The Fury

in a minute. Listen.' He grabbed her wrist and Elena looked at it in mild surprise. 'I don't care if you're the Creature from the Black Lagoon, It, Godzilla and Frankenstein all rolled up into one. I just—'

'Matt.' Panicked, Elena put her free hand over his mouth.

'I know. You're engaged to the guy in the black cape. Don't worry; I remember him. I even like him, though God knows why.' Matt took a breath and seemed to calm down. 'Look, I don't know if Stefan told you. He said a bunch of stuff to me—about being evil, about not being sorry for what he did to Tyler. You know what I'm talking about?'

Elena shut her eyes. 'He's scarcely eaten since that night. I think he's hunted once. Tonight he almost got himself killed because he's so weak.'

Matt nodded. 'So it was your basic crap. I should have known.'

'Well, it is and it isn't. The need is strong, stronger than you can imagine.' It was dawning on Elena that she hadn't fed today and that she'd been hungry before they'd set out for Alaric's. 'In fact—Matt, I'd better go. Just one thing—if there's a dance tomorrow night, don't go. Something's going to happen then, something bad. We're going to try to guard it, but I don't know what we can do.'

'Who's 'we'?' Matt said sharply.

'Stefan and Damon—I think Damon—and me. And Meredith and Bonnie… and Alaric Saltzman. Don't ask about Alaric. It's a long story.'

'But what are you guarding against!'

'I forgot; you don't know. That's a long story, too, but… well, the short answer is, whatever killed me. Whatever made those dogs attack people at my memorial service. It's something bad, Matt, that's been around Fell's Church for a while now. And we're going to try to stop it from doing anything tomorrow night.' She tried not to squirm. 'Look, I'm sorry, but I really should leave.' Her eyes drifted, despite herself, to the broad blue vein in his neck.

When she managed to tear her gaze away and look at his face, she saw shock giving way to sudden understanding. Then to something incredible: acceptance. 'It's okay,' Matt said.

She wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. 'Matt?'

'I said, it's okay. It didn't hurt me before.'

'No. No, Matt, really. I didn't come here for that—'

'I know. That's why I want to. I want to give you something you didn't ask for.' After a moment he said, 'For old friends' sake.'

Stefan, Elena was thinking. But Stefan had told her to come, and come alone. Stefan had known, she realized. And it was all right. It was his gift to Matt—and to her.

But I'm coming back to you, Stefan, she thought.

As she leaned toward him, Matt said, 'I'm going to come and help you tomorrow, you know. Even if I'm not invited.'

Then her lips touched his throat.

December 13, Friday

Dear Diary,

Tonight's the night.

I know I've written that before, or thought it at least. But tonight is the night, the big one, when everything is going to happen. This is it.

Stefan feels it, too. He came back from school today to tell me that the dance is still on—Mr. Newcastle didn't want to cause a panic by canceling it or something. What they're going to do is have 'security' outside, which means the police, I guess. And maybe Mr. Smallwood and some of his friends with rifles. Whatever's going to happen, I don't think they can stop it.

I don't know if we can, either.

It's been snowing all day. The pass is blocked, which means nothing gets in or out of town on wheels. Until the snowplow gets up there, which won't be until morning, which will be too late.

And the air has a funny feeling to it. Not just snow. It's as if something even colder than that is waiting. It's pulled back the way the ocean pulls back before a tidal wave. When it lets go…

I thought about my other diary today, the one under the floorboards of my bedroom closet. If I own anything anymore, I own that diary. I thought about getting it out, but I don't want to go home again. I don't think I could cope, and I know Aunt Judith couldn't if she saw me.

I'm surprised anybody's been able to cope. Meredith, Bonnie—especially Bonnie. Well, Meredith, too, considering what her family has been through. Matt.

They're good and loyal friends. It's funny, I used to think that without a whole galaxy of friends and admirers I wouldn't survive. Now I'm perfectly happy with three, thank you. Because they're real friends.

I didn't know how much I cared about them before. Or about Margaret, or Aunt Judith even. And everybody at school… I know a few weeks ago I was saying that I didn't care if the entire population of Robert E. Lee dropped dead, but that isn't true. Tonight I'm going to do my best to protect them.

I know I'm jumping from subject to subject, but I'm just talking about things that are important to me. Kind of gathering them together in my mind. Just in case.

Well, it's time. Stefan is waiting. I'm going to finish this last line and then go.

I think we're going to win. I hope so.

We're going to try.

The history room was warm and brightly lit. On the other side of the school building, the cafeteria was even brighter, shining with Christmas lights and decorations. Upon arriving, Elena had scrutinized it from a cautious distance, watching the couples arrive for the dance and pass by the sheriff's officers at the door. Feeling Damon's silent presence behind her, she had pointed out a girl with long, light brown hair.

'Vickie Bennett,' she said.

'I'll take your word for it,' he replied.

Now, she looked around their makeshift headquarters for the night. Alaric's desk had been cleared, and he was bent over a rough map of the school. Meredith leaned in beside him, her dark hair sweeping his sleeve. Matt and Bonnie were out mingling with the dancegoers in the parking lot, and Stefan and Damon were prowling the perimeter of the school grounds. They were going to take turns.

'You'd better stay inside,' Alaric had told Elena. 'All we need is for somebody to see you and start chasing you with a stake.'

'I've been walking around town all week,' Elena said, amused. 'If I don't want to be seen, you don't see me.' But she agreed to stay in the history room and coordinate.

It's like a castle, she thought as she watched Alaric plot out the positions of sheriff's officers and other men on the map. And we're defending it. Me and my loyal knights.

The round, flat-faced clock on the wall ticked the minutes by. Elena watched it as she let people in the door and let them out again. She poured hot coffee out of a Thermos for those who wanted it. She listened to the reports come in.

'Everything's quiet on the north side of the school.'

'Caroline just got crowned snow queen. Big surprise.'

'Some rowdy kids in the parking lot—the sheriff just rounded them up…'

Midnight came and went.

'Maybe we were wrong,' Stefan said an hour or so later. It was the first time they'd all been inside together since the beginning of the evening.

'Maybe it's happening somewhere else,' said Bonnie, emptying out a boot and peering into it.

'There's no way to know where it's going to happen,' Elena said firmly. 'But we weren't wrong about it happening.'

'Maybe,' said Alaric thoughtfully, 'there is a way. To find out where it's going to happen, I mean.' As heads raised questioningly, he said, 'We need a precognition.'

All eyes turned to Bonnie.

'Oh, no,' Bonnie said. 'I'm through with all that. I hate it.'