Chapter 26

When she came to she was back in her dungeon. “Oh, come on!” she cried out as she banged on the door. “Klaus! Let me out!”

“You killed at least fifty vampires last night, and I found you near two others in Crescent Park, I am not letting you out!” he countered angrily. “How could you?!”

“I’m fine now.”

“For how long?”

“Ahh…” Myriam smiled innocently and twirled around in her bloodied clothes as if she was a 4-year-old. “A friendly witch knew exactly what was going on and gave me an antidote they had created for me. I’m cured,” she sang. “Now, please? Let me out?”

“So you do not wish to drink my blood anymore?”

“Well, if you insist… I always want your blood! But others? Ew. No.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said suspiciously as he put Thierry in the cage with her. “You can have him, he was one of Marcel’s lieutenants, very unhappy with you killing him.”

Myriam sighed. “I didn’t mean to kill Marcel, and I’m certainly not going to take a bite out of Thierry, come on, he looks like a hippy, smells like old socks and booze and ugh. That hair! Give me a clean criminal human instead?”

Klaus rolled his eyes at her. “How do I know you’re truly cured? How do you know?”

“I feel great. I feel like myself again. Honestly. The witch who made this for me can be trusted.”

“Do I know her?”

“Doubtful. But I trust them. Let me out. Let me… clean up and let’s catch up. I’m of sound mind, and I promise I will leave your vampires alone,” she smiled at him before punching a hole in Thierry’s chest, yanked his heart out and chucked it at Klaus’ head. “And if you wanted him dead, you could have done that yourself.”

Klaus wearily looked at her before opening the door. “If you’re taking even one bite out of one of my vampires, I will put you right back.”

“You have nothing to worry about, mon LouLou,” she smiled at him as she patted his cheek and walked past him to go to the bathroom. She was going to take a long, hot bath and burn her clothes. She deserved it. “Are you going to join me, husband?”

~o.O.o~

They were still in bed the following morning, and Myriam stretched herself as if she were a cat. “Convinced?”

“Yes,” Klaus replied as he nuzzled her neck. “Now, will you tell me who your witch friend is so I can properly thank her?”

“Nope,” she smiled and then sighed happily. To know that Kol was back in some form or another did her good, and she could barely escape her excitement, but she promised him not to tell Klaus. “So, what do you need me to do about your werewolf problem?”

“Already dealt with, love. Last night while you were out.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m absolutely positive. But a witch is helping the werewolves, and I intend to get to know her and persuade her to stop,” he kept nuzzling her neck. “Hence why I’m asking you who your friendly witch was so I won’t end up killing her.”

“Well, you can kill any female witch if you’d like,” she let out a small moan. “My friendly witch was definitely male.”

Klaus scraped her neck with his teeth. “Anyone I should be concerned about?”

“Klaus!” Myriam laughed. “Oh my God! Stop that! I’d never! I mean… I consider Alaric to be my friend, are you jealous of him too?”

“No.”

“Then you won’t have to be jealous of my male witchy friend,” she replied with a smile. “Besides, when you eventually meet him, I’m sure you’ll like him too,” she kissed him before rolling away from him and getting dressed. “While you’re going to deal with your witch business, I think I’m going to Débauche. Take things back, give Isabella a long vacation.”

“You’re not killing her.”

Myriam huffed. “She’s the only self-created vampire that I haven’t killed. She stays. But she deserves a change of scenery after so long.”

“You are coming home tonight.”

“Yes, my love,” she flashed a smile at him. “And I’ll even cook you dinner if you want, like the good little wifey that I am.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s been a long time since you’ve had to miss New Orleans cuisine, I’ll find us a traditional cook.”

Myriam barked out a laugh. “Darling, nothing about New Orleans cuisine is traditional anymore but sure, find the one who makes the best gumbo in town.” She kissed him and then headed straight for Débauche.

“Surprise,” Myriam said as she walked into Isabella’s office.

“Myriam!” Isabella exclaimed, and Myriam wasn’t sure whether it was out of shock or surprise. “What a surprise! What-What are you doing here?”

“I was made to move back to New Orleans, what do you think I’m doing? I’m giving you the next like… two hundred years off, my friend. As a token of my appreciation for you having looked after Débauche for me.”

Isabella let out a snort. “Myriam, this club has been mine for so long, do you honestly believe I give it back to you? I’ve strung you along for all these years because you weren’t even here, but now? No way. This club is mine.”

“I thought you were my friend, Isabella, this is quite disappointing,” Myriam replied as two burly werewolves appeared in her peripheral vision. “And werewolves as security? That’s a detail you failed to mention.”

“As I said, my club. Not yours. Just because you’re a Mikaelson doesn’t mean you own something yourself or you have people working for you out of their good faith.”

“I’ve paid you handsomely for running Débauche, Isabella,” Myriam growled. “You received generous bonuses, and you didn’t have to worry about anything.” When the two werewolves behind her approached her, Myriam turned around and ripped out their hearts before she turned to chuck them at Isabella. “And here I promised my husband that I wasn’t in the mood to kill another vampire…” she sighed before she ducked as Isabella attacked her. Using all of her strength, Myriam took hold of the little vampire and pulled her head right off before grabbing a handful of pencils and pushed them into Isabella’s heart as if she was a pin cushion.

She then invited the entire staff into the office, with the dead werewolves and dead Isabella still in plain sight. “This is my baby. This business is my baby, and this bitch decided not to give it back to me. Look what happened to her!” Myriam said as she closed the door of the office and killed the remaining staff. “You really think I’d keep people on after this? No way. I’m cleaning house.”

Myriam then went floor to floor to see the state of her brothel and shelter and realised that Isabella had turned Débauche in something Myriam didn’t stand for, at all. The prostitutes were kept in dangerous conditions, and likely victims of human trafficking and nobody was in need of help in the shelter.

It hurt her heart.

She kicked everyone out and locked the doors after making sure nobody was inside and then went home. Angry. Pissed off. Disappointed. Isabella had ruined her business, it wasn’t all about the money, it was about helping people. The prostitutes had to want to work for her. Nothing forced.

She pouted as she walked into the wine cellar where Klaus was breaking off the neck of a bottle of wine and took a large gulp out of it. “I met the witch Cassie,” he snarled. “I studied her, her presence. The way that she carried herself. The fervour with which she voiced her hatred towards our kind. I looked into that girl’s eyes, and I swear to you, Myriam, she’s not just guided by my mother, she is my mother!”

“What is happening?” Rebekah said worried as she walked in.

“I’m going to kill her,” Klaus replied. “I’ll boil her bones and feed her to the dogs if that’s what it takes.”

“Nik,” Rebekah said with a small voice.

“What! What could possibly be more important than the return of our mother?”

“Our father,” Rebekah said. “I saw him standing there in the flesh just like you do now. He was enslaved by some bracelet attached to Davina. He holds the Stake. If she chooses to release him…”

“Well then… Then there’s only one question to ask, isn’t there? Which of our parents do we kill first?”

Deciding to let the siblings talk amongst themselves, Myriam agreed that the betrayal she had just experienced wasn’t a big of a deal anymore, at least not to share with her husband. Both Esther and Mikael were back, and Myriam was going to make herself scarce. She was going to rebuild Débauche the way that she had intended it to be; give everyone that she had just kicked out a very generous severance pay and start over.

And she had to start with cleaning the club from top to bottom, give it a fresh coat of paint, to eliminate the stench and the bad vibes the club had held under the rule of Isabella. Stupid backstabbing cow.

And she was going to start now. Staying out of Klaus and Rebekah’s way. Even though both Mikael and Esther were in town, she’d promised not to run, and she didn’t want to, she wanted to stick around. Now that she didn’t have her demons anymore, she was basically even more useless than Rebekah, never having had learned how to fight properly or whatever. She just went for it and hoped for the best in a fight usually.

Walking back into the wine room after having cleaned herself up, she found Klaus and Rebekah sitting together in silence, drinking their beverage. They were both lost in their own thoughts, and for a moment Myriam didn’t want to interrupt them.

“We need to wake Elijah,” Rebekah eventually said. “He always knew what to do.”

“We don’t need Elijah,” Klaus scowled. “He’ll only want to control us, Bekah, I’m not going through that again.” He then looked at Myriam and smiled. “How was your day, love?”

“Compared to the day you two had? Not really important, but I was wondering if I could borrow a few of your vampires tonight,” she asked from her position by the door. “There’s been some… issues at the club and I could use a cleanup and demolition crew.”

Klaus frowned as he held out his hand for her to join him. “Anything I can help you with?”

Myriam sighed as she walked over to him, took his hand and sat down on his lap. “It’s honestly not-”

“You’re my wife,” he said as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “And I understand you won’t want to be involved with dealing with our parents, but that doesn’t mean that what you’re dealing with isn’t as important.”

Rebekah blinked at that. “Seriously, Nik?”

“We’re a family, Rebekah. I’m sure that we’ll have to deal with our parents sooner or later, without Elijah, and we’ll come up with a plan. I’m curious why my wife – who claims to be cured – needs a cleanup crew, that’s all.”

Myriam let out a sigh. “Well, I did kill a vampire… and a few werewolves… and a few witches…”

“What!”

“What?” she let out a whine. “My friend who has been running Débauche for me for so long didn’t want to give it back to me, she even went as far as calling security on me!”

“You went on a murderous rampage?”

“Of course I did! It’s my business, my club! My baby!” Myriam defended herself. “So I need the bodies cleaned up, and I want to rip out everything in the club because I need to start over. She had turned it into an abomination, and it needs a good scrub, new paint, everything!”

“Yeah, you’re right, this isn’t as important as our parents being back from the dead. Again,” Rebekah said with a sour look on her face.

“But this is important to Myriam, Rebekah,” Klaus countered as he narrowed his eyes at his sister. “Just because she will not help or interfere with our dealings with our parents-”

“I didn’t say that. I’m picking my battles,” Myriam said as she looked at Klaus. “I already killed your mother once, it’s someone else’s turn now.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Anything to keep you with me, love,” he whispered in her ear. “And take ten vampires to make your business your second home again. Take as long as you need. But, do come home at night.”

Myriam softly kissed him. “Where’s Alaric staying? Do you know? Maybe he’d like to help me later.”

“You still need to kill that hack of a witch of his, love,” Klaus encouraged her. “After all, she wanted to take away everything from you.”

“Priorities,” Myriam sighed.

“Stay home tonight, let us have dinner like the family that we are,” Klaus smiled at her and poured her a glass of wine. “Worry about your club, and our parents, tomorrow.”

~o.O.o~

Myriam was the first one to be awake the following morning and decided to go on her way to get Klaus’ vampires to help her with Débauche. However, there was a breakfast spread standing in the middle of the courtyard, which was indeed a strange place for breakfast to be. “Klaus!” she called out to him, not touching anything. “Did you arrange breakfast?”

“No, love, I haven’t.”

“It looks good, though,” Rebekah replied as she came to a halt at the table. All three vampires were surprised when something moved on the table. Klaus cautiously lifted the lid off, and a handful of starlings flew out from underneath the cover, revealing a note.

“Oh, hell no,” Myriam threw up her hands and walked out. “Good luck with that!” She headed straight for Débauche after getting a few of Klaus’ vampires. They didn’t quite want to cooperate so she compelled them all, and one was going to find a skip or two so they could throw out every single piece of furniture in the club, brothel and shelter.

Fresh start.

While the vampires were taking care of things, she was in the office making sure that she had all the necessary papers and information before temporarily moving them back to the compound. When she returned, she was surprised to find Kol sitting on the bench in front of Débauche, looking at the vampires. “Who hurt you?” Myriam asked as she sat down next to him. “Want some of my blood?”

“Nah, Mother thought this would give me some sympathy votes with Davina,” he sighed as he motioned to his head. “I haven’t had a scar in over a thousand years, Myriam.”

“I told Klaus I was staying out of this.”

Kol barked out a laugh and nodded. “I thought you would, but I need their help to kill our Mother, I’m not on her side, you know. She wants us all in different bodies so we can live out our lives and then die.”

“You need to talk to Klaus,” Myriam gently pat his knee. “So, if you’re not here for some vampire blood, what are you doing here?”

He pointed behind him. “I walked by and saw your vampires working hard, and I wondered why.”

“Isabella ruined my business. She turned something pure into an abomination and illegal shit. Killed her, her staff, let the workers go and I’m going to start over from scratch,” Myriam sighed before elbowing Kol gently. Somehow, his current form looked super fragile. “Thank you for saving me. Alaric had brought a siphoner to help me, but she’d syphon away everything.”

“You wouldn’t get anything back,” Kol agreed. “Not even your demons. Good thing I found you in time, huh?”

Myriam smiled at him. “Where were you on your way to?”

“I’m actually looking for Davina, have you seen her?”

“Do I look like someone who looks like she knows who Davina is?” Myriam laughed. “I don’t know. But if you want to switch sides to the good side, just let me know, and we’ll go to Klaus together.” She then let out a huff. “Who in their right mind calls their little girl Davina? It’s almost as if they expected a boy to be born and were too lazy to change their name.”

“Myriam, be nice. Davina is currently controlling my Father, and he has the White Oak Stake that Mother wants. I didn’t tell Mother about Father, of course.”

“What’s Davina’s last name?”

He scratched his head then, looking slightly embarrassed. “You don’t want to know.”

Myriam’s eyes grew big. Kol was so predictable!. “It’s Claire, isn’t it? And you truly like her! Not because of your mother but your own fuzzy feelings! Oh my god, Kol, you really don’t change, do you?” she laughed, shaking her head. “You are smitten with this one.”

“I used her ancestor, that’s all, but yeah… she’s young, gorgeous, powerful… she hates Nik as much as I do and-”

“Hold on,” she put her hand on his mouth. “You’re not going to plot against Klaus again, are you? Because I’ve stopped you then and I will stop you now.”

“I just want to put him in a box for a few years like he’s done to me. I won’t kill him! I mean, if I did, that would mean I’d lose you. No, he just needs to get a taste of his own medicine.”

“And leave me without a husband.”

“And yes. Leave you without your husband.”

“You’re such an ass,” Myriam huffed. “We finally seem to be in a great place, and you are very fragile right now, so you’re going to leave him alone.”

“Threatening with bodily harm?”

“I’d rather not, Kol,” she smiled at him. “But, as you may be aware, we daggered Elijah because he was far too controlling. Klaus is without a leash now, without Elijah’s influence. He’s a normal person now. He’s changed. So, you may do whatever you want to Elijah, I’ll even tell you where his box is, but you’re leaving Klaus alone.”

He let out a breath and nodded. “Nik is the least of my worries now, I need to find Davina.”

“Good luck with that,” Myriam smiled. “Are you sure you don’t want some blood to fix your beautiful face?”

“Mother will kill me if I allow that to happen,” he said as he got to his feet. “But I will think about what you’ve said, Myriam. I’d rather be on Nik’s side than on Mother’s, but she’s scaring the living hell out of me.”

She took his hand and squeezed it. “Stay with me. I’ll protect you. Je m’ennuie tellement de toi.” And she meant it. She missed him. Now that he was back, she wanted him to be around her all the time.

Kol sighed and hung his head. “Moi aussi,” he replied. “Let me go, darling, I’ll find you again. Oh, before I forget,” he said as he handed her a paper with an address written on. “That’s where Alaric lives.”

“Merci,” she whispered as Kol walked off. Oh, she could do everything in her power to keep him with her, but he was on a mission, he was involved with whatever his mother was scheming, and Myriam had made the conscious decision to stay out of it.

She headed back inside to instruct her vampires, but they were still doing what she wanted them to do and then headed to Alaric’s home. It was indeed a lovely little apartment just off campus of the University and from what she could tell, the witch was inside his house as well. Sighing, Myriam knocked on the door, unsure if Alaric would allow her inside.

“Myriam? Hi, uh… how are you doing?”

“Why are you nervous?” Myriam cocked her head. “Didn’t expect me to show up at your door? Come on, Ric, you’re my friend. I brought booze?”

He looked at her for a moment. “You’re back in your right mind? How?”

Myriam shrugged. “I have my own ways. I didn’t fancy being stripped of everything that I am. Especially not with the crap my family is dealing with now, but I appreciate your effort by calling in your witch.”

“She’s not my witch,” Alaric let out a chuckle. “Alright, come in, let’s celebrate your regained sanity. Jeri’s inside too, we were waiting for Klaus to call with a decision.”

Myriam huffed as she stepped inside. “Oh, well, you don’t like change much, do you?” she barked out a laugh. “You literally just picked up everything and moved it in.”

“It’s not as if I’m a member of a very wealthy family and can leave my stuff whenever I move,” Alaric laughed, shaking his head. “But I’m glad you approve.”

“Didn’t say that,” Myriam smiled as she danced on the balls of her feet. “Could do with a lick of paint, but I’m too busy with my business so…”

“But you’re alright?”

“I’m fine,” Myriam smiled as she sat down on the sofa next to Jeri. “Hi, nice to meet you. Sorry I was in such a state the last time we met.” Myriam then opened the bottle of alcohol she’d brought and took a sip before ripping out Jeri’s heart without any warning whatsoever. Upon seeing Alaric’s shocked face, Myriam shrugged. “I’ll pay for a new sofa, don’t you worry, but she’s a hack.”

“Myriam!”

Myriam wiped her hand on the sofa and got to her feet with a big smile on her face. “It’s not too late to turn back, Ric. New Orleans is crawling with vampires, witches and werewolves. It’s quite possible that you’ll get caught up in something,” she said as she kissed his cheek and walked to the door. “Better get used to it now!”

“And what am I supposed to do with the couch and the body?” Alaric said frustrated. “You can’t do this again, Myriam!”

“Ah, don’t worry, I’ll send someone over to help you out,” she shrugged. “And yes, I can. I’m done with taking shit from people. The bitch that was supposed to look out for my club while I was gone turned it into something seedy and disgraceful, and now I have to start all over again. I killed her. I killed her staff and let the workers go,” she pointed at Jeri. “And she wanted to come in the good graces of the Mikaelsons because she’s a Kol groupie – even though she’d never met him. She was going to take away everything, Alaric. EVERYTHING! She’s a hack! Well, was. Siphoners are stupid anyway.”

“She was my friend!”

“I am your friend!” Myriam countered angrily. “And you can find new friends here in New Orleans!” And with that, Myriam opened the door and returned to Débauche. She wanted to go home, but she remembered that Esther had invited herself over for dinner. Yeah, she wasn’t going to go back until Klaus would tell her that it was safe to come home. But was it truly safe, though? Weren’t his vampires supposed to keep an eye on who came inside and went outside? How had it been possible for Esther to put a breakfast spread like that in the middle of the courtyard?

As she walked through the building and dodging the vampires who were stripping the entire building for her, she decided that some walls had to be knocked down and some built somewhere else to make more room. She wanted a door wide passageway for those who came to visit the ladies on the first floor, this way they could hide different spells and objects in the walls to make sure the johns were legit. There had to be a slightly larger reception area, but yes. This was an idea.

Her project was going to take a month. Maybe two. Depending on how fast her vampires worked. But for now, all she could do was to go and look for new inventory. Oh, she loved shopping!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.