Behind her, Elena heard - and felt - Damon jumping catlike over the gap.
Elena raised her eyes to stare at the back of Stefan's head again. She couldn't compass al the emotions she was feeling at that moment: love, terror, awe, excitement - and, of course, gratitude, al at once.
She didn't dare turn her head to look at Damon behind her, but she felt exactly the same things for him.
"A few more steps,"he kept saying. "A few more steps."
A brief eternity later, they were on solid ground, facing a medium-sized cavern, and Elena fel to her knees. She was sick and faint, but she tried to thank Damon as he passed by her on the snowy mountain trail.
"You were in my way,"he said shortly and as coldly as the wind. "If you had fal en you might have upset the entire bridge. And I don't happen to feel like dying today."
"What are you saying to her? What did you just say?"Stefan, who had been out of earshot, came hurrying back. "What did he say to you?"
Damon, examining his palm for creeper thorns, said without looking up, "I told her the truth, that's al . So far she's zero for two on this quest. Let's hope that as long as you make it through they let you in the Gatehouse, because if they're grading on performance we've flunked. Or should I say, one of us has flunked?"
"Shut up or I'll shut you up," Stefan said in a different voice than Elena had ever heard him use before. She stared. It was as if he'd grown ten years in one second. "Don't you ever talk to her or about her that way again, Damon!"
Damon stared at him for a moment, pupils contracted. Then he said, "Whatever,"and strol ed away.
Stefan bent down to hold Elena until her shaking stopped.
And that's that, Elena thought. An ice-cold rage gripped her.
Damon had no respect for her at all; he had none for anyone but himself. She couldn't protect Bonnie from Bonnie's own feelings - or stop him from insulting her. She couldn't stop Bonnie for forgiving. But she, Elena, was done with Damon.
This last insult was the end.
The fog came in again as they walked through the cavern.
Chapter 32
"Damon doesn't mean to be such a - a bastard,"Bonnie said explosively. "He's just - so often he feels like it's the three of us against him - and - and - "
"Well, who started that? Even back riding the thurgs,"Stefan said.
"I know, but there's something else,"Bonnie said humbly.
"Since it's only snow and rock and ice - he's - I don't know.
He's al tight. Something's wrong."
"He's hungry,"Elena said, stricken by a sudden realization.
Since the thurgs there had been nothing for the two vampires to hunt. They couldn't exist, like foxes, on insects and mice.
Of course Lady Ulma had provided plenty of Black Magic for them, the only thing that even resembled a substitute for blood. But their supply was dwindling, and of course, they had to think of the trip back, as well .
Suddenly Elena knew what would do her good.
"Stefan,"she murmured, pul ing him into a nook in the craggy stone of the cave entrance. She pushed off her hood and unrol ed her scarf enough to expose one side of her neck.
"Don't make me say 'please'too many times,"she whispered to him. "I can't wait that long."
Stefan looked into her eyes, saw that she was serious - and determined - and kissed one of her mittened hands.
"It's been long enough now, I think - no, I'm sure, or I would never even attempt this,"he whispered. Elena tipped her head back. Stefan stood between her and the wind and she was almost warm. She felt the little initial pain and then Stefan was drinking and their minds slid together like two raindrops on a glass window.
He took very little blood. Just enough to make the difference in his eyes between Stillgreen pools and sparkling, effervescent streams.
But then his gaze went Stillagain. "Damon..."he said, and paused awkwardly.
What could Elena say? I just severed al ties with him? They were supposed to help one another along these trials; to show their wit and courage. If she refused, would she fail again?
"Send him quick then,"she said. "Before I change my mind."
Five minutes later Elena was again tucked into the little nook, while Damon turned her head back and forth with dispassionate precision, then suddenly darted forward and sank his fangs into a prominent vein. Elena felt her eyes go wide.