The Return: Midnight Chapter 5

I thought you wanted to fascinate out so we could sing to Damon,Stefan said, stil afford in hand with Elena as she do a sharp right turn onto the rickety stair representation that led to the second-floor rooms and, above that, to Stefans attic.Wel , unless he kil s Matt and runs I dont see whats to keep us from talking to him tomorrow.Elena glanced back at Stefan and dimpled. I took your advice and thought a little about the two of them. Matts a pretty tough quarterback and theyre both only human direct, right? Anyway, its time for your dinner.Dinner?Stefans canine teeth responded automaticaly embarrassingly quickly to the word. He sure y needed to squander a word with Damon later and make sure Damon understood his place as a guest at the boardinghouse nothing more but it was true, he could do that tomorrow. It might even be more effective tomorrow, when Damons own pent-up rage was spent.He press his tongue against his fangs, trying to force them back down, but the smal s timulation caused them to sharpen, nicking his lip. Now they were aching pleasantly. Al in response to a single word dinner.Elena threw him a teasing glance over her shoulder and giggled. She was one of those lucky females with a beautiful laugh. But this was a clearly mischievous giggle, clean from her wicked, scheming childhood. It do Stefan want to tickle her to hear more it made him want to laugh with her it made him want to grab her and demand to k right off the joke.Instead he said, Whats up, cacoethes?Someone has sharp teeth,she responded innocently, and giggled again. He lost himself in admiration for a second and also choppyly lost hold of her hand. Laughing like a musical cascade of white water over rock, she ran up the stairs ahead of him, both to tease and to show him what good shape she was in, he thought. If she had stumbled, or faltered, she knew he would decide that her donation of blood was harming her.So far it didnt seem to be damaging some(prenominal) of his friends, or he would have insisted on a rest for that person. But even Bonnie, as delicate as a dragonfly, hadnt seemed to be the worse for it.Elena raced up the stairs knowing that Stefan was smiling behind her, and at that place was no shadow of mistrust in his mind.She didnt deserve it, but that only made her more anxious to please him.Have you had your dinner?Stefan asked as they reached his room. eagle-eyed ago roast beef cooked.She smiled.What did Damon say when he final y realized it was you and looked at the food youd brought?Elena made herself giggle again. It was al right to have tears in her eyes her burns and cuts agony and the episode with Damon justified any amount of weeping.He cal ed it bloody hamburger. It was steak tartar. But, Stefan, I dont want to talk about him now.No, of course you dont, love.Stefan was immediately contrite. And he was trying so hard not to seem eager to feed but he couldnt even assure his canines.And Elena was in no mood to dal y either . She perched on the bed, careful y unwinding the bandage Mrs. Flowers had just wound on it. Stefan suddenly looked troubled.Love He stopped abruptly.What? Elena finished with the bandage, studying Stefans face.Well shall I take it out of your arm instead? Youre already in paroxysm and I dont want to loll with Mrs. Flowerss anti-tetanus treatment. on that points still plenty of room around it, Elena said cheerful y.But a bite on top of those cutsHe stopped again.Elena looked at him. She knew her Stefan. There was something he wanted to say. Tell me, she pressed him.Stefan final y met her eyes directly, and then put his mouth close to her ear. I can heal the cuts,he whispered. But it would mean opening them again so they can bleed. That wil hurt.And it might poison youElena said sharply. Dont you see? Mrs. Flowers put heaven knows what on them She could feel his laughter, which direct warm tingles down her spine. You cant kil a vampire so easily,he said. We only die if you sta ke us through the heart. But I dont want to hurt you even to help you. I could Influence you not to feel anything Once again, Elena cut him off. No No, I dont mind if it hurts.As long as you get as much blood as you need.Stefan respected Elena enough to know that he shouldnt ask the same question twice. And he could hardly restrain himself any longer. He watched her lie down and then stretched out beside her, bending to get to the green-stained cuts. He licked gently, at first rather tentatively, at the wounds, and then ran a satiny tongue over them. He had no idea how the process worked or what chemicals he was stroking over Elenas injuries. It was as automatic as alive was to humans. But after a minute, he chuckled softly.What? What? Elena demanded, smiling herself as his breath tickled.Your bloods laced with lemon balm, Stefan replied.Grand mamas healing recipe has lemon balm and inebriant in it Lemon balm wineIs that good or bad? Elena asked uncertainly.Its fine for a chan ge. But I still like your blood straight the best. Does it hurt too much?Elena could feel herself flush. Damon had healed her cheek this way, back in the Dark Dimension, when Elena had, with her own body, protected a bleeding slave from a whiplash.She knew Stefan knew the story, and must know, each time he saw her, that the almost-invisible white line on her cheekbone had been stroked just this gently into healing.Compared to that, these scratches are nothing, she sent.But a sudden chil went through her.Stefan I never begged your pardon for protecting Ulma at the risk of not being able to save you. Or, worse for dancing while you were famishment for keeping up the society pretense so we could get the Twin Fox key Do you think I care about that? Stefans vocalism was mock-angry as he gently sealed one cut at her throat. You did what you had to in order to track me find me save me after Id left you whole here. Dont you think I understand? I didnt deserve the saving Now Elena fe lt a smal sob choke her. Never say thatNever And I suppose I suppose I knew you would forgive me or I would have felt every jewel I wore burning like a brand. We had to chase you down like a fox with hounds and we were so scared that a single misstep could mean youd be hangedor we would be.Stefan was holding her tightly now. How can I make you understand? he asked. You gave up everything even your freedom for me. You became slaves. You you were DisciplinedElena asked wildly, How do you know that? Who told you?You told me, beloved. In your sleep in your dreams.But, Stefan Damon took the pain for me. Did you know that?Stefan was silent a moment, then responded, Isee. I didnt know that before.Scenes strewn from the Dark Dimension bubbled in Elenas mind. That city of tarnished baubles of il usive glitter, where a whiplash that dissipate blood across a wal was as much celebrated as a handful of rubies strewn on the sidewalk.Love, dont think about it. You followed me, and you r escued me, and now were here together, Stefan said. The last cut closed, he lay his cheek on hers. Thats all I care about. You and I together.Elena was almost dizzily glad to be forgiven but there was something inside her something that had grown and grown and grown during the weeks she was in the Dark Dimension.A feeling for Damon that was not just the result of her need for his help. A feeling that Elena had thought Stefan understood. A feeling that might even change the relations between the three of them her, Stefan, and Damon. But now Stefan seemed to assume that everything would return to the way it was before his kidnapping.Oh, wel , why fret about tomorrow when tonight was enough to make her weep with joy?This was the best feeling in the world, the knowledge that she and Stefan were together, and she made Stefan promise her over and over that he would not ever leave her on another quest again, no matter how briefly, no matter what the cause.By now, Elena could not even fo cus on what she had been worried about before. She and Stefan had always found heaven in each others arms. They were meant to be together forever. Nothing else mattered now that she was home.Homewas where she and Stefan were together.