07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

e wrong. She and Stefan had only joined minds a few minutes ago. Meredith’s rage hadn’t lasted that
long. This was impossible!
“That clock—it’s not right!” She appealed to Mrs. Flowers, but heard at the same time
Stefan’s telepathic voice, It’s the mind-blending. I didn’t want to rush. But I was lost in it too—it’s
not your fault, Elena!
“It is my fault,” Elena snapped back aloud. “I never meant to forget about my friends for
the entire afternoon! And Matt—Matt would never scare us by keeping us waiting for his call! I
should have called him! I shouldn’t have been—” She looked at Stefan with unhappy eyes. The only
thing burning inside her right now was the shame of failing Matt.
“I did call his mobile number,” Mrs. Flowers said very gently. “Mama advised me to do
so, all the way back at half past twelve. But he didn’t answer. I’ve called every hour since. Mama
won’t say more than that it’s time we looked into things directly.”
Elena ran to Mrs. Flowers and wept on the soft cambric lacework at the old woman’s
neck. “You did our job for us,” she said. “Thank you. But now we have to go and find him.”
She whirled on Stefan. “Can you put Meredith in the first-floor bedroom? Just take off
her shoes and put her on top of the covers. Mrs. Flowers, if you’re going to be alone here, we’ll leave
Saber and Talon to take care of you. Then we’ll keep in touch by mobile. And we’ll search every
house in Fell’s Church—but I guess we should go to the thicket first…”
“Wait, Elena my dear.” Mrs. Flowers had her eyes shut. Elena waited, shifting
impatiently from one foot to the other. Stefan was just returning from putting Meredith in the front
room.
Suddenly, Mrs. Flowers smiled, eyes still shut. “Mama says she will do her utmost for
you two, since you are so devoted to your friend. She says that Matt is not anywhere in Fell’s Church.
And she says, take the dog, Saber. The falcon will watch over Meredith while we are away.” Mrs.
Flowers’s eyes opened. “Although we might plaster her window and door with Post-it Notes,” she
said, “just to make sure.”
“No,” Elena said flatly. “I’m sorry, but I won’t leave Meredith and you on your own with
only a bird for protection. We’ll take you both with us, covered in amulets if you like, and then we
can take both animals, too. Back in the Dark Dimension, they worked together when Bloddeuwedd
was trying to kill us.”
“All right,” Stefan said at once, knowing Elena well enough to realize that a half-hourlong
argument could ensue and Elena would never be moved an inch from her position. Mrs. Flowers
must have known it too, for she rose, also immediately, and went to get ready.
Stefan carried Meredith out to her car. Elena gave a tiny whistle for Saber, who was
instantly underfoot, seeming bigger than ever, and she raced him up the stairs to Matt’s room. It was
disappointingly clean—but Elena fished a pair of briefs from between bed and wall. She gave these
to Saber to delight in, but found she couldn’t stand still. Finally, she ran up to Stefan’s room, snatched
her diary from under the mattress, and began scribbling.
Dear Diary,
I don’t know what to do. Matt has disappeared. Damon has taken Bonnie to the
Dark Dimension—but is he taking care of her?