Part 7 (2/2)

Stefan glanced at him sharply. ”Yes.”

”That's why you told Vickie not to invite anyone in,” Meredith added, not to be outdone in the reasoning department. Vampires, Bonnie remembered, couldn't enter a place where humans lived and slept unless

they were invited. ”And that's why you asked if the man was wearing a blue stone.” ”An amulet against daylight,” Stefan said, spreading his right hand. On the third finger there was a silverring set with lapis lazuli. ”Without one of these, direct exposure to the sun kills us. If the murdereris avampire, he keeps a stone like this somewhere on him.” As if by instinct, Stefan reached up to brieflytouch something under his T-s.h.i.+rt. After a moment Bonnie realized what it must be.

Elena's ring.Stefan had given it to her in the first place, and after she died he'd taken it to wear on a chain around his neck. So that part of her would be with him always, he'd said.

When Bonnie looked at Matt beside her, she saw his eyes were closed.

”So how can we tell if he's a vampire?” Meredith asked.

”There's only one way I can think of, and it isn't very pleasant. But it's got to be done.”

Bonnie'sheart sank. If Stefan thought it wasn't very pleasant, she was sure she was going to find it even less so. ”What is it?” she said unenthusiastically.

”I need to get a look at Sue's body.”

There was dead silence. Even Meredith, normally so unflappable, looked appalled. Matt turned away,leaning his forehead against the window gla.s.s. ”You've got to be kidding,” Bonnie said. ”I wish I were.” ”But-for G.o.d's sake, Stefan. Wecan't . They won't let us. I mean, what are we going to say? 'Excuse me while I examine this corpse for holes'?” ”Bonnie, stop it,” Meredith said. ”I can't help it,” Bonnie snapped back shakily. ”It's anawful idea. And besides, the police already checked her body. There wasn't a mark on it except the cuts she got in the fall.” ”The police don't know what to look for,” Stefan said. His voice was steely. Hearing it brought something home to Bonnie, something she tended to forget. Stefan was one ofthem . One of the hunters.

He'd seen dead people before. He might even have killed some. He drinksblood , she thought, and shuddered. ”Well?” said Stefan. ”Are you still with me?” Bonnie tried to make herself small in the backseat. Meredith's hands were tight on the steering wheel. It was Matt who spoke, turning back from the window. ”We don't have a choice, do we?” he said tiredly. ”There's a viewing of the body from seven to ten at the funeral home,” Meredith added, her voice low.

”We'll have to wait until after the viewing, then. After they close the funeral home, when we can be alone with her,” said Stefan.

”This is the most gruesome thing I've ever had to do,” Bonnie whispered wretchedly. The funeral chapel was dark and cold. Stefan had sprung the locks on the outside door with a thin piece of flexible metal. The viewing room was thickly carpeted, its walls covered with somber oak panels. It would have been a depressing place even with the lights on. In the dark it seemed close and suffocating and crowded with grotesque shapes. It looked as if someone might be crouching behind each of the many standing flower arrangements.

”I don't want tobe here,” Bonnie moaned. ”Let's just get it over with, okay?” Matt said through his teeth. When he snapped the flashlight on, Bonnie looked anywhere but where it was pointing. She didn't want to see the coffin, shedidn't . She stared at the flowers, at a heart made of pink roses. Outside, thundergrumbled like a sleeping animal.

”Let me get this open-here,” Stefan was saying. In spite of her resolve not to, Bonnie looked.

The casket was white, lined with pale pink satin. Sue's blond hair shone against it like the hair of a sleeping princess in a fairy tale. But Sue didn't look as if she were sleeping. She was too pale, too still.

Like a waxwork.

Bonnie crept closer, her eyes fixed on Sue's face. That's why it's so cold in here, she told herself staunchly. To keep the wax from melting. It helped a little. Stefan reached down to touch Sue's high-necked pink blouse. He undid the top b.u.t.ton. ”For G.o.d'ssake ,” Bonnie whispered, outraged. ”What do you think we're here for?” Stefan hissed back. But his fingers paused on the second b.u.t.ton. Bonnie watched a minute and then made her decision. ”Get out of the way,” she said, and when Stefan didn't move immediately, she gave him a shove. Meredith drew up close to her and they formed a phalanx between Sue and the boys. Their eyes met with understanding. If they had to actually remove the blouse, the guys were going out.

Bonnie undid the small b.u.t.tons while Meredith held the light. Sue's skin felt as waxy as it looked, cool against her fingertips. Awkwardly, she folded the blouse back to reveal a lacy white slip. Then she made herself push Sue's s.h.i.+ning gold hair off the pale neck. The hair was stiff with spray.

”No holes,” she said, looking at Sue's throat. She was proud that her voice was almost steady. ”No,” said Stefan oddly. ”But there's something else. Look at this.” Gently, he reached around Bonnie to point out a cut, pale and bloodless as the skin around it, but visible as a faint line running from collarbone to breast. Over the heart. Stefan's long finger traced the air above it and Bonnie stiffened, ready to smack the hand away if he touched.

”What is it?” asked Meredith, puzzled.

”A mystery,” Stefan said. His voice was still odd. ”If I saw a mark like that on a vampire, it would mean the vampire was giving blood to a human. That's how it's done. Human teeth can't pierce our skin, so we cut ourselves if we want to share blood. But Sue wasn't a vampire.”

”She certainly wasn't!” said Bonnie. She tried to fight off the image her mind wanted to show her, of

Elena bending to a cut like that on Stefan's chest and sucking, drinking...

She shuddered and realized her eyes were shut. ”Is there anything else you need to see?” she said, opening them.

”No. That's all.”

Bonnie did up the b.u.t.tons. She rearranged Sue's hair. Then, while Meredith and Stefan eased the lid of

the casket back down, she walked quickly out of the viewing room and to the outside door. She stood there, arms wrapped around herself .

A hand touched her elbow lightly. It was Matt.

”You're tougher than you look,” he said.

”Yes, well...” She tried to shrug. And then suddenly she was crying, crying hard. Matt put his arms

around her.

”I know,” he said. Just that. Not ”Don't cry” or ”Take it easy” or ”Everything's going to be all right.” Just ”I know.” His voice was as desolate as she felt. ”They've got hair spray in her hair,” she sobbed. ”Suenever used hair spray. It's awful.” Somehow, just then, this seemed the worst thing of all. He simply held her. After a while Bonnie got her breath. She found she was holding on to Matt almost painfully tightly and loosened her arms. ”I got your s.h.i.+rt all wet,” she said apologetically, sniffling. ”It doesn't matter.” Something in his voice made her step back and look at him. He looked the way he had in the high school parking lot. So lost, so... hopeless. ”Matt, what is it?” she whispered. ”Please.” ”I told you already,” he said. He was looking away into some immeasurable distance. ”Sue's lying in there dead, and she shouldn't be. You said it yourself, Bonnie. What kind of world is it that lets a thing like that happen ? That lets a girl like Sue get murdered for kicks, or kids inAfghanistan starve, or baby seals get skinned alive? If that's what the world is like, what does anything matter? It's all over anyway.” He paused and seemed to come back to himself. ”Do you understand what I'm talking about?”

”I'm not so sure.” Bonnie didn't even think she wanted to. It was too scary. But she was overwhelmed by an urge to comfort him, to wipe that lost look from his eyes. ”Matt, I-”

”We're finished,” Stefan said from behind them. As Matt looked toward the voice the lost look seemed to intensify. ”Sometimes I think we'reallfinished,” Matt said, moving away from Bonnie, but he didn't explain what he meant by that. ”Let's go.”

Seven

Stefan approached the corner house reluctantly, almost afraid of what he might find. He half expected that Damon would have abandoned his post by now. He'd probably been an idiot to rely on Damon in the first place. But when he reached the backyard, there was a s.h.i.+mmer of motion among the black walnut trees. His eyes, sharper than a human's because they were adapted for hunting, made out the darker shadow leaning against a trunk.

”You took your time getting back.”

”I had to see the others home safe. And I had to eat.”

”Animal blood,” Damon said contemptuously, eyes fixed on a tiny round stain on Stefan's T-s.h.i.+rt.

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