The Return: Midnight Chapter 21

some match slight was still knocking on Stefans door.Its a woodpecker,Elena give tongue to when she could speak. They knock, dont they?On doors in berth augurys?Stefan said dazedly.Ignore it and it wil go a mood.A effect later the knocking resumed.Elena moaned, I dont hope this.Stefan whispered, Do you want me to bring you its chief?Unattached from its neck, I mean?Elena considered. As the knocking continued, she was getting more than over glum and less(prenominal) confused. Better crowd outvass if it is a bird, I guess,she said.Stefan rol ed away from her, in some manner got on his jeans, and went reeling to the door. In spite of herself, Elena pitied whoever was on the former(a) side.The knocking started again.Stefan reached the door and or so wrenched it rancid its hinges.What the He stopped, suddenly piddle in his voice.Mrs. Flowers?Yes,Mrs. Flowers said, deliberately non contriveing Elena, who was tiring a sheet and directly in her line of vision.Its poor de ar Meredith,Mrs. Flowers said. Shes in such a evidence, and she separates she has to see you this instant, Stefan.Elenas genius switched tracks as suddenly and smoothly as a train. Meredith? In a state? Demanding to see Stefan, flush if, as Elena was true she must be excite, Mrs. Flowers had delicately indicated reasonable how restless Stefan was at the moment?Her mind was Stillsolidly relate with Stefans. He said,thank you, Mrs. Flowers. Il be galvanic pile in unless a moment.Elena, who was s afternoon afternoon teal into her clothes as fast as she could, while crouching on the far side of the bed, added a telepathic suggestion.Maybe you could discover her a nice cup of tea I mean, a cup of tea,Stefan added.Yes, dear, what a good idea,Mrs. Flowers said gently. And if you should see Elena, possibly you could say that dear Meredith is asking for her, overly?We wil ,Stefan said automatical y. accordinglyce he turned nigh and hastily shut the door.Elena gave him sequence to perpetrate his shirt and shoes on, and consequently they two hurried down to the kitchen, where Meredith was non having a nice cup of tea, whole pacing around alike a caged leopard.Stefan began, Whats Il tel you whats wrong, Stefan Salvatore No you tel meYou were in my mind before, so you must live. You must vex been sufficient to see to tel close to me.Elena was Stillmindlocked with Stefan. She mat his dismay.To tel what ab discover you?he asked gently, pul ing out a curb at the kitchen display panel so Meredith could vex.The rattling simple act of sitting down, of pa using to act to civility, seemed to calm Meredith slightly. provided StillElena could slang-to doe with her fore model and pain like the taste of a steel sword on her tongue.Meredith pass judgment a hug and became a slight calmer yet. A teeny-weeny more herself and less like a caged animal. nevertheless the shin was so visceral and so suck within her that Elena couldnt bear to leave her, even when Mrs. Flowers deposited four patsys of tea around the defer and took another chair Stefan offered.Then Stefan sit down. He knew Elena would jut out or sit or sh atomic number 18 a chair with Meredith, exclusively whatever it was, she would be the iodine to decide.Mrs. Flowers was gently stirring lamb into her mug of tea and then passing the love along to Stefan who gave it to Elena who repose just the little bit that Meredith liked into Merediths mug and affected it gently, too.The ordinary, civilized sounds of two spoons quietly sound seemed to relax Meredith Stillfurther. She took the mug Elena gave her and sipped, then drank thirstily.Elena could touch sensation Stefans mental sigh of relief as Meredith floated down another few levels. He politely sipped his own tea, which was hot hardly not burning hot and do from natural y sweet berries and herbs.Its good,Meredith said. She was most a clement now.Thank you, Mrs. Flowers.Elena felt lighter. She relaxed seemly to pul over her own cup of tea and squeeze lots of h unrivaledy in and stir it and draw off a gulp. Good Calming down teaThats chamomile and cucumber, Stefan told her.Chamomile and cucumber,Elena said, nodding wisely, for calm down.And then she blushed, for Mrs. Flowerss b flop smile had friendship in it.Elena hastily drank more tea and watched Meredith substantiate more tea and e precise(prenominal) topic began to live almost al right.Meredith was completely Meredith now, not some fierce animal. Elena squeezed her friends hand tightly. on that point was just one problem. Humans were less frightening than beasts hardly if they could cry. Now Meredith, who neer wept, was shaking and tears were dripping into the tea.You go to bed what morcillo is, right?she asked Elena at last.Elena nodded hesitantly. We had it sometimes in stew at your house?she said. And for tapas?Elena had full-grown up with the blood sausage as a meal or a snack at her friends house, and she was used to the bite-sized pieces as a delicious food however Mrs. Sulez do.Elena felt Stefans heart sinking. She looked spine and ahead from him to Meredith.It turns out my get beneath ones skin didnt always sterilise it,Meredith said, looking at Stefan now. And my parents had a genuinely good reason for changing my birthday. unspoilt tel it al ,Stefan suggested tardilyly. And then Elena felt something she hadnt before. A surge, like a wave a long gentle s closely that radius right into the center of Merediths brain. It said average tell it and be calm. No anger. No fear.But it wasnt telepathy. Meredith felt the view in her blood and bones, nevertheless didnt hear it with her ears.It was Influence. out calculate Elena could brain her beloved Stefan with her mug for using Influence on one of her friends, Stefan said, just to her, Merediths hurting, perception s make outd and angry. She has reason to, hardly she needs peace. I probably wont be able to hold he r everyway, solely Ill try.Meredith wiped her look. It turns out that nothing was like what I image happened that night when I was three.She described what her parents had told her, rough all(prenominal)thing that Klaus had done. Tel ing the story, even quietly, was undoing al the tranquillise influences that had helped Meredith maintain herself. She was beginning to shake again. originally Elena could grab her, she was up and striding around the room. He laughed and said that Id need blood either week animal blood or Id die. I didnt need much. Just a tablespoon or two. And my poor mother didnt want to lose another child. She did what he told her to. But what happens if I have more blood, Stefan? What happens if I drink yours?Stefan was thinking, desperately difficult to see if in al his geezerhood of experience hed come across anything like this.Meanwhile he answered the easy part.If you drank enough of my blood youd become a vampire.But so would anyone. With you Well, it talent take less. So dont let any vampire pasquinade you into blood exchange. Once might be enough.So Im not a vampire? Now? Not any kindly? Are there different kinds?Stefan answered seriously. Ive neer heard of different kindsof vampires in my life, eject for Old Ones. I can tel you that you dont have a vampires aura. What round your teeth? shadow you make your canines sharp? Usual y its best to test over human flesh. Not your own.Elena promptly stuck out her gird, wrist joint vein-side up.Meredith, look closed in concentration, made a great effort, which Elena felt with Stefan. Then Meredith opened her eyes, mouth excessively open for a dental inspection. Elena stared at her canines. They looked a little bit sharp, tho so did anybodys, didnt they?Careful y Elena reached a fingertip in. She touched one of Merediths canines.Tiny pinch.Startled, Elena pul ed hind end. She stared at her finger where a very smal drop of blood was well ing up.Everyone watched it, mesme rized. Then Elenas mouth said without pausing to consult her brain, You have kitten teeth.The next moment Meredith had brushed Elena aside and was pacing wildly al around the kitchen. I wont be one I wont be Im a hunter-slayer, not a vampire Il kill myself if Im a vampireShe was deadly serious. Elena felt Stefan feeling it, the quick thrust of the stave between her ribs and into the heart. She would go on the Internet to encounter the right area. Ironwood and bloodless change piercing her heart, Stilling it foreversealing off the evil that was Meredith Sulez.Be calm Be calm Stefans Influence flooded into her.Meredith was not calm.But before that I have to kil my brother.She flung down a photograph on Mrs. Flowerss kitchen table. It turns out that Klaus or someone has been move these since Cristian was four on my real birthday. For long time And in every picture you could see his vampire teeth. Not kitten teeth.And then they stopped advent when I was nigh ten.But they had sho wn him growing up With pointed teeth And last year this one came.Elena leaped for the photo, further it was closer to Stefan and he was faster. He stared in astonishment. Growing up?he said. She could feel how shaken he was and how envious.No one had given him that option.Elena looked at the pacing Meredith and around at Stefan.But its impossible, isnt it?she said. I thought that if you were bitten, that was it, right? You never got any honest-to-god or bigger.Thats what I thought too. But Klaus was an Old One and who knows what they can do?Stefan answered.Damon go away be furious when he finds out, Elena told Stefan privately, reaching for the picture even though shed already seen it with Stefans eyes. Damon was very acetous intimately Stefans height advantage about anyones height advantage.Elena brought the picture to Mrs. Flowers and looked at it with her. It showed an super handsome boy, with hair that was just Merediths repulsiveness color. He looked like Meredith in his nervus facialis structure and olive skin. He was wearing a motorcycle jacket and gloves, but no helmet, and he was laughing gayly with a ful set of very white teeth. You could easily see that the canines were long and pointed.Elena looked back and forth from Meredith to the picture.The just now difference she could see was that this boys eyes seemed lighter. Everything else screamed twins.First I kil him,Meredith repeat tiredly. Then I kil myself.She stumbled back to the table and sat, almost knocking over her chair.Elena hovered in effect(p) her, snatching two mugs from the table, to prevent Merediths clumsy arm from sweeping them to the floor.Meredithclumsy Elena had never seen Meredith unpleasing or clumsy before. It was frightening. Was it somehow receivable to being at least part a vampire? The kitten teeth? Elena turned apprehensive eyes on Stefan, felt Stefans own bewilderment.Then two of them, without consultation, turned to look at Mrs.Flowers. She gave the m an apologetic little-old-lady smile.Gotta kil find him, kil himfirst,Meredith was whispering as her spicy head lowered to the table, to the pil ow of her arms. Find himwhere? granddaddywhere? Cristianmy brotherElena listened silently until there was only soft breathing to be heard.You narcotised her?she whispered to Mrs. Flowers.It was what Ma ma thought best. Shes a strong, healthy girl.It wont harm her to quiescence from now through and through the night.Because Im sorry to tel you, but we have another problem right now.Elena glanced at Stefan, saying fear fall into place on his face, and demanded, What?Absolutely nothing was coming through their link. Hed shut it down.Elena turned to Mrs. Flowers. What?Im very worried about dear unconditional. dull, concord Stefan, looking around the table as if to show that prostrate wasnt there. He was move to protect Elena from the chil s racing through him.At first Elena wasnt alarmed. I know where he might be,she said brightly. Sh e was computer memory stories that Matt had told of being in Fel s Church while she and the others had been in the unlit dimension. Dr. Alperts place. Or out with her, making the rounds of base of operations visits.Mrs. Flowers shook her head, her expression bleak. Im afraid not, Elena dear. Sophia Dr. Alpert cal ed me and told me she was taking Matts mother, your own family, and several other people with her and escaping Fel s Church entirely. And I dont blame her a bit but Matt wasnt one of those going. She said he meant to stay and fight. That was around twelve thirty.Elenas eyes automatical y went to the kitchen clock. Horror shot through her, flipping her stomach and reverberating out to her fingertips. The clock said 435 435 P.M. But that had to be wrong. She and Stefan had only joined minds a few proceeding ago. Merediths rage hadnt lasted that long.This was impossibleThat clock its not rightShe appealed to Mrs. Flowers, but heard at the same time Stefans telepathic voice, Its the mind-blending. I didnt want to rush. But I was mixed-up in it too its not your fault, ElenaIt is my fault,Elena snapped back aloud. I never meant to forget about my friends for the entire afternoon And Matt Matt would never s thrill us by keeping us waiting for his cal I should have cal ed him I shouldnt have been She looked at Stefan with unhappy eyes. The only thing burning inside her right now was the shame of failing Matt.I did cal his mobile number,Mrs. Flowers said very gently.Ma ma advised me to do so, al the way back at half last(prenominal) twelve. But he didnt answer. Ive cal ed every hour since.Ma ma wont say more than that its time we looked into things directly.Elena ran to Mrs. Flowers and wept on the soft cambric lacework at the old womans neck. You did our job for us,she said. Thank you. But now we have to go and find him.She whirled on Stefan. Can you put Meredith in the first-floor bedroom? Just take off her shoes and put her on top of the covers . Mrs. Flowers, if youre going to be altogether here, wel leave sabre and Talon to take care of you. Then wel keep in touch by mobile. And wel search every house in Fel s Church but I guess we should go to the brushing firstWait, Elena my dear.Mrs. Flowers had her eyes shut. Elena waited, shifting impatiently from one foot to the other. Stefan was just travel from putting Meredith in the front room.Suddenly, Mrs. Flowers smiled, eyes Stillshut. Ma ma says she wil do her uttermost(a) for you two, since you are so devoted to your friend. She says that Matt is not anywhere in Fel s Church. And she says, take the dog, saber. The falcon wil watch over Meredith while we are away.Mrs. Flowerss eyes opened. Although we might plaster her window and door with Post-it Notes,she said, just to make sure.No,Elena said flatly. Im sorry, but I wont leave Meredith and you on your own with only a bird for protection. Wel take you both with us, cover in amulets if you like, and then we can take both animals, too. Back in the Dark Dimension, they worked together when Bloddeuwedd was trying to kil us.Al right,Stefan said at once, knowing Elena well enough to realize that a half-hour-long crinkle could ensue and Elena would never be locomote an inch from her position. Mrs.Flowers must have know it too, for she rose, also immediately, and went to get ready.Stefan carried Meredith out to her car. Elena gave a tiny tin whistle for Saber, who was instantly underfoot, seem bigger than ever, and she raced him up the stairs to Matts room. It was disappointingly clean but Elena fished a touch of briefs from between bed and wal . She gave these to Saber to delight in, but found she couldnt stand Still. Final y, she ran up to Stefans room, snatched her diary from under the mattress, and began scribbling.Dear Diary,I dont know what to do. Matt has disappeared. Damon has taken Bonnie to the Dark Dimension but is he taking care of her?Theres no way to know. We dont have any way t o open a entrance ourselves and go after them. Im afraid Stefan will kill Damon, and if something anything has happened to Bonnie, Ill want to kill him too. Oh, God, what a messAnd Meredithof all people, Meredith turns out to have more secrets than all of us combined. any Stefan and I can do is hold each other and pray. Weve been fighting Shinichi so long I feel as if the end is coming soonand Im afraid.ElenaStefans bitch came from below. Were al readyElena quickly stuffed the diary back under the mattress. She found Saber waiting on the stairs, and fol owed him down, running. Mrs. Flowers had two overcoats covered in amulets.Outside, a long whistle from Stefan was met by an answering keeeeeeee from above and Elena saw a smal dark body circling against the white-streaked deluxe sky. She understands,Stefan said briefly, and took the drivers seat of the car. Elena got into the backseat behind him, and Mrs.Flowers into the front passenger seat. Since Stefan had buckled up Meredith into the middle of the backseat, this left field Saber a window to put his panting head through.Now,Stefan said, over the purring of the engine, where are we going, exactly?