at all! I think -
after what I've learned about Meredith - that I may need training. But how do I get it? Where? From who?"
There was a long silence in the car. At last Matt said, "We're al in the dark. Look at that courtroom! How can they have so many werewolves in one town?"
"Wolves are sociable,"Stefan said quietly. "It looks as if there is a whole community of werewolves in Ridgemont. Seeded among the various Bear and Moose and Lions Clubs of course. For spying on the only creatures they're scared of: humans."
At the boardinghouse Stefan carried Meredith to the first-floor bedroom and Elena pul ed the covers over her. Then she went to the kitchen, where the conversation was continuing.
"What about those werewolves'families? Their wives?"she demanded as she rubbed Matt's shoulders where she knew the muscles must hurt fiercely from being handcuffed behind his back. Her soft fingers soothed bruises, but her hands were strong, and she kept kneading and kneading until her own shoulder muscles began to swear at her...and beyond.
Stefan stopped her. "Move over, love, I've got evil vampire magic. This is necessary medical treatment,"he added sternly to Matt. "So you have to take it no matter how much it hurts."Elena could Stillfeel him, if faintly, through their connection and she saw how he anesthetized Matt's mind and then dug into the knotted shoulders as if he was kneading stiff dough, meanwhile reaching out with his Powers of healing.
Mrs. Flowers came by just then with mugs of hot, sweet cinnamon tea. Matt drained his mug and his head fel back slightly. His eyes were shut, his lips parted. Elena felt a huge wave of pain and tension flood away from him. And then she hugged both of her boys and cried.
"They picked me up on my own driveway,"Matt admitted as Elena sniffled. "And they did it by the book, but they wouldn't even look at the - the chaos al around them."
Mrs. Flowers approached again, looking serious. "Dear Matt, you've had a terrible day. What you need is a long rest."She glanced at Stefan, as if to see how this would impact him, with so few blood donors. Stefan smiled reassuringly at her. Matt, Stillbeing kneaded pliant, had just nodded. After that his color started coming back and a little smile curved his lips.
"There's m'main man,"he said, when Saber butted his way through traffic to pant directly in Matt's face. "Buddy, I love your dog breath,"he declared. "You saved me. Can he have a treat, Mrs. Flowers?"he asked, turning slightly unfocused blue eyes on her.
"I know just what he'd like. I have half a roast left in the refrigerator that just needs to be heated a bit."She punched buttons and in a short while, said, "Matt, would you like to do the honors? Remember to take the bone out - he might choke on it."
Matt took the large pot roast, which, heated, smel ed so good it made him aware that he was starving. He felt his morals col apse. "Mrs. Flowers, do you think I could make a sandwich before I give it to him?"
"Oh, you poor dear boy!"she cried. "And I never even thought - of course they wouldn't give you lunch or dinner."
Mrs. Flowers got bread and Matt was happy enough with that, bread and meat, the simplest sandwich imaginable -
and so good it curled his toes.
Elena wept just a little more. So easy to make two creatures happy with one simple thing. More than two - they were al happy to see Matt safe and to watch Saber get his proper reward.
The enormous dog had fol owed every movement of that roast with his eyes, tail swishing back and forth on the floor.
But when Matt, Stillchomping, offered him the large piece of meat that was left, Saber just cocked his head to one side, staring at it as if to say, "You have to be joking."
"Yes, it's for you. Go on and take it now,"Mrs. Flowers said firmly. Final y, Saber opened his enormous mouth to take hold of the end of the roast, tail twirling like a helicopter blade. His body language was so clear that Matt laughed out loud.
"This once on the floor with us,"Mrs. Flowers added magnificently, spreading a large rug over the kitchen floorboards.
Saber's joy was only surpassed by his good manners. He put the roast on the rug and then trotted up to each of the humans to push a wet nose into hand or