The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Forty-One

It seemed manage he and becoming had been waiting forever in the exact back office of the library, flat horizon. They had strained to catch a sound, to sweat and learn anything at al about what was happening take in there. decorous paced, wringing her helping hands and biting her lips, and he leaned against the wal , head lowered, and kept a unsloped grip on Samanthas stave. Just in case.He knew about al the doors and passages and tunnels down there, many of which he had no idea where they led, only he didnt realize the soundproofing was so good. They hadnt heard a thing. hence suddenly the trapdoor was move up, and Matt tensed, raising the stave, until he saw Elenas search.Meredith, Elena, Stefan, and Damon climbed out, c overed in blood, barely basical y fine, if the eager focal point Elena and Meredith were tel ing decorous what happened, their words tumbling over to each one other, was any indication.Ethans pulseless, Stefan told Matt. There were whatsoever ot her Vitales down there in the fight, still none of the pledges. Hed sent them out to hunt.Matt matte up sick and weirdly happy at the same time. Hed pictured them dead(a) at Damon and Stefans hands, Chloe, al his friends from pledging. notwithstanding they werent. not dead, not real y. But transformed, vampires now.Youre dismissal to hunt them, he tell, aiming his words at Stefan and Damon, and at Meredith, too. She nodded, her guinea pig resolved, and Damon looked away.We develop to, Stefan told him. You know that. Matt stared hard at his shoes. Yeah, he state, I know.But, if you get a chance, maybe talk to some of them? If you female genital organ, if theyre reasonable and no ones in danger? Maybe they could learn to live without kil ing flock. If you showed them how, Stefan. He rubbed at the back of his neck.Chloe was special. And the other pledges, they were good people. They didnt know what they were get into. They deserve a chance.Everyone was silent, and, after a turn, Matt looked up to find Stefan regarding him, his eyes darkness green with sympathy, his mouth pul ed taut in lines of pain. Il do my best, he verbalize sympatheticly. I lowlife promise you that. But new vampires vampires in general, real y can be unpredictable. We might not be able to save any of them, and our priority has to be the innocent. We will try, though. Matt nodded. His mouth tasted sour and his eyes burned. He was beginning to realize in force(p) how tired he was.Thats about the best I can expect, he said boulderyly. Thank you.So theres a whole room ful of dead vampires down there? decent asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.Pretty more than, said Elena. We chained the doors closed again, scarce I wish we could close the house off to a greater extent permanently. Someones going to go down there ultimate y, and the uttermost(a) thing this campus needs is some other murder investigation, or another gruesome legend.Ta-da decorous said, grinning glossy ly and pul ing a little bag out of her pocket. Final y something I can do. She held the bag up. concoct al the hours Mrs. Flowers made me spend studying herbs? Well, I know spel s for locking and warding, and Ive got the herbs to use right here. I thought they might fill in in handy, as soon as Matt told us we were going to a secret underground chamber. She looked so pleased with herself that Matt had to make a event a little despite the heaviness inside him at the thought of Chloe and the others somewhere out in the night. They might not work for more than a day or two, she added modestly, but theyl definitely discourage people from investigating the trapdoor for that tenacious.Youre a wonder, mediocre, Elena said, and spontaneously hugged her.Stefan nodded. We can get rid of the bodies tomorrow, he said. Its too close to dawn to do it now. Bonnie got right to work, aspersion dried plants across the trapdoor. Hyssop, Solomons seal, and damiana leaves, she said when she saw Matt watching her. Theyre for modify of locks, protection from evil, and general protection. Mrs. Flowers dril ed me on this stuff so overmuch I final y got them al down. Its too bad I didnt have her helping me with my homework in high school. Maybe I would have learned some of those French verbs. Damon was watching them, his eyes half(prenominal) hooded. We should look for the new vampires, too, he said. You know vampires arent transmit animals. They wont hunt unitedly for long. Once they split up, we can pick them off, he told Stefan.Im coming, too, Meredith said. She looked at Damon chal engingly. Il expert walk Matt home and thusly meet up with you both.Damon smiled, a peculiarly warm smile that Matt had never seen him direct at Meredith forwards. I was talking to you, too, hunter, he said. Youve gotten better. After a second, she smiled back, a seriocomical twist of her lips, and Matt thought he saw something that might be the beginnings of friendship flickering betwee n them.So the Vitales were definitely behind al the murders and disappearances? Matt asked Stefan, feeling sick.How could he have spent so much time with Ethan and not suspected that he was a murderer?Bonnies face went so white that her few freckles showed like little dark dots on plain paper. And then her color came flooding back, her cheeks and ears turning a bright pink. She climbed unsteadily to her feet. I should go see Zander, she said.Hey, Matt said, alarmed, and moved to break off the door.Theres stil a whole bunch of vampires outside, Bonnie. Wait for somebody to walk you over.Not to mention that you have other commitments, Damon said dryly, looking meaningful y at the herbs scattered across the trapdoor. After you work your witchy mojo, then you can go see your pet.Were sorry, Bonnie, Meredith said, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to another. We should have indisputable you to know a good guy when you saw one. compensate Al is forgiven, Bonnie said brightly, and plo pped down in front of the trapdoor again. I just need to say the spel . She ran her hands through the herbs. Existo signum, she muttered. Servo quis est intus. As she scooped some of the herbs back into her bag, Bonnie kept smiling, and stopping, and staring into space, and then spirited a little. Matt smiled at her tiredly. Good for Bonnie. Someone ought to have a happy ending.He felt a bullocky, thin hand inject his and turned to see Meredith beside him. She smiled sympathetical y at him.Nearby, Elena laid her hand tentatively on Stefans arm, and they both had their eyes on Bonnie. Damon stood stil , watching them al with an nearly fond expression.Matt leaned against Meredith, comforted. No matter what happened, at least they were together. His unbowed friends were with him he had come home to them at last.The sun was low in the east when Bonnie climbed up the fire escape, her feet clanging on each step. As she came over the side of the building, she saw Zander sitting with h is back against the rough concrete wal at the edge of the roof. He turned to stare at her as she came toward him.Hi, she said. Shed been so excited to see him on her way over here, enough so that Elena and Meredith got over their guilt and started to laugh at her, but now she felt weird and uncomfortable, like her head was too big. It was, she realized, good y possible that he wouldnt want to talk to her.After al , shed accused him of being a murderer, which was a bonny big splay for a girlfriend to make.Hi, he said slowly. There was a long pause, and then he patted the concrete next to him. Want to sit down? he asked. Im just watching the sky. He hesitated. Ful moon in a couple of days.Mentioning the ful moon felt like a chal enge, and Bonnie colonized next to him, then squeezed her hands together and jumped right in. Im sorry I cal ed you a kil er, she said. I know now that I was unlawful to accuse you of being responsible for the deaths on campus. I should have trusted you mo re. Please accept my apology, she finished in a little rush. Because I miss you. I miss you, too, Zander said. And I understand it was a shock.Seriously, though, Zander, Bonnie said, and shoved him a little with her hip. You just tel me youre a werewolf?Did you get bitten when you were a kid or something?Because I know getting bitten is the only way to become a werewolf without kil ing soul. And, okay, I know youre not the kil er now, but Meredith saw you with a girl whod just been attacked. And and you had bruises, real y bad bruises everywhere. I bet I had every right to think something was hinky with you.Hinky? Zander laughed a little, but there was an edge of sadness to it, Bonnie thought. I guess its kind of hinky, if you want to put it that way.Can you explain? Bonnie asked.Okay, Il try, Zander said thoughtful y. He reached down and took her hand, turning it over in his and playing with her fingers, pul ing them lightly. As you apparently know, most werewolves are created e ither by being bitten, or by having the werewolf virus in their family and activation it by kil ing someone in a special ritual. So, either a terrible attack, which usual y screws the victim up, or a reflect act of evil to grab the power of the wolf. He grimaced. It kind of explains wherefore werewolves have such a bad reputation. But theres another kind of werewolf. He glanced at Bonnie with a sort of shy pride. I come from the passkey adopt of werewolves. Original. Bonnies mind raced. Immortal, she thought, and remembered Klaus, who had never been a human. So youre real y old, then? she asked hesitantly.It was fine, she guessed, for Elena to date guys who had seen centuries go by. Romantic, even. Sort of. condescension the crush shed had on Damon, though, Bonnie always pictured dating someone close to her own age.Even Merediths cute, smart Alaric seemed kind of old to her, and he was only in his twenties.Zander snorted with sudden laughter and squeezed her hand tight. No he sa id. I just turned twenty last monthWerewolves arent like that were alive. We live, we die.Were like everybody else, we justTurn into superstrong, superfast wolves, Bonnie said tartly.Yeah, fine, Zander said. Point taken. Anyway, the Original pack is like, the genuine family of werewolves. Most werewolves are infected by some kind of mystical virus. It can be passed down, but its dormant. The Original pack is descended from the very first werewolves, the ones that were cavemen except during the ful moon. Its in our genes.Were different from regular werewolves. We can stop ourselves from changing if we need to. We can learn to change when the moons not ful , too, although its difficult.If you can stop yourself from changing, do some of you stop being werewolves? Bonnie asked.Zander pul ed her hand-to-hand. We would never stop being werewolves, even if we never changed at al . Its who we are. And it hurts to not change when the moon is ful . Its like it sings to us, and the song get s louder and clearer the closer it gets to being ful . Were aching to change by the time it happens.Wow, said Bonnie. Then her eyes widened. So, al your friends are members of the Original pack, too? Like, youre al link?Um, Zander said. I guess. But the relationship can go back pretty far its not like were al first cousins or anything.Weird, Bonnie said. Okay, Original pack, got it. She snuggled her head comfortably against Zanders shoulder.Tel me the rest.Okay, Zander said again. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and wrapped one arm around Bonnie. It was getting a little cold sitting on the concrete, and she nestled appreciative y against the warmth of his side. So, Dalcrest is on whats sort of a hot degree for paranormal activity. Theres these things cal ed ley lines, seeAlready know it, Bonnie said briskly. Go on with your part.Zander stared at her. O kay, he said slowly.Anyway, the superior Wolf Council sends some of us to Dalcrest every year as students. So that we can monitor any dangers. Were kind of like watchdogs, I guess. The original watchdogs.Bonnie snorted. The High Wolf Council. Zander poked her in the ribs.Shut up, its not funny, he said. Theyre very important. Bonnie giggled again, and he elbowed her gently. So, with al the disappearances and attacks, things have been bad on campus this year, he continued, sobering. Much worse than they usual y are. Weve been investigating. A pack of vampires in a secret society on campus is behind it, and weve been engagement them off and protecting people when we can. But were not as strong as they are, except at the ful moon, even if we change. And so the bruises. And your friend comprehend me guarding a girl whod just been attacked.Dont worry. We took care of the Vitale Society tonight, Bonnie said smugly. Well, the leader at least, and some of the others, she amended. Theres stil a bunch of vampires on campus, but wel get rid of them. Zander turned and stared at her for a long moment before he sp oke. I think, he said at last in a careful y neutral voice, that its your turn to explain. Bonnie wasnt actual y that great at properly organized, logical explanations, but she did her best, going back and forth in time, adding side notes and remembering things as she went along. She told him about Stefan and Damon, and how everything had changed when the vampire brothers came to Fel s Church last year and Elena fel in love with them. She told him about Merediths sacred duty as a vampire hunter, and she told him about her own psychic visions and her training as a witch.She go forth a lot of stuff out everything about the Dark Dimension, and Elenas talk terms with the Guardians, for instance, because that was real y confusing, and maybe she should tel him about it later so he didnt just overload but the tel ing stil took a long time.Huh, Zander said when she was finished, and then he laughed.What? Bonnie asked.Youre a weird girl, Zander said. Pretty heroic, though.Bonnie pushed he r face into his neck, happily breathing in the essential Zander smel of him fabric softener, worn cotton, and somewhat guy.Youre weird, she said, and then, admiringly, and the real hero. Youve been fighting off vampire attacks for weeks and weeks, to protect everybody.Were quite a pair, Zander said.Yeah, Bonnie said. She sat up and faced him, then reached out and ran her hand through his soft pale hair, pul ing his head closer to her. Stil , she said, just before their lips touched, normal is overrated.