It was early in the day.

Marcel, Josh, the other vampires and I were gathered at Marcel's loft.

Marcel was updating us on the current state of the supernatural community. "As long as this serial killer's in the news, cops are gonna be all over this city like a rash. So, no feeding on tourists, and don't even think about going near the locals."

"So, what, then?" Josh asked in annoyance. "Puppies and bunnies?"

I gave him a look. "Josh, you can talk to our contacts at the blood banks and hospitals. Let them know you'll be coming by."

Josh sighed, nodding in agreement.

"For the rest of you, keep everyone else in line," Marcel told them. "All we gotta do is ride it out. Klaus and Elijah will get it sorted out, and we'll be back in business in no time."

A woman with close-cropped hair and dressed in trendy, business-like attire walked into the loft. "Somehow, I doubt that. Your current dilemma will get worse before it gets better. The good news is, I can help."

"I don't know who you are, but you definitely walked into the wrong place," I told her. 

"I'm Aya," the woman told me. "Nice to meet you, Noah Dumaine. Now, are you going to be rude, or are you going to offer me a drink?"

Marcel sighed. "I don't have time for this." He turned to one of the vampires, gesturing to Aya. "Get her out of here."

"A shame," Aya told him. "I'd heard you were more hospitable. What a disappointment." The vampire walked toward Aya, putting a hand on her shoulder to lead her out. Aya grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm until it broke, kicking him in the stomach, leaping up to his shoulders, wrapping her legs around his neck, twisting her hips to snap his neck. She lightly landed on the floor. The vampire fell to the floor. The other vampires, aside from Marcel and me, were so intimidated they stayed were they were. Marcel and I exchanged a look. Aya looked at me. "Thing is, I was instructed not to leave without making you an offer." She pulled out a black business card, holding it up, smirking. "Will you hear my offer or not?"

I transformed, baring my fangs, growling, lunging for Aya.

 ***

All of the vampires had been knocked out, all of them sprawled on the floor of the loft, except for me.

I was injured, crawling away from Aya.

Aya walked closer. "I have to say, I'm impressed. Given that I'm three times your age, you held your own quite well."

I groaned in pain. "That's me. Never know when to quit."

Aya tried to punch me. I caught her arm, punching her in the stomach, pulling on her arm to make her double over, kicking her in the face, spinning to kick her again. 

Aya ducked, using the arm that I was still using to hold hers to pull me closer, gripping my throat, lifting me off the floor. "I suspect we could go at this for quite some time. But, as I said, I've been instructed to make you an offer. And since you seem so intent on defending your humble abode and maintaining our reputation in front of your motley crew, we'll adjourn to somewhere more appropriate."

Aya had a ring on her finger, slicing a cut across my cheek, dropping me to the floor. 

I looked at her in confusion, wiping the bleeding cut. My vision started to blur. The room began to spin around me. Whatever was in the ring that Aya had cut me with took effect, making me fall unconscious.

 ***

I woke up groggily to find that I was on the floor of a large, elegant room. I remembered what happened, looking at Aya, wiping the blood from my face. "What the hell did you do to me?"

Aya held out her hand, showing off the large ring on her right hand. "Scratched you with a toxin of my own devising. Kicks like a mule, doesn't it?" She pulled out a blood bag, tossing it to me. "Here. This should help." I ripped into the blood bag, drinking. "Plenty more where that came from. My friends and I could help with your daylight ring situation, as well."

I stopped drinking, tossing the bag aside, standing, looking at her warily. "Okay. Now you have my attention."

"Noah Dumaine, you were turned by Marcel Gerard," Aya told me. "You became like brothers, partners, making yourselves in your own image. You built a vampire community from ash, and this city thrived under it. But it was always Marcel who was the king, though he could have done nothing without you. Let us help you return New Orleans to what it should be. And help you reach your true potential, out of Marcel's shadow."

I was intrigued, though I was smart enough not to trust her, laughing. "A great sales pitch, really." I clapped my hands in mock applause. "Just one thing. Who's 'us'?"

"The oldest society of vampires this world has ever known," Aya answered. "We are called the Strix."

Elijah appeared in the doorway. "Quite the prestigious organization. Responsible for countless wars, numerous plagues, assassinations."

Aya had froze at the sound of his voice, and at first, she kept her back to him so he couldn't see how displeased she was by his presence. "You have to break rules if you want to build a new world." She turned to face him. "Hello, Elijah. It's been a while."

I rolled my eyes. "You two know each other."

"Intimately," Elijah answered. He rushed toward Aya, holding her as if he was dipping her in a formal dance, shoving his fist into her chest, gripping her heart, making her groan in pain. "Whatever you are doing here, I know you're not alone."

A vampire walked in with at least a dozen fellow vampires. "Let her go, Elijah." I looked around at the vampires warily. "No need for this to become vulgar."

Elijah rolled his eyes, smirking. "And there he is." He was still clutching Aya's heart, turning to see the vampire. The vampire looked amused by Elijah. "Tristan."

Tristan smiled smugly.

 ***

The Strix had closed in on Elijah, Aya and me.

I was back-to-back with Elijah. "You go left, I go right?"

Elijah pulled his hand out of Aya's chest, letting her go.

Aya sighed in relief, backing away.

Elijah looked at me. "Why don't you stay where I can see you?"

I looked at him annoyance, wondering what his problem was.

"It's been ages since I've enjoyed a good scrap, but, uh..." Tristan trailed off, bemused. "It's not why I'm here." He rolled his eyes, handing Elijah his pocket square, assuming that he would want to clean his hand after gripping Aya's heart. Elijah seemed slightly embarrassed by the reminder, taking it, using to clean Aya's blood of his hand. Tristan looked at the vampires. "Mr. Mikaelson and I require the room. Please leave us.' The vampires, including the still-recovering Aya, walked out of the room without another word. I went to leave. Elijah held up his hand for me to wait. "Elijah, your sireline, your life, is at stake. You want to hear what I have to say."

Elijah sighed, looking at me. "You would do well to be selective about the company you keep in the future."

I looked at him defensively in annoyance. "Maybe you should remember who your friends are. It looks like you're going to need them."

I walked out, leaving.

 ***

When I got back to the loft and Marcel, it was to find out why Elijah didn't see to trust me today.

It was because there was a prophecy foretelling the fall of the Mikaelsons. One by friend, one by foe, and one by family.

I poured myself a drink at the bar.

Marcel did his best to scrub out the stains on the rug from the earlier fight against Aya, annoyed. "Noah, is it just me, or is vampire blood, like, a thousand times harder to get out than normal blood?" I didn't answer, looking down, thoughtful and distant. Marcel noticed, standing, walking closer. "Hey. You okay?"

I sighed. "I'm not sure what's more annoying. The Strix coming into the loft and taking me like they please, or Elijah dismissing me like a kid."

I looked at the Strix card, getting an idea.

None of us trusted the Strix, and we had a pretty strong instinct that they weren't here to help.

If someone was on the inside, then they would know their plans and what to do if something happened.

We needed someone on the inside.