Always And Forever | Elijah Mickelson

A Masacre

1865

Although the biggest mansion in town belonged to the Marinos and could easily inhabit the entire family, Celia and Elijah stayed in a smaller cottage a few yards away from the main house. The eldest son, Celia's husband, had built it once he had reached adolescence.

Back then everyone knew it was so that he could live out his frivolous affairs but as soon as he got - forcefully- married he moved those to the city where he stayed most of them time.

People, especially the other wives of the Marino family, were upset about a married woman staying alone with an unmarried stranger but with after harsh words from Michollini everyone accepted the fact.

It's been a few weeks since Elijah had moved in. His and Celia's attraction had only grown, making it almost insufferable for the vampire not to do something about his feelings. Just how often had he thought about kissing her?

In moments when they were alone it was the hardest.

They often took walks through the fields or the town. Elijah would tell her about the world, the places he's been. He'd talk about his family issues, how he had a brother that he loved but always brought trouble to him. He felt like the young girl understood, especially since in some form or another her brothers were the cause of the reason she got sold off. It was something she'd confide him in. She told him about her heartbreak. How her new family wasn't the kindest.

It was something anyone could see. They never talked to her unless she was of use. She was completely alone.

But she would advert from those topics if they got too intense to talk about. She would instead tell him about her passions, such as art, music and dance or her beliefs, which were far too modern and nothing she could ever say out loud in front of anyone else.

It felt intimate and soon the vampire realised that they were each other's only friend.

Currently Elijah was looking Celia. Both of them were expected in the main house for a dressing since tonight the men of the family would return home and there'd be a party.

He used his supernatural hearing and was surprised to hear crying. Without thinking much he ran to the source of the sound and found himself in front of Cecelia's bedroom door. He gently knocked on it. The crying stopped.

The door was opened by Cecelia a few moments later, her face red from crying but as usual a. smile was on her.

"Have you been looking for me?" she asked.

Elijah, without thinking, took her face in his hands, his thumbs running over the soft skin of her cheeks.

"Why have you been crying?" he asked, voice laced with concern. It pained him to see her sad.

Celia's face fell.

"I-" she began, looking down to her feet but Elijah tightened the grip around her face to make her look him in the eye.

"You can tell me," Elijah said gently. He meant it.

Cecelia pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Why would you want to know. Why do you seem to care about me so much? So I can lead you to Katherine?" she demanded to know, her tone not making her emotions known.

Now it was Elijah's turn to lose his face.

How did she-

"Don't look so surprised," Celia said before scoffing.