Grace - Elijah Mikaelson -

Chapter 39

The next day continued to add to the devastating mood of yesterday. Elijah was silent for most of the time, so deep in thought that it took him long to even notice when she was saying his name. His knuckles stood out white because he grabbed the stirring wheel too tightly. She even feared that he would eventually break it.

When they arrived at the place were Jason said the witches were practicing their rituals, a horrible sight unfolded in front of them. They were all slaughtered, flies were covering the bodies. Slit throats, totally Esther's style. Grace and Elijah burned the corpses to cover up the mess before they returned to the hotel, realizing that they hadn't got any leads anymore and that Esther was probably walking around, juiced up with magic. On her way to find something that could kill her children. How long until she would find out that there were still white oak stakes left? Klaus and Rebekah needed to hurry to get them from the Salvatores.

After they got back inside, Elijah immediately grabbed her and kissed her like he was starving for her. Elijah desperately needed to forget and Grace was simply there for him. They spent the afternoon indulging in their lust for each other, but this time it was more rough, a means to release all that build up frustration.

Later one they together laid in the bathtub, the warm water embracing their bodies comfortingly. Still, Grace's mind couldn't stop spinning as she was worried about Elijah's silence. At least he made some sounds when they had sex. Sighing, she closed her eyes and laid her head back on his chest. His arm held her by her waist and she could feel his breath on her scalp, but still it felt like he was miles away. Surprisingly she felt so comfortable with him, both of them naked in this bathtub, she always have had a problem with being nude around men, but her head was occupied with trying to find words. She couldn't talk to him about what happened. He needed time to process.

"When Damon compelled me when I was still human, it didn't work properly. Snippets of memory came back to me. It was pretty tough, gave me quite the headache, but it led me to undagger you then. To you think it is related to my 'talent'?"

Elijah pushed her wet hair over her shoulder and drew abstract circles onto the sensitive skin over her collarbone. She already noticed that he was a quick learner to what she enjoyed.

"Yes, it could be. Humans can learn to resist compulsion. But it's a process that can take decades and I've never seen anyone resistant the compulsion of an Original. Vampires like Damon use a sloppy technique...still, you had no clue what was happening to you, which makes it quite special that you could gain your memories back...Do you take vervain?"

Frowning, she turned around so she could look at him. At the side she was happy that he was speaking again. She seemed to have found the right topic. Elijah seemed to be curious about it himself.

"No, why would I? Burns like a bitch and I hope that none of you will ever try to compel me."

She started to place small kisses on his chest, but Elijah placed a finger under her chin to lift it up and he stared her in the eyes.

"Grace, why don't you get some champagne for us?"

His pupils dilated and Grace felt a kind of tug in her brain, but it didn't cloud her mind like compulsion should. She lifted a brow.

"Why don't you get it yourself?"

He chuckled and pulled her to her for a long kiss. It strangely relieved him that she could resist and Original's compulsion. Not that he was afraid that his siblings would dare and try, but one could never be safe enough. It was another part of protecting her from the evils and darkness of his family.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to test a theory."

Elijah's arms wrapped around her and he relaxed a bit. She always found ways to calm him, it was magnificent. Of course he grieved for his brother, but his greater concern were the living. It upset him that Grace was bound to his brother's life. He couldn't bear loosing Klaus, but he would loose any sense in life if he lost Grace with him. In that short time she had become such an important part of his eternal existence, he couldn't even imagine a future without her anymore.