The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Seventeen

That was amazing Seriously, bonnie said happily, skipping along with her mess in Zanders. I am, like, the Queen of Quarters. Who knew I had this hidden talent? Laughing, Zander threw his arm around her shoulders and pul ed her closer. You are pretty awesome, he agreed. Drinking games, visions, astrology. Any other skil s I should know nigh?Snuggling against him, bonny frowned in mock concentration. Not that I can think of. Just be aware of my general wonderfulness. His T-shirt was soft and worn, and honest atilt her head a bit to rest her cheek against it. Im glad we got our friends together, she said. I thought Marcus and Meredith real y hit it off, didnt you? Not romantical y, at al , which is good since Meredith has a super-serious fellow, but it was like they shared the same secret jock language. Maybe we can al hang away in a group again sometime.Yeah, Meredith and Marcus real y bonded over their workouts, Zander agreed, but thither was a hesitation in his voice that mad e Bonnie stop travel and peer up at him sharply.Didnt you like my friends? she asked, hurt. She and Meredith and Elena had always had what they privately cal ed a velociraptor sisterhood. Cross one of them and the other two would close in to hold dear her. Zander had to like them.No, I liked them a lot, Zander assured her. He hesitated, then added, Elena seemed kind of uncomfortable, though. Maybe were non the kind of people she likes?Bonnie stiffened. Are you cal ing my trump out friend a snob? she asked.Zander stroked her back appeasingly. Sort of, I guess. I mean, nice, but scarcely kind of a snob. The nicest kind of snob.I just indigence her to like me.Shes not a snob, Bonnie said indignantly. And nevertheless if she was, shes got a lot to be a snob about. Shes beautiful and smart and one of the scoop friends Ive ever had. Id do anything for her. And shed do anything for me, too. So it doesnt matter if shes a snob, she concluded, glaring at him.Come present, Zander said . They were near the music building, and he pul ed her into the lit alcove by the front door. Sit with me? he asked, settling on the brick steps and tugging her hand.Bonnie sat down, but she was determined not to snuggle up to him again. Instead, she unplowed a distance between them and stared stubbornly out at the night, her jaw firmly set.Listen, Bonnie, Zander said, pushing a long strawberry blonde curl out of her eyes. Il get to know Elena better, and Im sure Il like her. Il get her to like me, too. You know why Im exit to get to know her better?No, why? said Bonnie, reluctantly looking at him.Because I want to know you better. Im planning on spending a lot of time with you, Bonnie McCul ough. He nudged her gently with his shoulder, and Bonnie melted.Zanders eyes were so blue, blue like morning on the very first day of summer vacation. There was intel igence and laughter with just a turn over of a wild longing in them. He leaned in closer, and Bonnie was sure he was about to kiss her, their first kiss at last.She tilted her head back to meet his oral fissures, her eyelashes fluttering unkindly.After a moment of delay for a kiss that didnt come, she sat up again and opened her eyes. Zander was gaze past her, out into the darkness of the campus, frowning.Bonnie cleared her throat.Oh, he said, sorry, Bonnie, I got distracted for a minute.Distracted? Bonnie echoed indignantly. What do you mean you Hang on a sec. Zander put a finger to her lips, shushing her.Do you hear something? Bonnie asked, uneasy tingles creeping up her back.Zander got to his feet. Sorry, I just remembered something I have to do. Il lucifer up with you later, okay? With a halfhearted wave, not even looking at Bonnie, he loped off into the darkness.Bonnies mouth dropped open. Wait she said, scrambling to her feet. Are you just going to leave me here Zander was gone alone? she finished in a tiny voice.Great. Bonnie cracked out to the middle of the path, looked around, and waited a minute to see if there was any sign of Zander coming back. But there was no one in sight.She couldnt even hear his footsteps anymore.There were pools of light beneath the street lamps on the path, but they didnt reach very far. A breeze rustled the leaves of the trees on the quad, and Bonnie shivered. No sense in standing here, Bonnie thought, and she started walking.For the first few steps down the path toward her dorm, Bonnie was real y angry, hot and humiliated. How could Zander have been such a flake? How could he leave her al alone in the middle of the night, especial y after al the attacks and disappearances on campus? She kicked viciously at a pebble in her path.A few steps further on, Bonnie stopped macrocosmness so angry.She was too scared the fear was pushing the anger out of her. She should have headed back to the dorm when Meredith and Elena did, but shed assured them, gaily, that Zander would walk her back. How could he have just left her? She wrapped her arms arou nd herself tightly and went as fast as she could without actual y running, her stupid high-heeled going-out-dancing plaza pin liftg and making the bal s of her feet ache.It was real y late most of the other people who lived on campus must be tucked into their beds by now. The silence was unsettling.When the footsteps began tin her, it was even worse.She wasnt sure she was real y hearing them at first.Gradual y, she became aware of a faint, quick padding in the distance, somebody moving quietly and fast. She paused and listened, and the footsteps grew louder and faster stil .Someone was running toward her.Bonnie sped up, stumbling over her feet in her haste.Her shoes skidded on a gratis(p) stone in the path and she fel , catching herself on her hands and one knee. The impact stung sharply enough to bring tears to her eyes, but she kicked off her shoes, not caring that she was going away them behind. She scrambled up and ran faster.The footsteps of her pursuer were louder now, sta rting to catch up. Their rhythm was strange loud periodic footfal s with quicker, lighter beats in between. Bonnie realized with horror that there was more than one person chasing her.Her foot skidded again, and she barely caught her balance, staggering sideways a few steps to keep from fal ing, losing more ground.A heavy hand fel on Bonnies shoulder, and she screamed and whipped around, her fists raised in a desperate bid to defend herself.Bonnie Meredith gasped, clutching Bonnies shoulders. What are you doing out here by yourself? Samantha came up beside them, carrying Bonnies shoes, and doubled over, pant for breath.You are way too fast for me, Meredith, she said.Bonnie swal owed a sob of relief. Now that she was safe, she felt like sitting down and having hysterics. You scared me, she said.Meredith looked furious. Remember how we promised to position together? Merediths gray eyes were stormy. You were supposed to stay with Zander until you got home safely.Bonnie, about to resp ond heatedly that it hadnt been her choice to be out here alone, suddenly closed her mouth and nodded.If Meredith knew that Zander had left Bonnie out here by herself, she would never, never forgive him. And Bonnie was mad at Zander for leaving her, but she wasnt quite that mad, not mad enough to turn Meredith against him. Maybe he had an explanation. And she stil wanted that kiss.Im sorry, Bonnie said abjectly, staring down at her feet. Youre right, I should have known better. groin ified, Meredith swung an arm over Bonnies shoulders. Samantha silently handed Bonnie her shoes, and Bonnie pul ed them back on. Lets walk Samantha back to her dorm, and then wel go home together, she said forgivingly. Youl be okay with us. Around the corner from her room, Elena sagged and leaned against the hal way wal for a moment. It had been a long, long night. There had been drinks, and dancing with the huge shaggy-haired Spencer who, as Samantha had warned her, did try to pick Elena up and golf s hot her around.Things got loud and aggravating, and the whole time, her heart hurt. She wasnt sure she wanted to navigate the world without Stefan. Its just for now, she told herself, straightening up and plodding around the corner.Hel o, princess, said Damon. Elena stiffened in shock.Lounging on the shock in front of her door, Damon somehow managed to look sleek and perfectly poised in what would have been an awkward position for anyone else. As she recovered from the shock of his being there at al , Elena was surprised by the burst of joy that rose up in her chest at the sight of him.Trying to omit that happy little hop inside her, she said flatly, I told you I didnt want to see you for a while, Damon. Damon shrugged and rose graceful y to his feet.Darling, Im not here to plead for your hand. His eyes lingered on her mouth for a moment, but then he went on in a dry and detached tone. Im just checking in on you and the little redbird, making sure you havent disappeared with whate vers gone sour on this campus.Were fine, Elena said shortly. Here I am, and Bonnies new boyfriend is walking her home.New boyfriend? Damon asked, raising one eyebrow.Hed always had something some connection with Bonnie, Elena knew, and she guessed his ego might not be thril ed to have her moving past the little pile shed focused on him. And how did you get home? Damon asked acidly. I notice you havent picked up a new boyfriend to protect you. Not yet, anyway. Elena flushed and bit her lip but refused to rise to the bait. Meredith just left to patrol around campus. I notice you didnt ask about her. Dont you want to make sure shes safe?Damon snorted. I pity any ghoul that goes after that one, he said, sounding more admiring than anything else.Can I come in? Note that Im being courteous again, waiting for you out here in this dingy hal way instead of comfortably on your bed.You can come in for a minute, Elena said grudgingly, and opened her ravisher to rummage for her keys.Oh. She felt a sudden pang of heartache. At the top of her bag, rather crushed and wilted now, was the daisy shed found outside her door at the descent of the evening. She touched it gently, reluctant to push it aside in the hunt for her keys.A daisy, said Damon dryly. Very sweet. You dont seem to be taking much care of it, though. measuredly ignoring him, Elena grabbed her keys and snapped the bag shut. So you think the disappearances and attacks are because of ghouls? Do you mean something supernatural? she asked, unlocking the door.What did you find out, Damon?Shrugging, Damon fol owed her into the room.Nothing, he answered grimly. But I certainly dont think the missing kids just freaked out and went home or to Daytona Beach or something. I think you need to be careful. Elena sat down on her bed, drew her knees up, and rested her chin on them. Have you used your Power to try to figure out whats going on? she asked. Meredith said she would ask you.Damon sat down next to her and sighed. Beloved, as little as I like to admit it, even my Power has limits, he said.If someone is much stronger than me, like Klaus was, he can hide himself. If someone is much weaker, he doesnt usual y make enough of an impression for me to find him unless I already know who he is. And for some ridiculous tenability he scowled I can never sense werewolves at al .So you cant help? Elena said, dismayed.Oh, I didnt say that, Damon said. He touched a loose strand of Elenas golden hair with one long finger. Pretty, he said absently. I like your hair pul ed back like this. She twitched away from him, and he dropped his hand. Im looking into it, he went on, his eyes gleaming. I havent had a good hunt in far too long.Elena wasnt sure that she ought to find this comforting, but she did, in a kind of scary way. Youl be relentless, then? she asked, a little chil going through her, and he nodded, his long black lashes half veiling his eyes.She was so sleepy and felt happier now that shed seen Damon , although she knew she shouldnt have let him in.She missed him, too. You had better go, she said, yawning. Let me know what you find out. Damon stood, hesitating by the end of her bed. I dont like leaving you alone here, he said. Not with everything thats been happening. Where are those friends of yours?Theyl be here, Elena said. Something generous in her made her add, But if youre that worried, you can sleep here if you want. Shed missed him, she had, and he was being a perfect gentleman. And she had to admit, she would feel safer with him there.I can? Damon quirked a wicked eyebrow.On the floor, Elena said firmly. Im sure Bonnie and Meredith wil be glad for your protection, too. It was a lie. while Bonnie would be thril ed to see him, there was a decent chance Meredith would kick him on purpose as she crossed the room. She might even put on special pointy-toed boots to do it.Elena got up and pul ed down a spare blanket from her closet for him, then headed off to wipe her teeth a nd change. When she came back, al ready for bed, he was lying on the floor, wrapped in the blanket. His eyes lingered for a minute on the curve of her neck tip down to her lacy white nightgown, but he didnt say anything.Elena climbed into bed and turned out the light. Good night, Damon, she said.There was a soft rush of air. past suddenly he whispered softly in her ear, Good night, princess. Cool lips brushed her cheek and then were gone.