Chapter Text
She wasn’t sure what to make of him when she first met him. He was so scary, her heart had reached a crescendo when he had leaned down to inhale her scent. Everything else was just fear and then ultimately, relief once Damon and Stefan came to rescue her.
Still, despite killing him, Elijah had somehow survived. For some reason, he had saved her from being taken to Klaus. And then he had shown up in her house.
She wasn’t sure how exactly she had managed to negotiate with him, his eyes dark and intense upon, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. But she had. And she had wrangled a good deal.
Her own death not withstanding.
But no else needed to know that.
There was something in his eyes that she found hypnotic; an appealing intensity that could consume her if she let it.
She wasn’t sure when or how it had started, but she wanted him to.
Maybe fear and attraction had long since become interchangeable in her brain. Maybe Elijah had developed some vampire-siren quality to lure in his prey, and she’d been caught in the trap. Maybe she was really just that far gone.
Whatever the reason was, Elena found herself drawn to him.
It confused her beyond reason, she had never been like this before, even though she had rushed head first into a relationship with Stefan. And now, well, she might never admit it, but everything with Katherine had tainted their relationship. Not to mention the fact that he rarely ever stopped Damon from going too far.
And, she was going to die.
An ancient being wanted her dead, and sooner or later, he would come for her.
These were the thoughts that had pushed her to sneak in bottles of Alaric’s bourbon and her dad’s scotch in her bedroom.
She accepted the fact that she would die, but it was still too much.
She locked her doors, the one to her bedroom and to the bathroom, trying not to think about how she’d begged her parents for those locks when she turned fifteen. Once that was done she dragged a couple pillows and a blanket onto the floor and nested herself in with the bottles.
The liquor and the soft fabrics started to numb her to the world, everything taking on a soft, hazy quality. She was safe from everything now, padded and comfortable.
It gave her the confidence to pick up her phone, and call…..Elijah. He’d wanted to keep her safe—until her death, at least—so she should tell him that she was.
Or so she told herself. That was the only reason she was calling him.
She felt boneless as she pressed the phone to her ear, and pulled up the blanket so that it was tucked under her chin.
Ideally, she would’ve called Bonnie or Caroline, but since telling them wasn’t an option, so she called the only person who knew the truth.
“Elena.” His voice was smooth and sophisticated, and she melted further into her pillows and her blankets.
What a contradiction he was, killing people one moment and making polite conversation the next.
He was the strongest person she knew, he could kill her within a second, and yet, he wouldn’t.
It thrilled her unlike anything she had felt before.
“Elijah…” she drawled his name as she pulled her teddy bear from the bed. “Hi.” Suddenly, she felt shy.
“Hello.”
“Um…. I just wanted to t-tell you….. that I’m fine.”
The briefest of pauses. And then, “What do you mean? Has something happened?”
She shook her head, then remembered that he couldn’t see her. “Nooo, nothing new.”
And it may be because of how drunk she was, but Elena would swear there was humour laced in Elijah’s voice. “Then why are you calling me?”
“To t-talk. To tell you… that I’m fine. With the, the deal that we made.”
“That’s—”
She cut him off, kept talking “And the one that we didn’t.” Elena considered taking another sip of liquor, but didn’t. “I’m fine with it being me who dies.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment.
“I see,” he sounded surprised, as if he hadn’t expected her admission.
“Yup, I’m fine with it as long as Klaus doesn’t get to my loved ones. But,” she looked around her empty room, biting her lip, “does it hurt?” she asked softly, feeling vulnerable in a way she hadn’t in a very long time.
“Elena.”
“Please. No one else knows that we never included me in the list of people you protect.”
“I am surprised that you caught that.”
She let out a humourless chuckle at that, “don’t worry, I know exactly what kind of deal I made.” This time, she did down a little more of scotch, choking on it slightly.
“Elena,” her name sounded so good falling from his lips, and his lips— “have you been drinking?”
“Maybe.” Her answer was petulant.
“Elena. Answer me.” His command was firm, and made her wonder about who he was. Had he been in charge of armies? How many times had he died? Did he have loved ones he feared for?
No, not that last bit she decided. Elijah didn’t seem like he was afraid of anything.
Finally, she answered his question. “Yes.”
On the other end of the phone, Elijah sighed. She’d felt his breath against the fragile skin of her neck, the sensitive patch along her jaw, when he’d sniffed her and proclaimed her human. It had been an awful lot like being judged, and instead of being found wanting, being found… important.
But not for any reason that would save her life.
That was okay, though.
At least, for now, it was.
“Are you disappointed?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.
“How drunk are you exactly?”
“Why? Are you worried I’m going to hurl myself out of the window and ruin your plan to kill Klaus?” she asked jokingly, but the humour was clearly lost on him.
“If you are contemplating such actions, then I am. Stay where you are.”
She frowned at his words, “I’m in my bedroom-“ but the phone cut off and she stared at it for several minutes.
He hung up on her.
Elena sighed and put her phone away, drinking a little more. The last year of her life had been nothing but pain, and she wanted to dull some of it.
It was comfortable, here in her little nest and she didn’t want to love. So, Elena rested her head on one of the pillows and settled in.
Until there was a quiet thud from across her room.
Elena sat up to check it out and let out a squeak.
Elijah was standing there. In her room. Had she willed him into existence?
“Hi?” she said and peered at him over the edge of her bed.
He raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“What question?” Elena rolled onto her knees and propped her elbows on the edge of the bed, her chin on her fists.
“How drunk are you, Elena?”
“Oh, pffft.” She waved off his concern. “Don’t worry, I’ll die on t-time.”
Elijah’s sigh told her that his patience was wearing thin
“What are you going to do?” she asked. “Spank me? You’re not my boyfriend, and you can’t t-tell me what to do.
Suddenly, Elijah was crouched next to her in the floor, his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll see about that.”
Elena shuddered when she felt the heat of his large hand through her top, but then rolled her head till it was resting on his hand and sighed.
His hand was warm.
“You have nice hands,” she said suddenly and he pursed his lips.
“I see that you are quite drunk.”
“So, it’s not like I’ll have the time to die off liver failure.” She laughed quietly at her own joke before pulling the bottle towards herself again. Before she could drink from it though, his hand caught hers and pulled the bottle away.
That caused her to jerk up and press into him.
“Give that back!”
“I think that’s quite enough, don’t you? You won’t be drinking anymore tonight.”
“Why not?”
“Because I said so.”
“You’re awfully comnand-commanding.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he set the bottle somewhere away from her and took hold of both her arms, “however, this display of yours has me…..concerned.”
“Concerned?”
“Yes. About your… mental state.” And he really did seem concerned.
“Aw, that’s sweet. But you don’t need to be—I’m not that far gone,” she insisted.
“Forgive me for doubting that.”
“You’re a vampire, a special one—you said it yourself. Can’t I tell that you tell…no. Can’t you tell that I’m telling the truth?”
Elijah’s thumb rubbed against her elbow. She didn’t know if he realized he was doing it. “Normally, yes. But alcohol is a depressant and while in vino veritas may hold true, your heart rate is different from what it would usually be.”
“Oh,” she said as she stared at him. “Well, I’m still fine. I’m always fine. You can ask anyone.” She said it with a shrug, not knowing why he’d really care about how she was mentally.
“You don’t look very fine.”
“Rude.” She watched as he suppressed a smile, her eyes wide.
“I think you’re the one being rude, do you not?”
“Nope. This is my room, where did you even come from?”
“My apartment,” Elijah said and let go of her arms to roll up his sleeve. She missed the warmth of his touch, but was fascinated by the exposed bones of his wrist, the sinews of his arm.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Sobering you up.” And with that, Elijah raised his wrist to his mouth and bit down with a soft crunch. He didn’t wince, but none of the vampires she’d seen do that ever had. It either didn’t hurt, or they’d all grown used to the pain.
If experience in pain was part of being a vampire, Elena figured she was halfway there.
She didn’t have too much time to think about it though, because within a moment, he was pressing his bleeding wrist against her lips.
Elena tried to push it away when she felt the blood pool within her mouth, but eventually choked it down.
The tangy, metallic taste pervaded through her senses as her mind immediately started becoming clearer, and he pulled away from her.
Suddenly, she felt mortified.
Had she really drunk dialed a vampire? An old and powerful one at that? She dreaded what he thought of her.
Elena pulled back and covered her face with her hands. "Oh man," she muttered. Maybe it was all an alcohol induced dream? But no--when she peeked through her fingers, Elijah was still there, looking at her with amusement.
"Are we feeling a bit more clearheaded now?"
She felt her skin grow hot in embarrassment and bit at her lip. What had she been thinking?
“Um….yeah, I’m sorry Elijah.” She knew that it wouldn’t affect their deal, but it would certainly affect his perception of her.
“Oh, it’s quite alright. I’ve dealt with a lot worse in my day.”
“Maybe, but I doubt you ever did anything this stupid.”
He looked slightly relieved, although she could only really tell by his eyes, the rest of him was always so poised.
And she’d taunted about him spanking her.
She dropped her face in her hands.
He’d never take her seriously now. Not that he really needed to in order to hold up his end of their deal but… it had been nice. Feeling like he respected her, in a way.
She kind of doubted that was true now.
“I complimented your hands,” she groaned into her own.
“Well, it’s always nice to be appreciated.” Elijah sounded like he was biting back a smile, but Elena didn’t risk looking. Maybe if she rubbed her eyes hard enough, she could erase that memory?
“Elena.” Elijah gently pulled her hands from her face, fingers wrapped around her wrists. “It’s alright. Now, would you tell me precipitated your… indulgence?”
She felt warmth spread along her skin, his touch was light and yet it was distracting to say the least.
“That’s a nice way of saying binge drinking.” She groaned softly before she slowly looked up at him.
He really did look a little concerned, even though he hid it well. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
“I don’t know. Everything I guess.” Her relationship with Stefan had begun falling apart the moment Katherine had come back, Damon was getting….forceful, on edge at the thought that he might lose her. Her friends were distant, if she was honest, and she had never felt so alone.
“It’s about the sacrifice.”
“No! I, it’s not about that. I’m not worried about dying. I just-- it’s just a lot.”
Elijah shifted slightly, and then he was sitting on the floor with her. "Tell me."
Elena almost choked on a laugh. "Really?" she asked doubtfully. "I'm sure you have more important things to do than sit here and listen to me complain about my life."
"Perhaps," he said. "But I'd like to hear what you have to say."
She stole a glance at him. Was Elijah... lonely? He'd said that Klaus was a recluse, and that made her wonder about Elijah. Was he alone too? Or even worse, was he like her: Surrounded by people and yet isolated in the strangest of ways.
She bit her lip as she debated what to say. “I think I’m just a little shocked at how fast everything is happening. Most of my life before last year was pretty boring. There was nothing to it, but now, all these big things are happening, and I’m just left wondering when everything changed.”
“That,” he said, eyes on her, shoulders a little relaxed, “is just life, I suppose.”
“Yeah, but it’s a lot, isn’t it?”
"It is," he agreed. Elena couldn't help but wonder about Elijah's life. What were the big things that he'd been through? His regrets, the changes that he wished never occured?
For the first time, she noticed the position they were in. Elijah was sitting on the floor with her. "I'm sorry," she said. "Your suit is probably all wrinkled."
"That's fine; I do have others."
For some reason, that made Elena laugh. It wasn't a big laugh, but it was enough that she felt a little bit better.
When she stopped laughing though, she couldn’t help but stare at him.
She’d called him once and he’d shown up, even though she wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because she was the doppelgänger, but having his entire attention focused on her this way felt….special almost.
She realised a moment too late that she was staring at him for too long and looked down, clearing her throat.
"Thank you. For coming when I called."
"Of course." And the way that he said it didn't sound like a perfunctory ‘of course’, like ‘of course I'll hold the door for you.’ It sounded like it meant something.
Sitting this close to him, Elijah didn't seem like an ancient, terrifying vampire. He was just a guy. A handsome, kind guy who was looking at her.
And she couldn’t help how her heart beat at the thought. In probably the stupidest action of the year, she pressed the balls of her feet into the floor, leaned forwards and pressed her lips against his.
Her hands sank into the collar of his jacket, she wondered if he always wore suits, as she kissed him a little more insistently. Eventually, she pulled back when he made no move, and felt her skin flushing.
“I’m really sorry.” She wanted to sink into the ground, or better yet, for Klaus to show up and take her away to kill her. “I don’t know what came over me.”
"Don't apologize," Elijah said and cupped her cheek in his warm hand. It was hard to resist the urge to sink into his touch, especially when he brushed his thumb against her lips. "Never apologize."
Elijah didn't stay long after that, but Elena feel asleep almost as soon as he left.
It became a pattern, calling Elijah at night. She didn't do it because she was drunk (anymore, at least) but because he was someone to talk to. It was like that evening had opened up a possibility to her, that he might understand or at the very least, listen to her. Elena would call him and he'd be over within minutes. They didn't always talk about her impending death--in fact, they rarely did. Instead, they talked about books and music and poetry.
And then one night, things changed.
It was the night that Caroline had been kidnapped by werewolves, and Stefan and Damon almost got themselves killed by going to rescue her.
Elena had been on edge, worried the whole time, but then Elijah saved her.
She had just gotten back from Caroline’s house, when she saw Elijah by the window.
“Elijah.” He turned around to face her, and she couldn’t help but feel like her heart might burst out of her chest. Knowing that it was probably a mistake, she covered the distance between them in three quick strides and wrapped her arms around his neck, face burrowed in his jacket. “Thank you.”
He was still for a moment before his hands landed on her back, as warm and comforting as ever. How ironic was it, that the very hand that had beheaded Trevor with such ease could make her feel so safe?
“Of course,” Elijah murmured into her hair. His breath stirred the small baby hairs at her temple, and she shivered. “Are you cold?”
“No, I’m—“ she pulled back slowly, reluctantly. She didn’t want to leave the safety of his arms. “I’m fine.”
She looked up at him, but the truth was the she wasn’t fine. She was….she felt like she might combust when he looked at her like this. It was simultaneously too much and not nearly enough, and she wanted more, needed more.
Needed him.
This time when she kissed him, she stood up on the tips of her toes, and pressed her lips against his firmly. Held on to his neck, shivering at the way his skin felt against hers.
Elijah’s hands settled on her waist, large and perfect, like he’d always meant to be there. She had the feeling that if she suddenly slumped or lost her balance, she’d remain exactly as she was, held safely suspended in his arms.
He let her lead the kiss for a few moments before responding. His mouth was firm against hers without being harsh; he was a man who knew what he wanted.
And Elena got the feeling he wanted her as much as she did him.
It was unlike her, but she pushed against the hard panes of him, into him, her hands roving down his chest. This was probably the worst thing she had ever done, but it felt amazing. It felt right, somehow.
One of his hands trailed up her spine tantalisingly, his other hand gripping her waist and pulling her into him, even as she had to break away for air.
His mouth remained insistent upon her neck however. Teeth digging into her sensitive skin and making her moan. There was a warmth spreading in her lower belly that had everything to do with how he was touching her.
She moaned when he sucked on the hinge of her jaw, letting her head tip back. It was a risky gesture around vampires, but Elijah was so controlled… and she trusted him.
Her lower body swayed close until she was pressed tightly up against him, and it took everything Elena had in her not to spread her legs and try to grind up against him. The warmth in her belly had spread until she felt like she was on fire, needing him to touch her anywhere and everywhere.
“Elijah,” she groaned softly.
His breath was hot against her ear when he answered. “Tell me what you want.”
“I want you.” The words slipped easily from her throat as she worked her shaking fingers to pull his tie lose.
He was pushing her back then, until the back of her knees hit her bed, and she fell onto the mattress. She moaned his name when he pulled her jacket off, lips trailing down her neck immediately after.
She pushed at his jacket until he removed it and then moved back till she was in the centre of the bed.
Elijah followed her, almost prowling as he moved over her. Having those dark eyes focused solely on her made her breath quicken.
He moved back to kissing her neck, bracing his forearms on either side of her head. Elena pulled her knees up on either side of him and shifted until his body was between the cradle of her legs. A gentle squeeze of her thighs was all it took for him to ease his weight down on her.
Threading her fingers through his silken hair, Elena closed her eyes and moaned softly when Elijah’s fingers snuck underneath her shirt, nails gently scratching her ribcage.
“Please, more,” she whispered.
Elena could feel his pleased smirk against her neck, and then Elijah was hooking open the front clasp of her bra and roughly shoving the cups aside. A few stitches popped, but Elena couldn’t care less because then Elijah’s mouth was wrapped around her nipple.
“Oh god, Elijah!” she groaned and tried to use the grip she had on his hair to pull him closer when he stopped.
Surging up, he hovered over her until they were face to face. “Can you be quiet?” he purred darkly, lips curving into a wicked smile.
Elena nodded, willing to agree to anything if he’d only put his mouth on her again.
“Good girl.”
Then he captured one of her pebbled nipples into his mouth again, sucking it and she bit down on her lip to keep from moaning.
She moved her hips, grinding her core against his erection, and he pulled away from her. His pupils were blown as he suddenly shoved his fingers down the front of her pants, sliding them against her panties.
“What a needy little girl you are.” His fingers brushed against her clit and she bit down on her cheek.
She moved to push her pants down her thighs, and somehow managed to kick them off before he trapped her underneath him.
He was still mostly clothed while Elena had never felt more exposed in her life, clothes shoved aside so he had access to her body.
It was thrilling.
Elijah’s fingers were light and teasing against her core, and she wished he’d pull her panties the rest of the way off and touch her like he meant it.
“More, please,” she gritted out and canted her hips up against his fingers.
Faster than her eye could follow, he was kneeling at the end of her bed between her feet. “Now, what did I say about being quiet?”
She opened her mouth again, but then pursed her lips and shook her head.
“Good,” he practically purred as he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties and pulled. She was acutely aware that she was completely naked in front of him and resisted the urge to hide herself, heart fluttering insecurely.
She’d only ever done this with two people, well, three now, she thought as Elijah lightly brushed her slit.
Elena curled her fingers into the bed spread when her lightly brushed inside her, doing her best to be quiet.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tipped her head back into her pillow. She could hear the sounds Elijah’s fingers made in her wetness, dirty and slick. Sweat gathered behind her bent knees and her breathing quickened.
“There you go,” Elijah whispered. “This is what you needed, isn’t it?” He focused his touch on her clit, increasing his speed and pressure until Elena felt like she was about to soar out of her skin.
She nodded as she craned her neck, her thighs straining, and it felt so good, like she’d combust. She didn’t though, instead he curled his fingers inside her, brushing against the sensitive spot that had her mouth hanging open in a silent scream as her hips raised off the bed. Chasing her release. She didn’t need to, it hit her suddenly when his thumb brushed over her clit.
Somehow, she managed to stay silent as she shook with pleasure. If her eyes hadn’t already been squeezed shut, Elena was sure she’d have blacked out.
As it was, sensations returned to her slowly, centering in on Elijah’s hands stroking broad paths up and down her thighs. She cracked her eyes open, breathing heavily, and looked at him.
He looked extremely satisfied with himself.
She couldn’t find it in herself to be angry at him, because she felt just as satisfied. Her breath came in pants as his hands rubbed over her thighs, trying to shiver at his touch.
When he snaked his hands back towards her core, she felt her eyes widen.
She gasped quietly as he sank back inside her folds, his tongue at her clit, and it was too much, and it almost hurt, but it felt too good to push him away.
There was a low swirling sensation in her gut as he pushed inside her and pressed his tongue against her clit.
Elena bit her lip so hard in an effort to be quiet that she tasted her own blood. It added the smallest thrill of danger.
But if Elijah smelled it, he didn’t react, too focused on putting his tongue somewhere else. He hooked her thighs over his shoulders and pressed his hands under her ass, tilting her pelvis up into his face. Elena could feel the muscles in his back flex through his dress shirt when she used her calves to pull him closer.
Elena could feel little shocks going through her body and slipped her hands into his hair. Somehow pulling him back towards her. Grinding her core against his mouth, as he kept at it, kept pushing her.
His fingers started moving inside her, and she turned her head into the mattress, biting at the sheets just to have something to hold onto, feeling like she was going to fall apart.
And then, she did.
This time, she panted for air in loud gasps that broke Elijah’s rule for silence, but she just couldn’t help it—what he was doing felt so good.
As she floated down, Elijah crawled up her body, pressing kisses to her hipbones and stomach as he went, then gently mouthing at the undersides of her breasts.
Almost boneless, Elena cupped his face in her hands as he moved up to kiss her.
When her lips connected with his, she could taste herself on his tongue. It was so dirty, yet it made her feel heady with desire.
She trailed her hands over his chest, pulling apart his loosened tie, and started unbuttoning his shirt, wanting to feel his skin against her own.
He broke away from her to remove his shirt and she undid his belt buckle instead. She pulled him out and then gasped as she palmed against him. Even after how he’d made her fall apart, she was still desperate for more.
Elijah was hot and heavy across her entire body, a tantalizing combination of comfort and promise. She spread her legs as far as she could, grateful for the flexibility she had from cheerleading. She wanted him to crawl inside her body however he wanted and never leave.
“Do you want me?” he whispered in her ear. When his breath brushed the side of her neck, Elena was taken back to their first meeting. Somehow, remembering that just made her crave him more. “You can answer me now.”
“Yes, please,” she begged and tried to align their bodies. “I need you.”
Before she knew how, she could feel his bare skin against her own, his pants gone somewhere, not that she cared where. He brushed his tip against her slit and she gasped quietly, bending her knees to take more of him inside her.
“Please,” she begged again, trying to keep her voice level, but also wanting more.
Elijah was devastatingly slow, sliding into her easily with how wet she was. But she could still feel every movement. She gasped quietly as he filled her, stretching her out more than ever before, until he was fully sheathed inside her.
For a moment, they both held still. Elena wanted him to move but at the same time, there was something so special about this moment. With his hair falling over his forehead and his dark eyes focused solely on her, Elijah was someone that Elena could feel herself getting lost in. For all his control and gentle commands for her silence, there was something soft and, dare she say caring?, in his expression that spoke to her.
Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down so that she could kiss him, a lazy tangle of their tongues that was at odds with the tight need that still burned in her core.
She moved slightly, feeling his length move inside her. His hands were on her hips then and he finally moved inside her.
His hips snapped against her own and he pulled away from the kiss, as he leaned back so only the tip was inside her, and then pushed inside her again.
She moaned his name as her hips raised to meet his, wanting to affect him just as he was affecting her.
“Was this what you wanted all along?” he crooned to her. “For me to fuck you?”
“Yes,” she whimpered. “Please, please keep… don’t… don’t stop…” Forming coherent thoughts was becoming difficult as he gradually increased the speed of his thrusts.
She could feel every inch of him inside her, each snap of his hips pushed her closer to the edge, and met his thrusts shallowly with her own.
“You’ve wanted this too right?” she asked somehow, voice slightly slurred. “I know,” he hit a spot inside her that she didn’t know existed, and she gasped, “how you look at me sometimes.”
Elijah leaned down and pressed their foreheads together. “Perceptive girl,” he murmured in praise. It felt like he was rewarding her when he shifted ever so slightly, so that with each thrust he rubbed up against that spot that sent sparks through her veins.
She held on to his neck for support as she felt her thighs going slack, her whole body going slack as he moved in her like he knew every part of her.
Elena moaned loudly, the feeling of him much too intense and he captured her lips in a searing kiss to quiet her. It hit her out of nowhere then, her belly clenching and her toes stretching against his feet, sweat pooling in the back of her neck as she screamed into his mouth.
He kept thrusting into her through it, fucking her as aftershocks rippled through her body. Elena clung to him as he sped up slightly, seeking his own pleasure. They were no longer kissing, but panting into each other's mouths.
"So good," Elijah growled. "Needed this. Needed you." His hips stuttered as he came, and Elena gasped as he spilled inside her. The way he practically collapsed on top of her wasn't oppressive, but soothing. He was warm and heavy, and she stroked his sweaty back as they both came down from their pleasure.
They didn't say anything, words wouldn't help now. Elena felt slightly guilty for cheating on Stefan, but as Elijah carefully eased his spent cock out of her body, she couldn't help but think about how much she wanted to do this again.