The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Eight

From where bonny and Meredith sat in the machine, they could to a greater extentover see Vickies window. It would halt been breach to be closer, al cardinal accordingly person might have discovered them.Meredith poured the run short of the coffee reveal of the thermos and drank it. Then she yawned. She caught herself guiltily and looked at middling.You having trouble balanceing at night too?Yes. I shtupt imagine why, Meredith express.Do you commemorate the guys are having a little talk?Meredith glanced at her quickly, obviously surprised, then smiled. becoming realized Meredith hadnt expected her to blockage on. I hope so, Meredith said. It might do categoric nearly good. just nodded and relaxed fanny into the seat. Merediths car had never seemed so comfortable before.When she looked at Meredith again, the dark-haired girl was asleep.Oh, great. Terrific. fairish stared into the dregs of her coffee mug, making a face. She didnt dare relax again if they both fell asleep, it could be disastrous. She dug her nails into her palms and stared at Vickies lighted window.When she comprise the image blurring and doubling on her, she knew some topic had to be d wiz.Fresh air. That would help. Without bothering to be too quiet about it, she unlocked the door and describeed the handle up. The door clicked open, that Meredith went on breathing deeply.She must re every last(predicate)y be tired, comme il faut thought, witnessting out. She shut the door more gently, locking Meredith inside. It was notwithstanding then that she realized she herself didnt have a key.Oh, well, shed wake Meredith to allow her back in. Meanwhile shed go check on Vickie. Vickie was probably solace awake.The monger was brooding and overcast, alone the night was warm. Behind Vickies house the black walnut trees stirred very faintly. Crickets sang, but their monotonous chirping only seemed like part of a larger silence.The scent of honeysuckle filled seemlys nostrils. S he tapped on Vickies window lightly with her fingernails, peering through the crack in the curtains.No answer. On the bed she could nonplus out a lump of blankets with unkempt br suffer hair sticking out the top. Vickie was asleep too.As Bonnie stood there, the silence seemed to thicken around her. The crickets werent singing allmore, and the trees were still. And yet it was as if she was straining to hear something she knew was there.None of her nondescript senses told her this. besides her sixth sense, the one that sent chills up her arms and ice down her spine, the one that was saucily awakened to the presence of Power, was certain. There was something near. Something watching her.She turned slowly, afraid to make a sound. If she didnt make any noise, maybe whatever it was wouldnt get her. Maybe it wouldnt notice her.The silence had be germ deadly, menacing. It hummed in her ears with the beat of her own squanderer. And she couldnt help imagining what might come screaming ou t of it at any minute.Something with hot, moist hands, she thought, staring into the sin of the backyard. Black on gray, black on black was all she could see. Every shape might be anything, and all the shadows seemed to be moving. Something with hot, sweaty hands and arms strong ample to crush her-The snap of a separate exploded through her like gunfire.She spun toward it, eyeball and ears straining. but there was only darkness and silence.Fingers touched the back of her neck.Bonnie whirled again, to the highest degree falling, almost fainting. She was too frightened to scream. When she saw who it was, shock robbed all her senses and her muscles collapsed. She would have terminate up in a heap on the ground if he hadnt caught her and held her like a shot.You look frightened, Damon said softly.Bonnie shook her head. She didnt have any voice yet. She thought she still might faint. exclusively she journey to pull away just the same.He didnt tighten his grip, but he didnt let go. And struggling did about as much good as trying to break a brick wall with bare hands. She gave up and tried to calm her breathing.Are you frightened of me? Damon said. He smiled reprovingly, as if they shared a secret. You dont need to be.How had Elena managed to deal with this? But Elena hadnt, of course, Bonnie realized.Elena had succumbed to Damon in the end. Damon had won and had his way.He released one of her arms to trace, very lightly, the curve of her upper lip. I suppose I should go away, he said, and not scare you anymore. Is that what you want?Like a hunt down with a snake, Bonnie thought. This is how the rabbit feels. Only I dont suppose hell kill me. I might just die on my own, though. She felt as if her legs might melt away at any minute, as if she might collapse. There was a warmth and a trembling inside her.Elena wouldnt like it, she thought, just as his lips touched hers. Yes, that was it. But the problem was, she didnt have the strength to say it. The warmth was growing, rushing out to all parts of her, from her fingertips to the soles of her feet. His lips were cool, like silk, but everything else was so warm. She didnt need to be afraid she could just let go and float on this. Sweetness rushed through herWhat the hell is going on?The voice stone-broke the silence, broke the spell. Bonnie started and found herself able to turn her head. Matt was standing at the edge of the yard, his fists clenched, his eyeball like chips of blue ice. Ice so cold it burned.Get away from her, Matt said.To Bonnies surprise, the grip on her arms eased. She stepped back, straightening her blouse, a little breathless. Her mind was working again.Its okay, she said to Matt, her voice almost normal. I was just-Go back to the car and stay there.Now wait a minute, thought Bonnie. She was glad Matt had come the interruption had been very conveniently timed. But he was coming on a little dour with the protective older brother bit.Look, Matt-Go on, he said, stil l staring at Damon.Meredith wouldnt have let herself be ordered around this way. And Elena certainly wouldnt. Bonnie opened her mouth to tell Matt to go sit in the car himself when she suddenly realized something.This was the first time in months shed seen Matt in reality care about anything. The light was back in those blue eyes-that cold flash of righteous rage that used to make even Tyler Smallwood back down. Matt was alive right now, and full of energy. He was himself again.Bonnie bit her lip. For a moment she struggled with her pride. Then she conquered it and lowered her eyes.Thanks for rescuing me, she murmured, and left the yard.Matt was so hot he didnt dare move closer to Damon for aid he might take a traverse at him. And the chilling darkness in Damons eyes told him that wouldnt be a very good idea.But Damons voice was smooth, almost dispassionate. My taste for blood isnt just a whim, you know. Its a necessity youre interfering with here. Im only doingwhat I have to.C ontemptuously he said, Why dont you pick on somebody your own size, then? Damon smiled and the air went colder. Like you?Matt just stared at him. He could feel muscles clench in his jaw. subsequently a moment he said tightly, You can try.I can do more than try, Matt. Damon took a single step toward him like a stalking panther. Involuntarily, Matt thought of jungle cats, of their powerful organize and their sharp, tearing teeth. He thought of what Tyler had looked like in the Quonset hut last year when Stefan was through with him. cherry meat. Just red meat and blood.What was that history teachers name? Damon was saying silkily. He seemed amused now, enjoying this. Mr. Tanner, wasnt it? I did more than try with him.Youre a murderer.Damon nodded, unoffended, as if hed just been introduced. Of course, he stuck a knife in me. I wasnt homework to drain him quite dry, but he annoyed me and I changed my mind. Youre annoying me now, Matt.Matt had his knees locked to keep from running. I t was more than the catlike stalking grace, it was more than those unearthly black eyes fastened on his. There was something inside Damon that talk terror to the human brain. Some menace that spoke directly to Matts blood, telling him to do anything to get away.But he wouldnt run. His conversation with Stefan was blurred in his mind right now, but he knew one thing from it. Even if he died here, he wouldnt run.Dont be stupid, Damon said, as if hed heard every word of Matts thoughts. Youve never had blood taken from you by force, have you? It hurts, Matt. It hurts a lot.Elena, Matt remembered. That first time when shed taken his blood hed been scared, and the fear had been bad enough. But hed been doing it of his own volition then. What would it be like when he was un leave aloneing?I will not run. I will not look away.Aloud he said, still looking straight at Damon, If youre going to kill me, youd better stop talking and do it. Because maybe you can make me die, but thats all you ca n make me do.Youre even stupider than my brother, Damon said. With two steps he crossed the surpass to Matt. He grabbed Matt by his T-shirt, one hand on either side of the throat. I specu easy Ill have to teach you the same way.Everything was frozen. Matt could smell his own fear, but he wouldnt move. He couldnt move now.Damons teeth were a white glitter in the dark. Sharp as carving knives. Matt could almost feel the razor bite of them before they touched him.I will not surrender anything, he thought, and closed his eyes.The shove took him completely off balance. He stumbled and fell backward, his eyes flying open. Damon had let go and pushed him away.Expressionless, those black eyes looked down at him where he sat in the dirt. Ill try to put this in a way you can understand, Damon said. You dont want tomess with me, Matt. I am more dangerous than you can possibly imagine. Now get out of here. Its my watch.Silently, Matt got up. He rubbed at his shirt where Damons hands had tumb le it. And then he left, but he didnt run and he didnt flinch from Damons eyes.I won, he thought. Im still alive, so I won.And there had been a kind of grim respect in those black eyes in the end. It made Matt wonder about some things. It really did.Bonnie and Meredith were sitting in the car when he got back. They both looked c at a timerned.You were gone a long time, Bonnie said. Are you okay?Matt wished people would stop asking him that. Im fine, he said, and then added, Really. After a moments thought he refractory there was something else he should say. Sorry if I yelled at you back there, Bonnie.Thats all right, Bonnie said coolly. Then, thawing, she said, You really do look better, you know. More like your old self.Yeah? He rubbed at his bent on(p) T-shirt again, looking around. Well, tangling with vampires is obviously a great warm-up exercise.Whatd you guys do? Lower your heads and run at each other from opposite sides of the yard? asked Meredith.Something like that. He s ays hes going to watch Vickie now.Do you deal we can trust him? Meredith said soberly.Matt considered. As a matter of fact, I do. Its weird, but I dont think hes going to hurt her. And if the killer comes along, I think hes in for a surprise. Damons spoiling for a fight. We might as well go back to the library for Stefan.Stefan wasnt visible outside the library, but when the car had cruised up and down the street once or twice he materialized out of the darkness. He had a thick book with him.Breaking and entering and grand theft, library book, Meredith remarked. I wonder what you get for that these age?You mean you found it? You figured it out? Then you can tell us everything, like you promised, Bonnie said. Lets go to the boarding house.Stefan looked slightly surprised when he heard that Damon had turned up and stationed himself at Vickies, but he made no comment. Matt didnt tell him exactly how Damon had turned up, and he noticed Bonnie didnt either.Im almost positive about what s going on in Fells Church. And Ive got half the puzzle solved, anyway, Stefan said once they were all settled in his room in the boarding house attic. But theres only one way to prove it, and only one way to solve the other half. I need help, but it isnt something Im going to ask lightly. He was looking at Bonnie and Meredith as he said it.They looked at each other, then back at him. This guy killed one of our friends, said Meredith. And hes driving another one crazy. If you need our help, youve got it.Whatever it takes, Bonnie added.Its something dangerous, isnt it? Matt demanded. He couldnt restrain himself. As if Bonnie hadnt been through enoughIts dangerous, yes. But its their fight too, you know.Darn right it is, said Bonnie. Meredith was obviously trying to repress a smile. finally she had to turn away and grin.Matts back, she said when Stefan asked her what the joke was.We missed you, added Bonnie. Matt couldnt understand why they were all rapturous at him, and it made him feel hot and uncomfortable. He went over to stand by the window.It is dangerous I wont try to kid you about that, Stefan said to the girls. But its the only chance. The whole things a little complicated, and Id better start at the beginning. We have to go back to the founding of Fells ChurchHe talked on late into the night.Thursday, June 11, 700 a.m.Dear Diary,I couldnt write last night, because I got in too late. Mom was hand again. Shed have been hysterical if shed known what I was actually doing. Hanging out with vampires and planning something that may get me killed. That may get us all killed.Stefan has a plan to trap the guy who murdered Sue. It reminds me of some of Elenas plans-and thats what worries me. They always sounded wonderful, butlots of the time they went wrong.Anyway, were going to do it after graduation. Were all in on it except Damon, wholl be watching Vickie. Its strange, but we all trust him now. Even me. Despite what he did to me last night, I dont think hel l let Vickie get hurt.I havent had any more dreams about Elena. I think if I do, I will go absolutely screaming berserk. Or never go to sleep again. I just cant take any more of that.All right. Id better go. Hopefully, by Sunday well have the mystery solved and die killer caught. I trust Stefan.I just hope I can remember my part.