"Officer Kenner had a situation. I told him I would take his place."
I turned my head to find Elijah Mikaelson climbing into the spot beside me, and tried to bite back a grin.
The spicy scent of his cologne enveloped me as the carnival music began to play.
"You came back."
He nodded, keeping his eyes on the bar we'd both rested our hands upon.
"My brothers and I were able to defuse the situation rather quickly, but we all agreed you should not be left alone."
I turned my head to meet his dark eyes, the sudden seriousness flickering in them giving me pause.
"Wait, why not? What's going on?" My eyebrows knit together in confusion as I studied his face.
I noticed the clenching of his jaw and the dark rings beneath his eyes. He'd returned wrapped in a black trenchcoat, which added to the dangerous vibe he was radiating, but he looked exhausted.
"We can't say for sure, but we've found evidence that shows there is more to the robbery at the market than we'd originally thought. Since you were at the store, you could potentially be easy prey."
A shudder danced down my spine at his insinuation.
"So I'm really in danger? But Officer Kenner said--"
Elijah cut me off with an impatient roll of his eyes.
"We are not working directly with the Mystic Falls Police Department," he spit. "We have our own... resources."
"Oh."
My eyes dropped to my lap, and I nervously fingered the silver dragonfly dangling from my bracelet. It was a gift from my grandmother before she passed, and it normally brought me peace to feel it resting against my wrist.
However, I felt no peace at the moment, no serenity. There was only the fluttering of my tummy as the ferris wheel began to turn. I watched the excitement of the fair below us, lights swirling around the park against the night sky.
Then his warm hand wrapped around mine.
"Our only goal is to keep you safe and protected at all times. No matter the cost."
I lifted my gaze to meet his intense chocolate brown stare.
"So.. what does that mean? That I'll have a bodyguard following me around? I work at an elementary school with small children."
I couldn't fathom walking into my classroom Monday morning with a giant man trailing behind me. The poor kids would be terrified.
"We feel it's best if you take some time off from work, at least until we know more about what's going on." His eyes were locked on mine, and the low, raspy tone of his voice was making my pulse race.
I felt a fire roaring through my veins, part anger and part hunger, both for the man who was trying to protect me from danger.
"I have to take time off from work? But the children in my class need stability, and I have bills to pay." I shook my head.
"Amelia," his eyes were softer now. "We have already scheduled a meeting with Carol Lockwood for tomorrow morning. My brothers and I will explain everything to her." He paused, squeezing my hand in his. "Your safety is top priority. Everything else can wait."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Mikaelson. I appreciate your kindness, and the fact that you are looking out for me, but I can't put my life on hold for such a vague threat."
His jaw clenched, and he turned to look out over the park. We were currently stopped at the top of the ferris wheel, dangling high above the lights and sounds of the fair.
"A vague threat," he scoffed, a dark sound that chilled me to the bone. "They saw your face, did they not?"
My breath caught in my throat. That wasn't public knowledge.
"How did you know that?"
I replayed the memory of the robber asking me to open my eyes, and swallowed hard.
"As I said, we have our own resources." He turned back to me, his eyes pleading. "Amelia, I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."
I could feel my cheeks burning, along with a sudden churning of my stomach as the cart rocked gently in the breeze.
"I need to speak with my therapist before I agree to anything. I--I'm not well-equipped to handle these things on my own."
His hand came up to rub my cheek tenderly, his dark eyes burning into mine. "I think, perhaps, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for."
His eyes dropped down to my lips, which were slightly parted in surprise.
He leaned forward just an inch and my heart lept in my throat. My eyes slowly fluttered shut in anticipation of his kiss.
But the sudden forward jolt of the car shook us out of the moment. I felt a rush of disappointment as the ground seemed to rise up to meet us, the air that had been trapped in my lungs escaping with a whoosh.
I didn't know how I felt about anything - the danger, the sudden need for a bodyguard, potentially missing work...
But I knew, without a doubt, that I had wanted Elijah Mikaelson to kiss me.
As the ride drew to a close, I unfastened my seatbelt, and heard him do the same. We waited in silence for the attendant to unlock our door, and then Elijah held his hand out to help me from the car.
Just as before, the touch of his skin against mine caused a warmth to spread throughout my body.
"Amelia?" Tyler's face was scrunched in confusion as we approached the exit gate. "Mr. Mikaelson. You're back."
"I am, indeed." Elijah didn't bother to mask his irritation.
"I thought you were on the ride with Jackson?" Tyler eyed me with curiosity.
Oops.
One ferris wheel ride with Elijah, and I'd forgotten all about Jackson Kenner.
"He got called away on his walkie talkie," I shrugged. "Elijah rode with me instead. Where's Caroline?"
"She had to run, too. I wonder what's going on."
"Come along with me, please," Elijah said, leading us over to a quiet corner of the carnival. Bathed in the shadow of the Fun Slide, we were safely hidden from the crowd.
Elijah exhaled deeply. "I have just begun to explain to Amelia that things in Mystic Falls are not as safe as we had originally imagined. It appears money was not the intended goal of the robbery."
Tyler stiffened. "So what were they looking for?"
"I will let you know once we are certain we have all the facts, Mr. Lockwood. However, in the mean time I am afraid Amelia may be in danger. My brothers and I have a plan in place to ensure she is secure at all times, but we will need your help in convincing her that this is the best course of action."
"Elijah, I can't--" I began, but Tyler cut me off.
"Amelia, this is not the time to be stubborn. If the Mikaelsons are offering to help you, you need to let them."
His voice was full of brotherly concern, but I could see the fear behind his eyes.
It was then that I finally felt the dread settle in. The panic gripped my chest as I suddenly wondered if the bad guys were around, lurking in the shadows of the carnival.
I swung my terror-filled eyes over to Elijah, who almost seemed relieved at my reaction.
"Okay. I'll do it," I whispered softly.
Elijah dropped both hands onto my shoulders. "I promise you'll be safe with us."
I only nodded.
"I would be happy to drive you both home," Elijah offered. "It is quite late now, and I have volunteered to take the first shift."
"First shift?" I asked, my eyebrows knitting together. "For what?"
"To watch you, of course. Don't worry, I'll stay in the hallway outside your door." He said it so nonchalantly it almost sounded normal.
"You're going to stand outside my door all night?"
"Indeed. I have been told I can be quite intimidating," he smirked.
"Yeah. You could say that," I whispered, returning his half smile.
His hand slid down my back as we made our way to the limousine that was waiting for us in the parking lot, with Oliver dutifully standing outside.
Just as Oliver opened up the door for me, I looked up at saw Stefan and Lexi watching us from beside the gate. I couldn't resist turning to Elijah with a flirtatious smile.
"Thanks again for this," I whispered, biting down on my lower lip. I was pleased by the flushed look on Elijah's face in response.
I didn't bother to check Stefan's reaction before ducking inside the Mikaelson's limo.
***
After dropping Tyler off at his place, Elijah walked me to my door.
"Would you like to come in for a bit? It's still relatively early, and you've got a long night ahead of you."
"I wouldn't want to impose," he murmured.
"I'm a little worked up over all this, and talking to you would be a great distraction." I gave him my most convincing smile.
Truthfully, he made me even more nervous than the mysterious threat looming over us, but I relished every moment in his presence.
"Please?"
"Okay, fine," he chuckled and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "You know, you and Evelyn sure have the puppy-dog eyes down pat."
"Imagine what would happen if we teamed up against you."
Unlocking my door, I stepped back to allow him inside.
"Sorry for the mess." I scooped up Dolly, who'd been snoozing on the armchair. "Tyler's usually the only one who stops by, and he doesn't mind."
He inched closer to Dolly, who was watching him carefully. She typically scampered off when anyone else came to visit, but she remained in my arms as Elijah gently rubbed her head.
I felt the soft vibration of her purring in my arms and couldn't hide my smile.
"Can I get you a drink? Wine, maybe? I might have a few bottles of Tyler's douchey beer..."
He smirked. "Maybe coffee?"
"Oh, of course. I've got lots of coffee," I nodded. "How do you like it?"
"Black is fine," he shrugged, and I pulled a face. I liked mine loaded with sugar and cream, sometimes even with flavored syrup. I had no idea how people could drink it otherwise.
But Elijah didn't seem like a sugar and cream type of guy.
I set Dolly down on the floor and turned to set up the coffeemaker.
"Was Evie okay with leaving early?" I asked, gesturing for him to sit down and make himself comfortable.
"She was exhausted already, actually. She fell asleep on the ride home." He wore that proud smile he got when he spoke of her, and I melted further into a lovesick puddle.
"So you, uh... were planning to ride the ferris wheel with Jackson Kenner?"
The jealous edge of his voice made me happier than I would ever admit.
"Oh. Yeah, I wanted to give Tyler some time alone with his partner, Officer Forbes." I flushed wildly under his intense gaze, the lightning crackling inside my chest.
"So you two aren't seeing each other, then?" He rose from the chair, and with a few long strides, closed the space between us.
"No," I squeaked. He was close enough again that I could smell his cologne. I balled my fists as I resisted the temptation to bury my face in his chest.
He reached out to touch my chin, lifting it gently to meet my eyes.
"Are you afraid of me, Amelia?"
I swallowed, his dark eyes dancing with a quiet fire that I was certain mirrored mine. "Should I be?"
"Most people are. But you're not like most people, are you?"
Before I could answer, he captured my lips with his in a passionate kiss.
His lips were soft, but he pressed his mouth to mine roughly, hungrily, as if he'd been holding back for too long already. When he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
His tongue slipped inside my mouth to tangle with mine, and I sighed contentedly against his lips.
It was, without question, the best first kiss I'd ever had.
My hands slid into his hair, grasping the chocolate brown strands with a quiet desperation. When his teeth grazed my lower lip, I felt the throb all the way to my core.
He pushed me back against the kitchen countertop, lifting my thigh to wrap around his waist.
"Amelia," he whispered against my lips. My name had never sounded so beautiful.
I was lost in this man, in the passion that was consuming us, and I was absolutely certain I would have taken him to bed right then and there.
Then I heard the unmistakable sound of something sharp scraping against my door.
[To be continued..]