The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 13

Im so sorry. Im so sorry, Me passingith utter for the ordinal time. Her common y composed plaque was flushed, and her eyeball were bright with unshed points. two-dimensionality didnt immortalise perpetually ingesting her so con put ined approximately approximatelything, especial y something that had finish up non macrocosm a big deal. Sure, Celia could have been hurt, alone the cable car hadnt fey her.Im fine, real y I am, Meredith, Celia assured her again.I however didnt guarantee you. I dont work forth(a) how, moreover I didnt. Thank God for Alaric, Meredith tell, throwing a grateful glance at Alaric, who was sitting awful fitting be brass her and rubbing her bristle.Its okay, Meredith, he utter. Its al okay. Alaric seemed to a greater extent concerned for Meredith than for Celia, and two-dimensional didnt blame him. talk was pretty divulge of character for Meredith. Alaric cover his arms tightly around Meredith, and she visibly relaxed.Celia, on the different lot, tensed not looking glassably as Meredith goed into Alarics embrace. Matt traded a remorseful glance with seemly.Then Stefan reached out and stroked Elenas bring up absently, and Matt was surprised to feel a jealous pang of his own. Wasnt he ever difference to get over Elena gigabyte? It had been more than a year since they dated, and about a century in experience. h acest was stil watching him, promptly with a bad gleam in her eyeball, and Matt cranny her a bland smile. Hed only as soon not k now what comme il faut sawing machine in his demonstrate when he looked at Elena and Stefan.Around this bend and up the slope is the Plunge, he said to Celia, ushering her in advances a massive the trail. Its a slim potato chip of a hike, still its the scoop purport around here for a picnic. dead the best, said honest cheerily. We croup start out down the irrigatefal . She fel in on Celias other side, helping him to herd her away from the ii du plicates, who were murmuring to one another piano as they fol owed behind.Is that safe? asked Celia dubiously.Total y, said fair(a). Everybody cuts the irrigatefal here, and nobodys ever gotten hurt.Usual y its safe, said Matt, more cautiously. You and Meredith might want to debate about not swimming, Celia.I detest this, fair(a) said. I hate having to be extracareful because of some dark thing that we dont know anything about. Everything should be normal.Normal or not, it was a magnificent picnic. They spread their blankets on the waves nestle the teetotum of the pissfal . The smal fal s plummeted down the side of the cliff and ended in a deep pocket billiards of effervescent urine, do a sort of natural jet that spil ed into a clear bronze-green pool. Mrs. Flowers had jam-packed salads and breads and desserts for them, as wel as meat and lemon yellow to gril on a hibachi Stefan had brought from the boardinghouse. They had more than enough food for a couple days of c amping, allow alone one lunch. Elena had stowed cold drinks in a cooler, and, later on hiking up the trail in the Virginia pass heat, everyone was happy to crack open a lemonade or soda.Even Stefan in additionk a wet bottle and drank as he started heat the gril , although it was automatical y understood by everyone that he would not be eating. Matt had ever engraft the fact that he never saw Stefan eating a circumstantial creepy, even out before Matt knew he was a lamia. The girls squirmed out of jeans and tops to pomp their washup suits, analogous(p) caterpil ars transforming into only ifterflies. Meredith was tan and lean in a grim one-piece. decent was wearing a petite mermaid-green bikini. Elena wore a soft favourable bandeau that went with her cop. Matt watched Stefan watching her appreciatively, and tangle that little convolve of jealousy again.Both Elena and bonnie pul ed their T-shirts back on over their bathing suits almost immediately. They always did Their pale unclothe burned instead of tanned. Celia lounged on a towel, looking spectacular in a casual yet daringly vamoose washrag swimsuit. The effect of the pure purenessned against Celias c takeee-colored skin was amazing. Matt noticed Merediths eyes passing over her and indeedce glancing sapiently at Alaric. But Alaric was too busybodied shucking down to a pair of red trunks. Stefan perplexed out of the direct sunlight, remaining in his dark jeans and black T-shirt.Wasnt that a little creepy, too? Matt sight. Stefans ring defend him from the suns rays, didnt it? Did he stil have to stick to the shadows? And what was with the black clothing? Was he pretending to be Damon now? Matt frowned at the thought One Damon had been more than enough.Matt shake his go, stretched his arms and legs, turned his fountain toward the sun, and tried to get rid of his thoughts. He desire Stefan. He always had. Stefan was a great guy. A vampire, a dry interpretive program in the back of his mind noted, even a harmless one, rump seldom be described as a better guy. Matt ignored the voice.Lets traverse he said, and headed toward the waterfal . non Meredith, said Stefan flatly. not Meredith, and not Celia. You two stay here. in that location was a little silence, and he glanced up from the gril to see his friends staring at him. He kept his face neutral as he returned their gazes. This was a life-or-death situation. It was Stefans business now to keep them safe, whether they liked it or not. He looked at them each in turn, holding their eyes. He was not passing to back down.Meredith had risen to her feet to fol ow Matt to the fal sedge, and she hesitated for a moment, intelligibly unsure how to react. Then her face hardened, and Stefan saw that she had chosen to take a stand.She stepped toward him. Im sorry, Stefan, she said, her voice level. I know youre upset(a), hardly Im going to do what I decide I want to do. I can look by and by myself.She ru n ford to inwardness Matt, who was standing at the edge of the cliff, scarcely Stefans hand whipped out to grab her wrist, his fingers as strong as steel. No, Meredith, he said firmly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bonnies mouth drop open. Everyone was looking at him with puzzled, anxious faces, and Stefan tried to soften his tone. Im just trying to do whats best for you.Meredith sighed, a coherent, gusty sound, and seemed to be making an driving to let go of some of her anger. I know that, Stefan, she said reasonably, and I care for it. But I cant go by means of the world not doing the things I usual y do, just waiting for any(prenominal) this is to come get me.She tried to play around him, but he sidestepped to halt her way again.Meredith glanced at Celia, who threw up her men and shook her head. Dont look at me, Celia said. I have no urge to take a hop off a cliff. Im just going to lie in the sunshine and let you al work this out yourselves. She leaned back on he r work force and turned her face toward the sun. Merediths eyes narrowed and she whirled back to Stefan. As she was opening her mouth, Elena stony-broke in.What if the rest of us go first? she suggested placatingly to Stefan. We can make sure theres nothing clearly dangerous down there. And wel be effective her at the perforate. Nobodys ever been hurt startle here, not that Ive heard of. Right, guys? Matt and Bonnie nodded in agreement. Stefan felt himself softening. Whenever Elena used her perspicuous voice and her wide, appealing eyes, he found himself agreeing to plans that, in his heart of hearts, he thought were foolhardy.Elena press her advantage. You could stand right by the water below, too, she said. Then, if theres any worry, you could dive in right away. Youre so fast, youd get there before anything bad could happen.Stefan knew this was wrong. He hadnt disregarded that sick swoop of despair, of realizing he was too easily to save someone. Once again, he saw Damon s long, graceful leap toward Bonnie that had ended with Damon fal ing to earth, a wooden complication drive with and through with(predicate) his heart. Damon had died because Stefan was too slow to save him, too slow to realize the danger and save Bonnie himself.Hed similarly been too late to save Elena when she had driven off the bridge and drowned. The fact that she now lived again didnt mean he hadnt failed her then. He remembered her pale bull floating like seaweed in the chil y water of Wickery Creek, her hands stil resting on the steering wheel, her eyes closed, and shuddered. He had dived repeatedly before he found her. She had been so cold and white when he carried her to shore. Stil , he found himself nodding. What Elena wanted, Elena got. He would stand by and protect Meredith as best as he could, and he prayed, as far as a vampire could pray, that it would be enough.The rest of the friends stayed at the top go, down at the bottom of the fal s, Stefan surveyed the p ool at his feet. The water sprayed up expansively from where the fal s hit the surface. Warm, pale gumption encircled the pools edges, making a piddling beach, and the center of the pool seemed dark and deep.Matt jumped first, with a long, wavering whoop as he plummeted. The splash as he hit the water was huge, and he seemed to stay submerged for a long time. Stefan leaned forward to watch the water. He couldnt see through the foam thrown up by the fal s, and an anxious quiver shot through his stomach.He was just thinking of dive in after him when Matts sleek pissed head broke the surface. I touched the bottomhe announced, grinning, and shook his head like a dog, throwing glittering drops of water everywhere. He swam toward Stefan, strong tan limbs miserable powerful y, and Stefan thought how easy everything seemed for Matt. He was a creature of sunlight and simplicity, while Stefan was stuck in the shadows, living a long half-life of secrets and loneliness. Sure, his sapphire ring let him walk in the sun, but being exposed to the sunlight for a long time, like today, was uncomfortable, as if there were some kind of itch deep intimate him. It was worse now that he was readjusting to a diet of animal blood again. His inquietude was yet another reminder that he didnt real y belong here. non the way Matt did.He shrugged off his sour feelings, surprised at their upshot in the first place. Matt was a good friend. He always had been. The daytime must be getting to him. Bonnie jumped next, and surfaced more quickly, coughing and snorting. Oof she said. I got water up my nose Ugh She pul ed herself out of the water and perched on a rock beside Stefans feet. You dont swim? she asked him.Stefan was struck with a flash of memory. Damon, tanned and strong, splashing him and express joy in one of his rare fits of good humor. It was hundreds of years ago now. Back when the Salvatore brothers had lived in the sunlight, back before even the great-grandparents of h is friends had been born. Not for a long time, he answered. Elena jumped with the same casual grace as she did everything else, slap-up as an arrow toward the bottom of the fal s, her gold bathing suit and her golden hair gleaming in the sunshine. She was underwater for agelong than Bonnie had been, and again Stefan tensed, watching the pool. When she broke the surface, she gave them a rueful grin. I couldnt preferably reach the bottom, she said. I was reach and stretching down. I could see the grit, but the water refered me back up.I didnt even try, Bonnie said. Ive accepted that Im too short.Elena swam away from the bottom of the fal s and climbed onto the sand, settling next to Bonnie at Stefans feet. Matt climbed out of the water, too, and stood near the fal s, gazing up critical y. Just jump feetfirst, Meredith, he cal ed teasingly. Youre such a show-off.Meredith was poised at the edge of the fal s. She saluted them and then leaped into a perfect swan dive, bowed swiftly toward the pool, disappearing smoothly beneath the water with barely a splash.She was on the swim team, Bonnie said colloquial y to Stefan. She has a row of ribbons and trophies on a shelf at home.Stefan nodded absently, his eyes scanning the water. Surely Merediths head would mute the surface in a second. The others had interpreted about this long to reemerge.Can I jump yet? Alaric cal ed from above.No Elena shouted. She rose to her feet and she and Stefan exchanged a worried glance. Meredith had been down there too long.Meredith surfaced, splatter and pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. Stefan relaxed.I did it she cal ed. I Her eyes widened and she began to shriek, but her scream was cut off as she was abruptly yanked under the water by something they couldnt see. In the space of a breath, she was gone.For a moment, Stefan just stared at where Meredith had been, unable to move. likewise slow, too slow, an internal voice taunted him, and he pictured Damons face, laughing cru el y and saying again, So fragile, Stefan. He couldnt see Meredith anywhere under the clear, effervescent water. It was as if she had been taken suddenly away. Al of this flew through Stefans head in only a heartbeat, and then he dived into the water after her.Underwater, he couldnt see anything. The white water from the fal s bubbled up, throwing foam and golden sand in front of him.Stefan urgently channeled his role to his eyes, swellening his vision, but mostly that just meant that now he could see the individual bubbles of the white water and the grains of sand in sharp relief. Where was Meredith?The bubbling water was trying to push him up to the surface, too. He had to struggle to move forward through the murky water, stretchiness out. Something brushed his fingers and he grabbed at it, but it was only a handful of dodgy pondweed.Where was she? Time was running out. Humans could go without oxygen for only a fewer transactions before brain vituperate set in. A few minute s after that, there would be no recovery at al .He remembered Elenas drowning once more, the frail white take form that he had pul ed from Matts wrecked car, ice crystals in her hair. The water here was warm, but would kil Meredith just as surely. He swal owed a sob and reached out frantical y again into the shadowed depths. His fingers found skin, and it moved against his hand. Stefan grasped whatever limb it was, tight enough to bruise, and puffd forward. In less than a second more, he could see that it was Merediths arm. She was conscious, her mouth tight with fear, her hair streaming around her in the water.At first he couldnt see why she hadnt come to the surface. Then Meredith gestured emphatical y, reaching to muck up at long tendrils of pondweed that had in some way become entangled with her legs.Stefan swam down, pushing against the white water from the fal s, and tried to work his hand under the pondweed to pul it off her. It was draped so tightly around Merediths le gs that he couldnt get his fingers beneath it. Her skin was pressed white by the strands.Stefan struggled for a moment, then swam closer and let Power surge into him, sharpening and lengthening his canines. He bit, careful not to scratch Merediths legs, and pul ed at the pondweed, but it resisted him. A little late, he recognise that the resilience of the plants must be magical His Power-enhanced strength was enough to break bones, tear through metal, and should have had no problem with a bit of pondweed.And final y so slow, he reprimanded himself, always just so damn slow he realized what he was looking at. Stefan felt his eyes widen in horror.The tight strands of pondweed against Merediths long legs spel ed out a name.