08 | infernal
relating to or characteristic of hell or the underworld

dedicated to DankFabio

IT STARTED WITH a bright light, shimmering across a body of rapidly moving water. The white crests of rapids reared up like horses, ready to engulf anyone or anything that fell prey to its hunger.

The water roared in my ears, spiking my senses as the scene around me formed from the darkness. The shadows warped into objects, creating a vivid scene from my past that I didn't know existed. Above me was a derelict parking lot, with the concrete beams surrounding me like a cage. An old bicycle was leant on its side beside the stream that sat behind the concrete spears, plumes of orange rust encrusting the once trustworthy object. It stank of stagnant water - or at least what I hoped was stagnant water. The unusual odour was pungent in the air and made me crinkle my nose.

For a second, I took in every detail from the river to the abandoned lot, wondering why it smelt of death. And after that second, everything became black once more, the river crafting itself into a wall; the dirt floor turning into a marble one.

I fluttered my eyelids as I awoke, the sleepy dust sticking to the corners of my eyes making it difficult for me to pry them open. I was no longer in the outskirts of London, but very much the centre of it. The room was exquisite, with an open plan design linking the bed I was curled up on to the kitchen and living area. The same emblem - a species of flower with a celtic pattern surrounding it - I had seen stamped on the poker chips last night were everywhere, including the red rug strewn across the centre of the floor.

"And she's finally awake," A strong voice sighed, emanating from the kitchen. I jumped a little, and huddled back down into the sheets of the bed as though they would swallow me whole. I knew that powerful voice. "Morning, love."

I heard the metallic chink of coffee mugs as I sat upright in the soft bed. It was definitely a kingsize, yet my small figure had managed to take up the whole mattress. I could no longer hide, and reluctantly slid the duvet off my body, relieved to find myself clothed in the same black jumpsuit I had sported last night.

My head throbbed relentlessly, and refused to give me a break when I stood up and walked over to the dining table where Elijah was already sat down. He waved a hand at me, beckoning me once more as I debated whether to take up his invitation or not. Yet the bitter scent of coffee had me in the seat before I could deliberate my bad decision.

The table was sturdy, and clearly showed the wood grains where the tree had been sawed in half. The wall next to it was glass, the large window spanning the entire apartment except for the door that led out onto the roof and outdoor pool. The table looked out onto the morning skyline of London, facing Canary Wharf and the other skyscrapers that were too tall to compensate. Everything screamed luxury, but when you were an ancient vampire with two popular outlets, luxury was merely just a comodity.

I refused to make eye contact with Elijah as I took my coffee tentatively, adding the right amount of milk and one teaspoon of sugar. He was good looking enough even to make me blush this early in the morning and make me forget about my hunger for a chicken kebab - but he had also kidnapped me and snapped Damon's neck. Why I wasn't shackled to a wall God-knows-where was beyond me.

"Could you pass the sugar, please?" Elijah asked out of politeness.

I scoffed, almost choking on my coffee as I swallowed the bitter water. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I stated, still unable to hold Elijah's piercing blue gaze. He looked even better in the morning, with ruffled brunette tresses and freshly-grown stubble that made my heart skip a beat.

"Sugar, love."

"My name isn't 'love,' arsehole," I retorted.

"What is it then?" Elijah asked, and in that moment, I dared to look up. I was momentarily shocked by the brightness of his orbs, my mouth opening ajar in bewielderment.

"Cora," I replied and dropped my gaze to the plate of food he had prepared for me. It was nothing too extravangant; a chopped up banana and two American-style pancakes. After all, vampires weren't required to eat human food, anyway. As Damon had told me, they simply needed blood at least once a week to survive. If they went longer without the ruby sibstance, they would wither away along with their sanity.

"Well, Cora, can I have the sugar please?"

"No."

"Excuse me?"

I folded my arms across my chest defiantly. "I said fuck off."

At my reply, Elijah snapped. He stood up in a split second, sending his chair flying backwards until it toppled over onto the floor. Before I knew what was happening, he was stood in front of me. He grabbed me by the top of my jumpsuit and pushed backwards until I hit the closest wall. Something jabbed into my back, and I howled out with pain, but it only made Elijah narrow his eyes with further scrutiny.

"You seem to be forgetting that you are the prisoner here, Cora, and you fucking do as I say if you don't want there to be any consequences," Elijah said, his voice having grown stern. There was something about the deepness of his vocals that sent a shiver down my spine and compelled me to listen. Without warning, Elijah pressed his body closer to mine. I could feel his strong torso through the thin material of my jumpsuit, but it the contact made me shudder. "I could fuck you right now on that table if I wanted to. I could take away your innocence and make Damon watch as I drained you dry. If you weren't of use to me alive, you'd already be dead, understand? Don't test me, Cora."

All the colour involuntarily drained from my face. Elijah smirked at my reaction, and backed away to allow me space to breathe.

"That's called rape," I said. "Which is a) distgusting and b) illegal, you twat!"

Elijah snarled, and had me pinned up against the wall for the second time before I could blink. "Watch your fucking mouth, Cora," He hissed, managing to maintain a solid smirk whilst doing so. His hand released mine, however I froze when it found the curve of my hip, trailing up and down it before resting above my thigh. I wanted to throw up at the contact of his fingers on my body. "Otherwise I'll find something else to fill it with."

I gagged at the thought, Elijah's smile growing as he studied my actions. Did he enjoy seeing me in mental pain? Had he been alive so long that the years had stripped away any emotions that had once existed inside the shell of his handsome exteria?

Elijah backed away once more, and this time I waited for him to fully retreat until I spoke again. "Why me?"

The male picked up his chair with a huff and sat back down at the table, continuing to sip his black coffee as though nothing had happened. "Because, love, Nathan has taken a liking to you," He replied, picking up a newspaper on the surface top to read. Thankfully, it obscured his face, and I relunctantly sat back down at the table. I didn't realise my hands were shaking with nerves until I went to pick up my coffee cup for yet another caffine rush, only to find that I couldn't hold the mug still. "And Nathan has something I want. If I don't get it by midnight tonight, I'm afraid that we're going to have some fun before I slit your throat."

"If that's how you normally talk to a girl to get your into bed, I'd seriously reconsider the whole sadistic vampire approach," I retorted, voice trembling beyond recognition. "It doesn't really work. I mean the whole 'slitting my throat' thing is kind of a red flag."

Elijah slammed down his newspaper on the table in a fit of rage. I jumped from shock, my whole body leaving the chair. "Is this a joke to you?"

"I'm sorry, Elijah bum, but I'm freaking the fuck out, ok?" I yelled, my hands gesturing all over the place as though they signalled every feeling I had kept locked up in my body. "Funnily enough, I don't normally find myself in these situations!"

My outburst had surprised both myself and Elijah equally, and I sunk back in my chair as I realised how stupid I was being. The male vampire before me wanted to bed me, and all the while I was making jokes about his chat. It didn't make sense. I didn't make sense.

Pulling my head into my hands, I exhaled. "Are Hannah and Damon alright?"

Elijah didn't pick his newspaper up, much to my disappointment. Instead, his stormy eyes locked onto mine and didn't let go. For a moment, it felt as though all the air in my lungs was trapped - it felt as though I couldn't breathe.

"Hannah's fine," Elijah answered, taking another swig of his ebony coffee. "Damon, on the other hand, not so much." I noticed the man's lips twitch up at the sides sadistically.

"If you've hurt him, I'll-"

Elijah waved a hand to cut off my words. "You'll what, Cora?" The male held my eye contact, until it became hard to keep staring. Yet, I felt that if I tore my eyesight away, he would do something I was unable to stop. "In fact, he said the same about you," Elijah jeered, rising from his chair and stepped over to my side of the table for as long as he could drag out. I gulped, senses spiking when the vampire laid his hand on the table inches away from my arm.

"I can see why they both like you, Cora. But there's one thing you need to know. Being in a human in this world means certain death, so I'd enjoy it while it lasts."

"Is that supposed to scare me?" I hissed, suddenly feeling restrained to the chair as Elijah drew ever closer. Soon he was at such a proximity that I could feel his breath tickle against the back of my neck, sending a shock down my spine. He placed a hand on my arm, and slid it up until he reached my shoulder. Involuntarily, I flinched and kept my eyes staring straight ahead as though the ancient man did not exist. I was beginning to panic, heat thumping at the speed of light.

"My dear, you're already scared," Elijah chuckled.

I swallowed the lump stuck in my throat - aside from my racing heart, was it really that obvious?

"You did this to me, didn't you?" I said after a pause.

I couldn't see Elijah's face, but his stiff movements told me enough. "Love, that's a lot to assume."

"But you're not denying it. You killed the King, didn't you? And you compelled me to do it."

"If that's what you want to believe, then fine," Elijah grunted, tightening his grip on my shoulder. His body was facing the huge window that composed one quarter of his house, most likely staring in awe at the landscape before him. If I woke up to the same view every morning, I wouldn't be able to stop staring at it, either. The room fell silent once again, with Elijah continuing to rest on my shoulder. After a minute, his posh accent split through the air like a knife. "But I'm hungry, and although I can't fuck you, I'm sure Nathan won't mind if I have a little taste."

The thought of the male vampire using me as a personal blood bag had my skin writhing; as though one thousand insects were crawling across every square millimetre of the organ. Turning to my animal instincts, I tried to stand up so that I could run, only for Elijah to slam me back down onto the decorative seat without so much as straining a muscle.

I hissed as my bum hit the unpadded wood. "If you hurt me, he'll kill you."

Elijah pushed away my red-gold hair from neck, exposing my vein. I tensed, knowing that whatever I did would be overpowered and would make the consequences significantly worse. "To kill me, he'll have to find me," Elijah explained, voice lacking emotion. "And that's what I'm counting on."

The vampire didn't hesitate any further, his mouth diving onto my neck. I let out a sharp breath as his fangs pierced into my skin, automatically balling my arms into fists and sending one straight to Elijah's perfectly sculpted face.

With a sudden click, the man retreated and wiped away the remnants of my blood around his mouth with the handkerchief stowed away in the pocket of his suit. I didn't care if I had broken his nose, the arsehole deserved it.

"Oh, sweetheart, you shouldn't have done that."

I shrugged my shoulders, now out of the chair and standing firmly on my own two feet. I could feel the warm liquid of my blood dripping down onto my shoulder, soaked up by the black material of my jumpsuit. "I'll take my chances."

Using his incredible speed, Elijah lurched out and grabbed me under the chin before I could form fists. His hand squeezed, constricting my windpipe until I was no longer able to breath. His face was so close to mine, I could pick out the small pimples lining his cheek and forehead, much like those a teenager was burdened with. Under the morning sunlight, I the white outline of a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose glowed; a reminder of one of the numerous battles he had encountered and survived.

"Oh, Cora, we're going to have some fun."

BY FUN, ELIJAH meant drain me dry until my body was so numb, it felt like I was floating on a cloud and unable to move. In fact, I had passed out cold in the male vampire's arms within minutes of him finding the same vein.

After a few hours - I couldn't tell how many, as the sun was still set in the sky like a beacon - I had finally woken up to my neck throbbing and throat feeling as dry as sandpaper.

This time, I couldn't be compelled to forget. The horrors of having a man ten times stronger than me pinning me against a wall and sucking every drop out of my body couldn't be erased. And one thing was for certain - I wouldn't forget it, either.

I was back where I started - literally. My back was cushioned by the sheets of Elijah's ginormous bed, the mattress having moulded to my body after hours of lying in the same position. Every part of my body ached, from my chest right down to my toes. The feeling of emptiness welling up inside me was like a tsunami, and I couldn't hold it back as a wave of nausea washed over me.

"Here," A voice I knew all too well stated, lacking emotion. I glanced through my lashes to spot Elijah holding out a glass of water. He had changed since our ordeal earlier. Instead of his black suit, he had opted for a navy one instead. The rich colour complimented his ocean eyes, and all of his stubble except his well-trimmed beard had been shaved off until his pale British skin was smooth.

I tentatively raised a shaking hand and took the glass, sipping the water slowly until it was all gone. I had expected Elijah to back away, but he remained by my side until I had finished to take the glass back. 

"Elijah if you've fucking hurt her, I'll-" My heart skipped a beat at the sound of the familiar American voice. Telling the direction of where Damon's voice came from was impossible, and as I glanced around, he was nowhere in sight. Perhaps the lack of blood pumping through my veins had caused me to hallucinate.

"Damon?" I enquired, attempting to shout but all my weak voice could muster was a whisper. I tried to stand up, but my numb legs crumbled immediately as soon as I shifted my weight onto them. However, before I could hit the mattress, Elijah aggressively grabbed hold of my arm and yanked me to my feet.

His hands were tight around my bicep, and I yelped as he dragged me across the room without warning.

"Ow!" I grunted as we rounded the only wall in Elijah's open plan penthouse. My feet wouldn't respond as I told them to move, and I bit my tongue as my toe hit the edge of the sofa. I flailed in the vampire's grip, only stilling when we reached the entrance hall to Elijah's impressive house.

To say that I was shocked at the sight before me was an understatement. Pushed down onto his knees with his arms tied with restraints sat Damon, but his face was so bloodied I barely recognised him through the mask of scratches and bright ruby pigment. His clothes were torn, the thousand-pound charcoal suit he had worn the night before resembling rags that had been wrecked over years of wear. His beard had grown further, the ebony hairs linking together until they formed one clot smothered with blood. His head moved up as soon as he heard us entering the room, hazel eyes marvelling at my stellar appearance compared to his unrecognisable one. They were beautiful; the rich browns entwined with luminous ambers and an undertone of evergreen. Even through his torture, the look in his eyes had not been shattered.

And beside my unlikely companion stood Hannah, her natural resting bitch face not giving anyone the satisfaction of showing her emotions. I suddenly felt proud of my best friend, and elated that she hadn't been touched.

"I'm going to break your back!" I seethed, struggling relentlessly in Elijah's firm hold. Feeling was slowly returning to my limbs, and I used every ounce of energy I had to try and break free.

Elijah simply tutted and turned his head to check the time of the clock on the wall. "Be patient, Cora, otherwise I might just have to find another means to keep you occupied," Elijah threatened and I didn't need to be told twice to shut up. The vampire turned his attention from the wall to the door, bowing his head at one of the two men guarding the lift entrance. "Bring him in."

Within the same second, one of Elijah's comrades pressed a button on the elevator, causing the doors to open. Bright light flooded into the room from the metal box, and I blinked rapidly to adjust to the white light. Silhouetted against the steel backdrop stood a muscular figure with his hands balled into fists at his side.

My breath caught in my throat as Nathan walked confidently into the room without the need to be escorted. It was the second time the handsome man had taken my breath away, and this time his black jeans and maroon shirt made him all the more appealing. His beautiful dark skin shone as though it lacked blemishes, and the glint in his eye gave me the small spark of hope I needed.

"Nathan," Elijah welcomed the man with open arms. He released me for a second, but I remained stuck to the spot like a statue, knowing exactly what would happen if I did move. "What a pleasure it is to see you."

"I wouldn't call this a pleasure, Elijah," Nathan replied in his deep American accent that had my head swimming. Everything that came out of his mouth sounded sexy, whether he meant for it to or not. "I've come for Cora."

"Then I believe you have the ceremonial blade," Elijah reprimanded.

Nathan squinted his perfect eyes. "And what if I did?"

"Then I'd propose a trade. Cora, her friend and Damon for the blade."

Nathan simply laughed as a response. "If you thought for one second I'd even have the dagger on me, then you're wrong. I don't think you need reminding how easily I could kill you, Elijah. No, I'm here for Cora and the others."

Elijah wound his arms around me once again like a snake. I shivered away from his touch, but his grip just tightened the more I tried to move. His hand snaked around my neck like a vice, holding my head in place like a rabbit caught in headlights. Suddenly, his wrist was on my mouth, a liquid seeping from it that burnt on my taste buds as it entered my mouth unwillingly. I shut my lips, but I already knew that it was too late - Elijah's blood was in my system. If I died, I would wake up stronger, improved, better. I would wake up as someone new.

I would wake up a monster.

Nathan laughed once more. I stared hard at the man I didn't even know. I could taste the copper of Elijah's blood in my mouth, coughing on the ruby liquid as it slid down my throat and lingered on my tongue like poison.

"You can't kill her, Elijah," Nathan muttered, waving a hand and placing the other on his hip.

"No," Elijah growled. "But her friend can."

My eyes widened at the thought of my best friend ending my life. Hannah was still vulnerable to compulsion - she had nothing to block the unique talent.

Elijah waved a demanding hand, signalling for his men to bring Hannah forwards. One of the vampires pulled back the girl's head so forcefully she howled in pain. I wanted to help her, but was powerless against Elijah and I knew it. The only way out of this situation was if Nathan agreed to the London vampire's terms.

"Nathan, stop this!" I gasped, the fear finally setting in. It was rare for me to feel anything other than anger and happiness - fear was routed deep into my DNA as though it was part of me. I had been scared on a few occasions beforehand, such as my mother's diagnosis of breast cancer, and the thought of how we would survive economically when my father left. Moreover, the nights when I had met Damon and we had attended the ceremony, I had been too pumped full of adrenaline to feel fear.

"Don't make Hannah do this for fuck's sake!"

Nathan's smile was wiped off his face when Elijah's hand tightened around my neck and began to constrict my airway until it was crushed enough to resemble a straw.

"Don't make me wait, Nathan," Elijah stated, his voice as bland as it had been earlier. He didn't sound like he was even exerting himself - snapping my neck to him would be like squashing an ant to death on the pavement.

"Just stop it," Nathan seethed through gritted teeth. Instantly, the solid grip around my throat was loosened. I gulped down the bitter air in the room as though it was water. "Ok? I'll give you what you want, just let her go."

"Excellent choice," Elijah replied immediately. He held out his pale and aged hand, palm open to receive the dagger like a gift. Nathan rolled back his shoulders, and walked forwards before gathering the small item from his pocket. I eyed the dagger curiously as it came into sight. It was not the typical colour of silver or steel, but rather ebony black like obsidian. The blade sported no handles and reminded me of a simple stake used to kill vampires both in this world and The Vampire Diaries. An ancient language had been carved into the rock, writing something even an online translator could not decode. For a second, the sheer beauty of the black object took my breath away.

Nathan placed the dagger in Elijah's grip, but didn't let it go. "Let them go, Elijah."

Elijah's hand balled the back of my jumpsuit, pulling me in closer to his sculpted chest before pushing me away.

I fell forwards onto my hands and knees from the fall, but before I could stand up a pair of strong arms were wrapped around my shoulder and waist. They picked me up and carried me to the open elevator. I didn't even glimpse Elijah or his comrades before the lift doors shut with a ping.

I heaved a sigh of relief, my body collapsing against the glacial wall of the moving machine. However, the strong arm around my waist didn't let go, and clung on as though letting me go was the equivalent to letting me die. Confused and dazed - head still spinning like a merry-go-round - I cast my eyes upwards to stare at the face peering down on me through the slots in my dark eyelashes.

The hazel orbs that greeted me were warm, engulfing the rest of the world. Up close, I could see the intricate plum and black colours surrounding his swollen eye, and the depth of the scrapes running along his face that would not completely heal. Yet, he was still completely and utterly beautiful.

"Cora," Damon said hurriedly, using his other hand to scrape the red-gold strands from my face to make sure that I was ok. He raked his eyes over my appearance, the skin on my bones tingling with static electricity. "Don't fucking scare me like that again," He whispered, placing a hand under my chin and stroking his thumb over my cheek. The action felt natural, and I let myself mould to his rough fingers like clay.

"I- I won't," I mumbled. I reached out with a weak hand, placing it on Damon's beard and rubbing away some of the dirt masking his face.

I had been so entrapped by Damon's eyes that I had forgotten the other two people sharing the metal box with us. Hannah stood propped up against the door with her hands crossed over her chest, looking away and awkwardly studying the grey ceiling to give us as much privacy as possible. Nathan, on the other hand, looked as though he would rather choke on his own vomit than watch us reunite. I stifled a laugh - something I hadn't been able to do in Elijah's presence.

The lift began to move with a sudden lurch, almost throwing Damon off me. His face drained of colour until the tone of his skin resembled a sheet of crisp white paper. A laugh rose from my chest. "If you throw up Damon, at least throw up on Nathan."

THE END OF THE CHAPTER MY CHEST!! Where can I find a Damon?

Is Nathan growing on anyone else? I kinda love him 😂

First of all, I'd like to apologise for the first half the chapter. The writing wasn't great and i will be going back to edit it again. Don't worry, I promise the next chapters are better and worth it ;) (chapter 10 is 10 thousand words long)

Also I hate Elijah and his views and I do not support any of it. But i wanted him to be convincing and this was the way I'd always pictured him.

Thank you so much for reading! The comments on that last chapter have honestly given me so much hope for this book, and i can't wait to finish it soon ❤️

What did you think? How do you think Nathan will react to losing the blade?

Lots of love, lotte xxx

( also this beautiful cover was made by my love allisonrights and I'm so in love! Thank you so much 💞 )