The Salvation: Unseen Page 0,75

would have believed possible, and slammed his stave cleanly through Stefan’s chest. Stefan gasped, a long, rattling gasp, then fell heavily to the floor. Jack ran out the door before Elena could even scream.

Elena fell to her knees as the room erupted into chaos around her. Alaric laid a hand on the stave to pull it from Stefan’s chest but Meredith stopped him. “Pulling it out won’t help,” she said. “If it’s still there, it might give him more time.”

Elena only had eyes for Stefan, but he was blurry through her tears. “Hold on, Stefan,” she said desperately, stroking his face. He muttered something and scrabbled at her arm, his fingers weak. “Bonnie!” Elena screamed. “Bonnie, can’t you fix—?” Bonnie dropped to her knees beside them, her face white, but shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t think there’s a spell for this—” she said frantically.

Elena reached for her Guardian Power and sent its golden light racing through Stefan, trying to heal what was broken. But the dark and cold radiating from the stake in his heart swallowed up the light as fast as she could feed it to him. He was sinking; she could feel it. He was slipping away.

Stefan’s eyes were glazing over, and his grip on Elena’s arm loosened. “No, no!” Elena was yelling, grabbing at him, trying to keep him with her. “Please, Stefan.”

Tears were dripping off her face onto Stefan’s, running over his pale cheeks. No, no, no, Elena’s mind babbled frantically. Not like this; we’re supposed to have forever together. Please. Please.

Stefan’s eyes were moving beneath his lids, flicking from side to side. His breath rattled in his chest. His face was tight, almost fearful. Elena took his hand in hers and pressed her lips to his.

Her mind and Stefan’s touched, the instant connection between them as strong as ever, and she wrapped him in her consciousness, trying to hold him, to keep him safe. She would never let him be afraid, not if she could help it.

But darkness and emptiness were spreading through him. Stefan, my love, my darling, she thought, please. That was all she could think of, protestations of love, pet names, and the single word please. Please stay with me, my darling one. Hang on. I love you. Her tears fell against his cold face, her lips warm against his cold ones.

Elena? His mind reached out for hers. He was disoriented, and she clung to him, trying to reassure him. It’s all right, she thought desperately. It’ll all be okay.

You can’t save me, Elena. Stefan’s thought was terribly sad, but there was no trace of fear in it. I’m so sorry. I thought we’d be safe. I thought we’d have our whole, long lives together. I wish there were time.

No! Don’t go, Elena thought, pleading, frantic. Please, I can’t let you go.

I don’t want to. But be happy without me. Promise me you’ll find a way to be happy.

Elena couldn’t imagine ever being happy again. I promise, she thought, tears running down her face.

Believe in yourself. Trust your friends. He sounded terribly tired, but there was a warmth in his thoughts that felt like a smile. Never forget how much I love you. You deserve to be loved.

Elena choked back a sob. Stefan, you’re the love of my life. My whole life. His consciousness brushed against hers like a caress.

The darkness that had infected Stefan rolled on, taking over more and more of him, as unstoppable as a tide. Elena held onto him, sending more of her Power through him, but the darkness swallowed it like a black hole, swallowed everything, until she was just lying with her arms around him, murmuring, Stefan, I love you, I love you, please …

The dark tide rolled out, and took Stefan with it.

#TVD11RIP

Chapter 31

“I gave Elena valerian and some other sedative herbs and sat with her until she fell asleep,” Bonnie said, coming out of the bedroom. “She couldn’t stop crying, but eventually she just passed out.”

She had felt so helpless, watching Elena lying there, tears slipping silently from her closed eyes and down her cheeks, looking small in the bed she’d shared with Stefan.

Tears flooded Bonnie’s eyes. Stefan had been so strong, the calm at the center of the storm, and he and Elena had been the focus of their group, the ones the others all revolved around. She couldn’t quite comprehend him being dead.

Meredith and Matt were seated on the sofa in the living room, looking as broken as Bonnie