Monomania

Chapter 13: Discourse

Sorry its late lol

***

Flashback: 1917

"Have you ever played chess?"

Emilina looked up from her book, smiling when she saw Gage standing in front of her, slightly hinged at the hips with his hands folded behind his back. His normally slicked-back hair was untouched, leaving his fluffy brown curls to fall in a halo around his head

"Hi!" She said excitedly, sliding a bookmark between the pages before setting it down next to her on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"Asking if you have ever played chess," he answered with a cheeky smile.

"I can't say I have,"  she admitted. "No one has ever taught me."

"Well, today is your lucky day because I am going to teach you," Gage said, brown eyes twinkling with excitement.

He held out a gloved hand to Emilina, helping her stand from the couch.

"Lead the way!" She said with a wide smile on her face.

***

"Alright, do you understand how to play?"

Gage and Emilina were sitting across from each other in the library, crisscrossed on the floor with an elegant, expensive chess set between them. The black pieces faced Gage while the white were lined up in front of Emilina.

"I think so," she said, still looking at her pieces and thinking about potential moves.

"Good. Now, I wouldn't expect you to win the first time you play," Gage said teasingly, causing Emilina to look up at him.

"Oh?" She asked, a hard edge to her soft voice.

"I won't go easy on you," he challenged, relishing in the way her eyes sparked with determination.

"I don't need you to go easy on me. Bring it on," she challenged, glaring as Gage grinned.

"You're up first, my lady," he said, gesturing toward her pieces.

Over the next few minutes, both tried to get a feel for the other, and Gage was shocked when Emilina made some bold moves, taking out his pieces left and right. She played the game with the skill of an old master and quickly called checkmate with a victorious smile.

He was unaware that she made the moves she watched her husband make time and time again.

No mercy.

***

When Emilina awoke the next morning, her head rested on Klaus's chest and her naked body was swaddled in his comfiest Henley and surrounded by fresh, warm blankets. Klaus's fingers were gently massaging her head and the soothing movements almost put her back to sleep.

She could feel a little sting between her legs and on her thighs, but otherwise she felt floaty and soft.

"Good morning, love," Klaus cooed, brushing the hair from her eyes. Her braid had fallen out quickly last night. "Are you with me?"

Emilina made a small noise of affirmation and snuggled closer to him, tugging the blankets closer around her.

"I need to tell you something," he said, causing her to shift her head up to face him.

"We are going back to Mystic Falls, little love. We have a theory that my hybrids need doppelganger blood to make the transition like I did."

Well that woke her right up.