"I don't think so," Elena answered. "Maybe it's just a convenient place to stash us."
Elena took a deep breath. Bonnie was a good person to be with in a crisis. Not good in the way that Meredith was -
Meredith's way was the planning-and-getting-things-done way - but good in that Bonnie looked up at Elena trustingly with big, innocent eyes and asked questions, confident that Elena would know the answers. And Elena would immediately feel competent and protective, as if she could deal with whatever situation they were embroiled in. Like right now. With Bonnie depending on her, Elena's mind was working more clearly than it had for days. Any moment now, she'd come up with a plan to get them out of here. Any moment now, she was sure.
Bonnie's cold, smal fingers worked their way into Elena's hand. "Elena, are we dead?" she asked in a tiny, quavering voice.
Were they dead? Elena wondered. She didn't think so. Bonnie had been alive after the phantom took her, but unwakeable. It was more likely their spirits had traveled here on the astral plane and their bodies were back in Fel 's Church.
"Elena?" Bonnie repeated anxiously. "Do you think we're dead?"
Elena opened her mouth to respond when a crackling, stomping noise interrupted her. The rosebushes nearby began to thrash wildly, and there was a great rushing sound that seemed to come from every direction at once. The snapping of branches was deafening, as if something huge was shoving its way through the bracken. Al around them, thorny rosebush branches whipped back and forth, although there was no wind. She yelped as one of the waving branches smacked her across the arm, gashing her skin open.
Bonnie let out a wail, and Elena's heart beat double time in her chest. She whirled around, pushing Bonnie behind her. She bal ed her hands into fists and crouched, trying to remember what Meredith had taught her about fighting an attacker. But as she looked around, al she could see for miles were roses. Black, perfect roses.
Bonnie gave a smal whimper and pressed closer to Elena's back.
Suddenly Elena felt a sharp, aching tug rip through her, as if something were being pul ed slowly but firmly out of her torso. She gasped and stumbled, clutching her hands to her stomach. This is it, she thought numbly, feeling as though every bone in her body were being ground to a pulp. I am going to die.
Chapter 28
No one answered the door at the Smalwoods' house. The driveway was empty and the house looked
deserted, the shades pul ed down.
"Maybe Caleb's not here," Matt said nervously. "Could he have gone somewhere else when he got out of the hospital?"
"I can smell him. I can hear him breathing," Stefan growled. "He's in there, al right. He's hiding out."
Matt had never seen Stefan look so angry. His usual y calm green eyes were bright with rage, and his fangs seemed to be involuntarily extended, little sharp points showing every time he opened his mouth. Stefan caught Matt looking at them and frowned, running his tongue selfconsciously across his canines. Matt glanced at Alaric, who he'd been thinking of as the only other normal person left in their group, but Alaric was watching Stefan with what was clearly fascination rather than alarm. Not entirely normal, then, either, Matt thought.
"We can get in," Meredith said calmly. She looked to Alaric. "Let me know if someone's coming." He nodded and positioned himself to block the view of anyone walking past on the sidewalk. With cool efficiency, Meredith wedged one end of her fighting stave in the crack of the front door and started to pry it open.
The door was made of heavy oak, and clearly had two locks and a chain engaged inside, and it withstood Meredith's leverage against it. Meredith swore, then muttered, "Come on, come on," redoubling her efforts. The locks and chains gave suddenly against her strength, and the door flew open, banging into the wal behind it.
"So much for a quiet entrance," Stefan said. He shifted restlessly on the doorstep as they filed past him.
"You're invited in," Meredith said, but Stefan shook his head.
"I can't," he said. "It only works if you live here."
Meredith's lips tightened, and she turned and ran up the stairs. There was a brief shout of surprise and some muffled thumping. Alaric glanced at Matt nervously, and then up the stairs.
"Should we help her?" he said.
Before Matt could answer - and he was pretty sure Meredith wasn't the one who needed help - she returned, shoving Caleb down the stairs before her, twisting one of his arms tightly behind his back.
"Invite him in," she ordered as Caleb stumbled to the bottom of the stairs. Caleb shook his head, and she yanked his arm up higher so that he yelped in pain.
"I won't," he said stubbornly. "You can't come in."
Meredith pushed him toward Stefan, stopping him just at the threshold of the front door.
"Look at me," Stefan said softly, and Caleb's eyes flew to his. Stefan's pupils widened, swal owing his green irises in black, and Caleb shook his head frantical y, but seemed unable to break his gaze.
"Let. Me. In," Stefan ordered.
"Come in, then," said Caleb sul enly. Meredith released him and his eyes cleared. He turned and dashed up the stairs.
Stefan burst through the door like he'd been shot through a gun and then stalked up the stairs. His smooth, stealthy movements reminded Matt of a predator's - of a lion or a shark. Matt shivered. Sometimes he forgot how truly dangerous Stefan was.
"I'd better go with him," Meredith said. "We don't want Stefan doing anything he'd regret." She paused. "Not before we find out what we need to know, anyway. Alaric, you're the one who knows the most about magic, so you come with me. Matt, keep an eye out and warn us if the Smal woods pul into the drive." She and Alaric fol owed Stefan up the stairs.