𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤

fifty-five

𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒

The attack began quietly, no one saw it coming, not really. It was just another night in the French Quarter. The streets were crowded with people like every other night, there was laughter, there was chatter, music, and happiness. No one could have predicted what was about to happen. No one knew that in a matter of minutes the city filled with life would become the city of the dead.

It all started with the fog.

That thick blanket of white that came out of nowhere. It was a silent predator moving swiftly through every street, slithering through every open window, door, or crack on the wall; attacking its prey when they least expected it.

The minute he saw the fog, father Kieran ran inside St. Ann's church and went up the flight of stairs to the very top where the bells were. He wasted no time as he rang the church bells nonstop. It was a warning, a cry for help, a desperate attempt to save the innocents who had no idea of what was heading their way. It was an alarm system he and Marcel Gerard had designed years before, one father Kieran never wanted to use. But he had no choice that night.

God help us, he thought as he desperately rang the bells. Everyone who was aware, everyone who knew what lurked in the shadows would know the meaning of the bells chiming.

A minute or two later, the bells of another church joined in. And then another, and another, until all the bells in every church in the city sang in harmony.

It was too late.

The attack took all of them by surprise.

No one was prepared.

☾☾☾

"Come Delphine," Damon begged the witch he used to know back in the nineties. She looked good for her age, there were hardly any lines on her pretty face. Delphine had aged beautifully, her brown skin was smooth and her dark eyes were bright and filled with wisdom. "It's just a tiny little favor," he assured her as he stood outside her home. He had finally tracked her down to a small house right across from Jackson square.

Delphine's dark eyes moved from Damon who has giving her his most charming smile to his brother who stood next to him, hands on his pockets. "You have a lot of nerve Damon Salvatore," she muttered angrily tuning back to face the handsome devil of a man. The things that man could do, she shook her head.

"Look, why don't you just invite us in and-"

"You think I'm stupid enough to invite you into my home?"

"You have turn into a Grinch in your later years Del," Damon commented with a frown. "Back in the day, we used to be good friends." He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked knowingly at her.

"You mean, back in the day when I was young, stupid, and didn't know any better."

The smirk dropped from Damon's face. "I need a favor, a really big favor and you are a competent witch and-"

"I'm no longer a witch," Delphine replied sadly. "I no longer have magic. Even if I wanted to, which I don't, I can't help you. And I thought you said it was a tiny favor." Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the vampire.

Damon and Stefan looked at each other. The dark-haired vampire opened his mouth but whatever he was going to say was cut off by the sound of bells tolling in the distance.

"What is that?" Stefan asked. It sounded like every church in New Orleans had decided to ring their bells nonstop. Somehow, he knew that wasn't normal. It was strange and chilling, all the hairs in his body stood up and judging by the expression on Damon's face he felt it too. They both turned to look at Delphine.