V.
After about 8 hours of driving with a minimum of conversation, they stopped at a motel on the outskirts of Minneapolis. Katherine went in search of a hospital to obtain blood bags. She felt vaguely guilty when she noticed how few preserves the hospital had, but, hey, she had a right to survive, too, right? Pushing away the feeling of discomfort, she loaded the cooler in the trunk and drove back to the motel.
Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she grabbed a few bags out of the cooler and slipped them into her purse before heading over to Elijah's room. She knocked and leaned against the door frame as she waited for him to answer, her eyes downcast. The first thing she saw when the door opened was two bare feet in a pair of jeans.
"Sorry," she said, pushing herself away from the door frame as she realized her mistake. She started to raise her eyes. "Wrong roo—Elijah?"
In addition to the jeans and bare feet, Elijah was wearing a t-shirt, his hair still damp from a shower. Katherine swallowed hard as she stared at him. He looked good. When had that happened?
Elijah seemed oblivious to her confusion. "What is it, Katerina?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no," Katherine said, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs. "I mean," she pointed back towards her car with her thumb, "I brought you some blood."
"Oh!" Elijah seemed surprised. "I, uh, thank you, but I've already eaten."
Katherine frowned at him slightly. "Um, okay," she said. "More for me then, I guess."
"Yes," Elijah said, reaching up to grip the door. His t-shirt rode up, affording Katherine a glimpse of his flat, muscular stomach and the trail of hair leading from his navel down to his waistband. Katherine went warm all over and she felt uncharacteristically light-headed, and cleared her throat, forcing her eyes away. She looked up to find him watching her, a guarded expression on his face.
"Good night, Katherine," he said softly.
"Good night," she said.
Lost in thought, she went to her room, tearing open one of the bags as she started to undress. Within just those few moments at Elijah's door, it was as if her entire world had shifted. How had she not consciously noticed how hot Elijah was until now? Sure, he'd always been attractive, but she'd never really thought of him in that way, not even considered seducing him for help in escaping Klaus. Not that it would have done much good anyhow. He'd just been interested in fulfilling his brother's plan. Despite the pleasant times they'd spent together, she was certain that he hadn't felt more than a superficial interest in her company, but not enough to regret having to kill her.
When she was done, she brushed her teeth and climbed into bed. She was exhausted after the long drive, but sleep wasn't coming easily. All she could think of was Elijah, and it was driving her mad. He'd made it abundantly clear how he felt about her and she wasn't sure why she found it so upsetting. It had been years, however, since anyone had treated her as he had in the past few years, with so much hatred and animosity. She'd been among friends for so many years, she'd forgotten what it was like to be the one everyone hated and despised. It was like she was that person again, and she realized she didn't like it. She didn't want him to see her like that, but she wasn't sure how to change it. In the small hours of the morning, she finally drifted into a fitful sleep
She's running through the gardens, laughing, and she can hear him right behind her, his chuckle resonating deep inside her. She turns and sees that he's about ten paces behind her, thus overlooking the tree root in her path. She shrieks and falls, but before she hits the ground, he's there, his strong arms around her.
"Katerina," he breathes. "Are you all right?"
She clings to him, panting as she stares up at him in shock. His dark eyes are kind and concerned and she feels like she could get lost in them. How had he managed to catch her? He'd been too far away before she fell, hadn't he?
"I am fine, Lord Elijah," she says and then wishes she hadn't as he rises and starts to pull her to her feet. She thinks quickly of a way to keep him close so that she may feel his arms around her longer.
"Ow!" she cries as he tries to set her on her feet again.
"Katerina!" She smirks but hides it quickly as he lifts her into his arms. Hiding her face in his shoulder, she inhales his scent and nestles closer. She has not felt this close, not in a long time, not even with Lord Niklaus, whom she loves above all else.
He carries her to a bench and sets her down before sitting beside her.
"May I?" he asks gesturing towards her leg. "I would like to see if it is injured."
She swallows hard. She is touched that he treats her so kindly, with respect and consideration. No lover has ever treated her in this manner, but Lord Elijah, who is so far above her, treats her as if she were as great a lady as any at court.
"I thank you, sir," she says demurely. She hesitates and then places her foot on his knee. She watches him carefully from under her long lashes as he takes her foot in his hands. He just holds it for a second and then he removes her shoe, setting it beside him on the bench with careful precision, too careful as if to conceal nervousness. Then his long fingers are on her appendage again, gently probing her foot and ankle as he looks for injury.
Finally, he stops and takes a deep breath, like he is fighting with himself, and then he seems to come to a decision. He raises his eyes to hers, looking at her evenly.
"I find nothing," he says. "I do not think it is seriously injured. But I can make the pain go away. If you wish."
Her eyes widen as she gazes at him. "Of course I wish it," she says. "Lord Niklaus's ball is tonight. I would not miss it for the world, milord."
Lord Elijah's face seems to grow cold and for a moment she fears that she has insulted him somehow. She has barely blinked her eyes, however, and his customary smile is already back in place.
"Of course not," he says. "You are, after all, to be the belle of the ball."
She smiles at him and wiggles her foot. He jumps in surprise and she goes still as she notices the hardness against her sole.
"Pardon me, milord," she says, looking down in embarrassment as she tries to pull her foot away. He grabs it quickly and tugs on it, his hand sliding up her calf to her knee.
"It is I who must be pardoned, Katerina," he murmurs. His face is close to hers now, his eyes boring intently into hers. "Do not be afraid, Katerina."
She feels an odd calm come over her.
"Of course not, milord," she says.
His face changes then—just like Lord Niklaus! she thinks—she knows—but she can't run, just sit there demurely as his teeth grow long and he bites into his wrist and then offers it to her.
"Drink," he whispers, and she grimaces, she doesn't want to, but her body seems to have a will of its own. She delicately licks his wrist, gasping in surprise at the taste, sharp and tangy and sweet all at once, and then she pulls it closer, swallowing his blood in great gulps. She's just barely aware of him pulling her onto his lap, his mouth and lips against her temple. He moves and she moves, and a feeling like nothing she's ever felt before consumes her. He breathes her name, softly, like a benediction, and then she comes apart and everything fades away.
Katherine awoke with a strangled cry, her heart pounding. A few seconds later, she heard a knocking on the wall from Elijah's room.
"I'm fine," she said, not bothering to raise her voice. He'd be listening for the slightest sound out of place anyway. "It was just a dream."
After a few moments, he moved away from the wall and she forced herself to relax. She had a feeling she was done with sleep for the rest of the night.