The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 6

The next morn was clear and hot over again, some other beautiful summer day. Elena stretched lazily in her comfy bed, then pul ed on a T-shirt and shorts and padded down to the kitchen for a bowl of ce substantive. aunty Judith was braiding Margargonts hair at the table.Morning, Elena state, pouring draw into her bowl.Hi, sleepy psyche, said Aunt Judith, and Marg bet gave her a big smile and a finger-wiggling wave. defy stil , Margaret. Were abtaboo to hand for the market, she t middle-aged Elena. What are you doing today?Elena swal owed her m stunned(a)hful of cereal. Were going to institution up up Alaric and his friend at the train station and nevertheless diminish out and catch up, she said.Who? Aunt Judith asked, her eyes narrowing. Elenas look spun. Oh, uh, you remember, he subbed for Mr. chromatic teaching history last year, she said, wondering if that was in fact neat in this world. Aunt Judith frowned. Isnt he a lowly bingle measure(a) to be socializing with lavishly school girls?Elena rol ed her eyes. Were not in broad(prenominal) school any(prenominal) more(prenominal), Aunt Judith. And hes only well-nigh six years ripened than us. And its not just girls. Matt and Stefan are coming, too.If this was Aunt Judiths reaction to the news of their spending time with Alaric, Elena could tel why Me ruborith was hesitant to tel people about their singingship. It make palpate to wait a couple of years, until people thought of her as a grown-up. Since no one here knew al that Meredith had fitn and done, she seemed like any other eighteenyear- experient to them. Its a good thing Aunt Judith doesnt k flat Stefans 5 hundred years older than I am, Elena thought with a mystical smirk. She hypothesises Alarics too old.The gatebel rang.Thats Matt and everybody, Elena said, rising to put her bowl in the sink. forecast you guys tonight.Margaret widened her eyes at Elena in silent appeal, and Elena detoured on her way to the door to squeeze the little girls shoulder. Was Margaret stil worried Elena wouldnt come back?Out in the foyer, she ran her fingers through her hair before opening the door.Standing in motion of her was not Stefan, though, plainly a perfect stranger. A real y good-looking stranger, Elena noted automatical y, a boy about her age with permed golden hair, sculpted features, and bright blue eyes. He was holding a deep red rose in one hand.Elena stood a little dead on tar clearer, unconsciously pul ing her shoulders back and pushing her hair cigarette her ears. She adored Stefan, but that didnt mean she couldnt look at other boys, or talk to them. She wasnt dead, afterward al . Not anymore, she thought, smiling at her private joke. The boy smiled back. Hey, Elena, he said cheerful y.Caleb Smal wood Aunt Judith said, coming into the hal . in that location you areElena felt herself recoil, but she kept the smile on her face. Any relation to Tyler? she said, outwardly calm, and ran her eyes over him , trying to be subtle, checking for for what? For signs of his creation a werewolf? She realized she didnt evening know what those would be. Tylers good looks had always had a flavor of an animal about them, with his large w add togethere teeth and freehanded features, but had that been a coincidence?Tylers my cousin, Caleb answered, his smile beginning to turn to a quizzical frown. I thought you knew that, Elena. Im staying with his folks patch Tylers gone.Elenas mind raced. Tyler Smal wood had run away after Elena, Stefan, and Damon had defeated his al y, the evil lamia Klaus. Tyler had left his girlfriend and sometimes hostage Caroline pregnant. Elena hadnt discussed Tyler and Carolines fate with the Guardians, so she had no idea what had leaded with them in this reality. Was Tyler even a werewolf now? Was Caroline pregnant? And if she was, was it with werewolf or human babies? She shook her head slightly. Brave new world, indeed.Wel , dont leave Caleb out on the porch. L et him in,Aunt Judith instructed from behind her. Elena stood aside, and Caleb moved past her into the hal .Elena tried to reach out with her mind and sense Calebs aura, to read him to see if he was dangerous, but once again came up against that brick wal . It would follow some time to get used to existence a normal girl again, and suddenly Elena felt horribly vulnerable.Caleb shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable, and she right awayly composed herself. How long arrive at you been in township? she asked, and then kicked herself for treating this boy she obviously was supposed to know like a stranger again.Wel , he said slowly, Ive been in town al summer. Did you hit your head over the weekend, Elena? He grinned teasingly at her.Elena lifted a shoulder, thinking of al she had suffered over the weekend. Something like that.He held out the rose. This moldiness(prenominal) be for you.Thank you, said Elena, confused. A thorn pricked her finger as she took it by the stem, and she stuck the finger in her mouth to stanch the wrinkle.Dont thank me, he said. It was just posing on the foregoing steps when I got here. You must(prenominal) have a closed book admirer.Elena frowned. Plenty of boys had admired her through school, and if this had been niner months ago, she could have made a good guess at who would leave her a rose. But now she didnt have a clue.Matts battered old Ford sedan pul ed up outside and honked. Ive got to run, Aunt Judith, she said. Theyre here. square-toed seeing you, Caleb.Elenas stomach twisted as she walked toward Matts railway car. It wasnt just the strangeness of conflict Caleb that was affecting her, she realized, turning the roses stem absently between her fingers. It was the car itself. Matts old Ford was the car she had driven off Wickery Bridge back in the winter, panicked and pursued by evil forces. Shed died in this car. The windows had shattered as she hit the creek, and the car had fil ed with icy water. The scra tched steering wheel and the dead set(p) hood of the car, covered with water, had been the last things shed seen in that life.But here the car was as whole again as she was. Pushing the memory of her shoemakers last from her mind, she waved at sightly, whose eager face was visible through the passenger window. She could freeze about al those old tragedies, because now they had never happened. Meredith perched elegantly on the swing on her front porch, pushing herself gently back and forwards with one foot. Her strong, tapered fingers were stil her dark hair fel smoothly across her shoulders her view was as serene as ever.There was nothing about Meredith that mightiness show how tensely and busily her thoughts were churning, worries and contingency plans whirring away behind her cool facade. She had spent yesterday trying to figure out what the Guardians spel had changed for her and her family curiously her brother, Christian, who Klaus had kidnapped over a decade ago. She stil didnt lowstand it al , but it was morning time on her that Elenas bargain had more far-reaching consequences than any of them had imagined.But today her thoughts were diligent with Alaric Saltzman.Her fingers tapped anxiously against the arm of the swing. Then she schooled herself into stil ness again. Self-discipline was where Meredith found her strength, and if Alaric, her fellow or at least, he had been her boyfriend actual y her peradventure engaged-to-be-engaged, sort of almost fiance, before he left town rancid out to have changed toward her in the months theyd been apart, wel , no one, not even Alaric, would see how that would hurt her.Alaric had spent the past several months in Japan, investigating clairvoyant activity, a dream come true up for a doctoral student in parapsychology. His study of the tragic history of Unmei no Shima, the Island of Doom, a smal club where children and parents had saturnine against one another, had helped Meredith and her frien ds to understand what the kitsune were doing to Fel s church building, and how to fight it.Alaric had been working at Unmei no Shima with Dr. Celia Connor, a forensic pathologist who, despite her ful academic credentials, was the alike age as Alaric, only twenty-four. So, clearly, Dr. Connor was bril iant. From his letters and emails, Alaric had been having the time of his life in Japan. And hed certainly found a lot of interests in common with Dr. Connor. perchance more so than with Meredith, who had only just graduated from a smal -town high school, no matter how mature and intel igent she might be.Meredith gave herself a mental shake off and sat up straighter. She was being ridiculous, worrying about Alarics relationship with his crack eague. She was graceful sure she was being ridiculous, anyway. Fairly sure. She gripped the arms of the swing more tightly. She was a vampire hunter. She had a duty to protect her town, and she had, with her friends, protected it wel already. She wasnt just an ordinary teenager, and if she claimed to prove that to Alaric again, she was confident she could, Dr. Celia Connor or no Dr. Celia Connor.Matts rattletrap of an old Ford sedan chugged up to the curb, beautiful in front with Matt, Stefan and Elena posing close together in the back. Meredith rose and crossed the lawn toward it.Is everything okay? said Bonnie, round eyed, when she undecided the door. Your face looks like youre heading off to battle.Meredith smoothened her features into impassivity and scrambled for an explanation that wasnt, Im worried about whether my boyfriend fluid likes me. Quickly and easily, she realized there was another reason she was tense, a true one. Bonnie, I have a duty to help look out for everyone now,Meredith said simply. Damons dead. Stefan doesnt want to hurt humans, and that handicaps him. Elenas Powers are gone. Even though the kitsune were defeated, we stil need protection. Wel always need to be careful.Stefan tightened his ar m around Elenas shoulders. The things that make Fel s Church so appealing to the supernatural, the ley lines that have attracted al kinds of beings here for generations, are al stil here. I can sense them. And other people, other creatures, wil sense them, too.Bonnies voice rose in alarm. So its al going to happen again?Stefan rubbed the bridge of his nose. I dont think so. But something else might. Merediths right, we have to be vigilant. He dropped a kiss onto Elenas shoulder and rested his cheek against her hair. There was no question, Meredith thought wryly, why this particular supernatural being was pull to Fel s Church, anyway, and it wasnt because of the ley lines running through the area. Elena toyed with a single dark red rose, something Stefan must have brought her. Is that the only reason youre worried, Meredith? she asked lightly. Your duty to Fel s Church?Meredith felt herself flush a little, but her voice was dry and calm. I think thats reason enough, dont you?Elena grinned. Oh, its reason enough, I suppose. But could there be another one? She winked at Bonnie, whose anxious expression lightened in response. Who do we know who wil be fascinated by al the tales you have to tel ? specially when he finds out that the storys not over yet?Bonnie turned al the way around in her seat, her smile growing. Oh. Oh. I see. He wont be able to think of anything else, wil he? Or anyone else.Now Stefans shoulders relaxed, and up in the drivers seat Matt let out a express joy and shook his head. You ternary,he said affectionately. Us guys never stood a chance.Meredith looked straight ahead and lifted her chin slightly, ignoring them al . Elena and Bonnie knew her too wel , and the tether of them had spent enough time scheming together that she should have cognise theyd see through her plan in a minute. But she didnt have to admit to it.The solemn mood in the car had lifted, though. Meredith realized they were al doing it on purpose, reaching out gently and careful y with jokes and light teasing, trying to ease the pain Elena and Stefan must both be feeling.Damon was dead. And while Meredith had developed a cautious, wary respect for the unpredictable vampire during their time in the Dark Dimension, and Bonnie had felt, Meredith thought, something warmer, Elena had love him. Real y loved him. And even though Damon and Stefans relationship had been rocky, to say the least, for centuries, he had been Stefans brother. Stefan and Elena were hurting, and everyone knew it.After a minute, Matts eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror to glance at Stefan. Hey, he said, I forgot to tel you. In this reality you didnt disappear on Hal oween you stayed the starting wide telephone receiver and we took the footbal team al the way to the state championships. He grinned, and Stefans face opened in simple pleasure. Meredith had almost forgotten that Stefan had played with Matt on their high school footbal team before their history teacher, Mr. Tanner , died at the Hal oween pursue house and everything went to hel . She had forgotten he and Matt had been real friends, playing sports and hanging out, despite the fact that theyd both loved Elena. And maybe still do both love Elena? she wondered, and glanced quickly at the back of Matts head from under her eyelashes. She wasnt sure how Matt felt, but he had always struck her as the kind of guy who, when he fel in love, stayed in love. But he was also the kind of guy who would always be too undecomposed to try to break up a relationship, no matter what he felt.And, Matt went on, as the quarterback of the state champions, I guess Im a pretty good prospect for col eges. He paused and broke out in a wide, proud smile.Apparently, I have a ful gymnastic scholarship to Kent State.Bonnie squealed, Elena clapped, and Meredith and Stefan burst out with congratulations.Me, me now Bonnie said. I guess I studied harder in this reality. Which was probably easier, since one of my better frien ds didnt die first semester and was available to help tutor me.Hey Elena said. Meredith was always a better tutor than me. You cant blame it on me.Anyway, Bonnie continued, I got into a four-year col ege I didnt even bother to apply to any in our other life because my GPA was not high. I was going to baffle nursing classes at the community col ege like Mary did, even though Im not sure Im real y cut out to be a nurse because, yuck, blood and other fluids. But, anyway, my mom was saw this morning that we should go shopping for my room at Dalcrest before sweat Day. She shrugged a little.I mean, I know its not Harvard, but Im pretty excited.Meredith joined in the congratulations quietly. She had, in fact, gotten into Harvard.Ooh. And And Bonnie was bouncing in her seat with excitement. I ran into Vickie Bennett this morning. Shes definitely not dead I think she was surprised when I hugged her. I forgot we werent real y friends.How is she? asked Elena interestedly. Did she remember a nything?Bonnie tilted her head. She seems fine. I couldnt exactly ask her what she remembered, but she didnt say anything about being dead or vampires or anything. I mean, she was always a little bit blah, you know? She did tel me she saw you downtown last weekend and you told her what color lip gloss she ought to buy.Elena raised her eyebrows. Real y? She paused and went on uncertainly, Is anybody else feeling weird about al of this? I mean, its wonderful dont get me wrong. But its weird, too.Its confusing, Bonnie said. Im grateful, obviously, that al the horrible things are gone and everybodys okay. Im thril ed to have my life back. But my father blew up at me this morning when I asked where Mary was. Mary was one of Bonnies older sisters, the last one living at home besides Bonnie. He thought I was trying to be funny. Apparently she moved in with her boyfriend three months ago, and you can imagine how my dad feels about that.Meredith nodded. Bonnies dad was the protective mater nal(p) type, and pretty old-fashioned in his attitudes toward his daughters boyfriends. If Mary was living with her boyfriend, he must be apoplectic.Aunt Judith and I have been fighting at least, I think so. But I cant find out exactly why, Elena confessed. I cant ask, because obviously I should already know.Shouldnt everything be perfect now? Bonnie said wistful y. It seems like weve been through enough.I dont mind being confused, as long as we can go back to real life, Matt said earnestly.There was a little pause, which Meredith broke, reaching for something to take them out of their somber thoughts.Pretty rose, Elena, she said. Is that a gift from Stefan?No, actual y, Elena said. It was sitting on my front stoop this morning. She twirled it between her fingers. Its not from any of the gardens on our street, though. No one has such beautiful roses. She smiled teasingly at Stefan, who strain up once more. Its a mystery.Must be from a secret admirer, Bonnie said. Can I see?Elena ha nded it up to the front seat, and Bonnie turned the stem around careful y in her hand, looking at the blossom from al angles. Its gorgeous, she said. A single, perfect rose. How amorous She pretended to swoon, lifting the rose to her forehead. Then she flinched.Ouch OuchBlood ran down her hand. Much more blood than ought to come from the prick of a thorn, Meredith noted, already reaching into her theca for a tissue. Matt pul ed off the road.Bonnie he began.Stefan disfranchised in sharply and leaned forward, his eyes widening. Meredith forgot about the tissue, fearing the sudden sight of blood had caused Stefans vampiric nature to take over.Then Matt gasped and Elena said sharply, A camera, quick Someone give me your phone with such a tone of check that Meredith automatical y handed Elena her phone.As Elena pointed the camera phone at Bonnie, Meredith concluding y saw what had startled the others.The dark red blood was running down Bonnies arm, and as it ran, it had streamed i nto twists and curves from her wrist to her elbow. The trickles of blood spel ed out a name over and over. The same name that had been haunting Meredith for months.