Losing Him (Only His Series: Book 4) *OLD VERSION*

Chapter 6

Alex's P.O.V

Elijah and I arrived at the party and stopped in the doorway as we took in the environment. Our arrival seemed to have generated a lot of attention, as many of the guests were staring at Elijah curiously, which unnerved me.

"Why are they all staring at you?" I asked him.

"I'm kind of a big deal around here." He said to me and we started to walk towards the bar. My eyes widen when I realized that they were all from his sire line.

"They're all part of your sideline." I said and he nodded.

"Most of them, tragically, yes. You see, Alex, I wanted to assemble minds curious about the world and eager to improve it, along with the time and circumstance to do so. My desire was to create an elite brotherhood devoted to a new, better civilization. It was naive. Eventually, I was forced to abandon them once I realized I'd cultivated a legion of ego-maniacal sociopaths." Elijah explained and I placed a hand on his arm.

"At least you tried." I said to him and he chuckled a little.

~

Elijah spun me onto the dance floor. We talked as we danced together in the middle of the ballroom. "So, where is this Tristan guy? I want to meet him for myself." I said. I saw a concerned look on Elijah's face and frowned. "Elijah, what's wrong?" I looked to see what he was staring at, and was shocked to see Marcel in his eye-line. "What the hell is Marcel doing here?"

"I should have known." Elijah said quietly.

"What?"

"This isn't a party. It's an initiation." He said.

"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." A man said out loud and we turned our attention towards him. Haha...he looks like a mini Elijah. Marcel took a step forward and nodded in acknowledgement as the crowd clapped their hands in applause.

"Thank you. I'm honored. Thank you." Marcel said to the crowd and the man smiled.

"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." He said and Marcel frowned in confusion.

"That's funny... I seem to recall you being the one knocking on my door." Marcel said to him.

"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." He said to Marcel, amused. I saw Marcel looked down at his finger and we both saw his daylight ring was gone. I turned to Elijah.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked him quietly. I looked shocked and worried at this sudden turn of events. Elijah held back my arm in a comforting manner while keeping his eyes on the man, as if telling me to wait and see what happened next.

"The test is quite simple. First, you need to deduce the identity of the thief. Then, you are simply to take back what is yours... Although, I doubt the prize will be easily relinquished. After all, despite our refinement, we're still a rather violent bunch." Mini Elijah explained. Marcel gulped nervously, but maintained his composure as the man finished outlining his test.

"In victory, you become one of us. In failure, you meet your death. You have a few hours until dawn. I wish you the best of luck." The man said and the party suddenly went back to normal.

~

Elijah and I were, once again, standing at the bar. I was standing to Elijah's right. I felt like someone was watching me, so I turned around and looked over my shoulder. I saw a man in a tux staring at me. He had a black masquerade mask on.

I moved to the other side of Elijah and saw that the man was in fact watching me. People at this party are weird. I then shook it off and turned back to Elijah as we discussed the newest developments.

"These vampires are ancient. How is Marcel supposed to beat one of them?" I asked Elijah.

"With guile, courage, perhaps a bit of trickery... Admittedly, it's a long-shot, but then, sometimes the new candidates surprise us." I heard someone say. Oh, look mini Elijah again. Ok, but seriously who are you? He turned to address me personally.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tristan de Martel, and you must be the famous Alexandria Salvatore-Mikaelson, Alpha to the Crescent wolves and the only woman to ever have the guts to marry Niklaus." Tristan said to me. He took my hand and kissed it gently, but I wasn't impressed. So I jerked my hand away after a moment, though it didn't seem to faze him.

"My name's Alex by the way." I said to him and saw Elijah smirk in the corner of my eye. Tristan sighed at me.

"The pleasure's all mine, I see." Tristan turned to address Elijah next. "Elijah! When I sent your invitation, I didn't dare think you'd come. Tell me - as our founder and patriarch, what do you make of our latest candidate?" He asked him. Look Elijah and mini Elijah are getting along!

"Well, let me see. Marcel... He's arrogant. He's stubborn. Prone to self-aggrandizement. He should fit in perfectly!" Elijah said sarcastically.

"If he survives." Tristan said and I glared at him angrily. He noticed my glare and smiled back at me. "I take it Mr. Gerard is a friend of yours?"

"Mmhmm. We're friends... And, even if we weren't, I don't much like bullies." I said to him and he smiled in shock.

"A bully? My dear, you barely know me! Allow me to remedy that, and, in doing so, I can explain our methods." He said and held out his hand as an invitation to dance, but both Elijah and I looked wary about it, which Tristan noticed. "Please. Just one dance..." He looked at Elijah pointedly. "If it's not an intrusion."

Elijah and I looked at each other for a long moment before I sighed and drank the rest of my champagne before setting my glass on the bar, rolling my eyes while my back was turned to Tristan.

"Why, of course." Elijah said to him. I reluctantly took Tristan's offered hand and allowed him to lead me onto the dance floor, where we begin to dance together.

"I'm glad you came, Alex. Like it or not, when one refers to the Mikaelsons, they're referring to you, as well. Tonight will allow you to make up your own mind about our organization." Tristan said to me.

"And you think by killing my friend, you're gonna make the best impression?" I asked him skeptically.

"I think tonight, you'll bear witness to the truth. At the very least, you cannot call us liars." He said to me. "Plus, I've heard about how protective you can get when it comes to something you love. My only question is, does that still apply to Niklaus after what he did to you and your pack?" I glared at him.

"Not to be rude or anything, but that's my business with my husband." I said to him.

"Oh, come on. One little answer won't hurt, will it." I stayed silent. "Ok, let me tell you what I know about you. You have two brothers in Mystic Falls, and your mother just came back from a prison world. After you and your siblings spent a hundred years thinking she was dead. You fell in love with Klaus when you and your brothers were trying to kill him and his family." I looked away from him as he continued. "Then he got you pregnant and now you have a son and daughter named Shawn and Hope. You miss your brothers and the only reason you want to keep Klaus alive, other than being in love with him, is because they're from his sire line. But I wonder what would happen to your brothers if someone were to attack Niklaus." I snapped my head towards him.

"Did you just threaten my family?" I asked him and he smiled.

"Are you going to answer my question?" He asked and I glared at him.

"Yes." I said and he seemed shocked. "Yes, I would still protect Klaus because I love him, then there's the fact that his is also the father of my children." I answered him and Tristan just smirked.

"You would be perfect for the Strixs." Tristan said and I smiled at him tightly.

"Yeah, not gonna happen." I said to him and he nodded.

"Very well."