Even though Francesca and her werewolf lackeys had the vampires exiled from the Quarter didn't stop us from rebuilding from across the river, standing outside Marcel's loft.

Josh, Marcel and I were leading a group of at least a dozen humans. 

"Guys, come on," Josh told us. "This is, like, the 20th group I've brought you. There's gotta be a keeper in there somewhere." 

"I'll be the judge of that," I told him, gesturing for him to go next door, walking toward the group. "I know you're all wondering how you got here. Don't worry about that for now. Instead, I want you to think about your lives." I approached a young man, compelling him. "Don't be afraid. Remember when you were a kid, and you felt like anything was possible? Then, you grew up, things didn't turn out like you planned. But, still, there was that part inside of you that would dream. Maybe you wanted strength. Maybe you wanted to be a part of something, something bigger than yourselves." I looked at a young, tough-looking girl. "Maybe you wanted to be a fighter. Have something worth fighting for. Maybe some of you even wanted to live forever. Well, you can have it. All of it. Because that's what being a vampire is all about." The young girl looked interested. I approached another man in the group, compelling him. "Oh, don't be afraid. What do you have to fear, when you can do this?" 

I picked the man up, throwing him hundreds of feet into the air.

Josh was standing on the top floor of a nearby building, catching the man, smiling. "I know. Pretty cool, right?" 

Marcel looked at the group. "When you leave here, you'll forget this. But somewhere, deep down, you'll know the offer still exists to join us. Be like us. And, only then, will you find your way back here. Because you want it. Because you need it." 

Josh, Marcel and I walked into the loft.

"My money's on the rocker chick," Josh told us.

"I wouldn't bet on it," I told him. "We'll be lucky to get one from that group." 

"How can you tell?" Josh asked. "They all seem tough. What are you guys looking for?" 

I poured us drinks. "We're not looking for tough guys, Josh. We're looking for warriors." 

Josh rolled his eyes. "What's the difference?" 

Klaus appeared in the doorway. "A warrior fights for what they believe in. A warrior fights for his family."

Klaus smiled.

After a moment, Marcel smiled.

**

We were drinking.

"The wolves have numbers," I told them. "Back in 1925, the Guerrera pack was maybe a hundred. We went guerrilla warfare on their asses, and wiped them out over a four day fight. But, we're not just talking about Guerreras now. They've had wolves coming in from packs all over." 

"Well, we don't have to hit them all," Klaus told us. "Only the 12 with the rings that take me out every full moon."

"Wait," Marcel told him. "You want to find 12 rings? Go out and chop off the hands of every wolf you find till you get what you want. I mean, come on. You taught me that." Klaus smiled. "You and Elijah are stalling. Why?" 

"Because it's possible they're in possession of something very dangerous to us," Klaus answered. 

"They have the stake that can kill you," I realized. 

"It went missing... the night I lost my child," Klaus told us. "So, it's in play, and the thought of that makes me very nervous. Especially on nights like tonight." 

Klaus looked out of the window, where the full moon had began to rise in the night sky.

"Why would you tell us that?" Marcel asked.

"Depends," Klaus told us. "Do you have it?" 

"Of course not," Marcel answered. "That kind of weapon does us no good. You die, we die, along with every vampire we've ever sired." 

Klaus was clearly relieved. "Well, then, perhaps you'd both like to help me get it back? We attack the wolves, tonight, when the moon hits its apex. They won't expect it while I'm weak." 

A vampire named Joe walked into the loft. "Hey, bad news or good news?" 

I chuckled, standing. "Klaus, Joe. Joe, Klaus. Now, you wanna talk Guerreras... Nobody fought harder back in 1925 than Joe here. Fought so hard he retired into retail. Been keeping the peace ever since, and living right under their noses." 

Joe sat down on the couch. "Yeah, well, good news is, your order came in this morning. And bad news? I got made. Your friend Davina saved my ass, but what's done is done. So, pour me a drink, and play me a song, because it's gonna be my last." 

"Joe, don't be dramatic," I told him, handing him a drink. "Just head out of town till things blow over."

"No way," Joe told us. "I don't run from Guerreras." 

"You don't leave, you won't have to," I told him. "They'll sniff you out in a day." 

"Hey, let them come hunt me down," Joe told us. "'Cause I've had a good ride." 

"How would you like to get back in the fight, Joe?" Klaus asked.

"So, what do you have in mind?" Joe asked.

"I've been thinking about this whole thing the wrong way," Klaus told us. "The Guerrera pack loves to hunt. They're primal, alphas. I gave you my reason for not making a move these past few months. What, pray tell, is theirs?" 

Marcel smiled in realization. "They don't have the stake."

"Well, then who the hell does?" I asked.

Klaus shrugged, smiling. "Well, tonight it doesn't matter. Because tonight, we're going on a wolf hunt."

**

Joe was going to the werewolves to set the plan in motion, to get all of the werewolves with the rings and Francesca dead.

At a warehouse, several werewolves walked in. 

"Start from the corners," one of them told the others. "Work the room from the outside in." As they looked around, Marcel and I rushed around them, hearing a noise, turning to find me standing above them on a platform near the ceiling. "Huh, look what we have here." 

I raised my hands in a harmless gesture, distracting them while Marcel quickly exited, locking the doors from the outside, trapping us inside. "I know your boss wanted to buy this place, but... I've been stockpiling wolfsbane for months, and I just really needed a place to store it." 

I pulled a lighter from my pocket, lighting it, holding it near one of the overhead sprinkler system, causing it to spray wolfsbane water down onto the werewolves, their skin burning, making them scream in pain.

They desperately tried to break through the doors to escape, but couldn't.

I pushed the one who had spoke against the door, cutting his fingers off, including the one with the moonlight ring. "I'm gonna need that." 

**

I was still fighting with the Guerrera werewolves, who were still severely burned from the wolfbane water that was raining down on us. I saw the ring on the second lackey's hand, ripping his entire arm off of his body. 

**

Every one that had had a moonlight ring was dead now, and so was Francesca Guerrera. 

Marcel and I got back to the loft, having a drink, listening to jazz music on the record player, laughing. 

"Forgot how much fun taking out the Guerreras was the first time around," I told him.

We chuckled, clinking our glasses, drinking.

Josh walked into the loft, panicked. "Marcel, Noah. They got Joe." 

I sighed, disappointed. "Joe knew what he was getting himself into." 

"So, what?" Josh asked. "'Hey, come on, join our team. Your reward will be your death'?" 

Marcel rolled his eyes. "Here's what you gotta understand. Vamps like Joe? They know what it feels like in the battle, and what it feels like to sit on the sidelines. Joe sat it out for a long time, but when the fight came to him, he got back in. Because he'd rather die on his feet than live on his knees. That's a warrior." 

Josh hesitated. "What are we fighting for?" 

"Me?" I asked. "I'm fighting for my home. For the dignity of the vampires who were run out of there." 

"I'm fighting to take my city back," Marcel told us, standing, looking at Josh. "The question is, what are you fighting for?" 

Josh sighed. "That's the problem. I have no idea. The wolves took over the Quarter. We beat them back today, they'll fight us back tomorrow. It's nuts. And all for a few measly blocks of real estate?" 

Marcel handed a drink to Josh. "I was born here in a time far more shameful than now. And even then, this city was worth fighting for. My blood runs through the gutters of this city, along with the blood of my closest friends." He looked at me. I raised my eyesbrows. "And yeah, Klaus, you and I fought side-by-side against the Guerreras. But, you know, before long, he's gonna want to be king of the wolves. His blood runs deep here, too."

Josh looked guilty.

I stood, gesturing toward the record player. "You hear that? That is the first, last and the only album that I ever made. It could have only been made here." Josh smiled in understanding. "We're not fighting for real estate, we're fighting for the soul of the city." 

The rocker girl from the group earlier wandered inside, looking confused. "Hello?" She stopped when she saw us. "Hi. I'm sorry. Uh, this is weird. I just kind of found my way here." 

Josh looked at Marcel and me, smiling.

We smiled. 

Looked like we finally found one.