AN: I do not own TVD or TO.

I had originally planned to write a chapter for Historical Royalty tonight as well, but it got late. There's always tomorrow.

She blinked sleepily and leaned towards the fire. Kol had been teaching her a spell to revive dead vegetation when thunder had rumbled in the distance. They had gotten caught in a June rainstorm that had quickly soaked through their clothing despite him flashing her into the tavern.

She had quickly stripped out of her heavy layers when the shivers started racing down her spine while Kol had built up the fire. She might have been embarrassed sitting with him in her shift and corset, but the knowledge that he had seen her in much less made her quite comfortable; at least everything was still covered.

"Can I ask you something?" He draped a blanket over her trembling shoulders to help ward off the chill.

Lexa startled when his smooth voice broke the calm. She lifted her eyes from the crackling fire and nodded. Outside the whistling wind beat the rain against the window panes. Lilac and honeysuckle drifted upwards from the hearth. She had been on the verge of falling asleep in front of the fire when he'd spoken.

"You mentioned that your aunt was a witch," he dropped to sit beside her.

"That's not a question," her eyes tracked the path of a water droplet leaving his hair.

"You're cheeky," he shook his head.

"That's a statement," she giggled, "and it's already been established." Lexa gasped when he leaned over and shook some of the water from his hair over her head. "My hair is going to be a mess now."

"A little more water won't hurt," he laughed.

"What was your question?" She made a show of wringing out her curls.

"Why didn't she teach you?"

Lexa hesitated. She sat up straight and let her hair fall back over her shoulders. "She wanted to," her teeth drew her lip into her mouth, "but my father was against it. He was afraid I'd be burnt."

Kol tilted his head to one side. From what he had heard of her aunt he was surprised she hadn't taught her in secret. He hadn't had magic in centuries, but even he could tell Lexa had potential; she might have given him a run for his money back in his human days.

"In my experience most women don't let men tell them what to do."

"She didn't," her smile was fond. "Aunt Sylvie did teach me. I was the reluctant one. Papa had already lost Mama and my baby brother. He was afraid he would lose me too. Aunt Sylvie taught me, but I'd only consent to learning about herbs." Tears glistened in her eyes. "When Papa died a four years ago she tried again, but even she recognized the danger then. People were accusing neighbors left and right of witchcraft… officials weren't waiting for the proper number of accusations; that's how I lost Tia. I swore off magic then… until I needed it, but even then it was little things."

"You were afraid."

"I was afraid," she nodded. She blinked when he wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

"What changed?" Kol searched her eyes. "Why are you letting me teach you now?"

She inhaled and closed her eyes. "I remembered a promise I made years ago," she whispered, "after I nearly drowned as a child." She laid her head on his chest and watched the fire while he smoothed down her hair. Quietly she told him of her mother and the time she had forced her back into the water. "I'm done being afraid…" her eyes drifted shut under the smooth strokes of his hand, "… I don't want to ever feel that way again."

Kol tightened his arms around her shoulders; a determined gleam entered his eyes. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, Lexa."

She didn't know why her lower lip trembled with her next thought. "You won't always be here."

The hell I won't! "I'm immortal, little witch," he smirked. "You'd have a hard time getting rid of me."

"Promise?" She slipped off into a dreamless sleep before he could respond.

"I cannot be certain," Kol tilted his head, "but I think your bed might be more comfortable." He bent at the waist so his upper body flooded her field of vision.

"Perhaps," she smiled, "but the view here is much better."

"I'm flattered, little witch," the corner of his mouth quirked up.

Lexa tipped her head back against the ground. The crisp smell of the grass reached her nose. Emerald green eyes scrutinized him. She would have been lying if she said he was not pleasing to the eye.

"I was not actually referring to you," a smile danced over her lips.

"I would like to think I'm more attractive than the night sky," Kol chuckled.

"When was the last time you actually looked at the night sky?" Lexa lifted an eyebrow. She wasn't sure why he was so easy to talk to. Her experience with the opposite sex had been limited at best; restricted to her father and her husband. She was comfortable when he was near. She was at peace; something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Kol's eyebrows rose at her question. His mouth popped open as he considered the inquiry. When was the last time he had observed the stars? He couldn't remember. "I don't know," he blinked.

"Well then," Lexa motioned beside her, "there's plenty of grass." She half expected him to laugh.

Kol nodded. He dropped to the ground and stretched out along her right side. He knew she was expecting him to look heavenward, but he found his gaze locked on her profile; her skin shone under the light of the crescent moon.

"When was the last time you gazed upon the night sky?" Kol draped an arm over his stomach.

Starlight glittered in her eyes as she turned to look at him. "How do you know I don't do this every night?"

"You haven't for the past month," his brows knit together. "Something in your eyes…" Kol trailed off. "It's been awhile."

"It's been awhile," she nodded. "Though you probably wouldn't consider it a long time."

"How long?" He tilted his head when her eyes took on a haunted look. "Lexa?"

"Thirteen years," she sighed. Lexa rolled her eyes heavenward before he could see the glossy sheen. "I used to lay out at night with my parents."

"You were close to your parents?"

She nodded. "Weren't you?"

"No," he frowned. "My mother made me what I am, and my father has been hunting my siblings and I ever since."

"He's a…"

"Vampire," Kol nodded. "Mother immediately regretted what she had done."

"Do you see that one, ninita?" Papa pointed to a group of stars.

"That looks like me," Lexa giggled.

"How is that, 'Lexa?" Mama ran her fingers through her curls.

"It looks like me," she flopped over on her belly and sprawled out her arms and legs. "It's me sleeping," she gave her mama a lopsided grin. "Is it called Alexandria, Papa?" She rolled back over.

"No," Papa laughed, "those stars form the constellation Taurus."

"What's that?"

They had lapsed into silence after Kol had opened up about his family history. She had reached for his hand when he'd finished; unable to come up with a suitable response she had simply squeezed his palm.

Lexa pointed to the array of stars overhead. "I used to think that one looked like me."

"Taurus?" Kol followed her hand. "You thought you looked like a bull, little witch?"

"No," she nudged him with her elbow. "Not the bull… the stars. When I was a child I used to sleep on my stomach." She grinned. "I'd sprawl out with my arms above my head. If you look at the line of stars… it kind of looks like someone sprawled out to sleep."

He followed the line her finger drew. "I can see that," he gave her a half smile. "You, however, look nothing like Taurus. Perhaps Persephone…"

"Who?" Lexa met his eyes.

"I thought you said your father told you the stories?"

"He did," Lexa nodded. "Zeus carried away a Phoenician princess to marry her. He disguised himself as a white bull… and the bull became the constellation."

"I heard a different story," Kol's eyes found the constellation again.

"What is it?" Lexa propped herself up on her elbow.

He chuckled when he saw the hunger in her eyes. He mentally added it to the list he was keeping: she was eager to learn new things.

"You want to hear it?" Kol teased.

"Of course," her eyes glittered. She rolled completely onto her side to watch him.

"Alright," Kol nodded. "The story began with a wandering bull known as Cerus; he was large and powerful, and all of the villagers were terrified of him."

"Why?" Lexa's eyes flickered over his face.

His fingers absentmindedly traced the stars. "He was wild," the corner of his mouth turned up, "and he had a tendency to trample their villages on a whim. Nobody knew where he came from. Many people thought he was immortal because of his size and strength."

"That seems rather silly."

"They also couldn't stop him." He turned his head to meet her inquisitive eyes. "As I said, he was wild and out of control. He followed his emotions on a whim."

"And how does Persephone fit into this? Who was she?" In the distance she could hear the distinct sound of a bat's wings.

"Persephone," he grinned, "was the goddess of spring." His arm brushed hers when he rolled onto his side.

Warmth spread through her.

"And what did Persephone do?"

"She found him. She found him trampling through the new flowers, and she went to him. He couldn't understand her of course."

"Of course," she nodded solemnly, "being a bull."

"Her presence calmed him," Kol continued. "They formed a bond together, and the bull… he learned to behave himself."

Lexa bent her knee slightly and brushed his leg. "What happened next?"

Kol inhaled the soft smell of lavender. "She taught him patience." The sweet smell was intoxicating, and drew him closer to her. "She taught him how to use his strength wisely. Whenever she returned to the land so would he. She would sit upon his back while he ran through the fields; she would set all of the plants in bloom. Then in the fall when it was time to return to the Underworld Cerus would take to the sky to await her return."

"He became the Taurus constellation," Lexa murmured. "I think I like that version better."

Kol lifted his hand to brush a loose curl back from her face. He heard her breath catch when his finger's grazed over the shell of her ear.

Her eyes fell to his wrist when he didn't remove his hand. She could just make out the smell of the herbs he had helped her grind earlier. Her fingers gently ran over the blue veins in his wrist.

"I meant to ask," she saw gooseflesh rise on his arm, "how I woke up uninjured?"

"That was my blood, Elskling," Kol felt his abdomen quiver at her touch. The desire to feel her lips under his was almost overwhelming.

"But how?" Lexa peaked at him through her lashes. She blinked when she found him inches from her face. "How did your blood heal me?" She swallowed and exhaled.

"Magic," his cool breath fanned across her chin. "Vampire blood heals humans."

Lexa leaned into his hand when he cupped her cheek. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw his eyes flicker to her mouth. Her tongue poked out to wet her lip.

He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb and carded his fingers through her blond curls. He paused a hairsbreadth from her lips and waited a moment to see if she would push him away.

Her fingers splayed over his chest. His heart beat fast under her hand. Lexa knew what was coming, but the experience was new to her. She had grown up believing kissing to be the prelude to sex, so she had been surprised when Emiliano had never kissed her. She never wanted to experience that kind of pain again, but she found she wanted him to kiss her.

She allowed her eyes to drift closed as she nodded once. A spark ran down her spine when his lips brushed over her mouth softly. She sighed when his hand slid down her back and pulled her closer. She didn't know what it was about Kol, but whenever he touched her she felt a fire ignite under her skin; his mouth moving gently against hers was raising heat in her stomach. It was a foreign feeling, but not in the least unpleasant.

She broke the kiss a few moments later. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. She wasn't sure how she ended up half on top of him with her leg between his knees. She wasn't sure when his other hand had found its way into her hair.

"You're blushing," Kol trailed his hand down her spine.

"No, I'm not," she gasped.

"You are," he teased. "Do I make you feel uncomfortable, Elskling?"

"No," she shook her head. "After everything I've been through you probably should, but you don't."

"Then why are you blushing?" He wrapped a curl around his finger. "Why can't you look at me?"

"Because…" she swallowed, "… nobody's ever…"

"Kissed you?" His strong hands stilled on her petite frame when she drew her swollen lip between her teeth. "I find that hard to believe."

"You find it hard to believe that my husband never kissed me?" She cocked her head.

"Oh no," Kol frowned, "that I believe. I find it hard to believe no one else has. A beautiful woman like you must have had suitors lined up outside your door."

"No suitors," Lexa shook her head. "I spent most of my time with my aunt before getting married; midwifery did not leave much time for cou…" her eyes grew round, "… beautiful?"

"Yes," he beamed up at her. His fingers lifted her chin when she tried to look away. "You are gorgeous," he kissed her cheek, "positively radiant," he punctuated each compliment with a kiss before finally meeting her lips again, "you have the brightest eyes I have ever seen; they glitter like emeralds. I do adore your mouth as well… especially when you're making a clever comment."

"Most men hate that," she breathed. Her slim fingers grazed his stubble before carding them into his hair.

"I'm not most men."

"No," she laughed, "you're definitely not."

Lexa smiled before leaning down to shyly brush her lips over his again. They only broke apart when thunder rumbled above their heads.

Kol walked her to her bedroom door after the entrance had been sealed. He lifted her chin with his knuckle and kissed her again.

"What, pray tell, do you find so amusing?" Kol cocked an eyebrow when she shook with laughter.

"I told you I've never been kissed before," she pressed her lips together to temper the mirth, "and your response is to kiss me repeatedly."

"Well," he chuckled and kissed her forehead, "I'm just making up for all of the kisses you've missed."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Good night, Kol," her hand pushed open the door.

"Goodnight, little witch."

I'm thinking the next chapter or the one after that will have some smut in it...