Severed Heaven (Niklaus and Elijah Mikaelson)

Chapter Fourteen: Third Time's The Devil's Charm

         In a desperate move which I knew I'd never live down if I did not relent, I impatiently awaited the old acquaintance. It was midnight. It was quiet enough for me to hear him coming from a mile away. I gave myself enough credit to convince myself that this had been a good idea. However, when I was the only one left in the bar, the full moon simmering over New Orleans in the most perfect way, that's when he walked in. I downed the scotch down my throat to prepare myself.

I remembered that, a couple of days ago down at this same bar, I should have seized my chance to study him for longer. Now this was all the chance I'd get while also attempting to discover his darkest truths and scheming. I waited a few seconds more and, without actually planning my move, I allowed him to find me here. "Elizabeth Marigold." He said my name through the quietness of the bar, and I found his face within my field of vision when he took a seat beside me at the bar.

"Lucien Castle." I said his name as if I'd never seen him coming. There was a scuffle of quick sounds as he took off his black coat. "Just the person I wanted to see."

When I looked back at my empty glass, Lucien had already planned on having it filled. His gesture to the bartender had been brief, as if he didn't want to waste his attention on anyone that wasn't me. The stealth and stubbornness of his presence sent chills down my spine. "I hear you're working closely with the Mikaelsons these days?" He asked me, diving right into the deep water.

I hesitated shortly, picking up my glass after it'd been granted a refill. "Working? No." I said. "We're merely acquaintances— and what are you? Working against them?" I made sure to allow myself enough scotch I possibly needed.

It might have come as a joke to him, and I intended on appearing it that way, but it was my way of fishing the truth out of him. His chuckle told me he'd fallen into my trap. "Merely acquaintances." He said almost coldly.

Not what I'd planned on hearing, but I wouldn't let him disconcert me just yet.

Lucien unbuttoned the first button of his shirt, and ran his fingers roughly through his hair. His arrogance was giving the whole thing away. "We should get dinner sometime. Get to know each other." He suggested, and I couldn't quite let him know that he overstepped just yet. Let him think, let him ponder, let him revisit.

I let the innocent act off the hook. It allowed myself to save face. It restored dignity and courage to the cover I wanted to keep. "Oh, Lucien." I chuckled through the words. "You want something from me and it isn't dinner."

My quick statement showed I was in perfected control of the situation. "All right. You caught me square and fair." Lucien admitted to me rightfully, and intentionally avoided my gaze to cross with his. "I wish to talk about... Niklaus."

I smirked in secret. "Six feet, Scorpio, paranoid. Yes, I might know him."

"Matter of fact, I'm assuming you know plenty, sweetheart." I should learn to see these references coming, and have an answer ready at that. I knew where he was going with this, but waited either way. "And I'm guessing it's not just his star sign."

I scrabbled around my own corners and crannies, looking for weaknesses I knew weren't there, or shouldn't be there. I tried to pick up as many loose ends as possible. Had he been seeing right through me the whole time? Had he found the cracks in the wall that I hadn't even noticed myself? I was bound to spill broken chunks onto the ground with every second that passed. How hard could it be to cover up my feelings for once? The jagged piece of stone had fallen, but disappeared into grey emptiness. I'd gotten lucky this time.

Still, I couldn't help chiding myself. "He and I haven't been on moderate terms, believe it or not." I said. "So what makes you think that I do?"

I was building my walls back up as I sipped on my drink, but chances were that Lucien had already seen through them.