The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Seven

fair was on the terpsichore floor, look shut, allowting the euphony flow through her. When she opened her eye wrap for an instant, Meredith was beckoning from the looklines. Bonnie thrust her elevate bug out mutinously, scarcely as the gestures became more insistent she rolled her eye up at Raymond and obeyed. Raymond followed.Matt and Ed were behind Meredith. Matt was scowling. Ed was looking uncomfortable.Elena just leave, express Meredith.Its a free country, verbalise Bonnie.She went with Tyler Sm whollywood, state Meredith. Matt, are you sure you didnt hear where they were going?Matt shook his head. Id verbalize she deserves whatever happens- that its my fault, too, in a instruction, he said bleakly. I approximate we ought to go by and by her.Leave thedance ? Bonnie said. She looked at Meredith, who singed the wordsyou promised . I dont cogitate this, she muttered savagely.I dont know how well find her, said Meredith, but weve got to try. then she added, in a strangely hesitant vowelize, Bonnie,you dont happen to know where she is, do you?What? No, of path non Ive been dancing. Youve heard of that, havent you what you go to a dance for?You and Ray deterrent here, Matt said to Ed. If she comes bum, tell her were out looking.And if were going, wed better go now, Bonnie put in ungraciously. She turned and promptly ran into a dark blazer.Well, unbosom me, she snapped, looking up and makeing Stefan Salvatore. He said slide fastener as she and Meredith and Matt headed for the door, leaving an unhappy-looking Raymond and Ed behind.The stars were distant and ice-bright in the cloudless sky. Elena tangle just same them. Part of her was laughing and shouting with prick and Vickie and Tyler every(prenominal)where the roar of the wind, but part of her was watching from further away.Tyler parked middle(a) up the hill to the ruined church, leaving his head roosts on as they all got out. Although there had been several cars behind them wh en they left hand the school, they appeared to be the just now atomic number 53s whod make it all the way to the cemetery.Tyler opened the trunk and pulled out a six-pack. each the more for us. He move outered a beer to Elena, who shook her head, trying to ignore the sorry feeling in the pit of her stomach. She mat all wrong organism here-but there was no way she was going to admit that now.They climbed the flag rocknroll path, the girls lurch in their high heels and leaning on the boys. When they reached the top, Elena gasped and Vickie gave a little ph one and only(a).Something large and red was hovering just above the horizon. It took Elena a moment to realize it was in truth the moon. It was as large and unrealistic as a prop in a science-fiction movie, and its bloated mass glowed dully with an unwholesome light.Like a braggy rotten pumpkin, said Tyler, and lobbed a stone at it. Elena made herself grimace brilliantly up at him.Why dont we go in incline? Vickie said, pointing a white hand at the empty hole of the church doorway. just about of the roof had fallen in, although the belfry was placid intact, a tower stretchability up high above them. Three of the walls were standing the fourth was only knee-high. there were piles of rubble everywhere.A light flared by Elenas cheek, and she turned, startled, to bother Tyler contracting a lighter. He grinned, showing strong white teeth, and said, call for to flick my Bic?Elenas laughter was the loudest, to cover her uneasiness. She took the lighter, using it to illuminate the tomb in the side of the church. It was like no other tomb in the cemetery, although her initiate said hed chancen similar things in England. It looked like a large stone box, big enough for two people, with two marble statues lying in repose on the lid.Thomas Keeping Fell and Honoria Fell, said Tyler with a grand gesture, as if introducing them. Old Thomas allegedly founded Fells Church. Although actually the Smallw oods were to a fault there at the time. My great-grandfathers great-great-grandfather lived in the valley by Drowning Creek--until he got eaten by wolves, said Dick, and he threw patronise his head in a masher imitation. Then he belched. Vickie giggled. Annoyance crossed Tylers passome features, but he forced a smile.Thomas and Honoria are looking kind of blench, said Vickie, still giggling. I think what they adopt is a little color. She produced a lipstick from her purse and began to coat the white marble mouth of the womans statue with waxy scarlet. Elena felt another sick twinge. As a child, shed always been fearful by the pale lady and the grave man who lay with their eyes closed, hands folded on their breasts. And, after her parents died, shed thought of them as lying side by side like this floor in the cemetery. hardly she held the lighter trance the other girl put a lipstick mustache and clowns nose on Thomas Fell.Tyler was watching them. Hey, theyre all determine ed up with no place to go. He put his hands on the bite of the stone lid and leaned on it, trying to shift it sideways. What do you say, Dick-want to experience them a night out on the town? Like maybe right in the center of town?No, thought Elena, appalled, as Dick guffawed and Vickie shrieked with laughter. But Dick was already beside Tyler, getting braced and ready, the heels of his hands on the stone lid.On three, said Tyler, and counted, One, two,three .Elenas eyes were fixed on the horrible clown-like face of Thomas Fell as the boys strained forward-moving and grunted, muscles bunching under cloth. They couldnt budge the lid an inch.Damn thing must be attached somehow, said Tyler angrily, turning away.Elena felt weak with relaxation. Trying to have the appearance _or_ semblance casual, she leaned against the stone lid of the tomb for support-and that was when it happened.She heard the grinding of stone and felt the lid shift under her left hand all at once. It was moving away from her, making her lose her balance. The lighter went flying, and she screamed and screamed again, trying to make her feet. She was falling into the open tomb, and an icy wind roared all around her. Screams rang in her ears.And then she was outside and the moonlight was bright enough that she could see the others. Tyler had hold of her. She stared around her wildly.Are you crazy? What happened? Tyler was shaking her.It move The lid moved It slid open and-I dont know-I or so fell in. It was nippyThe boys were laughing. Poor babys got the jitters, Tyler said. Cmon, Dicky-boy, well check it out. Tyler, no-But they went inside whatsoeverway. Vickie hung in the doorway, watching, while Elena shivered. Presently, Tyler beckoned her from the door.Look, he said when she reluctantly stepped back inside. Hed retrieved the lighter, and he held it above Thomas Fells marble chest. It still fits, snug as a bug in a rug. See?Elena stared passel at the perfect alignment of lid and tom b. It did move. I get alongly fell into itSure, whatever you say, baby. Tyler wound his arms around her, clasping her to him backwards. She looked over to see Dick and Vickie in much the same position, except that Vickie, eyes shut, was looking as if she enjoyed it. Tyler rubbed a strong chin over her hair.Id like to go back to the dance now, she said flatly.There was a pause in the rubbing. Then Tyler sighed and said, Sure, baby. He looked at Dick and Vickie. What about you two?Dick grinned. Well just collar here a while. Vickie giggled, her eyes still shut.Okay. Elena wondered how they were going to get back, but she allowed Tyler to lead her out. Once outside, however, he paused.I cant let you go without one look at my grandfathers headstone, he said. Aw, cmon, Elena, he said as she started to protest, dont ail my feelings. Youve got to see it its the family pride and joy.Elena made herself smile, although her stomach felt like ice. by chance if she humored him, he would get her out of here. All right, she said, and started toward the cemetery.Not that way. This way. And the next moment, he was leading her down toward the old graveyard. Its okay, honest, its not far glowering the path. Look, there, you see? He pointed to something that shone in the moonlight.Elena gasped, muscles tightening around her cheek. It looked like a mortal standing there, a giant with a round hairless head. And she didnt like being here at all, among the worn and leaning granite stones of centuries past. The bright moonlight cast strange shadows, and there were pools of impenetrable sin everywhere.Its just the orchis on top. Nothing to be scared of, said Tyler, pulling her with him discharge the path and up to the shining headstone. It was made of red marble, and the huge ball that surmounted it re heeded her of the bloated moon on the horizon. Now that same moon shone down on them, as white as Thomas Fells white hands. Elena couldnt verify her shivering.Poor baby, shes chilliness. Got to get her warned up, said Tyler. Elena time-tested to push him away, but he was too strong, wrapping her in his arms, pulling her against him.Tyler, I want to go I want to go rightnow . Sure, baby, well go, he said. But weve got to get you sore first. Gosh, youre cold. Tyler, stop, she said. His arms around her had merely been annoying, restricting, but now with a sand of shock she felt his hands on her body, groping for bare(a) skin. neer in her life had Elena been in a situation like this, far away from any help. She aimed a spiked heel for his patent-leather instep, but he evaded her. Tyler,take your hands off me .Cmon, Elena, dont be like that, I just want to warm you up all overTyler, let go, she choked out. She tried to wrench herself away from him. Tyler stumbled, and then his full weight was on her, suppression her into the tangle of ivy and weeds on the ground. Elena spoke desperately. Ill kill you, Tyler. I mean it.Get off me .Tyler tried to roll of f, giggling suddenly, his limbs heavy and uncoordinated, almost useless. Aw, cmon, Elena, don be mad. I was jus warmin you up. Elena the Ice Princess, warmin up Youre gettin warm now, aren you? Then Elena felt his mouth hot andwet on her face. She was still pinned beneath him, and his sloppy kisses were moving down her throat. She heard cloth tear.Oops, Tyler mumbled. Sorry bout that.Elena twisted her head, and her mouth met Tylers hand, clumsily fondling her cheek. She bit it, sinking her teeth into the fleshy palm. She bithard , tasting blood, hearing Tylers hurt yowl. The hand jerked away.Hey I said I was sorry Tyler looked aggrievedly at his injure hand. Then his face darkened, as, still staring at it, he clenched the hand into a fist.This is it, Elena thought with nightmare calmness. Hes either going to belt me out or kill me. She braced herself for the blow.Stefan had resisted coming into the cemetery everything within him had cried out against it. The last time hed been here had been the night of the old man. annoyance shifted through his gut again at the memory. He would have imprecate that he had not drained the man under the bridge, that he had not taken enough blood to do harm. But everything that night after the surge of Power was muddled, confused. If therehad been a surge of Power at all. possibly that had been his own imagination, or flush his own doing. Strange things could happen when the need got out of control.He shut his eyes. When hed heard that the old man was hospitalized, near death, his shock had been beyond words. Howcould he have let himself get so far out of hand? To kill, almost, when he had not killed sinceHe wouldnt let himself think about that.Now, standing in front of the cemetery ingress in the midnight darkness, he wanted nothing so much as to turn around and go away. Go back to the dance where hed left Caroline, that supple, sun-bronzed creature who was absolutely safe because she meant absolutely nothing to him.Bu t he couldnt go back, because Elena was in the cemetery. He could sense her, and sense her rising distress. Elena was in the cemetery and in trouble, and he had to find her.He was halfway up the hill when the dizziness hit. It sent him reeling, struggling on toward the church because it was the only thing he could keep in focus. Gray waves of fog brush through his brain, and he fought to keep moving. Weak, he felt so weak. And disoriented against the sheer power of this vertigo.He need to go to Elena. But he was weak. He couldnt be weak if he were to help Elena. He needed toThe church door yawned before him.Elena saw the moon over Tylers left shoulder. It was strangely fitting that it would be the last thing she ever saw, she thought. The scream had caught in her throat, choked off by fear.And then something picked Tyler up and threw him against his grandfathers headstone.That was what it looked like to Elena. She rolled to the side, gasping, one hand clutching her torn dress, the other groping for a weapon.She didnt need one. Something moved in the darkness, and she saw the person who had plucked Tyler off her. Stefan Salvatore. But it was a Stefan she had never seen before that fine-featured face was white and cold with fury, and there was a killing light in those green eyes. Without even moving, Stefan emanated such anger and menace that Elena found herself more shake up of him than she had been of Tyler.When I first met you, I knew youd never learned any manners, said Stefan. His voice was soft and cold and light, and somehow it made Elena dizzy. She couldnt take her eyes off him as he moved toward Tyler, who was shaking his head dazedly and jump to get up. Stefan moved like a dancer, every movement prosperous and precisely controlled. But I had no idea that your character was rather so underdeveloped.He hit Tyler. The larger boy had been reaching out one beefy hand, and Stefan hit him almost negli piano on the side of the face, before the hand made contact.Tyler flew against another headstone. He scrambled up and stood panting, his eyes showing white. Elena saw a trickle of blood from his nose. Then he charged.A gentleman doesnt force his company on anyone, said Stefan, and knocked him aside. Tyler went sprawling again, facedown in the weeds and briars. This time he was slower in getting up, and blood flowed from both nostrils and from his mouth. He was blowing like a frighten horse as he threw himself at Stefan.Stefan grabbed the front of Tylers jacket, whirling them both around and absorbing the impact of the murderous rush. He shook Tyler twice, hard, while those big beefy fists windmilled around him, unable to connect. Then he let Tyler drop.He doesnt insult a woman, he said. Tylers face was contorted, his eyes rolling, but he grabbed for Stefans leg. Stefan jerked him to his feet and shook him again, and Tyler went limp as a rag doll, his eyes rolling up. Stefan went on speaking, holding the heavy body upright and punctu ating every word with a bone-wrenching shake. And, above all, he doesnot hurt herStefan Elena cried. Tylers head was snapping back and forth with every shake. She was frightened of what she was seeing frightened of what Stefan might do. And frightened above all else of Stefans voice, that cold voice that was like a rapier dancing, beautiful and deadly and utterly merciless. Stefan,stop .His head jerked toward her, startled, as if he had forget her presence. For a moment he looked at her without recognition, his eyes black in the moonlight, and she thought of some predator, some great bird or shine carnivore incapable of human emotion. Then understanding came to his face and some of the darkness faded from his gaze.He looked down at Tylers lolling head, then set him gently against the red marble tombstone. Tylers knees buckled and he slid down the face of it, but to Elenas relief his eyes opened-or at least the left one did. The right was pretentiousness to a slit.Hell be all righ t, said Stefan emptily.As her fear ebbed, Elena felt empty herself. Shock, she thought. Im in shock. Ill probably start screaming hysterically any minute now.Is there someone to take you home? said Stefan, still in that bootingly deadened voice.Elena thought of Dick and Vickie, doing God knew what beside Thomas Fells statue. No, she said. Her mind was beginning to work again, to take notice of things around her. The violet dress was ripped all the way down the front it was ruined. Mechanically, she pulled it together over her slip.Ill private road you, said Stefan.Even through the numbness, Elena felt a quick tickle pink of fear. She looked at him, a strangely elegant figure among the tombstones, his face pale in the moonlight. He had never looked so sobeautiful to her before, but that beauty was almost alien. Not just foreign, but inhuman, because no human could project that nimbus of power, or of distance.Thank you. That would be very kind, she said slowly. There was nothing e lse to do.They left Tyler painfully getting to his feet by his ancestors headstone. Elena felt another chill as they reached the path and Stefan turned toward Wickery Bridge.I left my car at the boarding house, he said. This is the fastest way for us to get back.Is this the way you came?No. I didnt cross the bridge. But itll be safe.Elena believed him. Pale and silent, he walked beside her without touching, except when he took off his blazer to put it around her bare shoulders. She felt oddly sure he would kill anything that tried to get at her.Wickery Bridge was white in the moonlight, and under it the icy amnionic fluid swirled over ancient rocks. The whole world was still and beautiful and cold as they walked through the oak trees to the narrow country road.They passed fenced pastures and dark palm until they reached a long winding drive. The boarding house was a enormous building of rust-red brick made from the native clay, and it was flanked with age-old cedars and maples. Al l but one of the windows were dark.Stefan unlocked one of the double doors and they stepped into a small hallway, with a shoot of stairs directly in front of them. The banister, like the doors, was natural light oak so polished that it seemed to glow.They went up the stairs to a second- layer get that was poorly lit. To Elenas surprise,Stefan led her into one of the bedrooms and opened what looked like a pressing door. Through it she could see a very steep, very narrow stairway.What a strange place, she thought. This hidden stairway buried deep in the heart of the house, where no sound from outside could penetrate. She reached the top of the stairs and stepped out into a large room that made up the whole third story of the house.It was almost as dimly lit as the stairway, but Elena could see the stained wood floor and the exposed beams in the slanting ceiling. There were tall windows on all sides, and many trunks scattered among a few pieces of massive furniture.She realized he w as watching her. Is there a bathroom where I-?He nodded toward a door. She took off the blazer, held it toward him without looking at him, and went inside.