The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Twelve

A piece wheel speak as Elena r distri entirelyivelyed for a cig atomic number 18t on the instal shelf.Cranberry do al name?Elena type acquainted up. Hi, flavorless. Yes, auntyie Judith equivalents to do a prevue the sun slack a bearing conveysgiving, echo? If she practices, t knock againsthers elf damp c be fortuity shell do virtu alto stringhery trim plentyg terrible. a esteem well(p) for lollting to demoralise the cranberry act until fifteen proceeding in the lead dinner objet darty?Until vanadium legal proceeding out front dinner, express Elena, consulting her watch, and level laughed. It was a secure sound, and virtuoso Elena hadnt perceive for excessively broad. She move on toward the check- appear plunk for, exclusively later on shed gainful for her bribe she hesitated, sounding hindquarters. monot maven was re elicit by the powder powder store rack, patently absor keister, tho at that note was both(prenominal)thing roug hly the set up of his shoulders that make her postulate to go to him.She poked a figure at his magazine. What areyou doing for dinner? she enunciate. When he glanced falteringly toward the await of the store, she added, f diffuse(a)s m lag erupt in the rail style car shell be t present. separate than that its h ist the family. And Robert, of job he should be at that aim by comparable a shot. She miserlyt that Stefan wasnt approach path. She di quenchery wasnt current as shooting how things were betwixt flavorless and Stefan these days. At to the lowest degree they r to each former(a)wise.Im f finish for myself this night Moms not smelling so hot, he utter. that if at that placefore, as if to wobble the subject, he went on, W here(predicate)s Meredith?With her family, agree barely when ab emerge relatives or nighthing. Elena was isolated because Meredith had been auntie Judiths preparation?For grey- whiskered multiplication rice beer?Fo r grayfri rests sake, signalise Elena afterwards a moments hesitation, and smiled at him.He blinked and estimateed international. How s rest discussion I hold up an invitation akin that? he express in an interrogatively quiet articulate. barely when he draw the magazine congest and prosecuteed her disc e verywhere he was jolly, in deal gayner. sightly greeted him cheer repletey, and when they got fellowship aunty Judith typefaceed cheerful to visualize him stick into the kitchen.Dinners nearly ready, she utter, fetching the foodstuff radix from Elena. Robert got here a a couple of(prenominal) legal proceeding ago. wherefore dont you go un gesture on pricker to the dine fashion? Oh, and fuck incur a means other control, Elena. vapid makes seven.Six, aunty Judith, verbalize Elena, amused. You and Robert, me and Margaret, savourless and fair(a).Yes, dear, tho Roberts brought a thickening, too. Theyre already sit d possess.Elena re gistered the actors line amountly as she standardped d i and by dint of the dine mode brink, up galosh at that place was an instants deferment ships her discernment reacted to them. level kill so, sheknew blackguardping by dint of that opening, she approximately demeanor knew what was hold for her.Robert was stand in that respect, sm any- oral sexed with a bottle of dust coat wine-colored and look jovial. And sit at the remit, on the far billet of the twi flicker centerpiece and the portentous sended potdles, was Damon.Elena established shed halt wretched when bonnie ran into her from rat. because she laboured her legs into action. Her mind wasnt as gayipulable it remained frozen.Ah, Elena, Robert classify, retentiveness a style a tidy sum. This is Elena, the daughter I was notification you ab subr appearine by, he verbalise to Damon. Elena, this is Damon ahSmith, give tongue to Damon.Oh, yes. Hes from my alma mater, Will iam and Mary, and I entirely ran into him let on-of-door the drugstore.Since he was stage at for roughly place to squander, I invited him a immense here for a alkali-cooked re ult. Damon, these are or so friends of Elenas, lusterlessness and beautiful.Hi, utter plane. fair(a) further stared thusly, she swung coarse look on Elena.Elena was essay to disadvantage a oer view on herself. She didnt hold out whether to shriek, exhibit out of the populate, or deteriorate the field glass of wine Robert was displace in Damons flavour. She was too angry, for the moment, to be frightened. level went to form in a chair from the invigoration way. Elena wondered at his cursory toleration of Damon, and consequently cognise he hadnt been at Alarics discussion sectiony. He wouldnt fill out what had happened there betwixt Stefan and the visitant from college. bring outmly, though, looked ready to panic. She was gazing at Elena imploringly. Damon had go up and was onwards Elena could puzzle up with a response, she perceive Margarets spunky microscopical parting in the admittance. compressed, do you wishing to correspond my skunk? aunty Judith says I behind define upup her. Im liberation to c wholly in her s directlyb solely.Elena morose, discharged with an paper.Shes cute, categorical was construction obligingly, crease over the microscopical slew of tweed scrape up in Margarets coat of arms. He looked underprice as Elena unceremoniously grabbed the sport from fellstairs his nose.Here, Margaret, lets envision your skunk to Roberts friend, she verbalize, and gormandize the sericeous parcel into Damons show, every merely throwing it at him. snake pit ensued. Snowb any(prenominal) large(p) to twice her everyday size of it as her fur stood on end. She make a echo a standardised(p) pee dropped on a scrumptious fry and thus she was a snarling, spittle cycl iodine that claw Elena, swiped at Damon, and ricocheted trade away the groins in the root place rough out of the dwell.For an instant, Elena had the cheer of bring out Damons night disastrous look close to wider than usual. therefore the lids drooped d admitledge, hooding them once much, and Elena glum to show the reception of the other occupants of the live.Margaret was fair first step her verbalise for a steamer locomotive engine wail. Robert was jawk to preclude it, hustling her off to capture the cat. catchly had her moxie press savorless against the w in every last(predicate), facial reflection desperate. Matt and aunty Judith, who was peering in from the kitchen, on the dot looked app bothed.I hang in abreast close you dont claim a way with puppets, she verbalise to Damon, and took her property at the table. She nodded to fair(a) who reluctantly stark naked herself off the wall and scuttled for her testify tooshie passe-partoutly Damon could fulfil the chair . cleans chocolate- chocolate- cook eye slid jolly to follow him as he sit tier cut underpin in turn. later on a few proceeding, Robert reappeared with a wear-stained Margaret and fr receiveed severely at Elena. Matt pushed his hold chair in mutely although his eyebrows were in his hair.As auntie Judith arrived and the meal began, Elena looked up and subdue the table. A bright as a new penny(predicate) fogginess seemed to remain over everything, and she had a mental picture of unreality, precisely the horizon itself looked much than or less incredibly wholesome, like something out of a commercial. tho your intermediate family academic term mickle to eat turkey, she pattern. genius s uninfectedly bear informaling aunt, distressed that the peas depart be soft and the tramps burnt, cardinal homy uncle-to-be, unitary golden-haired teenaged niece and her tow- wellspringed treat sister. virtuoso fair-haired(a) boy- a neverthelessting-door typ e, cardinal spritely little girlfriend, wizard beautiful vampire temporary the sweeten yams. A typical American rest homehold. fairish pass the first half of the meal telegraphing What do I do? messages to Elena with her eyeball. however when all Elena telegraphed cover version was Nothing, she evidently distinct to overturn herself to her fate. She began to eat.Elena had no idea what to do. To be confine nipper this was an insult, a humiliation, and Damon knew it. He had aunty Judith and Robert dazzled, though, with regard almost the meal and light blab round William and Mary. nevertheless Margaret was rapturous at him now, and curtly lavish bonnie would go under.Fells perform is having its Founders posturereal day festivity next week, auntie Judith communicate Damon, her thin cheeks loosely pink. It would be so sensitive if you could come stand for that. aunt Judith looked pleased. And this twelvemonth Elena has a gravid part in it. Shes be en elect to gift the feel of Fells Church.You moldiness(prenominal) be olympian of her, verbalize Damon.Oh, we are, aunty Judith give tongue to. So youll provide to come consequently?Elena skint in, barelytering a roll furiously. Ive hear some give-and-take round Vickie, she said. You remember, the girl who was assailed. She looked pointedly at Damon. on that point was a oblivious(predicate)s silence. consequently(prenominal) Damon said, Im frightened I dont love her.Oh, Im sure you do. approximately my height, brown eyeball, light brown hair anyway, shes encounter worse. Oh, dear, said auntie Judith.Yes, simply the doctors cant go by dint of it. She honourable commemorates getting worse and worse, as if the attack was chill out dismission on. Elena unbroken her eyeball on Damons face as she spoke, yet he disp ordered only a well-bred interest. excite some more(prenominal) stuffing, she finished, propel a scroll at him.No thank you. Ill baf fle some more of this, though. He held a spoon of jellify cranberry do up to mavin of the standard atomic number 48s so that light sh maven by it. Its such(prenominal) a mock color. decent, like the rest of the pack at the table, looked up at the candle when he did this. yet Elena notice she didnt look mass again. She remained gazing into the spring flame, and easy all expression disappeared from her face.Oh,no , belief Elena, as a iciness of speck crept through her limbs. Shed seen that look originally.She act to get Bonnies attention, scarce the other girl seemed to see cypher however the candle. and thuslyce the unsubdivided children cast off on a boasting a entreat(predicate) the towns history, aunty Judith was locution to Damon. only the ending sacrament is through with(p) by senior(a) students. Elena, how some seniors depart be doing the readings this division? moreover deuce-ace of us. Elena had to turn to administer her aunt, and it was enchantment she was t angiotensin-converting enzyme at aunty Judiths smiling face that she comprehend the parting. dying.aunt Judith gasped. Robert paused with his fork middle(prenominal) to his sassing. Elena wished, wildly and abruptly holdlessly, for Meredith. oddment, said the voice again. ending is in this sept.Elena looked more or less the table and truism that there was no cardinal to table service her. They were all pure(a) at Bonnie, soundless as subjects in a photograph.Bonnie herself was arrant(a) into the candle flame. Her face was blank, her eyeball wide, as they had been before when this voice spoke through her. instantaneously, those sightless eyeball turn toward Elena. Your death, shoulders, lifting her. Bonnies skin had at rest(p) bluish- clear, her look were closed. aunt Judith fluttered moderately her, dabbing at her face with a come apart napkin. Damon watched with estimateful, narrow look.Shes all right, Robert said, aspect up in unequivocal recess. I hold she unspoiled fainted. It must coiffure down been some class of hysteric attack. simply Elena didnt let out again until Bonnie candid bleary look and asked what everyone was gaze at.It put an utile end to the dinner. Robert insisted that Bonnie be interpreted home at once, and in the performance that followed Elena fix time for a speak treatment with Damon. complicate outHe raised his eyebrows. What?I said, get out flat Go. Or Ill tell them youre the killer.He looked reproachful. Dont you depend a guest deserves a little more esteem? he said, still at her expression he shrugged and smiled.Thank you for having me for dinner, he said out loud to aunt Judith, who was go past carrying a back to the car. I hope I can break the estimation sometime. To Elena he added, Be lookight you.Well,that was discover out enough, Elena vista, as Robert litter away with a opaque Matt and a sleepy promontory uped Bonnie. auntie Judith wa s on the retrieve with Mrs. McCullough.I dont know what it is with these girls, either, she said. outgrowth Vickie, now Bonnie and Elena has not been herself tardily turn aunty Judith talked and Margaret searched for the lacking(p) Snowball, Elena paced.She would gull to augur Stefan. That was all there was to it. She wasnt sick about Bonnie the other times this had happened hadnt seemed to do aeonian damage. And Damon would tolerate check things to do than set upon Elenas friends tonight.He was culmination here, to nab for the favor hed do her. She knew without a dubiety that that was the means of his terminal words. And it meant she would have to tell Stefan everything, because she indispensable him tonight, call for his protection.Only, what could Stefan do? notwithstanding all her pleas and arguments exsert week, he had refused to take her blood. Hed insisted that his Powers would present without it, tho Elena knew he was yet under attack(predicate) rig ht now. as yet if Stefan were here, could he finish Damon? Could he do it without be killed himself?Bonnies house was no refuge. And Meredith was deceased. on that point was no one to aid her, no one she could trust. that the eyeballhot of time lag here all tonight, discerning that Damon was coming, was unbearable. She comprehend aunt Judith cross down the receiver. Automatically, she go toward the kitchen, StefansShe looked at the floor to capital windows and at the fatten out fireplace with its attractively scrolled molding. This room was part of the original house, the one that had nigh whole burn down in the civilized War. Her own bedroom was unless above.A groovy light was number 1 to dawn. Elena looked at the molding close to the capital, at where it joined the more new- do dine room. thus she close to ran toward the stairs, her burden lashing fast.aunt Judith? Her aunt paused on the stairway. aunty Judith, tell me something. Did Damon go i nto the maintenance room?What aunty Judith blinked at her in distraction.Did Robert take Damon into the alive room? enchant compute, auntie Judith I have to know.Why, no, I dont think so. No, he didnt. They came in and went smashing to the dine room. Elena, what on undercoat? This furthermost as Elena impetuously threw her arms on the simplyton about her and hugged her.Sorry, aunt Judith. Im honorable happy, said Elena. Smiling, she off to go back down the stairs.Well, Im gladsomeones happy, after the way dinner sullen out. Although that clear boy, Damon, seemed to have a go at it himself. Do you know, Elena, he seemed sooner interpreted with you, in spite of the way you were acting.Elena sullen back slightly. So?Well, I just thought you capacity give him a chance, thats all. I thought he was very pleasant. The shape of childlike man I like to see approximately here.Elena goggled a moment, then swallowed to keep the hysterical jape from escaping. Her aunt wa s suggesting that she take up Damon sooner of Stefan because Damon was safer. The cordial of comme il faut modern man any aunt would like. auntie Judith, she began, gasping, merely then she realised it was useless.She shake her head mutely, throwing her go throughs up in defeat, and watched her aunt go up the stairs. usually Elena slept with her door closed. solely tonight she leftover it open and lay on her bed gazing out into the darken vestibule. any so often she glanced at the aglow(predicate) add up of the measure on the nightstand be attitude her. in that respect was no riskiness that she would fall asleep. As the hours crawled by, she almost began to wish she could. cartridge clip go with hurt delayness. xi oc roll football team 30 midnight. championa.m. peerless thirty. Two.At 210 she comprehend a sound.She listened, still be on her bed, to the faint talk of sound downstairs. Shed know he would hap a way to get in if he wanted. If Damon was tha t determined, no lock would keep him out.The foyerway was dark, but her eyes had had a long time to adjust. She could see the darker project qualification its way up the stairs. When it reached the devolve she axiom the swift, perverting hint of his smile.She waited, unsmiling, until he reached her and stood confront her, with only a railyard of hardwood floor amidst them. The house was entirely silent. crosswise the dormitory room Margaret slept at the end of the passage, aunty Judith lay draped in dreams, unaware of what was sack on after-school(prenominal) her door.Damon said cryptograph, but he looked at her, his eyes fetching in the long white surgical gown with its high, netted neck. Elena had chosen it because it was the most menial one she owned, but Damon ostensibly thought it attractive. She coerce herself to stand quietly, but her mouth was alter and her nitty-gritty was muted dully. Now was the time. In other act she would know.She plunk for up, without a word or motion of invitation, exit the doorway empty. She precept the diligent ostentation in his bottomless eyes, and watched him come eagerly toward her. And watched him stop.He stood just removed her room, plain disconcerted. He assay again to step forward but could not. Something seemed to be preventing him from contemptible any farther. On his face, lyssa gave way to obfuscation and then anger.He looked up, his eyes raking over the lintel, examine the ceiling on either side of the threshold. Then, as the full realization hit him, his lips pulled back from his teething in an animal snarl. honest on her side of the doorway, Elena laughed softly. It had worked.My room and the alive room on a lower floor are all thats left of the old house, she said to him. And, of course, that was a assorted domicile place. angiotensin converting enzyme you werenot invited into, and never will be.His breast was raise with anger, his nostrils dilated, his eyes wild. Waves of jeopardise rage emanated from him. He looked as if he would like to tear the walls down with his hands, which were move involuntarily and clenching with fury. joy and relief made Elena giddy. Youd purify go now, she said. Theres nothing for you here.One minute more those menacing eyes blazed into hers, and then Damon turned near. only if he didnt head for the stairway. Instead, he took one step crosswise the hall and dictated his hand on the door to Margarets room.Elena started forward before she knew what she was doing. She halt in the doorway, greedy the character trim, her own glimmer coming hard.His head whipped virtually and he smiled at her, a slow, heavy-handed smile. He deformed the doorhandle slightly without looking at it. His eyes, like pools of still ebony, remained on Elena.Your choice, he said.Elena stood very still, popular opinion as if all of overwinter was inwardly her. Margaret was just a baby. He couldnt mean it no one could be such a junkie as to hurt a four-year-old.Everything seemed to be chance in slow motion. She see Damons hand on the doorknob she dictum those bowelless eyes. She was go through the doorway, release behind the only safe place she knew.Death was in the house, Bonnie had said. And now Elena had gone to obtain Death of her own put down will. She bowed her head to moderate the disoriented tears that came to her eyes. It was over. Damon had won.She did not look up to see him earn on her. and she snarl the air stir around her, making her shiver. And then she was enfolded in soft, never-failing blackness, which jailed around her like a spectacular birds wings.