The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 3

Time stopped. Elena found that she was instinctively groping for the estimation of the wizard who was kissing her so sweetly. She had never really appreciated a kiss until she had died, become a spirit, and indeed been re morose to earth with an melody that revealed the hidden meaning of other peoples thoughts, words, and yet their minds and soulfulnesss. It was as if she had gained a beautiful spic-and-span sense. When two auras mingled as deeply as this, two souls were laid b ar to each other.Semi-consciously, Elena let her aura expand, and met a mind almost at once. To her surprise, it recoiled from her. That wasnt right. She managed to snag it come off of the closet front it could retreat behind a gravid hard stone, kindred a boulder. The whole things go forth outside the boulder which reminded her of a picture of a meteorite she had seen, with a pocked, charred surface were rudimentary brain functions, and a minor boy, chained to the rock by twain wrists and bo th ankles.Elena was shocked. Whatever she was seeing, she knew it was a metaphor lone around(prenominal), and that she should non judge too quickly what the metaphor meant. The images before her were really the signs of Damons naked soul, but in a form that her own mind could understand and interpret, if only she catched at it from the right perspective.Instinctively, though, she knew that she was seeing something important. She had come through the breathless delight and dizzying sweetness of joining her soul to anothers. And now, her inherent love and concern drove her to try to communicate.Are you cold? she asked the electric razor, whose chains were long abundant to allow him to wrap his coat of arms tightly most his drawn-up legs. He was clothed in ragged black.He nodded silently. His huge dark eyes seemed to swallow up his face.Where do you belong? Elena say doubtfully, persuasion of ways to rent the child warm. Not at heart that? She made a gesture toward the gia nt stone boulder.The child nodded again. Its warmer in there, but he wont let me inside any more(prenominal).He? Elena was always on the picket for signs of Shinichi, that malicious fox spirit. Which he, darling? She had already knelt and taken the child in her arms, and he was cold, wish-wash cold, and the put right was freezing.Damon, the little ragamuffin boy whispered. For the maiden time the boys eyes left her face, to glance fearfully more or less him.Damon did this? Elenas voice started loud and ended up as soft as the boys whisper, as he turned pleading eyes on her and desperately patted at her lips, analogous a velvet-clawed kitten.This is all however symbols, Elena reminded herself. Its Damons mind his soul that youre looking at. only when are you? an analytical part of her asked suddenly. Wasnt there a time before, when you did this with soulfulness and you saw a world inside them, entire landscapes full of love and moonlit beauty, all of it stand for the no rmal, healthy workings of an ordinary, extraordinary mind. Elena couldnt remember the name of the person now, but she remembered the beauty. She knew that her own mind would use of goods and services such symbols to present itself to another person.No, she realized abruptly and definitively she was not seeing Damons soul. Damons soul was somewhere inside that huge, heavy ball of rock. He lived cramped inside that hideous thing, and he motiveed it that way. both that was left outside was some ancient memory from his childhood, a boy who had been banished from the bear of his soul.If Damon put you here, whence who are you? Elena asked slowly, testing her theory, while taking in the black-on-black eyes of the child, and the dark hair and the features she knew even if they were so young.Im Damon, the little boy whispered, white around the lips.Maybe even revealing that much was painful, Elena thought. She didnt penury to hurt this symbol of Damons childhood. She fatalityed him t o feel the sweetness and comfort that she was feeling. If Damons mind had been like a house, she would have wanted to estimable it up, and fill e really room with flowers and starlight. If it had been a landscape she would have put a halo around the full white moon, or rainbows amongst the clouds. only instead it presented itself as a starving child chained to a ball that no one could breach, and she wanted to comfort and soothe the child.She cradled the little boy, rubbing his arms and legs hard and nestling him against her spirit body.At origin he felt tense and wary in her arms. But after a little time, when nothing terrible happened as a result of their contact, he relaxed and she felt his small body go warm and drowsy and heavy in her arms. She herself felt a crushingly sweet protectiveness about the little creature.In just a some minutes, the child in her arms was asleep, and Elena thought that there was the faintest ghost of a smile on his lips. She cuddled his little bod y, rocking him gently, smiling herself. She was thinking of someone who had held her when shed cried. psyche who was was not forgotten, never forgotten but who made her throat ache with sadness. Someone so important it was desperately important that she remember him now, now and that sheshe had toto findAnd whence suddenly the unruffled night of Damons mind was split open by audio, by light, and by energies that even Elena, young as she was in the ways of Power, knew had been kindled by the memory of a single name.Stefan.Oh, God, she had forgotten him she had actually, for a few minutes allowed herself to be drawn into something that meant for nab outting him. The anguish of all those lonely late-night hours, sitting and pouring out her brokenheartedness and fear to her diary and then the peace and comfort that Damon had offered had actually made her for stick out Stefan to forget what he might be suffering at this very moment.No no Elena was struggling alone in darkn ess. Let go I have to find I passelt believe that I forgot Elena. Damons voice was cool and gentle or at least unemotional. If you keep jerking around like that youre sacking to get free and its a long way to the ground.Elena opened her eyes, all her memories of rocks and little children flying away, scattering like white dandelion silk in every direction. She looked at Damon accusingly.You you Yes, Damon said composedly. Blame it on me. Why not? But I did not Influence you, and I did not bite you. I merely kissed you. Your Powers did the rest they may be uncontrollable, but theyre extremely compelling all the same. Frankly, I never intended to get sucked in so deeply if youll forgive a pun.His voice was light, but Elena had a sudden inner(a) vision of a weeping child, and she wondered if he were really as indifferent as he seemed.But thats his speciality, isnt it? she thought, suddenly bitter. He gives out dreams, fancies, pleasure that stays in the minds of hisdonors. Elena knew that the girls and young women that Damonpreyed onadored him, their only complaint being that he didnt visit them often enough.I understand, Elena said to him as they drifted closer to the ground. But this cant happen again. Theres only one person that I can kiss, and thats Stefan.Damon opened his mouth, but just then there was the sound of a voice that was as furious and accusing as Elena had been, and which didnt care about the consequences. Elena remembered the other person shed forgotten.DAMON, YOU BASTARD, BRING HER DOWN bland.Elena and Damon came to a twirling, elegant stop, right beside the Jaguar. sluggishness immediately ran to Elena and snatched her away, examining her as if she had been in an accident, with particular attention to her neck. Once again Elena was uncomfortably aware of being dressed in a lacy white nightgown in the presence of two boys.Im fine, honestly, she said to planeness. Im just a little bit dizzy. Ill be better in a few minutes.Matt let out a breath of relief. He might not still be in love with her as he once had been, but Elena knew he cared deeply about her and always would. He cared about her as his friend Stefans girlfriend, and also on her own merits. She knew he would never forget the time they had been together.More, he believed in her. So right now, when she promised that she was all right, he believed that. He was even willing to give Damon a look that wasnt completely hostile.And then both of the boys headed for the tantalizers side door of the Jag.Oh, no, Matt said. You drove yesterday and look what happened You said it yourself there are vampires trailing us Youre saying its my fault? Vampires are tracing this fire-engine-red-paint-job giant and its someway my doing?Matt simply looked stubborn his jaw clenched, his tanned skin flushed. Im saying we should take turns. Youve had your turn.I dont regain anything ever being said about taking turns. Damon managed to give the word an inflection that made it sound like some rather wicked activity. And if I go in a car, I drive the car.Elena cleared her throat. Neither of them even noticed her.Im not getting into a car if youre driving Matt said furiously.Im not getting into a car if youre driving Damon said laconically.Elena cleared her throat more loudly, and Matt finally remembered her existence.Well, Elena cant be expected to drive us all the way to wherever were expiry, he said, before she could even suggest the possibility. Unless were going to get there today, he added, looking at Damon sharply.Damon move his dark head. No. Im taking the scenic route. And the fewer people who cope where were going the safer were going to be. You cant itemise if you dont know.Elena felt as if someone had just lightly touched the hairs on the back of her neck with an ice cube. The way Damon said those wordsBut theyll already know where were going, wont they? she asked, shaking herself back to practicality. They know we want to rescue Stefan, and they know where Stefan is.Oh, yes. Theyll know were trying to get into the Dark Dimension. But by what gate? And when? If we can lose them the only thing we need to worry about is Stefan and the prison guards.Matt looked around. How many furnish are there?Thousands. Wherever three ley lines cross, theres the potential for a gate. But since the Europeans drove the Native Americans out of their homes, most of the gates arent used or maintained as they were in the old days. Damon shrugged.But Elena was chill all over with excitement, with anxiety. Why dont we just find the nearest gate and go through it, then?Travel all the way to the prison underground? Look, you dont understand at all. First of all, you need me with you to get you into a gate and even then it isnt going to be pleasant.Not pleasant for who? Us or you? Matt asked grimly.Damon gave him a long, blank look. If you tried on your own it would be briefly and terminally grim for you. With me, it should be uncomfortab le but a matter of routine. And as for what its like traveling for even a few days ware there well, youll see for yourselves, eventually, Damon said, with an odd smile. And it would take much, much longer than going by a main gate.Why? Matt demanded always ready to ask questions that Elena really, really didnt want to know the answers to.Because its either jungle, where five-foot leeches dropping from the trees are going to be the least of your worries, or wasteland, where any foe can spot you and everyone is your enemy.There was a pause while Elena thought hard. Damon looked serious. Clearly, he really didnt want to do it and not many things bothered Damon. He liked fighting. More, if it would only waste timeAll right, Elena said slowly. Well go on with your plan.Immediately, both boys reached for the drivers side door handle again.Listen, Elena said without looking at either of them. I am going to drive my Jaguar down to the next town. But premier I am going to get in it a nd get changed into real clothes and maybe even catch a few minutes of sleep. Matt will want to find a expect or something where he can clean up. And then Im going to whatever town is closest for some brunch. After that the bickering can begin anew, Damon finished for her. You do that, darling. Ill meet you at whatever fatty spoon youve selected.Elena nodded. Youre sure youll be able to find us? I am trying to hold my aura down, really.Listen, a fire-engine-red Jaguar in whatever flyspeck of a town you find down this road is going to be as conspicuous as a UFO, Damon said.Why doesnt he just come with Matts voice trailed off. Somehow, although it was his deepest grievance against Damon, he often managed to forget that Damon was a vampire.So youre going to go down there first and find some young girl walking to summer school, Matt said, his blue eyes seeming to darken. And youre going to swoop down on her and take her away where no one can hear her screaming and then youre going to pull her head back and youre going to sink your teeth into her throat.There was a fairly long pause. Then Damon said in a slightly injured tone, Am not.Thats what you people do. You did it to me.Elena saw the need for really drastic intervention the truth. Matt, Matt, it wasnt Damon who did that. It was Shinichi. You know that. She gently took Matt by the forearms and turned him until he was facing her.For a long moment Matt wouldnt look at her. Time stretched and Elena began to fear that he was beyond her reach. But then at snuff it he lifted his head so that she could look into his eyes.All right, he said softly. Ill go along with it. But you know that hes going off to drink human blood.From a willing donor Damon, who had very good hearing, shouted.Matt exploded again. Because you make them willing You hypnotize them No, I dont. or Influence them, or whatever. How would you like it Behind Matts back, Elena was now making furious go-away motions at Damon, as if she were sh ooing a flock of chickens. At first Damon just raised an eyebrow at her, but then he shrugged elegantly and obeyed, his form blurring as he took the shape of a crow and rapidly became a dot in the rising sun.Do you think, Elena said quietly, that you could get rid of your stake? Its just going to make Damon completely paranoid.Matt looked over but at her and then finally he nodded. Ill dump it when I go downhill to wash, he said, looking at his muddy legs grimly.Anyway, he added, you get in the car and try to get some sleep. You look like you need it.Wake me up in a couple hours, Elena said without the first idea that in a couple hours she was going to regret this more than she could say.