Phantom

"Besides," she added thoughtful y, "the threat to Celia may be over. Maybe once the attack is averted, it moves on to someone else. My name didn’t appear until after Stefan saved Celia. If so, then the danger is only to me."

Not that you care, she thought viciously, and was surprised at herself. Of course Alaric cared. It was just that he seemed to care about what happened to Celia more.

Her fingernails cut into her palms around the steering wheel as she careful y fol owed Stefan’s car off the road and toward the parking lot for Hot Springs.

"Stop!" Alaric shouted, panic in his voice, and Meredith automatical y slammed on the brakes. The car squealed to a halt.

"What?" Meredith gasped. "What is it?"

And then she saw her.

Dr. Celia Connor had gotten out of Matt’s car to cross to the path up to the springs. Meredith had come speeding right toward her. Only inches from Meredith’s front bumper, Celia was frozen, her pretty face gray with fear, her mouth a perfect O.

One more second, and Meredith would have kil ed her.

Chapter 13

"I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry," Meredith said for the tenth time. Her usual y composed face was flushed, and her eyes were bright with unshed tears. Matt didn’t remember ever seeing her so upset about something, especial y something that had ended up not being a big deal. Sure, Celia could have been hurt, but the car hadn’t touched her.

"I’m fine, real y I am, Meredith," Celia assured her again.

"I just didn’t see you. I don’t know how, but I didn’t. Thank God for Alaric," Meredith said, throwing a grateful glance at Alaric, who was sitting close beside her and rubbing her back.

"It’s okay, Meredith," he said. "It’s al okay." Alaric seemed more concerned for Meredith than for Celia, and Matt didn’t blame him. Babbling was pretty out of character for Meredith. Alaric wrapped his arms tightly around Meredith, and she visibly relaxed.

Celia, on the other hand, tensed noticeably as Meredith leaned into Alaric’s embrace. Matt traded a rueful glance with Bonnie.

Then Stefan reached out and stroked Elena’s shoulder absently, and Matt was surprised to feel a jealous pang of his own. Wasn’t he ever going to get over Elena Gilbert? It had been more than a year since they dated, and about a century in experience.

Bonnie was stil watching him, now with a speculative gleam in her eyes, and Matt shot her a bland smile. He’d just as soon not know what Bonnie saw in his face when he looked at Elena and Stefan.

"Around this bend and up the slope is the Plunge," he said to Celia, ushering her forward along the trail. "It’s a little bit of a hike, but it’s the best place around here for a picnic."

"Absolutely the best," said Bonnie cheerily. "We can jump down the waterfal ." She fel in on Celia’s other side, helping him to herd her away from the two couples, who were murmuring to one another softly as they fol owed behind.

"Is that safe?" asked Celia dubiously.

"Total y," said Bonnie. "Everybody jumps the waterfal here, and nobody’s ever gotten hurt."

"Usual y it’s safe," said Matt, more cautiously. "You and Meredith might want to think about not swimming, Celia."

"I hate this," Bonnie said. "I hate having to be extracareful because of some dark thing that we don’t know anything about. Everything should be normal."

Normal or not, it was a magnificent picnic. They spread their blankets on the rocks near the top of the waterfal . The smal fal s plummeted down the side of the cliff and ended in a deep pool of effervescent water, making a sort of natural fountain that spil ed into a clear bronze-green pool. Mrs. Flowers had packed salads and breads and desserts for them, as wel as meat and corn to gril on a hibachi Stefan had brought from the boardinghouse. They had more than enough food for a couple days of camping, let alone one lunch. Elena had stowed cold drinks in a cooler, and, after hiking up the trail in the Virginia summer heat, everyone was happy to crack open a lemonade or soda.

Even Stefan took a water bottle and drank as he started heating the gril , although it was automatical y understood by everyone that he would not be eating. Matt had always found the fact that he never saw Stefan eating a little creepy, even before Matt knew he was a vampire. The girls squirmed out of jeans and tops to display their bathing suits, like caterpil ars transforming into butterflies. Meredith was tan and lean in a black one-piece. Bonnie was wearing a petite mermaid-green bikini. Elena wore a soft gold bandeau that went with her hair. Matt watched Stefan watching her appreciatively, and felt that little twist of jealousy again.

Both Elena and Bonnie pul ed their T-shirts back on over their bathing suits almost immediately. They always did: Their pale skin burned instead of tanned. Celia lounged on a towel, looking spectacular in a casual yet daringly cut white swimsuit. The effect of the pure white against Celia’s coffee-colored skin was amazing. Matt noticed Meredith’s eyes passing over her and then glancing sharply at Alaric. But Alaric was too busy shucking down to a pair of red trunks. Stefan stayed out of the direct sunlight, remaining in his dark jeans and black T-shirt.

Wasn’t that a little creepy, too? Matt thought. Stefan’s ring protected him from the sun’s rays, didn’t it? Did he stil have to stick to the shadows? And what was with the black clothing? Was he pretending to be Damon now? Matt frowned at the thought: One Damon had been more than enough.

Matt shook his head, stretched his arms and legs, turned his face toward the sun, and tried to get rid of his thoughts. He liked Stefan. He always had. Stefan was a good guy. A vampire, a dry voice in the back of his mind noted, even a harmless one, can rarely be described as a good guy. Matt ignored the voice.