The Return: Midnight Chapter 14

The following(a) morning Elena nonice that Meredith stil looked pale and languid, and that her look slid away if Stefan happened to gleam at her. b arely this was a snip of crisis, and as soon as the eat dishes were washed, Elena cal ed a meeting in the parlor. at that place she and Stefan explained what Meredith had missed during the visit from the sheriffs.Meredith smiled wanly when Elena told how Stefan had banished them corresponding stray dogs. indeed Elena told the twaddle of her issue-of-body experience. It proved virtuoso ignoreg, at least, that decent was alive and relatively well. Meredith bit her stern talk when Mrs. Flowers verbalise this, for it only withstand her postulate to go and stand by fair(a) tabu of the Dark Dimension somebodyal y. however on the other hand, Meredith call fored to incumbrance and wait for Alarics photographs. If that would save Fel s performNo oneness at the boarding stick out could hesitation what had happened on the Island of Doom. It was happening here, on the other side of the world. Already a couple of parents in Fel s church building had had their children interpreted away by the Virginia department of Child Protective Services.Punishments and retaliations had begun. How more thirster would it be in advance Shinichi and Misao turned al the children into permithal weapons or let large- infrastandinged those already turned? How long originally some hysterical parent kil ed a kid?The group academic session in the parlor discussed plans and methods.In the end, they unflinching to make jars identical to those Elena and fairish had seen, and prayed that they could upchuck the writing. These jars, they were trus dickensrthy, were the means by which Shinichi and Misao were original y sealed withdraw from the rest of the Earth. accordinglyce Shinichi and Misao had once fit into the or else cramp accommodations of the jars. besides what did Elenas group puddle straightaway that c ould influence them back inside?Power, they unyielding. simply an amount of Power so groovy that it was irresistible to the kitsune twins. That was why the priestess had tried and true to lure them back with her own strain.Nowit meant every the liquid in a ful sense bal or blood from an extraordinarily all-powerful vampire. Or two vampires.Or three.Everyone was sober, sentiment of this. They didnt retire how much blood would be needed solely Elena guardianshiped that it would be more than they crumb afford to lose. It had for certain been more than the priestess could afford.And then thither was a relieve that only Meredith could fil . Im current youve al been enquire astir(predicate) this,she express, producing the staff affaire from thin air, as far as Elena could see. How did she do that? Elena wondered. She didnt throw away it with her and then she did.They al stared in the bright sunlight at the pat beauty of the weapon.Whoever do that, savorless said, had a twisted imagination.It was one of my ancestors,Meredith said. And I wont contend that.I fool a question,Elena said. If youd had that from the starting time-class honours degree of your training if youd been raised in that considerate of world, would you make up tried to kil Stefan? Would you assimilate tried to kil me when I became a vampire?I wish I had a trusty answer to that,Meredith said, her phantasm gray eyes pained. But I dont. I have nightmares about it. But how can I ever say what I would have done if Id been a different soulfulness?Im not asking that. Im asking you, the person you are, if youd had the training The training is brainwashing, Meredith said harshly. Her sedate fa?ade seemed about to demote.Okay, for grow that. Would you have tried to kil Stefan, if youd simply had that staff?Its cal ed a fighting stave. And were cal ed pack like my family, exclude that my parents dropped out hunter-slayers.There was a sort of gasp rough the table. Mrs. Flowers poured Meredith more herbal tea from the imbed sitting on a trivet.Hunter-slayers, ingeminate unconditional with a certain relish. It wasnt surd to tel who he was envisageing about.You can just cal us one or the other,Meredith was expression.Ive comprehend that out west theyve got hunter-kil ers. But we fly the coop on to tradition here.Elena suddenly mat like a lost petty young wo universe. This was Meredith, her big sister Meredith, saying al of this. Elenas interpreter was almost pleading. But you didnt tear down tel on Stefan.No, I didnt. And, no, I dont echo Id have had the courage to kil anyone unless Id been brainwashed. But I knew Stefan loved you. I knew he would neer make you into a vampire.The problem was I didnt neck enough about Damon. I didnt k immediately that you were fooling well-nigh so much. I dont gauge anybody knew that.Merediths voice was anguished, too. miss me,Elena said, flushing, with a lopsided smile.Dont look so sad, Meredith. I t worked out.You cal having to leave your family and your town because everyone knows youre dead, working out?I do,Elena replied desperately, if it means I bulge out to be with Stefan.She did her best not to withdraw about Damon.Meredith looked at her blankly for a implication, then put her looking in her hands. Do you indirect request to tel them or should I?she asked, coming up for air and lining Stefan.Stefan looked startled. You remember?Probably as much as you got from my mind. Bits and components. Stuff I dont want to remember.Okay.Now Stefan looked relieved, and Elena snarl stimulate. Stefan and Meredith had a hush-hush together?We al know that Klaus made at least two visits to Fel s Church. We know that he was completely slimy and that on the second visit he planned to be a ensuant murderer. He kil ed Sue Carson and Vickie Bennett.Elena fitful softly. Or at least he helped Tyler Smal wood to kil Sue, so that Tyler could be initiated as a loup-garou. And then Tyler got Carolean pregnant.Matt cleared his throat as something occurred to him. Uh does Caroline have to kil somebody to be a ful werewolf, too?I dont speak out so,Elena said. Stefan says that having a werewolf litter is enough. Either way, blood is spil ed.Caroline wil be a ful werewolf when she has her twins, except shel probably begin changing involuntarily before that.Right?Stefan nodded. Right. But getting back to Klaus What was it he was sibylline to have done on his first visit? He attacked without kil ing an old domain who was a ful hunter-slayer.My grandfather,Meredith whispered.And he supposedly messed with Merediths grandfathers mind so much that this old world tried to kil his wife and his three-year-old granddaughter. So what is abuse with this picture?Elena was truly frightened now. She didnt want to hear whatever was coming. She could seek bile, and she was iris that shed only had toast for breakfast. If only in that respect had been someone to take ca re of, like sightly, she would have felt better.I strive up. So what is wrong?Matt asked bluntly.Meredith was thorough red ink(a) into the distance again.Final y Stefan said, At the risk of sounding like a bad soap operaMeredith had, or has, a twin brother.Dead placidity fel all over the group in the parlor. level off Mrs.Flowerss Ma ma didnt put in a word.Had or has?Matt said final y, breaking the silence.How can we know?Stefan said. He whitethorn have been kil ed. gauge Meredith having to watch that. Or he could have been kidnapped. To be kil ed at a later time or to plump a vampire.And you real y think her parents wouldnt tel her?Matt de human beingsded. Or would try to make her forget? When she was what, three already?Mrs. Flowers, who had been quiet a long time, now rundle sadly. Dear Meredith may have get backd to block out the rightfulness herself. With a child of three its disenfranchised to say. If they neer got her professional helpShe looked a question at Me redith.Meredith shook her head. Against the code,she said. I mean, stringently speaking, I shouldnt be tel ing any of you this, and particular(prenominal) y not Stefan. But I couldnt stand it anymorehaving such undecomposed friends, and constantly deceiving them.Elena went over and hugged Meredith hard. We understand,she said. I dont know what wil happen in the future if you decide to be an active hunter I can promise you my friends wont be on my list of victims,Meredith said. By the way,she added, Shinichi knows. Im the one whos kept a secret from my friends al my life. non any longer,Elena said, and hugged her again.At least there are no more secrets now,Mrs. Flowers said gently, and Elena looked at her sharply. Nothing was ever that simple. And Shinichi had made a whole handful of predictions.Then she apothegm the look in the humble blue eyes of the old woman, and she knew that what was classical right then was not truth or lies, or even reckonings, but simply comforting Meredith. She looked up at Stefan while stil hugging Meredith and saw the aforementioned(prenominal) look in his eyes.And that made her sapidity better somehow. Because if it was truly no secretsthen she would have to figure out her feelings about Damon. And she was more afraid of that than of facing Shinichi, which was saying quite a lot, real y.At least weve got a potters wheel somewhere,Mrs.Flowers was saying. And a kiln in the back, although its al grown over with Devils Shoestring. I used to make flowerpots for orthogonal the boardinghouse, but children came and smashed them. I think I could make an urn like the ones you saw if you can draw one for me. But perhaps wed better wait for Mr. Saltzmans pictures.Matt was mouthing something to Stefan. Elena couldnt make it out until she heard Stefans voice in her mind. He says Damon told him once that this house is like a swap meet, and you can go anything here if you look hard enough.Damon didnt make that up I think Mrs. Flower s said it first, and then it sort of got around, Elena returned heatedly.When we get the pictures,Mrs. Flowers was saying brightly,we can get the Saitou women to take the writing.Meredith final y moved back from Elena. And until then we can pray that bonnie doesnt get into any trouble,she said, and her voice and face were composed again. Im starting now. clean was sure she could stay out of trouble.Shed had that strange inspiration the one about shedding her body, and going with Elena to the Island of Doom.Fortunately, it had seemed to be a real out-of-body experience, and not something she had to ponder over and try to find hidden meanings in. It didnt mean she was doomed or anything like that.Plus, shed managed to live by other night in this brown room, and Damon had to keep abreast and get her out soon.But not before she had a sugarplum. Or two.Yes, she had gotten a taste of one in the trading floor last(a) night, but Marit was such a good girl that she had waited for di nner to have any more. Dinner was obtained in the next story about the Dustbins, which shed plunged into this morning. But that contained the hatred of little Marit tasting her first hand-caught piece of raw liver, fresh from the hunt. decorous had in haste pul ed the little star bal off her temple, and had determined not to do anything that could possibly get her on a gentle hunting range.But then, compulsively, she had counted up her money. She had money. She knew where a shop was. And that meantshoppingWhen her bathroom break came around, she managed to get into a conversation with the male child who usual y led her to the alfresco privy. This time she made him blush so hard and tug at his earlobe so often that when she begged him to give her the signalize and let her go by herself it wasnt as if she didnt know the way he had relented and let her go, asking only that she hurry.And she did hurry crosswise the street and into the little store, which smel ed so much of m elting fudge, toffee creation pul ed by hand, and other piquant smel s that she would have known where she was blindfolded.She similarly knew what she wanted. She could picture it from the story and the one taste Marit had had.A sugarplum was round like a real plum, and shed tasted dates, almonds, spices, and honey and there may have been some raisins, too. It should cost flipper soli, according to the story, but comme il faut had taken fifteen of the smal coppery-looking coins with her, in case of a confectionary emergency.Once inside, Bonnie glanced warily around her. There were a lot of customers in the shop, maybe six or seven. wiz brown-haired girl was wearing spark just like Bonnie and looked exhausted. Surreptitiously, Bonnie inched toward her, and pressed five of her copper soli into the girls loony hand, thinking, there now she can get a sugarplum just like me that ought to embolden her up. It did the girl gave her the sort of smile that bring Dustbin often gave to Marit when she had done something adorable.I wonder if I should talk to her?It looks delightful busy,she whispered, ducking her head.The girl whispered back, It has been. Al yesterday I kept hoping, but at least one terrible came in as the last one leftover.You mean you have to wait until the shops countermand to ?The brown-haired girl looked at her curiously. Of course unless youre buying for your mistress or master.Whats your clear?Bonnie whispered.Kelta.Im Bonnie.At this Kelta burst into obtuse but convulsive giggles.Bonnie felt offended shed just given Kelta a sugarplum or the price of one, and now the girl was laughing at her.Im sorry,Kelta said when her ecstasy had died down. But dont you think its funny that in the last year there are so many girls changing their label to Alianas and Mardeths, and Bonnas some slaves are even being allowed to do it.But why?Bonnie whispered with such obvious original bewilderment that Kelta said, Why, to fit into the story, of course. To be named afterwards the ones who kil ed old Bloddeuwedd while she was rampaging through the city.That was such a big dole out?You real y dont know? after she was kil ed al her money went to the fifth part sector where she lived and there was enough left over to have a holiday. Thats where Im from. And I used to be so frightened when I was sent out with a message or anything after dark because she could be right above you and youd neer know, until Kelta had put al her money into one pocket and now she mimed claws descending on an innocent hand.But you real y are a Bonna,Kelta said, with a news bulletin of white teeth in rather dingy skin. Or so you said.Yeah,Bonnie said feeling vaguely sad. Im a Bonna, al rightThe next moment she cheered up. The shops emptyIt is Oh, youre a good-luck Bonna Ive been waiting two days.She approached the counter with a lack of fear that was very encouraging to Bonnie. Then she asked for something cal ed a blood jel y that looked to Bonnie like a smal mold of strawberry Jel -O, with something darker deep inside. Kelta smiled at Bonnie from under the curtain of her long, unbrushed hair and was gone.The man who ran the sweetshop kept looking hopeful y at the door, clearly hoping a escaped person a noble would sum up in.No one did, however, and at last he turned to Bonnie.And what is it you want?he demanded.Just a sugarplum, please?Bonnie tried hard to make sure her voice didnt quaver.The man was bored. Show me your pass,he said irritably.It was at that point that Bonnie suddenly knew that everything was going to go dreadfully wrong.Come on, come on, snap it upStil looking at his accounting books, the man snapped his fingers.Meanwhile Bonnie was running a hand over her sack-cloth smock, in which she knew short well there was no pocket, and certainly no pass.But I apprehension I didnt need a pass, except to cross sectors,she babbled final y.The man now leaned over the counter. Then show me your license pass,he s aid, and Bonnie did the only thing she could think of. She turned and ran, but before she could reach the door she felt a sudden stinging pain in her back and then everything went blurry and she never knew when she hit the ground.