Chapter Seven

Hayley

The original vampire is looking up at me warily. Maybe it's because I haven't stopped pacing around my room and ranting since we returned from the bar. Elijah, still a little disoriented from the vervain, has been sitting on the edge of my mattress for an hour, patiently waiting for me to vent all of my anger. It's impossible to dismiss the concern written all over his handsome face, but I can't swallow my rage. I'm pissed.

"Let's face it, Elijah. We're a couple of chumps," I say matter-of-factly.

Elijah can't hide his amusement as he repeats, "Chumps?"

"Yes. The first night Katherine sent a wolf after me, I ended up with a busted head." I point to the bandaged area of my face for emphasis. "And then an almighty original vampire—that's you," I gesture in his direction, "manage to get stabbed with a vervain-laced knife."

Elijah looks stricken and I immediately regret my harsh words. No matter how furious I am at our situation, I know it's not Elijah's fault. I'm about to amend my last comment, when he lifts himself off the mattress and stalks over to me so we're toe-to-toe.

"Hayley," his voice is a rough whisper, "I'm to blame. I was a fool. I underestimated Katherine. But I promise, next time I'll be stronger. Next time, we won't be defeated."

"How can you be so sure?" I ask.

"Because even though I failed you, today you were a revelation."

I try to fight the blush burning up my cheeks, but it's no use.

"Oh yeah?" I say lamely.

"The way you move when you fight—a combination of passion, technique, and grace. You are…mesmerizing." Elijah dark eyes roam up and down my body in obvious appreciation and I bite my bottom lip—a nervous habit.

We're only inches apart. I can feel the heat radiate from his body. It would be so easy to wrap my arms around his neck, pull him down to me, and kiss him senseless. I stare into his eyes, shining with anticipation, and see an invitation there. He wants this as much as I do. I'm about to close the gap between us, when Elijah tears his gaze away from mine and laughs nervously.

"And Katherine, ever-enigmatic, has probably piqued your interest in our sordid little history," Elijah says playfully, trying to lighten up the mood.

It takes me a second to snap out of my lustful haze. We almost had a moment. A moment with kissing. And though it irks me that Elijah is obviously pulling away from me, I can't deny my interest in Elijah's past.

I could smell Katherine's desperation to make me jealous by flirting with Elijah a mile away. But Elijah was completely immune to Katherine's "charms" at the bar, making me even more curious about their relationship. Heaviness settles over my chest just thinking about them together…intimately together. God, I pray silently, I hope they weren't lovers.

Then a brilliant idea pops into my head.

"Yes, I do want to know, Elijah—just hold that thought." I stroll over to my small kitchenette and lift two shot glasses out of a cabinet as well as a half-empty bottle of vodka from my freezer (actually the only item in my freezer).

Nothing like alcohol to snuff out potential awkwardness, right?

I wave the bottle and glasses in front of Elijah's face, earning me a skeptical grimace. I can see there might be some resistance from the original.

Mustering up all my charm, I give Elijah the lethal "puppy eyes."

"Come on, Elijah. Who says story time can't be fun? We should mix it up a little…please?"

Elijah simply arches an eyebrow and grabs a glass from my hand—reluctant but willing to play my game.

Sweet victory!

I take Elijah's free hand and lead him over to my bed (I really should invest in a table one day), and we plop down on my mattress. I pour the first round of vodka and we clink glasses. I quickly swallow my shot and feel the familiar fiery sensation working its way down my body. Then I eagerly pour myself another round. After my second shot, I notice Elijah's empty glass. He watches me curiously as I fill his glass to the brim. It's as if he's never seen a werewolf get hammered before. He sips his shot, never taking his eyes off mine, and holds his empty glass out for round three. I smile shyly and pour more vodka into our glasses.

By round six, I'm feeling buzzed enough to brave Elijah's "Katherine stories."

"Okay, pal, you're up. Give me all the details."

I look over at Elijah and see he's trying his best not to laugh at me. I'm probably showing him my goofy, drunken smile. Damn it. I sigh and bury my face in my hands in embarrassment, but strong hands grip my wrists and pull them away from my face.

Elijah tilts up my chin so that my eyes meet his, and I'm completely transfixed by the intensity in his gaze. Slowly, he raises his hands and places them on either side of my face.

Releasing a shaky breath, Elijah closes his eyes.

Then…nothing.

"Elijah?"

"Mmm?"

"…what are you doing?" I ask timidly.

Elijah opens one eye and explains, "You wanted to know my history."

"Yes, but you're not saying anything," I point out.

Now Elijah opens both dark brown eyes and grins, "I'd rather show you. If you open your mind to me—if you let me in—I can show you everything."

I don't fully understand what Elijah means by "showing" me his history, but I certainly don't have to worry about letting him in. I don't know how or when this original vampire managed it, but he's won my trust.

I nod at Elijah, giving him my permission, and close my eyes. At first, there's nothing, and then I see it, a vision…

A raven-haired beauty in a flowing forest green gown is running along a grassy hill, lifting up her skirts and laughing. I recognize her immediately as Katherine—and even though she looks like an extra on The Tudors—I note that there's a lightness and innocent quality about her. Almost like she's a completely different person.

Coming up behind Katherine, I see Elijah dressed in period garb with a wavy mop for hair. I chuckle at his decidedly unstylish haircut, but I can't stay callous for long seeing how happy Elijah is, chasing Katherine around. They're both incredibly effervescent in their happiness. It's strange to compare this capricious youthful Elijah to the measured and serious Elijah I know now.

Elijah and Katherine tease each other playfully and it's heartwarming to watch. Katherine opens up to him about a man named Klaus, whom she hoped would come to her the night before. Suddenly, I piece together that it's Elijah's brother—the one he's barely spoken of. Something must have happened with Klaus for Katherine to bear this gargantuan grudge for centuries, so I make a mental note to ask him more about this mysterious Klaus later.

Then I hear Katherine mention the word "love" and my ears perk up.

"…but true love is not real unless it's returned. Don't you agree?" Katherine asks Elijah with a small smile.

He turns serious, wearing a dour expression more in line with present day Elijah and says, "I do not believe in love, Katerina."

"That is too sad for me to accept, my lord. Life is too cruel. If we cease to believe in love, why would we want to live?"

But before Elijah responds, an elegant man with shoulder-length blonde hair appears—and seeing Katherine's delighted expression, I can tell it's the infamous Klaus.

Elijah looks deflated and powerless as he watches Klaus lead Katherine away from him, and my heart aches. The story of Elijah and Katherine is becoming clear, and I know there's no way this ends well for either of them.

Suddenly, a burst of light appears before me and the scene changes…

In a dim, candle-lit room, Klaus approaches Elijah slowly, his voice low and menacing, "Love is a vampire's greatest weakness and we are not weak, Elijah. We do not feel. And we do not care."

Elijah looks into his brother's eyes pleadingly, "We did once."

Klaus replies sternly, "Too many lifetimes ago to matter…the sacrifice will happen as planned."

Another flash of light…

I'm in the same room, richly decorated with tapestries and long, white candles. This time Elijah is sitting alone, reading a book until Klaus appears suddenly, in a rage.

"Katerina has gone, she has fled."

"No," Elijah utters in disbelief.

"What did you tell her?" Klaus demands.

"I told her nothing."

Klaus grabs Elijah and throws him against a wall and roars, "DO NOT LIE TO ME!"

"I will find her, you have my word." Elijah says through gritted teeth.

Klaus' eyes are glowing with anger as he whispers venomously, "If you do not, you have my word: you will be dead."

A blinding light takes me out of the scene. I blink a couple times and see Elijah—present day, suave, suit-wearing Elijah—looking at me with concern.

"Hayley, are you alright?"

I peer up at Elijah, but I can't bring myself to say anything. Instead, I refill his empty glass with more vodka, which he downs. Then I fill it up again and place it in his hands, encouraging him to take another shot. Elijah obeys and drinks it all. He places his glass down on the floor and shoots me a worried glance.

I wait a beat and then pull Elijah into a gentle hug. Surprised by my spontaneous gesture, Elijah stiffens, but soon relaxes into my touch. He exhales and my hand runs up and down his back as I say softly, "I'm so sorry you went through that hell."

The original vampire leans back to look into my eyes and I say with a little more attitude, "Your brother is a total asshole."

Elijah guffaws and I'm proud that my bluntness always elicits a laugh from him. And the way his lips curve up slightly when he laughs…it's ridiculously sexy.

"I'm glad that showing you my rather sad past didn't rob you of your humor," he remarks wryly.

I shrug in response and start asking Elijah some serious questions.

"Ok, there's definitely more clarity with this flashback thing, but what exactly did Klaus intend to do with Katherine? A sacrifice of some kind?"

"He needed to sacrifice Katerina—er, Katherine—to break a curse that bound him as a werewolf. You see, we're actually half-brothers. Klaus' real father was a werewolf."

I nod my head in understanding as Elijah continues, "Ultimately, Katherine found out about Klaus' plan to sacrifice her and became a vampire so she would be ineligible, as the sacrifice calls for a human. My brother never forgave her. He's been hunting her throughout the centuries as some sort of vendetta. I imagine she's tired of running away and has found a way to fight back."

"So it all boils down to the asshole brother, huh?"

Elijah merely shakes his head, "In a nutshell: yes."

I'm dreading his response, but I have to ask, "It seems your feelings for Katherine have changed. But before you…loved her, didn't you?"

Elijah doesn't answer for a while. He looks away and I know he's considering his words carefully.

"For a long, long time, I thought I was in love with her. But loving someone so deeply when she never even cared for you in return…it was a rude awakening."

Elijah grows quiet. I can see it in his eyes. He's in pain. I kneel in front of him and rest my hand on his shoulder.

"If she never felt anything for you, Elijah, she's an idiot," and I add softly, "I do hope that you've changed your mind about 'not believing in love.'"

Elijah tenses up and his eyebrows knit together as he tucks an errant strand of dark hair behind my ear, sending a delicious shiver down my body. "That, unfortunately, is still true."

I let out an exasperated sigh, "Stop this, Elijah. How can you—all your life, living for centuries, and you've never once loved someone? How is that possible? I don't underst—"

Before I can finish, Elijah places his hands on my face and I see a bright light, transporting me to another vision…

This time I just see flashes, bursts of images. A gorgeous woman with mocha skin, curly dark tendrils, and a warm smile. Elijah's lover. I see them together, laughing and playing. It's the same carefree Elijah from the last vision. He's opened himself up to love again.

Then the vision changes…Elijah's running into his room where he sees the woman submerged in a bathtub. She's not coming up for air.

NO! Oh god, no.

Elijah rushes to the side of the tub and lets out a bloodcurdling wail…

I snap out of the vision and my eyes rest on Elijah, who's pale as ghost. Hot liquid dribbles down my cheeks and it takes a minute for me to realize I'm crying. The woman he loved drowned and I felt Elijah's absolute despair and grief as if it was my own.

With shaky hands, Elijah wipes the tears off my face and whispers, "I'm so sorry, Hayley. I shouldn't have shown you that…I don't know what came over me."

"…what was her name?" I ask, when I find my voice again.

"Celeste."

"It's fitting. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

Elijah's hands drop from my face. His eyes are shining, full of sadness for his lost love, and my heart fucking hurts. I want to take away his pain so badly.

"So you see, Katherine was right. Klaus was right. Love is impossible for me. At best, I'm spurned, and at worst, I cause the woman I love…"

He drifts off, but I know where this conversation is headed and I'm not having it. "Let's get one thing straight: you were not responsible for Celeste's death. It was an accident…"

"My brother called on a witch hunt, Celeste was a witch and a casualty of my own damn complacency. I should have protected her—"

"No, Elijah. You're not to blame, whatever shenanigans your brother caused, YOU were not part of it. You are good and deserving of love," I say adamantly as I caress his face, weaving my fingers through his wavy brown hair.

Elijah looks down, refusing to meet my gaze, and it's damn frustrating. Then he starts up his speech again, which is equally frustrating. "You don't understand, Hayley, my family is powerful and our enemies more powerful still. I can't risk bringing someone into this life—"

It could be the vodka, but it occurs to me that there's only one way to silence Elijah—for good. My hands reach out to cup his face and I press my lips against his in a soft, lingering kiss.