CHAP 13:
The day went by slowly and I lounged around watching tv most of the time. I felt at a bit of a loss as to what to do. There was also a hint of loneliness but I soon cast it aside, because the notion was ridiculous. I couldn't miss Elijah. Besides I was independent and had been constantly alone back in Mystic Falls. Life in this house had become rather boring. Sure in the beginning being here sort of seemed like a holiday. A really twisted one. But I didn't do anything with my days. My annoyance at this was really starting to fester and make me a bit bitter. Something I hadn't realised it until I'd been truly alone today. At four o'clock I decided I'd see what was in the cupboard in the way of baking ingredients. I found that it was stocked well enough for me to bake a chocolate cake from a recipe that I knew. I got to work and after allowing it to cool, was icing it when Elijah returned home. Or at least I'd thought he'd returned home. I called out "Hi." But there was no reply. It was strange, because it felt like he was home. It felt like he was home. What does that feel like exactly? I looked around casually, but no one was here. I got back to icing the cake, and after five minutes Elijah's voice sounded behind me.
"Evening Elena."
"Evening." I felt him come up behind me to look over my shoulder at what I was doing.
"You baked this?"
"No. A vampire came and dropped it off for me. I'm guessing it has poisoned apples in it." I replied smartly. I could almost feel the chuckle that left Elijah's mouth he was standing so close to me. "Of course I baked it. How else would it get here?"
"Well. You told me that your cooking skills aren't all that accomplished." I laughed. Turning my head and smiled at him. He looked a little taken aback by it and I quickly returned my attention to the cake.
"Yes, that's cooking. But I'm a decent baker."
"I see. I suppose you won't be needing the chocolate I brought home for you then since you'll get your chocolate fix from the cake." He teased lightly. I laughed.
"Don't you dare hold the chocolate hostage. You can never have too much. Well, you can but not everyone's body goes into a meltdown from all the sugar." I could feel him still standing behind me when I'd finished icing.
"You're so beautiful." Me murmured next to my ear.
"You don't need to try and flatter me to eat some of my cake." I could feel the slight tension in Elijah as it filled the pause in our conversation.
"I'm not. I'm making an observation. Much like the other times I've complimented you. Surely you're aware of all my appreciative comments you simply cast aside, like my opinion is worth nothing. When you and I know full well, you care about what I think." I sighed.
"If you expect me to swoon over some comments, you're sorely mistaken Elijah." I said blandly before moving away to rinse the bowl I'd made icing in. When I turned away from the sink he was leaning against the bench watching me. I raised my eyebrows at him impatiently. Get on with it. I know you wont simply drop this now you've started.
"But you don't show any appreciation of them either. When I tell you something, wether it's about your appearance, your personality, or something you're experiencing I mean every word. All these things are a part of you, they're elements of who you are that I love." I looked away at the mention of the 'L' word. "You don't value yourself Elena. And you won't allow me to value you either. It isn't hard to accept-." I communicated with my hand for him to stop as I cut him off.
"What are you doing?" I asked tersely.
"What do you mean?"
"This I don't value myself rubbish. I hardly disrespect myself for one thing. I'm healthy, don't do drugs or anything like that. I value myself thank you very much. Just because I don't go all mushy because someone says something nice about me means nothing. Besides. What am I supposed to do? Say thank you when you say I'm beautiful when my appearance is basically just a chance combination of attractive genes in my DNA. It's not like I'm dressing up in any presentable way that I've gone to any effort to look nice or anything, so I'm not going to take any credit for it." I moved towards the lounge.
"Do you think that when I compliment you as being beautiful that I am always referring to you in a shallow way? You are physicallybeautiful. Incomparably. But just now, how you were smiling, happy with having done something with your day despite the conditions. It was beautiful to see you happy. Laughing at something I said. Your aura was beautiful. You were, are beautiful." Elijah had walked over towards me as he spoke. I couldn't help the frown I wore despite understanding where he was coming from. The fact that I had laughed at his suggestion of withholding the chocolate seemed to be something a soft spot with him. Great. More meaningful events for him to ponder. "Well?" He asked?
"Well? What?"
"Are you going to accept my compliment or not?" He moved closer again and I moved so the lounge was between us. His eyes shone with humour.
"Fine! I conceded exasperatedly before changing my tone to murmur a thank you.
"Was that so hard? I bit my bottom lip and gave one brisk shake of my head. Elijah moved closer again.
"And when I tell you that you're beautiful physically, you can accept that. The fact that you respect yourself, means that you aren't allowing your appearance to display signs of drug use, for example. Therefore, you are making an effort with your appearance. Simply looking after yourself maintains your beauty." He continued to step slowly towards me.
"Stop. Just stop that."
"Stop what?" He asked innocently with a charming smirk on his face.
"You know bloody well what!" He smiled and sat on the lounge. I glared at him.
"One step forward. Two steps back." He mused interestedly as he searched my face.
"Pardon?"
"You. Every time you take a step closer to me. Figuratively. You withdraw again." He paused. "Someday you'll come to trust in me Elena," he began. "To believe me on face value. I will wait you out. Those walls of yours will come down and you will eagerly accept my love for you. You'll no longer be so desperate to guard your affections towards me. I'm a very patient man. I'll wait for you. Forever, if that's what it takes. For you to love me as I love you." Elijah's eyes appeared to shine for a moment, as if envisioning the end result of keeping me captive."
"I haven't got forever." I said shrugging. I moved back to the kitchen and made a grilled cheese sandwich for my dinner. I wished he didn't have to keep subtly pushing at this thing between us. I'd acknowledged that I was feeling something, but that didn't mean I was going to act on it. No matter how appealing he was, or how amazing it was to have kissed him. Despite the two incidents that had occurred in my room before Elijah brought me here weeks ago. The memory of how his lips had felt on mine hadn't left me. One would think that the warmth and sensations would have faded since there hadn't been a re-occurrence. But it hadn't. It was enough to drive me mad really. Especially when Elijah's facial expressions incorporated the slightest movement of his lips as a fine but powerful detail to what he was thinking. Sometimes less was more with Elijah.
When I went to bed, I went to bed. It seemed like nothing at all to slip beneath the covers. As if to gloat Elijah appeared at the doorway and leant against the frame. I turned over to look at him.
"Did you want something?" I asked uninterested. But he just stared at me.
"Just wanted to see this for myself. After a month of you going to sleep on the floor, it's a nice change." The look in his eyes was knowing. He bit down on his bottom lip as he continued to look at me. I turned over so I wouldn't have to look at him. He was reading me. It was so aggravating.
"Please stop looking at me like you know me." I said casually with a hint of spite.
"But I do know you."
"Good for you. Are you going to leave, or at least leave me in peace?" He didn't answer and I soon heard the shower start up in the en suite. When he was finished in the en suite I tried not to look too interestedly at him as he walked in his bath robe to the draws. I realised he was the perfect predator. Who knew if he had a certain taste when selecting people to feed from, but his attractiveness with an understated element of sexy would draw any woman. Suspicion could be easily avoided as well. Sure he could and perhaps did just compel people to dissuade suspicion. But Elijah mostly behaved human, so I didn't think he'd want to flaunt his superiority over others. Unless it was necessary. And really. No one expects the handsome gentleman with charm to be the person who murdered their son or daughter. Not that I imagined vampires would hang around after they've killed. After dressing in the walk-in-robe Elijah turned off the lights before slid into the other side of the bed. I kept my eyes shut and tried to relax the tension in my eyelids. The unnerving feeling of being watched made me want to screw my eyes shut. I ended up opening them, shooting a glare at Elijah and turning over so I could go to sleep without feeling so obviously watched. Or could stop him looking at my face as I tried to sleep. I managed to relax and dozed off. As I eased into a light slumber fingers ran slowly through the length of my hair behind me. The gentle but brief caresses running across my scalp, before the less tactile feel of fingers ran against individual hairs. It was a barely there yet intensely soothing feeling. I sighed and fell into deep sleep.
I woke up alone in our bed. Our bed? It was still dark, but a gentle light filtered into the room. Elijah's side of the bed had the covers thrown back which had come to rest a little on my side. Not that he kept to his side. He was always as close to me as possible. As sleepiness left me I realised the light was from somewhere in the rest of the house. I glanced at the bedside clock to see it was one am. Easing the covers off me and getting out of bed, I immediately noticed the much colder than usual air that met my skin to cover it in goose pimples. It was strange because Elijah usually had the air conditioning on for me, due to the lack of clothes. I didn't see any reason for him to reduce the temperature further. Slowly I crept out into the hall. As I made my way to the open living area of the house I saw that the glow was coming from an outside light. And a sliding door was wide open. The source of the cool air. I wondered if Elijah'd gone for a walk. Or had ventured out quickly to get himself more blood, thinking I wouldn't notice his absence. But I thought him leaving the door wide open was odd.
"Elijah?" I called softly within the house. I was going to walk around the house to check if he was inside. But I knew he'd have heard me and if he was in the house would have answered me. So I made my way to the open door. I stood in the doorway and looked out. Still no sign of Elijah. Perhaps he was wanting some time alone with himself. He might just be out in the yard, but in case he wasn't I noted that I shouldn't go outside. Turning in the door frame to head back to bed I stopped in my tracks as a voice sounded from the darkness. I knew instantly that it wasn't Elijah's.
"Oh, don't stop there my lovely. Continue for at least one revolution. Let me see you." Came a silky drawl from behind me. Accented by what I guessed was British heritage. The voice was male, and the lack of familiarity sent shivers up my spine. I spun around startled by whoever had spoken, but was met with only darkness. "Beautiful. You are a welcome sight to my eyes." I heard soft chuckling, and I squinted to try and see past the lit up area and into the darkness more. My heart picking up it's pace I moved my arm to slide the door closed.
Before I'd even touched it a man had appeared before me. I jumped and my stomach sank. For him to have appeared that quickly he had to be a vampire. I wondered if this was one of Klaus' henchmen that Elijah had warned me of the previous day. I wasn't going to panic. It would be useless to do so. But my heart kicked it's speed up a notch in my chest.
"And what's your name my lovely?" Questioned the uninvited vampire as he looked me over. I became re aware of my lack of clothing at that moment and followed through my earlier movements. Sliding the door shut and moving to where I wouldn't be seen, breathing a sigh of relief. For I new I was safe in here. Locking the door wasn't necessary. Even if I did he could easily rip the door open again. But because he hadn't been invited in, that wouldn't be happening. "Awww." He drawled. "Now that's a little anti-social of you, don't you think? Why not invite your guest in? It's cold outside. But I don't need to tell you that." I could hear the smirk on his face then. "Your, beautiful body knows how cold it is out here. Or were you reacting to my presence?" He chuckled again. I felt a little sick to my stomach then. When I'd got out of bed the goosebumps that raced over my skin had been accompanied by my nipples standing out through the material of my nighty. As I sat down on the lounge he began speaking to me again.
"Well if you're not going to invite me in, it seems I'll have to invite myself." Came his voice again, conveying ease. He opened the door then and stepped inside before swiftly closing it again. So quickly that I'd have been amazed that the glass hadn't broken, if this stranger wasn't now inside the house. His voice dripped with fake sadness as he spoke again. "I had hoped you'd be more hospitable though." He pouted his bottom lip out then in mock sadness. His eyes gleaming as he caught sight of me.
Gasping I'd jumped up from the lounge, immediately moving away from the him.
"How? You-! But-." I stammered, trying to increase the distance between us as he continued towards me. He shouldn't have been able to get in. I hadn't invited him in. Oh, this was not good. I wished I knew where Elijah was.
"So the cat hasn't got your tongue, my sweet?" He said smiling. I darted away and headed for the hallway only to be cut off my him. I backed away from him quickly into something firm, and I made to leap forward again. But his arms caught my waist and pulled me swiftly backwards into him. So quickly and with such force that I was a little winded. It took me a few moments to suck air back into my lungs. Once I did, I fought. Adrenaline coursing through me. I looked on the time I'd been here with Elijah as practice. Not dwelling on the fact that he always one during our physical disagreements. I was never one to give up without a fight. No matter my chances of success. Struggling in his hold, I stomped on his feet, and kicked back at his legs.
"Let go! Help! Help me, somebody!" I screamed over and over. I was pretty sure Elijah had brought me to a secluded location. But maybe the universe would be kind to me and have someone around to hear me and help.
"Shhh. Settle down there." He breathed. "Oh you are a fighter aren't you?" His voice deepening in it's drawl. "Oh how I love that. We're going to get along just fine." I continued to struggle. But even the adrenaline coursing through my veins wasn't going to keep me fighting forever. My body needed to rest. I couldn't go on continuously. Breathing heavily I stood, his arms keeping me still. I half slumped against him while trying to keep even a millimetre of distance between his front and my back.
"There you go. Just relax." He cooed mockingly. "Now. How about you show me to the bedroom?"
"No."
"No? Oh I think you can do better than that. After all, I can do a quick search of the house's layout and find it myself. All before you get a chance to move. But I'd like this to be a shared experience. Going solo is always efficient. But it's much more enjoyable when I don't know everything." I did not want to know what the shared experience was going to be. But since he had an interest in the bedroom I had an pretty good idea. I'd be kidding myself right now if I thought I wouldn't find out soon either way.
"Find it yourself." I spat.
"Oh no. You can do better than that. I can't compel you to show me. But that lessens the fun in any case. Instead. How about, you tell me where the bedroom is, or I kill you?" He tone threatening enough without the hot breath I felt on the side of my neck. Apparently he didn't think I was informed of my importance to a certain vampire.
"Go ahead. I'm not afraid to die." I said strongly.
"Is that so?" He practically purred. "Not concerned about all you'll leave behind? All that you love, the things you never will have done?"
"Nope." I replied. The honesty in my voice cutting through.
"Hmm. Very odd for a human to be so carefree." His voice trailing off, as one of his hands began trailing up from my waist and fondled my right breast.
"Get your hands off me." I said, practically spitting poison. Struggling again. I gripped his forearm with my hands to pry his groping hand from my chest. His arm was immovable. It was bizarre how much strength and force he was using to keep his hand on my breast, yet his touch wasn't heavy at all.
"You have quite the figure, my dear. But I'm forgetting. What's your name sweetheart?"
"What's it to you?" I shot back. My struggle waning again.
"Are you always this resentful towards others? You don't even know me, yet you've no intention of holding your tongue. Now that It's waggling." He chuckled.
"Your actions so far speak plenty about who you, are-"
"Klaus." He interjected. Just the name sent a jolt through my heart. "Now tell me your name."
"Let go of me."
"No."
"Then, no name" I said stubbornly.
Klaus laughed heartily then. Glad I was amusing someone I thought dejectedly. As his laughter died down his groping hand returned to hold my waist and he brought his face down closer to the side of my neck. My ears picked up the sound of him inhaling and I knew he was sniffing me. I stopped my pitiful struggling.
"Get it over with. Bite. Drink. Drain." I invited matter of factly.
"All in good time." He paused. "Elena." His voice trailing off the end of my name. I stiffened. How had he come to know my name, I wondered?
"Yes." He hissed. "Your mind gave you away dear."
"So, what? You can read minds mind? Only your talent is reading the name tags of minds. How cute." I bit back.
Klaus growled and spun me around to crush me against him. His arms like a vice on my lower back. It happened so quickly I was immediately dizzy and unintentionally held onto his shoulders to steady myself. Squeezing my eyes shut.
"You may want to think over the things you say, before you say them. Elena." He hissed.
"Oh?" I began, eyes still shut. I could feel the slight smile that crept onto my face at having struck a nerve. "That's not really my style. Besides, judging by your reaction, I was only speaking the truth?" I paused and grabbed at straws before continuing. "But I suppose you have the world think you can delve deep into their minds, and read their every thought. Me and my waggling tongue could set them all straight. You wouldn't want anyone to let others know that you aren't actually the big bad wolf they believe." I said, letting my inner bitch out and opening my eyes. Removing my hands from his arms I looked forward to how what I said would bother him. I was met with his severely set features and cold eyes as he looked at me long and hard. I laughed inwardly. Ohhh. I was right. His mind-reading trick is about as impressive as dirt.
"Hmm. Well. You'll find out how big and bad I am, beautiful. Just be patient. You'll find out a lot along the way." He said coldly with debilitating slowness. Dread weighed my stomach down, as my heart rate picked up a little. What was he insinuating by big? I'd been keeping myself calm so far. But the longer I was here with Klaus, the less than optimistic I started to feel. "There it is." Klaus said, smiling down at me gleefully. "It's just the smallest amount. Your eyes are so beautiful with fear in them." Damn. I'd been so in control so far. I'd be stupid not to fear him. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear. Apparently I wasn't doing a good job of it. Unless he was bluffing. I had to keep a level head. Panicking would get me no-where. So I kept my gaze steady and my mouth shut. "So... About that bedroom?" He asked again. Smirking.
My face blank, my mouth shut, I casually lowered my gaze and looked at nothing in particular.
"It will be better for you in the long run if you'd just show me." I ignored him and kept myself focused on nothing and everything at the same time. I felt a hand of Klaus's come up to stroke my neck. Gliding his thumb over my carotid artery. I continued to ignore him. Moving his hand he lifted my chin upwards. I kept my line of sight over to the side, just ignoring this whole situation. In my peripheral vision I saw his face coming closer, closer. Much too close and felt him press his lips to mine. I brought my hand up and slapped him across his cheek. Or that's what I planned. But he kept his lips on mine, and his head didn't give to the force of my hand. It was like smacking my hand against a brick wall. The force I'd mustered up especially for him inflicted itself on my own hand.
"Gahh!" I gasped out, tears springing to my eyes. I wrenched my head away from his as I reacted to the pain in my hand. Only for a moment before Klaus' hand came up behind my head and joined our mouths again as he plunged his tongue inside. Having been granted access from my open mouthed reaction to pain. As I fought against him, I reined my threatening tears back in. Riding the waves of pain in my hand as it settled into a sharp intensity. Klaus' tongue searched my mouth, wrestling with my tongue. I tried pushing against his chest with my uninjured hand to no avail.
I didn't like it. But I decided it was my only option and began responding to Klaus' mouth with my own. When I leaning in a low growl came from him, before easing his hold on the back of my head and he proceeded to kiss me deeper. For a moment more I kissed him before his tongue was in the right position. Then I clamped my jaw closed, biting into his tongue. I felt his hot breath rush out as my bite forced his breath out in a silent gasp. Still with his tongue between my teeth. As the disgusting taste of his blood leaked into my mouth I began feeling restricted. I was losing air and no matter how hard I tried to breath in I couldn't. Klaus had raised his arms to warp them around my ribcage and he was tightening his hold more and more. A tearing pain around the back of my ribcage indicated a broken rib and I began gulping for air, releasing his tongue. Spitting out any of his blood between gasps. Like a fish I opened and closed my mouth in search of air. Letting my head fall backwards as if the air above my head would be more readily available. I couldn't get enough. Heat flushed my cheeks before spreading across my face and my body strained and trembled slightly in convulsions. I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. My awareness faded into nothingness. Klaus' interested/intent face the last thing I saw.
