The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 23: Finish Him

~Klaus POV~

Klaus had an elaborate dinner set up after he finally had returned to his rightful home. He and the vampires of New Orleans sat at the table along with Iliana and his future child. Despite having alienated his living siblings, Klaus remained determined to stay as happy as he could be. He stood up and tapped his glass with a fork to get the attention of the courtyard.

"Let's begin with a toast, shall we?" He started, beaming at them all. "To immortality. After a thousand years, one might expect life to be less keenly felt, for its beauties and its sorrows do diminish with time. But, as vampires, we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine." He gestured and a group of servants came and slit their wrists, their blood filling the cups of the vampires in his court. "Insatiable need, exquisite pain, our victories and our defeats. To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow..." Klaus was cut off by Marcel who raised his glass along with him as he spoke.

"And the party never end!"

"To New Orleans." One of Marcel's favourites had said. Diego, Klaus recalled.

"To New Orleans." They had all repeated. Klaus was sure that they were up to something but he brushed it off, he knew they would fail and he would eventually sway them.

"Now some of you may have questions regarding the recent change in leadership, but I assure you that you are not defeated. I plan to celebrate us and what we have. What Marcel took and built for this true community of vampires." Klaus had said like a delighted.

"What about her?" Diego said, pointing at Iliana.

"I dare you to point at me again." Iliana said as she fiddled with the food on her plate.

"If you had just let me finish." Klaus disguised his tone behind a fake smile, he had desperately wanted to make an example of him but he knew if he did he would never win the support of the others. "Melody is carrying my child as many of you know, therefore you will treat her with the appropriate respect."

"So I only deserve respect as long as I'm pregnant with your baby? Great message to send to our kid." Iliana jabbed, causing Marcel to stifle a giggle.

"Her respect is not dependent on her baby, are you happy now?" Klaus asked.

"Yes."

"And for those of you that are concerned about a vicious rumour that I plan to use my child to sire hybrids, I shall squash the rumour right now. I have no intention of creating more hybrids, especially not with the blood of my child."

"I sure know how to pick 'em." Iliana teased.

"I will earn your trust." Klaus said definitively. "We'll eliminate the root of your anxiety. There will not be any werewolves alive in the Bayou to turn, after you have your way with them."

"What? Klaus, don't!" Iliana said in protest.

"Eat, drink and be merry." Klaus said gleefully, ignoring Iliana's pleas. "And tomorrow, have yourselves a little wolf hunt. Have fun and kill them all!"

~Rebekah POV~

Elijah and Rebekah were in the foyer watching as their belongings were taken away from them and moved in to a moving van, no doubt at the hands of their brother.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Rebekah shrieked. "I PAID FOR THAT!"

"Please, as if you ever paid for anything in your life." Elijah scoffed.

"Does it matter?" Rebekah stropped. "Nik's just punishing us!"

"Well, we've hurt him. Deeply, it would appear." Elijah replied with a sigh.