Unmasked (The Vampire Diaries 13)

The horrors of her senior year hadn’t begun with Mr. Tanner’s death on Halloween. They’d begun today—when Stefan had fed from an old vagrant sheltering under Wickery Bridge. And it had happened because Stefan had watched Elena in the cemetery, then been caught by a wave of angry Power, leaving him dazed and ravenous.

Katherine’s Power, which she had unleashed after witnessing Stefan’s interest in Elena, driving Elena out of the churchyard.

The man hadn’t died, but his injuries had been the first sign to the people of Fell’s Church that danger lurked in their idyllic little town.

Hesitantly, Elena took a few steps toward home. If she didn’t go to her parents’ graves, the attack wouldn’t happen. The old man would be fine, the townwide panic wouldn’t begin.

And yet … Elena stopped again and rocked back on her heels, thinking.

She hadn’t been talking to Stefan, hadn’t shown any interest in him this time. He wouldn’t be following her, would he? And the graveyard would be a good place to try to find Damon. That was the most important thing.

A cloud passed over the sun, and Elena felt a little colder, a little sadder. It had been a long time since she had visited her parents. Now that she lived a few hours away, she hardly ever made it back to Fell’s Church. She could see them now, she thought longingly. The cemetery would be isolated and peaceful after her long day. She could be alone there, and Damon would be more likely to come to her when she was alone. Making up her mind, Elena hitched her backpack higher on her shoulders, and headed toward the cemetery, her steps sounding loud and firm in her own ears.

It was a fairly long walk, almost to the edge of town. Coming close to Wickery Bridge, another rusty caw grabbed her attention. Wings spread wide, the huge crow glided to land on the bridge’s parapet. Turning its head, it fixed one bright eye on Elena. It seemed to be waiting.

Elena smiled. Challenge accepted, Damon.

She had expected to be a little shaky crossing Wickery Bridge, the place where Katherine had pursued her, and Elena had driven off this bridge and drowned. She could still remember the horrible rending sound as the hood of Matt’s car had smashed through the old bridge’s side. She could almost feel how icy-cold the water had been as she struggled.

But with Damon here, she could be brave.

“Hello, bird,” she said casually. The crow stayed very still, its shining dark gaze fixed on Elena. She glanced up at the blue sky, and back at the crow. Then, slowly and deliberately, holding the crow’s gaze, Elena smiled, a smile full of secrets. And then she walked on, straight past him, her head high. The bird watched as she passed.

As she entered the cemetery, Elena’s gaze fell on the ruined church, and she felt a tremor of foreboding deep inside her. Katherine was down there in the dark passages of the crypts already, watching them all.

At the thought of Katherine, Elena’s hands automatically clenched into fists, anxiety running through her. Katherine had been furious when Stefan and Elena had fallen in love, and had attacked them both, had gone after the whole town. It had been the beginning of everything terrible.

Elena’s fingernails bit into her palms. How would Katherine feel when Elena went after Damon? Katherine considered both the Salvatores her property, Elena knew, but she had always thought the vampire girl was more possessive of Stefan. She’d even offered to let him live, if he left Damon and Elena to die. But Elena couldn’t let herself forget that Katherine was a threat, whichever Salvatore brother Elena pursued.

Crossing past the old church, Elena lifted her chin defiantly. She’d have to solve the Katherine problem when she got to it.

Reaching the newer, well-kept part of the cemetery, Elena rested a hand on the big marble headstone with GILBERT carved into the front.

“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad,” she whispered. “I’m sorry it’s been such a long time.”

She missed them so much, not as sharply or painfully as when she’d been in high school the first time, but with a powerfully wistful longing. If her beautiful, artistic mother had lived, she could have guided Elena through those first rocky days of being an Earthly Guardian. If her funny, warm father had been there, she could have leaned on him through all the hard times. They would have liked Stefan, she thought, and they would have seen how Damon’s stubborn, fiery nature complemented Elena’s own.

She wished that she could have gone even further back, that the Guardians had sent her back to Fell’s Church when she was twelve. She could have saved her parents. She could have kept them out of the car that terrible day that had ended their lives and changed hers and Margaret’s forever.

With a powerful rush of longing, Elena remembered her mother laughing as she chased her through the house when Elena had been very small, catching her and sweeping her up into her arms for a hug.

“I still miss you,” she whispered, brushing her hand across her parents’ names.

A sudden wind caught her hair, whipping it across her face. Looking up, Elena saw the tops of the oak trees at the edge of the cemetery tossing violently. Dark clouds were massing above her, and there was a sharp chill in the air. She shivered.

The sky grew darker still. This wasn’t a natural storm, surely. It had been clear and sunny only a moment before.

Damon? He could change the weather when he wanted to. Or Katherine? She was far more powerful than Damon right now.

Elena shuddered. If it was Katherine, she might kill Elena without even thinking about it. She remembered how easily Katherine had torn Damon’s chest apart with her long talonlike nails, as her fangs ripped through his throat. There had been so much blood.

Elena steeled herself. Running wouldn’t make any difference; she knew that this time. She’d tried that, and Katherine had caught up with her eventually. Again, she remembered the cold of the water under Wickery Bridge and shivered.

“I’m not afraid,” she said stubbornly. “Whatever’s out there, I’m ready for you.”

The wind stopped. Everything grew still, the leaves hanging motionless from the trees. All around Elena was silence, without even the chirp of a bird or the sound of a car in the distance.

Something stirred in the shadows under the oak trees. Elena squinted, trying to see. A dark figure moved toward her. The dim sunlight caught pale skin and sleek, night-dark hair. Black boots, black jeans, black shirt, black leather jacket. An arrogant lift to his chin, as if he’d seen everything in the world and didn’t think much of it. Damon.