4. Private Party

Hayley leaned against the doorframe, watching Elijah deftly knot his bowtie. He was pretty adept at it too. He was dressed in formal wear; a black suit and a crisp white shirt. She quietly admired just how good he looked. The garment was tailored to perfection. Perfection.

"It is not polite to stare."

"Just jealous is all. You all get to go out, play dress up, dance, drink champagne and I get to stay here. Fun." She rolled her eyes to compliment her intended sarcasm.

She walked into his bedroom. While she had been in there before, the occupant had then been conspicuously absent. Beside the door was a large wooden chest, intricately carved and very old. The lid was open and she saw a violin in its case. Strangely, she could imagine him playing the instrument with the same skill he applied to everything else he did.

"Another ball ha? For some damned reason, all the towns I happen to land in these days are hosting black-tie events."

"It is a charity gala. And with Niklaus out of town, it is up to me to keep an eye on Marcel."

"Tough gig I imagine." She wrinkled her nose in his direction and he chuckled. "Klaus went to see Caroline." He looked surprised that she knew. "I hear things."

He observed her keenly and she felt like she was under a microscope. "Jealous?"

"Are you kidding me? More like relieved he is out of here for a few days." Elijah went back to his tie, his expression unreadable. "Rebekah sent me in here to tell you she is almost ready." Hayley sat gingerly on the edge of his bed, just watching him. Beside her, his jacket lay. "What is it with you and a suit?" She touched the fabric gently. "Woah. This must have cost a frikken fortune."

"There is no price on quality," he said with a smile and came to stand in front of her. After a moment, he said, "A suit was part of a man's armour. I learned many centuries ago that forearmed was forewarned."

"Even if that psychological edge comes with a thousand dollar price tag?" She was sceptical.

"Especially when."

"Well, your tailor definitely knows what he's doing." She could have kicked herself. "I mean, you always look good." Oh shut up. "I just mean that the price tag is… worth it." She felt her face go hot. He was smiling as if he knew exactly what she meant. Smooth Hayley. Way smooth.

"Thank you, Hayley." His eyes had a twinkle. He was enjoying her awkwardness.

She had to admit though; she didn't know anyone who looked as good in a white shirt. Damn. He looked particularly good in a white shirt. And it all just enhanced the fact that he was an exceptionally powerful vampire.

Elijah reached for his jacket and she stood.

"I'll leave you to it. Have a good evening."

He shrugged into the jacket. "What are your plans?"

"The same thing I do every night." She sighed dramatically. "Read, watch TV, spend some of your brothers money on ebay."

He smiled and her insides quaked a little. He really is ridiculously handsome. And right now, his bowtie was skew.

"Your bowtie… its-" she gestured with her hands; he fidgeted and only made it worse. Hayley laughed. "Here, I can help."

She righted the black knotted fabric, and then smoothed the lapels of his jacket. It didn't escape her notice that he was solid beneath all that material. Solid. She concentrated to keep her heart rate constant. It was a battle.

"Thank you." His eyes were so warm, so earnest – smiling almost - that she felt like his whispered 'thank you' meant way more. I am losing my mind. Hayley never felt more clumsy. He was dressed impeccably and she was barefoot and slightly dishevelled in shorts and a t-shirt.

She gave him a small smile and he cocked his head to the side, listening. "Rebekah is ready."

"Then I won't keep you. Goodnight."

He thought for a moment. "Wait for me. If you can. We shouldn't be too late."

Hayley's forehead creased, showing her confusion. "Wait for you? What-"

He touched her shoulder briefly on his way to the door. "If you can," he called.

When the clock struck midnight, Hayley raised her head from the pages of a book and stretched. It was late and she was tired. She had to clamp down on her disappointment. It was time to go to bed. She was on the forth stair when the front door opened.

"You're up late," Rebekah said, already shrugging out of her cloak as she breezed past her in billowing satin, not waiting for a response.

Hayley looked from where Rebekah had disappeared to, to where Elijah still stood in the foyer. He was bathed in a circle of light. A dark angel.

"She must be exhausted," Hayley said, gesturing over her shoulder in the general direction.

"You look tired too." Elijah closed the door.

I'm not anymore. "Not particularly."

He chuckled. "You're curious."

Hayley laughed in acknowledgement. "That obvious ha?"

"Only to me." She didn't know what to say to that, so she took the few steps down and stepped into the foyer.

"Wait for me in the lounge? I'll be a moment."

"What are you up to?" She couldn't hide the excitement that gripped her.

He winked. "Mischief." And then he too was gone.

Hayley sat in a wingback chair, but her nerves got the better of her so she stood instead. This is how Elijah found her, perched on the arm of the chair, chewing her lip.

He was so quiet she didn't realise he was back. Not in fact, until he moved in front of her.

"God!" Her hand flew to her chest.

He laughed loudly and the sound startled her as much as the scare. He rarely laughed out loud. It was nice.

"Apologies. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, I live in a house with vampires." Her heartbeat returned to normal. "I need to get used to the stealth." She didn't admit that she was also preoccupied with thinking about him.

Elijah set a bottle of champagne and two crystal flutes down on a table. The flutes were beautiful, tall glasses, slim in its design. There were crisscrossing lines cut into the glass, racing from the stem to the lip. The overall effect looked like flames.

"Unfortunately, you cannot go out, but I can provide you with a drink - of the non-alcoholic variety. And…" he stepped close and placed a huge white orchid behind her ear.

"I'm a mess," she said in self-conscious embarrassment. Her hair was wavy and loose.

He tucked the flower securely. "Beautiful."

Hayley was speechless; stunned into an enchanted silence. She focused on the dent in his chin, trying to say something twice, but her throat just constricted and the words would not come.

"You're welcome," was all he said.

"How... Why are you doing this?" She felt weepy and looked away from him, blinking rapidly, only looking back when she was sure she had her emotions under control.

"I know it's hard to be in this house - alone most of the time," he said wryly. "It's not quite a ball, but a private party is better than nothing."

Hayley forgot herself. And she didn't care. She hurled herself into his arms and hugged him. Hard. A heartbeat and then his arms came around her too. She felt his head dip into the space between her neck and shoulder and she hugged harder.

You are wonderful, she thought. Out loud she said, "Thank you."

Elijah didn't say anything, just slowly reached for her right hand, his other hand dropping to the curve of her waist. And then he started to move.

"And I think you mentioned dancing."

Hayley lifted her head and gifted him with a blinding smile. "There isn't any music."

He looked deep into her eyes and she foolishly imagined he let her see into his soul.

"Do we need it?" Slowly, he turned her in a full circle before taking her back into his arms.

"I guess not," she smiled back, breathless. With an orchid in her hair, in shorts, a t-shirt and barefoot, she had never felt more beautiful.

Hayley tucked her head to his chest and pulled their linked hands to rest against her breast.

She closed her eyes; the gentle sway of their bodies the most perfect thing ever. Elijah placed his own head close to hers.

They stayed like that, swaying gently for a long time.

a/n: Most of these drabbles are set to ideas that are very much centred in their mutual attraction, and less around the actual acting on it. For that reason, I accept that all these little stories may all have a similar feel to them – the push and then the tentative pull.

If you missed it, a reminder that chapters 2&3 were swopped around for ease of reading.

Thank you for the reviews x