The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 40

lustrelessness and Mrs. Flowers were in the bunker the addition to the house that Mrs. Flowerss uncle had endow onto the back for woodwork and other hobbies. It had f all(prenominal)en into regular(a) more run out than the rest of the house, being used as a storage plaza for things Mrs. Flowers didnt k in a flash where else to put such as Cousin Joes folding crib and that old sagging couch that didnt match a stick of piece of furniture inside anymore.Now, at night, it was their crapn. No child or adult from Fells perform had ever been invited inside. In fact, except for Mrs. Flowers, Stefan whod helped move large furniture into it and now Matt, no atomic number 53 had evening been in for as farseeing as Mrs. Flowers could remember.Matt clung to this. He had been, slowly entirely surely, reading through the cloth Meredith had researched and one precious excerpt had meant a lot to him and Mrs. Flowers. It was the reason they were competent to sleep at night, when the characters came.The kitsune is often thought to be a select of cousin to Western vampires, seducing chosen men (as most fox enliven take on a female form) and feeding directly on their chi, or life spirit, without the intermediary of birth. Thus one may recognise a case that they are bound by similar rules to the vampire. For example, they providenot put on human dwellings without invitationAnd oh, the percentagesHe was pro primely glad now that hed taken Meredith and Bonnies advice and gone to Mrs. Flowerss first before dismission home. The girls had convinced him hed besides be putting his parents in danger by facing up to the lynch heap that awaited him, ready to belt piling him for allegedly assaulting Caroline. Caroline seemed to pay off found him at the boardinghouse immediately, any delegacy, scarce she never brought any kind of halo with her. Matt thought that perhaps it was because that would confound been useless.He had no judgement what might charter happened if the voices had belonged to ex-friends long ago invited to his house while he was at home.TonightCome on, Matt, Carolines voice, lazy, slow, and seductive purred. It sounded as if she were lying d testify, oratory into the crack under the door. Dont be such a spoilsport. You know you have to come out some eon.Let me talk to my mom.I cant, Matt. I told you before, shes undergoing training.To be similar you?It takes a lot of work to communicate to be like me, Matt. Suddenly Carolines tone was not flirtatious any longer.I bet, Matt muttered, and added, You hurt my family and youre going to be sorrier than you can imagine.Oh, Matt Come on, get real. naught is going to hurt anybody.Matt slowly opened his hold to intent at what he had clenched surrounded by them. Merediths old revolver, alter with the bullets blessed by Obaasan.What is Elenas lay name? he asked not loudly, even though in that respect were the sounds of music and dancing in Mrs. Flowerss backyard.Mat t, what are you talking about(predicate)? What are you doing in there, making a family tree?I asked you a simple question, Care. You and Elena played since you were practically babies, unspoilt? So what is her middle name?A flurry of activity. When Caroline finally answered he could clearly teach the whispered coaching, as Stefan had hear so long ago, honest a beat before her words.If all youre interested in is play games, Matthew Honeycutt, Ill go understand someone else to talk to.He could practically hear her flounce away. exclusively he felt like celebrating. He allowed himself a whole graham cracker and half a cup of Mrs. Flowerss home-cured apple juice. They never knew when they might be locked in here for good, with only the supplies they had, so whenever Matt went out of the bunker he brought back as many things as he could find that might be useful. A barbeque lighter and hairspray equaled a flame thrower. Jar after quake of Mrs. Flowerss delicious preserves. Lapi s rings in case the worst happened and they ended up with pointy teeth.Mrs. Flowers turned in her sleep on the couch. Who was that, Matt dear? she asked.Nobody at all, Mrs. Flowers. You unless go back to sleep.I see, Mrs. Flowers said in her sweet-old-lady voice. Well, if nobody at all comes back you might ask her her own mothers first name.I see, Matt said in his best sham of her voice and then they both laughed. But underneath his laughter there was a lump in his pharynx. He had known Mrs. Forbes a long time, too. And he was scared, scared of the time that it would be Shinichis voice calling. consequently they were going to be in trouble for good.There it is, shouted Sage.Elena screamed Meredith.Oh, God screamed Bonnie.The bordering instant, Elena was thrown, and something landed on top of her. Dully, she heard a birdcall. But it was antithetical from the others. It was a choking sound of pure pain as Bloddeuwedds hen-peck thunked into something made of flesh. Me, Elena tho ught. But there was no pain.Notme?There was a coughing sound above her.Elena go my shields wont hold Damon Well go unitedlyHurtsIt was just the shadow of a telepathic whisper and Elena knew Damon didnt think shed heard it. But she was circling her Power faster and faster, done with deception, caring only about getting those she loved out of danger.Ill find a way, she told Damon. Ill carry you. Firemans lift.He laughed at that, giving Elena some hope that he wasnt dying. Now Elena wished shed taken Dr. Meggar in the carriage with them so he could use his healing powers on the injured and then what? Leave him to the mercies of Bloddeuwedd? He wants to build a infirmary here, in this world. He wants to help the children, who surely dont deserve all the evils that Ive seen visited on them She shunted the thoughts aside. This was no time for a philosophical debate about doctors and their obligations.It was time to run.Reaching behind her, she found two hands. One was slick with blo od so she reached farther, thanking her late mother for all the ballet lessons, all the childrens yoga, and she grabbed the limb above it. And then she put her back into it and pulled.To her surprise she hauled Damon up with her. She essay to heft him farther up on her back, but that didnt work. And then she even managed a wobbly step forward, and another And then Sage was there picking both of them up and they were going into the lobby of the building of the Shi no Shi.Everyone, get out Get out Bloddeuwedds after us and shell kill anything in her way Elena shouted. It was the strangest thing. She hadnt meant to shout. Hadnt formulated the words, except perhaps in the deepest part of her subconscious. But she did shout them into the already frenzied lobby and she heard the cry taken up by others.What she didnt expect was that they would run, not out into the street, but down toward the cells. She ought to have, of course, but she hadnt. And then she felt herself and Sage and Damo n going down, down the way they had last nightBut was it really the right way? Elena clamped one hand over the other and saw, judging by foxlight, that they needed to head off to the right.WHAT ARE THOSE CELLS TO THE RIGHT OF US? HOW DO WE bestow THERE? she shouted to the young vampire gentleman next to her.Thats isolation and Mentally Disturbed, the vampire gentleman shouted back. Dont go that way.I have to Do I need a key?Yes, but Do you have a key?Yes, but Give it to me nowI cant do that, he wailed in a way that reminded her of Bonnie at her most difficult.All right. SageMadame?Send Talon back to peck this mans eyeball out. He wont give me the key to Stefans wardAs good as done, MadameW-wait I cha-changed my mind. Heres the key The vampire fished through a ring of keys and get rid of one to her.It looked like the other keys on his ring. Too practically alike, Elenas leery mind said.SageMadame john you wait till I pass with sabre? I want him to tear the you-know-what of f this guy if hes lie to me.Of course, MadameW-w-w-wait, gasped the vampire. It was clear that he was completely terrified. I may may have given you the wrong key in this this light Give me the right key and tell me anything I need to know or Ill have the dog backtrack you and kill you, Elena said, and at that moment, she meant it.H-here. This time the key didnt look like a key. It was round, slightly convex, with a hole in the middle. standardised a donut thats been sat on by a jurisprudence officer, part of Elenas mind said, and began laughing hysterically.Shut up, she told her mind sharply.SageMadame?Can Talon see the man Im holding by the hair? She had to go on tiptoe to grasp him.But of course, MadameCan she remember him? If I cant find Stefan I want her to show him to Saber so he can track him.Uhahgot it, MadameA hand, dripping blood from the wrist, lifted a run high, at the equal time as there was a lucky crash from the top of the building.The vampire was almost sobb ing. Turn r-right at the n-next right. consumption the k-key in the slot at h-head h eightsome to g-get into the corridor. There m-may be guards there. Butif if you dont have a key to the individual cell you want Im sorry, but I do I have the cell key and I know what to do after that Thank you, youve been very kind and helpful.Elena let go of the vampires hair.Sage Damon Bonnie Look for a corridor, locked, going right. Then dont get swept away. Sage, hold Bonnie and have Saber bark like crazy. Bonnie, hold on to Meredith in front of the guys. The corridor leads to StefanElena never knew how much any one of her allies heard of this message, sent by voice and telepathy. But ahead she heard a sound that to her was like choirs of angels singing.Saber was barking madly.Elena would never have been able to stop by herself. She was in a raging river of people and the raging river was taking her right somewhat the rampart made by four people, a falcon, and a mad-seeming dog.But eight hands reached out to her as she was swept by and a snarling, snapping equip leaped ahead of her to divide the crowd. Somehow she was being run into, bruised, cradled, shoved, and, grasped and grasping, forced all the way to the right wall.But Sage was looking at that same wall in despair. Madame, he tricked you There is no keyhole hereElenas throat went raw. She prepared to shout, Saber, heel, and go after the vampire.But then, just below her, Bonnies voice said, Of course there is. Its shaped like a circle.And Elena remembered.Smaller guards. similar imps or monkeys. Bonnies size.Bonnie, take this Shove it into the hole. Be careful Its the only one weve got.Sage immediately directed Saber to stand and snarl just ahead of Bonnie in the tunnel, to keep the stream of panicked demons and vampires from work her.Carefully, solemnly, Bonnie took the large key, examined it, cocked her head, turned it in her hands and placed it in the wall.Nothings happeningTry turning or pushing Clic k.The door slid open.Elena and her sort more or less fell into the corridor, while Saber stood between them and the herd pounding by, barking and snapping and leaping.Elena, lying on the ground, legs entwined with who-knew-who-elses, cupped a hand around her ring.The fox eyes shone straight ahead and a bit to the right.They were shine into a cell ahead.