"You can't! You know you can't, Elena, or you wouldn't have come to me!"
Elena looked at her friend closely. "Meredith, you've been donating blood al along,"she whispered. "You never seemed even slightly bothered..."
"He only took a tiny bit - always less from me than anyone.
And always from my arm. I just pretended I was having blood drawn at the doctor's. No problem. It wasn't even bad with Damon back in the Dark Dimension."
"But now..."Elena blinked. "Now - what?"
"Now,"Meredith said with a faraway expression, "Stefan knows that I'm a hunter-slayer. That I even have a fighting stave. And now I have to...to submit to..."
Elena had gooseflesh. She felt as if the distance from her to Meredith in the room was getting larger. "A hunter-slayer?"she said, bewildered. "And what's a fighting stave?"
"There's no time to explain now! Oh, Elena..."
If Plan A was Meredith and Plan B was Matt, there was real y no choice. Plan C had to be Elena herself. Her blood was much stronger than anyone else's anyway, so ful of Power that Stefan would only need a -
"No!"Meredith whispered right in Elena's ear, somehow managing to hiss a word without a single sibilant. "They're coming down the stairs. We have to find Stefan now! Can you tel him to meet me in the little bedroom behind the parlor?"
"Yes, but - "
"Do it!"
And I stil don't know what a fighting stave is, Elena thought, al owing Meredith to take her arms and propel her toward the bedroom. But I know what a "hunter-slayer"sounds like, and I definitely don't like it. And that weapon - it makes a stake look like a plastic picnic knife. Stil , she sent to Stefan, who was fol owing the sheriffs downstairs: Meredith is going to donate as much blood as you need to Influence them.
There's no time to argue. Come here fast and for God's sake look cheerful and reassuring.
Stefan didn't sound cooperative. I can't take enough from her for our minds to touch. It might - Elena lost her temper. She was frightened; she was suspicious of one of her two best friends - a horrible feeling - and she was desperate. She needed Stefan to do just as she said. Get here fast! was al she projected, but she had the feeling that she'd hit him with al of the feelings ful force, because he suddenly turned concerned and gentle. I will, love, he said simply.
While the female police officer was searching the kitchen and the male the living room, Stefan stepped into the smal first-floor guest room, with its single rumpled bed. The lamps were turned off but with his night vision he could see Elena and Meredith perfectly wel by the curtains. Meredith was holding herself as stiffly as an acrophobic bungee jumper.
Take all you need without permanently harming her - and try to put her to sleep, too. And don't invade her mind too deeply -
I'll take care of it. You'd better get out in the hallway, let them see at least one of us, love, Stefan replied soundlessly. Elena was obviously simultaneously frightened for and defensive about her friend and had sped right into micromanagement mode. While this was usual y a good thing, if there was one thing Stefan knew about - even if it was the only thing he knew - it was taking blood.
"I want to ask for peace between our families,"he said, reaching one hand toward Meredith. She hesitated and Stefan, even trying his hardest, could not help but hearing her thoughts, like smal , scuttling creatures at the base of her mind. What was she committing herself to? In what sense did he mean family?
It's really just a formality, he told her, trying to gain ground on another front: her acceptance of the touch of his thoughts to hers. Never mind it.
"No,"Meredith said. "It's important. I want to trust you, Stefan.
Only you, but...I didn't get the stave until after Klaus was dead."
He thought swiftly. "Then you didn't know what you were - "
"No. I knew. But my parents were never active. It was Grandpa who told me about the stave."
Stefan felt a surge of unexpected pleasure. "So your grandfather's better now?"
"No...sort of."Meredith's thoughts were confusing. His voice changed, she was thinking. Stefan was truly happy that Grandpa's better. Even most humans wouldn't care - not really.
"Of course I care,"Stefan said. "For one thing, he helped save al our lives - and the town. For another, he's a very