The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 6

The next morning was clear and hot again, another 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 roller of cereal.Aunt Judith was braiding Margarets hair at the table.Morning, Elena said, pouring milk into her bowl.Hi, sleepyhead, said Aunt Judith, and Margaret gave her a big smile and a riffle-wiggling wave. Keep stil , Margaret. Were close to to leave for the market, she told Elena. What are you doing today?Elena swal owed her m awayhful of cereal. Were waiver to pick up Alaric and his friend at the train station and in effect(p) hang out and catch up, she said.Who? Aunt Judith asked, her eyes narrowing. Elenas header spun. Oh, uh, you remember, he subbed for Mr. chromatic teaching history operate year, she said, wondering if that was in fact true in this world. Aunt Judith frowned. Isnt he a little old to be socialization with high school misfires?Elena rol ed her eyes. Were not in h igh school anymore, Aunt Judith. And hes only closely six years older than us. And its not just girls. prostrate and Stefan are coming, too.If this was Aunt Judiths reaction to the news of their spending time with Alaric, Elena could tel why Meredith was hesitant to tel people about their relationship. It made sense to wait a couple of years, until people thought of her as a grown-up. Since no unrivalled here knew al that Meredith had seen and done, she seemed like any other eighteenyear-old to them. Its a good affaire Aunt Judith doesnt know Stefans five hundred years older than I am, Elena thought with a secret smirk. She thinks Alarics too old.The doorbel rang.Thats Matt and everybody, Elena said, rising to put her bowl in the sink. See you hombres tonight.Margaret large-mindedned 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? come on in the foyer, she ran her fingers done her hair before opening the door.Standing in front of her was not Stefan, though, only if a perfect stranger. A real y good- repulse a lineing stranger, Elena noted automatical y, a boy about her age with curly golden hair, sculpted features, and bright blue eyes. He was holding a difficult red rise in one hand.Elena stood a little straighter, unconsciously pul ing her shoulders back and pushing her hair behind her ears. She adored Stefan, notwithstanding that didnt mean she couldnt figure at other boys, or talk to them. She wasnt dead, after al . Not anymore, she thought, smiling at her private joke. The boy smiled back. Hey, Elena, he said cheerful y.Caleb Smal woodwind instrument Aunt Judith said, coming into the hal . There 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, nerve-wracking to be subtle, checking for for what? For signs of his being a werewolf? She realized she didnt even know what those would be. Tylers good looks had always had a flavor of an animal about them, with his large fresh teeth and broad 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 while Tylers gone.Elenas mind raced. Tyler Smal wood had run away after Elena, Stefan, and Damon had defeated his al y, the evil vampire 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 happened 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. gallant new world, indeed.Wel , dont leave Caleb out on the porch. Let him in,Aunt Judith instructed from behind her. Elena stood aside, and Caleb moved past her into t he hal .Elena tried to reach out with her mind and sense Calebs aura, to remove him to see if he was dangerous, but once again came up against that brick wal . It would take some time to get used to being a normal girl again, and suddenly Elena felt horribly vulnerable.Caleb shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable, and she quickly composed herself. How long shake you been in town? she asked, and then kicked herself for treating this boy she obviously was suppositious 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 essential be for you.Thank you, said Elena, confused. A thorn mongreled her finger as she took it by the stem, and she stuck the finger in her mouth to stanch the blood.Dont thank me, he said. It was just sitting on the front steps w hen I got here. You must have a secret admirer.Elena frowned. Plenty of boys had admired her through with(predicate) school, and if this had been nine 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. Nice seeing you, Caleb.Elenas brave twisted as she walked toward Matts car. It wasnt just the strangeness of meeting 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 control 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 pivotal water. The scratched steering wheel and the dented 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. thrust the memory of her death from her mind, she waved at sightly, whose eager face was visible through the passenger window. She could forget 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 forth with one foot. Her strong, tapered fingers were stil her dark hair fel smoothly across her shoulders her face was as serene as ever.There was nothing about Meredith that might show how tensely and busily her thoughts were churning, worries and contingency plans whirring away behind her chill facade. She had spent yesterday trying to figure out what the Guardians spel had changed for her and her family particularly her brother, Christian, who Klaus had kidnapped over a decade ago. She stil didnt understand it al , but it was dawning on her that Elenas heap had more far- stretchability consequences than any of them had imagined.But today her thoughts w ere occupied 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 boyfriend or at least, he had been her boyfriend actual y her perhaps engaged-to-be-engaged, sort of almost fiance, before he left town turned 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 paranormal activity, a dream come true for a doctoral student in parapsychology. His study of the tragic history of Unmei no Shima, the Island of Doom, a smal community where children and parents had turned against one another, had helped Meredith and her friends to understand what the kitsune were doing to Fel s Church, and how to fight it.Alaric had been operative at Unmei no Shima with Dr. Celia Connor, a forensic pathologist who, disr espect her ful academic credentials, was the same 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. Perhaps 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 and sat up straighter. She was being ridiculous, worrying about Alarics relationship with his col eague. She was pretty certain(predicate) 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 needed to screen that to Alaric again, she was confident she could, Dr. Celia Connor or no Dr. Celia Connor.Matts rattletrap of an old Fo rd sedan chugged up to the curb, mediocre in front with Matt, Stefan and Elena sitting close together in the back. Meredith rose and crossed the lawn toward it.Is everything okay? said Bonnie, round eyed, when she opened the door. Your face looks like youre heading off to battle.Meredith smoothed her features into impassivity and scrambled for an explanation that wasnt, Im worried about whether my boyfriend still 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 arm 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 translator 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 drawn 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 chemical formula lightened in response. Who do we know who wil be fascinated by al the tales you have to tel ?Especially when he come upons 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 chuckle and shook his head. You three,he said affectionately. Us guys never stood a chance.Meredith looked straight frontwards and lifted her chin slightly, ignoring them al . Elena and Bonnie knew her too wel , and the three of them had spent enough time scheming together that she should have known 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 lighthearted teasing, trying to ease the pain Elena and Stefan must both be feeling.Damon was dead. And while Meredith had developed a cautious, wary venera te for the unpredictable vampire during their time in the Dark Dimension, and Bonnie had felt, Meredith thought, something warmer, Elena had loved 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 receiver and we took the footbal team al the way to the province 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 haunted 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 honorable 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 athletic 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 best friends 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 take nurse 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 saying this morning that we should go shopping for my room at Dalcrest before Labor 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 anything?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 litt le 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 paternal 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 tensed up once more. Its a mystery.Must be from a secret admirer, Bonnie said. Can I see?Elena handed 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 romantic She preten ded 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 pocket for a tissue. Matt pul ed off the road.Bonnie he began.Stefan breathed 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 command that Meredith automatical y handed Elena her phone.As Elena pointed the camera phone at Bonnie, Meredith final y saw what had startled the others.The dark red blood was running down Bonnies arm, and as it ran, it had streamed into 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.