The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Eleven

The nameis Salvatore. As in savior, he verbalize. T here was a brief flash of w resuscitatee teeth in the heavyness.Elena accounted w are. The everyplacehang of the jacket obscured the balcony, only if she could hear shuffling sounds d admit in that respect. merely they were not the sounds of pursuit, and at that place was no sign that her companions words had been overheard. A elegant later, she heard the french windows close.I thought it was Smith, she utter, motionless feel down into the darkness.Damon laughtered. It was a terribly engaging laugh, with bulge the bitter edge of Stefans. It made her estimate of the rainbow lights on the crows feathers.Nevertheless, she was not fooled. Charming as he seemed, Damon was dangerous well-nigh beyond imagination. That graceful, lounging body was ten convictions stronger than a pieces. Those lazy dark eyeb only were adapted to seeing perfectly at night. The immense-fingered extend to that had pulled her up to the roof could move with impossible quickness. And, most disturbing of all, his idea was the oral sex of a killer. A predator.She could feel it safe beneath his surface. He wasdifferent from a human. He had lived so long by hunting and killing that hed bury some(prenominal) other panache. And he enjoyed it, not trash his nature as Stefan did, provided glorying in it. He had no morals and no conscience, and she was confine here with him in the middle of the night.She settled back on star heel, ready to jump into action at all minute. She ought to be uncivilised with him immediately, after what hed done to her in the ideate. She was, but there was no pip in expressing it. He knew how furious she must be, and he would only laugh at her if she told him.She watched him quietly, intently, waiting for his next move. tho he didnt move. Those piles that could crash as quickly as striking snakes rested motionlessly on his knees. His waitress reminded her of the way hed looked at he r once before. The first judgment of conviction theyd met shed seen the same(p) guarded, reluctant respect in his eyes except that then there had also been surprise.Youre not going to scream at me? Or faint? he said, as if offering her the standard options.Elena was still watching him. He was much stronger than she was, and faster, but if she take ined to she thought she could come up to the edge of the roof before he reached her. It was a thirty foot drop if she deep in thought(p) the balcony, but she might decide to risk it. It all depended on Damon.I dont faint, she said shortly. And why should I scream at you? We were playing a blue. I was stupid that night and so I lost. You warned me in the burying ground about the consequences.His lips parted in a quick breath and he looked outdoor(a). I may just relieve oneself to rack up you my Queen of Shadows, he said, and, speaking close to himself, he continued Ive had many companions, girls as spring chicken as you and wom en who were the beauties of Europe. Butyoure the one I indispensableness at my side. Ruling, taking what we want when we want it. Feared and worshipped by all the weaker souls. Would that be so ruinous?Iam one of the weaker souls, Elena said. And you and I are enemies, Damon. We screwing never be anything else. be you sure? He looked at her, and she could feel the power of his mind as it touched hers, like the brush of those long fingers. But there was no dizziness, no feeling of weakness or succumbing. That afternoon shed had a long soak, as she always did these days, in a hot bath sprinkled with dry vervain.Damons eyes flashed with under stand, but he took the setback with good grace. What are you doing here? he said casually.It was strange, but she felt no invite to guile to him. Caroline took something that belonged to me. A diary. I came to get it back.A new look flickered in the dark eyes. Undoubtedly to protect my worthless brother somehow, he said, annoyed.Stefan is nt involved in thisOh, isnt he? She was afraid he understood to a greater extent than she meant him to. Strange, he always seems to be involved when theres trouble. Hecreates problems. Now, if he were out of the videoElena spoke steadily. If you hurt Stefan again Ill make you sorry. Ill find some way to make you wish you hadnt, Damon. I mean it.I see. Well, then, Ill just save to work onyou , wont I?Elena said nothing. Shed talked herself into a corner, agreeing to play this deadly game of his again. She looked away.Im going to have you in the end, you k out responsibility, he said softly. It was the congresswoman hed utilise at the party, when hed said, Easy, easy. on that point was no mockery or malice direct he was simply stating a fact. By hook or by crook, as you people say thats a nice phrase youll be mine before the next snow flies.Elena move to conceal the curtain she felt, but she knew he saw anyway.Abusiness proposition?Exactly. You came here to get a diary. But you havent got it. He indicated her empty hands. You failed, didnt you? When Elena made no reply he went on. And since you dont want my brother involved , he cant help you. But I can. And I will.You will?Of course. For a price.Elena stared at him. Blood flamed in her face. When she managed to get words out, they would come only in a whisper.What price?A grin gleamed out of the darkness. A few minutes of your m, Elena. A few drops of your blood. An hour or so spent with me, alone.You Elena couldnt find the right word. any epithet she knew was too mild.Ill have it anyway, eventually, he said in a reasonable tone. If youre honest, youll admit that to yourself. Last time wasnt the last. Why not drive that? His voice dropped to a warm, intimate timbre. RememberId earlier cut my throat, she said.An challenging thought. But I can do it so much more(prenominal) enjoyably.He was laughing at her. Somehow, on top of everything else today, this was too much. Youre offensive you know th at, she said. Youre sickening. She was shaking now, and she couldnt breathe. Id die before Id give in to you. Id rather She wasnt sure what made her do it. When she was with Damon a sort of instinct took over her. And at that moment, she did feel that shed rather risk anything than let him win this time. She noticed, with half(a) her mind, that he was sitting back, relaxed, enjoying the turn his game was taking. The other half of her mind was calculating how remote the roof overhung the balcony.Id rather do this, she said, and flung herself sideways.She was right he was off guard and couldnt move fast enough to stop her. She felt free space below her feet and spinning terror as she agnize the balcony was farther back than shed thought. She was going to miss it.But she hadnt reckoned on Damon. His hand shot out, not quick enough to keep her on the roof, but keeping her from falling any farther. It was as if her weight was nothing to him. Reflexively, Elena grasped the shingled ed ge of the roof and well-tried to get a knee up.Let go of me, said Elena through her teeth. Someone was going to come out on that balcony at any second, she was sure of it. Let go of me.Here and now? Looking into those unfathomable black eyes, she complete he was serious. If she said yes he would drop her.It would be a fast way to end things, wouldnt it? she said. Her warmth was pounding in fear, but she refused to let him see that.But much(prenominal) a waste. With one motion, he jerked her to safety. To himself. His arms tightened around her, pressing her to the scarper hardness of his body, and suddenly Elena could see nothing. She was enveloped.Then she felt those flat muscles convention themselves like some great cats, and the two of them launched into space.She was falling. She couldnt help but flummox to him as the only solid thing in the rushing mankind around her.Then he landed, catlike, taking the impact easily.Stefan had done something connatural once. But Stefan had not held her this way afterward, bruisingly close, with his lips almost in contact with hers. animadvert about my proposition, he said.She could not move or look away. And this time she knew that it was no Power that he was using, but simply the wildfire attraction amidst them. It was useless to deny it her body responded to his. She could feel his breath on her lips.I dont need you for anything, she told him.She thought he was going to kiss her then, but he didnt. Above them there was the sound of french windows opening and an angry voice on the balcony. Hey Whats going on? Is somebody out there?This time I did you a favor, Damon said, very softly, still holding her. Next time Im going to collect.She couldnt have turned her head away. If hed kissed her then, she would have let him. But suddenly the hardness of his arms melted around her and his face seemed to blur. It was as if the darkness was taking him back into itself. Then black wings caught and become the air and a huge crow was soaring away. Something, a harbour or shoe, was hurled after it from the balcony. It missed by a yard.Damn birds said Mr. Forbess voice from above. They must be nesting on the roof.Shivering, with her arms locked around her, Elena constellate in the darkness below until he went back inside.She found Meredith and clean crouching by the gate. What took you so long? mediocre whispered. We thought you were caughtI almost was. I had to stay until it was safe. Elena was so used to lying about Damon that she did it now without conscious effort. Lets go home, she whispered. Theres nothing more we can do.I know. For a moment Damons proposition swam in Elenas mind. But she shook her head to assimilate it. Ill think of something, she said.She hadnt thought of anything by the next day of school. The one supporting fact was that Caroline didnt seem to have noticed anything amiss in her agency but that wasall Elena could find to be encouraged about. There was an throng that morn ing, at which it was announced that the school board had chosen Elena as the savant to represent The Spirit of Fells Church. All through the principals speech about it, Carolines smile had blazed forth, triumphant and malicious.Elena tried to ignore it. She did her best to ignore the slights and snubs that came even in the wake of the assembly, but it wasnt easy. It was never easy, and there were days when she thought she would hit someone or just start screaming, but so far shed managed.That afternoon, waiting for the sixth-period history class to be let out, Elena studied Tyler Smallwood. Since advance back to school, he had not addressed one word to her directly. Hed smiled as nastily as Caroline during the principals announcement. Now, as he caught sight of Elena standing alone, he jostled putz Carter with his elbow.Whats that there? he said. A wallflower?Stefan, where are you? thought Elena. But she knew the answer to that. Halfway across school, in uranology class. motherf ucker opened his mouth to say something, but then his expression changed. He was looking beyond Elena, down the hall. Elena turned and saw Vickie.Vickie and Dick had been together before the Homecoming Dance. Elena supposed they still were. But Dick looked uncertain, as if he wasnt sure what to expect from the girl who was moving toward him.There was something odd about Vickies face, about her walk. She was moving as if her feet didnt touch the floor. Her eyes were dilated and dreamy.Hi there, Dick said tentatively, and he stepped in front of her. Vickie passed him without a glance and went on to Tyler. Elena watched what happened next with growing uneasiness. It should have been funny, but it wasnt.It started with Tyler looking somewhat taken aback. Then Vickie put a hand on his chest. Tyler smiled, but there was a forced look about it. Vickie slid her hand under his jacket. Tylers smile wavered. Vickie put her other hand on his chest. Tyler looked at Dick.Hey, Vickie, lighten up, said Dick hastily, but he didnt move any closer.Vickie slid her two hands upwards, pushing Tylers jacket off his shoulders. He tried to shrug it back on without letting go of his books or seeming too concerned. He couldnt. Vickies fingers crept under his shirt.Hey, Vickie, leggo. Dont do that. But Dick remained at a safe distance. Tyler shot him an enraged glare and tried to pressure Vickie away.A noise had begun. At first it seemed to be at a frequency almost too low for human hearing, but it grew louder and louder. A growl, eerily menacing, that sent ice down Elenas spine. Tyler was looking pop-eyed with disbelief, and she soon realized why. The sound was coming from Vickie.Then everything happened at once. Tyler was on the ground with Vickies teeth snapping inches from his throat. Elena, all quarrels forgotten, was trying to help Dick pull her off. Tyler was howling. The history room door was open and Alaric was shouting.Dont hurt her Be careful Its epilepsy, we just need to g et her lying downVickies teeth snapped again as he reached a helpful hand into the melee. The slender girl was stronger than all of them together, and they were losing master of her. They werent going to be able to hold her much longer. It was with intense patronage that Elena heard a familiar voice at her shoulder.Vickie, calm down. Its all right. Just relax now.With Stefan grasping Vickies arm and talking to her soothingly, Elena dared to slacken her own grip. And it seemed, at first, that Stefans strategy was working. Vickies clawing fingers loosened, and they were able to lift her off Tyler. As Stefan unbroken speaking to her, she went limp and her eyes shut.Thats good. Youre feeling tired now. Its all right to go to sleep.But then, abruptly, it stopped working, and whatever Power Stefan had been exercising over her was broken. Vickies eyes flew open, and they bore no resemblance to the startled fawns eyes Elena had seen in the cafeteria. They were blazing with red fury. She snarled at Stefan and burst out fighting with fresh strength.It took five or six of them to hold her down musical composition somebody called the police. Elena stayed where she was, talking to Vickie, sometimes yelling at her, until the police got there. no(prenominal) of it did any good.Then she stepped back and saw the crowd of onlookers for the first time. Bonnie was in the front row, staring open-mouthed. So was Caroline.Whathappened said Bonnie as the officials carried Vickie away.Elena, panting gently, pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. She went crazy and tried to undress Tyler.Bonnie pursed her lips. Well, shed have to be crazy towant to, wouldnt she? And she threw a smile over her shoulder directly at Caroline.Elenas knees were rubbery and her hands were shaking. She felt an arm go around her, and she leaned against Stefan gratefully. Then she looked up at him.Epilepsy? she said with disbelieving scorn.I think class was just dismissed, Stefan said. Lets go.They wal ked toward the boarding domicile in silence, each lost in thought. Elena frowned, and several times glanced over at Stefan, but it wasnt until they were alone in his room that she spoke.Stefan, what is all this? Whats casualty to Vickie? Thats what Ive been wondering. Theres only one explanation I can think of, and its that shes still under attack.You mean Damons still oh, my God Oh, Stefan, I should have prone her some of the vervain. I should have realizedIt wouldnt have made any difference. Believe me. She had turned toward the door as if to go after Vickie that minute, but he pulled her gently back. Some people are more easily influenced than others, Elena. Vickies will was never very strong. It belongs to him, now.Slowly, Elena sat down. Then theres nothing anyone can do? But, Stefan, will she become like you and Damon?It depends. His tone was bleak. Its not just a matter of how much blood she loses. She needshis blood in her veins to make the change complete. Otherwise, s hell just end up like Mr. Tanner. Drained, used up. Dead.Elena took a long breath. There was something else she wanted to ask him about, something shed wanted to ask him for a long time. Stefan, when you spoke to Vickie back there, I thought it was working. You were using your Powers on her, werent you?Yes.But then she just went crazy again. What I mean is Stefan, youare okay, arent you? Your Powers have come back?He didnt answer. But that was answer enough for her. Stefan, why didnt you tell me? Whats wrong?She went around and knelt by him so that he had to look at her.Its taking me a while to recover, thats all. Dont worry about it.Iam worried. Isnt there anything we can do?No, he said. But his eyes dropped.Comprehension brush through Elena. Oh, she whispered, sitting back. Then she reached for him again, trying to get hold of his hands. Stefan, list to me Elena,no. Dont you see? Its dangerous, dangerous for both of us, but especially for you. It could kill solo if you lose cont rol, she said. And you wont. Kiss me.No, said Stefan again. He added, less harshly, Ill go out hunting tonight as soon as its dark.Is that the same? she said. She knew it wasnt. It was human blood that gave Power. Oh, Stefan, please dont you see I want to? Dontyou want to?That isnt fair, he said, his eyes tortured. You know it isnt, Elena. You know how much He turned away from her again, his hands clenched into fists.Then why not? Stefan, I need She couldnt finish. She couldnt explain to him what she needed it was a need for connection to him, for closeness. She needed to dream up what it was like with him, to wipe out the memory of dancing in her dream and of Damons arms locked around her. I need us to be together again, she whispered.Stefan was still turned away, and he shook his head.All right, Elena whispered, but she felt a wash of grief and fear as defeat seeped into her bones. most of the fear was for Stefan, who was vulnerable without his Powers, vulnerable enough that he might be hurt by the ordinary citizens of Fells Church. But some of it was for herself.