Stare Down Death

Mystic Fall, Virginia, 1862

Astra twirled in front of the mirror as a pleased smile etched her lips. She had been looking for the right dress to wear for the party that night and was so glad when she had been able to make an order for the seamstress in time. Elijah had always told her that royal blues and purples made her strange eyes stand out so much more than the bland beiges and whites that other woman wore.

"Will Mr. Salvatore be retrieving you for the ball, Miss?" Her handmaid asked gently as she approached with the shawl that matched Astra's dress draped over her arms.

"Yes, would you please come and get me when he arrives, Annabel?" Astra asked as she looked back to the woman, her long curls falling over her shoulder from the movement. Annabel smiled and nodded, hanging the shawl over the chair a couple of feet away before she made her way from the room, giving one last curtsy before she departed.

Astra looked to her complexion again, straightening her posture and turning to see the dress from different angles. She would be lying if she said that she didn't miss her older clothing. The togas from Rome were far more comfortable than the corsets that the woman had to wear in this era. What did men find so desirable about a woman that was stick thin?

Running her hands along the sides of her corset, she could feel the bone that was used in the material to keep it strong and secure over her torso. As her hands ran up her sides she thought back to the bare skin that had once been revealed by the dresses she had become accustomed to wearing. She dared not admit that it was partially because of Elijah that she allowed her parents to get her to wear such a revealing garment. She had wanted to impress him, possibly catch his eye. It turned out to have been much more than that.

Sighing quietly, she looked away from the mirror as her hands slid around to rest just beneath her breasts. It had been almost one hundred years since she had seen Elijah. She had departed with him when he became too enthralled with his search for Katerina and the moonstone. He wanted so badly to break his brother that he didn't see the monster that he himself was becoming. She missed him more than she was willing to admit, but whenever she was with Damon or his brother, or many other people in the town, the pain ebbed away more and more.

"Miss Casca, Mr. Salvatore has arrived," Annabel announced from the doorway. Astra's heart fluttered as her stomach clenched in anticipation.

"Thank you, Annabel." She looked over to Annabel with a smile and retrieved the shawl from the chair, situating it over her shoulders carefully before the mirror. After making sure that the lengths were even, she allowed Annabel to walk her from the room and toward the vast staircase that sat right inside the front doors of the manor. Turning the corner to the stairs, Astra looked down the long stairs to where Damon stood just inside the doorway. Hearing the ruffling of her skirts and the tap of her heels on the hardwood flooring, the elder Salvatore brother looked up.

A genuine smile graced his lips as he walked forward to bottom of the stairs, holding out his hand for her. Astra smiled back beautifully, beginning to descend the stairs as she lifted her skirts up to prevent herself from stepping on them. It wouldn't do to tear or trip over the dress just hours before the ball would begin. Her home was a distance outside of the town and took a bit longer to reach with horse and carriage that it would for most.

"As beautiful as always, Miss Casca," Damon complimented, bringing her hand to his lips to press a kiss to her gloved fingers. His own hands were covered with white gloves, contrasting with the darkness of his black tux.

"Such a charmer my fiancé is, is he not, Annabel?" Astra asked sweetly, her eyes never leaving Damon's face.

"Indeed, Madam," Annabel agreed with a shy smile as she looked to her mistress and her love. "Have a wonderful evening."

"Thank you, Annabel. Don't stay up too late worrying for me, now, alright?" Astra finally tore her eyes away from Damon's intense blues, looking up to the handmaid. Annabel smiled and nodded her head, bowing to them both as she bid another farewell and safe trip. Damon slipped Astra's arm through his and escorted her to the door, where their carriage driver was holding the dark wood open for them.

Being a perfect gentleman, Damon escorted Astra down the front steps of her home carefully, allowing her time to pick up her skirts so she wouldn't trip or ruin them. The stone walkway that led to the carriage had been swept clean, allowing her to walk along without worrying about leaves or dirt catching her long skirts.

Astra couldn't help but to glance down at the engagement ring on her left hand, slipped on over the fitting glove that she was wearing. It was on a silver band with a beautiful lapis blue stone on the top of an engraving of the Salvatore family insignia in the center. Damon had requested a D and A be laced together in the center of the insignia.

"You're chariot, Madam," Damon said slyly as he opened the door to the carriage for her; holding her hand in his larger one to assist her inside. Astra couldn't help but smile at both the sweetness of him and the irony to his words.

"Why, thank you, kind Sir."

Pompeii, Roman Empire, 77 A.D.

Astraea continued to slip Elijah quick glances as she and her mother assisted their servant with placing out the foods on the low tables that surrounded the couches where the men lay. Elijah and her father spoke of the matches from earlier that day, her father's voice booming through the room while Elijah's voice was calm and pleasant. She caught his eye briefly and couldn't stop a smile from spreading to her lips as she quickly looked back down to the plate of roasted sliced fish.

"Come, my dear, give our guest some food, will you?" Her father asked as he looked over to Astraea. She nodded her head and turned to Elijah again, seeing the ghost of a smile that lingered on his lips.

"What would you like?"

"Just some fruit for now, please," Elijah answered calmly, leaning further back into the comfortable couch. Astraea picked up one of the bows of fruit that her mother had placed on the small table and walked over to sit on the stool beside him, placing the bowl of fruit in her lap.

At first, she had been horrified when her father had told her that she would be taking the servants place and feeding Elijah. But over the course of the day the excitement and anticipation grew until she was nearly sick to her stomach. Her mother had to give her some wine while they were in the kitchen to calm her nerves before she dropped one of the elaborate bowls that they brought out for when guests came to their home.

Taking a slice of apple and snapping it in half so that it was bite sized, she held the fruit up to the man's lips and watched as they parted, allowing her to slip the food inside. Looking into his brown eyes again, her heart began to beat rapidly inside her chest. Offering a smile, she pulled her hand back and watched as he chewed the fruit.

"Astraea made some pastries earlier this afternoon, if you would like something sweet for after the meal, Elijah," Astraea's mother said as she sat down on the stool beside her husband. Elijah looked over to the younger woman in question, seeing her smile and nod her confirmation.

"Yes, something sweet would be…divine." Only Astraea was able to see the darkened look in Elijah's eyes as he looked back over to her, his eyes skimming down to the skin that her tunic exposed on her arms and chest.

"I will have some brought for you, then," Astraea said as calmly as she could, when in truth she felt like she was about to collapse. Holding the second half of the fruit out to him, she slipped it past his lips just as she had the first time before she selected something else from the bowl.

"I was not aware that you could cook, Astraea, I am anxious to try such a treat."

"Of course, Elijah," Astraea mumbled quietly, holding a grape out to his lips. She held back a jump when he took the grape from her fingers, her heart leaping in her chest. She didn't know if he was supposed to do such a thing, she only knew that it was her job to feed him for the night. Elijah held the grape up to her lips instead, causing her to still in confusion. Instead of defying his wishes, she bit the grape in half so that she didn't bite his fingers. As she chews the sweet fruit and swallowed the juice that flooded her mouth, she had to prevent herself from choking on the small piece of food when she saw Elijah eat the other half with the softest smirk on his face.

For the remainder of the meal Astraea sat at Elijah's side, feeding him the assortment of foods as he and her father spoke. She didn't bother to listen to their conversation, instead finding herself fascinated with the man that sat so close to her. He knew her secret, but as he had promised her, he didn't tell a soul. No one had approached her about the fact that she was 'spoiled' so to speak. She watched him with veiled interest as he interacted with her father, inspected the seemingly flawlessness of him. She continued to watch him closely, her cheeks lighting with a blush whenever he caught her or whenever he complemented her.

A familiar and frightening feeling rose in her chest as she finished off the second half of Elijah's pastry, her eyes wavering from his face as he licked the honey from his fingers. Her hand went to her throat as she tried to clear away the feeling, her hand sliding to her chest as the pain increased. She could feel her face going pale as her hands began to shake, the task of breathing becoming difficult.

"Astraea?" Her mother asked quietly, worry etching her features.

"I'm alright, I think that some of the honey irritated my throat. Please, excuse me, I just need some water," She said quickly, pushing to her feet and placing the empty plate on the table. Standing up and quickly striding from the room, she began to clutch at her chest as soon as she was out of her parents view. Continuing on down the hall, she only made it to the stone steps before she collapsed in the arches along the side, hiding herself from the dull light the torches brought to the halls.

"Astraea."

Shying away from the voice, she covered her mouth quickly to try and stifle the cough that ripped up from her lungs. A strong hand took hold of her arm and pulled her around to face them, but she remained with her mouth covered as she coughed harshly into her palms. Her eyes were closed tightly as she tried to hold back the coughs, succeeding finally after a couple of minutes when the coughs subsided some. Elijah drew back away from her in shock when a familiar scent drew to his nose.

As she pulled her hands away from her mouth finally, her hands were painted crimson with blood from her lungs. Elijah's eyes fell to her bloody lips, his eyes widening at the appeal that it brought to him. A trail of the life source dripped from the corner of her mouth to slide down her chin. Astraea quickly moved to wipe the blood with the backs of her hands, trying to turn away from Elijah as best she could when he still held onto her arm.

The sweet aroma drew Elijah closer to her, causing the woman to lean away further and turn her face in the opposite direction, thinking that he was merely trying to get a closer look at her disgustingly bloodied face. Elijah had somehow known that she was dying, but his reaction proved that it was not because he had seen her in a fit of coughs before.

"Please, look away from me, Elijah," She pleaded quietly. Elijah didn't, however, and instead reached up to her face with his free hand and pulled her to look at him again. Astraea met his chocolate eyes hesitantly, still hiding herself with her hands.

"Don't be ashamed, Astraea," Elijah assured quietly, moving her hand away from her lips. Astraea looked at him in confusion as her face drew to a frown. The blood had smeared around her mouth and chin, the light from the torches that reached her causing the liquid to shine. Elijah drew himself closer to her again, his hand on her arm keeping her from moving back once more.

Her startled gasp didn't deter Elijah as his tongue swiped up from her chin to her lips, collected the blood on her skin. He closed his eyes against the sweet taste, feeling the stirring of a beast within him that should have strayed dormant. Virgin blood. His tongue darted along her lips this time, causing Astraea to try and draw back quickly, her bloodied hands flying out to push him away.

"What in the name of Jupiter are you doing, Elijah, come back to yourself at once!" Astraea cried out in a hushed tone, still very aware of her parents only moments down the corridor from them. She froze, however, at the sight of Elijah's face in the dim light. The red that surrounded his light brown irises, the dark veins that stood out around those demonic eyes, and the sharp canine fangs that were visible as he licked some of her blood from his bottom lip.

Her lips parted in shock as she looked at him in a mixture of absolute fear and shock, her body beginning to shake as it had been before from her coughs, but this time, no sound came from her as another stream of blood travelled down from her lips to land on her dress, staining the white material. In the next instant, she was trying to scramble away, failing to free her arm from his tightening hold. A yelp of pain and surprise was wrenched from her when she was harshly pulled back into the space of the archway.

"Hush, little one," Elijah's voice crooned calmly in her ear, his arms wrapping around her waist loosely as he nuzzled his nose along her neck. Astraea couldn't keep her body still as she shook in fright against him, her violet eyes wide with fear as they prickled with unshed tears. Elijah could smell her fear, almost taste is, as he inhaled against her neck.

"Please, don't-Elijah, let me go…" Astraea begged quietly, trying to lean away from him. Elijah only made the familiar humming sound, before a hand covered her mouth and a searing pain almost blinded Astraea. She tried to scream, but the sound was muffled from his hand as he kept her jaw firmly shut. Elijah groaned at the sweetness of her blood, the slight tang of impending death marring the flavour slightly.

Tears coursed down Astraea's cheeks as she looked up toward the ceiling of the hall, the small paintings of the gods along the bordering staring back at her. Her tears fell to caress Elijah's fingers, causing him pause as he finally let what he was doing process in his mind. Astraea sobbed quietly, the sound quieted, before she fell limp against Elijah's form, praying to the gods that they made her death swift.

I'm sorry it took a while to get this chapter out, things have been busy. Well, I hope you all love this chapter, I definitely enjoyed writing it! Hope to hear from all of you, feedback is beyond much appreciated.