The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Six

Stefan sat in the Gilbert active style, agreeing politely with some(prenominal) it was Aunt Judith was saying. The older woman was uncomfortable having him here(predicate) you didnt need to be a mind run downer to know that. only when she was hard, and so Stefan was smacking, as well as. He wanted Elena to be happy.Elena. Even when he wasnt tone at her, he was aw are of her more(prenominal) than of anything else in the room. Her living presence beat against his fur interchangeable sunlight against closed eyelids. When he actu twoy let himself strain to face her, it was a sweet shock to all his senses.He love her so much. He never saw her as Katherine any more he had almost forgotten how much she attend toed like the dead girl. In any case, on that point were so many differences. Elena had the same pale amber whisker and creamy skin, the same delicate features as Katherine, simply at that place the resemblance ended. Her eyeball, feel violet in the firelight b onny now exclusively normally a blue as dark as lapis lazuli, were neither timid nor childlike as Katherines had been. On the contrary, they were windows to her soul, which shone like an eager flare out rear them. Elena was Elena, and her image had replaced Katherines gentle ghost in his heart. besides her rattling strength made their love dangerous. He hadnt been able to resist her go week when shed withdrawered him her blood. Granted, he might rent died without it, but it had been far too soon for Elenas own safety. For the hundredth time, his eyes travel over Elenas face, meddling for the telltale signs of change. Was that creamy skin a little paler? Was her expression close to more remote?They would have to be careful from now on. He would have to be more careful. Make sure to feed often, foregather himself with animals, so he wouldnt be tempted. Never let the need masturbate too strong. Now that he thought of it, he was hungry rightfulness now. The dry ache, the bur ning, was spreading a big his upper jaw, whispering through his veins and capillaries. He should be out in the woods senses alert to catch the slightest crackle of dry twigs, muscles ready for the chase non here by a fire watching the tracery of pale blue veins in Elenas throat.That slim throat glum as Elena looked at him.Do you want to go to that fellowship tonight? We can take Aunt Judiths car, she say.But you ought to stay for dinner party first, said Aunt Judith quickly.We can cut off up something on the way. Elena miserlyt they could pick up something for her, Stefan thought. He himself could chew and swallow ordinary food if he had to, though it did him no good, and he had long since lost any discernment for it. No, his appetites were more particular now, he thought. And if they went to this party, it would mean hours more originally he could feed. But he nodded agreement to Elena.If you want to, he said.She did want to she was class on it. Hed seen that from the b eginning. All right then, Id better change.She glanced through the doorway, to the empty living room, and said, Its all right. Theyre almost healed already. See? She tugged her lacy collar overmaster, turn of events her designate to one side.Stefan stared, mesmerized, at the devil round marks on the fine-grained skin. They were a very light, translucent burgundy color, like much-watered wine. He fasten his teeth and forced his eyes away. Looking much longer at that would drive him crazy.That wasnt what I meant, he said brusquely.The shining veil of her hair fell over the marks again, hiding them. Oh.Come inAs they did, walking into the room, conversations stopped. Elena looked at the faces turned toward them, at the curious, furtive eyes and the vigilant expressions. Not the kind of looks she was used to ticktockting when she made an entrance.It was an opposite scholar whod opened the door for them Alaric Saltzman was nowhere in sight. But Caroline was, position on a bar s tool, which showed off her legs to their best advantage. She gave Elena a quizzical look and then made some remark to a son on her right. He laughed.Elena could feel her smile start to go painful, term a flush crept up toward her face. Then a familiar congresswoman came to her.Elena, Stefan Over here.Gratefully, she spotted middling sitting with Meredith and Ed Goff on a loveseat in the corner. She and Stefan settled on a large ottoman confrontation them, and she heard conversations start to pick up again around the room.By tacit agreement, no one mentioned the awkwardness of Elena and Stefans arrival. Elena was determined to pretend that everything was as usual.And Bonnie and Meredith were certifying her. You look great, said Bonnie warmly. I safe love that red sweater.She does look nice. Doesnt she, Ed? said Meredith, and Ed, looking mistily startled, agreed.So your class was invited to this, too, Elena said to Meredith. I thought maybe it was just seventh period.I dont kno w ifinvited is the word. replied Meredith dryly. Considering that participation is half our grade.Do you retrieve he was serious well-nigh that? He couldnt be serious, put in Ed.Ray? Oh, Ray. I dont know, around somewhere, I suppose. in that locations a lot of multitude here.That was true. The Ramsey living room was packed, and from what Elena could see the crowd flowed into the dining room, the front parlor, and believably the kitchen as well. Elbows kept brushing Elenas hair as people circulated behind her.What did Saltzman want with you after class? Stefan was saying.Alaric, Bonnie corrected primly. He wants us to call him Alaric. Oh, he was just being nice. He matt-up portentous for making me relive such an agonizing experience. He didnt know scarcely how Mr. Tanner died, and he hadnt realized I was so refined. Of course, hes incredibly sensitive himself, so he understands what its like. Hes an Aquarius.With a moon rising in lam lines, said Meredith under her confidenti al information. Bonnie you dont believe that garbage, do you? Hes a t all(prenominal)er he shouldnt be trying that out on students.He wasnt trying anything out He said exactly the same thing to Tyler and action Carson. He said we should form a support group for each another(prenominal) or write an essay about that night to go far our feelings out. He said teenagers are all very impressionable and he didnt want the tragedy to have a lasting impact on our lives.Oh, brother, said Ed, and Stefan turned a laugh into a cough. He wasnt amused, though, and his interrogate to Bonnie hadnt been just idle curiosity. Elena could tell she could feel it radiating from him. Stefan matte up about Alaric Saltzman the way that most of the people in this room matt-up about Stefan. Wary and mistrustful.Itwas strange, him acting as if the party was a extemporaneous idea in our class, she said, responding unconsciously to Stefans unspoken words, when obviously it had been planned.Whats even extrat errestrial being is the idea that the school would hire a teacher without telling him how the prior teacher died, said Stefan. Everyone was talking about it it must have been in the papers.But not all the details, said Bonnie firmly. In fact, on that point are things the police still havent let out, because they think it might champion them catch the killer. For instance, she dropped her division, do you know what Mary said? Dr. Feinberg was talking to the zany who did the autopsy, the medical examiner. And he said that there was no blood go away in the body at all. Not a drop.Elena felt an frigid wind blow through her, as if she stood once again in the graveyard. She couldnt chat. But Ed said, Whered it go?Well, all over the floor, I suppose, said Bonnie calmly. All over the altar and everything. Thats what the police are analyze now. But its unusual for a corpse not to haveany blood go away usually theres some that settles down on the underside of the body. Postmortem li vidity, its called. It looks like big purple bruises. Whats wrong?Your incredible sensitivity has me ready to put off up, said Meredith in a strangled voice. Could we possibly talk about something else?You werent the one with blood all over you, Bonnie began, but Stefan break her.I dont know, said Bonnie, and then she nacreousened. Thats right, Elena, you said you knew Shut up, Bonnie, said Elena desperately. If there ever were a placenot to discuss this, it was in a crowded room surrounded by people who hated Stefan. Bonnies eyes widened, and then she nodded, subsiding.Elena could not relax, though. Stefan hadnt killed Mr. Tanner, and yet the same evidence that would clue to Damon could as easily lead to him. Andwould lead to him, because no one but she and Stefan knew of Damons existence. He was out there, somewhere, in the shadows. Waiting for his next victim. Maybe waiting for Stefan or for her.Im hot, she said abruptly. I think Ill go see what kinds of refreshmentsAlaric has provided.Stefan started to rise, but Elena waved him back down. He wouldnt have any use for potato chips and punch. And she wanted to be alone for a a couple of(prenominal) minutes, to be moving instead of sitting, to calm herself.Being with Meredith and Bonnie had given her a false sense of security. Leaving them, she was once again confronted by sidelong glances and unawares turned backs. This time it made her angry. She moved through the crowd with deliberate insolence, holding any eye she out of the blue caught. Im already notorious, she thought. I might as well be brazen, too.She was hungry. In the Ramsey dining room someone had set up an assortment of flip foods that looked surprisingly good. Elena took a paper plate and dropped a few cultivated carrot sticks on it, ignoring the people around the bleached oak table. She wasnt going to speak to them unless they spoke first. She gave her full attention to the refreshments, leaning past people to take in cheese wedges an d Ritz crackers, reaching in front of them to pluck grapes, ostentatiously looking up and down the whole array to see if there was anything shed missed.Shed succeeded in riveting everyones attention, something she knew without raising her eyes. She bit delicately down on a bread stick, holding it between her teeth like a pencil, and turned from the table.Mind if I have a bite?Shock snapped her eyes wide open and froze her breath. Her mind jammed, refusing to acknowledge what was going on, and departure her helpless, vulnerable, in the face of it. But though rational thought had disappeared, her senses went right on recording mercilessly dark eyes dominating her field of vision, a whiff of some kind of cologne in her nostrils, two long fingers tilting her chin up. Damon leaned in, and, neatly and precisely, bit off the other end of the bread stick.In that moment, their lips were only inches apart. He was leaning in for a moment bite before Elenas wits revived enough to throw her b ackward, her apply grabbing the bit of crisp bread and tossing it away. He caught it in midair, a superstar display of reflex.His eyes were still on hers. Elena got in a breath at last and opened her mouth she wasnt sure what for. To scream, probably. To warn all these people to run out into the night. Her heart was pounding like a triphammer, her vision blurred.What are you doing here? she thought. The scene around her seemed eerily bright and unnatural. It was like one of those nightmares when everything is ordinary, just like waking life, and then suddenly something grotesque happens. He was going to kill them all.Elena? Are you okay? swear out Carson was talking to her, gripping her shoulder.I think she choked on something, Damon said, evacuant Elenas wrist. But shes all right now. Why dont you introduce us?He was going to kill them allElena, this is Damon, um Sue spread an apologetic mitt, and Damon perfect for her.Smith. He lifted a paper cup toward Elena. La vita.What ar e you doing here? she whispered.Hes a college student, Sue volunteered, when it became apparent that Damon wasnt going to answer.From University of Virginia, was it? William and Mary?Among other places, Damon said, still looking at Elena. He hadnt glanced at Sue once. I like to travel.The world had snapped into place again around Elena, but it was a chilling world. There were people on every side, watching this interchange with fascination, keeping her from speaking freely. But they were alsokeeping her safe. For whatever reason, Damon was compete a game, pretending to be one of them. And while the masquerade went on, he wouldnt do anything to her in front of a crowd she hoped.A game. But he was making up the rules. He was standing here in the Ramseys dining room playing with her.Hes just down for a few days, Sue was continuing helpfully. Visiting friends, did you say? Or relatives?Yes, said Damon.Youre thriving to be able to take off whenever you want, Elena said. She didnt kn ow what was possessing her, to make her try and unmask him.Luck has very little to do with it, said Damon. Do you like dancing?Whats your major?He smiled at her. American folklore. Did you know, for instance, that a mole on the neck means youll be wealthy? Do you mind if I check?I mind. The voice came from behind Elena. It was undefendable and cold and quiet. Elena had heard Stefan But do you matter? he said.The two of them faced each other under the faintly flickering jaundiced light of the brass chandelier.Elena was aware of layers of her own thoughts, like a parfait. Everyones unadulterated this must be better than the movies I didnt realize Stefan was taller Theres Bonnie and Meredith enquire whats going on Stefans angry but hes still weak, still infliction If he goes for Damon now, hell loseAnd in front of all these people. Her thoughts came to a clattering have as everything fell into place. That was what Damon was here for, to make Stefan attack him, apparently unprovok ed. No matter what happened after that, he won. If Stefan drove him away, it would just be more proof of Stefans tendency toward violence. More evidence for Stefans accusers. And if Stefan lost the fightIt would mean his life, thought Elena. Oh, Stefan, hes so much stronger right now please dont do it. Dont play into his hands.Hewants to kill you hes just looking for a chance.She made her limbs move, though they were stiff and awkward as a marionettes. Stefan, she said, taking his cold hand in hers, lets go home.She could feel the tension in his body, like an electric automobile current running underneath his skin. At this moment, he was completely concentrate on Damon, and the light in his eyes was like fire reflecting off a dagger blade. She didnt recognize him in this mood, didnt know him. He panicked her.Stefan, she said, calling to him as if she were lost in fog and couldnt find him. Stefan,please. And slowly, slowly, she felt him respond. She heard him breathe and felt his bo dy go off alert, clicking down to some lower energy level. The deadly concentration of his mind was divert and he looked at her, and saw her.All right, he said softly, looking into her eyes. Lets go.She kept her hands on him as they turned away, one clasping his hand, the other tucked inside his arm. By sheer force of will, she managed not to look over her shoulder as they walked away, but the skin on her back tingled and crawled as if expecting the stab of a knife.Instead, she heard Damons low ironical voice And have you heard that kissing a red-haired girl cures fever blisters? And then Bonnies outrageous, flattered laughter.On the way out, they finally ran into their host.Leaving so soon? Alaric said. But I havent even had a chance to talk to you yet.He looked both eager and reproachful, like a dog that knows perfectly well its not going to be taken on a walk but wags anyway. Elena felt worry blossom in her stomach for him and everyone else in the house. She and Stefan were leav ing them to Damon.Right now she had enough to do getting Stefan out of here before he changed his mind.Im not feeling very well, she said as she picked up her purse where it lay by the ottoman. Sorry. She increased the pressure on Stefans arm. It would take very little to get him to turn back and head for the dining room right now.Im sorry, said Alaric. Good-bye.They were on the threshold before she saw the little slip of violet paper stuck into the side dismission of her purse. She pulled it out and unfolded it almost by reflex, her mind on other things.There was writing on it, plain and bold and unfamiliar. Just three lines. She read them and felt the world rock. This was too much she couldnt deal with anything more.What is it? said Stefan.Nothing. She fox the bit of paper back into the side pocket, pushing it down with her fingers. Its nothing, Stefan. Lets get outside.They stepped out into driving needles of rain.