'The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Forty-Two\r'

'Elena, Stefan, and Damon headed toward Elenas dorm together, and tension thrummed aggressively between them.\r\nElena had taken Stefans hand automatical y as they walked, and he had stiffened and then gradual y relaxed, so that now his hand felt natural in hers.\r\nThings werent back the carriage they had been between them, not yet. further Stefans green eyes were ful of a shy devotion when they looked at her, and Elena knew she could make things right. Something had shifted in Stefan when Damon came to rescue him, when Elena undo him and told him how sorry she was. Maybe Stefan moreover needed to go through that whatever was between her and Damon, he was first for her. No one was shutting him break.\r\nElena unlocked her door, and they al went inside. It had been sole(prenominal) a few hours since she was last there, entirely so much had happened that it seemed equivalent somewhere from a bulky time ago, the posters and clothes and Bonnies teddy bear al relics of a lost civilization.\r\nâ€Å"Oh, Stefan,” Elena said, â€Å"Im so lucky that youre safe.” She reached out and wrapped her harness around him and, just like when she took his hand, he tensed for a moment forrader hugging her back.\r\nâ€Å"Im glad that both of you are safe,” she amended, and looked at Damon. His black eyes met hers cool y, and she knew that, without their having to discuss it, he understood that things werent spill to go on the way they had been.\r\nShe loved Stefan. She had chosen.\r\nWhen Stefan told them of Ethans plan to take both of the pals pitch and use it to resurrect Klaus, she was horrified. not just because of the endangerment Stefan had been in, or because of the terrifying idea of Klaus alive again, and no doubt vengeful against them, but because of the trap Ethan had move for Damon. He had planned to take the best of Damon †the reluctant, lots marred, but stil strong love he had for his brother †and use it to destroy h im.\r\nâ€Å"Im eternal y glad youre both okay,” she said again, and reached out to hug Damon, too.\r\nDamon came into her arms wil ingly, but, as she squeezed him tightly, he winced.\r\nâ€Å"Whats wrong?” Elena asked, puzzled, and Damon frowned.\r\nâ€Å"Ethan cut me,” he said, the frown reverseing into a grimace of pain. â€Å"Im just a detailed sore.” He tugged at his shirt, finger a torn edge, and pul ed it up, exposing a belted ammunition of wan taut skin. Against the white skin Elena truism the long cut was already healing.\r\n â€Å"Its nothing,” Damon said. He ray Elena a wicked smile. â€Å"A little pledge from a wil ing donor and Il be as pricy as new, I promise.”\r\nShe shook her head at him reprovingly, but didnt answer.\r\nâ€Å"Good night, Elena,” Stefan said, and brushed her cheek thinly with the back of his hand. â€Å"Good morning, real y, I guess, but try to get some sleep.”\r\nâ€Å"Are you going a fter the vampires?” she asked anxiously. â€Å"Be careful.” Damon laughed.\r\nâ€Å"Il make sure he takes care with the nasty vampires,” he said. â€Å"Poor Elena. typical life isnt going so Well, is it?” Elena sighed. That was the problem, wasnt it? Damon would neer visualize why she wanted to be an ordinary person. He thought of her as his dark princess, wanted her to be like him, to be better than ordinary people. Stefan didnt esteem she was a dark princess; he thought she was a human being.\r\nBut was she? She thought briefly of tel ing them roughly the Guardians and the secrets of her birth, but she just couldnt. Not right now. Not yet. Damon wouldnt know why it upset her. And Stefan was so pale and tired after his ordeal with the vervain-soaked ropes that she couldnt bring herself to heart him with her fears about the Guardians.\r\nAs she thought this, Stefan staggered, just a fraction, and Damon reached out automatical y to steady him.\r\nâ₠¬Å"Thank you,” Stefan said, â€Å"For glide path to save me. Both of you.”\r\nâ€Å"Il always save you, little brother,” Damon said, but he was looking at Elena, and she comprehend the echo of when he had said the same oral communication to her. â€Å"Even though I might be better off without you,” Damon added.\r\nStefan gave a tired smile. â€Å" clip to go,” he said.\r\nâ€Å"I love you, Stefan.” Elena brushed her lips against his buggyly.\r\nDamon gave her a brief nod, his face neutral. â€Å"Sleep Well,” he said.\r\n indeed the door was closed behind her, and Elena was alone. Her bed had never looked more comfortable or inviting, and she lay stamp out with a sigh, looking up at the soft light that was beginning to break through the window.\r\nThe Vitale partnership was gone. Ethans plan had been stopped. The campus was safer, and a new day was dawning. Stefan had forgiven her, and Damon didnt leave, didnt turn against them.\r \nIt was, for now, the best she could hope for. Elena closed her eyes and fel wil ingly at rest(prenominal) at last. Tomorrow would be another day.\r\n'