SOUL | Elijah Mikaelson [3]

New Orleans

DAVILLA ESTATE

The Strix's party is in full swing, complete with formally dressed members wearing masquerade masks and burlesque dancers dressed in the style of the flappers of the 1920s. There are humans in attendance as well, most of whom are being fed on by the various members of The Strix. Aya, dressed in a silver gown, sees Marcel entering the ballroom and puts on her mask as she heads over to greet him. Marcel politely holds out his arm, which she takes so she can lead him into where the guests are mingling as they watch the dancers. Caterers wearing white masks pass around flutes of champagne as the two pass by a table where two female vampires are feeding on a blonde human woman with a black masquerade mask, whom Marcel seems to recognize.As Aya and Marcel continue to walk around the ballroom, Hayley and Elijah arrive to the party and stop in the doorway as they take in the environment. Their arrival seems to have generated a lot of attention, as many of the guests are staring at Elijah curiously, which unnerves Hayley. Music continues to play as Aya and Marcel make their way through the party and talk more about The Strix.

The Strix's party is still in full-swing, and Aya has just led Marcel to a serious-looking man standing on the outskirts of the ballroom, who is wearing an all-black suit "Marcel, I'd like you to meet my mentor, Mohinder. He taught me everything I know about combat." Marcel smiles and holds out his right hand, the hand on which he wears his daylight ring, to Mohinder "Oh, if that's the case, then I am impressed!"

Unfortunately for Marcel, Mohinder just glances down at Marcel's hand before giving him a look, not extending his own to shake them in greeting. Feeling awkward, Marcel clenches his hand into a fist and pulls it away. Aya, sensing the tension, takes Marcel's hand in her own and leads him away

MARCEL mutters "Intense guy."

"As part of his discipline, he drinks only the blood of vampires he's vanquished in combat. He can go weeks without feeding, yet suffer no effects of hunger, such is his control over body and mind."

Meanwhile, Hayley and Elijah are dancing together in the middle of the ballroom while they talk. Elijah gets distracted by the sight of Marcel with Aya across the ballroom, and then he noticed a woman with a full mask but ignores and goes back to look at marcel. Before he can reply. Hayley, seeing the concerned look on his face, frowns. Marcel turns his head and realizes that not only are Elijah and Hayley there, but Elijah is staring at him. Marcel looks over at Aya with a tense expression. Back on the dance floor, Hayley looks to see what Elijah is staring at and is shocked to see Marcel in his eye-line.Just then, a row of caterers with trays of champagne flutes walk into the room and tap their glasses with butter knives to get the attention of the party as Tristan, dressed in a fine suit, makes his arrival to the gathering known "Distinguished friends, welcome. It's so rare that we're able to come together like this to revel for one night in the company of true equals. Now, I'd like to take a moment to welcome a very special guest-- Marcel Gerard."

Marcel takes a step forward and nods in acknowledgment as the crowd claps their hands in applause. "Thank you. I'm honored. Thank you."

TRISTAN smiles. "Of course, before we tell Marcel all of our secrets, there's one small piece of business to which we must first attend. We must determine his worth."

MARCEL frowns in confusion. "That's funny... I seem to recall you being the one knocking on my door."

TRISTAN amused "You'll notice, Mr. Gerard, that over the course of the evening, someone has managed to take something quite dear to you... Your daylight ring."

Marcel looks down at his hand and realizes that his daylight ring has vanished from his right middle finger. He frowns worriedly, not knowing what to expect. While Hayley suddenly turns to Elijah and says quietly in his ear.