07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

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“Well, I can—if you’re done, Mrs. Flowers.” “Yes, dear Elena,” Mrs. Flowers said, winding a bandage around Elena’s throat. “Now you shouldn’t get tetanus.” Elena stopped in mid-motion. “I thought you got tetanus from rusty blades,” she said. “Da —this one looked brand-new.” “Tetanus comes from dirty blades, my dear,” Mrs. Flowers corrected her. “But this”— she held up a bottle—“is Grandmama’s own personal recipe that has kept many a wound disease-free down the cen—down the years.” “Wow,” Elena said. “I never even heard of Grandmama before. Was she a—healer?” “Oh, yes,” Mrs. Flowers said earnestly. “She was actually accused of being a witch. But at her trial they could prove nothing. Her accusers seemed not even to be capable of coherent speech.” Elena looked at Stefan only to find that he was looking at her. Matt was in danger of being dragged off to a kangaroo court—for allegedly assaulting Caroline Forbes while under the influence of some unknown and terrible drug. Anything to do with courts was interesting to both of them. But looking at Stefan’s concerned face, Elena decided not to pursue the subject. She squeezed his hand. “We have to go now—but let’s talk about Grandmama later. I think she sounds fascinating.” “I just remember her as a crotchety old recluse, who didn’t suffer fools gladly and thought just about everyone was a fool,” Mrs. Flowers said. “I suppose I was going down the same path until you children came and made me sit up and take notice. Thank you.” “We’re the ones who should thank you,” Elena began, hugging the old woman, feeling her heart stop pounding. Stefan was looking at her with open love. It was all going to be all right—for her. I’m worried about Matt, she thought to Stefan, testing the waters more vigorously. Damon’s still so fast—and you know he doesn’t like Matt a bit. I think, Stefan returned with a wry smile, that that is a rather stunning understatement. But I also think you shouldn’t worry until we see who comes back injured. Elena eyed that smile, and thought for a moment about impulsive, athletic Matt. After a moment, she smiled back. She was feeling both guilty and protective—and safe. Stefan always made her feel safe. And right now, she wanted to spoil him. In the front yard, Bonnie was abasing herself. She couldn’t help thinking, even now, about how handsome Damon looked, how wild and dark and ferocious and gorgeous. She couldn’t help thinking about the times he’d smiled at her, laughed at her, come to save her at her urgent call. She had honestly thought that someday…But now she felt as if her heart were breaking in two. “I just want to bite my tongue out,” she said. “I should never have assumed anything from what I saw.” “How could you possibly have known that I wasn’t stealing Elena away from Stefan?” Damon said wearily. “It’s just the kind of thing I’d do.” “No, it isn’t! You did so much to free Stefan from prison—you always faced the most danger yourself—and you kept us all from being hurt. You did all that for other people—” Suddenly Bonnie’s upper arms were being held by hands that were so strong that her mind was flooded with clichés. A grasp of iron. Strong as steel bands. An inescapable grip.
And a voice like an icy torrent was coming at her. “You don’t know anything about me, or what I want, or what I do. For all you know I could be plotting right now. So don’t ever let me hear you talk again about such things, or imagine that I won’t kill you if you get in my way,” Damon said. He got up and left Bonnie sitting there, staring after him. And she’d been wrong. She wasn’t out of tears at all.
Page 2 and 3: L. J. Smith The Vampire Diaries The
Page 4 and 5: Contents 1 Elena Gilbert put down t
Page 6 and 7: 28 Elena was nodding slowly. “It
Page 8 and 9: 1 “Dear Diary, I’m so frightene
Page 10 and 11: species he’s come to hate and sco
Page 12 and 13: one. Step two. Step three—I must
Page 14 and 15: against a wall, or throw her across
Page 16 and 17: Is she thinking about Stefan in the
Page 18 and 19: vampirism was a curse. Humans never
Page 20 and 21: 3 Damon leaped. Somewhere in the mi
Page 22 and 23: “So—assuming you’re alive—y
Page 24 and 25: Matt’s eyes met Meredith’s and
Page 26 and 27: comes to the final showdown with Sh
Page 28 and 29: No, I would not let Sage make me in
Page 32 and 33: 5 “I thought you wanted to get ou
Page 34 and 35: Stefan! I never begged your pardon
Page 36 and 37: scared, Damon thought. “I’m mor
Page 38 and 39: short shake of curls and then a yaw
Page 40 and 41: He now ascended the steps slowly. H
Page 42 and 43: “No, I’m serious! When I’m a
Page 44 and 45: “Now sit down there,” he adjure
Page 46 and 47: 9 Damon dropped his hand. He simply
Page 48 and 49: them off, not when you’re sleepin
Page 50 and 51: dressed in a flannel nightgown with
Page 52 and 53: 10 Damon was making his way up the
Page 54 and 55: He stood again, looking at the girl
Page 56 and 57: definitely don’t like it. And tha
Page 58 and 59: 11 When M. le Princess Jessalyn D
Page 60 and 61: Damon smiled at the surly guard.
Page 62 and 63: Bonnie threw the star ball across t
Page 64 and 65: 12 “Stefan. Stefan!” Elena had
Page 66 and 67: him back tightly, knowing that her
Page 68 and 69: 13 Elena, sleeping serenely with on
Page 70 and 71: it up with some of the papers. When
Page 72 and 73: into the urns. We do know that the
Page 74 and 75: 14 The next morning Elena noticed t
Page 76 and 77: Matt cleared his throat as somethin
Page 78 and 79: shop, maybe six or seven. One brown
Page 80 and 81:
15 Bonnie woke slowly, coming up fr
Page 82 and 83:
entertainment—even the Dustbins w
Page 84 and 85:
starting to feel better she was hus
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comfort of her own. The next minute
Page 88 and 89:
star ball.” “Mouse, here, is ri
Page 90 and 91:
examined her, murmuring, “Hair of
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17 Meredith and Matt were sitting a
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“Since I first saw you, I loved y
Page 96 and 97:
They’re faster, she thought. As f
Page 98 and 99:
18 After breakfast Matt went online
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stared at him but with eerie, uncan
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The Gilbert-Maxwells were Elena’s
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seated Misao on the couch, rubbing
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Meredith, Matt, and Bonnie were fri
Page 108 and 109:
Long pause. Then her mother drained
Page 110 and 111:
Meredith stared in utter disbelief.
Page 112 and 113:
21 Someone was still knocking on St
Page 114 and 115:
It was Influence. Before Elena coul
Page 116 and 117:
e wrong. She and Stefan had only jo
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22 “Mama said not in Fell’s Chu
Page 120 and 121:
They were just playing, he figured,
Page 122 and 123:
your first witness.” “We call C
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Matt realized that the duct tape ar
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23 In the car, Matt sat by the slee
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She had the attic bed straightened
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“I know that!” Bonnie said indi
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24 Stefan woke early. He spent the
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“I’ll bring it,” Elena offere
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And only Matt knew how close he had
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deep kiss. For a moment he resisted
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25 “Sleeping in the storage room
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fingers closed on a small sheaf of
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stamped on it, but the malach insid
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what was out there before they step
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Good-bye, Pelat. You may go.” “
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27 Stefan whirled around and saw Bo
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and-ruby necklace and ring—but no
Page 154 and 155:
Bonnie’s head came up. “Even th
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efore putting her down again. “Yo
Page 158 and 159:
“Is it safe, having Biratz carry
Page 160 and 161:
Elena hesitated. It was true; she c
Page 162 and 163:
Damon’s warm hand was inside her
Page 164 and 165:
oh, God, he might murder Stefan. Ag
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elow her feet, or so it seemed. It
Page 168 and 169:
other Godawful Hellacious monsters
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Biratz’s trunks. “It was pointl
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30 “Strip to your underwear and g
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Something was shaking the room. Sha
Page 176 and 177:
we’ll destroy the container.”
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comfortingly. At last Damon dropped
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“Can you make it?” Stefan asked
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32 “Damon doesn’t mean to be su
Page 184 and 185:
At a quarter to eleven Meredith cam
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33 Elena was waiting for the fog to
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in Fell’s Church the Last Midnigh
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She found herself bumping into a ha
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34 “You’ve been fed and taken c
Page 194 and 195:
There was also a picture of a pair
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“Or where,” said the old woman.
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35 Elena felt as if she had been do
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Elena did and gasped. For just an i
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he’d had his puppet, Damon, do wh
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“A little. But I could hear you,
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36 Matt broke a lot of traffic rule
Page 208 and 209:
shining as silver as her hair. Matt
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knew she had to keep going. Isobel
Page 212 and 213:
37 Then Meredith saw something that
Page 214 and 215:
parent this night, and no parent ha
Page 216 and 217:
38 Damon had stopped and was kneeli
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was proper javelin size, had gone t
Page 220 and 221:
Suddenly, a huge shudder—a convul
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Thank you…Elena. Thank you…for
Page 224 and 225:
39 Elena clutched the child to her.
Page 226 and 227:
them and Damon’s body between two
Page 228 and 229:
Elena knew, as perhaps this child d
Page 230 and 231:
earlier. Stefan and Bonnie had been
Page 232 and 233:
41 Stefan didn’t move or speak fo
Page 234 and 235:
how do we offer them the Fountain o
Page 236 and 237:
plant to survive in. Elena stared s
Page 238 and 239:
air car. Instead of a crash with on
Page 240 and 241:
“That’s what you tell us!” St
Page 242 and 243:
escape. But she eventually was comp
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at the blurry mass of Guardians aro
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fierce and concerned and loving and
Page 248 and 249:
felt her soul expand and come out o
Page 250 and 251:
44 On the smallest moon of the Neth
Page 252 and 253:
Other Books by L. J. Smith THE VAMP
Page 254 and 255:
Credits Jacket art © 2011 by Carri
Page 256 and 257:
About the Publisher Australia Harpe
Page 258:
42 43 44 About the Author Other Boo
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