Shielding The Innocent - Niklaus Mikaelson

Chapter 10

   After our small pillow fight, Hayley told me everything she had learned about our family while she was in the Bayou. The blonde we had seen when Tyler kidnapped us left a book for Hayley to find on the porch of the cabin. The book holds names dating back for generations, including mine and Hayley's. According to the book, my mother and her father were twins. Hayley, also, said 'Hayley' isn't her birth name, it's 'Andrea'.

   The blonde girl had spoken to Hayley while she was out there in the Bayou. Her name is Eve and she said that Marcel had killed most of the pack when he banished them. Then, he strong armed a witch into placing a curse on the remaining pack members. Instead of turning into werewolves on full moons, they are in their werewolf form all the time. Only on a full moon do they get to be humans again. Eve warned her to keep our birthmarks covered.

   It was a lot in information to digest, but I know this would only drive Hayley to want to find out more. She, of course, wants to break the curse. I agree with her, not because I'm interested in my mother's past, but because cursing them was wrong and they don't deserve to live like that. The only part I'm interested in is the fact that Hayley and I are cousins. She was already my family, but finding out that we're from the same bloodline is surprising.

   Niklaus is hosting a dinner in the dining room of the compound. He is meeting with select number of vampires, basically to claim his power over New Orleans. He occupies the head of the table with Marcel next to him. I sit straight across from him, also head of the table with Hayley next to me. He stands while clinking his Champaign glass with a butter knife. A smirk is spread across his face as he demands attention from the vampire group.

   "Let us begin with a toast to our shared gift." He raises his drink slightly out. "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, but as vampires we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine." He gestures with two fingers for waiters and waitresses to come forward. Four people dressed in tuxes come and stand in between each vampire at the table. "Insatiable need, exquisite pain." The waiters and waitresses pull up their sleeves revealing their wrist. Then, they take a knife and cut into their flesh pouring blood into every vampire's glass. I scoff quickly sharing a disturbed look with Hayley. "Our victories, and our defeats." Niklaus glances down at Marcel. "To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow."

   "And the party never end." Marcel adds raising his glass with a smile.

   "To New Orleans." A vampire named Diego says raising his glass too.

   "New Orleans." The other vampires follow in sync. Hayley and I just stay quiet.

   "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." Niklaus announces. "No. My intentions moving forward are to celebrate what we have, what Marcel, in fact, took..." He moves next to Marcel putting his hand on his shoulder. "and built into this. A true community of vampires." Nik walks back to his chair continuing to stand in front of it.

   "What about them, the wolves." Diego asks pointing at Hayley and me. I narrow my eyes into a glare.

   "Had you let me finish, Diego, you would know that there is, of course, one further matter I would like to address." Nik says smirking as he walks around and stands next to me at the other end of the table. "As I assume you know, this girl is carrying my child." He places his hand, that's not holding his drink, on my shoulder. "Consequently, I trust you will pay her and her friend the appropriate respect. However, I understand that some of you are concerned by this vicious rumor that I intend to use the blood of our child to create hybrids. I assure you, I do not."