An Elemental Difference - FIRE - Book 2 (Stefan Salvatore)

Chapter 40 - Your dead heart or your non-dead heart?

A/N: Hi all! Sorry i've been MIA, Loki (my puppy) is not allowing me any time to write. With my fibromyalgia, I have to take the times he sleeps to rest myself and writing is just not happening at the moment. Thankfully, I have a few chapters saved up and I'm hoping Loki will settle down soon. 

Anywayyyy, the much anticipated Aella/Elijah chapter, I really hope you enjoy. Love to you all xoxo

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MYSTIC FALLS WOODS

"So," Aella held her arms out and turned to Elijah. "You wanted to talk. This is where we'll do that."

Elijah noticed he could hear nothing in the nearby vicinity, only the animals of the forest, "Any reason why this exact place?"

Aella's eyes watched him closely, "They're just woods."

Elijah looked around, "And nothing to do with the lack of civilization around?" Aella said nothing. She just shrugged, though he could see a slight glimmer in her eye, and decided to play with that. "Or, am I correct to assume it has something to do with your connection to nature as an elemental witch." Aella narrowed her gaze on him, and his smile shone through, only a little, "You think I'm naive? That I would not inquire into the enigmatic teen of Mystic Falls? No, I knew there was a Samphire witch within its borders."

Aella's curiosity grew. Anytime someone other than her family mentioned being a Samphire or praising her coven, they died. Elijah hid his smile at her curiosity. He began walking, "So..." Aella's caught up to him, "What do you know about my coven?"

Elijah's eyes did not leave the forest in front of them as they casually walked through it. Even as he began to answer her, his tone sounded the same, but it was his eyes that had Aella pausing. They seemed empty as he tonelessly informed her, "They're just a typical coven who prefer living in isolation." As soon as it appeared, the look had vanished. It had the hairs on the back of Aella's neck rising, not because he had lied. No, Elijah was speaking only the truth to her.

Realizing she had fallen behind, Aella ran to walk beside him once more. She noticed that despite his tall stature, he walked slower for her own short one to keep up, "My magic was sensed? Can you do magic?"

Elijah let out a brief laugh; it sound; low and mesmerizing. "No, Aella. Magic was never something I wished to exercise that ability. Once I became what I am now, I could not retain any abilities if I'd had any." He glanced at her, "Even one as young as yourself would know that a magic-user cannot retain their magic after turning."

"I did," Aella smirked at him.

"Ah," Elijah nodded, slightly impressed. "A fact-finding mission to see if I came alone. Touche." Aella tipped a figurative hat at him, a notion so familiar that it had his cold heart twisting, "Unless..." he continued, pointing at the young witch, causing her smirk to fade, "I recognized your chicanery and determined that you knowing of my bringing another magic-user with me causes me absolutely no concern."

Aella stopped, hating the slight smirk appearing upon his lips. Her lip curled, "Are you trying to play some psychological chess with me? Because I can tell you now, I suck at chess. Like the suckiest, most suckiest person on the planet sucks at chess. Of course, I also have no clue what you just said, so you and your 'chicanery' can suck it too!"

A genuine laugh escaped Elijah's mouth, a surprise for himself and Aella. Aella's eyes were wide, wondering for the first time if her big mouth had finally caused her to be killed. People as powerful as Elijah only laughed if they were about to kill you or...

"It has been many years since I have laughed so carefree."

Or that.

The Original smiled genuinely at her, a slight glistening in his eye, "You remind me of someone I held quite dear to my heart."