The Eternal Flame

Chapter 5: Twenty Questions

"Unlike normal Vampires, I am Immortal."Elena looked at him sharply as he continued to stare at straight ahead at the road."I cannot die from being staked or standing in sunlight. The sun will burn me and set me on fire but I will still be alive."

"That's gotta hurt."Elena muttered and Elijah nodded, it did hurt.

"I believe it is my turn."Elijah stated, looking thoughtful."How do you know that the Sun and Moon Curse is a fake?"

"Katherine Pierce, or as you would know her as Katerina Petrova, told me."Elena stated calmly.

"Ah, Katerina."Elijah said with disdain in his voice.

"Why were you at the Cemetery this morning and did nothing when you saw me, I mean, you could have taken me if you wanted to."Elena asked.

"I followed you to the Cemetery because I was confused as to how there are two Doppelgangers and I didn't want to take you from your home because then word would spread about your disappearance on the news and then Klaus would know about the Doppelganger before I wanted him to know."Elena eyes narrowed at this."You are a Witch but your Sister is not, how is that possible?"

"Two Doppelgangers cannot be born at the same time without one being Human and the other being something Supernatural."Elijah blinked and pursed his lips."Why don't you want Klaus to know about my Sister and I, I thought you were his henchmen?"Elena said questionably. 

"I am not his henchmen, although I can understand why many would refer to me as that. I don't want to take you to Klaus because I want to do things on my terms."Elijah stated cryptically."Are you afraid of me now that you know that I am not your normal everyday Vampire?"

"No. I'm cautious, that's not going to change to me being afraid of you."Elena stated firmly."You can't truly be Immortal though. Nature would never allow it, so there must be something that can weaken you or even kill you for good. The question is what?"

Elijah smirked as he glanced her."I was wondering when you were going to ask that question. There is one thing that can kill me but it was destroyed a thousand years ago, however, it's ashes were collected and a Magical Dagger, dipped in that ash, can put me down but once removed, the affects become useless."Elena nodded in understanding."Now, since we've gotten that out of the way, I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?"Elena asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Because you are a Witch, you cannot be used in the Ritual, however, your Sister can. I'm sure you want to find a way to keep her alive?"

"I don't need your help keeping Emily alive. I already have a plan."Elena retorted and Elijah suddenly whirled off the road and parked the car before he turned to face her, raising an eyebrow at him."I knew it."Elena said, looking back at him."You don't want Klaus to awaken his Werewolf side, in fact, you want to kill him, why?"Elena asked, looking deep into Elijah's eyes as if she could find the answer.

"Klaus took my Siblings."Elijah answered and Elena blinked rapidly in confusion."He Daggered them and then buried their bodies at the bottom of the sea."Elena stared at Elijah with wide eyes in shock."Now what plan do you have that could possibly keep your Sister alive?"

"I'm going to be the one that will be sacrificed in the Ritual."Now it was Elijah's turn to be shocked.

"But when you die and Klaus realises that he used the wrong Doppelganger in the Ritual, he'll just wait for the next Full Moon to use your Sister."Elijah stated."You'll die for nothing."

"And that, Elijah, is where you're wrong."Elijah's eyebrows furrowed in confusion."When I die, my Sister will be the last living Petrova, all of my powers, my Magic, will be transferred to her."

"She'll be a Witch."Elijah said in realisation and Elena nodded.

"And Klaus will have to wait for another five hundred years for the next Petrova Doppelganger to be born."Elena stated, smirking at Elijah.

"But what if it doesn't?"Elijah questioned her.

"It will."Elena stated firmly.

"How do you know?"Elijah asked and wondered why he cared. Either way, one of the Doppelgangers would die and he would be able to kill Klaus.

"Katherine told me."Elena stated.

"Katerina is a liar."Elijah retorted calmly. Although, on the inside, he was furious at the fact that this Doppelganger would believe that Katerina would tell the truth.

"Katherine cares about me."Elena retorted and rolled her eyes."She'd never lie to me."

"Katerina cares about no one but herself."Elijah retorted and Elena rolled her eyes again causing Elijah to glare at her. "Why do you think that she'd never lie to you?"

"Because she gave me a book that was written by her Great-Great Grandfather. I looked for his name in the Petrova History Book, it's a match. He existed."Elena explained and Elijah's eyes narrowed."There's no way Katherine could forge his handwriting."

"What does one of your Ancestors have to do with this?"Elijah asked, confused and frustrated.

"Katherine's Great-Great Grandfather and her Great-Great Aunt and Uncle were orphaned at a young age, however, his siblings died young because they had weak immunity systems, and he gained all of their Magic."Elena explained, trying to be as cryptic as possible about her Magic."He was the last Petrova until he married and had children of his own."

Elijah was silent as he thought over Elena's words."But in the end, you'll still die. What about your friends, your Family?"

"What about them?"Elena asked indifferently.

"You don't care about their feelings?"Elijah asked instead of answering.

"They never cared about mine. I think the only person who ever truly cared about me was Grams."

"Sheila Bennett."Elijah stated, remembering the gravestone they were at this morning and Elena nodded, looking down at her lap and fidgeted with hem of her shirt."What if I told you there was a way to save the life of the Doppelganger?"Elena looked at him sharply.

"I don't think you get it. I want to die and if it means allowing Klaus to drain me dry, then so be it."Elena snapped and suddenly looked tired, as if she was starting to give up on living."I don't want to live, Elijah."

"Why are you suicidal? Is it because your Family and friends don't care about you?"Elijah asked, suddenly warily of her answer.

"Hit the nail right on the head, except, I don't have friends, I just have people who use me for their own selfish gain."Elena said as she looked away from his piercing stare.

Elijah wasn't sure what it was with this Doppelganger that suddenly made him feel very protective of her, but she was different to her two Ancestors and he knew that he had promised himself that he would never fall for her face again, but he felt drawn to her and wanted her to live.

"What if...."Elijah trailed off as Elena looked back at him."What if I could give you a reason to live?"Elena's lips parted and she looked at him in confusion.

"What are you saying?"Elena asked and Elijah glanced down, away from her prying eyes.