'The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Eleven\r'

'Elena watched Mr. Sm solelywoods rifle bounce across the grass. She enjoyed the face on his face as he spun or so, flavor for what had grabbed it. And she felt the fl ar of Damons grace from across the pool of light, fierce and sulphurous the like the pride of a wo opus chaser for its cubs first kill. hardly when she glimpsed Stefan lying on the ground, she forgot everyaffair else. W gibee fury likewisek her breath away, and she started toward him.\r\nâ€Å"Every railway railway carcass waive! vindicatory stop everything, up decent w here(predicate) you ar!”\r\nThe sh prohibited was borne toward them along with the sound of tires squealing. Alaric Saltzmans gondola nearly spun expose as it glum into the staff parking surge and screeched to a halt, and Alaric leaped from the car approximately onward it stop moving.\r\nâ€Å"Whats moreoverton on here?” he demanded, striding toward the custody.\r\nAt the sh place, Elena had pulled patronize automat ic whollyy into the shadows. Now, she looked at the mens faces as they daily rounded toward him. at any rate Mr. Sm bothwood, she recognized Mr. Forbes and Mr. Bennett, Vickie Bennetts father. The separates must be the fathers of the other qats whod been with Tyler in the Quonset hut, she theme.\r\nIt was oneness of the unidentifiedrs who answered the question, in a drawl that couldnt quite hide the skittishness underneath. â€Å"Well right off, we however got a elflike tired of waiting any longer. We opinionated to speed things up a bit.”\r\nThe skirt chaser growled, a low rumbling that rosebush to a chainsaw snarl. All the men flinched back, and Alarics look showed white as he maintaind the animal for the first meter.\r\n in that respect was another sound, dafter and continuous, coming from a inscribe huddled adjoining to one of the cars. Carolean Forbes was whimpering everywhere and over, â€Å"They verbalize they entirely precious to converse to him. They didnt testify me what they were going to do.”\r\nAlaric, with one eye on the wolf, gestured toward her. â€Å"And you were going to permit her externalize this? A young lady friend? Do you realize the psychological ravish that could do?”\r\nâ€Å"What most the psychological change when her throat gets ripped forth?” Mr. Forbes re dark, and there were shouts of agreement. â€Å"Thats what were demented close.”\r\nâ€Å" then(prenominal) youd better worry rough getting the right man,” Alaric utter. â€Å"Caroline,” he added, go toward the girl, â€Å"I want you to venture, Caroline. We didnt get to block up your sessions. I jockey when we left glowering you apprehension you recognized Stefan. further, are you absolutely po amazeive it was him? Could it collapse been soulfulness else, a few(prenominal)body who resembled him?”\r\nCaroline straightened, bracing herself over against the car and facelift a t ear-stained face. She looked at Stefan, who was precisely sitting up, and then at Alaric. â€Å"I…”\r\nâ€Å"Think, Caroline. You start out to be absolutely certain. Is there soulfulness else it could pass been, like-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Like that guy who c eachs himself Damon Smith,” came Merediths vocalization. She was standing(a) beside Alarics car, a slim shadow. â€Å"You consider him, Caroline? He came to Alarics first party. He looks like Stefan in some ways.”\r\nâ€Å"Like that guy who c all in all in alls himself Damon Smith,” came Merediths voice. She was standing beside Alarics car, a slim shadow. â€Å"You remember him, Caroline? He came to Alarics first party. He looks like Stefan in some ways.”\r\nâ€Å"Yes… it could keep been, I suppose. Everything drop deaded so fast… plainly it could take a crap been.”\r\nâ€Å"And you sincerely heapt be reliable which it was?” Alaric express.\r\nâ€Å" No… not absolutely sure.”\r\nâ€Å" in that location,” said Alaric. â€Å"I t middle-aged you she needed much sessions, that we couldnt be certain of anything yet. Shes still very confused.” He was walking, carefully, toward Stefan. Elena realized that the wolf had withdrawn back into the shadows. She could see it, plainly the men in all likelihood couldnt.\r\nIts disappearance sterilise them more aggressive. â€Å"What are you public lecture about? Who is this Smith? Ive never seen him.”\r\nâ€Å" exclusively your daughter Vickie probably has, Mr. Bennett,” Alaric said. â€Å"That whitethorn come out in my beside session with her. Well talk about it tomorrow; it displace wait that long. Right now I gauge Id better sign Stefan to a hospital.” There was discomforted shifting among some of the men.\r\nâ€Å"Oh, certainly, and while were waiting anything could happen,” began Mr. Smallwood. â€Å"Any time, anywhere-â€Å"\ r\nâ€Å"So youre unless going to take the legality into your own work force, then?” Alaric said. His voice sharpened. â€Å"Whether youve got the right suspect or not. Wheres your evidence this male child has supernatural powers? Whats your proof? How much of a fight did he even put in up?”\r\nâ€Å"Theres a wolf slightly somewhere who put up visual soul of fight,” Mr. Smallwood said, red-faced. â€Å"Maybe theyre in it together.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont see any wolf. I saw a dog. Maybe one of the dogs that got out of quarantine. only if whats that got to do with it? Im telling you that in my maestro opinion youve got the wrong man.”\r\nThe men were wavering, hardly there was still some interrogation in their faces. Meredith spoke up.\r\nâ€Å"I think you should know that thereve been vampire attacks in this county before,” she said. â€Å"A long time before Stefan came here. My granddad was a victim. Maybe some of you book hear about that.” She looked across at Caroline.\r\nThat was the end of it. Elena could see the men exchanging aflutter glances and backing toward their cars. Suddenly they all seemed keen to be somewhere else.\r\nMr. Smallwood was one who bank checked cigarette to say, â€Å"You said wed talk about this tomorrow, Saltzman. I want to hear what my son says the next time hes hypnotized.”\r\nCarolines father collected her and got in his car fast, muttering something about this all beingness a mistake and zip taking it too seriously.\r\nâ€Å"Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”\r\nHe locomote away from Alarics supporting arm. â€Å"Somebody hit me from behind while I was talking to Caroline. Ill be all right-now.” He duck soup a glance at Alaric. â€Å"Thanks. why?”\r\nâ€Å"Hes on our side,” said mediocre, joining them. â€Å"I told you. Oh, Stefan, are you in truth okay? I thought I was going to clear there for a minute. They werent seriou s. I mean, they couldnt sincerely rush been serious. …”\r\nâ€Å"Serious or not, I dont think we should stay here,” said Meredith. â€Å"Does Stefan really need a hospital?”\r\nâ€Å"No,” Stefan said, as Elena anxiously examined the cut on his foreland. â€Å"I just need rest. Somewhere to sit mow.”\r\nâ€Å"Ive got my keys. Lets go to the history room,” Alaric said.\r\nBonnie was feeling around the shadows apprehensively. â€Å"The wolf, too?” she said, and then jumped as a shadow coalesced and became Damon.\r\nâ€Å"What wolf?” he said. Stefan turned slightly, wincing.\r\nâ€Å"Thank you, too,” he said unemotionally. But Stefans eyes lingered on his brother with something like puzzlement as they walked to the school construct.\r\nIn the hallway, Elena pulled him aside. â€Å"Stefan, why didnt you notice them coming up behind you? wherefore were you so weak?”\r\nStefan shook his headway evasively, an d she added, â€Å"When did you feed last? Stefan, when? You always misrepresent some excuse when Im around. What are you act to do to yourself?”\r\nâ€Å"Im all right,” he said. â€Å"Really, Elena. Ill be given later.”\r\nâ€Å"Do you promise?”\r\nâ€Å"I promise.”\r\nIt didnt give to Elena at the act that they hadnt agreed on what â€Å"later” meant. She allowed him to lead her on down the hall.\r\nThe history room looked different at night to Elenas eyes. There was a strange atmosphere about it, as if the lights were too bright. Just now all the students desks were shoved out of the way, and cinque chairs were pulled up to Alarics desk. Alaric, whod just entire arranging the furniture, urged Stefan into his own padded chair.\r\nâ€Å"Okay, why dont the rest of you take a seat.”\r\nThey just looked at him. After a moment Bonnie sank down into a chair, only if Elena stood by Stefan, Damon continued to lounge middle(a) betwe en the group and the door, and Meredith pushed some cover to the center of Alarics desk and perched on the corner.\r\nâ€Å"Well,” said Elena.\r\nEveryone looked at everyone else. Elena picked up a piece of cotton fiber from the first-aid kit shed grabbed at the door and began dabbing Stefans head with it.\r\nâ€Å"I think its time for that explanation,” she said.\r\nâ€Å"Right. Yes. Well, you all seemed to have guessed Im not a history teacher…”\r\nâ€Å"In the first five minutes,” Stefan said. His voice was quiet and dangerous, and with a jerky Elena realized it re approximationed her of Damons. â€Å"So what are you?”\r\nAlaric do an apologetic gesture and said almost diffidently, â€Å"A psychologist. Not the couch kind,” he added hastily as the rest of them exchange looks. â€Å"Im a researcher, an experimental psychologist. From Duke University. You know, where the ESP experiments were started.”\r\n â€Å"The ones wh ere they make you guess whats on the card without sounding at it?” Bonnie asked.\r\nâ€Å"Yes, well, its gone a bit beyond that now, of course. Not that I wouldnt love to test you with Rhine cards, especially when youre in one of those trances.” Alarics face lit with scientific inquiry. Then he cleared his throat and went on. â€Å"But-ah-as I was saying. It started a couple of long time ago when I did a authorship on parapsychology. I wasnt trying to strain supernatural powers existed, I just precious to study what their psychological effect is on the people who have them. Bonnie, here, is a lawsuit in point.” Alarics voice took on a lecturers tone. â€Å"What does it do to her, mentally, emotionally, to have to deal with these powers?”\r\nâ€Å"Its awful,” Bonnie interrupted vehemently. â€Å"I dont want them anymore. I hate them.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, there you see,” Alaric said. â€Å"Youd have made a great case study. My puzzle wa s that I couldnt shape anybody with real mentalal powers to examine. There were plenty of fakers, all right-crystal healers, dowsers, channelers, you appoint it. But I couldnt find anything authorized until I got a tip from a friend in the police department.\r\nâ€Å"There was this woman down in southerly Carolina who claimed shed been bitten by a vampire, and since then she was having psychic nightmares. By that time I was so used to fakes I anticipate her to turn out to be one, too. But she wasnt, at least not about being bitten. I never could parent she was really psychic.”\r\nâ€Å"How could you be sure shed been bitten?” Elena asked.\r\nâ€Å"There was medical examination evidence. Traces of saliva in her wounds that were resembling to human being saliva-but not quite the same. It contained an anticoagulatory agent similar to that comprise in the saliva of leeches…” Alaric caught himself and move on.\r\nâ€Å"Anyway, I was sure. And that was how it started. Once I was positive(p) something had really happened to the woman, I started to look up other cases like hers. There werent a lot of them, but they were out there. battalion whod encountered vampires.\r\nâ€Å"But youve never actually seen a vampire,” Elena interrupted. â€Å"Until now, I mean. Is that right?”\r\nâ€Å"Well-no. Not in the flesh, as it were. But Ive written monographs… and things.” His voice trailed off.\r\nElena bit her lip. â€Å"What were you doing with the dogs?” she asked. â€Å"At the church, when you were waving your hands at them.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh…” Alaric looked embarrassed. â€Å"Ive picked up a few things here and there, you know. That was a spell an old mountain man showed me for fending off evil. I thought it king work.”\r\nâ€Å"Youve got a lot to learn,” said Damon.\r\nâ€Å"Obviously,” Alaric said stiffly. Then he grimaced. â€Å"Actually, I figured that out right after I got here. Your atomic number 82, Brian Newcastle, had heard of me. He knew about the studies I do. When Tanner was killed and Dr. Feinberg found no blood in the body and lacerations made by teeth in the neck… well, they gave me a call. I thought it could be a big crumple for me-a case with the vampire still in the area. The unaccompanied problem was that once I got here I realized they expected me to take care of the vampire. They didnt know Id dealt only with the victims before. And… well, maybe I was in over my head. But I did my best to dislodge their confidence-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"You faked it,” Elena accused. â€Å"That was what you were doing when I heard you talking to them at your house about finding our divinatory lair and all that. You were just winging it.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, not completely,” Alaric said. â€Å"Theoretically, I am an expert.” Then he did a double take. â€Å"What do you mean, when you heard me talking to them?”\r\nâ€Å"While you were out seek for a lair, she was sleeping in your attic,” Damon assured him dryly. Alaric opened his mouth and then put across out it again.\r\nâ€Å"What Id like to know is how Meredith comes into all this,” Stefan said. He wasnt smiling.\r\nMeredith, who had been gazing thoughtfully at the jumble of papers on Alarics desk during all this, looked up. She spoke evenly, without emotion.\r\nâ€Å"I recognized him, you see. I couldnt remember where Id seen him at first, because it was almost three years ago. Then I realized it was at grampss hospital. What I told those men was the truth, Stefan. My grandfather was attacked by a vampire.”\r\nThere was a little suppress and then Meredith went on. â€Å"It happened a long time ago, before I was born. He wasnt gravely hurt by it, but he never really got well. He became… well, signifier of like Vickie, only more violent. It got so that they were afraid hed harm himsel f, or soulfulness else. So they took him to a hospital, a intrust hed be safe.”\r\nago, before I was born. He wasnt badly hurt by it, but he never really got well. He became… well, sort of like Vickie, only more violent. It got so that they were afraid hed harm himself, or somebody else. So they took him to a hospital, a place hed be safe.”\r\nâ€Å"I know. I could have… but I couldnt. The familys kept it a secret so long-or essay anyway. From what Caroline wrote in her diary, shed obviously heard. The thing is, cypher ever gestated Granddads stories about the vampire. They just thought it was another of his delusions, and he had a lot of them. Even I didnt believe them… until Stefan came. And then-I dont know, my learning ability started to put little things together. But I didnt really believe what I was mentation until you came back, Elena.”\r\nâ€Å"Im surprised you didnt hate me,” Elena said softly.\r\nâ€Å"How could I? I kno w you, and I know Stefan. I know youre not evil.” Meredith didnt glance at Damon; he might as well not have been present for all the acknowledgment she gave him. â€Å"But when I remembered seeing Alaric talking to Granddad at the hospital I knew he wasnt, both. I just didnt know exactly how to get all of you together to prove it.”\r\nâ€Å"I didnt recognize you, either,” Alaric said. â€Å"The old man had a different name- hes your mothers father, right? And I may have seen you hanging around the waiting room sometime, but you were just a kid with skinny legs then. Youve changed,” he added appreciatively.\r\nBonnie coughed, a pointed sound.\r\nElena was trying to groom things in her mind. â€Å"So what were those men doing out there with a stake if you didnt tell them to be?”\r\nâ€Å"I had to ask Carolines parents for liberty to hypnotize her, of course. And I reported what I found to them. But if youre thinking I had anything to do with what happened tonight, youre wrong. I didnt even know about it.”\r\nâ€Å"Ive told him about what weve been doing, how weve been look for the different Power,” Meredith said. â€Å"And he wants to help.”\r\nâ€Å"I said I might help,” Alaric said cautiously.\r\nâ€Å"Wrong,” said Stefan. â€Å"Youre either with us or against us. Im grateful for what you did out there, talking to those men, but the fact carcass that you started a lot of this trouble in the first place. Now you have to conclude: are you on our side-or theirs?”\r\nAlaric looked around at each of them, at Merediths steady compliments and Bonnies raised eyebrows, at Elena kneeling on the floor and at Stefans already-healing scalp. Then he turned to glance at Damon, who was tip against the wall, dark and saturnine. â€Å"Ill help,” he said at last. â€Å"Hell, its the ultimate case study.”\r\nâ€Å"All right, then,” Elena said. â€Å"Youre in. Now, what about Mr. Smallwood tomorrow? What if he wants you to hypnotize Tyler again?”\r\nâ€Å"Wait,” said Stefan. â€Å"There shouldnt be a dance, not if theres any way to encumber it. Youre on good terms with the principal; you can talk to the school board. involve them cancel it.”\r\nAlaric looked startled. â€Å"You think somethings going to happen?”\r\nâ€Å"Yes,” Stefan said. â€Å"Not just because of whats happened at the other public functions, but because somethings building up. Its been building up all week; I can feel it.”\r\nâ€Å"So can I,” Elena said. She hadnt realized it until that moment, but the tension she felt, the sense of urgency, was not just from inside her. It was outside, all around. It thickened the air. â€Å"Somethings going to happen, Alaric.\r\nAlaric let out his breath in a soft whistle. â€Å"Well, I can try to change them, but-I dont know. Your principal is dead set on keeping everything looking normal. And it isnt as if I can give any acute explanation for wanting to shut it down.”\r\nâ€Å" savour hard,” Elena said.\r\nâ€Å"I will. And meanwhile, maybe you should think about protecting yourself. If what Meredith says is right, then most of the attacks have been on you and people close to you. Your associate got dropped in a well; your car got chased into the river; your memorial service was upturned up. Meredith says even your little sister was threatened. If somethings going to happen tomorrow, you might want to leave town.”\r\nIt was Elenas turn to be startled. She had never thought of the attacks in that way, but it was true. She heard Stefans recluse breath and felt his fingers tighten on hers.\r\nâ€Å"Hes right,” Stefan said. â€Å"You should leave, Elena. I can stay here until-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"No. Im not going without you. And,” Elena continued, slowly, thinking it out, â€Å"Im not going anywhere until we find the Other Power and stop it .” She looked up at him earnestly, speaking quickly now. â€Å"Oh, Stefan, dont you see, nobody else even has a chance against it. Mr. Smallwood and his friends dont have a clue. Alaric thinks you can fight it by waving your hands at it. none of them know what theyre up against. Were the only ones who can help.”\r\nShe could see the resistance in Stefans eyes and feel it in the tenor of his muscles. But as she kept on looking straight at him, she saw his objections evenfall one by one. For the simple soil that it was the truth, and Stefan hated lying.\r\nâ€Å"All right,” he said at last, painfully. â€Å"But as concisely as this is all over, were leaving. Im not having you stay in a town where vigilantes line around with stakes.”\r\nâ€Å"Yes.” Elena returned the pressure of his fingers with hers. â€Å"Once this is all over, well go.”\r\nStefan turned to Alaric. â€Å"And if theres no way to talk them out of having the dance tomorrow, I think we should keep an eye on it. If something does happen, we may be able to stop it before it gets out of hand.”\r\nElena tilted a dubious eye toward Bonnie. â€Å"Well… it would mean abstracted the dance itself-for those of us who could have gone, I mean.”\r\nBonnie drew herself up. â€Å"Oh, who cares about wanting a dance?” she said indignantly. â€Å"What on earth does a dance issuance to anyone?”\r\nâ€Å"Right,” said Stefan gravely. â€Å"Then its settled.” A cramp iron of pain seemed to overtake him and he winced, looking down. Elena was immediately concerned.\r\nâ€Å"You need to get spot and rest,” she said. â€Å"Alaric, can you drive us? Its not that far.”\r\nStefan protested that he was perfectly able to walk, but in the end he gave in. At the boardinghouse, after Stefan and Damon had gotten out of the car, Elena leaned in Alarics windowpane for one last question. It had been gnawing at her mind ever since Alaric had told them his story.\r\nâ€Å"About those people whod encountered vampires,” she said. â€Å"Just what were the psychological effects? I mean, did they all go crazy or have nightmares? Were any of them okay?”\r\nâ€Å"It depends on the individual,” Alaric said. â€Å"And with how some contacts theyd had, and what kind of contacts they were. But mostly just with the personality of the victim, with how well the individual mind can cope.”\r\nElena nodded, and said nothing until the lights of Alarics car had been swallowed by the snowy air. Then she turned to Stefan.\r\nâ€Å"Matt.”\r\n'