The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Twenty

This is substance worse than the breast bring course, thought plane.And building a sept seminal fluid issue of stark nakedspaper. And the fire liberty chit.This is definitely the worst make happy level(p)t yet.He twisted the soup-strainer in his passel to truly y get into the secondary era out(p) speed along the bottom of the paneling on the Vitale Societys pledge room wal s. The toothbrush came out disconso late with ancient dirt and swing cobwebs, and lustrelessness grimaced in disgust. His masking was already sore from hunching over.Hows it qualifying absent, soldier? Chloe asked, squatting consume fount by side(p) to him, a dripping leech in hotshot hand.H whizzstly, Im not for sure how scrubbing out this room is qualifying to help us develop prise and leadership and al the tweet Ethan guards public lecture more or less, monotonous verbalise. I th sign this major power besides be a manner to save a couple of bucks on a cleaning service.Well , they say cleanliness is next to godliness, she reminded him. Chloe laughed. He real y wish her laugh. It was sort of bubbly and sil real.Internal y, he gave himself a little eye rol . champagne and silvery. She had a nice laugh, was al he meant.Theyd been spending a lot of clipping unitedly since Chris twingehers death. insipid had felt desire nothing could be as unwhole both(prenominal) as living with al of Christophers stuff when Christopher himself was gone, simply then Chriss p arents came and packed it up, softly patting Matt on the put up as if he deserved some amiable of sympathy when they had lost their only son. And with nevertheless empty space where Christophers things had been, incessantlyything was a sea mile ion times worse.Me rosy- brassedith, decorous, and Elena had tried to comfort him.They cute so badly for him to be very well once again that hed felt guilty he wasnt, making it harder for him to be keep out to them.Chloe had interpreted to com ing by the room, hanging out with him or getting him to come to the cafeteria or wherever with her, keeping him in play with the world when he felt analogous locking himself away. There was something so open nigh her. Elena, the only missy hed ever loved before straightway, part of him whispered was very much more work to be close to.Inside, he flinched at his own disloyalty to Elena, however it was true.Now he was starting to enkindle up and take an interest in things again. And he kept noticing with fresh admiration the cute dimple Chloe had in her honest cheek, or how shiny her curly consumecast hair was, or how graceful and delightful her hands were despite the fact that they were very much stained with paint.So far, though, they were barely friends. perhaps maybe it was time to change that.Chloe snapped her fingers in front of his face, and Matt realized he had been staring at her. You al right, chum? she asked, a little frown wrinkling her forehead, and M att had to restrain himself from kissing her right then.Yeah, just spacing out, he utter, feeling a flush creep over his cheeks. He was smiling kindred a goof, he knew.Want to help with these wal s?Sure, why not? Chloe answered. Il soap stilt the wal part, and you keep doing whatever youre doing there with that little toothbrush.They worked companionably together for a while, Chloe now and then accidental y-on-purpose dripping soapy water onto the top of Matts head.As they worked further along the paneling, the niche beneath the baseboard got deeper, until it was not so much a niche as a gap. Matt slid the toothbrush underneath to scrub man, but it got grimy down there and felt something shift.Theres something under here, he told Chloe, pressing his hand flat against the narration and working his fingers into the gap. He slid his hands and the toothbrush around, movementing to shimmy whatever was down there toward them, but he couldnt kind of get a grip on it.Look, give tongue to Chloe after a moment, I hypothesize the paneling readiness sliding board up here. She wiggled the section of wood until it gave a raucous screech and she was able to work it up.Huh, she said, puzzled. Wow, its similar a secret compartment. Seems analogous it hasnt been opened for a while, though. one time she managed to locomote the paneling up, they could check the space bottomland it was smal , only a foot or so in height and breadth and a few inches deep. It was ful of cobwebs. Inside was something rectangular, enwrapped in a cloth that had in all probability formerly been white but was now grey-haired with dust.Its a book, Matt said, pickax it up. The grime on the outside of the cloth was thick and soft and came away on his hands. Unwrapping it, he found the book intimate was clean.Wow, Chloe said softly.It directed old, real y old. The showing was flaking disgraceful leather, and the edges of the pages were rough as if theyd been hand cut instead of by a machine. Tilting the book a little, Matt could see the remains of gilt that must pay back once been the title, but it was worn away now.Matt opened it to the middle. Inside, it was handwritten, black ink inscribing neat strong strokes. And total y indecipherable.I think its Latin. possibly? said Matt. Do you tell apart Latin at al ?Chloe shook her head. Matt flipped back to the first page, and one script popped out at him. Vitale.Maybe its a tale of the Vitale Society, Chloe said.Or ancient secrets of the founders. Cool We should contribute it to Ethan.Yeah, sure, Matt said, distracted. He turned a few more pages, and the ink changed from black to a risque brown. It opinions like arid kind, he thought, and shuddered, then pushed the image away. It was just some kind of old ink, fagged brown with time.One word he recognized, written three no, four times on the page Mort. That meant death, didnt it? Matt traced the word with his finger, frowning. Creepy.Il show it t o Ethan, Chloe said, jumping up and victorious the book from him. She crossed the room and break Ethans conversation with another girl. From the other side of the room, Matt watched Ethans face break into a slow grimace as he took the book.After a few minutes, Chloe returned, grinning. Ethan was real y excited, she said. He said hel tel us al about it after he gets someone to translate the book. Matt nodded. Thats terrific, he said, pushing the last of his unease away. This was Chloe, lively, express joy Chloe, and he would try not to think about death or blood or anything morbid around her. Hey, he said, pushing away the dark thoughts, cerebrate on the golden highlights in her dark hair. Are you going to the companionship at McAl ister House tonight?Maybe not pulled back, Elena thought, looking critical y at herself in the mirror. She tugged the barrette out of her hair and allow her golden locks tumble, sleek and flat-ironed, down around her shoulders. Much better.She looke d good, she noted, running her eyes dispassionately over her reflection. Her strappy scam black set on fire back accentuated her rose-petal skin and pale hair, and her dark racy eyes seemed huge.Without Stefan, though, what did it matter how she looked?She watched her own embouchure tighten in the mirror as she pushed the thought away. However much she deep in thought(p) the feeling of Stefans hand in hers, his lips on hers, however much she needed to be with him, it was impossible for now.She couldnt be Katherine. And her pride wouldnt permit her just mope around, either. Its not forever, she told herself grimly. becoming came up and threw her arm around Elenas shoulders, regarding them two in the mirror. We clean up nice, dont we? she asked contented y. Ready to go?You do look amazing, Elena said, looking at bonny with affection. The shorter girl was hardheaded y glowing with redness eyes sparkling, smile bright, cheeks flushed, mane of red hair flying out evidently with a life of its own and her short blue dress and strappy high-heeled shoes were adorable. Bonnies smile got grandger.Lets get going, Meredith said, al business. She was sleek and practical in jeans and a soft fitted gray shirt that matched her eyes. It was hard to know what Meredith was thinking, but Elena had over perceive her murmuring to Alaric on the phone late at night. She figured that Meredith, at heart, mightiness not be into the troupe either.Outside, commonwealth walked quickly in large, silent groups, glancing around nervously as they went. No one lingered, no one was alone.Meredith stopped midstride and stiffened, dead sensible of a potential threat. Elena fol owed her gaze. She was wrongly one person lingered alone. Damon was sitting on a bench outside their dorm, his face tipped toward the sky as if he was basking in the sun despite the ugliness of the notwithstandinging.What do you want, Damon? Meredith said, warily. Her voice wasnt actual y rude theyd g otten past that, working together this summer but it wasnt friendly, and Elena could feel her bristling beside her.Elena, of course, Damon said lazily, rising and smoothly winning Elenas arm.Bonnie looked back and forth between them, puzzled. I thought you werent going to spend time with either of them for a while, she said to Elena.Damon speak quietly into Elenas ear. Its about the Vitale Society. Ive got a lead.Elena hesitated. She hadnt told her friends about the hints she and Damon had found that the Vitale Society might be more than a myth, or that they might be connected to her parents in some way. There wasnt real y anything much to go on yet, and she didnt feel sooner ready to talk about the porta that her parents might have been mixed up in some kind of dark secret or how she felt, seeing the images of them when they were young. qualification up her mind, she turned to Meredith and Bonnie. Ive got to go with Damon for a minute. Its important. Il explain it to you guys l ater. See you at the party in a little bit.Meredith frowned but nodded, and she steered Bonnie toward McAl ister House. As they went, Elena could hear Bonnie construction, But wasnt the whole point retention his hand tucked firmly under Elenas arm, Damon led her in the opposite direction. Where are we going? she asked, feeling too aware of the softness of Damons skin and the strength of his grip.I saw a girl eroding one of those pins from the photo, Damon answered. I fol owed her to the library, but once she got inside, she just disappeared. I looked everywhere for her. Then, an hr later, she came out the library doors again. Remember when I said we needed to look for answers somewhere other than the library? He smiled. I was wrong. Theres something going on in there.Maybe you just didnt see her? Elena wondered aloud.Its a big library, she could have been tucked away in a study carrel or something.I would have found her, Damon said briefly. Im good at finding people. His dentit ion shone white for a moment under the streetlights.The problem was that the library was so normal. Once they were inside, Elena looked around at the gray-carpeted push downs, the beige chairs, the rows and rows of bookshelves, the buzz fluorescent lights. It was a place to study. It didnt look like any secrets were hidden here. upstairs? she suggested.They took the stairs rather than the elevator and worked their way down from the top floor. Going from floor to floor, they found nothing. People reading and taking notes.Books, books, and more books. In the basement, there was a room of vending machines and smal tables for study breaks. energy unexpected.Elena paused in a hal way of administrative offices near the vending machine. Were not going to find anything, she told Damon. His face twisted in frustration, and she added, I believe you that theres something going on here, I do, but without any leads, we dont even know what were looking for yet.The door back tooth her, marked Research Office, opened, and Matt came out.He looked tired, and Elena felt a quick flash of guilt.After Christophers death, she and Meredith and Bonnie had meant to stick close to Matt. But he was always meddlesome with footbal or class and didnt seem to want them around.She realized with a shock that she hadnt talked to him in days.Oh, hey, Elena, Matt said, looking startled. Are you going to the party tonight? He greeted Damon with an steamy nod.Mutt, Damon acknowledged, giving a half(prenominal)(prenominal) smile, and Matt rol ed his eyes.As they chatted about the party and classes and Bonnies new semiboyfriend, Elena cataloged her impressions of Matt. Tired, yes his eyes were a little bloodshot, and there was grimness to his lips that hadnt been there a few weeks ago. But why did he smel so strongly of soap? It wasnt like he was particularly clean, she thought, inspecting a dark trail tracing down Matts cheek to his neck. It looked like something had been dripped on his h ead. It was almost like he had been cleaning something. Something real y dirty.Struck by a new thought, she glanced at his chest.Surely he wouldnt be wearing one of the V pins? As if aware of what she was wondering, Matt pul ed his diadem more tightly around him.What were you doing in that office? she asked him abruptly.Uh. Matts face was blank for half a second, and then he glanced up at the door, at the sign saying Research Office. Research, of course, he said. Ive got to go, he added. Il convey you at the party later, okay, Elena? He had half turned away, when Elena impulsively put out her hand to catch his arm. Where have you been, Matt? she asked. Ive hardly seen you lately. Matt grinned, but he didnt quite meet her eyes.Footbal , he said. col ege bal s a big deal. He gently pul ed away from her restraining hand. Later, Elena. Damon.They watched him walk away, and then Damon nodded toward the door Matt had come out of. Shal we? he said.Shal we what? Elena asked, puzzled.Oh, l ike that wasnt suspicious, Damon said. He put his hand on the knob, and Elena heard the lock snap as he forced it open.Inside was a very boring room. A desk, a chair, a smal rug on the floor.Maybe a little too boring?A research office without books? Or even a computer? Elena asked. Damon cocked his head to one side, considering, then, with a swift movement, pul ed digression the rug.Below it was the clear outline of a trapdoor. Bingo, Elena breathed. She stepped forward, already bending down to try and pry it open, but Damon pul ed her back.Whoever is use this could stil be down there, he said. Matt just left, and I doubt he was alone. Matt. Whatever was going on, Matt knew about it.Maybe I should talk to him, Elena said.Damon frowned. Lets grasp until we know what were dealing with, he said. We dont know what Matts involvement is. This could be dangerous for you. He had taken hold of her arm again and was pul ing her gently, steadily out of the room. Wel come back later. Elena le t him lead her away, grappling with what hed said. wild? she thought. Surely Matt wouldnt be doing anything that would be a danger to Elena?