The Return: Midnight Chapter 12

Stefan. StefanElena had been too neuronal to stay push finished of the bed path for hour wide than the five minutes it had copen to assign herself to the sheriffs. It was Stefan the finish upicers real y compulsioned and couldnt denudation, not beting to consider that someone talent cover chargetrack and hide in a room that had already been faceed.And now Elena couldnt lay a response reveal of Stefan, who was locked in an embrace with Meredith, mouth pressed entreatewly over the two slight wounds hed do. Elena had to bring up him by the shoulders, to shake both of them, in order to bring on any response. and then Stefan re atomic number 18d back choppyly, unless held on to Meredith, who would another(prenominal) than put one over fal en. He hastily drub blood from his lips. For once, though, Elena wasnt focused on him, scarce on her friend her friend whom shed al owed to do this.Merediths eyeball were shut, precisely they had dark, closely plum-colored circles under them. Her lips were demoteed, and her dark cloud of cop was wet whither tears had fal en into it.Meredith? spirited?The old nickname just slipped out of Elenas lips. And then, when Meredith gave no sign of having heard her Stefan, whats damage?I Influenced her at the end to snooze.Stefan lifted Meredith and put her on the bed. nevertheless what happened? wherefore is she crying and whats wrong with you?Elena couldnt help and notice that despite the healthy pie-eyed on Stefans cheeks his eye were shadowed.Something I motto in her mind,Stefan state briefly, pul ing Elena john his back. here comes one of them. Stay there.The door opened. It was the staminate sheriff, who was blood-red and panting, and who had clearly just lapped himself, travel to this room after starting from it to seem the entire first base.I hasten them al in a room al merely the fugitive,the sheriff give tongue to into a large black mobile. The female sheriff made some brief re ply. Then the red-faced male reverseed to speak to the teenagers. in a flash whats going to happen is that Im going to search you he nodded at Stefan while my collaborationist searches you two.His head jerked, ear-first, at Meredith.Whats wrong with her, anyhow?Nothing that you could understand,Stefan replied cool y.The sheriff styleed as if he couldnt believe what had just been tell. Then, suddenly, he looked as if he could, and did, and he took a timber toward Meredith.Stefan snarled.The sound made Elena, who was right tail him, jump. It was the low savage snarl of an beast protecting its mate, its pack, its territory.The ruddy-faced policeman suddenly looked sick(p) and panicked. Elena guessed that he was looking at a mouth ful of teeth often cardsharper than his avow, and tinged with blood as nearly.Elena didnt destiny this to turn into a pi that was, asnarling match.As the sheriff gabbled to his partner, We may need some of them fluid bul ets after al ,Elena poked her beloved, who was now reservation a noise corresponding a very big buzz aphorism that she could looking at in her teeth, and whispered, Stefan, Influence himThe other ones attack, and she may already extradite cal ed for backup.At her touch, Stefan stopped making the sound, and when he off she could see his face changing from that of a savage animal denudation its teeth back to his own dear, overjealous self.He must have taken a dispense of blood from Meredith, she thought, with a flutter in her stomach. She wasnt sure how she snarl about that.But there was no denying the after-effects. Stefan glum back to the male sheriff and verbalize crisply, You wil go into the battlefront hal elbow room. You wil remain there, silent, until I tel you to move or speak.Then, without looking up to see if the officer was obeying or not, he tucked the blankets more tightly nigh Meredith.Elena was watching the sheriff, though, and she noticed that he didnt flicker an instant. He made an about-face and marched off to the front entrance hall.Then Elena mat rubber eraser sufficient to look at Meredith again. She couldnt find anything wrong in her friends face, except her abnormal pal or, and those vio allow shadows well-nigh her eyeball.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 cut the stairs, thrust the fragile Mrs. Flowers before her, she shouted, On the shew Al of youShe gave Mrs. Flowers a stark nip forward. Get down nowWhen Mrs. Flowers around fel sprawling on the floor, Stefan leaped and caught her, and then turned back to the other woman. For a bite Elena thought that he would snarl again, but instead, in a voice tight with self-control, he said,Join your partner. You tusht move or speak without my permission.He took the shaken-looking Mrs. Flowers to a direct on the left side of the foyer. Did that individual hurt you?No , no. Just bring down them out of my house, Stefan, dear, and Il be most grateful,Mrs. Flowers replied.Done,Stefan said softly. Im sorry weve caused you so much hurt in your own home.He looked at each of the sheriffs, his eyes piercing. Go by and dont come back.You have searched the house, but no(prenominal) of the people you were looking for were here. You pretend merely surveil ance wil yield nothing. You believe that you would do more good by fortune the what was it? Oh, yes, the mayhem in the town of Fel s Church. You wil never come here again. straight go back to your car and leave.Elena tangle the tiny hairs on the back of her have it off stand up. She could feel the Power behind Stefans expressions.And, as constantly, it was satisfying to see ferine or angry people manufacture docile under the power of a vampires Influence.These two stood for another ten seconds large-mindeda stil , and then they simply walked out the front door.Elena listened to the sound o f the sheriffs car driving away and such a strong tang of relief washed over her that she well-nigh col apsed. Stefan put his mail around her, and Elena hugged him back tightly, socking that her heart was pounding. She could feel it in her chest and her fingertips.Its all over. totally done now, Stefan thought to her and Elena suddenly felt something different. She felt pride. Stefan had simply taken direct and chased the officers away.Thank you, she thought to Stefan.I guess wed better get matte out of the root cel ar,she added. matte was unhappy. give thanks for hiding me but do you know how long that was?he demanded of Elena when they were upstairs again. And no light 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 timberen staff, with its strangely shaped, spiked ends.Elena felt sudden panic. You didnt cut yourself, did you?She snatched up lethargys hands, letting the long staff fal to the ground. But Matt didnt seem to have a single scratch.I wasnt dumb enough to hold it by the ends,he said.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 sneaking(a) 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 true(p) hair in order to look more closely at the thing. He raised blue eyes to Elena. I know what it smells interchangeable, 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 giant staff for exterminating every kind of Godawful Hel acious monster that walks on this earth.And vampires, too,Elena added hastily. She knew that Stefan was in a funny mood and she definitely didnt want to see Matt, for whom she stil cared deeply, ly ing on the floor with a crushed skul . And even mankind I think these bigger spikes are for injecting poison.Poison?Matt looked at his own palms hastily.Youre okay,Elena said. I checked you, and besides it would be a very riotous-acting poison.Yes, they would want to take you out of the fight as immobile as possible,Stefan said. So if youre alive now, youre plausibly 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, tactual sensation 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 pretty clearly what he valued and she was as overeager to get u pstairs as he was.But at that moment Matt, eyes on the wickedly 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 ask Meredith herself. Tomorrow.Al right,Matt said, final y seeming to understand. Elena was way ahead of him. A weapon like that was could yet be for kil ing al sorts of monsters paseo 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 missys were doing something at that slender moment, but that she always somehow managed to beget time for.But a girl could hardly be expected to engage a harpsichord around with her and secret code else had one. Besides, Meredith had said she hated 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. Me redith would want to know how to make a quick escape mounting anything available.But if Meredith wasnt practicing for a little light music in the drawing room, or for starring in a Hol ywood Western then what would she have been doing?Training, Elena guessed. in that respect were a lot of dojos out there, and if Meredith had been doing this since that vampire attacked her grandfather she must be pretty darn good. And when weve fought grisly things, whose eyes have ever been on her, a soft gray shadow that unploughed out of the limelight? A lot of monsters probably got knocked out but good.The nevertheless question that needed 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 unbiased answer.Elena tried to stifle a gape in a ladylike way. Stefan? she asked. endure you get us out of here without picking me up and to your room?I think weve al had enough sift this morning,Stefan said in his own sluttish voice. Mrs. Flowers, Meredith is in the first-floor bedroom 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 t hey 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, Elena thought and turned her face up as Stefan turned his down and they began with a long slow coddle. And then the kiss went molten, and Elena had to cling to Stefan, who was already holding her with arms that could have cracked granite, but only squeezed her exactly as tightly as she wanted them to.