cases simultaneously. Anyway, I hope to be back soon with another installment but if not, know that I am diligently working on it. That said, #BlackLivesMatter, let your voices be heard!

Klaus hated funerals more than anything. He'd only been to a handful in his thousand years but they were all the same. People pretended they knew the deceased the best and always tried to one-up everyone else's stories. The entire time he sat through Marie's funeral, he was itching to leave and do what he needed to do. For the past week, he and Bonnie had been glued at the hip and though he wasn't necessarily complaining, it was easier to be a menace to society whenever she wasn't around. The moment they left the funeral, the two of them parted ways. While a part of him felt the urge to follow Bonnie around like a lost puppy, he knew he had other fish to fry. Like acquiring the deed to his lost home. The Abattoir was currently owned by Marcel, much to his chagrin. The Abattoir was in the heart of the city and it would allow Klaus to keep an eye on everyone plotting to move against either him or Bonnie.

Acquiring his home wasn't the issue. It was keeping it. The moment Marcel realized that Klaus had taken away one of his toys, he'd be at his doorstep with an army of people, demanding it back and while Klaus had no worries tearing through Marcel's little army of Vampires—the city couldn't handle any more dead bodies. So, after compelling who he needed to update the city's records and acquire a new deed, Klaus was ready to put his plans into action, starting with the movers.

"If any of you lot break one of my statues, I will burn you to ash," Klaus threatened as he supervised a group of compelled citizens moving things out of his estate. The moment he heard her enter the house, Klaus smiled and spun on his heels. "Ah, there you are, Love." He took a moment to appreciate her look. At some point, she changed out of her funeral dress and into something more casual. Her white jeans clung to her hips like a second skin and Klaus didn't care that it was after Labor Day. Her peep-toe heels matched her black blouse and he found himself upset that he couldn't see her cleavage from where he stood.

Bonnie glanced around the foyer, confused by what she was seeing. She pushed her sunglasses up on her head and squinted at Klaus who simply smiled at her. "What the hell is happening?"

"We're moving!"

Several hours later and true to his word, Klaus had moved them from Algiers deep into the heart of the French Quarter. It felt weird for Bonnie to be back in the heart of the city but she couldn't lie and say she hadn't missed it. All-day, Klaus was weirdly chipper, however, Bonnie didn't question his good mood. It could be so much worse.

"Sign these," Klaus instructed as he slid a collection of documents in front of her, along with a fancy ass fountain pen. Bonnie looked up at him, amusement all over her face.

"Are you gonna tell me what 'these' are, Oddball?" Klaus grinned.

"The deed for both this property and the other estate," he explained. Bonnie's movements halted and her eyebrows raised in suspicion.

"What are you up to?" She questioned. Klaus shrugged.

"I can't have just any and every vampire in the city showing up unannounced," he explained. "I'm dead and so is everyone in my family. You are the only other person in this city that I can somewhat trust, so sign the document so we can get on with it." Klaus as Bonnie eyed him yet again with suspicion. "What?"

"Don't 'what' me," she chuckled as she quickly scanned the documents to make sure they were what he claimed. "Careful Klaus, this almost seems like a marriage proposal," Bonnie joked as she signed on the proverbial dotted line. "Was it that good?" At her lewd joke, Klaus snatched the papers from her, trying to stifle a grin.

"Yes, it was." There was no point in denying it. "But believe me, a marriage proposal from me would be much more than all of this," he boasted with a wave of his arms. Bonnie ignored the heat in her cheeks and rolled her eyes.

"No one likes a bragger, Klaus."

"I'm a bragger and you like me," he countered.

"Only on certain days of the week." Bonnie giggled as Klaus grabbed her and pinned her to the nearest surface. Her eyes shimmered mischievously. He didn't have to wonder what she was up to for long when he felt her magic tug on sensitive areas of his body. His eyes glowed as his arousal grew. He wrapped his massive hands around her neck and gave it a gentle squeeze. He's discovered in the past couple of weeks that the little psycho liked to be choked.

"Which days are those?" He asked as he closed the space between them until her body was flushed with his. Bonnie smirked up at him and held on to the ends of his shirt.

"Today, maybe," she teased. Klaus leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips that would have startled her if he wasn't always catching her off guard with them. He moved his lips to her neck and allowed his fangs to gently scrape against it as he tightened his hold around her neck. The two of them kissed for several moments until Bonnie pulled away to catch her breath. She eyed Klaus with a pensive look that made him curious.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Bonnie's eyes met his and for a moment, Klaus wondered if she would ever speak up. Several thoughts swarmed his mind and after an extended silence, Klaus opened his mouth to speak again.

"Do you think I made a mistake going to the funeral?" Bonnie questioned. Her question made him release a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He wasn't sure what he expected from her but that wasn't it. He tried not to think about why he felt relieved. It had been almost a month since Marie's death and with her went his secret. Despite this, he couldn't get too comfortable. If Bonnie ever found out what he did…

"You wanted to pay your respects," he spoke up, not allowing himself to fall down the rabbit's hole. "There's nothing stupid about that," he reassured. Bonnie nodded and moved her hands up his arms to his biceps.

"Sometimes I feel like it was a stupid move," she confessed. A normal person would stay out of the witch's way but every course of action seemed to provoke them whether it was intentional or not.

"Not at all, Love," he reassured once again. "I understand what you're going through." And he did; he knew perfectly well what it was like to kill someone he loved. It was why he kept his siblings in coffins and carted them around everywhere he went.

"I thought sure you'd tease me," she said with a slight chuckle. When she revealed that she wanted to go to the funeral, she prepared herself for an argument that never came. Quite honestly, she was shocked. In the past few weeks, she saw a lighter side of Klaus she never dreamed existed.

"As someone who kept his family in coffins for centuries, I don't think I'm fit to judge you on anything." His self-deprecating joke earned him a light chuckle.

"Right, I forgot who I was talking to," she says with a shake of her head. "Where are your family members, anyway?" She realized at that moment that neither sibling was coat-tailing him. Usually, where one went, the others followed.

"Rebekah's off playing house with her flavor of the month and Elijah is keeping his distance. Contrary to what you may think, we're not always within each other's orbit." Though as he spoke, he longed for his siblings to join him in the city they once called home. If Bonnie wasn't mistaken, there was a longing and a sense of bitterness in his tone. Ignoring the sudden shift in the atmosphere, she elected to change the subject, slightly.

"How did you and Marcel meet?" The question was so left field, Klaus was unable to hide his surprise. His brows shot up on his forehead and Bonnie raised hers in response. It wasn't often Klaus Mikaelson was caught off guard. In her experience, the best way to get an honest reaction from him was to surprise him. The moments to do that were few and far between.

Klaus took a few steps back, placing a measurable distance between the two of them. "Where is this coming from?" Naturally suspicious, Klaus wanted to know where this line of questioning stemmed from. Bonnie shrugged.

"I've wondered since the day you showed up. From what I've noticed, you two were close; close enough for you not to take this city from him immediately after Marie's death. I haven't forgotten," Bonnie reminded. "That you plan to take over the city." Bonnie clarified when Klaus looked at her inquisitively. "The Klaus I knew in Mystic Falls would have killed Marcel and staked his claim already, but you're dragging your feet," Bonnie said, reading Klaus like a book. "So now I'm curious. How did you two meet?"

Klaus remained quiet as he pondered her question. In all of the chaos, he didn't realize Bonnie had time to notice anything outside of her issues with Marie and Marcel. But how could he expect anything less from such a shrewd witch? With everything going on, they've both been sidetracked and as she said, he was dragging his feet.

"Marcellus was a boy when I met him. He was the son of an enslaver and when I first laid eyes on him, he was rebelling against an overseer. Slavery was awful but I wasn't a saint. My family and I were too involved in our own self-preservation to care about the troubles of the world—but Marcel was different. He reminded me of myself when I would rebel against my father. I figured that kind of spirit needed to be preserved and so I killed the overseer and took Marcel into my care. He lived with my family until he became of age. Elijah, Rebekah, and I, all cared for him." Klaus paused as he thought of all of the memories they shared.

"Wow, so you were literally a white savior," Bonnie joked, earning a look of disproval from Klaus. "Kidding," she muttered in a dismissive tone. "If you cared that much about him, why do you want to take away everything he's built here? Why not just coexist?" Klaus didn't hesitate to answer.

"Because I'm second to no one." Bonnie scoffed. There was the arrogant bastard she knew and loathed.

"So you'd sacrifice your relationship with someone you care about because of your ego? Classic Klaus," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Why do you care about our relationship? You sacrificed your relationship with him when you showed up on my doorstep, Love." It was her turn for silence. In a second, Klaus closed the distance between them and Bonnie craned her neck to look up at him.

"We both know that's not when I sacrificed it," Her green eyes darkened and Klaus fought hard to focus. Her beauty was astounding. "That ship sailed the night Marie died." Klaus watched her intently. "Marcel doesn't control the witches anymore and with the city in chaos, you could easily slip in and take control. You technically don't need me anymore," Bonnie quickly realized that, by acting in her own self-interest, she had given Klaus the ammo he needed to take the city.

"I suppose I don't," Klaus acknowledged. "I don't need you, Bonnie," he reiterated.

"No, you don't," she confirmed. He watched as Bonnie fiddled with the buttons of his shirt. One by one, they came undone until they were all unfastened. He shrugged out of the fabric and stood before her shirtless.

"I don't need you," he repeated, pushing her hair from her face. He gripped her thighs and hoisted her up on the counter. He moved between her legs and closed the remaining distance between them. His lips grazed hers as he spoke and Bonnie found herself anticipating his lips on hers. "I want you," he confessed. The amount of power beneath her skin was addictive and Klaus found that he couldn't get enough of her, no matter how many times he ravished her.

His confession made her head swim and a feeling in her chest sprung forth and began to warm her core. Their lips met and the kiss they shared was hungry. Klaus's ardent tongue circled hers expertly, earning a moan from her.

"We could rule this city together," he whispered into her ear. She shudders when his fingers begin to massage the nape of her neck. The kiss deepens and she moans against his lips once more.

"I didn't think you were into sharing," she counters breathlessly. Klaus smiles sinisterly which stirs something in Bonnie that she doesn't bother to question.

"I don't. You'd be second to me, obviously," he deadpans, earning a punch to the shoulder. In truth, he wasn't sure where the words had come from. He noticed recently that when it came to her, his impulses led him to do and say things he wouldn't normally, and while he'd typically be disturbed by it, he found himself not caring. The need to have her close at all times, the urge to spring into action whenever he felt she needed anything. He wasn't sure what was happening but he didn't like it. He didn't like it and yet, he didn't mind it all in the same breath.

"I'm second to no one, not even you," she asserted. Klaus smirked at her tenacity and released a growl from deep in his chest. His eyes flashed gold and he could see the reflection of them in her irises.

"It seems we've found ourselves in another stalemate, Love." They continued their staring contest and Bonnie found herself barely containing her excitement. There was something intoxicating about poking the bear and if she was honest, she could admit that she even got off on it. Pushing Klaus to the edge and reeling him back in was invigorating and even more, was the fact that he allowed it to happen. At that, Bonnie bit her lips and grinned.

"No harm would come to you if you ruled at my side," he enticed. The thought of having a witch as powerful as Bonnie at his side was almost orgasmic. To have what he wanted so close within his grasp made him salivate.

"No harm comes to me now," she points out. "Remember our deal," she reminds him.

"I remember." He wishes they made that deal sooner. Her thighs closed around him, locking him in place. "But no one would dare lift a finger against you again if I see fit." Bonnie chuckled and shook her head.

"If you see fit, every witch in this city would be dead. As much as they hate me, I can't have that. There's two that I like," she counters jokingly. Klaus didn't respond. Instead, he focused all of his attention on her collarbone, tracing the lines of her neck. Her eyes close when she feels his lips on her. His claws tore into the fabric of her jeans, exposing her thighs.

"You owe me a pair," she mutters, enjoying the feel of him grinding against her core.

"Put it on my tab," he answers with a low growl. She bit her lips with anticipation as he moved from her neck to her shoulders before suddenly pulling away. Bonnie glared at Klaus who simply laughed at how offended she looked.

"My good and faithful servant Jonathan is set to arrive soon and I don't intend to have him walk in on you screeching like a banshee." He teased. With a roll of her eyes, she pushes him away from her and slides off the counter, discarding her distressed jeans in the process.

"One, I don't screech and two, let's not pretend he hasn't seen worse already," she argues, throwing her jeans at his face. Klaus pulled the item away only to find that the little witch had vanished. He shook his head at the games she made him play before flashing up the stairs after her, anticipating what he'd find.

-X-

One Week Later

Sophie Devereaux sat behind the bar at Rousseau's staring into an empty bottle of whiskey. It was her second bottle that day and it was only a quarter after three. Her sister Jane-Anne used to always tell her that the only thing you could find at the bottom of a bottle was misery. She was beginning to see Jane-Anne's point.

In just two months, she lost her niece, Monique, to the Harvest and her beloved sister, Jane-Anne, to a brutal attack by Marcel and his army of vampires. Her already persecuted species was now a dying breed in this city. They were promised by the elders that the Harvest Girls would return to them, but that wasn't the case. It'd been weeks since the second attempt and there was no sign of Monique. The consensus amongst the witches was that Abigail, Cassie, and Monique were dead for too long and their souls simply did not return to their bodies. Davina was lucky. She was only dead for a few hours at best, so her soul returned without an issue. It was a devastating blow. Sophie fought to save her niece and even fought against Jane-Anne who somehow was okay with offering her daughter up for the slaughter, but Sophie ultimately lost the battle.

The city was in chaos and she had no one to turn to. Marcel betrayed her trust after he learned from her where the ritual would be held. She had shared the bit of information with him during one of their trysts and true to his monstrous nature, he used that information to lead the slaughter at the first Harvest attempt.

That night she lost two people near and dear to her and she has yet to hear from Marcel—not even an apology. Sophie was hurt. Despite knowing that Marcel was notably 'shacking up' with the Bennett witch, the two of them had history and she thought she knew him better than she did. That night she'd been proven wrong. Vampires only cared about themselves.

She thought better of Bonnie Bennett. Sophie knew what it was like for a witch to be charmed by a vampire so, unlike the rest of the covens, Sophie believed that Bonnie wasn't like Marcel. She was a witch first and foremost and if Marie trusted her, she couldn't be all bad—or so Sophie thought. The night of the second harvest proved her wrong. Bonnie wasn't on their side. Whatever prophecy Marie preached about was wrong. Bonnie Bennett wouldn't be their savior. She was their curse.

The events of the past several months made Sophie susceptible to what Sabine Laurent had to say. The two women sat across from one another at the bar and Sophie tried to listen coherently to what Sabine was telling her but the alcohol was taking its toll. "Say that again," Sophie slurred. Sabine rolled her eyes.

"I can come back another time. You're clearly not in the right frame of mind to discuss anything," Sophie shook her head and grabbed Sabine's arm in what could be perceived as desperation. If Sabine left, Sophie would have to face her misery again.

"Stay," Sophie pleaded. She reached under the bar into the cooler for a bottle of water. "I'm listening."

"I'm going to resurrect Marie," Sabine started over with a different approach. Sophie's ears twitched at the news and her movements stilled. Marie was a stone-cold bitch but she kept things in order. People respected her whether they liked her or not. Marie's alliances and power were what kept Marcel at bay and The Ancestors (and Bonnie) in check. Without Marie, their city was destined for hell.

"How the hell can you do that?" Sophie was well aware of Sabine's ability to raise the dead. She had seen it personally the night Josephine returned to complete The Harvest the second time. But Marie was ancient and her soul belonged to Papa Legba. No matter how powerful you were, you couldn't get over on that cocaine sniffing demon.

"I did a seance; two actually," Sabine informed her. "The first was to contact Marie. Second, I contacted Papa Legba. He's willing to release Marie if I can provide either an innocent soul or a soul darker than Marie's."

"Marie sacrificed babies." It wasn't a fact so much as a widely believed rumor. Be that as it may, Sophie wanted no part in it. Dark magic made her uneasy.

"We don't know that for certain, which is why I need help finding someone that fits the bill."

"One original hybrid, coming right up," Sophie deadpanned. Sabine chuckled dryly.

"Except we would have to go through Bonnie. Marie did a spell linking them so Klaus is untouchable, even more so now." Sabine explained.

"Does Bonnie know this?" Sabine shook her head. "Then we tell her and let her get rid of the bastard for us." Sabine thought about Sophie's suggestion. It seemed plausible.

"Except if Klaus dies, so does his entire sire line and while I would like to see vampires wiped clean of this earth, one, that's a lot of blood that I'm not willing to answer for and two, if we kill Klaus, he still has two evil siblings that would be on our asses if we're ever implicated in this shit; too many variables," Sabine reasoned. Sophie frowned. Nothing was ever black and white.

"So who's soul is darker than Marie's?"

"Josephine's. I resurrected her to finish The Harvest in hopes that Abigail, Cassie, and Monique would be returned to us but to no luck. I watched her slit their throats in cold blood. She felt nothing. Even Marie had a problem with it."

Sophie nodded. Josephine was a real piece of work. "Okay, we have our person. What purpose would having Marie back serve? Other than keeping everyone in line?"

"Marie thinks that Bonnie is the key to severing our ties to our ancestors. The prophecy was misleading. We believed that Bonnie would free us from Marcel's bondage but in truth, it would free us from the spirits. Think about it. We would no longer have to sacrifice our own every three hundred years. We could practice freely and not be location bound. We wouldn't have to suffer anytime we practiced out of line. Our powers wouldn't be limited for once in our lives. We can live for ourselves—"

"Why the hell would Bonnie Bennett do that for us?" Sophie's tone threw Sabine for a loop. She was not expecting this reaction. "You're forgetting that she doesn't give a fuck about our issues. She's proven that since she came to this city. She has never lifted a finger to help us when we were under Marcel's rule. Not once. Why would she suddenly be gung-ho to help us now?" Sophie wanted to believe Sabine but the odds were never in their favor. Witches never came out on top and they barely made it out alive.

"That's why I need Marie—" Before Sophie could interject, Sabine rushed to speak up. "She's our best bet at getting Bonnie on our side. Yes, I know she killed Marie and I had my doubts too. But she showed up to Marie's funeral and she seemed genuinely upset about what happened, so I believe there's hope. Marie seems sure of it. The Ancestors view Bonnie as a threat. They want her gone but we haven't figured out exactly why. If there's one thing I've learned in this short amount of time, it's to never bet against a Bennett. I know she's the town pariah, but I'm calling on everyone I can to get on board. I do not wish to see any more of us suffer and I believe this is the way out so I'm asking, Sophie. Are you in or are you out?"

Sophie weighed Sabine's words carefully before finishing her bottle of water. It did nothing for her sobriety but helped a bit to clear her head long enough to make a coherent decision.

"I'm in." Even though she was well beyond checked-out, she'd have something to do other than mourning the loss of a family she would never get back. At the very least, Josephine LaRue would pay.

-X-

It was risky walking the streets of the French Quarter, but Bonnie had nothing to fear. She allowed her magic to flow freely, scanning the areas surrounding her, anticipating an attack. The witches were on her case since she dared to show her face at Marie's funeral and while she could understand their disdain, Bonnie couldn't be bothered to give a damn. She hoped that what Marie had done to her was a lesson learned. She didn't want to be bothered but would retaliate against anyone that threatened her well being. She hated having to adopt a 'Klaus mentality' when it came to her adversaries but if it kept him alive all these years she would have to change her mind about a few things. Survival wasn't always pretty and sometimes meant getting your hands dirty. Though she had to admit, the woman she was today was a far cry from the girl who left Mystic Falls years earlier.

As she combed the streets with her magic, Bonnie smiled when she felt a familiar presence just around the corner. As she turned onto Bourbon Street, she was met with none other than Vincent Griffith. Her smile faltered slightly when Vincent stiffened in her presence. The two of them hadn't talked since Marie's death and at the funeral, she left just as quick as she came. As for where their alliance stood, one could only guess.

"Vincent," Bonnie greeted. "I'm embarrassed that I never got a chance to thank you and Davina." Truth told, outside of Klaus, she hadn't had much contact with anyone lately. She'd been ostracized and excommunicated from her own species. A lesser Bonnie would have cared and while she was offended, she couldn't say she didn't understand it. She was a pariah, thanks to her dealings with vampires. How was it that she found herself in the same predicament all over again?

"No need to thank me, Bonnie." Vincent's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "I believe your magic did most of the work. Davina and I just helped." Bonnie smiled at his modesty before moving on to the point.

"Is your perception of me still the same or have you joined the Anti-Bonnie campaign?" She didn't have time to beat around the bush. She needed to know where he stood. Under her scrutiny, Vincent answered as honestly as he could.

"I'll admit that I was a bit upset," There was no need to lie. Judging by the look on her face, he knew she could tell if he was. The menacing look in Bonnie's eyes reminded him eerily of Marie, but he thought against it. Naturally, she was on guard. Everyone in the city wanted her head on a pike. "However, when I met you, I promised I'd have your back and I still do. I keep my word." Bonnie visibly relaxed and Vincent could almost see her walls come down. He smiled warmly when the flirty Bonnie he met at Rousseau's returned.

"Thank you." Bonnie needed to hear that someone was still in her corner. She wondered if circumstances were different, would Marie still have her back as well.

Bonnie ignored the pang of guilt that rushed to the surface.

"No worries," Vincent assured. He felt the mood begin to lighten. "Where are you skipping off to?" He inquired. Bonnie smiled.

"I was on my way to grab some food," she said. She normally ate at Laveau's, but the shop has been closed since her death. Even then, she highly doubted that she'd be welcomed. There was also the tiny fact that Klaus had destroyed the place. The thought almost made Bonnie giggle. He was truly something else.

"I know just the place," Vincent suggested with a grin. I'm headed there now, actually. Vincent didn't give Bonnie a chance to respond before he linked their arms and began walking with her. Bonnie smiled and followed his lead.

An hour later, Vincent and Bonnie were indulging in the finest food New Orleans had to offer. When they weren't talking, they were smacking, and Bonnie soon realized how nice it was to hang out with someone other than vampires and hybrids.

"I think you should go for it," Bonnie encouraged, sipping on her glass of apple juice. Vincent had just revealed to her that the witches—what was left of them—nominated him as their next Regent. Josephine was proving to be unfit and truth be told, they could use a 'regime change,' as Bonnie eloquently put it.

"Are you saying that because you believe in me or is it because you know that with me as Regent, it would keep the rest of the witches off your case?" Bonnie grinned and so did Vincent.

"Am I that transparent?" When Vincent nodded, she chuckled. "Both. I think if anyone in this city is worthy of the title, it's you. And if I happen to benefit from it," Bonnie shrugged her shoulders, "that's a chance that I'm willing to take." She smiled along with him and leaned back in her chair.

"You know what I think?" Bonnie looked up curiously at Vincent's inquiry. "I think you should join one of the covens; preferably mine." At his suggestion, he winks at her and grins when she rolls her eyes. "Hear me out. Right now you're a lone wolf and people are threatened by that. I know you don't care what they think, but I think it'd be a good show of faith to keep them from getting too aggressive with you. I know you can handle your own, but I don't want to see anyone else harmed." While he hated to see witches die over petty drama, he also could understand Bonnie's instinct to protect herself. "I know you're protecting yourself but it's not a fair fight Bonnie. Anyone that goes against you dies and our numbers can't handle any more deaths." Bonnie sighed. She was willing to admit that Vincent was right and she normally didn't take pride in killing, especially witches.

She's come a long way since Mystic Falls.

"You're right," she muttered. "I will keep that in mind," though she doubted herself as she said it. Her anger was uncontrollable at best and she hated to think about why that is.

Vincent watched as Bonnie went through a series of emotions. She seemed afraid beneath her facade. "Are you okay, though?" In a short amount of time, he noticed that while on the surface, she seemed like Bonnie, but deep down there was something off. It was hard to say since he hadn't known her very long, but his instincts were usually spot on.

"I'm fine," Bonnie answered. She assumed he was referring to her showdown with Marie and her impending death. Bonnie didn't like talking about it but she felt if anyone could understand, it was Vincent. Something about him made her feel safe. "I don't know how else to say this but, I feel like I'm too fine," she added. Vincent listened closely, eyeing their surroundings to make sure there wasn't anyone eavesdropping nearby. To be sure, he silently cast a barrier spell around them so that no one could decipher what they spoke about.

"Too fine, how?" Vincent asked. Bonnie felt the moment his magic encompassed them and she found herself smiling. His magic had a strength she wasn't used to and she wondered if it was because he was a male. It was similar to Jonas Martin's, without the malice and animosity he harbored towards her. Bonnie grimaced at the memories of that asshole siphoning her magic and leaving her defenseless. Each time she thought about someone taking advantage of her, she developed a taste for blood. She was so sick of being pushed around…

"I feel like I got over it too quickly, or maybe it's apart of grieving. I don't know. I feel numb. Like, the guilt comes sometimes but I know me. I'm usually crippled with guilt and I'm not. It's like an afterthought almost." In the weeks since Marie's death, she expected to be overcome with guilt, shame, and grief for her actions against the witches in the cemetery but as time went on, there was nothing. She felt aloof; even more, she didn't care that she felt this way. "Maybe it's because I siphoned her magic," Bonnie could still feel Marie's power just underneath the surface of her own. "I don't know how that works honestly. I just did it without thinking." Bonnie couldn't explain how she knew that siphoning Marie's power would be what killed her. Marie was immortal so technically, if she died, she ultimately came back to life. Bonnie wondered if siphoning Marie was why she hadn't come back to life.

Vincent studied Bonnie for a moment. Upon seeing her initially, he noticed the changes in her appearance, most notably, her hair. After her revelation though, he realized that she didn't just change her hairstyle, it also grew several inches. He reached across the table and opened his hand, signaling for Bonnie to place her hand in his. The moment their hands met, he instantly felt an incredible amount of dark energy surrounding her which he attributed to Marie. He held her tighter and closed his eyes as he tried to get a reading on her. It was hard to distinguish her aura from the one surrounding her. Bonnie watched as Vincent struggled with an unseen force and remained silent until his eyes opened again. There was a flash of worry on his face that she didn't like. She knew that whatever he was about to tell her wouldn't be anything she wanted to hear.

"Bonnie," his tone was almost fatherly. "You have to put that energy back," Vincent warned. "It's eating at you,"

"Eating at me how?" Bonnie didn't like the sound of that.

"Marie's magic is countering yours; like a magical game of tug-o-war. Pretty soon, your body will start to reject it." At the blank look on her face, Vincent elaborated. "Think of it as a transplant. Our bodies reject what isn't ours. The same goes for magic." Bonnie sighed in frustration.

"Where the hell am I supposed to put it? It's not like I can just give it back to her," Bonnie grumbled.

"That's exactly what you have to do! Perhaps if she was alive, her magic would naturally find its way back to her and the effects of the siphoning would wear off but she's dead so, you have to release it." Bonnie stared at Vincent silently as she tried to process what he was telling her. It was always something with these witches.

"Okay," she murmured, disgruntled by everything. She didn't necessarily want to release Marie's magic. She had an inkling suspicion that Marie's magic was keeping her from feeling the guilt she was dreading.

"I mean it, Bonnie. If you don't, bad shit will happen. You could get deathly sick." At least a normal witch would, Vincent thought.

"I hear you," she stated absently, leaving Vincent to wonder if she'd truly take heed. The two fell silent for a moment before Vincent spoke up, changing the subject.

"You went to Marie's funeral—with Klaus." It was an observation, not a question. Bonnie offered a small smile. She wondered when it would come up.

"Wow. You are on a roll today," she commented sarcastically. When Vincent didn't respond, she confirmed his statement. "I did," she offered without explanation. When she glanced up from her mug, she found Vincent staring at her pensively.

"Is that someone you want to align with?" Vincent had only heard stories about the Original Hybrid and none of them were good. Klaus burned through witches and the ones he gravitated towards were usually morally corrupt. He didn't want to think of Bonnie that way.

"Honestly?" Bonnie paused, taking a deep breath as she contemplated how to articulate her garbled thoughts. She found things to be easier if she didn't allow herself to analyze what was blossoming between her and Klaus. "It's a business transaction," she told him. "Nothing more." Though Bonnie wasn't sure if she still believed that. It was a mantra she's been repeating to herself since the night they slept with one another. She didn't want to think about 'them' so she compartmentalized it. It's what she's good at. "We formed an alliance and it's working out for both of us. If things blow up in my face, I expect that from him because he's Klaus. What I won't tolerate is people using me to their advantage and throwing me away when they're done," she confessed. At the end of the day, if Klaus was to betray her, she could only blame herself because she knew what to expect from him.

"You mean people like Marcel?" Vincent offered. Bonnie nodded.

"Yes. Like Marcel," she confirmed. "And Marie," she added. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm so sick—" Bonnie paused as she felt the familiar feelings of resentment rise to the surface. "I'm sick of being the proverbial monkey in the middle. I stay to myself and try not to bother anyone, but I refuse to be a puppet and I won't die again because of someone else's bullshit."

"And you think aligning with Klaus will prevent that?" Bonnie could tell his question didn't come from a place of judgment, but rather concern.

"I don't know. But from experience, I've learned not to bet against him. Somehow the motherfucker always makes it out on top. My dad taught me a valuable lesson coming up. Either find the biggest bully on the playground and knock them the fuck out or, find a way to get them in your corner. That doesn't mean I trust him, but right now, I trust him not to make any moves against me which is what's keeping me alive. You think if I didn't have him in my corner these witches would allow me to stay in this city after what happened that night?"

Vincent didn't say a word. She made a valid point. Despite her immense power, if Klaus and Marcel weren't in Bonnie's arsenal, the witches of New Orleans would have found a way to kill her ten times over.

"I understand where you're coming from," he told her though, he wished things between her and the witches weren't so tense. "I gotta say though, the way you two walked in the church didn't seem very business-like," he teased lightly and Bonnie rolled her eyes playfully.

"Not you too," Bonnie groaned. She had been confronted by several disgruntled Marie fans during the past couple of weeks and even earned the unofficial label of 'Hybrid Whore'. She'd heard that term so often that at one point, she thought to print it onto a t-shirt.

"I'm not judging. Just be careful." He was sure Bonnie could handle herself against Klaus but he felt compelled to express his concern. "If he tries anything, I'll pull up," he teased, earning a wide smile from her.

"If he does, you'll be the first person I call," she giggled. "I know we haven't known each other very long but thanks for having my back. I appreciate it more than you know." The sincerity in her tone was not lost on Vincent. Rather than dwell on the topic, he moved on to a lighter subject which Bonnie was thankful for. She'd much rather talk about city gossip than her 'relationship' with Niklaus.

-X-

Klaus stood in the shadows of an alley as he stared into a storefront window, waiting on his target to exit. The moment he attacked had to be precise and swift in a crowd full of tourists. His eyes glowed as he anticipated the hunt. He had been stalking her all afternoon and knew that she felt his presence each time she quickly glanced over her shoulders and perked her ears to listen for a threat. The corners of his mouth curled when the young blonde appeared in the window and peered out, looking both ways down the busy street. Klaus took a step back, gliding into the darkness. His movements were largely undetectable as not to alert her of his presence. When she disappeared from the window, he focused on the store and singled out its location as he drowned out the noises around him. The conversation she was having with the store clerk seemed mundane enough but Klaus knew that she was up to something; Bonnie had told him as much. They were plotting his demise and he wanted to end this once and for all. They were less of a threat and more of a nuisance.

When she left the store, Klaus waited a fraction of a second until she was aligned with the mouth of the adjacent alley and sprung forward, dashing through the sea of people until he reached the other side of the street. He scooped the young blonde up by the arms and dragged her into the depths of the alley. Before she could scream, his hands were wrapped around her throat, blocking her air passages. The whole ordeal happened in a fraction of a second, raising no suspicion from onlookers. Caroline's blurry vision focused after several seconds of disorientation and she came face to face with none other than Klaus himself. The cold and calculating look in his eyes reminded her of their last run-in and Caroline gulped with fear. At that moment, Klaus chose to loosen his grip on her neck, and immediately, coughs sputtered from her lips.

"We meet again, Sweet Caroline," Klaus teased. "I would love nothing more than to remove your heart from your chest, but I promised a little witch of mine that I'd behave," Caroline wasn't sure if his threats held any weight or not, but his execution gave her pause.

"What do you want?" She had no time to play games with him. If he intended to kill her, he wouldn't have bothered with the dramatics.

"No foreplay, Love?" When Caroline rolled her eyes, he chuckled. "Very well then," Klaus held her roughly by the chin and stared into her eyes. "I need you to pass along a message for me." He focused on imposing his will on her, growling when he quickly realized that she had vervain in her system. "I hoped that this would go easy but I forgot that you love playing hard to get."

"I'm not playing. I'd rather fuck a lobster than let you anywhere near me," Caroline boasted. Klaus smirked.

"You don't know what you're missing; though regrettably, the offer's no longer on the table." Before Caroline could retaliate, Klaus gripped both sides of her head and cracked her neck with an ease he perfected throughout the centuries. He caught her lifeless body before it hit the ground and hoisted her into his arms, whistling as he casually stepped onto the sidewalk with a seemingly drunk party girl.

When Caroline came to, she was chained in the middle of a dungeon in an X formation. A quick glance at both arms revealed that she had been drained of blood. It didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that he planned to compel her. Whatever he planned to have her do under compulsion was where the real anxiety came into play. Moments after awakening, she heard footsteps drawing closer. Her heart rate accelerated the moment he entered the room and she braced herself for what was to come. His small smile seemed angelic as he pondered her silently but she knew better. There was nothing angelic about that monster.

"I was feeling a bit generous and decided to start the draining process before you woke up. Say thank you."

"Fuck you!" She yelled.

"Close enough," he grinned. "The tubes are there to keep you from healing. I didn't have time to stand over you and repeatedly slit your wrists. I'm not one for the teenage angst," he teased.

"You are horrible," she snarled.

"Tell me something I don't know," Klaus countered as he yanked the tubes from her arms. Caroline winced and struggled against her restraints. Klaus chuckled when she shut her eyes tight in efforts to delay the inevitable. "Open them or I'll bite you," he threatened. When she didn't immediately open her eyes, Klaus raised his brows. "I win either way, Love. You can suffer through this compulsion with or without werewolf venom. The choice is yours. Either way, you're not getting out of this." Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, just as Klaus unsheathed his canines. Smiling, he retracted his fangs with a grin. "Look at those baby blues," he teased.

Caroline rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to be under his compulsion, but considering the fight against a thousand-year-old hybrid was heavily unmatched, it was easier to give in than to try anything stupid. She's been compelled before. All she needed was a loophole that would allow her to rebel against it. She muttered a silent prayer as she glared up at him.

"Just get on with it, you prick." Klaus's grin morphed into a menacing look as he leaned in close to her. Their eyes locked and her pupils dilated with ease. He smiled as a rush of excitement overcame him.

"Stefan and Damon are plotting to end me; how?"

"They want to sever your sire link so that they can stake you," Caroline answered robotically.

"Have they figured out how to do that?"

"No, nothing they've found has been useful." Klaus nodded as he chose his next words carefully.

"I want you to report whatever they find and stake them both when I give word. Understood?"

"Stake them both," Caroline muttered.

"Oh and don't mention a word of this to anyone. It'll be between us girls," he grinned. Caroline nodded robotically. "If anyone asks where you were, make something up." He says as he unlocks her shackles. "You are free to go." He watches as Caroline slowly makes her way past him, dazed and confused. He smiles maniacally to himself once she's out of sight, proud of what he's accomplished. It was a win in his book; a way to make Caroline suffer without killing her and pissing Bonnie off in the process. It felt good to have everything he wanted. And even though he wouldn't get the satisfaction of crushing the Salvatore Brothers with his bare hands, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.