DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, or any of the characters
1492
"She is human," Klaus said with a humored smirk. "Her life means nothing."
"I beg you to consider this," Elijah replied pleadingly.
"You haven't allowed yourself to care about her, have you?" After a moment of hesitation, Klaus laughed bitterly in his younger brothers face. "Brother, love is a vampire's greatest weakness, and we are not weak. We do not love."
"We did once," He stated quietly, looking at Klaus with big, innocent eyes.
"Too many life times ago to matter," He said, giving his brother a sympathetic look before patting his shoulder gently. "The ritual will happen tomorrow night. Make sure Katerina is ready."
He sighed as his brother left the room. If love was a weakness, he was the weakest man alive. He loved his brother, with a passion. He would do anything for him. Anything. It was why he was throwing Miss Petrova under the train for him. It was so wrong. No, not helping his brother - even if it was to become an insane, murderous hybrid - being in love. Katerina cared none for him. None. But he knew, the moment he saw her, he would love her. The big, innocent brown eyes, swimming with a pained history, turning curious and friendly when her sweet voice uttered, "Hello" to him. Youth flowed through her veins, and she had no idea what she was to the man she became infatuated with.
He remembered speaking to her about Klaus. She idolized him, but felt used as well. Felt he truly did not care, that she was just a game to him. She hurt when he didn't return home by the morn, and Elijah tried to comfort her, but Klaus took her away after swooping in on their moment, and she didn't even try to hesitate, leaving Elijah alone with his thoughts.
Thinking, now, he remembered how adorable she had been before that conversation had taken place.
She giggled, jogging away from him and standing behind a tree, her green velvet dress flowing out behind her. Elijah chuckled as well, chasing her at a human speed. He was faster, but she was running and he was jogging. Occasionally, he would get dangerously close and tickle her sides, his smile broadening when she'd laugh and squeal and rush away faster. Finally, she stopped, turning back to look at him, smiling playfully. "You're supposed to catch me."
"But if I catch you, the game will be over," He replied, coming up near her and tickling her from behind. She squeaked, pulling her arms in to cover her ribs, doubling over and laughing when he didn't back away.
He smiled to himself, before sighing sadly. If he did what his brother wanted, the woman who was making him believe in love was going to die. Tomorrow.
He couldn't let that happen.
After discovering Katerina was not in her room, he sauntered outside, quite quickly, and ran into Trevor, riding in on his beautiful ebony horse. He dismounted, nodding respectfully to the original. "Lord Elijah."
"Trevor," He replied dryly. "Have you seen Katerina?"
"Yes, I have just returned from seeing her," Trevor stated. "She is at the river."
"May I borrow your mare?" He asked quickly.
"Of course, my Lord," he replied, handing Elijah the reigns. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, Trevor," He said, sliding his boot in the stirrup and sitting on the saddle. "I express my gratitude."
"You are welcome, my Lord." Trevor nodded, and Elijah tapped his heals into the mares joint, sending her off in a gallop. The horse didn't seem to want to run, grunting and nodding her head, agitated, but she did anyhow, getting Elijah to the clearing swiftly.
"Lord Elijah." Katerina beamed. "What are you doing out here?"
A small smile teased at his lips at her eagerness of seeing him, before his eyes became serious. "Katerina, there is something of which you need to be informed."
Her brows furrowed, her dark eyes curious. "What is it, my Lord?"
He dismounted, walking over to Katerina, deathly close. " 'Tis my brother. He plans your death on the following night."
Her eyes widened. "Pardon me?"
"You are part of a plan," He continued. "Klaus intends to use your blood for reasons you cannot begin to imagine, nor believe. I do not want any harm to fall upon you, so you must trust me."
"Trust you?" She said, her voice scared. "I don't understand, what is happening? What does he want with me?"
"Katerina-"
"No!" She boomed, still stubborn in spite of her fear. "I will not trust in you for a moment unless you tell me what I have done to deserve such a fate."
"You have done nothing," He told her. "It is not your fault, Katerina. Klaus only plays for her personal gain, he just wants to break a curse-"
"Curse?" She asked, confusion and terror clouding her beautiful eyes. "What curse? The only curses ever heard of are in horror stories."
"You are living in a horror story," He said sadly.
"What are you speaking of, Elijah?" She shouted, unhappy about how lost she was.
"Katerina, Klaus is not human. I am not human, nor is Trevor." He swallowed. "I am a vampire, Katerina."
Her eyes became huge. " 'Tis impossible."
"No, Katerina, it is not." He hated the disgust and disbelief that was in her eyes. "It is a very long story, and I do not have the time to tell you the reason, but you are the only thing that could break the curse set upon him by a witch centuries ago. You are the doppelganger of the witch herself, Charlotte Petrova, and are the only one who could break the curse."
"Charlotte Petrova?" She shook her head, eyes wide. "Witch? I am in a witch bloodline?"
"Yes," He said. "In a way. Charlotte relinquished her powers when she cursed Klaus, and he tried to kill her. He believes she is dead, but I believe she turned. And her child is how you came to be, Katerina."
"I come from a bloodline of the abandoned child of a witch who cursed the man who I believe to love, and he needs to kill me to save his own skin?" She asked. "Elijah, you have to understand my disbelief at all of this. 'Tis crazy!"
He ignored how his heart fell when she said she loved his brother. "I know how I must sound, Katerina, but you must understand." He slid his fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up toward his. "I will not let you perish for my brothers selfish needs."
"Why should I trust you?" She asked, venom dripping off her words, but she made no move to back away. "You're a monster."
He sighed heavily. "Because I love you, Katerina."
Her features softened, her face becoming blank with shock. "You...you what?"
Swallowing hard, he spoke again. "I love you, Katerina Petrova. Earlier, I told you I did not believe in love, but you have made me believe. You have made me realize the emotion is real! I beg you to understand, to believe me. Please, Katerina. Look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn't be so astounded had I told you before I released all this information on you."
She was gawking at him, wide eyed. "Elijah, I do care for you..deeply. But I..I don't know how to.."
He shook his head, eyes pleading, and leaned down, pressing his lips heatedly against hers. She gasped, but melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck as his lips moved against hers in the slowest, sweetest, most passionate kiss he had ever given in his life. He moaned softly, overwhelmed with the pleasure coursing through him, resting his hands on her waist. He felt her hands move to the nape of his neck and down to his shoulders, clinging to him as the kiss progressed. She pulled away before the kiss could deepen further, her lips moist and pink and her cheeks flushed. "My Lord.."
"I won't apologize," He said. "You needed me to do that."
She blinked. "I did.."
"Please," He said. "I beg for your trust. I shan't let anything happen to you."
"Elijah, I.." She bit her lip. "I'm frightened."
"I know." He kissed her forehead, and she leaned into him, letting him hold her. "Trust me."
"I do," She said, her head resting on his shoulder.
He sighed sadly, touching the back of her head softly, her dark curls twisting around his fingers. "Allow me to escort you home?"
"I'm afraid not," She said, not pulling away from him just yet. "I wish to stay here, breathe. Think."
"You are in danger, Katerina." Elijah rested his hand on her cheek as she looked up at him, stroking the soft skin gently with his thumb. "Please do not stay long."
"I shan't." Something flashed in her eyes, Elijah thought it looked like guilt, but it was gone as soon as it came.
"I shall leave the mare," He said. "Should be safer than walking home in the night."
She nodded. "Thank you."
She looked so defeated, so scared and small. Elijah wanted to take her home, kiss her and hold her until she felt okay again. Until she felt safe. He wanted her to feel safe, and loved, and he wanted her to trust that he would not let anything bad happen to her. No harm would fall upon her head as long as Elijah was alive. No matter if the last thing he did was try to save her, he would save her.
"Elijah?" Katerina said as he turned away.
"Yes, Katerina?" He asked.
She mustered her courage, and walked over to him briskly, leaning up on her toes and brushing her lips against his softly. It was a sweet, loving kiss, and Elijah melted into her, pulling her close. When she finally pulled back, she looked up at him with her big, innocent brown eyes. "I love you, too."
He couldn't help the smile that graced his lips, and he kissed her forehead again. "I shall see you soon, Katerina."
"Goodnight, Elijah," She said, somewhat sadly.
He kissed her nose then, not wanting to go, but knowing she needed her space after what she was just told. "Goodnight, Katerina."
~oOo~
Elijah was resting in the chair, listening to the soft crackle of the fireplace as he read, quite proud of himself. It was the morn, and as soon as Katerina came down from her quarters he would tell her the plan. The ritual would happen, and the witches would spare her life, she would just have to have a spell set upon her to appear dead for a few hours. He didn't like the fifty-fifty chance she would wake up again, but he saw no other choice. The witches were powerful, so they would be able to save her. He had just settled his mind when Klaus stormed into the room, anger flowing off him in waves as he screamed, "What have you done?"
"I do not understand." Elijah put down his novel, looking up at Klaus with confusion.
He gasped as his brother grasped his shirt, throwing him across the room. Groaning as his back hit the wall, he looked up at Klaus, slightly fearful. "Brother, what has happened?"
"Katerina is missing," He hissed, slamming the toe of his boot into Elijah's ribs. "What did you tell her?"
"I..I didn't.." Tears were stinging his eyes. Not from the pain of his brother's blows, but from the statement and the lack of a heart beating in the house, which he had not been listening for earlier. She's missing. She fled. She didn't trust him, at all, she just ran away. "I didn't mean any-"
"I knew it!" He leaned down, slamming his fist into Elijah's jaw, gaining a whimper as his hand shot to the dislocated joint. "Why would you do this to me? Why, brother? You threw away the only chance I had and for what! Love?"
He coughed, his jaw bone healed again, and looked up into his brothers infuriated eyes, his own still threatening to spill over. "I-"
Another blow came, to his left knee this time, and he cried out as he felt the bone snap. "Brother!"
"What?" He hissed, glaring down at Elijah, unhappy that he wouldn't just shut up and let him get his anger out.
"I - I will find her," He said, looking up at him again as his knee melded back into joint. "You have my word."
"And if you don't," He paused, an evil smirk on his lips, "you have my word, you will be dead."
Considering the woman he believed to love had lied to his face and fled without even giving him a chance, death had sounded pretty good right then. Not wanting his brother to think even less of him than he did already, he groaned and stood, turning off the emotions to hide the pain in his eyes. He would find Katerina Petrova, perhaps not for his brother, but he would find her. He had to.
So, this is a short little one-shot about Katherine (or Katerina, in this case) and Elijah. I got inspired when I saw the episode "Klaus", and how Elijah seemed to truly care for Katherine (deja vu, anyone?). Anyhow, I hope you liked it!
Reviews are love! =]
