"Where the hell have you been, loca?" I asked as soon as Marcel walked in. His wet bar top was more comfortable to sit on than I expected.

He blinked. "Did you just quote Jacob Black at me?"

"How do you know that's from Twilight?"

"Why did you come here?" He shifted on his feet. "This place is supposed to be a secret."

"You either watched the movies or read the books, both are equally funny." I swung my legs.

"How do you know about it?"

"Twilight is a pop culture nightmare. Although if you watch it like a comedy instead of a serious movie, it's much better. My excuse is that it was around when I was a teenager, what's yours?"

Marcel rolled his eyes. "One of my younger vampires kept going on and on about a bad movie. I got curious. Happy?"

"Very." I grinned. "But seriously where did you go? You missed a hell of a night." Honestly in all the chaos, I'd forgotten he wasn't there.

"I had some things I had to take care of. How did you figure out where I was?"

"Lot of ways. You're not very discrete. The hardest part was sneaking away from Klaus. They've got the compound on lockdown." Bribing Freya to let me out required some finesse. "I say I have about thirty minutes before they realize I'm gone."

Maybe less if one of the kids wakes up from their nap early.

"You should go back then. Sounds like there's something dangerous in the city."

"It's Mikael and Lucien."

Marcel froze. "Mikael's here?"

"They're going on the offense. Klaus is probably plotting right now, which is why I could sneak away. He's distracted."

"Mikael the destroyer is in New Orleans and you think he's not going to go after you if you're out of the compound? He could already be on his way here."

"I doubt he knows what I look like."

"Trust me, if he wants to find you, he will. Who do you think taught Klaus how to track?"

That was a good point. "Damon said he just woke up, so there's a good chance he doesn't even know I exist."

"Don't underestimate him. The last time he was around, was when the Mikaelsons were established here. He burned half the city to the ground because he wanted to kill anyone who might know Klaus."

Damn. "Guess he's not making father of the year then."

He let out a humorless laugh. "Jokes. That's good, healthy, in this kind of situation."

"I don't think I appreciate your sarcasm." I crossed my arms. "If you're so scared why aren't you dragging me back to the compound, where we'd both be safe?"

Before he could answer, my phone rang. I pressed my lock button, declining the call.

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

"No." I already knew who it was.

"He's just going to get more persistent the longer you make him wait."

It rang again. I declined again.

"Personally I'm not in the mood to be threatened. He can wait until I get back."

"It's a bad idea." He warned.

"I know. However feeling like I can breathe is important to me." There was nothing I hated more than being trapped. "That and I wanted to make sure you were okay. We got attacked by a ghost from my past, and you weren't there. He'd said he was watching, which means you could've been a target."

More ringing.

"Answer your phone." Marcel sighed, dropping onto his couch.

Fine. "New Orleans school of interpretive dance, how may I help you?"

"Where are you?" I was right, it was Klaus.

"I'm fine. Haven't encountered any vampires over five hundred years."

"I'm not even two fifty." Marcel laid his head against the couch, closing his eyes.

"See, I'm fine."

"The entire purpose of putting a boundary spell up is to protect the inhabitants of the compound."

"Really?" I gasped. "I had no idea."

"Get back here. Now."

"No."

"Maverick, if I have to hunt you do-" Gods, I loved that there was a phone between us.

"Did you just hang up on Klaus?"

"Absolutely. Told you I didn't feel like getting threatened today." I shrugged in turn. "Though now that I know he's angry, I probably won't be returning to the compound any time soon, fancy a night on the town?"

Marcel let out a long suffering sigh. "Yes, but only because I know you'll go by yourself if I say no."