darkest and most shameful thoughts. Could the others even hear it? Or was it speaking straight into his mind?
He risked a glance around. They al - Meredith, Celia, Alaric, Mrs. Flowers - stood stil as statues, staring at Jealousy. Behind them, the makeshift beds lay empty. When the three sleepers' astral forms had entered the circle with the phantom, their bodies must have somehow joined them, making them solid within the inner circle.
"He came to Elena," the phantom taunted. "He kept his resurrection a secret from you so that he could pursue her. Damon didn't worry for a moment about how you felt about his death. And while you were busy mourning him, he was busy visiting Elena's bedroom."
Stefan reeled backward.
"He always wants what you have, and you know it," the phantom continued, its translucent lips curving in a smile.
"It's been true since you were mortals. Remember how he came home from university and stole Katherine away from you? He used al his charms on her, just because he knew you loved her. Even with the smal things: If you had a toy, he'd take it. If you wanted a horse, he'd ride it. If there was a piece of meat on the platter between you, he'd take it even if he wasn't hungry, just so you wouldn't get it."
Stefan shook his head slowly from side to side, again feeling too slow, like he had once again missed the important moment. Damon had been visiting Elena? When he had cried on her shoulder about his fal en brother, had Elena known Damon was alive?
"But you thought you could trust Elena, didn't you, Stefan?" Elena turned to stare at him, her cheeks pale beneath their coating of ash. She looked sick and apprehensive.
"No, Stefan - " Elena started to say, but the phantom went swiftly on, its words soothingly spoken poison. Stefan knew what it was doing. He wasn't a fool. Yet he felt himself nodding, agreeing, a slow red anger rising inside him despite his more rational self's struggle against it.
"Elena kept his secret from you, Stefan. She knew you were in pain and that knowing Damon was alive would have eased that suffering, but stil she kept silent, because Damon asked her to, and what Damon wanted was more important than helping you. Elena's always wanted both of the Salvatore brothers. It's funny, real y, Stefan, how you're never quite enough for the women you love. This isn't the first time Elena's chosen Damon over you, is it?"
Elena shook her head, but Stefan could barely see her through the tide of fury and misery rising up inside him.
"Secrets and lies," the phantom went on merrily, with an icy tinkling laugh, "and foolish Stefan Salvatore always a few steps behind. You've known al along there was something between Elena and Damon that you weren't part of, Stefan, and yet you would never have suspected she'd betray you for him."
Damon seemed to snap out of his daze, as if suddenly hearing the phantom for the first time. His brows drew into a heavy frown and he slowly turned his head to stare at it. He opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, something in Stefan broke, and before Damon could issue whatever denial or taunt was on the tip of his tongue, Stefan lunged forward with a shout of rage, plunging straight through the chalked diagram. Faster than the human eye could fol ow, Stefan knocked Damon backward out of the circle and threw him against the far wal of the garage.
Chapter 33
"Stop!" Elena screamed. "Stefan! Stop it! You'l kil him!"
Even as she said it, she realized that kil ing Damon might be exactly what Stefan's idea was here. Stefan tore at Damon with his teeth and hands, not pummeling him, but ripping feral y, with fangs and claws. Stefan, his body in a vicious primal crouch, his canines extended, his face distorted by a snarl of animal fury, had never looked more like a bloodthirsty vampire.
And behind Elena as she watched them, that seductive, chil ing voice went on, tel ing Stefan that he would lose everything, just like he always lost everything. That Damon took everything from him and then tossed it carelessly, cruel y aside, because Damon simply wanted to ruin whatever Stefan had.
Elena turned and, too frightened by what Stefan was doing to Damon to have any fear left of the phantom, slammed it with her fists. After a moment, Matt and Bonnie