IV.
Katherine scowled as she caught sight of Elijah standing next to her car with a bag, looking as impeccable as ever despite the early morning drizzle. Katherine, on the other hand, had slept fitfully after her odd dream in the tub, plagued all night by the fear that Elijah was going to invade her dreams again. And now here she was, heading off with him alone in the car. Well, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had her spooked.
He stood up straighter as she approached, his lip curling slightly in what appeared to be disapproval as he gave her a once-over, taking in her tight jeans and low-cut top.
"Good morning, Elijah," she said, lowering her voice to a purr as she pushed her breasts forward with slightly exaggerated wantonness. Elijah flushed slightly and his jaw clenched briefly, but when he raised his eyes to hers, his face was cold and devoid of emotion.
"Good morning, Katherine," he said. He reached over and grabbed her bag, his fingers brushing hers briefly, sending a shock through her as she remembered how they'd felt touching her fevered skin in her dream. She felt a sudden, coy urge to cover herself from his eyes. Instead, she released the bag into his grip and pressed the button on her key to unlock the trunk and got into the car. She waited until he got in the car and then started the ignition.
"We'll have to stop by a hospital and pick up some blood bags for the trip," she said, as the car puttered onto the road.
Elijah raised a brow. "Blood bags?" he asked. "I thought you prefer your meals to be... alive and kicking."
Katherine snorted. "Yeah, well, Lucy..." She shrugged.
"Lucy Bennett?"
Katherine nodded. "Remember what a do-gooder Bonnie Bennett was? Well, they got it from the same place." She paused briefly as she got onto the interstate and then continued. "Lucy and I had a… falling out a few years ago. So, when we made up, she set some boundaries. I don't kill anyone unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't ask her to do morally objectionable spells, yadda, yadda, yadda. Stuff like that."
"She's your friend," Elijah said. Katherine was slightly annoyed by the tone of his voice, like he expected her not to have any friends. "You care about her opinion."
Katherine frowned. "Well, now I wouldn't go that far," she said, shifting uncomfortably. "I just find it more..." She broke off. She really hadn't given it much thought about why she didn't drink directly from anyone she wasn't currently sleeping with anymore, other than, 'Lucy wouldn't approve.'
"Never mind," she said finally. "But if you prefer—"
"I find blood-drinking directly from humans to be..." He frowned slightly as he looked out the window of the car. "Distasteful."
Katherine sighed. "Somehow, I don't find that at all surprising," she said.
He turned back to her, his frown deepening. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Katherine squirmed a little under his glare. "Well, you always seem so... straight-laced."
"You mean prudish."
"That's not what I said," Katherine said, raising a finger off the steering wheel.
"You didn't have to."
"Not so much prudish, as having a stick up your ass."
Elijah narrowed his eyes. "I assure you, I am neither prudish, nor do I have a stick stuck up my ass."
"I'm sure it's a very nice stick," Katherine said placatingly. "Polished mahogany, maybe?"
Elijah stared at her for a long moment and then he snorted in amusement.
"I don't know where you would get the idea that I'm prudish," he said.
"Hmm," Katherine said. "Maybe because we spent all that time on your brother's estate 600 years ago and you never made a move."
"Of course not," Elijah said with a moue of disgust. "You were my brother's..." He paused and then added, "It would not have been proper."
Katherine felt a flash of anger, the intensity of it surprising her even though the events of which they were speaking lay so far in the past.
"It would have been improper if I'd actually been in a relationship with your brother," she said, an accusatory note slipping into her voice. "Except that you knew all along that Klaus was only using me and didn't return my affections."
Elijah gave her a murderous glare.
"Perhaps I would have pushed my suit," he hissed, "if I'd known you were also spreading your legs for Trevor and God knows who else."
Katherine's mouth fell open in shock and she stared at him in disbelief. She drew a deep breath to start reaming him for what he'd said, but his eyes suddenly widened as he stared through the windshield.
"Katerina, look out!" he said. She looked forward just in time to see that the person in front of her had come to a sudden stop. She slammed on the brakes, screeching to a halt barely inches from the bumper of the other car.
"Thanks," she muttered, putting the car in gear again as the car ahead of them started to move. "As for what you said—"
"I apologize," he said contritely. "I don't know why I always seem to lose all reason around you."
Katherine didn't know what to make of his confession. She let out a huff of air and leaned back in her seat, wishing she'd thought to pack a bottle of whiskey. She had a feeling this was going to be a long trip.
"I didn't," she said finally, once she'd gotten herself under control again. "Sleep with Trevor, that is. I just... seduced him with my charms. False promises. Klaus was the only one who—" She took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Never mind. It doesn't matter and you probably don't care anyway."
Elijah just shrugged and turned to look out the window.
"Maybe we should limit our discussions to the matter at hand," he said.
Katherine felt a dull ache in her chest that wouldn't disappear, no matter how she tried to push it away.
"Sure," she said, focusing on the road again.