That Dapper Whore

He was doing it again. Keeping her out of the loop, even if he didn’t mean to. Closing ranks amongst the family. And the last time he’d started doing this he’d ended up compelling her to forget everything about her life and run.

She was entitled to how she felt now, seeing him do it again. Seeing him risk everything, getting himself turned around and caught up.

But his demeanor changed her anger into worry. Or at least softened her angry and increased her worry. She made the rest of the way to him, reaching out, putting a hand on his arm.

“You’ve been gone,” she said, hurt, scared. “Where were you and what happened? Did you go to destroy it?”

Feeling a hand on his arm, he looked up from the tile he had been staring at. Elijah saw his worry reflected in her features and a fresh wave of guilt swept over him. Taking her hand, he shook his head at her question.

“Lucien--” His face twitched with anger as he said the name “-- took Freya. We went to Virginia to her aid.. but were unable to stop his nefarious plans, I’m afraid.” Getting agitated, he dropped her hand and began to pace, trying to control his mounting rage.

“Why did I listen to him? Finn’s hatred of our kind will finally be our undoing, as it was his. I should have killed Lucien the second he stepped in New Orleans.” Elijah was muttering to himself now, not caring that she probably had no idea of what he was referring to. Deep down he understood the thought behind Finn’s plea. No one wanted to live forever in this existence alone. 

“Tell me that you destroyed that thing,” Gia demanded, coming into the compound without any other greeting. “Tell me you had it and that you burnt it, Elijah, tell me every single splinter of white oak is gone.”

Because she’d heard otherwise. 

And she couldn’t believe- wouldn’t believe- that he would keep a single piece of that thing in this world. Knowing it could kill him. Kill his worthless brother and his slightly less worthless brothers, and his sister, all of whom he loved so much. At the very least, she had to believe his care for them would mean he had done what he should have done and destroyed it. 

After the loss of Finn earlier in the night, the mood in the compound had remained sullen. Elijah’s grief was shadowed by worry. Now with Lucien prowling about with the ability to kill every person he cared for, he loathed himself for relenting to his brother’s plea to keep the bullet. 

Sitting in the courtyard with his head in his hands, he raised his head at the sound of Gia’s footsteps. At least she was safe here for now. Slowly standing, he pushed his hands into his pockets and avoided her direct gaze.

“It’s gone, yes...” He replied in a tired voice, knowing precisely what she was referring to. He steeled himself before continuing, hating to burden her with the same worry.