✔ The Way We Burn || Kol Mikaelson (Complete)

Chapter 15

They had been walking for hours, the damn village an ugly memory, yet the stench was still sticking to Kol's skin and clothes. His nose would twitch, crinkle, bury itself in his coat, but nothing helped him get rid of the foul smell. He reeked of death, of dried blood, of sweat and human wastes. He could have rolled around with polecats and still smell better.

Nora wasn't doing any better. The rough garments he stole for her were impregnated with the stench of human villages and the scent of fear had yet to leave her. It tainted her natural scent of burning wood. Still, she was lucky and didn't have a keen sense of smell.

Discreetly, he glanced back over his shoulder to see Nora trudge through the snow, weariness present in every lines of her face. Stubborn woman, refusing his help, insisting that she was not a child and didn't need him to carry her. Never mind that he actually wanted to carry her.

The long walk had left her feet bleeding. The heaviness of her garments certainly didn't help and the bearskin coat was dragging the snow along with it. Said coat had earned him a disgusted look when he asked her to wear it. That, and a long - very long - tirade on the necessity to protect endangered animals, until she remembered bears weren't in any danger to disappear in this particular century. So she ranted about the abuse of animals while putting the coat on. Honestly, Kol was pretty sure her reluctance was more because of the smell than something else.

Snowflakes never touched her. They melted before even touching her. The water then simply evaporated, creating a kind of mist around her. In fact, Kol could see the air wrinkling. Which wasn't normal. Not that she was. But still. He frowned. There was something missing. Something big, that he knew but couldn't remember.

"Damn snow, damn village, damn vampire, fuck my life," Nora grumbled for the umpteenth time since they had decided to put as much distance as possible from them and the damn village, despite the setting sun.

At one point or another, she would have no choice but to let him carry her or they would have to sleep outside. And somehow, he doubted this young Nora was as much in search of adventure as the Nora he remembered.

And he really wanted to wash himself. And get rid of the scent of Nora's fear.

Wait. Fear. Nora. Young Nora. Fear?

What could he have possibly forgotten? Something important. Really important.

Behind him, he heard Nora rubbing her arms vigorously and her heart suddenly racing. Curious, he turned back only to stop, breath catching in his throat. There it was, the something missing. Waves of heat and air crinkling and smoke curling around her arms and the tips of her fingers.

***

"I couldn't control myself at the beginning. I was so scared and could end up a human torch at any time. And when it happens, I time-travel. And space-travel too, I guess, because I can never be sure I will be in the same place."

***

No. She couldn't leave now. Not when he had just found her. Not when he had so many questions for her. Not when she was terrified.

"Are French fries that good?" he suddenly asked her to distract her, even though he already knew the answer.

"Huh?" Her head snapped to him and her hands stopped moving. She let them fall down by her sides and stared at him, bewildered. "Y-yes, they are."

"Just that? You aren't going to tell me about their beautiful golden color, the way they deliciously crunch under your teeth? Or what about how the the grains of salt melt on your tongue?"

Her eyes narrowed, "Why ask the question? You already know the answer."

He shrugged and slowed down to walk by her sides.