The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Fifteen

Elena watch overed Damon with mute dread. She knew that disturbing smile too well. still up to now as her heart sank, her mind threw a mocking question at her. What difference did it make? She and Stefan were going to break down allway. It only made sense for Damon to save himself. And it was wrong to expect him to go against his nature.She watched that beautiful, capricious smile with a facial expression of sorrow for what Damon might start out been.Katherine smiled back at him, enchanted. Well be so happy to leaseher. formerly theyre dead, Ill let you go. I didnt mean to hurt you, not really. I just got angry. She put out a slender hand and stroked his cheek. Im sorry.Katherine, he utter. He was still smiling.Yes. She leaned closer.KatherineYes, Damon?Go to hell.Elena flinched from what happened next before it happened, feeling the godforsaken upsurge of Power, of malevolent, unbridled Power. She screamed at the change in Katherine. That lovely face was twisting, mutating into fewthing that was neither human nor animal. A red get blazed in Katherines look as she fell on Damon, her fangs sinking into his throat.Talons sprang from her riffletips, and she raked Damons already- exhaust chest with it, divide into his skin while the blood flowed. Elena kept wow, realizing dimly that the pain in her arms was from fighting the ropes that held her. She perceive Stefan shouting, too, only when above everything she heard the deafening shriek of Katherines mental voice.at once youll be sorry Now Im going to make you sorry Ill kill you Ill kill you Ill kill you Ill kill youThe words themselves hurt, like daggers corking into Elenas mind. The sheer Power of it stupefied her, rocking her back against the iron pickets. notwithstanding there was no way to get away from it. It seemed to echo from all around her, hamme ingroup in her skull.Kill you Kill you Kill youElena fainted.Meredith, crouched beside auntie Judith in the utility room, shifted her weigh t, straining to interpret the sounds outside the door. The dogs had gotten into the cellar she wasnt sure how, yet from the bloody muzzles of some of them, shethought they had broken through the ground-level windows. Now they were outside the utility room, simply Meredith couldnt prove what they were doing. It was too placidity out there.Hush, Robert whispered quickly. Its all amend, sweetheart. Everythings going to be all right.Meredith met his frightened, determined eyes everywhere Margarets shlep head. We nigh had you pegged for the Other Power, she thought. scarcely there was no date to regret it straightway.Wheres Elena? Elena state shed watch over me, Margaret tell, her eyes large and solemn. She said shed obligate bursting charge of me. Aunt Judith put a hand to her mouth.She is pickings care of you, Meredith whispered. She just sent me to do it, thats all. Its the truth, she added fiercely, and motto Roberts await of reproach melt into perplexity.Outside, the silence had wedded way to scratching and gnawing sounds. The dogs were at work on the door.Robert cradled Margarets head closer to his chest.Bonnie didnt know how coherent they had been working. Hours, certainly. Forever, it seemed like. The dogs had gotten in through the kitchen and the old wooden side doors. So far, though, only about a xii had gotten past the fires lit like barricades in present of these openings. And the men with guns had interestn care of most of those.But Mr. Smallwood and his friends were now holding empty rifles. And they were running out of things to burn.Vickie had gotten hysterical a little while past, screaming and holding her head as if something was hurting her. Theyd been looking for ways to restrain her when she finally passed out.Bonnie went up to prostrate, who was looking out over the fire through the demolished side door. He wasnt looking for dogs, she knew, just now for something else much farther away. Something you couldnt see from he re.You had to go, Matt, she said. There was nothing else you could do. He didnt answer or binge around.Its almost dawn, she said. Maybe when that comes, the dogs will leave. But even as she said it, she knew it wasnt true.Matt didnt answer. She touched his shoulder. Stefans with her. Stefans there.At last, Matt gave some response. He nodded. Stefans there, he said.Brown and snarling, another shape charged out of the dark.It was much subsequent when Elena came gradually to consciousness. She knew because she could see, not just by the handful of candles Katherine had lit just also by the ratty gray dimness that filtered down from the crypts opening.Damon? she thought. It was only after she had d wholeness it that she realized the word had not been spoken. Somehow, Katherines shrieking had closed a circuit in her mind, or maybe it had awakened something sleeping. And Matts blood had undoubtedly helped, large(p) her the strength to finally find her mental voice.She molded her hea d the other way. Stefan?His face was haggard with pain, however aware. Too aware. Elena almost wished that he were as insensible as Damon to what was happening to them.Elena, he returned.Where is she? Elena said, her eyes contemptible slowly around the room.Stefan looked toward the opening of the crypt. She went up there a while ago.Maybe to check on how the dogs are doing.Elena had thought shed reached the limit of fear and dread, but it wasnt true. She hadnt remembered the others then.Elena, Im sorry. Stefans face was filled with what no words could express.Its not your fault, Stefan. You didnt do this to her. She did it to herself. Or-it just happened to her, because of what she is. What we are. Running beneath Elenas thoughts was the memory of how she had attacked Stefan in the woods, and how she had tangle when she was racing toward Mr. Smallwood, planning her revenge. It could yield been me, she said.No You could never become like that.Elena didnt answer. If she had the Po wer now, what would she do to Katherine?What wouldnt she do to her? But she knew it would only unhinge Stefan more to talk about it.I thought Damon was going to betray us, she said.I did, too, said Stefan queerly. He was looking at his pal with an odd expression.Do you still hate him?Stefans gaze darkened. No, he said quietly. No, I dont hate him anymore. Elena nodded. It was important, somehow. and so she started, her nerves hyper-alert, as something shadowed the entrance to the crypt. Stefan tensed, too. Shes coming. Elena- I love you, Stefan, Elena said hopelessly, as the misty white shape hurtled down. Katherine took form in front of them.Of course, thought Elena. How could I have been so stupid? Damon rode with usin Alarics car over the river. He crossed running pissing then, and probably lots of other sentences. He couldnt have been the Other Power.It was strange how she could think even though she was so frightened. It was as if sensation part of her mind stood watching from a distance.Im going to kill you now, Katherine said conversationally. Then Im going under the river to kill your friends. I dont think the dogs have d unrivaled it yet. But Ill take care of it myself.Let Elena go, said Stefan. His voice was quenched but compelling all the same.I havent trenchant how to do it, said Katherine, ignoring him. I might roast you. Theres almost enough light for that now. And Ive got these. She reached down the front of her gown and brought her closed hand out. One-two-three she said, dropping two silver rings and a gold one onto the ground. Their stones shone blue as Katherines eyes, blue as the stone in the necklace at Katherines throat.Elenas hands twisted deucedly and she felt the smooth bareness of her ring finger. It was true. She wouldnt have believed how naked she felt without that circlet of metal. It was necessary to her life, to her survival. Without it-Without these youll betray, Katherine said, scuffing the rings carelessly with the t oe of one foot. But I dont know if thats slow enough. She paced back almost to the far jetty of the crypt, her silver dress shimmering in the dim light.It was then that the idea came to Elena.She could move her hands. Enough to feel one with the other, enough to know that they werent numb anymore. The ropes were looser.But Katherine was strong. Unbelievably strong. And faster than Elena, too. Even if Elena got free she would have time for only one quick act.She rotated one wrist, feeling the ropes give.There are other ways, Katherine said. I could cut you and watch you bleed. I like watching.Gritting her teeth, Elena exerted pressure against the rope. Her hand was bent at an excruciating angle, but she continued to press. She felt the burn of the rope slipping aside.Or rats, Katherine was saying pensively. Rats could be fun. I could tell them when to start and when to stop.Working the other hand free was much easier. Elena tried to give no brand of what was going on behind her bac k. She would have liked to call to Stefan with her mind, but she didnt dare. Not if there was any chance Katherine might hear.but she didnt dare. Not if there was any chance Katherine might hear.There was a rectangle of gray light on the floor. Dawn light. It was coming in through the crypts opening. Katherine had already been out in that light. ButKatherine smiled suddenly, her blue eyes sparkling. I know Ill drink you almost up and make you watch while I kill her Ill leave you just enough strength so you see her die before you do. Doesnt that sound like a good plan? Blithely, she clapped her hands and pirouetted again, dancing away.Just one more step, thought Elena. She saw Katherine approach the rectangle of light. Just one more stepKatherine took the step. Thats it, then She started to turn around. What a good-NowYanking her cramped arms out of the last loops of rope, Elena rushed her. It was like the rush of a hunting cat. One desperate sprint to reach the prey. One chance. One hope.She struck Katherine with her full weight. The doctor knocked them both into the rectangle of light. She felt Katherines head crack against the stone floor.And felt the searing pain, as if her own body had been plunged into poison. It was a feeling like the yearning dryness of hunger, only stronger. A thousand times stronger. It was unbearable.Elena Stefan screamed, with mind and voice.Stefan, she thought. under her Power surged as Katherines stunned eyes focused. Her mouth twisted with rage, fangs bursting forth. They were so long they cut into the dismantle lip. That distorted mouth opened in a howl.Elenas clumsy hand fumbled at Katherines throat. Her fingers closed on the cool metal of Katherines blue necklace. With all her strength, she wrenched and felt the chain give way. She tried to clasp it, but her fingers felt thick and uncoordinated and Katherines clawing hand scrabbled at it wildly. It spun away into the shadows.Elena Stefan called again in that dreadful voice .She felt as if her body were filled with light. As if she were transparent. Only, light was pain. Beneath her, Katherines warped face was looking up directly into the winter sky. Instead of a howl, there was a shrieking that went up and up.Elena tried to muster herself off, but she didnt have the strength. Katherines face was rifting, cracking open. Lines of fire opened in it. The screaming reached a crescendo. Katherines cop was aflame, her skin was blackening. Elena felt fire from both above and below.She saw Stefans arms, red where they had been exposed to the sun and bleeding where he had torn free of his ropes. She saw his face, saw the stricken horror and grief. Then her eyes woolly-headed and she saw nothing.Meredith and Robert, striking at the blood-soaked muzzles that thrust through the hole in the door, paused in confusion. The teeth had halt snapping and tearing. One muzzle jerked and slid out of the way. Edging sideways to look at the other, Meredith saw that the do gs eyes were glazed and milky. They didnt move. She looked at Robert, who stood panting.There was no more noise from the cellar. Everything was silent.But they didnt dare to hope.Vickies demented shrieking stop as if it had been cut with a knife. The dog, which had sunk its teeth into Matts thigh, stiffened and gave a convulsive shudder then, its jaws released him. Gasping for breath, Bonnie swung to look beyond the dying fire. There was just enough light to see bodies of other dogs lying where they had move outside.She and Matt leaned on each other, looking around, bewildered.It had finally stopped snowing.Slowly, Elena opened her eyes.Everything was very clear and calm.She was glad the shrieking was over. That had been bad it had hurt. Now, nothing hurt. She felt as if her body were filled with light again, but this time there was no pain. It was as if she were floating, very high and easy, on wafts of air. She almost felt she didnt have a body at all.She smiled.Turning her hea d didnt hurt, although it increased the loose, floating feeling. She saw, in the oblong of pale light on the floor, the smoldering remains of a silvery dress. Katherines lie of five hundred years ago had become the truth.That was that, then. Elena looked away. She didnt wish anyone harm now, and she didnt want to waste time on Katherine. There were so more more important things.Stefan, she said and sighed, and smiled. Oh, this was nice. This must be how a bird felt.I didnt mean for things to turn out this way, she said, softly rueful. His green eyes were wet. They filled again, but he returned her smile.I know, he said. I know, Elena.It seemed to her that it had been a long while since shed really looked at him.Since shed taken time to appreciate how beautiful he was, with his dark hair and his eyes as green as oak leaves. But she saw it now, and she saw his soul shining through those eyes. It was worth it, she thought. I didnt want to die I dont want to now. But Id do it all over again if I had to.I love you, she whispered.I love you, he said, squeezing their joined hands.The strange, languorous lightness cradled her gently. She could scarcely feel Stefan holding her.She would have thought shed be terrified. But she wasnt, not as long as Stefan was there.The people at the dance-theyll be all right now, wont they? she said.Theyll be all right now, Stefan whispered. You saved them.I didnt get to say good-bye to Bonnie and Meredith. Or Aunt Judith. You have to tell them I love them.Ill tell them, Stefan said.You can tell them yourself, panted another voice, cacophonic and unused sounding.Damon had pulled himself across the floor behind Stefan. His face was ravaged, streaked with blood, but his dark eyes ruin at her. Use your will, Elena. Hold on. You have the strength-She smiled at him, waveringly. She knew the truth. What was happening was only finishing what had been started two weeks ago. Shed had bakers dozen days to get things straight, to make amends w ith Matt and say good-bye to Margaret. To tell Stefan she loved him. But now the grace period was up.Still, there was no point in hurting Damon. She loved Damon, too. Ill try, she promised.Well take you home, he said.But not yet, she told him gently. Lets wait just a little while. Something happened in the fathomless black eyes, and the burning spark went out. Then she saw that Damon knew, too.Im not afraid, she said. Well-only a little. A drowsiness had started, and she felt very comfortable, but as if she were falling asleep. Things were drifting away from her.An ache rose in her chest. She was not much afraid, but she was sorry. Therewere so many things she would miss, so many things she wished she had done.Oh, she said softly. How funny.underground room. Only this was a accession into a different light.How beautiful, she murmured. Stefan? Im so tired.You can rest now, he whispered.You wont let go of me?No.Then I wont be afraid.Something was shining on Damons face. She reached t oward it, touched it, and lifted her fingers away in wonder.Dont be sad, she told him, feeling the cool wetness on her fingertips. But a pang of worry disturbed her. Who was there to understand Damon now? Who would be there to push him, to try to see what was really inside him? You have to take care of each other, she said, realizing it. A little strength came back to her, like a candle flaring in the wind. Stefan, will you promise? Promise to take care of each other?I promise, he said. Oh, ElenaWaves of somnolence were overcoming her. Thats good, she said. Thats good, Stefan.The doorway was closer, so close she could touch it now. She wondered if her parents were somewhere behind it.Time to go home, she whispered.And then the repulsiveness and the shadows faded and there was nothing but light. Stefan held her while her eyes closed. And then he just held her, the disunite hed been keeping back falling without restraint. It was a different pain than when hed pulled her out of the river. There was no irritation in this, and no hatred, but a love that seemed to go on and on forever.It hurt even more.He looked at the rectangle of sunlight, just a step or two away from him. Elena had gone into the light. Shed left field him here alone.Not for long, he thought.His ring was on the floor. He didnt even glance at it as he rose, his eyes on the shaft of sunlight shining down.A hand grabbed his arm and pulled him back.Stefan looked into his brothers face.Damons eyes were dark as midnight, and he was holding Stefans ring. As Stefan watched, unable to move, he forced the ring onto Stefans finger and released him.yours, too. Take it. Take it and go. He turned his face away.Stefan gazed at the golden circlet in his palm for a long time.Then his fingers closed over it and he looked back at Damon. His brothers eyes were shut, his breathing labored. He looked exhausted and in pain.And Stefan had made a promise to Elena.Come on, he said quietly, putting the ring in his pocke t. Lets get you some place where you can rest.He put an arm around his brother to help him up. And then, for a moment, he just held on.