Hopelessly Devoted | Hale- TO/TW [6]

Epilogue

A lone blonde walks through the streets of New Orleans. Her eyes are bloodshot, her cheeks stained with salt water. Her heels click on the stone streets, echoing through the air. The smell of bourbon clouds her senses as she walks. Puffs of white blow in front of her as she breathes, adding to the already absurd amount of fog.

She smells the destruction before she makes it to her home.

Small fires plague the floors of the Mikaelson compound. Pieces of furniture are turned over, the bar is smashed. The chandelier is on the ground, flames consuming it.

In the center of it all, Klaus Mikaelson lays on the ground, Papa Tunde's dagger of pain imbedded in his chest. His eyes are closed, and his breaths are few.

The blonde stops a healthy distance away from the King of New Orleans, both of them. Marcel stands in between the blonde and her brother.

"The King is dead," Marcel smirks.

"The King is dead," Lexi repeats. "All hail the king." She curtsies.

"I was wondering when you would show up," Marcel states.

"Vincent called me." Marcel's expression drops like an anchor. "He saw that massacre in the fight gym. Knew I would confront you. He has a message for you."

"Why can't he come here himself?" Marcel demands. "Kill him too?"

"Me? Kill Vincent?" Lexi scoffs. "I would never." Before Marcel can talk, Lexi speaks up again. "He's turning your failed fight gym into a church."

"Is that so?" Marcel arches an eyebrow, his fists flexing at his sides.

"That is so, Marcellus." He flinches when she uses his name. "Vincent said that what he found reminded him of somebody else's handiwork. He hoped you were different, but now he believes you are just as bad as Klaus Mikaelson."

Subconsciously, Lexi looks down at her brother. Sorrow and grief fill her blue eyes.

"Well, tell him I did what was necessary."

"No, you didn't!" Lexi's voice is cold and deadly as it echoes through the compound. "That's the problem with all of you kings, including my brother. You do what you want to, consequences be damned."

"You Mikaelsons, you monsters, are gone, so, yeah," Marcel shrugs. "Consequences be damned."

"Yeah, but Vincent's human friend was one those consequences that you just damned. He's hurt badly because you got sloppy." Marcel almost looks offended. "So, yes, Vincent will take the church back, and he is making it into a sanctuary. Anybody can come. He doesn't care if they're human, he doesn't care if they're witch, he doesn't care if they're a vampire. He doesn't even care if they are a Mikaelson."

Lexi's eyes begin to glow red, her fangs already out. "And this is what he said, Marcel, so pay attention. He said, 'As long as they are sick and tired of the same old, same old that you and your pathetic family are always and forevering about. And if you got a problem with that, Marcel, I will take a page from your playbook. Consequences be damned. Huh? Your Highness.'"

Marcel stares at her as if he has never seen her. "I, for one, believe in my family's 'Always and Forever.' I made that vow, and I intend to keep it. But I agree, Marcel. You may think that you've won, but you just swapped one tyrant for another."

"What do you want, Lexi?" Marcel grits out.

The smile that dawns Lexi's face is the scariest thing Marcel had ever seen. "You want to rule. I will make a deal with you. Stay in New Orleans. Never go looking for me or my family. Hayley and Hope stay out of this. Every Hale in existence will never be bothered by your vampires again, for every generation to come."