The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter One

Are you having a good time? Elena asked.I am this instant . Stefan didnt say it, only Elena k sassy it was what he was thinking. She could run across it in the way he stared at her. She had n perpetually been so sure of her power. object that actu ally he didnt look as if he were having a good time he looked stricken, in pain, as if he couldnt take one more minute of this.The band was starting up, a loosen up trip the light fantastic. He was still staring at her, drinking her in. Those green eye darkening, breathing discover black with desire. She had the abrupt noneing that he faculty jerk her to him and kiss her hard, without ever saying a word.Would you like to dance? she said softly. Im playing with fire, with some occasion I dont understand, she thought suddenly. And in that instant she realized that she was f obligationened. Her heart began to pound violently. It was as if those green eyes spoke to some part of her that was buried deep beneath the surface-and that part was screech danger at her. Some instinct older than civilization was telling her to run, to flee.She didnt move.The AwakeningChapter One kinfolk 4Dear Diary,Something awful is going to happen today.I dont know why I wrote that. Its crazy. Theresno conclude for me to be upset and every reason for me to be happy, but simply here I am at 530 in the morning, awake and scared. I keep telling myself its just that Im all messed up from the time difference between France and here. But that doesnt explain why I feel so scared. So lost.The day before yesterday, while aunt Judith and Margaret and I were driving back from the oxygenizeport, I had such a strange feeling. When we turned onto our street I suddenly thought, Mom and Dad are delay for us at home. I bet theyll be on the front porch or in the living(a) room looking out the window. They must have missed me so much.I know. That sounds totally crazy.But even when I maxim the house and the empty front porch I still felt that wa y. I ran up the steps and I tried the verge and knocked with the knocker. And when Aunt Judith unlocked the door I rive inside and just stood in the hallway listening, expecting to hear Mom coming subdue the stairs or Dad calling from the den.Just then Aunt Judith let a suitcase crash down on the floor behind me and sighed a huge sigh and said, Were home. And Margaret laughed. And the most horrible feeling Ive ever felt in my life came over me. Ive never felt so utterly and completely lost.Home. Im home. wherefore does that sound like a he?I was born here in Fells Church. Ive always lived in this house, always. This is my same old kip downroom, with the scorch mark on the floorboards where Caroline and I tried to sneak cigarettes in 5th grade and nearly choked ourselves. I can look out the window and see the big quince tree Matt and the guys climbed up to crash my birthday slumber party two years ago. This is my bed, my chair, my dresser.But right now everything looks strange to me, as if I dont give out here. Its me thats out of place. And the polish off thing is that I feel theres somewhere I do belong, but I just cant dress it.I was too tired yesterday to go to Orientation.Meredith picked up my schedule for me, but I didnt feel like talking to her on the phone. Aunt Judith told everyone who called that I had jet lag and was sleeping, but she watched me at dinner party with a funny look on her face.Ive got to see the genus Corvusd today, though. Were supposed to meet in the position lot before school. Is that why Im scared? Am I frightened of them?Elena Gilbert stopped writing. She stared at the give out line she had written and then shook her head, pen hovering over the small book with the rich velvet cover. Then, with a sudden gesture, she lifted her head and threw pen and book at the big embayment window, where they bounced off harmlessly and landed on the upholstered window seat.It was all so completely ridiculous.Since when had she, Elena Gilbert, been scared of meet people? Since when had she been scared of anything ? She stood up and angrily thrust her arms into a red silk kimono. She didnt even peek at the elaborate priggish mirror above the cherrywood dresser she knew what shed see. Elena Gilbert, cool and fairish and slender, the fashion trendsetter, the racy school senior, the girl every boy wanted and every girl wanted to be. Who just now had an unaccustomed scowl on her face and a pinch to her mouth.A hot bath and some coffee and Ill calm down, she thought. The morning ritual of washing and dressing was soothing, and she dawdled over it, sorting through her new outfits from Paris. She finally chose a pale rose top and white linen shorts combo that make her look like a raspberry sundae. entire enough to eat, she thought, and the mirror showed a girl with a secret smile. Her earlier fears had melted remote, forgotten.Elena Where are you? Youre going to be late for school The voice drifted faintly up from below.Elena ran the brush one more time through silky hair and curl uped it back with a deep rose ribbon. Then she grabbed her backpack and went down the stairs.In the kitchen, four-year-old Margaret was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and Aunt Judith was burning something on the stove. Aunt Judith was the sort of woman who always looked vaguely flustered she had a thin, tame face and light flyaway hair pushed back untidily. Elena landed a peck on her cheek.Good morning, everybody. Sorry I dont have time for breakfast.But, Elena, you cant just go off without eating. You need your protein-Ill get a doughnut before school, said Elena briskly. She dropped a kiss on Margarets tow head and turned to go.But, Elena- And Ill plausibly go home with Bonnie or Meredith after school, so dont wait dinner. ByeElena-Elena was already at the front door. She closed it behind her, cutting off Aunt Judiths distant protests, and stepped out onto the front porch.And stopped. in all the bad feelin gs of the morning rushed over her again. The anxiety, the fear. And the certainty that something terrible was about to happen.Maple Street was deserted. The tall Victorian houses looked strange and silent, as if they might all be empty inside, like the houses on an abandoned film set. They looked as if they were empty ofpeople , but full of strange watching things.That was it something was watching her. The sky overhead was not blue but milky and opaque, like a giant bowl turned upside down.The air was stifling, and Elena felt sure that there were eyes on her.She caught sight of something dark in the branches of the old quince tree in front of the house.It was a crow, sitting as still as the yellow-tinged leaves around it. And it was the thing watching her.She tried to tell herself that this was ridiculous, but somehow she knew . It was the biggest crow she had ever seen, plump and sleek, with rainbows shining in its black feathers. She could see every detail of it clearly the gree dy dark claws, the sharp beak, the single glisten black eye.It was so motionless that it might have been a wax model of a madam sitting there. But as she stared at it, Elena felt herself flush slowly, heat coming in waves up her throat and cheeks. Because it was looking at her. Looking the way boys looked at her when she wore a bathing suit or a sheer blouse. As if it were undressing her with its eyes.Before she realized what she was doing, she had dropped her backpack and picked up a stone from beside the driveway. start up out of here, she said, and heard the shaking anger in her own voice. Go on Getaway With the last word, she threw the stone.There was an explosion of leaves, but the crow soared up unharmed. Its locomote were huge, and they made enough racket for a whole flock of crows. Elena crouched, suddenly panicked as it flapped directly over her head, the wind of its wings ruffling her blond hair.But it swooped up again and circled, a black silhouette against the paper -white sky. Then, with one harsh croak, it wheeled away toward the woods.Elena straightened up slowly, then glanced around, self-conscious. She couldnt believe what she had just done. But now that the darn was gone, the sky felt prevalent again. A little wind made the leaves flutter, and Elena took a deep breath. Down the street a door opened and several children poured out, laughing.She smiled at them, and took another breath, relief sweeping through her like sunlight. How could she have been so silly? This was a beautiful day, full of promise, and nothing bad was going to happen.Nothing bad was going to happen-except that she was going to be late getting to school. The whole crowd would be waiting for her in the position lot.You could always tell everyone you stopped to throw stones at a Peeping Tom, she thought, and almost giggled. Now,that would give them something to think about.Without a backward glance at the quince tree, she began to walk as quickly as she could down the street.The crow crashed through the top of the massive oak, and Stefans head jerked up reflexively. When he saw it was only a bird, he relaxed.His eyes dropped to the limp white form in his hands, and he felt his face twist in regret. He hadnt meant to kill it. He would have hunted something larger than a rabbit if hed known how starved he was. But, of course, that was the very thing that frightened him never knowing how strong the hunger would be, or what he might have to do to satisfy it. He was lucky that this time hed killed only a rabbit.He stood beneath the ancient oak trees, sunlight filtering down onto his curly hair. In jeans and T-shirt, Stefan Salvatore looked exactly like a normal high school student.He wasnt.Deep in the woods, where no one would see him, hed serve to feed. Now he licked at his gums and lips painstakingly, to make sure there was no stain on them. He didnt want to take any chances. This masquerade was going to be hard enough to pull off as it was.For a moment he wondered, again, if he should just give it all up. possibly he should go back to Italy, back to his hiding place. What made him think that he could rejoin the human race of daylight?But he was tired of living in shadows. He was tired of the darkness, and of the things that lived in it. more or less of all, he was tired of being alone.He wasnt sure why hed chosen Fells Church, Virginia. It was a young town, by his standards the oldest buildings had been put up only a century and a half ago. But memories and ghosts of the Civil contend still lived here, as real as the supermarkets and fast-food joints.Stefan appreciated respect for the past. He thought he might come to like the people of Fells Church. And perhaps-just perhaps-he might find a place among them.Hed never be evaluate completely, of course. A bitter smile curved his lips at the idea. He knew better than to hope forthat . There would never be a place where he could belong completely, where he could truly be h imself.Unless he chose to belong to the shadowsHe slapped the thought away. Hed renounced the darkness hed left the shadows behind him. He was blotting all those long years out and starting afresh, today.Stefan realized he was still holding the rabbit. Gently, he laid it down on the bed of brown oak leaves. Far away, too far for human ears to pick up, he recognized the noises of a fox.Come along, brother hunter, he thought sadly. Your breakfast is waiting.As he slung his jacket over his shoulder, he noticed the crow that had disturbed him earlier. It was still perched in the oak tree, and it seemed to be watching him. There was a wrongness about it.He started to send a probing thought toward it, to examine the bird, and stopped himself. take to be your promise, he thought. You dont use the Powers unless it is absolutely necessary. Not unless there is no other choice.Moving almost taciturnly among the dead leaves and dry twigs, he made his way toward the edge of the woods. His car w as parked there. He glanced back, once, and saw that the crow had left the branches and dropped down on the rabbit.There was something sinister in the way it spread its wings over the limp white body, something sinister and triumphant. Stefans throat tightened, and he almost strode back to chase the bird away. Still, it had as much right to eat as the fox did, he told himself.As much right as he did.If he encountered the bird again, hed look into its mind, he decided. Just now, he tore his eyes from the sight of it and hurried on through the woods, jaw set. He didnt want to be late arriving at Robert E. Lee High School.