The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Thirty-Three

Ethan was, categoric observed, totaly freaking out(p). The guys usual cheerful immobility had worn off, and he was supervising the initiation arrangements with the intensity of a dril sergeant.No he snarled from crossways the room. He darted all over and slapped the leg of a girl who was standing on a chair and weaving roses by authority of the welded metal V at the take in of the central arch.Ouch she yel ed, dropping the roses to the floor.Ethan, what is your difficulty?We dont put anything on the V, Lorelai, he told her coldly, and bent to pick up the f haplessers. You essential respect the symbols of the Vitale Society. Its a matter of honor.When our leader final y joins us, we essential demonstrate to him that we are disciplined, that we are capable. He shoved the roses back into her give. We dont do that by draping garbage al over the symbol of our organization. Lorelai stared at him. Im sorry. But I thought you were the leader of the Vitale Society, Ethan. Every iodin had stopped working to watch Ethans melt-down. Noticing that he was the concentrate on of attention, Ethan breathed deeply, clearly trying to regain his composure.Final y he addressed them al , biting off his words sharply. I am trying to prepare you al , and to prepare this chamber, for the initiation ceremony. For you. His vocalise was steadily rising as he glared around at them. And this is when I gibe that, despite al your promise, youre a bunch of incompetents. You cant even place a candle or mix some herbs without my help. Were running out of time, and I might as Welljust be doing everything myself. Matt glanced around at the early(a) pledges. Their faces were shocked and wary. Like him, al along they had been looking up to Ethan and were flattered and encourage by his praise. Now their role model had stooped on them, and no star seemed to know how to fight down. Chloe, setting out candles by the arch, was anxious, her lips pressed unneurotic tightly. She looke d quickly at Matt and then out, back toward Ethan.Just tel us what you want us to do, Ethan, Matt express, stepping forward. He tried to keep his voice level and soothing. Wel do our best to make everything perfect. Ethan glowered at him. You couldnt even find out your friend Stefan to join us, he verbalise bitterly. One simple task, and you failed.Hey, Matt said, offended. Thats not fair. I got Stefan to come talk to you. If hes not interested, thats his decision. He doesnt buzz off to join us.I question your commitment to the Vitale Society, Matt, Ethan said flatly. And the conversation with Stefan Salvatore is not over. He walked straight past Matt, glancing briefly at the rest of the pledges self-contained around him. T heres not much time, every integrity. Get back to work. Matt could find oneself the beginnings of a headache starting at his temples. For the first time, he wondered if maybe he didnt want to join the Vitale Society after al .I could have this door un u nlesstoned in a single second, Damon said irritably. Instead we stand here, waiting. Meredith sighed and careful y wiggled the bobby pin in the fling. If you draw the door open, Damon, theyl know right absent that someone broke into the campus protective cover responsibility. By picking the lock instead, we can keep a low profile. Okay? The bobby pin caught on something, and she careful y slid it upward, trying to turn it to ginger snap the pins of the lock so she could move the tumbler. Then the bobby pin bent, and she confounded the angle. She groaned and dug into her bag for another bobby pin. Twenty-seven weapons, she g scoldd. I brought twenty-seven fork weapons to col ege and not a single lock pick.Well, you couldnt be lively for everything, Elena said. What more or less using a credit card?Being alert for everything is sort of my job description, Meredith muttered. She sat back on her heels and stared at the door. The lock was pretty flimsy not only Damon but eith er she or Elena could have easily forced it open. And yes, a credit card or something similar probably would work just fine. Dropping the bobby pin into her open bag, she took out her wal et instead and found her student ID.The ID slid right into the crack mingled with the door and the doorjamb, she gave it a careful teeny wiggle, and, bingo, she was able to easily slue the lock back and pul the door open. Meredith smiled over her shoulder at Elena, arcuate one eyebrow. That was strangely satisfying, she said.Once they were inside and the door was locked again scum bag them, Meredith checked to make sure the windows were covered, then flicked on the lights.The security office was simply furnished white wal s, two desks, each with a computer, one with a forgotten half cup of coffee on top, and a filing cabinet. There was a dying plant on the windowsil , its leaves dry and browning.Were sure that none of the officers are press release to show up and catch us? Elena asked nervous ly.I told you, I checked their routine, Meredith answered.After eight oclock, al but one of the security guards on duty is patrol ing the campus. The one who isnt is sitting in the downstairs lobby of the administration building, keeping in radio contact with the others and helping students who lock themselves out of their dorms and stuff.Well, lets keep up it over with, Damon said. I dont particularly relish the idea of spending the whole change surface in this dismal little hole.His voice sounded both Wellbred and bored, as usual, but there was something different about him. He was standing very well-nigh to Elena, so close that his arm was brushing against hers, and, as Meredith watched, his hand came up to touch Elenas back very lightly, just with his fingertips. There was a fine secretive curve to his mouth, almost as if Damon was even more jocund with himself than usual.Well? he asked, gazing back at Meredith. What now, hunter?Elena stepped away from him and knelt in fron t of the filing cabinet before Meredith could answer, sliding the top drawer open. What was Samanthas last name? Her files probably under that. Dixon, Meredith told her, pushing away the little shock she kept getting whenever anyone referred to Samantha in the past tense. It was just shed been so ful of life. And Christophers was Nowicki.Elena rifled through the files in both drawers, pul ing out first one thick pamphlet and then a second. Got them. She opened Samanthas cusp and make a sick little sound in her throat. Theyre worse than I thought, she said, her voice shaking as she looked at pictures from the murder scene. She turned over a few pages. And heres the coroners report. It separates she died from blood loss.Let me see, Meredith said. She took the file and make herself oeuvre the crime scene pictures to see if she had missed anything when she was there. Her eyes kept flinching away from Sams poor defenseless body, so she swal owed hard and focused on the areas away from the body, the floor, the wal s of Samanthas room. Blood loss because she was kil ed by a lamia? Or because theres so much blood everywhere else? She was proud of how settle down her own voice was, steadier than Elenas anyway.She held out the folder toward Damon. What do you work out? she asked.Damon took the folder and studied the photos dispassionately, flipping a few pages to read the coroners report. Then he held out his hand to Elena for Christophers file and looked through that one as Well.I cant tel anything for certain, he said after a few minutes. Just like with the bodies I found, they could have been kil ed by werewolves, who are primitive like this. Or it could have been sloppy vampires. Demons, easily. Even humans could do this, if they were sufficiently motivated. Elena made a soft sound of denial, and Damon flashed his bril iant sudden grin at her. Oh, dont provide that humans can come up with far more inventive means of violence than some simple hungry monst ers do, sweetheart. Serious again, he looked down at the photographs once more. I can tel you, though, that more than one creature or person was responsible.His finger traced a line across one of the pictures, and Meredith forced herself to look. Bloodstains were spattered in wide arcs across the room, beyond Samanthas outstretched arms. See the way the blood sprayed here? Damon asked. Someone held her hands and someone else held her feet, and at least one other, maybe more, kil ed her. He flipped open Christophers folder again.Same thing. This might be evidence that werewolves are the culprits, since they like to travel in packs, but it isnt firm proof. You can get groups of almost anything. Even vampires theyre not al as self-sufficient as I am.Matt saw only one person or whatever near Chriss body, though, Elena pointed out. And he got there real y short after Christopher screamed.Damon waved a disparaging hand. So they were fast, he said. A vampire could do it before a human had time to even react to the scream. Almost anything supernatural could. Speed comes with the package.Meredith shuddered. A whole pack of something, she said numbly. One would have been bad enough.A packs much worse, Damon agreed. Are you develop to go now?Wed better check and see if theres anything else and then light-headed up, Elena said. Do you want to stand guard outside? I savour like were real y tempting fate by staying here so long. You could give some kind of signal if you see someone coming or use your Power to get rid of them. amuse?Damon smiled at her flirtatiously. Il be your watchdog, princess, but only because its you.Meredith waited until he left to say dryly, Speaking of dogs, remember when Damon kil ed Bonnies pet pug? Elena opened the top file drawer again and started going through it methodical y. I dont want to talk about this, Meredith. It was Katherine who kil ed Yangtze, anyway.I just dont think you realize what youre getting into here, Meredith said. D amons not terrific relationship material.Elenas hands faltered in their efficient progress. I dont its not like that, she said. Its not a relationship, I dont want a relationship with anyone but Stefan. Meredith frowned, confused. Well, then, what Its complicated, Elena said. I care about Damon, you know that. Im seeing where things might go with him.Theres something between us, there forever has been.With Stefan gone her voice cracked I have to give it a chance. Just just let it alone for now, okay? She picked up Samanthas folder to put it back in the drawer. Her lips were trembling, and Meredith was about to pursue the subject she wasnt going to let it alone. Not when Elena was upset and somehow complicated more involved than she had been before with Damon the dangerous vampire. But Elena interrupted her. Huh, she said. What do you think this means?Meredith craned to see what she was talking about, and Elena pointed. On the inside front of Samanthas file was compose a lar ge black V. She picked up Christophers file.This one, too, she said, showing Elena.Vampires? Elena asked. The Vitale Society? What else starts with V and might have to do with these murders?I dont know, Meredith started to say, when they suddenly heard the rumble of a car engine pul ing up outside the building. A sibilant caw came through the window.Thats Damon, Elena said, shoving Christophers file back into the cabinet. If we dont want him to have to restrict the whole security force, wed better get out of here fast.