This was written in October 2011 and I realized that I had never posted it here. So here it is.

The others in their little group hadn't arrived yet for the latest bring-Klaus-down pow-wow. This didn't concern Katherine in the slightest. In fact, the time spent waiting offered up an opportunity to play. Elena sat opposite her in the Salvatore library. Damon was, per usual, by her side. Her dull-as-dishwater doppelganger fidgeted lightly, clearly wanting to leave, but just as clearly determined to not be intimidated by Katherine's presence there. Her lip curled in amusement. Likely in direct response, Elena glanced over at Damon, a shared look passing between them. The girl moved closer to him, her thigh now touching his.

Katherine grinned, her eyes lighting up as she noted the movement. She tsked softly, but audibly enough to draw Elena's gaze back to her. Damon rolled his eyes and looked upwards, a sigh of exasperation escaping him. He simply would not play with her anymore. She pouted briefly, but the venomous look being sent to her by way of Elena restored her amusement. The girl just hadn't learned how to not engage yet.

"Elena, you and Damon have certainly grown," she paused and licked her lips deliberately, "close since Stefan's been off gallivanting with Klaus, leaving murder and mayhem in his wake."

Before Elena could respond, Katherine felt a light graze upon her arm; she stiffened slightly. Yes, Elijah was waiting with them as well, yet another who'd apparently fallen prey to Elena's plea for help. She rolled her eyes, but smoothed her expression before turning to her left and sending a glance his way. He looked calmly at her, his hands clasped in his lap. She held his gaze a moment longer; he raised a brow in question. Katherine narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips in suspicion before turning forward to face Elena and Damon once more. She put Elijah out of her mind, concentrating on the pair across from her.

Damon was scrolling through his phone, but Elena still glared at her with annoyance. Katherine's lips settled into a smirk. "You might want to ease up on that a bit before Stefan's brought back to the loving bosom of his inner circle. It might lead him to doubt your," she paused once more, practically purring now, "affections." Elena took a deep breath, and Katherine could already hear the angry words about to be unleashed, but before she had a chance to say a single one, Elijah calmly spoke.

"Katerina." His voice was soft, that slight hint of an accent flavoring her name, making it sound almost like an endearment.

The gleam of mischief dimmed in her eyes, her lids fluttering down to conceal any emotion. She waited a beat, testing him, but he remained silent. Letting out a sigh, she conceded to herself for the thousandth time that he would always outlast her. She pasted on a fake smile and swung to face him, her hair falling from her shoulders down her back in a move designed to draw the eye. A glimmer of satisfaction filled her as his eye did as trained.

His gaze slid up to meet hers, and for just a moment there was that hint of fire, a smoky warmth in his eyes, that she hadn't seen in five hundred years.

"My brother is charming."

"You do that, always, my lord, and I think that you aren't aware."

A smile curved his lips, his head tilting slightly to the side. "What is it that I do, Katerina?"

"Pay praise to your brother while denying your own charms."

"I have charms, do I?" And he grinned then.

Katerina turned, her skirts swirling, and then peered over her shoulder at him, a matching grin upon her face, eyes sparkling with that joie de vivre that entranced all who knew her. Elijah moved closer, his smile falling as an ardent expression took hold, his lips parting as if waiting for the moment to capture her own, his eyes darkening to nearly black. Katerina found herself breathless, and slowly as if in a trance, she turned to face him, her own lips parting. "My lord," she breathed, "you are aware."

Reaching out, he took her hand, bringing it to his mouth, as his fingers caressed hers gently. He placed a soft kiss upon the curve of one finger. "Yes." He paused, moving just the slightest, and placing a second kiss upon her next finger. "I." He continued softly, before moving onto the next finger. "Am." Elijah pressed one more kiss upon the back of her curved hand, his eyes raised to meet her own as he bent slightly at the waist. "Katerina."

"What are you thinking of, I wonder." His words brought Katherine back to the present, and she met Elijah's knowing gaze with a start. Oh, he knew. Her lips tightened, annoyance swelling within at him, but mostly at herself because she was on vervain. There was no compulsion at play; the memory was her own, no blame could be laid at his feet.

Katherine arose, forcing a fluidity to her movement. Looking down at Elijah, she manufactured a purr to her tone. "My thoughts are my own." She paused, adding a touch of the accent she'd adopted five hundred years ago in a daring hope for a strike. "My lord."

Barely, but he stiffened, a flash of fire sparking in those ages-old eyes. A genuine smile curved her lips. Throwing her shoulders back, she sauntered out of the room, her game with Elena completely forgotten for the moment.

Elijah's gaze followed her departure; he sat still staring at the empty space in the doorway for a moment. It was only when her presence could no longer be heard that he shook himself with a small start, his hair flipping just the slightest, before turning to face Elena and Damon.

"As I promised, Elena, I will do my part to ensure that Katerina bothers you as little as possible."

THE END

Just a heads-up, Since I finished "How To Make A Better Vampire," I'd like to keep my writing sharp and work on improving it, so I'm asking for prompts for the list of pairings (not only romantic) as seen here on my livejournal.