The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Two

Meredith held the tire gauge firmly against the valve of her left rear end tire duration she checked it. The compel was fine.The pressure on al four tires was fine. The antifreeze, oil, and transmission fluids were al go past g bustedering, the motorcar battery was new, and the jack and spare tire were in comp allowed shape. She should shit kn give birth. Her parents werent the kind to stay home from work to see her tally to col ege. They knew she didnt need coddling, but theyd show their love by fashioning sure al the preparations were made, that she was safe and perfectly ready for anything that might happen. Of course, they wouldnt distinguish her that they had checked e realthing, either theyd compulsion her to continue protecting herself.T present wasnt anything she had to do immediately except leave.Which was the one thing she didnt want to do.Come with me, she state without looking up, despising the faint quaver she heard in her take voice. Just for a couple of weeks.You know I cant, Alaric state as he brushed his hand lightly oer her back. I wouldnt want to leave if I came with you. Itl be better this way. Youl give birth to enjoy the offset weeks of col ege like al the other new students, without anyone holding you back. and consequently Il catch up and visit soon. Meredith morose to face him and found Alaric gazing back at her. His mouth tensed, just the tiniest tightening, and she could see that parting again, after whole a few weeks together, was just as hard for him as it was for her.She leaned in and kissed him softly.Better than if Id gone to Harvard, she murmured.Much c dropr.As the summer had ended, she and Matt had realize they couldnt leave their friends and head off to out-of-state col eges as theyd planned. Theyd al been by means of so much together, and they wanted to stay together, to protect one a nonher, much than than they wanted to go anywhere else.Their home had been nearly destroyed more than once, and only Elenas blackmail of the Celestial Court had restored it and saved their families. They couldnt leave.Not while they were the only ones standing against the darkness out there, the darkness that would be bony forever to the Power of the magical ley lines that crossed the area around Fel s Church. Dalcrest was close enough that theyd be able to come back if risk of exposure threatened again.They needed to protect their home.So Stefan had gone down to the administrative offices at Dalcrest and used his vampire mojo. Suddenly Matt had the footbal scholarship to Dalcrest hed turned down in favor of Kent State back in the spring, and Meredith was non only expected as an incoming freshman but was housed in a triple in the beat dorm on campus with bonny and Elena. The super ingrained had worked for them, for a change.Stil , shed had to give up a couple of dreams to get here. Harvard. Alaric by her side.Meredith shook her head. Those dreams were incompatible, anyway. Alaric couldnt hav e come to Harvard with her. Alaric was staying here in Fel s Church to research the origins of al the supernatural things that had happened over the towns history. Luckily, Duke was letting him estimate this toward his dissertation on the paranormal.And hed be able to monitor the town for hazard at the same while. Theyd have to be apart for now, no depicted object where Meredith chose to go, but at least(prenominal) Dalcrest was a manageable drive away.Alarics bark had a soft tan, and a scattering of golden freckles crossed his cheekbones. Their faces were so close she could feel the warmth of his breath.Whatre you thinking? His voice was a low murmur.Your freckles, she said. Theyre gorgeous. wherefore she took a breath and pul ed away. I love you, Meredith said, and then rushed on before a wave of longing could cover her, I have to go. She picked up one of the suitcases sitting by the car and swung it into the luggage compartment.I love you, too, Alaric said, and caught he r hand and held it tightly for a twinkling, looking into her eyeball. Then he let go and put the last suitcase into the trunk and slammed the lid.Meredith kissed him, quick and hard, and hurried herself into the drivers seat. Once she was safely seated, belted in, the engine running, she let herself look at him again.Bye, she said through the open window. Il cal you tonight. Every night.Alaric nodded. His eyes were sad, but he smiled and held up a hand in fareWell.Meredith back out of the driveway careful y. Her hands were at ten and two, and she unplowed her eyes on the road and her breathing steady. Without even looking, she knew Alaric was standing in the driveway, watching her car drive out of sight. She pressed her lips together firmly. She was a Sulez. She was a vampire hunter, a star student, and completely levelheaded in al situations.She didnt need to cry after al , she would see Alaric again. Soon. In the meantime, she would be a true Sulez ready for anything.Dalcrest wa s beautiful, Elena thought. Shed been here before, of course. She, Bonnie, and Meredith had driven al the way up for a frat party junior year, when Meredith had been date a col ege boy. And she dimly remembered her parents bringing her for an alumni family event, back when she was diminutive. scarcely now that she was part of the cultivate, now that it would be her home for the next four years, everything looked different. reasonably swanky, Damon commented as the car swept between the great gilded render at the schools entrance and drove on past buildings of faux Georgian brick and neoclassical marble. For America, that is. Well, we cant al grow up in Italian palaces, Elena answered absently, very conscious of the light pressure of his thigh alongside hers. She was sitting in the front of the truck between Stefan and Damon, and there wasnt a lot of room. Having twain of them so close was awful y distracting.Damon rol ed his eyes and drawled to Stefan, Well, if you have to play human and attend school again, little brother, at least you didnt choose too hideous a spot. And, of course, the company wil make up for every inconvenience, he added gal antly with a glance at Elena. simply I stil think that its a waste of time.And yet, here you are, Elena said.Im only here to keep you out of trouble, Damon retorted.Youl have to excuse Damon, Stefan said to Elena lightly. He doesnt understand. He was thrown out of university back in the old days.Damon laughed. But I had great fun while I was there, he said. in that location were al kinds of pleasures a man of means could have at university. I reckon things have changed a bit, though.They were needling individually other, Elena knew, but there wasnt that hard, bitter move on to their sparring that used to be there. Damon was smiling over her head at Stefan with a wry lovingness, and Stefans fingers were loose and relaxed on the steering wheel.She put a hand on Stefans knee and squeezed.Damon tensed next to her , but when she glanced over at him, he was gazing ahead through the windshield, his face neutral. Elena took her hand off Stefans knee. The last thing she wanted to do was disturb the delicate respite between the three of them.Here we are, Stefan said, pul ing up to an ivy-covered building. Pruitt House.The dorm loomed supra them, a tal brick building with a turret on one side, windows glitter in the afternoon sun.Its supposed to be the nicest dorm on campus, Elena said.Damon clear his door and hopped out, then turned to give Stefan a long look. The best dorm on campus, is it?Have you been using your powers of persuasion for personal gain, five-year-old Stefan? He shook his head. Your morals are disintegrating.Stefan got out on his own side and turned to give Elena a courteous hand down. Its accomplishable youre final y rubbing off on me, he said to Damon, his lips twitching slightly with amusement. Im in the turret in a single. Theres a balcony.How nice for you, Damon said, his eyes moving quickly between them. This is a residence for both boys and girls, then? The sins of the modern world. His face was thoughtful for a moment then he gave a bril iant smile and began to pul luggage out of the back.He had seemed almost lonely to Elena for that second which was ridiculous, Damon was never lonely but that speed impression was enough to make her say impetuously, You could come to school with us, Damon. Its not too late, not if you used your Power to enrol . You could live on campus with us.She felt Stefan freeze. Then he took a slow breath and slid up next to Damon, reaching for a stack of boxes. You could, he said nonchalant y. It might be more fun than you think to try school again, Damon.Damon shook his head, scoffing, No, thank you. I parted ways with academia some(prenominal) centuries ago. Il be much happier in my new apartment in town, where I can keep an eye on you without having to slum with students. He and Stefan smiled at each other with wh at looked like perfect understanding.Right, Elena thought, with a curious concoction of relief and disappointment. She hadnt seen the new apartment yet, but Stefan had assured her that Damon would be, as usual, financial support in the lap of luxury, at least so far as the closest town could offer.Come along, kiddies, Damon said, picking up several suitcases effortlessly and heading into the dorm. Stefan hoisted his tower of boxes and fol owed him.Elena grabbed a box of her own and came after them, admiring their natural grace, their elegant strength. As they passed a few open doors, she heard a girl mock wolf-whistle, then giggle breathlessly with her roommate.A box tipped from Stefans enormous pile as he started up the staircase, and Damon caught it advantageously despite the suitcases. Stefan gave him a casual nod of thanks.Theyd spent centuries as enemies. Theyd killed each other, once. Hundreds of years of hating each other, bound together by misery, jealousy, and sorrow. Ka therine had done that to them, assay to have them both when they each wanted only her.Everything was different now. Theyd come so far. Since Damon had died and come back, since they had battled and defeated the jealousy phantom, theyd come to be partners. There was an unspoken acknowledgment that they would work together to protect a little group of humans.More than that, there was a cautious, but very real, affection between them. They relied on each other theyd be sorry to lose each other again. They didnt talk about it, but she knew it was true.Elena squeezed her eyes boot out for just a second. She knew they both loved her. They both knew that she loved them. stock-still though, her mind corrected conscientiously, Stefan is my true love. But something else in her, that imaginary panther, stretched and smiled. But Damon, my DamonShe shook her head. She couldnt break them apart, couldnt let them fight over her. She wouldnt do what Katherine had done. If the time came for her to choose, she would choose Stefan. Of course.Would you? the panther purred lazily, and Elena tried to push the thought away.Everything could fal apart so easily. And it was up to her to make sure that never happened again.