IX: Reigning Pain in New Orleans

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The sound of metal tapping on glass rang through the otherwise silent compound. Briana's eyes snapped open as she watched Klaus stand from his chair at the opposite end of the large table. 

"Let us begin with a toast.." Klaus spoke proudly. Briana rolled her eyes, "to our shared gift, immortality. After a thousand years, one might expect for life to be less keenly felt for its beauties and its sorrows to diminish with time." 

Briana was dodging un-approving looks from the vampires who sat around the table. One vampire in particular, a man with dark curly hair, stared at her for far too long with a scowl on his face. Briana couldn't help herself but make a face back followed by an annoyed shrug. What she really wanted to tell him was to take a picture if he was gonna gawk at her, but she knew better than to interrupt Klaus' never ending speech. 

"As vampires, we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine." Briana rolled her eyes again she pinched the bridge of her nose trying to keep her emotions inside. 

Klaus motioned in hand in her direction, but to her shock, he wasn't call for her, but rather 10 'waiters' dressed in suits emerged from the compound entrance. 

"Insatiable need.." Klaus' voice lowered as a devilish grin came to his face. The waiters each taking a position next to each seated vampire. 

".. exquisite pain." He continued and on his cue, each waited rolled up their sleeve, pulled out a knife, and sliced their wrist open to draw human blood letting it pour into bowls. 

"Our victories, and our defeats." Klaus held his glass high in the air, "To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow." 

"And the party never end." Marcel smiled as he lifted his glass into the air mirroring Klaus. 

The group cheers'ed to New Orleans while Briana sat at the head of the table. Her arms crossed over her chest, bored out of her mind. She didn't want to be here, but Klaus had forced her. 

As the room grew silent, Klaus spoke, "I understand that some of you might have questions regarding the recent change in leadership, and I invited you here tonight to assure you that you are not defeated. No. My intentions moving forward are to celebrate what we have. What Marcel, in fact, took.." Klaus drawled before stepping closer to Marcel who sat in the chair beside Klaus.

Briana furrowed her brow as Klaus placed a condescending hand on Marcel's shoulder. Briana could tell Marcel was not used to being treated this way, she could see it in his eyes he was fighting his impulsive thoughts, but Briana also knew the two had a past.

".. and built into this, a true community of vampires." Klaus finished. Briana let out a small sigh of relief. She barely knew Marcel, but she could tell how much this city meant to him, and realized how hard it must have been for him to give it up.

"What about her?" The vampire who was giving Briana dirty looks earlier spoke, pointing his finger in her direction, "The wolf." He added in pure disgust.  

Briana rolled her eyes and she brought her glass to her lips, "Well aren't you polite." She muttered under her breath. 

Klaus let out a frustrated groan, "Had you let me finish, Diego, you would know that there is, of course, one further matter I would like to address." 

Klaus made his way over to the other end of the table where Briana sat. 

"I do hope it has something to do with teaching your vampires some manners." Briana grunted as she wrapped her arms over her legs pulling them to her chest. 

Klaus shot her a look not to push her look as he placed his hand on her shoulder. His touch instantly settling her underlying nerves. 

"As many of you know, the girl is carrying my child." Klaus announced. 

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