The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Seven

Stefan approached the corner house reluctantly, almost afraid of what he might meet. He half expected that Damon would necessitate aband championd his run by now. Hed probably been an idiot to rely on Damon in the kickoff place.But when he reached the backyard, thither was a shimmer of motion among the black-market walnut trees. His eye, sharper than a humans because they were adapted for hunting, make step up the darker empennage leaning against a trunk.You took your time jack offting back.I had to see the or so others folk safe. And I had to eat.Animal blood, Damon utter contemptuously, eyes fixed on a tiny round stain on Stefans T-shirt. Rabbit, from the smell of it. That seems appropriate somehow, doesnt it?Damon-Ive stipulation reasonable and Meredith vervain too.A wise precaution, Damon verbalise distinctly, and showed his teeth.A beaten(prenominal) surge of irritation welled up in Stefan. why did Damon incessantly suffer to be so difficult? Talking with him w as kindred walking betwixt land mines.Ill be deviation now, Damon continued, swinging his jacket over unrivaled shoulder. Ive got business of my proclaim to allow in c are of. He tossed a desolate grin over his shoulder. Dont wait up.Damon. Damon half acquireed, non smell entirely when listening. The last affaire we train is some girl in this townspeople screaming Vampire Stefan said. Or showing the signs, either. These people have been by thinks of it before theyre not ignorant.Ill bear that in mind. It was said ironic exclusivelyy, only it was the appressed thing to a promise Stefan had ever gotten from his brother in his life.And, Damon? instantaneously what?Thank you.It was too much. Damon whipped around, his eyes cold and uninviting, a strangers eyes.Dont expect whateverthing of me, gnomish brother, he said dangerously. Because youll be wrong every time. And dont think you stooge manipulate me, either. Those three humans may follow you, merely I wont. I m present for reasons of my own.He was gone before Stefan could gather words for a reply. It wouldnt have themeed anyway. Damon neer listened to anything he said. Damon never yet assureed him by name. It was perpetually the scornful little brother.And now Damon was off to prove how unreliable he was, Stefan thought.Wonderful. Hed do something particularly vicious clean to show Stefan he was loose of it.It was no use. He couldnt concur his mind on the puzzle. He was threadbare and lonely and in desperate need of comfort. And the stark truth was that there was no comfort to be had.Elena, he thought, you lied to me.It was the one thing shed insisted on, the one thing shed always promised. Whatever happens, Stefan, Ill be with you. Tell me you conceptualise that. And he had answered, athletic supporterless in her spell, Oh, Elena, I believe it. Whatever happens, well be together.But she had left him. Not by cream maybe, just now what did that matter in the end? She had le ft him and gone out. in that respect were times when all he pauperismed was to follow her.Think to the highest degree something else, anything else, he told himself, just it was too late. Once unleashed, the images of Elena swirled around him, too inconvenienceful to bear, too comely to push away.The first time hed kissed her. The shock of dizzy sweetness when his let loose met hers. And after that, shock after shock, provided at some deeper direct. As if she were reaching down to the core of himself, a core hed almost forgotten.F decentened, hed snarl his defenses tear away. All his secrets, all his resistance, all the tricks he used to keep other people at arms length. Elena had ripped through them all, exposing his vulnerability.Exposing his soul.And in the end, he prove that it was what he wanted. He wanted Elena to see him without defenses, without walls. He wanted her to whap him for what he was.Terrifying? Yes. When shed discovered his secret at last, when shed institute him alimentation on that bird, he had cringed in shame. He was sure that shed turn away from the blood on his mouth in horror. In disgust.But when he looked into her eyes that night, he saw understanding. Forgiveness. Love.Her love had healed him.And that was when he knew they could never be apart.Other memories surged up and Stefan held on to them, even though the pain tore into him deal claws. Sensations. The feel of Elena against him, supple in his arms. The brush of her sensory hair on his cheek, light as a moths wing. The curve of her lips, the taste of them. The infeasible midnight blue of her eyes.But Bonnie had reached Elena. Elenas spirit, her soul, was still somewhere near.Of anyone, he should be able to summon it. He had fountain at his command. And he had more than right than anyone to seek her.He knew how it was through with(p). Shut your eyes. Picture the person you want to draw near. That was indulgent. He could see Elena, feel her, smell her. Then ca ll them, let your longing reach out into the emptiness. Open yourself and let your need be felt.Easier still. He didnt give a damn about the danger. He gathered all his yearning, all his pain, and sent it out searching standardized a prayer.And felt nothing.Only void and his own loneliness. Only silence.His Power wasnt the same as Bonnies. He couldnt reach the one thing he loved most, the one thing that mattered to him.He had never felt so alone in his life.You want what? Bonnie said.Some sort of records about the history of brutishs Church. Particularly about the founders, Stefan said. They were all sitting in Merediths car, which was park a discreet distance tooshie Vickies house. It was dusk of the next daylight and they had just returned from Sues funeral-all but Stefan.This has something to do with Sue, doesnt it? Merediths dark eyes, always so level and in signalizeigent, probed Stefans. You think youve solved the mystery.Possibly, he admitted. He had spent the day thinkin g. Hed install the pain of last night behind him, and once again he was in control. Although he could not reach Elena, he could justify her trustingness in him-he could do what she wanted done. And there was a comfort in work, in concentration. In care all emotion away. He added, I have an judgment about what might have happened, but its a long shot and I dont want to chatter about it until Im sure.Why? demanded Bonnie. Such a contrast to Meredith, Stefan thought. Hair as red as fire and a spirit to go with it. That delicate heart-shaped character and fair, translucent skin were deceptive, though. Bonnie was smart and resourceful-even if she was only beginning to find that out herself.Because if Im wrong, an innocent person might get hurt. Look, at this steer its just an idea. But I promise if I find any evidence tonight to back it up, Ill tell you all about it.You could talk with Mrs. Grimesby, Meredith suggested. Shes the town librarian, and she knows a component part abou t the founding of Fells Church.Or theres always Honoria, Bonnie said. I mean, she was one of the founders.Stefan looked at her quickly. I thought Honoria Fell had stopped communicating with you, he said carefully.Stefan was surprised. He didnt entirely like the idea of Elenas journal on display. But Honorias records might be on the button what he was looking for. Honoria had not just been a wise womanhood she had been well versed in the supernatural. A witch.The librarys closed by now, though, Meredith said.Thats even better, said Stefan. No one will know what information were implicated in. Two of us crumb go down there and mute in, and the other two discharge tab here. Meredith, if youll come with me-Id like to stay here, if you dont mind, she said. Im tired, she added in explanation, seeing his expression. And this way I stooge get my overhear over with and get home earlier. Why dont you and Matt go and Bonnie and I stay here?Stefan was still looking at her. Okay, he sai d slowly. Fine. If its all right with Matt. Matt shrugged. Thats it, whence. It might take us a couple of hours or more. You two stay in the car with the entres locked. You should be safe enough that way. If he was right in his suspicions, there wouldnt be any more attacks for a while-a few days at least. Bonnie and Meredith should be safe. But he couldnt help wonder what was behind Merediths suggestion. Not simple tiredness, he was sure.By the way, wheres Damon? Bonnie asked as he and Matt started to leave.Stefan felt his stomach muscles tighten. I dont know. He had been waiting for soul to ask that. He hadnt seen his brother since last night, and he had no idea what Damon might be doing.Hell show up eventually, he said, and closed the door on Merediths, Thats what Im afraid of.He and Matt walked to the library in silence, keeping to the shadows, skirting areas of light. He couldnt afford to be seen. Stefan had come back to help Fells Church, but he felt sure Fells Church didnt want his help. He was a stranger again, an intruder here. They would hurt him if they caught him.The library lock was easy to pick, just a simple spring mechanism. And the journals were right where Bonnie had said they would be.Stefan forced his hand away from Elenas journal. Inside was the record of Elenas last days, in her own handwriting. If he started thinking about that nowHe arduous on the leather-bound book beside it. The faded ink on the yellowing pages was hard to read, but after a few minutes his eyes got accustomed to the dense, composite writing with its elaborate curlicues.It was the story of Honoria Fell and her husband, who with the Smallwoods and a few other families had come to this place when it was still virgin wilderness. Theyhad faced not only the dangers of isolation and hunger but of native wildlife. Honoria told the story of their battle to bring through simply and cl earliest, without sentimentality.With a prickling at the back of his neck, he read the e n hear carefully. At last he leaned back and close his eyes.Hed been right. on that point was no longer any doubt in his mind. And that meant he must also be right about what was going on in Fells Church now. For an instant, bright sickness washed over him, and an anger that made him want to rip and tear and hurt something. Sue. Pretty Sue who had been Elenas companion had died for that. A blood ritual, an obscene initiation. It made him want to kill.But then the rage faded, replaced by a fierce determination to stop what was chance and set things right.I promise you, he whispered to Elena in his own mind. I will stop it somehow. No matter what.He looked up to find Matt looking at him.Elenas journal was in Matts hand, closing itself over his thumb. Just then Matts eyes looked as dark a blue as Elenas. Too dark, full of turmoil and grief and something like bitterness.You found it, Matt said. And its bad.Yes.It would be. Matt pushed Elenas journal back into the case and stood. T here was a ring almost of satisfaction in his voice. alike soul whos just proved a point.I could have saved you the bicker of coming here. Matt surveyed the darkened library, jingling change in his pocket. A casual observer might have thought he was relaxed, but his voice betrayed him. It was raw with strain. You just think of the worst thing you can imagine and thats always the truth, he said.Matt Sudden concern stabbed at Stefan. Hed been too preoccupied since coming back to Fells Church to look at Matt properly. Now he realized that hed been unforgivably stupid. Something was terribly wrong. Matts only body was rigid with tension lying just under the surface. And Stefan could maven the anguish, the desperation in his mind.Matt, what is it? he said quietly. He got up and cover to the other boy. Is it something I did?Im fine.Youre shaking. It was true. Fine tremors were running through the taut muscles.I said Im fine Matt swung away from him, shoulders hunched defensively. An yway, what could you have done to upset me? Besides taking my girl and getting her killed, I mean?This stab was different, it was somewhere around Stefans heart and it went straight through. Like the mark that had killed him once upon a time. He tried to breathe around it, not trusting himself to speak.It was the truth. Stefan waited a moment and then added, levelly, But its not the in all problem, is it?Matt didnt answer. He stared at the floor, pushing something invisible with the side of one shoe. Just when Stefan was about to give up, he turned with a point of his own.Whats the world authentically like?Whats what?The world. Youve seen a lot of it, Stefan. Youve got four or five centuries on the rest of us, right? So whats the deal? I mean, is it basically the kind of place worth saving or is it basically a pile of crap?Stefan shut his eyes. Oh.And what about people, huh, Stefan? The human race. argon we the disease or just a symptom? I mean, you take somebody like-like Elen a. Matts voice shook briefly, but he went on. Elena died to keep the town safe for girls like Sue. And now Sues dead. And its all happening again. Its never over. We cant win. So what does that tell you?Matt.What Im really asking is, whats the point? Is there some cosmic joke Im not getting? Or is the whole thing just one big freaking mistake? Do you understand what Im trying to formulate here?I understand, Matt. Stefan sat down and ran his hands through his hair. If youll shut up a minute, Ill try to answer you.Matt drew up a chair and straddled it. Great. Take your best shot. His eyes were hard and challenging, but underneath Stefan saw the bewildered hurt that had been festering there.Ive seen a lot of evil, Matt, more than you can imagine, Stefan said. Ive even lived it. Its always going to be a part of me, no matter how I fight it. Sometimes I think the whole human race is evil, much less my kind. And sometimes I think that enough of both our races is evil that it doesnt matte r what happens to the rest.When you get down to it, though, I dont know any more than you do. I cant tell you if theres a point or if things are ever going to turn out all right. Stefan looked straight into Matts eyes and spoke deliberately. But Ive got another(prenominal) question for you. So what?Matt stared. So what?Yeah. So what.Yeah, so what? Stefan leaned forward. So what are you going to do, Matt Honeycutt, if every bad thing youve said is true? What are you going to do personally? Are you going to stop fighting and swim with the sharks?Matt was grasping the back of his chair. What are you talking about?You can do that, you know. Damon says so all the time. You can join up with the evil side, the winning side. And nobody can really blame you, because if the universe is that way, why shouldnt you be that way too?Like hell Matt exploded. His blue eyes were searing and he had half travel from his chair. Thats Damons way, maybe But just because its hopeless doesnt mean its all r ight to stop fighting. Even if I knew it was hopeless, Id still have to try. I have to try, damn itI know. Stefan settled back and smiled faintly. It was a tired smile, but it showed the kinship he felt right then with Matt. And in a moment he saw by Matts face that Matt understood.I know because I feel the same way, Stefan continued. Theres no excuse for grownup up just because it looks like were going to lose. We have to try-because the other choice is to surrender.Im not ready to surrender anything, Matt said through his teeth. He looked as if hed fought his way back to a fire privileged him that had been anxious all along. Ever, he said.Yeah, well, ever is a long time, Stefan said. But for what its worth, Im going to try not to either. I dont know if its possible, but Im going to try.Thats all anybody can do, Matt said. Slowly, he pushed himself off the chair and stood straight. The tension was gone from his muscles, and his eyes were the clear, almost piercing blue eyes Stefa n remembered. Okay, he said quietly. If you found what you came for, wed better get back to the girls.Stefan thought, his mind switching gears. Matt, if Im right about whats going on, the girls should be okay for a while. But you go frontwards and take over the watch from them. As long as Im here theres something Id like to read up on-by a guy named Gervase of Tilbury, who lived in the early 1200s.Even before your time, eh? Matt said, and Stefan gave him the ghost of a smile. They stood for a moment, looking at each other.All right. I guess Ill see you at Vickies. Matt turned to the door, then hesitated. Abruptly, he turned again and held out his hand. Stefan-Im glad you came back.Stefan gripped it. Im glad to hear it was all he said, but inside he felt a warmth that took away the stabbing pain.And some of the loneliness, too.