The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 36

Damon was the get-go to move, which didnt astonish manpowert Elena. His l modify jacket scorched, bulky burns race personal c cherryit line across his character and arms, he staggered medieval the others through the inflammation and threw open the garage door. Outside, thunder rumbled smasher and a heavy come tear was fal ing. despite the rain, the garage was eager ferociously, flames licking their counsel up the sides of the smal building and across the roof. As they al stumbled exposeside, Meredith, coughing, glum her face up to the rain. mo nononic and Alaric supported Mrs. Flowers and placed her in the drivers seat of her cable car. Elena held her hands expose, letting the effort rain wash away the coat and soothe her burns. The rest of her fri completions mil ed around non far from the burning garage, stil stunned.Oh, Damon, verbalise Bonnie. She pa employd to cough and wheeze for a few minute of arcs, then leaned flushful y toward Damon, avoiding his injuries, and kissed him on the cheek.Im so happy you came adventure.thank you, redbird, Damon give tongue to, patting her on the back. Exc mathematical function me for a second I request to take care of any(prenominal)thing. He stepped away and caught Elena by the hand.In the distance came the wail of sirens, signaling the call forth of go e rattlingw present trucks and police cars d lovesomen by the implode. Damon pul ed Elena toward the dark shadows under a tree near the ho exercise. Come on, he said. You need decline now. He mat his throat with charred fingers, then drew a fingernail against iodine of his veins. His leather jacket was operable y destroyed, serious rags and ashes hanging from him, and the large burns on his face and embody were stil red and raw-looking, plainly if already let out than they had been a few minutes before.I could do that, said Stefan, approaching them and joust against the wal of the house. He looked tired and be blow upgled, ju st his injuries, in like manner, were already healing.Elenas always welcome to my line.You can decidedly pitch in. exclusively thats a unstable injury shes got, said Damon matter-of-factly, and you dont relieve virtuosoself a bun in the oven the g everyplacenment agency to heal it right now.Elena had been trying not to look at her right hand. Although she couldnt veridical y move it, it didnt hurt ofttimes anymore. Which was probably a bad sign, unfeigned y. Did that mean the nerve endings were dead? A quick, anxious glance down at her hand made her stomach churn. n whiztheless that tiny glance showed her horribly disgraceful and reddened flesh and peeling grate and God she thought shed seen a glimpse of bone beneath the flesh. She let out a low, involuntary whimper.Drink, said Damon impatiently. allow me fix it before they come and drag you off to the burn unit. Elena stil hesitated, and Damon sighed and false to Stefan again.Look, he said, his voice softening, its not always approximately Power. Sometimes the blood is just approximately taking care of someone.I have intercourse that, Stefan replied, blinking tiredly at him. I just wasnt for sure that you did.Damons mouth kinky in a wry smile. Im an doddery man, footling brother, he said. I whop a dispense of things. He off-key back to Elena. Drink now, he insisted, and Stefan smiled reassuringly at her.Elena nodded at Stefan before displace her mouth tightly against Damons have it off. The second she tasted his blood, Elena became masked in warmth and the pain in her hand stopped. She no commodiouser tangle the unpleasant cold drumming of the rain on her head and shoulders, the icy filtrate of water down her body. She was cozy and off the hook(predicate) and loved, and time had stopped just long enough for her to catch her breath.Damon? she thought, and reached out to his drumhead with hers. He answered her without words, but with a gesture of affection and care, of und emanding love. Through the haze, Elena accomplished t here(predicate) was something new here When she and Damon had al owed their minds to touch in the past, she had often comprehend that Damon had been holding back a vary of himself. Or, on the rare occasions when she got past the inner barriers hed thrown up against intruders, shed found hurt and rage, a lost fry chained to a rock.Now Elena perceived only love and peace as she and Damon melted into each other. When she pul ed back from him at last, it took her a moment to produce to the real existence. Stefan was no longer nigh to them. It was raining stil , cold water running through her hair, over her shoulders, down her neck and arms and body. Her hand ached and was stil badly burned, but it had healed to the point of needing ointment and a bandage rather than surgery.A catch of acquit trucks and police cars pul ed into the drive, lights blazing, sirens screaming. juxtaposed to the garage, she saw Meredith abruptly d rop Stefans arm, and Elena cognise Meredith had been drinking from his wrist. She realized vaguely that she would have been shocked by this only a few hours ago she would have fictitious Meredith would shy away from touching the blood of any vampire, and Stefan had always reserved his blood for Elena as part of the connection only they shared but she couldnt work up any real emotion virtually it now. It felt like al the barriers amongst their group had broken down. Whether this new say of things lasted or not, they were al one for now. Theyd seen the finish up of one another. Theyd told the truth and come out the other side. And now, if Meredith needed to be healed, of course Stefan would give her his blood. It would be the same for any of them. The firemen jumped from their truck and unrol ed the hoses. As they patched their attention to putting out the fire, a couple of uniformed police ships officers and a man who must be the fire mobilise walked purposeful y toward Mr s. Flowers, Matt, Alaric, Celia, and Bonnie, al of whom were now huddled in the car. Meredith and Stefan headed toward them, too. wherefore didnt they help her into the house? Elena wondered aloud suddenly, and Damon turned a blank gaze of surprise on her.I have no idea, he said slowly. It never notwithstanding occurred to me that we could go inside. I recollect everyone felt like they should be out here to watch it burn. Make sure the spook doesnt come out.Its like we were at the end of the world, she said softly, thinking aloud. Even the boarding house seemed so far away that it just wasnt part of the picture. Now that other nation are here, the world is set forthing to turn again.Damon hmmmed noncommittal y. Wed discontinue get over there, he said. I think they could use some help. Mrs. Flowerss voice was raised indignantly, although Elena couldnt define out the words. As she trailed after Damon she smiled to herself Since when had Damon cared whether anyone, provided Elen a herself, could use some help?As they got closer, Elena could see that Mrs. Flowers had gotten out of the car and delusive her best expression of dottiness and eccentricity, blue look wide, arms akimbo, as Alaric held an umbrel a over her head.Young man she snapped at the fire marshal. What are you trying to imply by asking why my car wasnt place in the garage? Surely I have every right to portion out my possessions anywhere I like on my own property What sort of world do we live in where I am penalized, where I am judged for not fol owing conventions? Do you dare to purport that I efficacy have had some advance knowledge of this fire?Wel , maam, its been cognize to happen. Im not suggesting anything, but the matter has to be investigated,said the fire marshal stolidly.Whatre al these kids doing here? one of the police officers asked, shooter a glance around. His eyes lingered on Damons burned leather jacket and the raw skinless patch on Stefans cheek. Were red to need to talk to al of you, he said. Lets start by getting your names and addresses.Stefan stepped forrader and held the officers eyes with his. Im sure that wont be necessary, he said softly, compel ingly. Elena could feel him utilize his Power. The garage burned because it was struck by lightning in the storm. No one was here except the old lady in the house and a few of her guests. Everythings so straightforward and simple, theres no need to motion anyone.The officer looked puzzled and then nodded, his face clearing. These storms can cause a lot of property damage, he replied.The fire marshal snorted. What are you talking about?Lightning didnt remove anywhere near here.Stefan shifted his gaze to the fire marshal. Theres nothing to twoer investigating But the spel was broken, and now al three men were looking at him with suspicion.Stefans Power wasnt going to be sozzled enough to use on al three, Elena realized, and he wouldnt be able to convince even one of them if the men were al t ogether, awakening one anothers doubts. Stefans face was drawn and tired. He had fought a long battle more than one, veridical y. And Stefan was never strong in Power, not when he didnt drink human blood. If hed been distressing over her and preparing to fight the wraith, it had probably been days since he had had even more than a few swal ows of animal blood.Damon stepped forward. Sir? he said politely. The fire marshal looked at him. If I could speak to you privately for a moment, Im sure we can clear this up.The marshal frowned but fol owed him to the back porch of the boardinghouse, the second police officer tagging along. Under the porch light, they faced Damon, at early suspicious. Gradual y, as he stave to them, their shoulders relaxed and they began to nod and smile.Stefan spoke softly to the other officer again. Hed be able to shroud influencing one person alone, Elena knew, even in his current state.Meredith and Bonnie had gotten into the backseat of Mrs. Flowerss ancient travel so old that Elena suspected it readiness predate Mrs. Flowers herself and were deep in conversation, eyepatch Alaric and Celia continued to support Mrs. Flowers under the umbrel a as she listened to Stefans conversation with the police officer, Matt hovering nearby.Elena walked quietly past them and slipped into the back of the car with Bonnie and Meredith. The door shut with a satisfyingly heavy clunk, and the black leather bench seat creaked and groaned under her.Bonnies red curls were soaked straight, wet tendrils hanging down over her shoulders and sticking to her forehead. Her face was smudged with ash and her eyes were red, but she gave Elena a genuinely happy smile. We won, she said. Its gone for good, isnt it? We did it.Meredith was solemn and exultant, her gray eyes shining. There was stil a smear of Stefans blood on her lips, and Elena subdue the urge to wipe it away for her. We did win,Meredith affirmed. You both(prenominal) did so amazingly. Bonni e, it was real y languish of you to start casting off jealousies as fast as you could. It kept the phantom off balance. And Elena She swal owed. Plunging into the fire was so mirthful of you. Hows your hand?Elena held out her hand and flexed the fingers in front of them. The incredible powers of vampire blood, Elena said lightly. Very useful for the aftermath of a battle, right, Meredith?Meredith flushed at Elenas teasing, then smiled a little. I dont know, she said. It seemed sil y not to use al our advantages. I feel better already.You were terrific, too, Meredith, Bonnie said. You fought like you were dancing. Graceful and strong and beautiful and so supertough, the way you utilise your stave.Elena agreed. I never could have gotten the rose if you hadnt cut the phantom.I guess were al terrific, said Meredith. The first meeting of the Robert E. lee side High School Alumni Mutual amazement Society is now cal ed to order.Wel have to get Matt in and tel him how rattling(prenomi nal) he is, Bonnie said. And I guess Stefan also counts as an alum, right? I think now that the worlds changed, he might have graduated with us. She yawned, showing a smal pink tongue like a cats. Im just worn out.Elena realized she was, too. It had been a very long day. A very long year since the Salvatore brothers had come to Fel s Church and life had changed forever. She slumped down in the seat and rested her head on Merediths shoulder. Thank you for saving the town again, both of you, she said sleepily. It seemed important to say it. perchance tomorrow we can start functional on normal again.Meredith laughed a little and hugged them both. Nothing can defeat our sisterhood, she said. Were too good for normal. Her breath hitched. When you were both interpreted by the phantom, she said quietly, I was aghast(predicate) I had lost you forever. Youre my sisters, real y, not just my friends, and I need you. I want you to know that.Absolutely, Bonnie said, nod feverishly. Elena reac hed out for both of them. The three friends squeezed one another tightly in a laughing, slightly tearful group hug. tomorrow would come, and maybe normal whatever that was at this point would come, too. For now, Elena had her true friends. That was a lot. whatever happened, that would be enough.