I was supposed to upload this chapter earlier, but life kind of got in the way again. I'd hate to use ANs to vent, but basically, I've been really ill as you know, and now my boyfriend of several years has left me. So... life kind of sucks, and I didn't have inspiration or aspiration to do anything for several weeks. All I can say is: thank god for dark indie music – which most of the soundtrack for this story is made up of, so maybe that's kind of productive? XD I might link a Spotify playlist by the next update, by the way. Not sure yet.
So yeah, I hope you understand and still enjoy reading even though updates are scarce. I think I'll stick to fictional men from now on... :P
Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, only my own characters and plots.
''I am so glad that I was home sick when that happened. I can't even... like, I can't even imagine how awful that must've been.''
I grimaced. ''Yeah...''
I was walking down the road towards my house with Sarah after spending the morning walking around shops and hanging out. It was inevitable that the fire would come up. I was glad, too, that she didn't work that night. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.
''I just hope they've done the fire exists properly this time,'' she said, looking pale.
''Mhm,'' I agreed, not quite knowing what to say. I crossed my arms and rubbed them up and down. It was a little chilly outside.
After spending time enough walking to make even my legs tired, Sarah had asked to see my house, so I obliged. We figured we could have some tea and coffee. Tea for me, coffee for her. I almost got a foul taste in my mouth just thinking about coffee. Ugh...
''I can't believe I've never been to your place,'' Sarah changed the subject. She was good at that sort of thing. ''I mean, we've known each other for a while.''
''I haven't seen your place either,'' I pointed out, and she stuck her tongue out.
''You know, a person's room can tell a lot about her,'' she looked at me seriously. ''So I guess I can expect... books and a bed?''
''Basically,'' I laughed. It wasn't like I was ashamed of it. I thought about her for a moment. ''So your room would... be a surveillance hideout? To keep track of all the gossip?''
Sarah feigned being offended. ''Why, I never-'' Then she burst out laughing, because she knew just as well as I did; that was a pretty accurate guess.
She eyed the houses along the street. ''Which one is it?''
I pointed. ''I think my mum's here,'' I guessed at the parked car and light in the kitchen. Sometimes she forgot to turn it off, but otherwise it meant that she was home.
Digging the keys out of my bag and unlocking the door, I let Sarah step in first.
''I'm not sure that we have that much at home, but I think so,'' I continued. ''Otherwise, we could just go somewhere else-''
''Ev,'' Sarah interrupted my babbling. When I stepped in and looked at her, she nudged me in the side with her elbow. Her eyes were focused on something down the hall, and when I followed her gaze, it felt like my heart jumped right up my throat.
''Good afternoon.''
Up until now, I'd felt like I always had to stay vigilant whenever I left my house. My house had been my safe place. No vampires could enter.
So, seeing Elijah standing before me, where I never thought I'd see him, had me completely at a loss for words and actions.
Sarah nudged me several times. She probably thought I was shy or something, that my silence meant something else.
''Hi!'' Sarah greeted him, and I noticed the giggle in her voice. She was all going to be all over this.
''Ev?'' she nudged me again. ''Did you know he was going to be here?''
I stared at Elijah, frowning slightly. ''No.''
My mother appeared next to Elijah and smiled happily at me, taking a few steps to give me a hug.
''Evangeline, we have a guest for dinner tonight.''
I ignored her and kept my watchful eye on Elijah. ''What are you doing here?''
''Your mother was kind enough to let me in,'' he explained.
Of course. How could I be so stupid? Being on vervain only prevented compulsion, but if my mum was somehow convinced to let him in anyway... Why didn't I think of that? Stupid, stupid, stupid...
''You've already met?'' mum looked between the two of us, surprised.
''Yes, we met a while ago,'' Elijah answered with a plastered on smile. At least, it seemed like one. Like always, he was terribly difficult to read.
''Oh... oh!'' Something dawned in her eyes. She leaned in and whispered to me: ''Is he the guy? He's a bit old, isn't he?''
If she only knew... I noticed Elijah's mouth twitching. No doubt he'd heard what she said.
''Janine offered me to stay for dinner. I hope you don't mind?''
Sure, she offered. The way I was glaring at him, he probably knew exactly what I was thinking.
''Oh, no, she doesn't mind,'' my mother paid my facial expression no attention. ''Do you, honey?''
''Mum, no-''
''Maybe we'll take a rain check on that coffee, huh, Ev?'' Sarah winked at me. She probably thought she was doing me a favour.
''Elijah is more than welcome, Evangeline,'' my mother insisted. Something seemed off, because her eyes were almost empty as she said it. Like she was compelled. But how would he have done that?
I had to stay home, now. And I'd really rather keep the people involved to a minimum, so I leaned in towards Sarah. ''Is that okay?'' I mumbled, to check. Any other situation, I would have offered her to stay.
''As long as you text me,'' she grinned mischievously. ''See you at work?''
''So, Elijah, you didn't tell me what you were in town for? Or you did, and I forgot...'' my mother frowned.
''I'm here doing some research,'' he said and took a sip from the wine glass in front of him.
''Research?''
''Yes, Jenna Sommers was kind enough to let me take a look at some of the historical society's documents.''
Elijah smiled at me when he saw me still looking at him.
I'd felt so strange when I found out that he'd been staked. Now, I didn't know what to feel. Like he'd violated my safe space, for sure.
''Do you plan to stay around?'' my mother suddenly got that defensive look on her face. She could be quite stern, not only at work, but at home as well. ''If you're only here for work? Of course, people can keep in touch easier nowadays; when I was little you had to call from home and schedule beforehand and then hope that your friends showed up, because otherwise you wouldn't have known what had happened to them-''
''Mum,'' I cut her off. I didn't think that was the compelled Janine speaking, if she was compelled, and I really didn't want her to go down that road. Not with him in the room.
''I understand that Evangeline works at a restaurant?'' Elijah directed the question to my mother. He seemed to enjoy this... this charade. Why did he have to bring her into this?
''Mostly,'' my mother nodded. ''But she substitutes at the high school from time to time, as well.''
''Mum!'' I didn't know if he already knew that, but maybe he didn't.
''What?'' she eyed me strangely. Her grey eyes had that empty look about them again. Like she was somewhere else. He had to have gotten to her.
I frowned at my mother, and then looked at Elijah. ''Would you kindly leave?''
''Evangeline, don't be rude,'' my mother accused. ''We've barely gotten to dessert!''
''I think Elijah might have other things to attend to.'' I had no idea if he would listen to me. Him being inside my house was violating enough, so why would he? He'd already proven that he didn't have any respect for those boundaries.
''No, I'm afraid that she is right,'' Elijah kept his eyes locked on mine. I couldn't read him at all, and it frustrated me. He only looked away to offer a smile to my mother. ''Tonight has been wonderful Janine. Thank you for a lovely dinner.''
I followed suit when my mother accompanied him to the door. When the door closed behind him, I stood there feeling completely helpless, because I knew that the closed door wasn't something to be considered safe anymore.
And my mother, apparently, thought he was the nicest man to ever cross the state line into Virginia. She was probably planning our wedding in her head already. But there was no blame to be put on her. I might have felt the same way, not knowing what I did.
I stayed downstairs for a while, keeping an eye on mum, and checking the windows from time to time. But he seemed to have left.
It took a while for me to feel okay with going upstairs. Mum sat in the living room watching TV, and I left the door to my room open so I could hear her constant commentaries on whatever was going on.
Sinking down on the edge of my bed, I tried to calm my heart that hadn't stopped racing yet. It didn't go too well.
''Your mother is quite the cook,'' a mellow voice rang from the door, and I jumped, barely holding back a yelp.
Turning around, I found Elijah leaning casually against my doorframe. I swallowed and clenched my eyes shut for a split second hoping that when I opened them he would be gone. However, I had no such luck.
''You didn't think to ring the bell?''
He raised an eyebrow at me. ''I apologise.''
''You compelled my mother, didn't you?'' I accused, hoping for an answer to my mother's suspicious behaviour. ''How? I-''
''Put vervain in a necklace?'' he cut me off. ''She wasn't wearing it.''
''You know, if you'd just been polite and asked me I might have let you in,'' I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
''Come now, we both know that isn't true.''
I opened my mouth only to close it again. I didn't know where all the anger came from. I should be more scared than I was, but for some reason, all I could feel was frustration over him so effortlessly getting access to my house. How he'd used my mum. It was like I'd completely forgotten how dangerous he was.
''So this is your room? How quaint.'' He walked along the wall with my bookshelves and studied them.
''You have a diverse taste,'' he noted and glanced at me. ''Do you read much?''
I frowned. What was this small talk about?
Elijah picked a book from the shelf and took a closer look at it. I don't know what came over me, but I walked up to him and snatched it out of his hands.
''All right, that's enough,'' I said and put it back on the shelf. ''What do you want, Elijah?''
''You're not going to ask me what I spoke to Elena about?''
''I was going to ask her,'' I replied coldly. We'd just not had a moment to talk about it yet.
''What are you?'' The way his dark eyes bore into mine indicated that he was trying to compel me.
''I am on vervain,'' I clarified.
''I would hate to have to use your mother as leverage. I make it my business to know every player on the board,'' he said in a low voice.
I visibly paled. ''You wouldn't. Please.''
''What are you?'' he repeated his question. ''You might be on vervain, but you are also supernatural and therefore, shouldn't need it. What are you?''
''What about that deal you were so keen on?''
''The offer has not passed,'' Elijah picked up a pen from my desk and spun it absentmindedly between his fingers. ''But I find myself... lacking precious time.''
''Klaus?'' I tried. The past couple of weeks, I'd really tried my hardest to keep up with everything, all of the links and connections that seemed to cover this town like a thick cobweb.
Elijah seemed hesitant, but nodded.
''This isn't really the best way to get me to tell you something, you know,'' I informed him. ''It doesn't exactly ooze hey-you-can-trust-me.''
He actually looked like he was struggling to figure out the words to say. But maybe that was just my intuition playing tricks on me.
''Did you compel my mother to answer your questions, too?'' I felt a little sick.
''I didn't ask her about your... peculiarity, did I?''
''But you did,'' I persisted. My mum had been a little to keen on answering, I'd felt it. When Elijah didn't answer with anything but silence, I'd gotten my answer. A chill ran down my spine. How easy it would've been for him to just demand an answer from my mother. So...
''Why didn't you?''
''What is the best way, then?'' Elijah asked, and I frowned.
''Huh?''
''The best way,'' he repeated slowly. ''To get you to tell me something.''
I was a little taken aback by his answer. By a snap of the fingers he could've learned everything he wanted from my mother. This made no sense.
''How about about changed terms?'' I suggested.
''What do you propose?''
''I...'' I began, trying to come up with something I hadn't really thought this through. ''For one, don't enter my house without my permission.''
''For one? You really don't know how to negotiate,'' he remarked. ''Besides, you're not going to take the deal anyway, are you?'' he said, seeming convinced. ''It's just stalling.''
''Maybe not,'' I agreed. ''But maybe I will.''
''And what would you have me do? Beg at your feet?'' Elijah scoffed.
''No,'' I frowned.
''What is it, then? Trust?''
''No offence...'' I began, hoping he wouldn't jump at me. ''But I'm not sure I could trust you. Especially since you basically let yourself in here. And threatened to hurt my mother.''
''I understand.'' He looked at me; expecting an answer, probably.
''Just... let the offer remain, and I promise I will think about it.''
''And what makes you believe that I can have faith in that?''
''When I make a promise to someone, I intend to keep it. Otherwise, what's the point?''
He studied me intently. ''You will honour your word?''
I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut with a sigh. ''Yes, I will. A promise is a promise.''
''That doesn't mean anything to me until you live up to it.'' His voice was stern, but his eyes curious.
''I-'' I stopped. It felt as if I'd have to reveal something to him, as a token of some sort.
''And...'' I breathed. ''Okay. I'll give you this.'' I gulped, not sure if this was a good idea or not. ''I know what I can do, but I don't know what I am.'' That was cryptic enough, wasn't it?
Elijah walked up to me and put his fingers under my chin to lift my gaze to his. I froze, terrified of what he might do if he didn't believe me. I expected his skin to be cold, but it wasn't. And his touch wasn't rough or persistent, but gentle. His eyes searched mine and I didn't know how to read him. I kept my hands away from him though, so I didn't accidentally channel what I was feeling.
''You really don't know, do you?'' he murmured.
I shook my head and took a step back, away from him, suddenly feeling even more anxious.
''I told you. And I've also told you I'm a terrible liar. Now, if you wouldn't mind, could you please leave?''
He was still looking at me. ''As you wish. And I...'' he paused. ''I won't enter your home without your consent.''
''Do I have your word on that?'' I asked.
''Yes.''
I swallowed. ''Well...'' I looked at him, trying to look strong and bold, hoping my nervousness wasn't too visible. But who was I kidding, I knew he could hear my erratic heartbeat. ''That doesn't mean anything to me until you live up to it.''
For the first time, Elijah showed somewhat sincerity in what he was thinking. The corners of his mouth turned upwards in a smirk. Not an evil smirk, but an amused one.
''Goodnight, Evangeline.''
And, in a blink, he was gone.
I'm excited to get into some more EvangelineXElijah action. I'm glad you agree that a slow development is good, because I really didn't want to rush it, it wouldn't really feel natural. But as you've seen, they are slowly warming up to each other from here on...
Oh, and a guest reviewer pointed out something that I do agree with. Although I'd not say Evangeline is pining, she is kind of passive. But that is part of the development, in my opinion. We've reached the point now when she's getting more in touch with her powers and such, so a lot has been build up to this point. She will be more independently involved further down the road.
Thank you for all the lovely reviews, they are very much appreciated. You guys are the best!
