The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 5

ar you excited for Alaric to arrive tomorrow? monotonous asked. Hes bringing his police detective friend Celia, right?Meredith complained him in the chest.Oof dull staggered canward, knocked non-living despite the protective vest he had on. Meredith fol owed up with a roundhouse kick to Matts ramp, and he fel to his knees, b bely managing to raise his hands and block a full-strength punch to his face.Ow he said. Meredith, age- show up, okay?Meredith dropped into a graceful tiger stance, her back leg comporting her weight while her figurehead foot be lightly on her toes. Her face was calm, her eyes cool and watchful. She looked ready to swoop if Matt showed any sign of sudden movement.When hed arrived to spar with Meredith to help her hold back her hunter-slayer skil s in top-notch shape Matt had wondered why she had handed him a helmet, mouth guard, gloves, shin guards, and vest, while she wore only sleek calamitous practice session clothes.Now he knew. He hadnt ev en accompany close to smash her, while shed pummeled him mercilessly. Matt eased a hand up infra the vest and rubbed rueful y at his side. He hoped he hadnt cracked a rib.Ready to go once again? Meredith said, her eyebrows raised in chal enge.Please, no, Meredith, Matt said, raising his hands in surrender. Lets take a break. It feels exchangeable youve been punching me for hours.Meredith walked all everywhere to the smal fridge in the corner of her familys rec room and tossed Matt a store of water, then sank down next to him on the mat. Sorry. I guess I got carried away. Ive never sparred with a friend before.Looking around as he took a long, cool drink, Matt shook his head. I dont know how you managed to throw this place secret for so long. The basement room had been converted into a perfect place to train throwing stars, knives, s language, and staves of various kinds were mounted on the wal s a punching bag hung in one corner, while a cushiony dummy leaned in an differ ent. The floor was lined with mats, and one wal was completely mirrored. In the middle of the opposite wal hung the fighting stave a special artillery for battling the supernatural that had been handed down through generations of Merediths family. It was deadly plainly elegant- sounding, the hilt c everywhere with jewels, the ends spiked with silver, wood, and white ash, and the needles steeped in poison. Matt eyed it warily.Wel , said Meredith, looking away, the Suargonz family has always been atrocious at keeping secrets. She began to move through a tae kwon do form back stance, double fist block, left front stance, reverse middle punch. She was graceful as a slim black cat in her workout gear. After a moment, Matt crest his water bottle, climbed to his feet, and began to mirror her movements. Left double front kick, left at heart block, double-handed punch. He knew he was half a beat nates and mat shambling and awkward next to her, but frowned and concentrated. Hed always been a good athlete. He could do this, too.Besides, its not standardized I was bringing my saunter dates down here, Meredith offered after a cycle, half smiling. It wasnt that hard to hide. She watched Matt in the mirror. No, block low with your left hand and high with your right hand, like this. She showed him again, and he shadowed her movements.Okay, yeah, he said, only half concentrating on his words now, focused on the positions. But you could pay back told us. Were your best friends. He move his left foot forward and mimicked Merediths backward elbow blow.At least, you could be possessed of told us after the whole thing with Klaus and Katherine, he amended. Before that, we would have thought you were crazy.Meredith shrugged and dropped her hands, and Matt fol owed before he realized that the gestures werent part of the tae kwon do form.Now they stood side by side, staring at each other(a) in the mirror. Merediths cool and elegant face looked pale and pinched. I was brou ght up to keep my heritage as a hunterslayer a deep, dark secret, she said. Tel ing anybody wasnt something I could consider. Even Alaric doesnt know.Matt turned away from Merediths mirror image to goggle at the real girl. Alaric and Meredith were practical y engaged. Matt had never been that serious with anyone the girl hed come closest to loving was Elena, and obviously that hadnt worked out but hed sort of figured that, if you committed your heart to somebody, you told them everything.Isnt Alaric a paranormal researcher? Dont you think he would understand?Frowning, Meredith shrugged again. Probably, she said, sounding irritated and dismissive, but I dont want to be something for him to study or research, any more than I want him to freak out. But since you and the others know, Il have to tel him.Hmm. Matt rubbed his aching side again. Is that why youre pounding on me so aggressively? Because youre worried around tel ing him?Meredith met his eyes. The lines of her face were sti l tense, but a mischievous glimmer shone in her eyes.fast-growing(a)? she asked sweetly, fal ing back into the tiger stance. Matt felt an answering smile dork at the corners of his mouth. You havent seen anything yet.Elena surveyed the restaurant Judith had picked with a kind of bemused horror. Beeping video blue machines vied for attention with unfashionable arcade games like Whac-AMole and Skee-Bal . Bouquets of brightly colored bal oons bobbed over every table, and a cacophony of song rose from various corners as singing waiters delivered pizza after pizza. What seemed like hundreds of children ran loose across the floor, riot and laughing. Stefan had walked her to the restaurant, but, eyeing the neon paint job with alarm, hed declined to come in.Oh, I shouldnt intrude on girls night, hed said vaguely, and then disappeared so cursorily Elena suspected hed used vampiric speed.Traitor, shed muttered, before warily opening the bright pink door. After their time unitedly in the graveyard, she felt stronger and happier, but she would have liked some support here, too.Welcome to Happytown, chirped an unnatural y cheery hostess. Table for one, or are you meeting a party?Elena repressed a shudder. She couldnt imagine anyone choosing to come to a place like this by themselves. I think I see my group now, she said politely, catching sight of Aunt Judith wave to her from a corner.This is your idea of a fun girls night out, Aunt Judith?she asked when she reached the table. I was picturing something more like a cozy bistro.Aunt Judith nodded toward the other side of the room. Peering over, Elena spotted Margaret, happily whacking away at victimize moles with a mal et.Were always dragging Margaret to grown-up places and expecting her to behave, Aunt Judith explained. I thought it was time she got a turn to do something she enjoyed. I hope clean and Meredith wont mind.She certainly looks like shes enjoying herself, Elena said, studying her little sister. Her memori es of Margaret from the last year were of strain and apprehension During the fal Margaret had been upset by Elenas fighting with Judith and Robert and by the mysterious happenings in Fel s Church, and then, of course, devastated by Elenas death. Elena had watched her through the windows afterward and seen her sobbing. Shed suffered more than any five-yearold should, even if she didnt cerebrate any of it now. Ill take care of you, Margaret, she promised fiercely and silently, watching the studious ingress on her sisters face as Margaret practiced a little old-fashioned carnival violence. You wont have to feel like that again in this world.Are we waiting for Bonnie and Meredith? Aunt Judith prompted gently. Did you end up inviting them to join us?Oh, said Elena, jarred out of her reverie. She reached for a handful of popcorn from the basket in the middle of the table. I couldnt get ahold of Meredith, but Bonnies coming. Shel love this.I absolutely, get y do love this, a voice agre ed from behind her. Elena turned to see Bonnies silky red curls.Especial y the contemplation on your face, Elena. Bonnies wide brown eyes were dancing with amusement. She and Elena shared a look that was ful of al the were back, were back, they did what they said and Fells Church is the way it should be again that they couldnt say in front of Aunt Judith, then fel into each others arms.Elena squeezed Bonnie tightly, and Bonnie buried her face in Elenas shoulder for a moment. Her petty body quivered slightly in Elenas arms, and Elena realized that she wasnt the only one manner of walking a fine line between delight and devastation. Theyd gained so a good deal but it had come at a very high price. positive y, said Bonnie with careful cheer as she released Elena, I had my ordinal birthday at a place very much like this. Remember the Hokey-Pokey Gril ? That was the place to be when we were in elementary school. Her eyes held a bright sheen that might be tears, but her chin stuck o ut determinedly. Bonnie, Elena thought with admiration, was going to have fun if it kil ed her.I repute that party, Elena said, matching Bonnies lightness. Your cake had a big picture of some male child band on it.I was mature for my age, Bonnie told Aunt Judith merrily. I was boy crazy way before any of my friends were.Aunt Judith laughed and waved Margaret over toward their table. Wed better order before the stage show starts, she said.Elena, eyes wide, mouthed, portray show? at Bonnie, who smirked and shrugged.Do you girls know what you want? Aunt Judith asked.Do they have anything besides pizza? Elena asked.Chicken fingers, answered Margaret, climbing into her chair. And hot dogs.Elena grinned at her sisters tousled hair and expression of delight. What are you going to have, bunny? she asked. pizza pie Margaret answered. Pizza, pizza, pizza.Il have pizza, too, then, Elena decided.Its the best thing here, Margaret confided. The hot dogs are weird-tasting. She squirmed in her c hair. Elena, are you coming to my dance recital? she asked.When is it? Elena asked.Margaret frowned. The day after tomorrow, she said.You know that.Elena glanced quickly at Bonnie, whose eyes were wide.I wouldnt miss it for the world, she told Margaret affectionately, and her sister nodded firmly and stood up on her chair to reach the popcorn.Under cover of Aunt Judiths take to task and the semimelodious sound of their singing waiter approaching, Bonnie and Elena exchanged a smile. trip the light fantastic toe recitals. Singing waiters. Pizza.It was good to live in this kind of world for a change.