Sire
(The Vampire Rules)
Sire (noun): A respectful form of address for someone of high social status, especially a king; a father or other male forebear.
Sire (verb): To beget; procreate as the father.
Chapter 21: Rebirth and Retribution
Elijah was numb, unaware of anyone or anything else. Hayley was dead in his arms and her child was gone, his future was gone. He sobbed against her face. Then he felt her stirring and assumed he was going mad. "Elijah," he thought he heard her say.
Rebekah heard her too and rushed over. "Hayley! Brother, she's alive! Close the door Elijah, close the door!"
Elijah pulled his head back and looked at Hayley who had opened her eyes. "How is this possible?" he asked out loud, his head feeling clearer than just a moment before. Then he realized how it came to pass. "The baby's blood; you died with vampire blood in you!" It was true, and that blood had healed her and resurrected her as a hybrid.
Elijah kissed her passionately as Rebekah cried with joy, and Trevor watched with a huge smile on his face. Hayley knew the celebration would have to wait, and when Elijah let her breathe again she asked, "Where's my baby?"
He had to tell her honestly, "I don't know. Niklaus, Marcel, and Sophie Deveraux are searching the cemetery."
"The witches!" Hayley exclaimed. "They did this! They kidnapped me, induced my labor, and paralyzed me so I couldn't fight back. Elijah we have to find them!"
"Let's go," Elijah said helping her up.
"No need for that," a voice rang out. It was Niklaus and he quickly walked the aisle and presented Hayley with their daughter. "She's all right," he told her. Hayley took her gratefully, crying happy tears of her own. Elijah was incredibly relieved.
"The witch elders are dead," Klaus informed him. "And Marcel is rounding up the rest of them to face our retribution."
"We'll deal with that later," Elijah said. "Hayley, before we take your little girl home there's something you'll need to do."
"What's that?" Hayley was confused.
"You'll soon be feeling very hungry for blood," Elijah told her. "You must feed to complete the transition or you will die."
Hayley was already feeling the craving. She got angry at those responsible. "I'll feed on the witches Marcel is collecting."
"You must feed on the blood of the one who turned you," Klaus reluctantly informed her, realizing that meant the baby.
"That's usually true," Elijah interjected. He looked at Hayley. "But since I'm the original vampire my blood can be used to complete anyone's transition. Give your daughter back to her father."
Hayley didn't want to let the baby go but did as Elijah instructed. He then told his brother, sister, and servant, "Take her home. We'll be there soon." Niklaus and the others did as he asked.
Hayley watched them go and inquired, "Was that really necessary?" She did not want to be parted from her baby.
"I don't think you want your child, no matter how old she is, to see this," Elijah commented. He guided her to sit down and then took his place next to her. Presenting his jugular he told her, "Feed my love, feed."
Later that Evening
Marcel's Warehouse
"I didn't think you'd want them at the compound," Marcel told Elijah. He and his day walkers had located all the remaining French Quarter witches and brought them to the warehouse.
"You thought correctly," Elijah replied. He'd left Hayley, Niklaus, and their child at home and promised to settle things with the witches himself. Marcel stood to one side of Elijah waiting for instructions with Trevor on the other. The day walkers gathered behind their king, hoping for the green light to spill some blood.
"Elijah," Sophie began to plead for all their lives, "please let me speak on our behalf."
"You helped us," Elijah told her, "so you will be spared. Don't make the mistake of thinking my generosity extends to them."
Despite the warning Sophie still tried appealing to his sense of fairness. "Most of them had nothing to do with this. They wanted to live in peace."
"I'm not sure I care," Elijah told her with a sigh. He wasn't in any mood to be reasonable or just, although the red door had closed almost as quickly as it had reopened.
"A suggestion, Sire," Marcel intervened. When Elijah nodded at him Marcel continued. "What if we compel them all to tell us if they did play a part? If they did, we'll kill them. If not, they can live."
Sophie's heart pounded with the possibility some of the witches would be spared. Elijah thought for a moment and then agreed with Marcel's proposal. "Very well, let's begin."
The compulsion and questioning took over an hour; dispatching the three guilty witches took only moments. Elijah compelled them to stand in one part of the warehouse together and then told the day walkers, "Avenge us." They gladly sped to the petrified witches and ripped them to shreds, consuming their fill of blood along the way.
The remaining witches, nine of them, were forced to watch the slaughter from the other side of the building. Most averted their eyes, two of them fainted, and one vomited. Sophie was shaking and sweating but didn't look away. There was no way to block out the sound so not seeing wouldn't have been much help. After it was over, Elijah addressed them. "We may continue to live in peace if I am satisfied you all can keep your word this time."
Although shaken, Sophie took it upon herself to speak for the others. "How can we ensure you are satisfied?"
"Only time will prove that," Elijah replied. "Stay in line and we should be fine. Step out of line and that," he turned slightly to point to the carnage behind, "will be your future."
"May…may we bury our dead now?" Sophie asked, still trembling.
"No you may not," Elijah replied. "I've instructed Marcel to dispose of all the bodies including the elders. You will not consecrate them at burial and therefore will not have access to their power. In fact, that cemetery is off-limits to you." In reality, he had told Marcel to bury the dead witches somewhere accessible in case they were needed at a later date as a bargaining chip.
Sophie was dejected. Without access to their ancestors the witches' power was severely limited. They would be no threat to the vampires for a long time. Despite her best efforts, the coven was once again at their mercy. She silently motioned for the others to follow her and they left the warehouse.
Elijah stared at the dead witches and addressed Marcel. "I'm sorry I didn't heed your warning, Marcel."
"I'm sorry I was right," Marcel replied. "Sire, I want you to know that I will never go against you…"
"But you want the right to tell me when you disagree," Elijah finished his sentence.
"I would like that right, and I promise to always do it with respect."
Elijah looked at him. "Well, I suppose I could take a little advice from my brother-in-law."