𝑨𝑼𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑬, Klaus Mikealson ¹

Chapter nineteen

"You're coming with me, Letty"
I was about to say yes but "Now, you can fight me on this, but you will lose. As will anyone else who tries to stop you from getting in this car" I rolled my eye at him "I was going to say okay!" I stood up and got in the car.

Klaus has set up a dinner table is set up in the courtyard to celebrate his return to leadership over New Orleans and his repossession of the Abbatoir compound from Marcel.

The vampire army, including Marcel and his closest friends, are seated around the table, and Klaus and I are seated at each end. Klaus calls for everyone's attention to give a speech by tapping his glass with his fork

Marcel, it's been long since I've seen him. And yet I can't talk to him.

"Let us begin with a toast to our shared gift: immortality. After a thousand years, one might expect life to be less keenly felt, for its beauties and its sorrows do diminish with time. But, as vampires, we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine" Klaus gestures toward a group of waiters and waitresses to have them join them at the table, one for each guest.

Klaus continues his speech while the servants slit their wrists with knives, filling the cups with blood for the vampires.

Klaus raises his glass in a toast to the others. "To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow."
Marcel lifts his glass in return "And the party never end!"

"I understand that some of you may 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 and built for this true community of vampires" Diego interrupts and asks about me. I can see Marcel and Nik get tightened up.

"Had you'd let me finish, Diego, you would know that there is, of course, one further matter I would like to address" Klaus walks over to the other end of the table where I was sitting.

"As many of you know, the girl is carrying my child. Consequently, I trust you will all pay her the appropriate respect. However, I understand that some of you are concerned by this vicious rumour that I intend to use the blood of our child to create hybrids. I assure you I do not. It appears I will have to earn your trust. Very well. We'll eliminate the root of your anxiety. You see, how can I sire any hybrids if there are no more werewolves alive in the Bayou to turn?"

I turn my head towards Klaus "What? no!" He ignores me "So-- eat, drink, and be merry. And, tomorrow, I suggest you have yourselves a little wolf hunt. Go ahead, have fun. Kill them all!"

Downstairs, I walked alone down the stairs toward the side door of the compound as I tried to sneak out into the French Quarter. I look around to see if I am being watched, but before I can go anywhere, Diego cuts in front of me. He asks where am I going but his neck gets broken in between by Elijah.

"You shouldn't be here! He has guys watching me" Hayley was behind him. She fastened her steps and hugged me tightly. "H. No, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. I've been deemed under protection by the almighty Klaus. It's the werewolves who need help. He ordered a wolf hunt as some jacked-up peace offering to Marcel's crew. You have to help them and above all, they are your family and my child's"

Rebekah looks at me with disgust "Out in the Bayou? Do we look like a bloody vampire rescue squad? I think you should be grateful we came to save you!" I rolled my eyes at her "Listen. Rebekah. All my life, I've wanted a family. I can't let Klaus order other people's families to be killed. You wanna help me? Help those people. Help Hayley's family. Please."

Klaus is reading a book in the living room when Hayley and I walk in. Hayley shouted at him "Those werewolves you ordered killed, that's my family."

"Not for long, love. I mean, this so-called family of yours, they haven't done you much good, have they? You said it yourself-- they abandoned you and left you alone. Now it's simply your turn to do the same."