CHAP 4:

Elijah followed me into the en suite, which was just as big as the main bathroom. As I stood just inside the door I looked at the layout. The corner to my right was taken up by a very spacious shower. Spacious enough for two. I couldn't help but think resentfully. The corner to my left housed a sink, and the corner diagonal to the doorway had a massive spa. I hadn't ever seen one this big. Only on tv, or in movies. Everything was so luxurious. Especially the full length mirror that hung vertically next to the sink.

"Towels." He gestured with his arm, forming an outline of precise elegance. Like he was offering them his hand in dance. "You'll find an assortment of toiletries and accessories all for your disposal on the sink counter. And if you'll leave your clothes in the basket, I'll get some clean ones for you. Take as long as you want." He finished.

"Thanks." I said offhand, the window above the outer side of the huge spa bath had caught my attention. I hadn't noticed it when I glanced in earlier. No doubt designed to provide a view while bathing. I frowned. Why was I thanking him when he took me from my family and home? Gently I shook my head and cleared my throat awkwardly. Turning, I found Elijah had already left. I closed the door, unhappy that there was no lock on it. Then I went and stood in the spa, to look over the window in the far corner. It was embedded in the wall just like all the others, unable to be opened. Stepping out of the spa to rummage in the draws beneath the sink, I found a pair of sharp-tipped scissors. I doubted they'd cause any damage to the window fittings, but I'd give it a go. Back at the window, I tried pressing the scissors into the joins between the glass and the fittings. But no amount of prying was going to loosen the hold on the glass. I didn't know if any damage I could cause would be in the right spot to loosen the fittings. Startling when I heard the door open I turned and expected Elijah to come at me menacingly. Instead he strolled slowly across the tiled floor and placed a bundle of clothes on the side of the sink. Only then, did he direct his movement towards me. Eye's wide, expecting confrontation, I breathed through involuntary tremors as my chest rose and fell. Elijah smiled at me, knowingly and, cheekily. Conveying warmth in every part of his body. Unsure of what was about to occur, I swallowed hard and breathed deeply. I needed to get a grip. I needed to keep it together. Elijah stepped into the spa and leaned past me to pull the blind down over the window.

"I thought you might feel more comfortable with the blind down." He said considerately. I tried to find the words to speak, but anything that came to mind was sucked away by his close proximity. Withdrawing from the window, Elijah's shoulder brushed against me. I stiffened impossibly more and my back met the the wall tiles, shocking my skin at the cool contact.

"Thanks." I finally managed. He moved away, stepping out of the spa. But not before I saw the enjoyment in his eyes. Again I wondered why I was remembering my manners.

Once Elijah left I apprehensively watched the door. Would he come in while I showered? I stood watching the door for a good ten minutes before deciding to just get on with it. Replacing the scissors I undressed, discarding my clothes into the basket. Then looked at the toiletries. Elijah'd set out a range of body washes, soaps and creams. There was a toothbrush still in it's packaging and toothpaste. As well as a few combs, brushes, and hair accessories. I opened a couple of the body washes to smell them. They were both yummy. Deciding on one I grabbed the body glove and moved to the shower. Turning the taps on and stepping in I stood beneath the stream of tepid water, enjoying the feel as it cascaded over my skin. The heat was just what I needed and relaxed me a little. As I washed myself I felt more and more refreshed. When I washed my neck, I couldn't help but remember Elijah's light kisses and was glad to be able to wash that feeling away. Even if the memory was still strong in my mind. I heard a gentle knock and the door opened slightly.

"Get out!" I yelled.

"Don't worry. I'm not coming in. I'm just removing your clothes." Elijah said from the other side of the door before stretching his arm in to grab the basket with my clothes in. The door closed and I couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief. Good to know I have a degree of privacy then.

I soon found out that the clothes Elijah had left me were lacking. It was all underwear. The knickers were a sexy cut and similar to what I often wear. The problem was that I wasn't comfortable wearing them with no other clothes. Not with a stranger. The other item of clothing was a silk dress, which looked like the kind of nighties found in lingerie stores. It was very sexy. Gathered in all the right places to give my figure a great outline. The bustier top of the dress gave my breasts support, which I appreciated. And was finished off with thin straps over my shoulders. It came down to mid thigh, so it wasn't the shortest dress I'd ever worn. But the length combined with the type of dress it was, wasn't what I'd want Elijah to see me in. As I stood in front of the mirror I couldn't resist making a sexy pose. I had to admit, he had taste. While I felt and looked sexy. It was in a classy and understated way. But I wasn't going to wear this by itself. If what I was wearing was all the clothes I was to be given, I'd grab something from the walk-in-robe. I'd seen plenty of clothes in their earlier. I certainly wasn't going to mind that it was all menswear. Wrapping my towel around me, so that it overlapped the nighty and covered more of my legs. I peeked my head out the door.

"Elijah?" I called softly. The cold air that rushed in startled goosebumps across my skin.

"Yes?" He strolled into the bedroom.

"You didn't give me enough clothes."

"The items I gave you should be sufficient."

"All you gave me is underwear and a dress. A dress which would qualify as lingerie."

"That's right."

"What. So I'm to parade around in underwear for you?"

"You have such resilience about you Elena. And you're so sure of yourself. What you're wearing is to serve a dual purpose. It'll bring out your vulnerability. That way you'll be more receptive to me. They will also entice you to not keep your distance."

"Pervert."

"I won't deny that I anticipate you'll look incomparable. However your beauty is a constant quality you have the good fortunate to possess."

"Charming." I made a condescending face and closed the door, leaning against it. Incomparable huh? Well, I appreciated him not using 'hot' or 'sexy'. Guy's I know don't really know how to compliment a girl in any meaningful language. Most compliments are superficial, and more often than not came across as lust-driven. Which is fine. If you're in the mood.

"You aren't planning on staying in there are you?" Came his voice from the other side of the door.

"You know. I think I might." Came my answer.

"Come out Elena."

"No." The door pushed me forward as Elijah opened it and stood in the doorway.

"You won't be keeping the towel either I'm afraid."

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"Not kidding." He grabbed the towel from me then and I stood looking through him as he looked me over. "Hmm. They fit you perfectly." He paused, his eyes still on my body. But not in the way that other guys looked me over. He didn't look too hard, and didn't focus on the 'girls' at all. He wasn't even ogling. I oddly found myself not as bothered by it, aside from the unwanted attention.

Watching him, watching me. Our eyes met again. Elijah tilted his head to the side and regarded me. "How are you feeling? He asked softly.

"Excuse me?"

"How do you feel now that you're dressed?"

"Uh, clean? Naked. Because of your choice of clothes."

"It's not an unpleasant nakedness though." He suggested. I didn't know how he was doing it. If anyone else were asking me things like this, they'd come across vulgar. But it was like Elijah was immune to being brought down by perverse language. Everything he asked, was dignified. It was ridiculous.

"Anything remotely naked concerning you is unpleasant." His mouth curved ever so slightly.

"What I'm asking, is whether your sensuous appearance has any influence on you." He asked imploringly. I glared at him, but not before my eyes had widened in horror.

"If that was your goal. You failed." I spat. Does he want me to feel sexy? While I'm here, 'safe'. Is he going to force me to have sex with him? Regardless of what happened when he drank my blood, and I his. Nothing was ever going to happen. No way was I going to give my body over to him. I wondered if my defiance was futile. He was everything more than me. How could I possibly fight him off?

"Of course I did." He agreed patronisingly. Before gently shaking head head, his soft smile growing. "Nevertheless, you are successfully vulnerable. Come." He offered his hand but I ignored it. Elijah stepped into the en suite and gestured for me to leave at the direction of his arm. After a stand-off of my cold glaring eyes to his own deep sure orbs, I reluctantly walked out. The air was freezing cold.

"What did you do? It's freezing!" Wrapping my arms around myself.

"Merely setting the environment."

"The environment? R-ight." I sat on the bed and drew the covers up over me. When he says environment, is he referring to mood?

"Yes the environment. So that I can keep you close." What?

"Excuse me? We are close enough. And too close at that." I had a thought that I could also wear the short-shorts I came here in. They weren't much, but they were something. "Where are the clothes you brought me here in?"

"Disposed of."

"You-. They're my clothes! You had no right."

"Now Elena. The other thing I wish to outline, is that you are not to use the bed nor it's covers unless joined by myself. Nor are you permitted to wear any of the clothes in the walk in robe." There goes that plan. He grasped some of the covers I'd drawn up and tugged them from me. I grabbed some myself and tugged back.

"You can't be serious?" His face said he was serious. "But it's freezing in here, and you've given me practically nothing to wear!" Elijah tugged again and our tug-of-war ended as the covers slipped from my hands. "And I am not sharing a bed with you."

"However," he continued. Ignoring my bed comment. "If you keep close to me. Then I can provide you with a blanket. I'm only asking this so that you don't keep your distance. Apart from what I've discussed with you. You are welcome to," He paused, looking at me pointedly. "Make yourself at home." The invitation annoyed me, and he knew it did. But I was more interested in that blanket.

"Do I have to remain near you in order to keep the blanket?"

"Yes."

"I'd rather freeze." He cocked is head to the side, his eyes questioning as if instigating a challenge.

"Perhaps. But will you?" He took my arm and pulled me up off the bed. I shook him off and walked out, heading for the kitchen. I'd try and grab some clothes from the robe later. I wasn't going to roll over and just do what he says.

"If I'm lucky." I said as I left.

"Are you hungry?" Elijah asked from behind me. Apparently following me.

"No." Even though I was.

"Are you sure?"

"What am I? A child who has to be asked whether they need to use the toilet before going out? I said no. I mean no. Very much like when I objected to living with you. But it seems you have difficulty with the word no." He didn't say anything more. Reaching the lounge I grabbed the remote and sat awkwardly on the lounge. The nighty rode up a little and I wondered how I was going to do simple movements modestly. I turned on the tv and began flicking through channels trying to find something good.

I imagined I was sitting somewhere warm. Trying to ignore everything and focus only on the program I'd settled on. It was difficult. Because it wasn't that interesting. And the air is freezing! I could hear Elijah in the kitchen, clinking and rummaging around. Soon he started chopping and then a sizzling started up. Knife. I thought through all that I knew about vampires.

I couldn't rely on anything I knew really. Apart from what Elijah had told me. But perhaps there was some truth somewhere. Staking a vampire seemed the most realistic method of killing, or at least impairing one. Because most movies showed that vampires needed to be invited into houses. And practically all houses had wood somewhere in them. But I didn't think I'd find a piece of wood I could use in the house. Unless there's something amongst the storage. If all else fails, a knife will cause some damage. The smell of cooking meat met my nostrils and my hunger surged. I turned on the lounge to see Elijah standing by the stove frying something in a pan. He turned, apparently sensing my gaze. And I couldn't help the snicker of a giggle that left my mouth. Catching myself and biting down on my bottom lip, I managed to prevent any more laughter. Elijah. Who was such a polished individual, was wearing the ugliest excuse of an apron I'd ever seen. I couldn't be sure if it looked like rubbish because it was Elijah wearing it. Regardless, the contrast of him wearing something so daggy was completely out of place. I hadn't known him long. Obviously. But from the clothes he wore, to his mannerisms, it was obvious that he was a very cultured man. It was odd. I didn't think Elijah could pull off casual, even if he tried. It had nothing to do with his clothing. It was like it was a personal characteristic, just like he seemed naturally charismatic, and harboured his own ambience. I had to admit the fact that he was awfully aristocratic hadn't escaped my attention.

"Is there something humorous?"

"Uh. No, nothing." My face feeling hot. Great, I'm blushing. I wanted to turn back to the tv and continue ignoring him, but something secured my position and I didn't turn away.

"Then why, my love, did you have such trouble stifling your laughter?" He enquired flirtatiously. At least it seemed like he was flirting. There was no theatrical eyeing, or eyebrow waggling. It wasn't lude. It was classy and I couldn't help feeling the urge to flirt back. I don't flirt. I reminded myself. I did grant him with a smile. More so to keep the conversation light.

"It's the apron. Not by itself. Just you wearing it. I know it's a functional garment, but it looks extremely out of place on you." Elijah raised his eye brows.

"Are you saying that the designer of this apron would not approve of my wearing it?"

"No, they wouldn't approve." He looked at me a pointedly. "Because you make it look like an old rag."

"An old rag?"

"Yes."

"I don't know how much use it's had, but it's not terribly stained. Surely that counts for something?"

"It's nothing to do with the apron itself." I explained. "They're daggy at the best of times. But they serve a purpose. It's just that you look too overdressed for the apron to match you."

"I'm hardly overdressed." He looked down. It was true. He wore loose black pants which weren't quite as casual as track pants, and a fitted grey-blue t-shirt.

"Hence why I found the sight humorous. It really has nothing to do with your clothes. It's you." I said honestly. I was suddenly on a roll. "You're so cultured, and charismatic. You have this, ambience about you, that I doubt you could truly pull off being casual if you tried." Why was I discussing this with him? I stopped thinking, I stopped talking. It seemed the only way I could stop myself going on about my observations of him.

"Ah. I have to agree. Dressing casual isn't my strong suit." He turned back to the fry pan and I turned back to the tv. Why was I being civil? Why was I making observational remarks about his appearance? I wanted to keep my mouth shut and not speak to him at all. "Lunch. In your case breakfast, will be ready shortly."

"I told you I wasn't hungry."

"I know." Like earlier I could I feel him smiling. I turned to him again and sure enough, he was.

"Then why must you ignore me when I say no?" I asked angrily. By this time, and smelling what Elijah was cooking I was starving. But that wasn't the point.

"Because I know you were lying. And I don't want you starving yourself."

"Ha! Impossible." I smiled. I loved food. I could never see myself willingly starving myself. "How could you possibly know? Even people who know me don't know everything. And hunger is something sensed by the individual alone."

"Let's just say, I'm rather intuitive."

"Sure you are. Next you'll tell me it's some silly connection because we're-" I made quotation marks in the air with my fingers. "Soul mates." I scoffed.

"You'll remember that I said we were soul mates due to the lack of a better term. There's really no way to describe our connection simply. So I thought soul mates would be something quickly understood. Seeing as I'd just revealed my nature and other information. Using a human term seemed most appropriate."

"So we're not soul mates? There's nothing romantic about us?" I asked hopefully.

"You can't ask that and be hopeful that it's true Elena. You know how you feel about me."

"I know how you think I feel about you." I glared.

"Same difference. We are most certainly a romanticised pairing. But the connection is not our souls, per se. We are blood bound. You already know how each of our blood affects the other-"

"Let's not revisit that." I butted in. He smiled coyly.

"Why not?"

"Because." I paused. Trying to find the words to convey my displeasure at the intimacy Elijah and I had shared. Distractingly, all I could think of was how I'd felt with him and the attention he'd given my neck. My lips. I was sure I'd slip up and blurt out how he'd affected me. "I, would like to eat. And I won't be inclined to if I have to endure the memory of-"

"How open you felt towards me? Not locked up inside your armour."

"Must you share your dillusions?" I asked aggravated.

"Regardless. It is our blood that binds us. Many humans may simply interpret their similar bonds as soul mates. However, when you bring vampirism into things. It becomes much deeper. Which is why you're so conflicted by it. I know and understand why you withdrew yourself from many of the friendships you had. Why you're adverse to starting any new ones, and why the only people you've let close are Jeremy and Jenna. It is because they are family, and while the pain of them not recognising you as what you are hurts. You can't bear to exclude them from your heart as well." I turned away from him and tried to concentrate on the tv again. How? How did he know all these things? I hadn't told any body. And I didn't want people to know me so deeply, because if they did there was some connection and I couldn't let any develop. I didn't want to go through the pain of losing any more contact I had with anyone I loved again. So I no longer let anything develop. I didn't even love Elijah and somehow he'd wormed his way in enough to know what went on in my head, in my heart.

"How?" I began softly. Admitting that he knew a lot about me. "How can you know all this about me, when I haven't told you, nor anyone else anything? If it's this connection, then how come it's one-sided? I'm not put out that I don't know anything about you. I don't want to know. But shouldn't I have intuitive knowledge about you?" He didn't rub it in or gloat, that I was admitting there was some connection between us. He was perfectly nice.

"You are so secure in your emotions and so selective with whom you care about, that unless you allow yourself to open up, you can't possibly sense these things. Additionally I've observed you for a while. So even though we've had no personal meetings until now. Your interactions with those around you, has shown me a lot about you. You, are only just getting to now me now."

"Well than I will continue to not sense these things then." I said resolutely. More so to chastise myself that opening up to Elijah wasn't an option.

"Come over to the bench. Lunch is ready." Reluctantly, and yet eagerly I stood from the lounge. Pulling at the hem of the nighty in the process, ensuring it continued to cover me.