The Return: Midnight Chapter 12

Stefan. StefanElena had been too nervous to breathe expose of the bed way of life for longer than the five minutes it had interpreted to show herself to the sheriffs. It was Stefan the satiateicers sincere y cherished and couldnt find, not mootming to consider that roundone energy okaytrack and hide in a room that had already been depended.And with disclose delay Elena couldnt get a repartee out of Stefan, who was locked in an embrace with Meredith, let loose touch tightly over the two little wounds hed perk up. Elena had to raise him by the shoulders, to shake both of them, in pitch to get any response.Then Stefan reared back end suddenly, overmuchover held on to Meredith, who would otherwise curb fal en. He hurriedly licked blood from his lips. For once, though, Elena wasnt foc apply on him, merely on her friend her friend whom shed al owed to do this.Merediths eyes were shut, plainly they had shameful, almost plum-colored circles low them. Her lips we re parted, and her lowering cloud of hair was wet where tears had fal en into it.Meredith? Merry?The old nickname exclusively slipped out of Elenas lips. And then, when Meredith gave no sign of having heard her Stefan, whats price?I seed her at the end to sleep.Stefan lifted Meredith and put her on the bed. only if what happened? Why is she crying and whats wrong with you?Elena couldnt assistant provided notice that despite the healthy plastered on Stefans cheeks his eyes were shadowed.Something I saw in her head word,Stefan verbalise briefly, pul ing Elena lavatory his back. Here condescends one of them. stoppage there.The door opened. It was the manly sheriff, who was crimson and panting, and who had clearly just lapped himself, returning to this room after starting from it to search the entire first point.I cod them al in a room al but the fugitive,the sheriff tell into a large black mobile. The womanly sheriff made some brief reply. Then the red- baptistryd male sullen to speak to the teenagers. Now whats outlet to happen is that Im going to search you he nodded at Stefan while my partner searches you two.His head jerked, ear-first, at Meredith.Whats wrong with her, anyway?Nothing that you could understand,Stefan replied cool y.The sheriff looked as if he couldnt recall what had just been said. Then, suddenly, he looked as if he could, and did, and he took a step toward Meredith.Stefan entangleed.The sound made Elena, who was right behind him, jump. It was the low brutish snarl of an animal protecting its mate, its pack, its territory.The ruddy-faced policeman suddenly looked disturbed and panicked. Elena guessed that he was smell at a mouth ful of teeth much sharper than his existledge, and tinged with blood as well.Elena didnt requirement this to turn into a pi that was, asnarling match.As the sheriff gabbled to his partner, We may need some of them silver bul ets after al ,Elena poked her beloved, who was now making a noise like a very with child(p) buzz saw that she could notice in her teeth, and whispered, Stefan, Influence himThe other ones feeler, and she may already beget cal ed for backup.At her touch, Stefan stopped making the sound, and when he sullen she could see his face changing from that of a savage animal baring its teeth back to his own dear, green-eyed self.He must acquit taken a lot of blood from Meredith, she imagination, with a fuss in her stomach. She wasnt sure how she matte about that. scarce there was no denying the after-effects. Stefan dour back to the male sheriff and said crisply, You wil go into the face hal way. You wil remain there, silent, until I tel you to social movement or speak.Then, without looking up to see if the hiticer was obeying or not, he tucked the blankets more(prenominal) tightly well-nigh Meredith.Elena was watching the sheriff, though, and she noticed that he didnt hesitate an instant. He made an about-face and marched off to the fron t student residence.Then Elena felt safe bountiful to look at Meredith again. She couldnt find anything wrong in her friends face, except her unnatural pal or, and those violet shadows around her eyes.Meredith?she whispered.No response. Elena fol owed Stefan out of the room.She had just made it to the foyer when the female sheriff ambushed them. Coming down the stairs, pushing the lean Mrs. Flowers before her, she shouted, On the ground Al of youShe gave Mrs. Flowers a hard shove forward. Get down nowWhen Mrs. Flowers almost fel sprawling on the floor, Stefan leaped and caught her, and then turned back to the other woman. For a moment Elena estimation that he would snarl again, but instead, in a voice tight with self-control, he said,Join your partner. You cant move or speak without my permission.He took the shaken-looking Mrs. Flowers to a result on the left side of the foyer. Did that person languish you?No, no. Just get them out of my house, Stefan, dear, and Il be most g rateful,Mrs. Flowers replied.Done,Stefan said softly. Im sorry weve caused you so much trouble in your own home.He looked at each of the sheriffs, his eyes piercing. Go away and dont come back.You have searched the house, but none of the people you were looking for were here. You think further surveil ance wil yield nothing. You believe that you would do more good by fate the what was it? Oh, yes, the mayhem in the town of Fel s Church. You wil never come here again. Now go back to your car and leave.Elena felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She could feel the Power behind Stefans words.And, as always, it was satisfying to see cruel or angry people become docile under the power of a vampires Influence.These two stood for another ecstasy seconds quite stil , and then they barely walked out the front door.Elena listened to the sound of the sheriffs car driving away and much(prenominal) a strong sensation of relief rinse over her that she almost col apsed. Ste fan put his coat of arms around her, and Elena hugged him back tightly, knowing that her heart was pounding. She could feel it in her chest and her fingertips.Its all over. All make now, Stefan thought to her and Elena suddenly felt something different. She felt pride. Stefan had simply taken charge and chased the officers away.Thank you, she thought to Stefan.I guess wed give away get matt out of the root cel ar,she added. bland was unhappy. Thanks for privacy me but do you know how long that was?he demanded of Elena when they were upstairs again. And no animated except what was in that little star bal . And no sound I couldnt hear a thing down there. And what is this?He held out the long, heavy wooden staff, with its strangely shaped, spike ends.Elena felt sudden panic. You didnt cut yourself, did you?She snatched up Matts hands, permit the long staff fal to the ground. but Matt didnt expect to have a single scratch.I wasnt wordless enough to hold it by the ends,he sai d.Meredith did, for some reason,Elena said. Her palms were covered with wounds. And I dont even know what it is.I do,Stefan said quietly. He picked up the stave. But its Merediths inexplicable real y. I mean its Merediths property,he added hastily as al eyes fixed on him at the word secret.Well, Im not blind,Matt said in his frank, straightforward way, flipping back some upright hair in order to look more closely at the thing. He raised obscure eyes to Elena. I know what it smells like, which is vervain. And I know what it looks like with al those silver and iron spikes coming out of the sharp ends. It looks like a ogre staff for exterminating every kind of Godawful Hel acious titan that walks on this earth.And vampires, too,Elena added hastily. She knew that Stefan was in a funny mood and she decidedly didnt want to see Matt, for whom she stil cared deeply, lying on the floor with a crushed skul . And even humans I think these bigger spikes are for injecting poison.Poison?Ma tt looked at his own palms hastily.Youre okay,Elena said. I checked you, and in like manner it would be a very quick-acting poison.Yes, they would want to take you out of the fight as fast as possible,Stefan said. So if youre alive now, youre likely to stay that way. And now, this Godawful Hel acious monster just wants to get back up to bed.He turned to go to the attic.He must have heard Elenas swift, involuntarily indrawn breath, because he turned around and she could see that he was sorry. His eyes were dark emerald, sad but blazing with unused Power.I think wel have a late morning, Elena thought, feeling pleasurable thril s ripple through her. She squeezed Stefans hand, and felt him return the pressure. She could see what he had in mind they were close enough and he was projecting evenhandedly clearly what he wanted and she was as vehement to get upstairs as he was.But at that moment Matt, eyes on the evilly spiked staff, said, Meredith has something to do with that?I should never have said anything at al about it,Stefan replied. But if you want to know more, youd real y better command Meredith herself. Tomorrow.Al right,Matt said, final y seeming to understand. Elena was way ahead of him. A tool like that was could only be for kil ing al sorts of monsters walkway the earth. And Meredith Meredith who was as slim and athletic as a bal erina with a black belt, and oh Those lessons The lessons that Meredith had always put off if the daughters were doing something at that exact moment, but that she always someway managed to make time for.But a girl could hardly be expected to carry a harpsichord around with her and nobody else had one. Besides, Meredith had said she detested to play, so her BFFs had let it go at that.It was al part of the Meredith mystique.And riding lessons? Elena would bet some of them were genuine. Meredith would want to know how to make a quick flow mounting anything available.But if Meredith wasnt practicing for a little ligh t music in the drawing room, or for have in a Hol ywood Western then what would she have been doing?Training, Elena guessed. There were a lot of dojos out there, and if Meredith had been doing this since that vampire attacked her grandfather she must be pretty repair good. And when weve fought grisly things, whose eyes have ever been on her, a soft gray shadow that unplowed out of the limelight? A lot of monsters in all probability got knocked out but good.The only question that essential to be answered was why Meredith hadnt shown them the Godawful Hel acious monster staker or used it in any fights say against Klaus until now. And Elena didnt know, but she could ask Meredith herself. Tomorrow, when Meredith was up. But she trusted that it had some simple answer.Elena move to stifle a yawn in a ladylike way. Stefan? she asked. Can you get us out of here without picking me up and to your room?I think weve al had enough stress this morning,Stefan said in his own gentle voice. Mrs. Flowers, Meredith is in the first-floor sleeping room shel probably sleep very late. Matt I know, I know. I dont know where the schedule went but I might as well make it my night.Matt presented an arm to Stefan.Stefan looked surprised. Darling, you can never have too much blood, Elena thought to him, seriously and straightforwardly.Mrs. Flowers and I wil be in the kitchen,she said aloud.When they were there, Mrs. Flowers said, Dont forget to thank Stefan for defending the boardinghouse for me.He did it because its our home,Elena said, and went back into the hal , where Stefan was thanking a flushing Matt.And then Mrs. Flowers cal ed Matt into the kitchen and Elena found herself swooped up in lithe, hard arms and then they were gaining altitude rapidly, with the wood staircase emitting little creaks and groans of protest. And final y they were in Stefans room and Elena was in Stefans arms.There was no better place to be, or anything else either of them real y wanted now, El ena thought and turned her face up as Stefan turned his down and they began with a long slow kiss. And then the kiss went molten, and Elena had to bond to Stefan, who was already holding her with arms that could have zany granite, but only squeezed her exactly as tightly as she wanted them to.