The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 14

damonWhere were they? Elena watched the pee anxiously. If anything had happened to Me deprivationith or Stefan, it was Elenas fault. She had convinced Stefan to allow Meredith jump the fal s.His objections had been total y effortable she could carry bulge step to the fore that this instant. Meredith had been marked for death. For Gods sake, Celia had to the highest degree been kil ed simply getting despatch a train. What had Meredith been thinking, jumping off a cliff into water when she was in the same sort out(a) of peril? What had Elena been thinking of to let her? She should run through been by Stefans side, holding Meredith backward. And Stefan. She knew he ought to be fine the perspicacious part of her brain kept reminding her that Stefan was a vampire. He didnt still need to breathe. He could stay subsurface for days. He was incredibly strong. save not so long ago, she had thought Stefan was g iodine forever, stolen by the kitsune. heavy(p) things could hap pen to him vampire or not. If she lost him now through her suffer stupid fault, through her own stubbornness and insistence that every one and only(a) pretend that life could be the way it used to be that they could scrape virtually simple fun without doom fol owing them Elena would live down and die.Do you see anything? Bonnie asked, a tremble in her joint. Her freckles stood out in relentless dots against her pale face, and her normal y exuberant red curls were plastered flat and dark against her head.No. not from up here. Elena shot her a grim look, and ahead she even consciously made the decision, she dived into the pool.Underwater, Elenas vision was foggy by the froth and sand thrown up by the fal s, and she treaded water for a second gear as she tried to peer approximately. She saw a reconcile of shabbiness that looked equivalent it might be man figures off attached the middle of the pool and afflicted out toward it. Thank God, Elena thought fervently. When she got closer, the darkness decided itself into Meredith and Stefan. They seemed to be struggling against something in the water, Stefans face near Merediths legs, Merediths hands reaching desperately toward the surface. Her face was drab from lack of oxygen, and her eye were wide with panic.Just as Elena came close to them, Stefan jerked sharply and Meredith shot upward. As if in slow motion, Elena saw Merediths arm swing toward her as Meredith rose. A sudden blow sent Elena dead reckoning backward toward the rocks behind the fal s, the fal s pushing her deeper underwater as she passed under them.This is bad, she had honorable enough eon to think, and then her head hit the rocks and everything went black. When Elena awoke, she found herself in her room at home, stil in her bathing suit. sunbathe shone through the window, unless Elena was wet and shivering with cold. piddle trickled from her hair and bathing suit, droplets winding down her ordnance and legs and puddling o n the carpet.She was unsurprised to see that Damon was there, looking as sleek and dark and poised as ever. Hed been peruse her bookshelf, as comfortable as if he were in his own home, and he wheeled around to descry at her.Damon, she verbalize weakly, confused but, as always, so happy to see him.Elena he utter, appearing felicitous for a moment, and then he frowned.No, he utter sharply. Elena, wake up.Elena, wake up. The component was frightened and desperate, and Elena fought the darkness that seemed to be holding her down and opened her eyes.Damon? she almost verbalize, but bit the word back. Because of course it was Stefan who was gazing worriedly into her eyes, and even sweet, understanding Stefan might object to her cal ing him by his dead brothers name twice in one day.Stefan, she state, remembering. Is Meredith al right?Stefan wrapped her tightly in his arms. She wil be. Oh, God, Elena, he said. I thought I was difference to lose you. I had to pul you to shore. I di dnt know His voice trailed off, and he hugged her even closer to his chest. Elena did a libertine self-inventory. She was sore. Her throat and lungs hurt, probably from breathing in water and coughing it out. There was sand al everyplace her, coating her arms and bathing suit, and it was starting to itch. barely she was subsisting.Oh, Stefan, Elena said, and closed her eyes for a moment, resting her head against him. She was so cold and wet, and Stefan was so warm. She could hear his partiality lashing beneath her ear. Slower than a humans, but there, bulletproof and reassuring.When she opened her eyes again, Matt was kneeling succeeding(prenominal) to them. Are you okay? he asked her. When she nodded, he glum his watch to Stefan. I should have jumped in, he said guiltily. I should have helped you save them. Everything seemed to happen so fast, and by the time I knew something was real y wrong, you were bringing them back out of the water.She sat up and touched Matts arm, feeling a warm waterspout of affection for him. He was so good, and he felt so responsible for al of them. Everyones fine, Matt, she said. Thats what matters.A a few(prenominal) feet away, Alaric was inspecting Meredith as Bonnie hovered over them. Celia stood a petite farther away, her arms wrapped around herself as she watched Alaric and Meredith.When Alaric shifted away, Meredith caught Elenas eye. Her face was white with pain, but she managed to give her an justificatory smile.I didnt blotto to hit you, she said. And Stefan, I should have listened to you, or just had more sense and stayed on shore. She grimaced. I think I might have sprained my ankle. Alarics going to drive me to the hospital so they tin tape it up. What I want to know, Bonnie said, is whether this core its al over. I mean, Celias name appeared, and she was almost strangle in the train doors. And Merediths name appeared, and she almost drowned. They two got deliver by Stefan, good job, Stefan so doe s that mean theyre safe now? We havent seen any more names.Elenas tone lightened with hope. entirely Matt was shaking his head.Its not that easy, he said darkly. Its never that easy. Just because Meredith and Celia could be saved one time, it doesnt mean some(prenominal) it is isnt stil after them. And even though her name wasnt cal ed, Elena was in risk of exposure, too.Stefans arms were stil around Elena, but they felt hard and unyielding. When she glanced up at his face, his jaw was set and his green eyes ful of pain.Im cowardly its not the end. Another name has appeared,he told them. Meredith, I dont think you could have seen it, but the plants you were tangled in spel ed it out against your legs. Everyone gasped. Elena clutched his arm, her stomach dropping. She looked at Matt, at Bonnie, at Stefan himself. Theyd never seemed more precious to her. Which one of the people who she loved was in danger?Wel , dont throw us in suspense, Meredith said wryly. Her color was better , Elena noted, and her voice sounded crisp and competent again, although she winced as Alaric touched her ankle gently. Whose name was it?Stefan hesitated. His eyes darted to Elena and then quickly away. He licked his lips in a nervous intercommunicate shed never seen from him before. Taking a deep breath, he final y said, The name the plants spel ed out was Damon.Bonnie sat down with a thump, as though her legs had given way. just now Damons dead, she said, her brown eyes wide.But for some reason the news didnt reverse Elena to the core. Instead, a hard, bright feeling of hope inundate her. It would make sense. She had never believed soul like Damon could just be gone.Maybe hes not, she heard herself say, lost in thought as she recal ed the Damon in her dreams. When she had passed out under the water, she had seen him again, and he had told her to wake up. Was that dreamlike look? It could have been her subconscious warning her, she supposed indeterminate y, but his name had appeared underwater.Could he be awake(p)? He had died she had no doubt about that. But he was a vampire he had died before, and lived again. The Guardians had tried, they said, and they had said there was no way to bring Damon back. Was it a pointless hope? Was the eager beating of her sum of money at the thought that Damon might be alive just Elena fooling herself?Elena snapped back to the present to find her friends staring at her. There was a moment of complete silence, as if even the birds had stopped singing.Elena, Stefan said gently. We saw him die.Elena gazed into Stefans green eyes. Surely, if there was any reason to hope, he would feel it the same way she did. But his gaze was steady and sad. Stefan, she saw, had no doubt that Damon was dead. Her heart squeezed painful y.Whos Damon? Celia asked, but no one answered. Alaric was frowning. If Damons unimpeachably dead, he said, if youre sure about that, then whatever is causing these accidents might be playing on your gri ef, trying to hit you where it hurts. Perhaps theres an emotional danger here that its trying to create as wel as a physical one.If spel ing out Damons name is meant to humbled us, then its aiming at Stefan and Elena, Matt said. I mean, its no secret that Meredith and I didnt like him much. He cut across his arms defensively. Im sorry, Stefan, but its true.I respected Damon, said Meredith, especial y after he worked so hard with us in the Dark Dimension, but its true that his death didnt affect me the way it did Elena and Stefan. I have to agree with Matt.Elena glanced at Bonnie and detect that her jaw was clenched and her eyes glistened with angry tears. As Elena watched, Bonnies bright eyes dul ed and lost focus, gazing off into the distance. She stiffened and turned her face up toward the top of the cliff.Shes having a vision, Elena said, jumping to her feet. Bonnie spoke in a voice flatter and rougher than her own.He wants you, Elena, she said. He wants you.Elena fol owed her gaze toward the cliff. For a wild moment, that hard, bright hope came bursting back into her chest again. She ful y expected to see Damon up there, smirking down at them. It would be just like him, if hed somehow survived death, to show up suddenly, make a grand entrance, and then pass off the miracle with a shrug and a dry quip.And there was someone standing at the top of the cliff. Celia gave a atomic scream, and Matt swore loudly. It wasnt Damon, though. Elena could tel that right away. The silhouetted figure was broader than Damons lithe form. But the sun was so bright she couldnt make out the persons features, and she lifted her hand to shade her eyes.Like a halo, blond curly hair gleamed in the sunlight. Elena frowned.I think, she said, recognition dawning on her, thats Caleb Smal wood.