The Night Falls

The Damned One

After they ate lunch at the compound, Damon and Kora drove into the city in Damon's Aston Martin with Connor following close behind on his motorcycle. They drove through the twists and turns of the backroads, the sun shining through the leaves and branches. When they reached the city, they parked in a garage and walked down to the street.

"I'll catch up to you guys." Connor said, he nodded at Damon. "I have to check a few things out."

Damon nodded and tossed him a small bundle of bills. "Get a few more statues if you're near that way. I'll get the bags and escort Kora around to a few shops."

"Alright." Connor said with a nod. He stuffed the bills in a coat pocket. "I say we meet at Rousseau's in a couple of hours."

"Sounds good." Damon smiled.

"See ya." Kora said with a smile.

Connor walked off toward Royal Street as Damon took Kora down to a few shops nearby.

As Connor approached Royal Street he ducked into an alley and disappeared. He flew up into the air and over to a rooftop down the street, landing silently. He watched Gaius Delamont walk out of his house and duck into a black car without a license plate. The car then drove off down the road. Connor mumbled a spell to transform into a bird and he flew after the car.

He followed the trail of the car all the way to where it stopped at Lafayette Cemetery. Connor then took human form again and crouched on top of one of the crypts where he could quietly watch Gaius walk through the maze of structures. Gaius without warning, broke into a sprint, taking off down the row of graves belonging to the city's criminals. Connor flew to another perch where he could watch unseen. Gaius ducked into a hidden passage below a smaller crypt, disappearing from sight.

Connor jumped down to the ground and walked over to the passage, he waved a hand over the bricks. He touched the bricks carefully to crack the code and open the passage. Drawing a knife, Connor made his way down the steps into a secret chamber. Gaius turned when he heard him enter.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The elder asked angrily. "How did you find this place?"

"Tracking murderers is a specialty of mine." Connor said with a smirk, sealing the entrance behind him with stone. "It's part of the job."

"So, who exactly did I supposedly kill?" Gaius smirked as he circled Connor. "Who's death sends you here? Is Damon too scared to find me himself?"

"No." Connor said, his eyes narrowing as the two circled each other. "Jean-Anne Roseland, you remember her?"

"What about her?" Gaius chuckled as he drew his wand. "I ran her and her brat off the road years ago."

"She was my mother." Connor spat furiously. "You killed her! Why? What do you gain from her death?"

"You really don't know, do you?" Gaius laughed. "She was Damon's last link to this city. She became a target simply because of Damon's incompetence."

"So you want to kill Damon's family?" Connor growled, his eyes were glowing a brilliant red now. "Is that it?"

"We're starting a war, the less in our way, the better." Gaius laughed again. His eyes turned silver slowly as he readied himself for a fight. "This city is essential."

"This city is under the protection of Damon and the covens." Connor spat, shooting flame from his left palm, scorching Gaius's coat. "Besides, you won't live long enough to see your war."

"Confident little blighter." Gaius laughed as he put out the fire from his coat with a wave of his hand. He raised his left had to Connor and muttered a death curse.

Connor smirked as he felt the curse blow away from him. "I'm immune to most magic, you'll have to be stronger than that!" Connor closed his eyes as he channeled his inner magic, he pushed it forward in a violent wave. Gaius's eyes widened as he flew back against the wall, his protection charm shattered by the wave of expression. Connor yelled as he opened his eyes and flew forward. His fist collided with his enemy and forced him to the ground hard. Connor hovered over him, all around him the old furniture and books in the room turned to ash and floated around them, suspended in the air by the blast.

"It's been awhile since I faced that kind of magic." Gaius laughed, blood running down his lip. He raised his hand to shoot a blast of frost at Connor, but the spell melted as soon as it left his hand.

Connor grabbed Gaius by the throat, the skin slowly burning. "You have never faced me before. As I said before, you won't live long enough to see your war."

"That's the funny thing about the six." Gaius laughed as his flesh burned slowly. "Kill one, and another will rise. My master is already here, you don't stand a chance."
"This city will never fall to the likes of you!" Connor growled as he tore Gaius's throat out and threw it across the room.

In that instant, the stone blocking the door shattered and a tall blond man entered. The man saw Gaius lying dead and smirked. "Well, I'll give you that one young master O'Connell." The man said in a thick irish accent. "He did kill your mother, against my order. Afterall, it is not his job to kill innocent mortals. That, my boy, is my job." He smiled a nearly insane smile.

"Who the hell are you?" Connor growled, readying himself for a fight.

"In time O'Connell." The man laughed. "I don't want to fight you, not yet at least. Not here. I merely have a message for you to give your master Damon Monroe." The man raised his hands peacefully as he stepped closer to Connor. Connor could see that the man had six fingers on his gloved left hand. "Tell him, Kalum has come back to New Orleans!" He flicked his wrist and Connor was flung up through the roof and the crypt, his body limply flew through the air until landing in the middle of the road outside of the cemetery.