[ Chapter Three ]

RAYLYNN HAD A hard time getting any sleep after she saw the unsettling prophecy about the Mikaelson family. She tossed and turned for several hours before she finally decided that she was never going to drift off. She got dressed and set off for Cami's apartment. The woman brought it upon herself to look into the murders that were happening all around the city. So the huntress decided that she would help with the little detective case.

Several case files were spread across Cami's coffee table when Raylynn arrived. Pictures of the victims were clear as day, showing just how sick and twisted the murderer had to be. The dead bodies were strung up with rope to appear like marionette puppets, but the most disturbing thing would have to be the Joker slashes over their mouths. Cut from ear to ear.

"Every one of the victims has the same profile -grew up rich, family comes from old money. Successful, educated, white males living a playboy lifestyle," Cami stated as she looked over the table in front of her.

"So is it one guy? Not a copy cat?" Vincent inquired from where he sat next to the blonde.

Cami nodded. "Not just any guy. It's Lucien -I'd be my degree on it. Which doesn't excuse your detective friend from stealing my laptop," she said with a pointed stare toward the witch.

Raylynn learned that the detective, Will Kinney, working the case stole the woman's computer because he thought that she and her family had something to do with the weird happenings around the city. He was not entirely wrong. Father Kieran used to cover up murders in the French Quarter all the time. So it would not be a far stretch to think Cami took up his job after he died.

Raylynn nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's definitely Lucien. He just gives off the serial killer vibe. And I'm not just saying that because he's a vampire."

Cami smiled and turned to Griffith man. "See, even Ray's on board."

Vincent ignored them for a moment to look at his phone that had just chimed. "Oh, that's convenient. It's Kinney. They got Lucien at the station," he said and stood to his feet. "I should head down there. They might need the type of help a gun can't provide."

Cami and Raylynn followed his lead. "I'll come with you," the former stated. "I want to hear what he has to say."

Raylynn grabbed her bag, sliding the strap onto her shoulder. "Me too."

_______

The three of them headed down to the New Orleans Police Department shortly after Vincent told them about Lucien's arrest. Raylynn felt weird being inside of the building, especially when she was not the one being arrested. She walked alongside Cami and Vincent as they made their way to where a pane of one-way glass separated them and Lucien Castle. The vampire sat at a table across from Detective Kinney, completely as ease. The detective, on the other hand, appeared incredibly tense as he slid a case file over to the man.

"Mr. Castle. Thought you might want to see this," Kinney said.

Lucien picked up the file and flipped through the notes and victims' pictures. "Oh, I read about this. Those poor men," he mused, looking closely at the file. "Ah, in life, they were anything but poor. Solid gold cuff-links, Bulgari watches -such ostentatious displays of wealth no doubt attracted the attention of some vile criminal element."

"You seem to know a lot about the case," Kinney eyed the vampire suspiciously. "Big fan of True Crime?"

Raylynn resisted the urge to scoff. No, Detective, he's just extremely old.

Lucien laughed as he gestured toward himself. "Look at my watch, Mr. Kinney. My cuff-links. But for a twist of fate, one of those face might be mine!" he exclaimed.

Raylynn rolled her eyes. Yeah, if you weren't a nearly thousand-year-old vampire.

Kinney gave the man a flat stare. "Well, you sound real frightened by the prospect. You know, in my experience, people like you don't believe in fate. They make their own luck, whether it's good or bad."

Lucien simply smiled. "Well, then I shouldn't be here long. 'People like me' tend to have exceptional lawyers to get us out of trouble like this," he said, dropping his smile. "But, while I'm here, you should know that I do hate to be bored, and you bore me." The vampire leaned forward and stared at the detective. "I know that behind that mirror is Raylynn Montgomery and Cami O'Connell, and I would very much like to talk to them."

Raylynn's eyes widened, but only slightly as she turned to look at Cami. The both of them wore the same expression, one of surprise and a bit of shock. They turned back to the glass and watched Lucien raise a hand, giving them a light finger wave.

Raylynn scoffed that time, moving toward the door to enter the room. Before she could grasp the handle, Vincent grabbed ahold of her arm.

"No. You're not going in there!" the witch told her.

Raylynn just sighed. "Vincent, I'm a former vampire hunter and an all powerful witch. He can't touch me, especially not in the middle of a police station," she said and pulled her arms from his grasp. She looked toward Cami and gave her a nod, before the two of them entered the interrogation room after Detective Kinney exited. The huntress moved over to the vacant seat across from the vampire, placing her arms onto the table as she sat down. "Well, I'm here. So, are you gonna talk, or am I wasting my time?"

"I thought New Orleans had the same burden of proof as the rest of the colonies. What is it? Ah, yes -innocent until proven guilty," Lucien quipped.

Cami and Vincent grabbed two chairs from next to the wall and pulled them on either side of the huntress. She paid them little attention as she held the vampire's stare. "Well, I'm not from New Orleans," Raylynn said with a patronizing smile.

Lucien's lips twitched a bit, before Vincent spoke. "The murders started the same day you got into town. All the victims match a pattern -wealth that, uh, you yourself seem to exude. Not to mention, we know what you are."

Lucien looked at him in amusement. "Hmm! What I am is a ruthless, vicious, unstoppable killer. That's not to say I had anything to do with this -far from it," he said and gestured to the file in front of him.

"Why bother denying it if you are what you say you are?" Cami asked, speaking for the first time since they entered the room.

Lucien sighed. "Cami, you don't know me. But, if you did, you would see that we were the same." He glanced from her to Vincent to Raylynn. "All four of us, actually. Four souls caught in the orbit of Family Mikaelson, yet somehow survived to tell the tale. Though, each of us has our share of scars."

Raylynn sat there and listened to Lucien divulge in a story from his past. A time when Klaus betrayed him and got with the girl he fell in love with. Some princess named Aurora. The girl's brother, Tristan, was apparently a ruthless lord and wanted no one around his dear sister. So when Lucien was caught with Aurora alone, he was taken to the dungeon of the man's castle and strung him up, wiped him until his back was raw and bloody.

Klaus and Elijah tried to come to his rescue, but they were powerless because no one knew of their vampire nature. Tristan, who did not care for their interruption, decided to take it out on Lucien. The man took a knife and sliced him from ear to ear.

Lucien appeared upset by retelling the memory, while Cami and Vincent sat there completely horrified. Raylynn was not so affected. Considering she was a bit of a history buff, she knew a lot about the punishments and methods of torture that were used back then. It was not that shocking.

"So you reenact your trauma by killing men who resemble the man who tortured you?" Raylynn questioned him.

Lucien seemed to be offended and scoffed. "I share a deeply personal tale of woe, one meant to garnish sympathy and inspire kinship, yet all you take away is an admission of guilt."

Raylynn shrugged. "I'm not going to pity you, if that's what you're wanting."

Vincent spoke before the man could respond. "Messed up new guy comes to town, messed up new guy is responsible for murders," he said and tapped the file still on the table.

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Uh, okay," he voiced with a chuckle. "Given that you seem incapable of comprehending a sophisticated solution, all me to posit an equally simple one." Vincent laughed, but the vampire continued on, "these murders are an attempt to disparage my good name, thus poisoning me against the one person I cam to protect -Niklaus himself. Now, if someone wants to weaken my ability to protect Niklaus, perhaps it's because they themselves would like to see him dead?"

Vincent proceed to look at him in a skeptical manner, while Cami just looked plan worried. Raylynn stared at him for a long moment, trying to get a sense of the man was lying. Lucien appeared calm, too calm, and was incredibly precise with his words. Raylynn did not know if it were her hunter's instinct or a witch feeling, but she knew he was hiding something.

She placed her hands on the table as she asked, "why tell me all of that? Why did you even want to talk to Cami and I? Make Klaus look bad in front of his friends?"

Lucien released a laugh. "I'm so..." he trailed off, reaching out to grab ahold of the huntress's right hand. Raylynn had the sudden urge to pull back, but she was curious to know what he was doing. He turned her hand over palm up, squinting at the various lines that covered it. After a moment, a light smile formed on his lips. "Oh, now I know why Klaus is so taken with you -that powerful essence framing every moment of your substantial lifespan."

Raylynn stared at him with furrowed brows, completely ignoring Cami and Vincent beside her. What the hell did he mean by that?

"Uh huh," Vincent voiced warily toward the vampire.

"The truth is, I know you have Klaus's ear, and I need him to trust me. As for your claim that I blame him for my ancient wounds?" he said and let go of the huntress's hand. "Well, time heals all wounds, and my wounds healed a thousand years ago."

Lucien went on to explain more about the night he had been tortured by Tristan. Klaus had come back after the first time he and Elijah tried to save the man, trying to help treat his wounds. But, Lucien was not so appreciative. He made an attempt to stab Klaus, but the blade did not harm him in the slightest. Lucien ended up slicing himself in the process, causing his wounds to heal from Klaus's blood still on the blade.

Later that night, Lucien believed himself to be a vampire just like Klaus, because of his miraculous healing, and confronted Tristan. When he tried to attack the man, he ultimately died by being stabbed through the heart by a guard.

"And so, I died -for a little while. Talk about trauma -not the wounds themselves, or even the execution, but the humiliation of being judged by one's supposed betters. I will never again stand for such judgement," Lucien said with a light smile to lighten the mood, or appear unbothered. "Thought, for you, Raylynn and Camille, I will gladly declare my innocence. In fact, I can prove it."

Cami's brows creased as she asked, "prove it how?"

"Well, if by nothing else, then perhaps logic?" Lucien exclaimed. "Why should I undermine my own safety by leaving behind a trail of dead bodies? I mean, why commit myself to these preposterous murders? Unlike my enemies, I have nothing to gain."

Raylynn narrowed her gaze. "You really think one of your enemies is trying to frame you?"

Lucien tilted his head to stare at the huntress. "Now, isn't that the question we should be asking? And how fortunate it's one I can answer."

Before anyone could say another word, the door of the room burst open to reveal Klaus. He looked more than displeased as he strode over to where Raylynn sat at the table. "I'd thought your time with me would inspire a more careful selection of company you keep. We're leaving," he demanded.

Raylynn rolled her eyes and stood to her feet to face the hybrid. "Excuse me, but you don't tell me what to do. I'm helping Cami, and besides, Lucien says he knows who the killer is."

The scowl on Klaus's features only deepened. "Whatever Lucien's said to you today has most certainly been a lie," he told her.

Lucien scoffed. "Oh, come on, Nik! Why should I lie?"

Klaus moved around the table to glare at his old friend. "For the same reason you lied about avoiding a werewolf bite when Elijah saw it with his own eyes? This ends now."

"Then you're giving Tristan the victory he seeks," Lucien said. His frustration seemed to grow by the word. "He is the guilty one."

Raylynn sighed. Of course the man would still be alive.

Klaus pondered the thought and turned away from the vampire to the other three individuals in the room. "I'm going to need a word with Lucien in private."

Vincent and Cami stood to their feet without complaint and headed toward the door. Raylynn, on the other hand, stayed rooted in her spot, until a hand clamped down on her arm. The huntress turned to see Cami, practically dragging her behind her as they exited the interrogation room. Raylynn huffed, but she allowed the door to shut between them as she stood on the other side of the one-way glass, while Vincent and Cami decided to leave.

Klaus claimed one of the chairs in front of the table. "Whatever Tristan's role in this charade may be, have no fear. I will discover it. First, I'm going to drain you of vervain. Then, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and, once you've answered, if I'm feeling sentimental, perhaps I'll grant you a painless death," he explained to the vampire.

Lucien rolled his eyes and stood, leaning against the table. "Please, enough posturing! Ask me anything you want. As I've said, I am only here to protect you."

Klaus gave him the same skeptical look that Raylynn and Cami held the entire time they spoke to the man. "And yet you lied about your werewolf bite. Why?"

"I simply didn't want to bother you!" Lucien said in an exasperated tone. "Don't you have greater concerns than a little wolf bit that I can cure on my own?"

Raylynn's eyes widened at the revelation. How could he heal a werewolf bite without Klaus's blood? She, nor the hybrid, got an answer as Lucien grabbed the case file from the table spread the pictures out across the flat surface.

"Let's discuss these absurd murders," the vampire stated. "If it were true that I was scattering about and scarring up faces, then you would be right to assume I'm mentally unstable. I'm not, by the way. But, who would benefit most from you thinking I am? Who else but Tristan?"

"Ah," Klaus let out in a patronizing manner.

"Because if you don't trust me -if you kill me and are forced to stand alone -wouldn't that benefit him?" Lucien questioned.

Klaus stared at the vampire, standing to his feet to walk around the table. "It's a very interesting theory -only I don't need your protection. I'm quite capable of protecting myself," he said as he stood behind the man.

Lucien turned to face the hybrid, a bit unnerved by their close proximity. "Undoubtedly. But who looks after your family, hmm? Your friends? Raylynn, for instance? Such associations make you vulnerable, and thus in need of me."

Raylynn failed to notice Detective Kinney until the man reached the door of the interrogation room. He did not even look in the huntress's direction as he walked through the door. He immediately came to a stop at the sight of Klaus.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the man questioned.

Klaus gave the man a fake smile. "I'm Mr. Castle's legal counsel," he said and stepped toward the detective, clapping him on the shoulder, "here to ensure justice is served."

Kinney blinked and then hummed. "Well, your client's not gonna need you today. We found another body, this one's fresh. It couldn't have been you," he told Lucien. "You're free to go, Mr. Castle. Don't leave town." He then turned on his heel to leave the room.

Lucien shifted his attention to the hybrid with a smug smile on his lips. "And, like a phoenix, I rise," he exclaimed as he stood to his feet with his arms held wide.

Raylynn stood just outside the door of the interrogation room, eyeing the vampire when he exited through the open door. Klaus followed after him and stopped next to the huntress, looking after his old friend with a conflicted stare.

"Do think about what I said, Nik," Lucien said, and then turned on his heel to stride out of the building.

Raylynn exchanged a look with Klaus, both holding expressions skepticism. There was no way that Lucien was telling the truth. But what did he gain from the conversation? That was the question that needed answered.

_______

The two of them left the police station and met up with Cami across the street. She wanted to know everything they learned from the little interrogation.

"For the record, Vincent thinks you should kill him, but you can't execute someone without, you know, due process," Cami voiced.

Klaus sighed. "Are we really going to have a legal debate about this?" he asked.

Raylynn shrugged. "Personally, I think you should kill him. But, that's just because I don't like him. Like, at all."

"You told me that he said something about rising like a phoenix," Cami said, glancing between the couple in front of her. "What did that mean?"

Raylynn nodded and turned to the hybrid. "Yeah, I'd like to know what he meant by that, too."

Klaus rolled his eyes, but not at the two women, but because of his old friend's statement. "Lucien has a taste for hyperbole. Although, in this case, he's rather on point."

_______

FLASHBACK 1002 AD

Klaus and Elijah stood outside near a large lake where they have set up a funeral pyre for Lucien. The younger of the two stepped forward and placed two gold coins over the dead man's eyes. He then moved back to grab a lit torch stabbed into the ground.

"Do you really think it was your blood that healed him?" Elijah questioned from where he stood next to his brother.

Klaus nod, gripping the hand of the torch. "I saw it with my own eyes. When I found his body, I tried to feed him more, and -nothing."

"So then, we -we may only heal the living?" Elijah inquired, bringing his younger brother to nod as his eyes filled with tears. "That's -peculiar," he said and gave Klaus a squeeze on the shoulder. "I know this can't be easy for you, brother."

With one last pat, Elijah dropped his hand and left Klaus alone to say his goodbyes. Tears fell from the man's eyes as he stared at Lucien's body. He took a deep breath, before he stepped closer to the pyre with the torch raised. But just as he was about to touch the bright flames to the dry wood, Lucien bolted up from the pyre and gasped for air. Klaus stumbled back, staring at the man completely stunned.

When Lucien caught his breath, he looked over a Klaus in confusion. "What...?"

Klaus continued to stare at the man, until the realization came over him. He had just brought his friend back to life. A smile then spread across his lips.

_______

PRESENT DAY

Cami gasped when Klaus finished the retelling of his past, while Raylynn just nodded. "He's the first person you ever turned. Is that why this is so hard for you, because he's the first of your sireline?" the blonde questioned.

Klaus pressed his lips together and did not reply. Raylynn was about to speak, but stopped when her attention fell onto Lucien strutting out of the police station. He wore a pair of dark sunglasses as he smiled to himself. Klaus made a move to go after him, but Cami grabbed him by the arm to stop him.

"Klaus, if he's not lying, if he is telling the truth, if he is here to help you -you don't have to kill him," Cami exclaimed.

Klaus exhaled, watching Lucien get into the back of a black town car. He set his attention on the blonde and said, "Camille. So eager to keep me from a mistake I might regret."

"Well, I think if you kill him you'll end up regretting it, especially if it turns out that he's actually telling the truth," Raylynn voiced, pulling the hybrid's gaze to her. "But if he is lying, which I personally think he is, then I think the only option is to kill him. The choice it up to you."

A smile formed on Klaus's lips. "I can always on your helpful suggestions. They mean more than you know."

Raylynn returned the smile. She looked over to where Lucien's car began to pull away from the curb. She watched as the vehicle turned and drove down the street out of view. With a sigh, she turned back to the hybrid in front of her but was only greeted with a gust of air. Raylynn glanced around and realized that Klaus had vanished.

Cami stared at the vacant space in shock, before she released a huff of frustration. "What do you think he's going to do?" she asked.

Raylynn shrugged. "Unless someone stops him, I'm pretty Lucien's as good as dead."

Cami looked at the huntress with furrowed brows. "And you're okay with this? What if Lucien's actually here to help? Klaus will be making a mistake."

"Then he'll be making a mistake," Raylynn said, causing the blonde's confusion to deepen. "He's gotta learn that someone's not always going to be there to pick up the pieces. And I honestly don't think he's making a mistake. There's something off about Lucien, and if Klaus doesn't kill him, I'm afraid that decision is going to come back to bite us in the ass."

_______

Raylynn left Cami's side to head back to the compound. She wanted to find out if Klaus actually did kill Lucien, or if he left the man alive to lie another day. She climbed the stairs to the second floor and began toward Klaus's study, but she stopped when she heard voices in one of the sitting rooms. Raylynn moved closer to the room, recognizing both Mikaelson brothers' voices inside. She knew that she should not eavesdrop, having been caught several times, but she needed to know if they were about to fight. And whether or not she needed to give Elijah a swift kick to the ass.

"And now I reap what I sow," Klaus exclaimed from the room. "I should have killed him in that chapel."

"Yet you played right alongside him, succumbing to your savagery," Elijah said." He brought out the worst in you, Niklaus."

"We brought out the worst in each other. In some ways, we made wach other who we are," Klaus told his brother.

"Well, the moment we have that weapon, we will end him. He and Tristan," Elijah stated.

There was a moment of silence between them. "It's good to hear that word again. 'We.'" Klaus voiced.

"It's purely circumstantial, let me assure you, brother. That is not forgiveness."

Raylynn resisted the urge to groan. Elijah was such an ass.

"I've claimed righteousness in my actions towards you and Hayley -but, perhaps I did stray a little too far from the shores of reason. Freya's prophecy speaks of family against family, and I want you to know," Klaus spoke quietly, "you will never fall by my hand."

Raylynn stayed outside of the sitting room door as more silence ensued. When she heard movement head in her direction, the huntress quickly slipped behind the nearest corner and out of view. She remained in her spot until she knew that Elijah was gone. When she no longer heard his footsteps, she made her way back over to the entrance of the room.

Raylynn crossed the threshold to find Klaus sat in a large chair in front of the fireplace. He stared at the roaring flames, not acknowledging the huntress as she moved toward him. Raylynn stood mere inches from the back of the chair by the time the hybrid spoke.

"I believe we have discussed your tendency to eavesdrop," Klaus quipped in a seemingly joking manner, but it only sounded strained.

Raylynn pressed her lips together and stepped around the chair to face him. She noticed that there was enough space in the chair, so she said, "scoot over."

Klaus simply sighed and moved over for the huntress to claim the other side of the chair. Raylynn sat down and leaned into his side, while Klaus raised an arm to place around her shoulders. The two of them sat there for a long while, staring at the fire as the flames licked at the logs and sent embers up into the chimney. Not a word said between them. Just the sound of crackling to fill the peaceful air.

<October 17, 2018>

Okay, I'm not gonna lie. I loved Lucien until he turned out to be a raging psychopath. Like, why you gotta do me like that Julie? Why'd you have to make him evil?

Don't forget to vote and comment.

-Jordan

P.S. Unedited chapter.