Suddenly, to her shock, Damon broke her koala-grip and pul ed her up and kissed her on the lips very gently. "Little redbird! I'm going to go now, and make them pay for what they did to you."
Bonnie heard herself say, "No, don't."
"No?"Damon repeated, bewildered.
"No,"Bonnie said. She needed Damon with her. She didn't care what happened to Shinichi. There was a sweetness unfolding inside her, but there was also a rushing in her head. It real y was a pity, but in a few moments she would be unconscious.
Meanwhile, she had three thoughts in mind and al of them were clear. What she was afraid of was that they would be less clear later, after she had fainted. "Do you have a star bal ?"
"I have twenty-eight star bal s,"Damon said, and looked at her quizzical y.
That wasn't what Bonnie meant at al ; she meant one to record onto. "Can you remember three things?"she said to Damon.
"I'd gamble on it."This time Damon kissed her softly on the forehead.
"First, you ruined my very brave death."
"We can always go back and you can have another try."Damon's voice was less choked now; more his own.
"Second, you left me at that horrible inn for a week - "
As if she could see inside his mind, she saw this slice into him like some kind of wooden sword. He was holding her so tightly that she real y couldn't breathe. "I...I didn't mean to. It was real y only four days, but I never should have done it,"he said.
"Third."Bonnie's voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't think any star bal was ever stolen at al . What never existed can't be stolen, can it?"
She looked at him. Damon was looking back in a way that normal y would have thril ed her. He was obviously, blatantly distressed. But Bonnie was just barely hanging on to consciousness at this point.
"And...fourth..."She puzzled out slowly.
"Fourth? You said three things."Damon smiled, just a little.
"I have to say this - "She dropped her head down on Damon's shoulder, gathered al of her energy, and concentrated.
Damon loosened his grip a little. He said, "I can hear a faint murmuring sound in my head. Just tel me normal y. We're well away from anyone."
Bonnie was insistent. She scrunched her whole tiny body together and then explosively sent out a thought. She could tel that Damon caught it.
Fourth, I know the way to the seven legendary kitsune treasures, Bonnie sent to him. That includes the biggest star ball ever made. But if we want it, we have to get to it - fast.
Then, feeling that she had contributed enough to the conversation, she fainted.
Chapter 21
Someone was still knocking on Stefan's door.
"It's a woodpecker,"Elena said when she could speak. "They knock, don't they?"
"On doors inside houses?"Stefan said dazedly.
"Ignore it and it wil go away."
A moment later the knocking resumed.
Elena moaned, "I don't believe this."
Stefan whispered, "Do you want me to bring you its head?
Unattached from its neck, I mean?"
Elena considered. As the knocking continued, she was getting more worried and less confused. "Better see if it is a bird, I guess,"she said.
Stefan rol ed away from her, somehow got on his jeans, and went reeling to the door. In spite of herself, Elena pitied whoever was on the other side.
The knocking started again.
Stefan reached the door and nearly wrenched it off its hinges.
"What the - "He stopped, suddenly moderating his voice.
"Mrs. Flowers?"
"Yes,"Mrs. Flowers said, deliberately not seeing Elena, who was wearing a sheet and directly in her line of vision.
"It's poor dear Meredith,"Mrs. Flowers said. "She's in such a state, and she says she has to see you now, Stefan."
Elena's mind switched tracks as suddenly and smoothly as a train. Meredith? In a state? Demanding to see Stefan, even if, as Elena was sure she must have, Mrs. Flowers had delicately indicated just how...busy Stefan was at the moment?
Her mind was Stillsolidly linked with Stefan's. He said,
"Thank you, Mrs. Flowers. I'l be down in just a moment."
Elena, who was slipping into her clothes as fast as she could, while crouching on the far side of the bed, added a telepathic suggestion.
"Maybe you could make her a nice cup of tea - I mean, a cup of tea,"Stefan added.
"Yes, dear, what a good idea,"Mrs. Flowers said gently. "And if you should see Elena, perhaps you could say that dear Meredith is asking for her, too?"
"We wil ,"Stefan said automatical y. Then he turned around and hastily shut the door.
Elena gave him time to put his shirt and shoes on, and then they both hurried down to the kitchen, where Meredith was not having a nice cup of tea, but pacing around like a caged leopard.
Stefan began, "What's - "
"I'l tel you what's wrong, Stefan Salvatore! No - you tel me!
You were in my mind before, so you must know. You must have been able to see - to tel - about me."
Elena was Stillmindlocked with Stefan. She felt his dismay.
"To tel what about you?"he asked gently, pul ing out a chair at the kitchen table so Meredith could sit.
The very simple act of sitting down, of pausing to respond to civility, seemed to calm Meredith slightly. But StillElena could feel her fear and pain like the taste of a steel sword on her tongue.
Meredith accepted a hug and became a little calmer yet. A little more herself and less like a caged animal. But the struggle was so visceral and so clear within her that Elena couldn't bear to leave her, even when Mrs. Flowers deposited four mugs of tea around the table and took another chair Stefan offered.