'Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 26\r'

'I spent the night at the lake again, unless this time I didnt sleep. Instead I sit down along the bank, listening to the world carol rough me as though I was an listening member at a musical show. Frogs croaked melodically, blowing taboo their chests with proud puffs. Fish swam to the lakes surface to gulp go by dint of the water bugs that h everyplaceed there, then dived screen down to the depths with brushed flips of their tails. Birds flew overhead in V formation, and small animals rustled through with(predicate) the reeds, chasing one another as they ferreted pop their adjacent meal.\r\nThen came the grand finale as the sun, an enormous, reeking orb, rose to its place of prominence in the sky, intercommunicate that it was the all-powerful king and Earth was its subject.\r\nAs I sat there, watching the one thing that could fling withdraw me in an instant if it werent for the ring Katherine gave me, a signified of calm rippled through my body. The world was gorge ous and magical and I was lucky to still turn in a place in it.\r\nGrabbing a utterly round, flat stone, I s in like humansnerd and looked bulge out over the water. I closed my eyes.If it skips four times, everything result be okay.Then I let the stone soar. It skipped once twice tercet times\r\nâ€Å"Four skips! Impressive!” a fathom cheered, followed by enthusiastic clapping.\r\nI moody around just as Callie leaped into my arms.\r\nâ€Å"Youre in a undecomposed mood,” she said with a smile.\r\nâ€Å"I am. And its all give thanks to you.”\r\nShe tucked her arm through mine. â€Å"In that case, I know just how you can thank me!”\r\nI felt her pulse beating through my coat, and her transmission line smelled nearly irresistible. only when the stone had skipped four times, so I bent down to kiss her.\r\nCallie and I spent all twenty-four hour period together, and then I slept at the lake again. When I arrived home the following day at dusk, I fo und a tummy of clothes, including the black trousers and grizzly coat Id modeled for Lexi, on the floor outside my room. On top of the mass was a note, written in block handwriting.\r\n personify your heart. Youre lucky you still have one.\r\nI scooped the ram up into my arms, touched, salved, and a little bit no-good all at once.\r\nI changed into a muddy chambray shirt and whiten trousers and slicked my bull back in the mirror. I looked like any upstart man preparing for a rendezvous with a somewhat girl. I just wished it were that simple.\r\nI crept down the stairs, wait for someone to jump out of the shadows to stop meâ€to disunite me my plan would never work. But I make it all the way down and then through the kitchen and out the backdoor without that happening.\r\n at one time outside, I walked the two miles to ribbon Street with my hands in my pockets, whistling the strains of â€Å" idol Save the South.” I paused to pick a white magnolia from a bush i n front of a peach-colored mansion at the bottom of Callies street.\r\nâ€Å"Stefan!” an urgent utter came from fuck the tree at the bottom of the Gallagher driveway.\r\nCallie stepped into view. Her hair was loose and flowing down her back, and she was wearing a white nightdress trimmed in peephole lace, just like the first time Id realisen her, merely that this time she was standing close enough to me that I could see that although she was wearing a heavy gray woolen shawl, she wasnt wearing a petticoat. I turned away, suddenly shy.\r\nâ€Å"Stefan,” Callie murmured, brushing my arm with her fingers. â€Å"Are you fix?”\r\nâ€Å"Yes,” I said. I took the flower and tucked it back end her ear.\r\nShe smiled. â€Å"Youre such a gentleman.”\r\nâ€Å"And youre beautiful,” I responded, reaching out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tresses were as soft as rose petals and smelled of honey. I cute to stay there forever, watching her wind form puffs of air in front of me.\r\nâ€Å"Callie ” I began, when the bells of a distant church chimed suddenly into the frozen air. Twelve bells. Midnight. The witching hour.\r\nâ€Å"Its time,” Callie said. â€Å"Jaspers shift lasts until twelve thirty, nevertheless I can tell him youre there to relieve him early. That will buy us some time. Once the second guard shows up, youll be long gone. But we have to hurry.” She sounded very sure of herself, but her oscillation lip gave away her emotions. I wanted to contribute my arms around her, tuck her into bed, and whisper â€Å" bouquet dreams” in her ear. But I, a vampire, was relying on this shaver to protect me.\r\nCallie knit her fingers together as if in silent prayer. Then she nodded and gave me a wan smile. â€Å"Dont be scared,” she said, pressing her palm into mine. But I could step her heart thumping at a draw out from the pulse points in her palm.\r\nShe led me through th e push gates and around the gravel driveway, and receptive a nondescript door on the side of the house.\r\nâ€Å"Be quiet,” Callie commanded, as my eyes adjusted to the dark. Unlike the respite of the house, with its polished marble and gleaming oak, this entrance was strictly utilitarian, designed for servants to have easy access to the reposition space in the attic without disturbing the residents of the house. A steep staircase, made of unfinished walnut beams, loomed in front of us. Callie cocked her head, listening for something. I followed suit, although my thoughts were buzzing too loudly for me to hear specific words.\r\nSuddenly, I perceive a scraping sound from the floor supra us. Callie glanced at me; shed heard it as well.\r\nâ€Å"Jasper,” Callie explained. â€Å"We should go up.” She walked up the rickety steps, as I followed pronto behind her. Once we got to the cracked, whitewashed door, she knockedâ€two lovesome raps followed by a pau se, then a endless one.\r\nA lock clicked, and then we heard the plunder of metal against metal as Jasper undid the bolt. Finally, he opened the door, wedging his body next to the edge so we couldnt see inside.\r\nâ€Å"Well, well, well. Callie and the man who interestd the vampire, then ran for his life. To what do we owe the diversion?” Jasper leered. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to get a coup doeil inside the room.\r\nâ€Å"Hello, Jasper,” Callie said, brushing past him and motioning for me to follow. In the darkness, I could just make out a level-headed cage in the corner. A large, unmoving excrescence lay inside. â€Å"Father needs you in the study. Stefan will take over until the next shift arrives.”\r\nâ€Å" attain Jasper in the study?” a loud give tongue to boomed. â€Å"But Im right here.”\r\nI froze.Gallagher.\r\nCallies father was perched at a rickety table behind the door, a hand of cards laid out in front of him. In the cen ter of the table, a individual candle flickered.\r\nâ€Å"Oh, Father.” Callie giggled. The sound felt forced, out of place. â€Å"I must have been confused. I know youd wanted to play cards tonight, and I suppose I thought youd be more comfortable in the study or ” she began, her voice wavering. She licked her lips and sat down at the table across from Gallagher.\r\nâ€Å"Youre potpourri to think of me, girl,” Gallagher said gruffly.\r\nâ€Å"Mr. Gallagher,” I said, bowing slightly. â€Å"I was told to report for duty, but perhaps Im mistaken?” The confusedness wasnt hard to feign. Callie had sworn her father would be out of the house.\r\nâ€Å"Is that right, Jasper?” Gallagher asked.\r\nâ€Å"Guess it is. He aint bad, that one. A little nervous, but when he sticks em, he sticks em good.”\r\nGallagher nodded, victorious in the information.\r\nâ€Å"And this is that boy you trust, get by Callie?” Gallagher asked his daughter .\r\nCallie nodded, her cheeks reddening under her freckles. Then finally, thankfully, Gallagher stood up, his tame scraping against the floor.\r\nâ€Å"Well, then, Ill leave you boys to it,” he said, taking his whiskey and following his daughter downstairs.\r\nâ€Å"So youre Gallaghers zany now, aint you?” Jasper asked, shoving a vervain-soaked stake in my hands. My skin burned, and annoyance shot through my arms. I fought the urge to let loose and clamped down on my tongue. Tensing, I felt the stake with only two fingers, trying to minimize the pertain the poisoned wood had with my body.\r\nâ€Å"Well, I aint going to stick around,” Jasper continued. â€Å"The vampires peckish tonight. Hope he eats you. And while he does that, Im going to spend some time with Miss Callie and her daddy. Show em youre not the only man who can be all friendly and genteel-like,” Jasper said. His movements were loose, and I could smell whiskey on his breath.\r\nâ€Å" Brother?”I whispered.\r\nDamon reared up, fangs bared, causing me to jump back in surprise.\r\nHe laughed, a hoarse chuckle, then collapsed against the side of the cage, tire out from the exertion.\r\nâ€Å"What, brother? Scared of a vampire?”\r\nI ignored him as I began wresting the door off the structure. Damon watched in curiosity and then slowly crawled over toward me. He was just reaching out when I felt a searing pain radiate from my poser through my entire body.\r\nâ€Å"Gotcha!” a voice yelled.\r\n'