The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 12

Elena checked the edges of the hotel rooms draperies for signs of dawn. decorous was curled up, drowsing in a chair by the window. Elena and Meredith had been up all nighttime, and without delay they were surround by scattered printouts, newspapers, and pictures from the Internet.Its already spread beyond Fells Church, Meredith explained, pointing to an article in one of the papers. I dont k zero(prenominal) if its fol depleteding ley lines, or being find outled by Shinichi or is on the dot moving on its own, equivalent any parasite.Did you attack to contact Alaric?Meredith glanced at Bonnies sleeping figure. She spoke softly, Thats the good news. Id been trying to possess him forever, and I last managed. Hell be arriving in Fells Church soon he just has one more cube first.Elena drew her breath in. oneness more stop thats more important than whats sacking on in that townsfolk?Thats why I didnt class Bonnie about him coming. Or Matt either. I knew they wouldnt under wrack. but Ill give you one guess as to what kind of legends hes following up in the Far East. Meredith fixed baleful eyes on Elenas.Notit is, isnt it? Kitsune?Yes, and hes going to a very quaint place where they were supposed to wee destroyed the town just as Fells Church is being destroyed. Nobody lives there at one time. That name Unmei no Shima center the Island of Doom. Maybe hell find nearthing important about fox spirits there. Hes doing just about kind of multicultural independent study with Sabrina Dell. Shes Alarics age, but shes already a famous forensic anthropologist.And youre non desirous? Elena utter awkwardly. Personal issues were knotty to talk about with Meredith. Asking her questions always felt like prying.Well. Meredith tilted rear end her head. It isnt as if we have any formal engagement. just now you neer told anybody about all this.Meredith lowered her head and gave Elena a quick look. I have now, she express.For a moment the girls sat toge ther in silence. therefore Elena said quietly, The Shi no Shi, the kitsune, Isobel Saitou, Alaric and his Island of Doom they may not have anything to do with each other. plainly if they do, Im going to find out what it is.And Im going to help, Meredith said simply. But I had thought that after I graduatedElena couldnt stand it anymore. Meredith, I promise, as soon as we get Stefan back and the town calmed down, well pin Alaric down with invents A finished Z, she said. She leaned forward and kissed Merediths cheek. Thats a velociraptor sistership oath, okay?Meredith blinked twice, swallowed once, and whispered, Okay. past, abruptly, she was her old efficient self again. convey you, she said. But cleaning up the town office not be such an comfort commensurate job. Its already heading toward mass chaos there.And Matt wanted to be in the middle of it all? Alone? Elena asked.Like we said, he and Mrs. Flowers ar a solid team, Meredith said quietly. And its what hes chosen.Wel l, Elena said drily, he may forge out to have the better deal in the end, after all.They went back to the scattered papers. Meredith picked up several pictures of kitsune guarding shrines in Japan.It rates theyre usually depicted with a jewel or key. She held up a picture of a kitsune holding a key in its mouth at the main gate of the Fushimi Shrine.Aha, Elena said. Looks like the keys got two wings, doesnt it?Exactly what Bonnie and I thought. And the jewelswell, take a fill up look. Elena did and her stomach lurched. Yes, they were like the snow globe orbs that Shinichi had used to create shatterproof traps in the Old Wood.We found theyre called hoshi no tama, Meredith said. And that translates to star balls. Each kitsune puts a measure of their power into one, along with other things, and destroying the ball is one of the wholly ways to kill them. If you find a kitsunes star ball, you can control the kitsune. Thats what Bonnie and I want to do.But how do you find it? Elena a sked, worked up by the idea of controlling Shinichi and Misao.Sa Meredith said, pronouncing the reciprocation sah like a sigh. Then she gave one of her r be brilliant smiles. In Japanese, that means I oddment hmm wouldnt want to comment my gosh, golly, I really couldnt say. We could use a word like that in English.Despite herself, Elena giggled.But, wherefore, other stories say that kitsune can be killed by the Sin of Regret or by b littleed weapons. I dont bed what the Sin of Regret is, but She rummaged in her luggage, and came up with an outmoded but serviceable-looking revolver.MeredithIt was my grandpas one of a pair. Matts got the other one. Theyre loaded with bullets blessed by a priest.What priest would bless bullets, for Gods sake? Elena demanded.Merediths smile turned bleak. bingle thats seen whats happening in Fells Church. You remember how Caroline got Isobel Saitou possessed, and what Isobel did to herself?Elena nodded. I remember, she said tautly.Well, do you remember how we told you that Obaasan Grandma Saitou used to be a shrine world-class? Thats a Japanese priestess. She blessed the bullets for us, all right, and specifically for killing kitsune. You should have seen how spooky the ritual was. Bonnie almost fainted again.Do you know how Isobel is doing now?Meredith shook her dark head slowly. Better but I dont gauge she even knows about Jim yet. Thats going to be very tough on her.Elena tried to quell a shudder. There was nothing but cataclysm in store for Isobel even when she got well. Jim Bryce, her boy assistant, had spent only one night with Caroline, but now had Lesch-Nye disease or so the doctors said. In that alike dreadful night that Isobel had pierced herself everywhere, and cut her tongue so that it forked, Jim, a hired handsome star basketball player, had eaten away his fingers and his lips. In Elenas opinion they were two possessed and their injuries were only more reasons why the kitsune twins had to be stopped .Well do it, she said a chintzy, realizing for the first time that Meredith was holding her hand as if Elena were Bonnie. Elena managed a faint but determined smile for Meredith. Well get Stefan out and well stop Shinichi and Misao. We have to do it.This time it was Meredith who nodded.Theres more, she said at last. You want to receive it?I need to know everything.Well, every single source I checked agrees that kitsune possess girls and then lead boys to destruction. What kind of destruction depends on where you look. It can be as simple as appearing as a lead-o-the-wisp and leading you into a swamp or attain a cliff, or as difficult as shapeshifting.Oh, yes, Elena said tightly. I knew that from what happened to you and Bonnie. They can look exactly like someone.Yes, but always with some small flaw if you have the wits to notice it. They can never make a perfect replicate. But they can have up to nine tails, and the more tails they have, the better at everything they are.Nine? Te rrific. Weve never even seen a nine-tailed one.Well, we may get to yet. Theyre supposed to be able to cross over freely from one world to another. Oh, yes. And theyre specifically in charge of the Kimon approach between dimensions. Want to guess what that translates to?Elena stared at her. Oh, no. Oh, yes.But why would Damon take us all the way across the country, just to get in through a Demon penetration thats run by fox spirits?SaBut when Matt told us you were headed to someplace near Sedona, that was really what decided Bonnie and me.Great. Elena ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Anything else? she asked, feeling like a rubber band that had been stretched to its utmost. unaccompanied this, which ought to really bake your cookies after all weve been through. Some of them are good. Kitsune, I mean.Some of them are good good what? goodish fighters? Good assassins? Good liars?No, really, Elena. Some of them are supposed to be like gods and goddesses who sort of sort y ou, and if you pass the test they reward you.Do you suppose we should count on finding one like that?Not really.Elena dropped her head to the coffee send back where Merediths printouts were scattered. Meredith, seriously, how are we going to deal with them when we go through that Demon Gate? My Power is about as reliable as a low battery. And its not just the kitsune its all the different demons and vampires Old Ones, too What are we going to do?She raised her head and looked deeply into the eyes of her friend those dark eyes that she had never been able to classify as this polish or that.To her surprise, Meredith instead of looking sober, tossed back the dregs of a victuals Coke and smiled.No Plan A yet?Wellmayhap just an idea. Nothing definite yet. What about you?A few that might qualify for Plans B and C. So what were going to do is what we always do try our best and fall all over ourselves and make mistakes until you do something brilliant and save us all.Merry Meredith blinked. Elena knew why she hadnt used that trivial for Meredith for more years than she could remember. None of the three girls liked pet name or used them. Elena went on very seriously, holding Merediths eyes, Theres nothing I want more than to save everybody everybody from these kitsune bastards. Id give my life for Stefan and all of you. Butthis time it may be somebody else who takes the bullet.Or the stake. I know. Bonnie knows. We talked about it while we were aviateing here. But were still with you, Elena. You have to know that. Were all with you.There was only one way to reply to that. Elena gripped Merediths hand in both of hers. Then she let out her breath, and, like probing an aching tooth, tried to get news on a peeled subject. Does Matt did he well, how was Matt when you left?Meredith glanced at her sideways. Not a great deal got past Meredith. He seemed okay, but distracted. He would go off into these fits where hed just stare at nothing, and he wouldnt hea r you if you spoke to him.Did he tell you why he left?Wellsort of. He said that Damon was hypnotizing you and that you werent werent doing all you could to stop him. But hes a boy and boys get jealous No, he was right about what he saw. Its just that Ive gotten to know Damon a little better. And Matt doesnt like that.Um-hm. Meredith was watching her from under lowered eyelids, still breathing, as if Elena was a bird that mustnt be disturbed or shed fly away.Elena laughed. Its nothing bad, she said. At least I dont think so. Its just thatin some ways Damon needs help even more than Stefan did when he first came to Fells Church.Merediths eyebrows shot up, but all she said was, Um-hm.AndI think that really Damons a lot more like Stefan than he lets on.Merediths eyebrows stayed up. Elena finally looked at her. She opened her mouth once or twice and then she just stared at Meredith. Im in trouble, arent I? she said helplessly.If all this comes from less than one week riding in a car with himthen, yes. But we have to remember that women are Damons specialty. And he thinks hes in love with you.No, he really is Elena began, and then she caught her lower lip between her teeth. Oh, God, this is Damon were talking about. I am in trouble.Lets just watch and see what happens, Meredith said sensibly. Hes unquestionably changed, too. Before, he would have just told you that your friends couldnt come and that was it. Today he stuck close to and listened.Yes. I just have to to be on my guard from now on, Elena said, a little unsteadily. How was she going to help the child inside Damon without get closer to him? And how would she explain all she might need to do to Stefan?She sighed.Itll probably be all right, Bonnie muttered sleepily. Meredith and Elena both turned to look at her and Elena felt a chill go up her spine. Bonnie was seance propped up, but her eyes were shut and her voice was indistinct. The real question is what will Stefan say about that night at th e motel with Damon?What? Elenas voice was sharp and loud enough to awaken any sleeper. But Bonnie didnt stir.What happened what night at what motel? Meredith demanded. When Elena didnt answer immediately, she caught Elenas arm and swung her so that they were face-to-face.At last Elena looked at her friend. But her eyes, she knew, gave away nothing.Elena, whats she talking about? What happened with Damon?Elena still kept her face abruptly expressionless, and used a word shed learned just that night. SaElena, youre impossible Youre not going to dump Stefan after you rescue him, are you?No, of course not Elena was hurt. Stefan and I belong together forever.But still you spent a night with Damon where something happened between you.SomethingI guess.And that something was?Elena smiled apologetically. SaIll get it out of him Ill put him on the defensive.You can make a Plan A and Plan B and all, Elena said. But it wont help. Shinichi took his memories away. Meredith, Im sorry you dont k now how sorry. But I swore that zilch would ever know. She looked up at the taller girl, feeling tears pool in her eyes. Cant you just once let me leave it that way?Meredith sank bank. Elena Gilbert, the world is roaring there is only one of you. You are the She paused, as if deciding whether to say the words or not. Then she said, Its time to get to bed. Dawn is going to come early and so is the Demon Gate.Merry?What now?Thank you.