An Elemental Difference - AIR - Book 1 (Stefan Salvatore)

Chapter 7 - ...the Barbara Walters is coming out of me

MYSTIC FALLS WOODS

"So... what did you tell your friends?" Stefan asked Aella as she drove them to the destination he was directing them to.

Aella chuckled to herself, eyes on the road, "After lifetime years of friendship, we've concluded that no questions will be asked. In the evening, we'll have a sleepover, usually at Caroline's, or a group call and spill the details." She quickly looked over at Stefan, eyes panicked, "But whatever you tell me, goes nowhere, I'll either tell a small lie to the girls or distract them by quoting Full House and making Caroline mad."

Stefan chuckled, not thinking for a moment she would tell anyone what they shared the previous night, "You really like Full House? No, joke?"

"No joke at all, Mr. Salvatore," Aella nodded firmly, the most serious Stefan had seen her. She smiled softly, remembering the bad nights when that show would be there to cheer her up. "When my parents died, I had trouble sleeping, Full House was there for me on Nick Nite and made me smile when I had nothing to smile about."

Stefan wished he could remember the pain of losing his mother to share his feelings with Aella, but it had been so long. Yet his father's death still plagued him all these years later.

"What were their names?" Stefan asked.

"Natasha and Calvin," Aella smiled sadly. It had been a long time since she had said those two names together. "Best Mom and Dad in the world, the most caring doctors and such awesome witches! Well, warlock and witch."

Stefan raised his brows, "I've never known someone born to two magical parents."

"Mmhm," Aella nodded over at him, turning right, as he pointed down a lonely road. "Dad was the only second ever male Bennett warlock, and Mom was an umpteenth generational witch."

Stefan nodded, remembering what she had called herself the previous night. "You called yourself an Elemental Witch and Traditional Witch, I know of Traditional, like Emily, but I wasn't aware of Elemental witches?"

She nodded in understanding, lips pursed as to how to word what she knew, "My Mom's coven is very different from the Bennett Coven. Only those of the Samphire line, my Mom's family coven, know the true ins and outs of our magic and when it originated from." Aella shrugged in annoyance, "Even I won't know anything other than the basic training that Grams gives me until I turn 21."

"21?" Stefan asked, he never knew of a coven having an age limit. To be honest, he'd never even heard of the Samphire coven before.

"Yeah, 21," Aella said disgruntled. "My uncle Nathan, my Mom's brother, told my Grams to teach me as a Traditional witch, and when I turn 21, he can start training me as a Samphire witch."

"So, your uncle is a warlock?" Stefan summarised.

"Yup," Aella nodded. "But as my Mom was the oldest, she became head of our coven once my Grandfather died. When I turn 21, because of my Mom's death, I become in charge of the coven."

Stefan's eyes widened as he asked in surprise, "You?" He tried to stop his voice going slightly high, but it was impossible and caused Aella to burst out laughing.

"You know that was my Grams exact reaction," Aella giggled, not at all offended. She then cleared her throat to sound like her grandmother, "My granddaughter can hardly sound serious to a five-year-old, and you're trusting her to run your coven!?"

Stefan laughed with her until he saw the spot he wanted to show Aella, "Stop here."

Aella pointed to the free space on the empty road and at Stefan's nod pulled in, turning the car off and looking at him, "So, what are we doing here?"