POWER │ NIKLAUS MIKAELSON

I. GOOD TASTE

⟦     i.  good taste . . .     ⟧

I WAS IN THE MIDDLE of the crowd, dancing and drinking the night away at one of the many parties Marcel throws.

"Valarie, my favorite witch." I hear the voice of the oh-so-gracious host, as he approaches me, with his loyal sidekick.

"Marcel, my least favorite vampire." I reply, flatly.

"Awww, don't be so smug with me, I know you love me." He says.

"Yeah, that's why I always beg you to leave me alone." I reply, as I start to walk towards the bar, and Marcel follows me.

"Why are we wasting our time with her, Marcel?" Thierry asks Marcel.

"Why so glum, Thierry?" I tease.

"I'm not glum, I just don't like you." He said rather rudely.

"It's okay. You don't have to like me, not everyone has good taste." I reply.

"Come on V, don't be mean." Marcel cuts in, as my drink arrives, and I turn away from both of them. "Let's discuss more important topics, like when are you joining my inner circle?"

"Let's see." I hum, as I make a thinking face. "When pigs are sighted flying and snow balls are reported in hell."

"Don't be like that, I know that under all that sarcastic exterior there is a girl who admires me deeply." He tries again, and I roll my eyes.

"You know, Marcel, you're like a brother to me." I tell him, as I turn to face him.

"That's- that's actually the nicest thing that you've ever sa-" He starts to say.

"I never wanted a brother." I interrupt him. "And besides, I don't admire people who betray me."

"You're still mad about that?" He says, and and I give him a look, not responding. He takes that as a yes. "It was kinda your fault too, you know, for trusting a vampire."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did my back hurt your knife?" I question sarcastically. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get drunk so that all of you seem more interesting."

I was about to go to the bar when a person entered screaming, "Marcel."

They both seemed pissed off with each other, and seemed to rant a lot.

I didn't get a good look at the man, expect for his dirty blonde hair.

Suddenly, he turned around and bit Thierry. Oh, well, he won't be missed my me.

I turn around, smirking, having figured out who exactly was that person— Niklaus Mikaelson, The Original Hybrid.

THE NEXT DAY was surprisingly quiet for me. My guess, Marcel's probably sorting out the original problem and didn't have the time to chase after me and boy, was I glad.

So, here I was, at night time, with a bottle of whiskey in my hand and drowning all my sorrows, at a bench that had an amazing view of New Orleans.

"You know, whiskey isn't really a solution to your problems." That irritating voice, the voice that I wanted to avoid, this was the kind of voice that made me want to beat the shit out of him, but I remained composed.

"Well, according to chemistry it is a solution, so go and tell your wise words to someone who cares." I snap, before continuing. "Can we cut the small talk, please? I know what you want, and you know my answer, so can you crawl back to the compound that you came from?"

I said that without looking at him, so I didn't notice the thousand year old Hybrid, who accompanied him until they both sat down on either side of me.

"Hello, love. What's your name?" He said, in his alluring British accent.

"Valarie. Blackwood." I answer. "But I'm sure Marcel has told you all about me."

"As a matter of fact, sweetheart, he hasn't mentioned you at all." He tells me. "Not even when I asked about you."

I raised an eyebrow. "You asked about me?"

"Well, you're not a face I'll forget." He replies, as I look at him. "I remembered you from his party yesterday, and was merely curious."

"So, what on Earth happened, that made you two so cozy?" I ask, and lean back on the bench.

"Well, he gave Thierry his blood, hence saving him from his untimely death. Also, he apologized." Marcel explained.

"Okay, A he is a vampire, he should be dead by now. The only untimely thing happening is him living." I tell him. "And B, man, I was hoping he'd be dead already."

My reply earned a little laugh from Niklaus, and Marcel just ignored it and started speaking.

"Okay, this hard to get act is getting really old." Marcel says really irritated. He grabs my arm and turns me towards him. "You're going to go to the witches and tell them that you are on my side and if anyone of them disobeys me you'll personally take care of them."

I rip my arm from his grip and use my powers to make him fly from his spot. I stand up and raise my hand.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I close my fist and he cries out in pain. "I don't like you and I'm not gonna side with you, the faster you get that through you thick ancient vampire brain the better."

I break his neck with a flick of my wrist.

"Well, that was entertaining to watch." I hear Niklaus say behind me.

"Glad you found pleasure in my irritation." I say sarcastically.

"Tell me." He starts saying. "Why is it that you don't like Marcellus."

"His real name is Marcellus?" I laugh. "I'm never gonna let that go. And to answer your question, I trusted him and he stabbed me in the back."

"That's a shame, love." He tells me, smirking I always find it better to stab all my enemies in the front."

"Good to know." I tell him, and start walking away.

"I'll be in touch sweetheart." He yells behind me, and I smirk.