Veronica
Summary: With Damon's birthday in the horizon, Stefan wants to surprise him. But when Elena finds an old diary of his that mentions a woman named Veronica, she will go to every measure to find her.
Chapter Twelve
Veronica stepped backwards and forwards, waiting to hear the sound of knocking at the door.
"What if he doesn't show up? What are you going to do then?" Damon said from behind her.
"He will. Is Stella upstairs?"
"Stefan's filling her in. Are you sure this will work?" he walked up to her and crossed his arms.
"If I'm alone when he comes in, he'll stay. But as soon as he sees you he'll try to run."
He looked down at her low cut shirt and tight shorts. "Did you really have to dress like that?" Damon wasn't comfortable with the idea of Elijah's eyes staring at her.
"It's all part of the game." She touched his arm gently and gave him a reassuring glance when she heard steps on the path outside the house. "He's here." She announced quietly.
Damon sighed and retreated upstairs. He watched Veronica walk to the door with a sad look in his eyes. He didn't have any faith in this strategy.
Elijah kept his back to the door. He knew that this was going to be an attempt to discourage him from seeing Veronica, or to neutralise him. Even though his instincts screamed at him telling him to stay away, he came and he wasn't going to go home empty handed.
"I didn't think you would show up here." Veronica's voice was like an angel singing the sweetest symphony.
Goosebumps rose on the surface of his skin as he closed his eyes and composed himself. He turned to face her and let his eyes skim over her body. He was surprised that she didn't stop him. That should have been the first sign for him to leave, but he didn't.
"Veronica, it was a surprise to hear from you. Even if it was just to talk." He smiled at her
She forced her lips to curl upwards at the corners and stepped back. "We need to talk. Come in." she kept walking backwards, back and back into the safety of the Salvatore house.
He stood in the doorway and thought for a moment. Veronica's eyes bore into his, compelling him almost. She beckoned for him to follow her; he couldn't afford to turn her down. He closed the door and rested his head on the cold window. "Give me strength."
He finally joined her in the living room. She stood by the roaring fire while pouring a glass of scotch. She glided over to him and handed him the glass. "You're going to need this."
He nodded and sipped it, taking in a gracious amount of the liquid. "Thank you."
She shrugged a little and sat on the arm chair in the corner of the room. "I'm surprised you didn't bring Klaus with you. For back up."
"He's out of town, and besides we haven't been the best of friends. Not since you informed me of your little scandal with him. But I can forgive you." He watched her cross one leg over the other and swallowed another gulp of scotch. "Where's Damon?" he said his name with a grimace. "I thought you two were joint at the hip."
"Well, the reason I brought you here is because I had a dream." She ran her finger in circles over the arm of the chair.
Elijah watched her hand loosened his tie. "And what was this dream about?"
"Us… Our wedding day." She looked up at him.
Elijah tried to look surprised. "Oh really?"
"And then I realised that you were playing mind games with me." She smirked a little. "So I decided to call in someone to help with that problem."
Elijah stared at Veronica with a confused expression on his face. At this moment he realised that he should've listened to his instincts instead of his heart. As he hung on to the sound of stiletto heels on the wooden floor, he couldn't help but grow weary.
Stella watched him with an amused look on her face. Never did she think that her presence would haunt him so much.
"Come on Elijah, look at me." Veronica laughed at him and walked over to join Stella and Damon. "Do you like my surprise?"
Elijah turned slowly and looked Stella in the eyes. He had never saw her so angry. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I didn't expect you to be terrorising Veronica again but here you are."
"You didn't come here to help her and her new toy. You came here for Klaus."
"I came here because I was asked to help you. You may be shocked to hear this, but I do care for you." She took a step towards him, but he stepped back again. "We can do this one of two ways. The easy way or the hard way," Stella looked over at Stefan. He stood at the doorway, holding a white oak stake, "your choice."
He looked at everyone in the room, scanning over them. They had threatening faces, all but Stella. He gave up and held his head up high. "Fine, I'll go with you."
Stella smiled at him softly and looked at Veronica. "I'll try and keep my promise."
Veronica nodded and wrapped her arm around Damon's. She listened to the whimper coming from Elijah. The sight of her with another did truly hurt him.
The house seemed empty with the absence of Stella and Elijah. Damon sat in front of the fire while Stefan and Veronica sat in awkward silence.
"Why did you bring Stella? How would she help you?" Stefan finally said after moments of thought.
"She has history with the family. Much more than I have." She looked at him. "If he trusts anyone, it'd be her; even if they don't always see eye to eye."
"What history could she have with them, apart from breaking up and getting back together with Klaus numerous times?" he raised an eyebrow. Damon turned around and looked at them both, waiting to hear the story.
"They go way back. Maybe five years after they became vampires. They met here, in Mystic Falls, but Stella wasn't an ordinary girl…"
Klaus stood in the middle of the woods, watching lit torches light up the peaceful night. He glanced over his shoulder at his brother Elijah as he walked from their settlement.
"Travellers?" Elijah stood beside him and crossed his arms.
"Italian settlers exiled by the Holy Roman Empire. Europe doesn't want them any longer." He explained.
"We do not want them either."
"Alas, they can be of some use." Klaus gave him a smirk. "Slaves."
When the moon came down, Klaus, Kol and Elijah snuck into the Italian campsite. Under the stars lay a girl with swooping locks of gold. She was isolated from the group. She was easy prey.
Kol stooped beside her as his brothers grabbed onto her body. She woke up, looking startled. He put his hand over her mouth. "Stay silent and we will not have to bring you harm. Am I understood?" she nodded and started to panic. "Good. Take her away brothers." He stood up and watched them lift her frame into the air. She squirmed and started screaming. Kol placed his hand over her mouth firmly. "We must leave now."
Elijah stayed with the blonde woman through the night. He kept her warm as she slept, letting her stay by the fire. Klaus walked into the tent and looked at her. "She is precious is she not?"
"What are you going to do with her?" Elijah stared up at him.
"Perhaps I will send her for firewood every night. Or I may wed her. Did you get her name?"
Elijah gazed at her. "No. She became faint and has stayed like this for a while."
Klaus nodded and retreated. "As soon as she awakens, bring her to me. I wish to speak to her."
In the morning, Elijah brought the woman to Klaus. She looked scared and felt nervous. Her heart raced and her blood rushed in her veins. Klaus watched her with hungry eyes. He didn't want her blood, he wanted to court her. He had thought about it during the night, she was everything he looked for. Elijah didn't want Klaus to touch her; he was the one who had bonded with her, who gave her a place to sleep.
Stella wondered through the site, full of live and joy. Kol and Klaus watched her from the distance with smirks upon their faces and glazed over eyes. Watching this vivacious young woman gave them some content. Elijah kept his eyes on them from the distance, sneering at their desperation. There was no way that a lady with her looks would go anywhere near those two. But they would put it to the test.
All three of the brothers stepped towards her. "Did you enjoy your rest?" Klaus asked softly.
She turned to him and looked at all of them at a time. "Uhm…"
"Where are my manners?" he smiled to his brothers and proceeded to speak in Italian. "How was your night?"
"I rested well, thank you." She stopped walking and swung round, looking all of them in the eye. "Why did you take me away from my family?"
The three brothers exchanged looks. "We want to give you an enhanced life full of opportunities." Kol replied with a smile.
"I don't understand. I was happy before." Her eyebrows became furrowed.
"Love," Klaus rested his hand on her shoulder and began to walk away with her, Elijah watched them with concern. He could see that he compel her. They watched a smile appear on her face followed by Klaus planting a kiss upon her cheek. Elijah's heart dropped, Kol was irritated. How dare he use her for his own will?
She joined them for dinner, sitting around the open fire as Klaus kept her attached to his side. She was his, no one else's. "What is her name?" Kol looked at Klaus.
"Stella. I am trying to help her learn our language."
Stella was fascinated with them, yes she didn't understand what they were saying but it sounded magnificent in her ears; especially their accents.
"Are you going to marry her?" Elijah couldn't take his eyes away from Stella. Human life was now so appealing now that his was taken away.
"I may, if she wills it."
"Why would she not will it?
"Dear brother, I think you may be envious." Klaus smirked and glowered at him.
"It is not fair that you whisked her away. Did you not ask her what she wished?" Kol chimed.
"Both brothers smitten by this woman. My my." He laughed loudly. "This is quite fascinating."
Stella gazed at Klaus. "I do not understand." She said slowly, trying to form good English.
"It is fine love. You do not need to worry." He stroked her face and stood up while holding her hand. Stella did as he did and stood beside him, clinging to his side almost.
"What are you doing?" Elijah watched them.
"We are going to our hut. I have decided that I want to make her one of us."
"What!?" Elijah stood up. "You cannot do this!" he waved his hands around "She is an innocent girl, give her the opportunity to decide her fate."
"And who decided our fate?" he looked down at Stella, placing his index finger under her chin. "Everything will be better when she does not have the burden of a weak, human life." And with that, Klaus whisked her away before any arguments could break out. Elijah was powerless. Klaus would do whatever he wanted to do.
The sun was a late rise the morning after Stella lost her humanity. Elijah watched her kill a human while Klaus was nowhere to be found. Stella spotted Elijah and ventured through the forest to meet him.
"Elijah I believe?"
"Yes, how are you feeling?" he looked down at her in concern.
"I feel, better. Stronger."
"How have you been handling the situation with Klaus?"
"I do like him, I just wish I had the choice myself." She smiled at him, her teeth white like pearls. "I would have liked to known you better, as you gave me somewhere to sleep."
"It was my pleasure. I tried to reason with Klaus, about your humanity. But he simply declined."
"I understand. I suppose that over time, my situation will improve. Klaus is taking me to England tomorrow. This will be our hello and goodbye." She smiled little and turned away from him.
"Klaus compelled you before he changed you, did he not?"
"Yes he did. But I want to stay with him. He wishes to take me around the world. He hopes that by the end of the year we will be wed."
Elijah nodded and looked at the floor. "If you wish to go, I cannot stop you. I offer you my help if you need it. I know how my brother can be at times, and if he hurts you I'll be here."
Stella looked over her shoulder at him and smiled graciously. "Thank you. I shall remember your offer."
"Before Elijah knew it, Stella was gone. I remember him telling me about the heartache he had for a while after that. But since then, they've remained friends." Veronica explained.
"Let me get this straight, Stella was his first love?" Stefan asked, leaning forward.
"Tatia was his first love, Stella was his second. Stella was loved by Elijah and Klaus. I was also told that Kol had a thing for her."
"So if Elijah loved her, why would he speak with her after she chose Klaus?"
"Because he trusts her with his life." Veronica looked up at him.
A:N Next chapter will be mainly Elijah/Stella stuff, hope you enjoyed.