𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞 ⟪♥︎⟫ Elijah Mikaelson

XX

The confusing whirlwind of anger that coursed through Leah's body was perhaps better described as a tornado, pulling her this way and that way until it felt like her body tore apart. Her sole comfort being that her sleepless nights weren't spent worrying about Elijah, but tossing and turning as the nightmares she avoided during the day took a hold of her at night.

She pictured Jean-Luc's hideous grin as she worked on the punching bag, the loud sounds of her punches drowning in the vicious laughter that echoed through her mind. Her arms aching, screaming at her to calm her pace, her mind the only thing with the willpower to keep her legs from buckling.

'Impressive, I've seen many a vampire do a lot less damage to that bag.'

She turned around, panting as she looked at the stranger, 'You must have seen some weak-ass vampires.'

He chuckled, 'Well, they were technically stronger than you are, but you seem to know what you're doing.'

'Who are you?'

'I'm Marcel Gerard, the owner of this gym.'

A sigh escaped Leah's lips as she looked at the man in front of her, a man Elijah had often described as a boy. One Elijah had told was long dead. 'Let me guess,' she stated, 'just like Freya you were never actually dead but abducted by an evil relative?'

Marcel snorted, 'Me, abducted? Absolutely not. How do you know the Mikaelson's?'

'I'm Elijah's human Parisian ex-plaything and even though he ditched me, I'm in New Orleans because I was abducted by a crazy old man that owns an English bookstore.'

'Well shit.'

Perhaps it was the ridiculous smile on his face, but she burst into laughter herself as she lowered herself on one of the benches. 'Yeah, you could say that.'

As she struggled to get her boxing gloves off, Marcel kneeled and helped her. He was handsome, Leah realised as she looked at him, really looked at him for the first time. She stared into his dark brown eyes and blushed. 'I did kickboxing.'

'What?'

'You said I seemed to be knowing what I was doing, I do. I practiced in kickboxing for awhile.'

'Well that explains it,' Marcel answered with anoter one of his smiles, 'we should train together sometime, maybe you can teach me something.'

Leah laughed softly as she played with the end of her shirt, 'I don't think that's a good idea.'

'Well, we can always go for drinks instead.'

His suggest was laced with playful confidence, tiny twinkles visible in his eyes. 'Maybe,' she answered as she grabbed her boxing gloves and pushed them into her sports bag, 'I need to go back to the compound, it was nice meeting you.'

'It was nice meeting you as well, I'll see you around somewhere.'

***