07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

“Finally she asked me to put her into myself. She thought we’d become one that way. So
she dissolved and merged right into me. But it didn’t help. Now…I can barely hear her. I’ve come to
get my star ball. I’ve been using its energy to travel through the dimensions. If I put Misao into my star
ball, she’ll recover. Then I’ll hide it again—but not where I left it last. I’ll put it farther up where no
one else will ever find it.” He seemed to focus on his listeners. “So I guess it’s Misao and I who are
talking to you right now. Except that I’m so lonely—I can’t feel her at all.”
“You will not touch Elena,” Stefan said quietly.
Damon was looking grimly at the rest of the group at Shinichi’s words, “…I’ll put it
farther up…”
“Go on, Bonnie, keep moving,” Stefan added. “You too, Elena. We’ll follow.”
Elena let Bonnie go some feet ahead before saying telepathically, We can’t break up,
Stefan; there’s only one compass.
Watch out, Elena! He might hear you! came Stefan’s voice, and Damon added flatly,
Shut up!
“Don’t bother telling her to shut up,” Shinichi said. “You’re mad if you think that I can’t
just pick your thoughts right out of your minds. I didn’t think you were that stupid.”
“We’re not stupid,” Bonnie said hotly.
“No? Then did you figure out my riddles for you?”
“This is hardly the time for that,” Elena snapped. It was a mistake, for it caused Shinichi
to focus on her again.
“Did you tell them what you think about the tragedy of Camelot, Elena? No, I didn’t think
you’d have the courage. I’ll tell them, then, shall I? I’ll read it as you put it in your diary.”
“No! You can’t have read my diary! Anyway—it’s no longer applicable!” Elena flared.
“Let me see…these are your own words now.” He assumed a reading voice. ‘Dear
Diary, one of Shinichi’s riddles was what I thought of Camelot. You know, the legend of King Arthur,
Queen Guinevere, and the knight she loved, Lancelot. And here’s what I thought. A lot of innocent
people died and were miserable because three selfish people—a king, a queen, and a knight—
couldn’t behave in a civilized way. They couldn’t understand that the more you love, the more you
find to love. But those three couldn’t give in to love and just share—all three of them…’”
“Shut up!” screamed Elena. “Shut up!”
My God, Damon said, my life just lapped itself.
So did mine. Stefan sounded dizzy.
Just forget about all of it, Elena told them. It’s not true anymore. Stefan, I’m yours
forever, and I always was. And right now we’ve got to get rid of this bastard, and run for the trunk.
“Misao and I used to do that,” Shinichi said. “Talk alone together on a special frequency.
You’re certainly a good manipulator, Elena, to keep them from killing each other over you.”
“Yes, it’s a special frequency I call the truth,” Elena said. “But I’m not half as good a
manipulator as Damon is. Now attack us or let us go away. We’re in a hurry!”
“Attack you?” Shinichi seemed to be thinking over the idea. And then, faster than Elena
could track it, he went for Bonnie. The vampires, who had been expecting him to try to get to Elena,
were caught off guard, but Elena, who had seen the flicker of his eyes toward the weaker girl, was
already diving for him. He moved back so quickly that she found herself heading for his legs, but then
she realized she had a chance to throw him off balance. She deliberately went for a headbutt with his
kneecap, at the same time stabbing deep into his foot with her knife.
Forgive me, Bonnie, she thought, knowing what he would do. It was the same as what