Prologue
The Mississippi River, just bordering New Orleans - Three Hundred Years Ago
Five French men entered an abandoned ship just off the coast of the Mississippi River. They cautiously entered the deck below the ship surveying the cramped area with only the faint glow of lanterns to light the way.
"Where in hell is everyone?" One of them asked their superior in front.
"Deserted. Which makes everything in the hold legally forfeit. Take what suits you." The leader replied with a smile upon his face at the thought of the loot they would find. His slight grin then quickly fades as he notices two peculiar darkly embellished coffins laying on the ground.
"What do you make of that?" he asked rhetorically, before ordering the men to open it up.
Inside the box they spot a young man with a dagger inserted directly into his chest.
"What the hell!"
The sound of an unoiled door suddenly swung open frightening the men aboard the ship, just as the men begin to disappear one by one leaving only one man standing. He trembled in fear as he envisioned what was to await him. Nothing prepared him for what stood at the foot of the stairway just behind him.
"Hello" A woman's clear voice introduced herself. The man turned around picturing a beautiful girl to match the beautiful smooth voice, only to raise his lantern to see something demonic.
"Lovely to see such a handsome face after a long journey. Can I eat him, brother?"
The man whipped around as a calm mannered voice spoke from behind.
"I'd rather you didn't" her brother replied giving a trusting smile to the shaking French man.
"There's no need to be afraid, and do exactly as I say." He continued nearing the man at a moderate pace, his eyes dilating.
"You will remember nothing."
"I will remember nothing." The man repeated faintly.
"We've had a very long journey, wherein which, unfortunately, we lost all of our crew. Therefore, I will ask you kindly to transport our belongings to the shore." The fiend continued as the man looked shocked.
"What kind of demons are you?"
"We are vampires darling, the originals vampires." The woman spoke kindly motioning to herself and her siblings.
"Rebekah, Elijah, our brothers Kol and Finn; may they rest in peace. And my sister Nikolah just to your left who has already acquainted herself with your commander, don't be shy, do say hello. Lord knows it has been ages since she has had herself a gentleman suiter."
The man turned a full 90 degrees to see a short, blonde angel in white, standing just behind the heads of the coffins leaning against the side wall. "Nikolah" glared playfully at her sister before giving a slight sarcastic wave at the terrified man, blood still dripping from her ruby, red lips.
"Are we saving the best for last?" A man's voice could be heard from the deck, both women rolled their eyes in unison.
"And our dear, sweet half-brother Niklaus." Nikolah sardonically chimed in, introducing the man to her brother, before carefully closing the lid of the coffin on her brother Kol.
"Ignore him though, he's a beast" Rebekah interjected as the devil laughed, pushing the dead body of a crew member to the ground below Rebekah's feet.
"We fled Europe and survived the seas. Would you rather I arrive hungry on the shores of our new homeland?" Klaus mockingly asked, the man could tell where the young girl had inherited her satirical sense of humor from.
"Niklaus, your manners are, as always, without equal." The man Elijah replied equally mocking, though you could not tell whether he was joking or being completely serious.
"Sir, would you be so good as to tell us where it is that we have landed?" He continued.
"The French colony of Louisiana, off the shores of a town they have named New Orleans." The man replied diligently.
"Thank you so much. Oh, I do recommend that you find yourself further assistance for the luggage. My sincere apologies." Elijah smiled before ascending the stairs after his sister Rebekah, leaving him alone with two coffins, a boat load of luggage and an avenging angel.
"Don't worry darling, you will learn to get used to it, lord knows it has taken me three lifetimes." The girl spoke softly before imprinting a kiss upon his cheek. He couldn't help but smile as she exited the hull. That was until he placed his fingers over his cheek to feel a sticky, salty substance. He slowly pulled his hand down in shock as he gazed upon the scarlet blood on his hands as he peered around the cabin in horror.