This is War

Fearful, Giselle broke away from him. She quickly fled back to Louis's side. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and suddenly roared, "This gala is over!"

People who knew Louis quickly left and took their friends and family with them. Soon afterwards, other began to get out too. Louis quickly scanned the crowd for their friends. Spotting them, he whisked her over to them and sent Giselle off with René and Adelene who took her to the Hôtel Paradis.

In the hotel, Giselle gave the front desk person her card and asked for the penthouse suite. The man said it was available and so, they got the suite for the night. The three took the elevator up and walked into the room. Adelene and René's eyes widened at the vastness and luxuriousness of the place.

"Giselle, mon amie. You did't have to pay for this."

"I don't care. It's really just a drop out of the bucket."

René stared at her. She shrugged.

"Louis and I did live simply in Paris, owning a simple little atelier in the seventh arrondissement. But we have enough to have been able to possibly live in Versailles."

The Noirs stared at her in shock. She smiled secretively and said, "Louis's a very good businessman."

"He better buy you nice things," Adelene said warningly.

Giselle laughed, "He does. And what he doesn't buy me, I buy it for myself."

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Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Louis and Gabriel were alone. The only ones left in the house. The two old vampires began to circle on another.

"That Giselle of yours seems scrumptious," Gabriel egged dastardly. "I wonder... how long until she becomes mine?"

"Over my dead body. I will never let you take Giselle."

"One, you're technically already dead. As am I. And two, that can be arranged."

"Piss off, Le Monde."

"The only reason you quit working for the French president was to keep an eye on me, wasn't it? You were afraid I'd go after Giselle. Well, she is a beauty."

"Go to hell," Louis snarled.

"Oh, I'm afraid you'll be the one to do that."

Then the two lunged at each other. Their fangs came out and they wrestled with each other. Every once in a while, one of them would nip the other. Never tiring, their battle raged on.

"I will kill you, Montpierre. And then your woman will be mine to make as my mate."

"Giselle belongs to me."

"Maybe... but not legally. You never officially made her your mate."

"Lies!" Louis roared.

"Are they though?" Gabriel sneered.

Then Gabriel got behind Louis. His fingers wrapped around the other vampire's neck. He began to squeeze.

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"Do you miss Paris, Giselle?" René asked.

"Yes, it's been my home. But Louis was adamant about New Orleans. And plus the headquarters for Le Monde Oil is here, so I understood."

"But why not just stay in Paris? Louis could've come here, we wouldn't have minded having you over."

"You don't understand, Adelene. This is a permanent change."

And plus, Giselle thought. Louis wants to keep an eye on me for some reason.

Adelene sighed. "Well, we'll miss you guys."

"When do you two go back?"

"Our flight's tomorrow afternoon," René said.

Giselle nodded. "I'm sorry this gala turned out like this."

"It's fine," Adelene said.

René added, "Just make sure that man of yours is good to you."

Giselle could only look away.

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Louis began to choke. Loosing consciousness, he used all of the strength he had left to bend over forward and send Gabriel over his head. It worked. The other vampire went flying forward and Louis took the opportunity to speed out of the room.

He nearly flew up to his bedroom. Inside, he went over to Giselle's vanity and under a false bottom in the drawer, was a wooden stake. Louis grabbed it and gripped it hard. Then he returned to the foyer, where Gabriel was waiting with a stake of his own.

This is war.