07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

“What are you saying to her? What did you just say?” Stefan, who had been out of
earshot, came hurrying back. “What did he say to you?”
Damon, examining his palm for creeper thorns, said without looking up, “I told her the
truth, that’s all. So far she’s zero for two on this quest. Let’s hope that as long as you make it through
they let you in the Gatehouse, because if they’re grading on performance we’ve flunked. Or should I
say, one of us has flunked?”
“Shut up or I’ll shut you up,” Stefan said in a different voice than Elena had ever heard
him use before. She stared. It was as if he’d grown ten years in one second. “Don’t you ever talk to
her or about her that way again, Damon!”
Damon stared at him for a moment, pupils contracted. Then he said, “Whatever,” and
strolled away.
Stefan bent down to hold Elena until her shaking stopped.
And that’s that, Elena thought. An ice-cold rage gripped her. Damon had no respect for
her at all; he had none for anyone but himself. She couldn’t protect Bonnie from Bonnie’s own
feelings—or stop him from insulting her. She couldn’t stop Bonnie for forgiving. But she, Elena, was
done with Damon. This last insult was the end.
The fog came in again as they walked through the cavern.