by L. J. Smith
It was a marvel to him always, the way the world stopped, however bad things were, when Elena was in his arms. This human girl was his light and his touchstone, the one thing he could rely on.
“Sleep well, my love,” he said, reluctantly releasing her. Elena kissed him one more time before going into her dorm room and shutting the door. Stefan hated to see her go; he couldn’t erase the image of Klaus slicing her throat. Still, Bonnie and Meredith would be there. Elena had always been strong and independent and now she had Power of her own. He would be only a couple of floors above if she needed him.
Stefan trudged up the two flights of stairs between Elena’s room and his own and unlocked his door. His room was dark and peaceful and he thought that although he would not sleep, he might lie down and let the world turn without him for a few hours.
As he closed the door behind him, he caught sight of a flash of white out on the balcony.
Katherine. His slow-beating heart seemed to stop for a moment. She was leaning gracefully against the balcony’s railing, looking deceptively young and delicate in a long, white dress. She must have flown up, and waited for him just outside.
His first thought was to barricade the door to the balcony, to keep her out. His second was to arm himself with a stake and attack her. But she could have easily come in already: he wasn’t alive; there was no barrier preventing a vampire from entering his room. There was no point in attacking her when she would see him coming, her eyes steady on his through the glass of the balcony door.
“Katherine,” he said, stepping out onto the balcony, keeping his voice neutral. “What do you want?”
“Dear Stefan,” she said mockingly. “Is that any way to greet your first love?” She smiled at him. He didn’t know how he could ever have thought she and Elena looked alike. Their features were similar, certainly, but Elena’s were firmer, her hair more golden, her eyes a deeper blue. Katherine seemed waiflike and frail in the style of her times, Elena more muscular and strong. And the love and warmth he saw in Elena’s eyes was nothing like the malice Katherine’s held.
“Did Klaus send you?” he asked, ignoring her comment.
“Where’s Damon?” Katherine asked, playing the same game. She tilted her head flirtatiously. “You two were getting along so well the last time I saw you. Trouble in paradise already?” Stefan didn’t answer, and her smile grew. “Damon should have taken my offer. He would have been happier with me.”
Stefan shrugged, refusing to let Katherine see she’d gotten under his skin. “Damon didn’t love you anymore, Katherine,” he said, adding vindictively, “You weren’t the one he wanted.”
“Oh, yes, Elena,” Katherine said. She came closer to Stefan and traced her fingers along his arm, glancing up at him through her eyelashes.
“Leave her alone,” Stefan snapped.
“I’m not mad at Elena anymore,” she said softly. “I had a lot of time to think. After she killed me.”
“Really,” Stefan said dryly, stepping away from Katherine’s lingering touches. “So being dead gave you time to get over your jealousy of Elena?”
Seeing that he wasn’t responding to her pseudoinnocent flirtations, Katherine straightened up, her face hardening. “You’d be surprised how much you learn, being dead,” she said. “I saw everything. And I see what’s going on with Elena and Damon. In fact”—she smiled, her long, pointed canines shining in the moonlight—“it seems Elena and I have more in common than I ever knew.”
Stefan ignored the pang he felt thinking of Elena and Damon together. He trusted Elena now, and he wasn’t going to fall for Katherine’s games. “If you hurt her, or any of the innocent people here, I’ll find a way to kill you,” he said. “And this time, you’ll stay dead.”
Katherine laughed, a soft, bell-like sound that took him back for a moment to the gardens of his father’s palazzo, many lifetimes ago. “Poor Stefan,” she said. “So loyal, so loving. I’ve missed your passion, you know.” She reached up and brushed one soft, cool hand across his cheek. “It’s good to see you again.” Stepping backward, she changed, her delicate form rippling in her white dress until a snowy owl spread its wings on the railing and quickly rose into the night.
Bonnie stared out the window of Zander’s dorm room. It had been a long night, but now dawn was breaking, pink and gold, over the quad. She had come over an hour before, as soon as Zander had called her to tell her he needed her. When Bonnie had arrived, Zander had taken her in his arms and held her close, his eyes tightly shut, as if he was blocking everything else out, just for a moment.
Now the rest of the Pack was gone and Shay and Zander were hunched over Zander’s desk behind Bonnie, sketching battle plans on scraps of paper.
“Tristan’s not as strong as he should be,” Shay was saying. “If we flank him with Enrique and Jared, they can compensate for his weak left forefoot.”
Zander made a low, thoughtful sound. “Tristan pulled a hamstring back at the beginning of the year, but I thought he was almost healed. I’ll work out with him and see if he can get back up to speed.”
“Until then, we’ll need to make sure he’s covered,” Shay said. “Marcus is strong, but he has a tendency to hesitate. What should we do about that?”
Before tonight, Bonnie hadn’t quite understood what it meant that Zander was the Alpha. The Pack had mourned Chad tonight, first as wolves and then, as the moon set, as people. There had been howling and, later, speeches and tears, remembering their friend. And throughout, Zander had taken charge, guiding his friends and supporting them through their grief.
And now, the night over, he and Shay were strategizing the best ways to keep their Pack safe in the future. They were always focused on the good of their Pack.
Bonnie now understood exactly why the High Wolf Council had chosen an Alpha female for Zander when they were younger, not just as a mate, but as a partner.
Bonnie turned as Zander stood up. “Okay,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Let’s call it a night. We’ll get the guys together this afternoon, see how they’re doing.”
“I’ll head back and call you in a few hours when I’m up,” Shay said, getting to her feet. They hugged and she clung to him for a minute. Separating from Zander, she gave Bonnie a stiff nod. “Later, Bonnie,” she said coolly.
As the door closed behind Shay, Zander stretched out his arms to Bonnie. “Hey there,” he said, and gave her his long, slow smile. Even paired with the pain in his eyes, that smile was devastating, and Bonnie went to him, twining her arms around him.
But even as she held him close, it didn’t feel quite right. Zander must have sensed a stiffness in her because he pulled back, his wide, blue eyes searching hers. “What’s up?” he said softly. “Are you okay? I know things are really hard.”
Bonnie’s eyes stung, and she had to let go of Zander with one hand so that she could wipe at them. It was just like Zander: his friend was dead, he’d spent the night comforting and protecting his Pack, and now he was worried about how Bonnie was doing?
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just tired.”
Zander caught her hand. “Hey,” he said. “Seriously, what is it? Tell me.”
Bonnie sighed. “I love you, Zander,” she said slowly, and stopped.
Zander’s eyes narrowed and he half frowned. “Why does that sound like there’s a but at the end?” he asked.
“I love you, but I’m not sure that I’m good for you,” Bonnie said miserably. “I see you and Shay together . . . taking care of each other, fighting side by side, looking out for the Pack together, and I can’t do that. Maybe the High Wolf Council is right about what you need.”
“The High Wolf . . . Bonnie, what do they have to do with this? They don’t decide what I want,” Zander said, his voice rising.
“I can’t be that for you, Zander,” Bonnie said. “I don’t know. Maybe we both need some time to figure out what the future holds. What’s best for us. Even if it’s not . . .” Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard before con
tinuing. “Even if it’s not being together.” She was looking down at her clutched hands, twisting them, unable to look Zander in the eye. “I do love you,” she said desperately. “But maybe that’s not all that matters.”
“Bonnie,” Zander said reasonably, stepping between her and the door. “This is ridiculous. We can figure this all out.”
“I hope so,” Bonnie said. “But for right now, I know I’m not the one you need by your side.” She was trying to sound reasonable, but she heard her voice crack as she spoke.
Zander grunted a denial and reached out for Bonnie again, but she ducked away. She had to leave his room before she lost her nerve. She was sure that this was the right thing, the best thing—Zander had responsibilities, he needed someone who could understand them and be a true partner for him—but if she didn’t leave right now, she was going to fall flat on the floor and wrap her arms around his legs, begging him not to let her go.
“Bonnie,” Zander said as she pushed by him. “Stay.” She kept moving toward the door without answering. After a moment of silence, she heard Zander sit heavily on the bed.
Bonnie tried not to look back, but she couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Zander as she closed the door behind her. He was hunched over, miserable, as if he was protecting himself from a blow. Maybe she was doing the right thing, or maybe she just ruined the best thing that had ever happened to her. She just didn’t know.
Chapter 23
Stupid Guardians, Elena thought, hurrying away from the gym. If they want something from me, why can’t they just tell me? She and Meredith had been sparring before Meredith’s morning class and now she was in a rush to get back home. Being alone on campus made her nervous, and she wasn’t sure if it was paranoia, but something felt close to Elena. Too close.
The Guardians were game players; that was all there was to it. Not straightforward, not honest. Nothing like me, she told herself fiercely. Not anymore, not for a long time. Andrés certainly wasn’t like them, anyway, which was a reassuring fact.
She caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye, just the barest impression of movement. All across campus she’d had the creeping sensation of being watched. Someone was following her.
Elena whipped around, but where she had been sure she’d seen another person, there was no one.
The back of her neck prickled, and she hunched her shoulders unhappily. Was Klaus out there? She tried to sense him, but felt nothing. She couldn’t see an aura anywhere.
She pulled out her phone and tried to call Stefan. She didn’t want to take her chances, and she would feel much safer if she weren’t alone. Where was everyone? It was the middle of the morning—although the campus had gotten emptier and emptier as the students got more nervous and classes were canceled, there should have been someone else somewhere around.
Stefan didn’t pick up. Shoving the phone back into her bag, she walked faster.
Just as she reached her dorm, a cool, commanding voice spoke behind her. “Elena Gilbert.”
Elena froze and then, slowly, turned around. “Yes?” she said.
The tall woman standing behind her was serious and businesslike, her blond hair pulled back in a neat bun, dressed in a simple navy suit. Golden-flecked blue eyes gazed solemnly at Elena. This woman was not Ryannen, the Guardian of the Celestial Court who had once tried to recruit Elena to their ranks, but she was similar enough that Elena had to look carefully to be sure. The likeness bothered Elena: Ryannen had not been kind, not at all.
Quickly, she tried to read the woman’s aura, but saw nothing but white light.
After a swift all-encompassing glance at Elena the woman said levelly, “I am Mylea, one of the Principal Guardians, and I have come to administer your oath of Guardianship and assign you your first task.”
Elena immediately stiffened. This was what she had been waiting for, true. But was she completely ready? “Wait a minute,” she said. “I’d like to know more before I swear any oaths. Were you one of the Guardians that killed my parents?”
The Guardian frowned, a line appearing between her perfectly arched eyebrows. “I’m not here to discuss the past, Elena. You have done your best to awaken your Powers even before my approach. You have brought another human Guardian here to guide and teach you. It’s clear from your actions that you are eager for the responsibilities and abilities only Guardians have. You will be given the information that you need after you take your oath.”
Flustered, Elena bit her lip. Everything Mylea said was true. Elena had already accepted that she was going to be a Guardian. No matter how tragic her parents’ death was, nothing Mylea said now would bring them back. Elena had to think of all the people she could save with her Guardian Powers in full effect.
Mylea shrugged and continued. “Your life was always fated thus,” she said calmly. “I could not stop it any more than I could stop the leaves from changing in the autumn.” A glimpse of humor flashed suddenly across her face, making it infinitely more human. “Which means, perhaps I could stop it, but it would be difficult and in the end would cause great harm to both you and your world. What will be will be.” Then the touch of humor faded, and she stared at Elena, businesslike once more. “Time is short,” she said. “Answer yes or no: Are you prepared to give your oath and receive your task?”
“Yes,” Elena said, and shivered. Her agreement was irrevocable. There was no changing her mind now, she knew. But she was about to be given the Power she needed to fight Klaus.
“Come, then,” Mylea said. She led Elena around the corner of the dorm and into a walled alcove where an oak tree grew. Closing her eyes for a second, she nodded, and then opened them again. “No one will bother us here. Kneel and hold out your hand.”
Hesitantly, Elena got to her knees on the cold grass beneath the tree and held her right hand out before her. Mylea firmly turned Elena’s hand over so that it was extended palm up, and pulled a small silver, blue-jeweled dagger from her pocket. Before Elena could react, Mylea had quickly drawn the dagger across Elena’s palm in a curved pattern, blood springing up in its wake. Elena hissed at the pain and automatically tried to pull back her hand, but Mylea’s grip was strong.
“Repeat after me,” she said. “I, Elena Gilbert, pledge to use my Powers for the betterment of the human race. I will gladly accept the tasks given me and see them to completion. I will shelter the weak and guide the strong. I acknowledge that my tasks are for the greater good and, should I fail to fulfill them, I may be subject to losing my Powers and being reassigned to the Celestial Court.” Elena hesitated—reassigned to the Celestial Court?—but Mylea’s eyes were steady and she could feel the pull of Power all around her. Blood ran down her wrist as she repeated Mylea’s words, Mylea prompting her when she hesitated. The blood dripped from her hand onto the roots of the oak tree and soaked into the earth. As Elena spoke the last words, the cut across her hand healed, leaving a pale figure eight of scar tissue across her palm.
“The symbol of infinity and of the Celestial Court,” Mylea said, giving Elena a small smile. She helped Elena to her feet and kissed her ceremoniously on both cheeks. “Welcome, sister,” she said.
“What does it mean by ‘lose my place on Earth and be reassigned to the Celestial Court’?” Elena asked. “I’m a human—I belong here.”
Mylea frowned, tilting her head to one side to study Elena. “You are no longer a human,” she said. “That is the price we have to pay.”
Elena gaped at her, horrified, and Mylea waved a hand dismissively and went on. “But you will remain on Earth as long as you perform your duties properly. And now for your first task. An old vampire has come to your campus, one who has caused much damage across the world. He is strong and clever, but you have confronted him before and escaped unscathed. The history you share will give you the ability to defeat him now that your Power is blossoming. At one time, he was no longer a threat.”
Elena nodded, thinking of the year Klaus had been dead. “But now he has begun to kill and
brought himself to our attention once again. His fate is sealed,” Mylea continued. “You must kill the vampire Damon Salvatore.”
Elena gasped. No, she thought dazedly. Klaus, she’s supposed to say Klaus.
In the split second in which Elena was reeling, Mylea turned neatly away, pulling an elaborate golden key from her pocket, and twisted the key in midair.
“No!” Elena said, finding her voice. But she was too late. The empty air rippled, and Mylea was gone.
Chapter 24
Stefan had a very strong sense of déjà vu. Here he was again, heavyhearted outside the dark wood door of Damon’s apartment, ready to plead with his brother but knowing already that his words would be pointless. He could hear Damon moving quietly inside the apartment, the pages of a book flicking, his brother’s shallow breaths, and he knew that Damon could hear him, too, hesitating in the hall.
He knocked. This time, when Damon opened the door, he didn’t immediately snarl at Stefan but instead gazed at him patiently, waiting for Stefan to speak.
“I know you don’t want to see me,” Stefan said. “But I thought I should tell you what’s going on.”
Damon stepped back and waved Stefan in. “Whatever you like, little brother,” he said airily. “I’m afraid I can’t ask you to stay long, though. I’ve got a date with a delicious little undergraduate.” His smile broadened as Stefan winced.
Deciding not to respond to that, Stefan sank down into one of sleek chrome-and-pale-green chairs in Damon’s ultramodern living room. Damon was looking better than he had the last time Stefan had been here. His clothes and hair were perfectly, stylishly arranged, and his pale skin had a slight flush, a sure sign that Damon had been feeding freely. Stefan grimaced a little at the thought, and Damon arched one eyebrow at him.