As soon as he left Elena at her house, Stefan went to the woods.
He took Old Creek Road, driving under the sullen clouds-through which no
patch of sky could be seen, to the place where he had parked on the first day of
school.
Leaving the car, he tried to retrace his steps exactly to the clearing where he had
seen the crow. His hunter's instincts helped him, recalling the shape of this bush
and that knotted root, until he stood in the open place ringed with ancient oak
trees.
Here. Under this blanket of dingy-brown leaves, some of the rabbit's bones
might even remain.
0
Taking a long breath to still himself, to gather his Powers, he cast out a probing,
demanding thought.
And for the first time since he'd come to Fell's Church, he felt the flicker of a
reply. But it seemed faint and wavering, and he could not locate it in space.
He sighed and turned around—and stopped dead.
Damon stood before him, arms crossed over his chest, lounging against the
largest oak tree. He looked as if he might have been there for hours.
"So," said Stefan heavily, "it is true. It's been a long time, brother."
"Not as long as you think, brother ." Stefan remembered that voice, that velvety,
ironical voice. "I've kept track of you over the years," Damon said calmly. He
flicked a bit of bark from the sleeve of his leather jacket as casually as he had
once arranged his brocade cuffs. "But then, you wouldn't know that, would you?
Ah, no, your Powers are as weak as ever."
"Be careful, Damon," Stefan said softly, dangerously. "Be very careful tonight.
I'm not in a tolerant mood."
"St. Stefan in a pique? Imagine. You're distressed, I suppose, because of my little
excursions into your territory. I only did it because I wanted to be close to you.
Brothers should be close."
"You killed tonight. And you tried to make me think I'd done it."
"Are you quite sure you didn't? Perhaps we did it together. Careful!" he said as
Stefan stepped toward him. "My mood is not the most tolerant tonight, either. I
only had a wizened little history teacher; you had a pretty girl."
The fury inside Stefan coalesced, seeming to focus in one bright burning spot,
like a sun inside him.
"Keep away from Elena," he whispered with such menace that Damon actually
tilted his head back slightly. "Keep away from her, Damon. I know you've been
spying on her, watching her. But no more.
Go near her again and you'll regret it."
"You always were selfish. Your one fault. Not willing to share anything, are
