The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 36

Damon was the outgrowth to move, which didnt surprise Elena. His slash jacket scorched, long burns running across his face and build up, he staggered ultimo the others through the fire and threw open the garage door. Outside, thunder rumbled overhead and a heavy rain was fal ing. Despite the rain, the garage was burning ferociously, flames licking their way up the sides of the smal building and across the roof. As they al stumbled outside, Meredith, coughing, turned her face up to the rain. Matt and Alaric supported Mrs. Flowers and placed her in the drivers seat of her car. Elena held her hands out, letting the tearaway(a) rain wash away the soot and soothe her burns. The rest of her fri sweepouts mil ed around not far from the burning garage, stil stunned.Oh, Damon, said clean. She paused to cough and wheeze for a few seconds, then leaned careful y toward Damon, avoiding his injuries, and kissed him on the cheek.Im so happy you came back.Thank you, redbird, Damon said, patt ing her on the back. Excuse me for a second I indispensableness to take care of something. He stepped away and caught Elena by the hand.In the distance came the wail of sirens, signaling the advance of fire trucks and patrol cars drawn by the fire. Damon pul ed Elena toward the dark shadows under a tree near the dwelling house. Come on, he said. You deal blood now. He felt his throat with charred fingers, then drew a fingernail against one of his veins. His leather jacket was practical y destroyed, just rags and ashes hanging from him, and the long burns on his face and body were stil red and raw- appearing, but already better than they had been a few minutes in front.I could do that, said Stefan, approaching them and leaning against the wal of the house. He looked tired and bedraggled, but his injuries, too, were already healing.Elenas always refreshing to my blood.You can definitely pitch in. entirely thats a bad injury shes got, said Damon matter-of-factly, and you dont ha ve the Power to heal it right now.Elena had been trying not to look at her right hand. Although she couldnt real y move it, it didnt hurt much anymore. Which was probably a bad sign, actual y. Did that mean the nerve endings were dead? A quick, anxious glance down at her hand made her stomach churn. Even that tiny glimpse showed her horribly blackened and reddened flesh and sloughing skin and God she thought shed seen a glimpse of bone beneath the flesh. She let out a low, involuntary whimper.Drink, said Damon impatiently. Let me fix it originally they arrange and drag you rancid to the burn unit. Elena stil hesitated, and Damon sighed and turned to Stefan again.Look, he said, his voice softening, its not always about Power. Sometimes the blood is just about winning care of someone.I know that, Stefan replied, blinking tiredly at him. I just wasnt incontestable that you did.Damons mouth twisted in a wry smile. Im an grey man, little brother, he said. I know a lot of things. He turned back to Elena. Drink now, he insisted, and Stefan smiled reassuringly at her.Elena nodded at Stefan before pushing her mouth tightly against Damons neck. The second she tasted his blood, Elena became wrapped in warmth and the pain in her hand stopped. She no longer felt the unpleasant ice-cold drumming of the rain on her head and shoulders, the icy trickle of water down her body. She was cozy and safe and loved, and time had stopped just long affluent for her to catch her breath.Damon? she thought, and r for each oneed out to his mind with hers. He answered her without words, but with a wave of affection and care, of undemanding love. Through the haze, Elena realized t here(predicate) was something new here When she and Damon had al owed their minds to touch in the past, she had often sensed that Damon had been holding back a jump 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 child chained to a rock.Now Elena sensed solitary(prenominal) 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 return to the real world. Stefan was no longer next 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 duad of fire trucks and police cars pul ed into the drive, lights blazing, sirens screaming. Closer to the garage, she saw Meredith abruptly drop Stefans arm, and Elena realized 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 assumed 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 about it now. It felt like al the barriers between their as miscellanea had broken down. Whether this new state of things lasted or not, they were al one for now. Theyd seen the worst of one another. Theyd told the truth and come out the other side. And now, if Meredith needed to be healed, of ground level 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 turned their attention to putting out the fire, a couple of uniformed police officers and a man who must be the fire marshal walked purposeful y toward Mrs. Flowers, Matt, Alaric, Celia, and Bonnie, al of whom were now huddled in the car. Meredith and Stefan headed toward them, too.Why 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 even occurred to me that we could go inside. I guess everyone felt like they should be out here to watch it burn. Make sure the phantom doesnt come out.Its like we were at the end of the world, she said softly, thinking aloud. Even the boardinghouse seemed so far away that it just wasnt part of the picture. Now that other people are here, the world is starting line to turn again.Damon hmmmed noncommittal y. Wed better get over there, he said. I think they could use some help. Mrs. Flowerss voice was raised indignantly, although Elena couldnt make out the words. As she trailed after Damon she smiled to herself Since when had Damon cared whether anyone, except Elena herself, could use some help?As they got closer, Elena could see that Mrs. Flowers had gotten out of the car and assumed her best expression of dottiness and eccentricity, blue eyes 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 lay in the garage? Surely I have every right to distribute my posses sions anywhere I like on my own spot 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 suggest that I business leader have had some advance knowledge of this fire?Wel , maam, its been known 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, shooting a glance around. His eyes lingered on Damons burned leather jacket and the raw skinless patch on Stefans cheek. Were going to need to talk to al of you, he said. Lets start by getting your names and addresses.Stefan stepped forward and held the officers eyes with his. Im sure that wont be necessary, he said softly, compel ingly. Elena could experience him using 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 question 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 strike anywhere near here.Stefan shifted his gaze to the fire marshal. Theres nothing to bother investigating But the spel was broken, and now al three men were looking at him with suspicion.Stefans Power wasnt going to be strong enough to use on al three, Elena realized, and he wouldnt be able to convince even one of them if the men were al together, awakening one anothers doubts. Stefans face was drawn and tired. He had fought a long bout more than one, actual y. And Stefan was never strong in Power, not when he didnt drink human blood. If hed been worrying over her and preparing to fight the phantom, 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 marsha l 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 first suspicious. Gradual y, as he spoke to them, their shoulders relaxed and they began to nod and smile.Stefan spoke softly to the other officer again. Hed be able to handle influencing one person alone, Elena knew, even in his current state.Meredith and Bonnie had gotten into the backseat of Mrs. Flowerss ancient automobile so old that Elena suspected it might predate Mrs. Flowers herself and were deep in conversation, while 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 bl ack 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 untroubled, isnt it? We did it.Meredith was solemn yet exultant, her gray eyes shining. There was stil a smear of Stefans blood on her lips, and Elena stifled the urge to wipe it away for her. We did win,Meredith affirmed. You both did so amazingly. Bonnie, it was real y smart 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 brave 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. liquid and strong and beautiful and so supertough, the way you used 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 High School Alumni Mutual Admiration Society is now cal ed to order.Wel have to get Matt in and tel him how wonderful 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 a gain, both of you, she said sleepily. It seemed in-chief(postnominal) to say it.Maybe tomorrow we can start working 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 taken by the phantom, she said quietly, I was afraid 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, nodding feverishly. Elena reached out for both of them. The three friends squeezed one another tightly in a laughing, slightly tearful concourse 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.