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    The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion
    The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion
    The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion
    Ebook266 pages3 hours

    The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion

    By L. J. Smith

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The Final Conflict...The Last Deadly Kiss

    Elena

    Now she rises from the dead to recreate the powerful vampire trio.

    Stefan

    Summoned by Elena, he keeps a promise to her and fights the most terrifying evil he's ever faced.

    Damon

    Joining the brother he once called enemy, Damon battles this new horror with strength, cunning, and deadly charm.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperTeen
    Release dateOct 26, 2010
    ISBN9780062064752
    Author

    L. J. Smith

    L. J. Smith has written over two dozen books for young adults, including The Vampire Diaries, now a hit TV show. She has also written the bestselling Night World series and The Forbidden Game, as well as the #1 New York Times bestselling Dark Visions. She loves to walk the trails and beaches in Point Reyes, California, daydreaming about her latest book.

    Read more from L. J. Smith

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    Reviews for The Vampire Diaries

    3.5/5

    348 ratings39 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This was better than the first two books in the series. I would put this one on par for readability with the Twilight series.
    • 5/5
      After reading Vampire diaries book one i just HAD to read book two and I'll tell you i was not disappointed. It started off EXACTLY where book one ended. I actually like this one more, for the thrill and excitement. I just love the characters. Some of the things in the book just surprised me, made me sad, and cheering them on all at the same time. I LOVE VAMPIRE DIARIES!!!!!!!!
    • 3/5
      Avoided them forever, finally read the whole series on a friends recommendation.
      I found myself liking them more than I thought I would. The characters are extremely engaging, I do so love that in a book. They are not "great" but they are enjoyable and I will continue the series. L.J. Smith has an original voice in the genre.
    • 4/5
      The FuryElena isn't the same since her car crashed into a river. Everyone assumes the worst, but things are even worse than her friends imagine when Damon and Stefan find her. She is needed to help the boys fight an enemy long ago assumed gone. The brothers will need to put aside their feuding to help defeat this new enemy or Elena will be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.Dark ReunionThere is a new threat to the town and Bonnie calls upon Stefan to return and help out. Their town seems to draw evil to it and this is an evil that is somehow familar to Stefan. Another girl is dead and poor Vickie looks to be next. Tyler is still being a menace and something sinister is different about him. Bonnie has been seeing Elena in dark dreams, can she help bridge the gap and aid in the struggle against the dark forces surrounding the town.This series was definitely worth sticking with. The first book was not great, but the story takes some very unexpected twists and turns as the books progress and I was drawn further and further in as the it unfolded. I look forward to reading The Return books which continue the story further.
    • 1/5
      I was really underwhelmed by both of these novels. They storyline was very flimsy, filled with purple prose and plot twists that come out of nowhere. The story had no tension - most action either occurred off page or the novel cut away while it was happening. All this just made me feel disconnected from the story so I didn't care when anything happened to the characters.The villain of both stories (the ancient evil and the ancienter evil) really came out of left field as they were only just hinted at earlier. There was really nothing to either of them beyond the fact that they were evil. While the villain of The Fury was at least defeated in an interesting way, the baddie from The Reunion faced a very over the top death by deus ex machina in one of the most ridiculous endings that I've ever read.Characters in this story are also very flat. Only Elena gets any kind of development, the others are flat and virtually interchangeable. They also seem very young - they're all supposed to be 17-18 years old but talk and act like 13 year olds. There is also suddenly a love triangle now which came out of nowhere. Why even bother with this tedious plot device when it's so obvious that Elena will stick with Stefan.
    • 2/5
      This was an interesting book, even if I do still hate Elena. I liked seeing Damon become more than a two-dimensional baddie, too...
    • 1/5
      Honestly I knew better :o( I was not happy with the first books but they left me hanging in such a way that I had to know what happened. I forced my self thru book 3 but by book 4 I found myself speed reading and skimming just to get thru it. To me it wasn't worth the time I put into read it.
    • 3/5
      This book contained the third and fourth installments of the Vampire Diaries series. If they were two separate books, I would give the third book four stars and the fourth book two and a half stars. There was a major continuity glitch in the fourth book that I could not get over. A character that was said to be killed in The Fury was not dead in Dark Reunion and there was no explanation as to how this was possible. I was also very disappointed with the ending of Dark Reunion - to me it didn't ji...more This book contained the third and fourth installments of the Vampire Diaries series. If they were two separate books, I would give the third book four stars and the fourth book two and a half stars. There was a major continuity glitch in the fourth book that I could not get over. A character that was said to be killed in The Fury was not dead in Dark Reunion and there was no explanation as to how this was possible. I was also very disappointed with the ending of Dark Reunion - to me it didn't jibe with the overall mythology of the series.
    • 4/5
      This book is the second Omnibus in the Vampire Diaries series. I have also heard that these are the final two books in the original Vampire Diaries that Smith wrote in the 90's. This was a satisfying conclusion to the series.In the first book (the Fury) Elena has been changed into a vampire. As she struggles to deal with her change, strange things are happening in town. Peoples pets are attacking them and darkness threatens to take over. Can Elena get Stefan and Damon to work together to help stop the forces against them. In the second book (Dark Reunion) dark forces are again converging on the town and Elena needs to work with her friends to stop yet another threat to her home.These books are much more traditional vampire books than the Twilight series; there is also a lot more fighting in these. I am hard-pressed to discuss these books much without given things away. Suffice to say that if you liked the first couple books in the series, these books won't disappoint. They are non-stop action, with the love triangle between Damon, Stefan, and Elena causing lots of tension. The side characters are well developed too. I enjoyed these books and couldn't put them down; a very quick read.Everything is nicely wrapped up at the end of Dark Reunion; I don't plan on reading the latest book released in this series because I have heard it's not all the great and not part of the original series. As for reading more of Smith's work, I probably won't do that either. Her writing is good, but it is not all that creative and it is typical to a lot of other young adult series that are out there. If you liked Marked (House of Night, Book 1), Evernight, or the Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1) you will probably like this series; this series has more in common with those series than it does with Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1).
    • 4/5
      Fun, quick read=)
    • 4/5
      This was one of my favorite series growing up. I don't enjoy it quite as much any more but that's because I've found Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga.
    • 4/5
      These two books really shouldn't be bound together. I seem to recall hearing that The Vampire Diaries was initially written as a trilogy, ending with The Fury. And it's a perfect ending: clean, complete, and emotionally satisfying. It's not a crowd-pleasing happy ending, but it's the right one. For the best resolution to the trilogy, you should stop here.And stop reading this review too, because it contains spoilers beyond this point.Unfortunately, L.J. Smith decided for whatever reason that she didn't want to stop at the natural end of the story, and instead continued on in a way almost reminiscent of fan-fiction. Our heroine had died at the end of the third book, in a beautiful moment of self-sacrifice. But hey--she's back! Needless to say, a lot of the impact of the story is lost. I can't properly express how moved I was by some of the final events of The Fury, like when Elena visits her little sister as a vampire before her final fiery death and convinces her that she's a guardian angel who will always be there watching over her. Needless to say, the strength of my initial positive feelings was matched by the strength of my subsequent disappointment, when it was revealed that meaningful events don't actually happen in this world, there are no final outcomes, and even death can be reversed for those who deserve it. It's just not satisfying to read about a world that has no rules, where actions have no permanent consequences. It undermines the whole story.I say this even though I was a huge fan of L.J. Smith in elementary school. The Vampire Diaries was never my favourite of her trilogies, but I hadn't remembered the ending being quite so disappointing. Maybe it wasn't meant to be re-read by adults. I had decided to re-read the series in preparation for the new continuation (yes, there's still more!), but after seeing how badly Dark Reunion fit with the rest, I shudder to imagine how much worse it can get and haven't been able to bring myself to pick up Nightfall. I hope Smith will soon abandon this drawn-out series and move on to something new, though it seems there's not much chance of that.
    • 3/5
      Not a terrible read but terrifically meh. In the Fury Elena is a vampire and in The Reunion she is dead and the heroes are dealing with the aftermath and an original. It's not terrible but I really didn't care for the characters, apart from occasionally Bonnie, which may be tainted by my liking for the character in the TV series. The ending of the second book here leaves a lot of questions about what is going to happen next....I'm not really pushed to really read more in this series but wouldn't stop myself if I happened on them.
    • 3/5
      Fun to read.
    • 4/5
      This book contains the last two books of the Vampire Diaries, The Fury and Dark Reunion. In these many of the questions raised in the first two books are answered and there are plenty of twists and turns. I think the whole series is very good and holds up for young readers today with only a few references that date it a bit. The characters, both human and supernatural, are very well developed by the third book so you feel like you know them. I am sorry to see the series end.
    • 5/5
      I wasn't planning on finishing either one of these books quite so soon, but it just sort of happened. I was reading them between quarters during soccer games, in stopped traffic (I always put down my phone when it starts up again - I promise!!). Then, this morning, I was too lazy to go upstairs and get my other book, and since I had these downloaded to my phone, which is almost always near at hand, I had something to read without having to go upstairs. (I get the beauty of online books now.) Next thing I know, I've finished both books. It's a testament to Ms. Smith's books that I kept reading them without really noticing. Since these are the third and fourth books in the series, I am afraid of spoiling something. However, I will say that Ms. Smith definitely takes the road less traveled and packs some very powerful surprises at the reader. I still do not really care about the individual characters (although I now have very distinct pictures of Stefan and Damon thanks to the WB), but the story itself is so...intriguing. It's definitely not Buffy or Twilight or any other vampire book I've read. I'll admit that I do not spend a lot of time trying to solve the mysteries; I read them purely to escape and pass the time. These definitely do the trick. I'm uncertain the direction the fifth book is taking, but as Ms. Smith has gotten me this far and I've enjoyed every minute of it, I'm going to trust her wisdom and continue to read the series. At this point in time, I have to find out what happens to Stefan, Elana, and Damon! On a side note, I'm torn on the WB show. It has Boone from Lost - HUGE plus. And the guy playing Stefan? Hello!! But they've changed just enough that it bothers me. I'm pretty sure that they are not going to be able to follow the books at all, so it will be interesting to see the direction that the series takes. This is just a fun series for any vampire/ supernatural/ YA fan. As I mentioned earlier, it isn't going to win any prizes, but it is a great way to pass the time. I definitely recommend this to any vampirophiles!
    • 3/5
      Books 3-4 in the series. Not the greatest books in the world, but not the worst! I have to say though, that for once, I prefer the TV show!
    • 2/5
      The Fury was great. A fabulous, heart-wrenching ending to a great trilogy. Sacrifices are made, plots are resolved, centuries-old vengeances are enacted, great ending to a great series.

      Dark Reunion? No thanks. This was a tack-on to keep the series going even after a great end. SO unbelievable - especially the first quarter. I was like WTF for most of that time, it was that absurd.

      Once again, even in Dark Reunion, Meredith and Bonnie saved the story for me. I enjoyed reading about them so much, and although the story itself was far-fetched bordering on the ridiculous, I did appreciate the inclusion of a relatively unknown mythology (the Kitsune).

      Recommended for: Those who read the first books will need to read The Fury. Dark Reunion: Only try it if you've got nothing better on your TBR pile, or if you simply cannot bear to leave the universe created.
    • 5/5
      Lovely paranormal book. Is great for readers that love to stay in the human world without getting too far out there.
    • 4/5
      I went into this thinking that I wouldn't like "Dark Reunion" not just from the comments others have made on reviews here but because I knew it was an 'extra' book that LJ wrote after the 'success' of this series back in the early ninties. I ended up really enjoying it! "The Fury" takes up right as the previous volume left off. Elena and her friends have to find out what is attacking their town. Is it bad boy brother Damon? He acts innocent of these particular crimes but he has a history of evil... The town thinks it's Damon's brother and Elena's true love Stefan. "The Fury" was over before it began and that is to the book's credit. It was very well written and absolutely addictive. The conclusion was believable (as much as a vamp story can be, I guess) and satisfying overall. "Dark Reunion" is a little disjarring when it switches viewpoints to Elena's friend Bonnie. This is a necessary thing although I suppose as others have suggested, it would have been ok to make the viewpoint Stefan's. But I liked Bonnie all the way through the previous three stories, and enjoyed seeing her viewpoints. I wanted the slightly dingbat psychic to come out ahead, in fact I found her easier to root for than Elena. The mystery was good, the murders more intense than ever. I missed Damon's involvement quite a bit and when he did show up I was confused a little. I made this a four star review because I found the ending of "Dark Reunion" over the top and not well explained. It was almost like LJ Smith had to write this one to appease a bunch of fans who may have been unhappy with the original ending of the trilogy. I also found that Eleana went from being a snot who 'ran the school' to a near saint a far stretch. I must point out that while I believe this book was written as an afterthought, the author did a fabulous job of linking everything back to the original books. She had an explanation or a referance to past ideas and occurances for the situations she created. I found these books to be extremely good and appropriate and entertaining for both older and younger readers. This book is not as good as YA vamp series "Morganville Vampires" by Rachel Caine, and far superior to the "Twilight" series.
    • 4/5
      I am enjoying this book so far. I will update this when I finish, but for now, my piece of advice is: If you have seen the television series, you will need to completely separate the two things. L. J. Smith had one vision for the story and the producers of The Vampire Diaries series have another. It's a great series, and I'm glad I am reading it.
    • 4/5
      Not bad, was glad that I got to finish this before more my trip. Now I am wanting to watch the show since I found the books good.
    • 4/5
      Not great literature, but it doesn't pretend to be. Elena actually becomes much nicer and more considerate as a vampire than she ever was as a popular girl. There are two books in this volume. The first ending, of The Fury, is a downer. (Stefan's cry of "NO!" even in print is still more convincing than the "No!" in the most recent Star Wars movie.) But the second ending is much more upbeat; that's one of the nice things about fantasy. Dark Reunion even touches, albeit briefly, on important questions about good and evil; I was impressed.
    • 4/5
      My favorite series of books ever!!!!
    • 5/5
      Loved these books. They were very engaging. The plot can be quite predictable, but still very entertaining.
    • 4/5
      Very good series & I loved this double edition (this is my second copy of books 3 & 4). Originally read in the 90s. Donating now as clearing bookshelves for a move.
    • 3/5
      I like this series a lot but it should have ended with book three. The fourth book was just really pointless and was more or less a repeat of what the last three books had been saying. However, it didn't take away from the rest of the series - it just didn't add anything.
    • 5/5
      The storyline was captivating and kept my attention. I loved it! I also love the dark feature on scribd where I can read it in a more friendly format for my eyes. Thank you, scribd!
    • 3/5
      This book was a bit interesting I guess. I still am having trouble with the whole 'Elena, you are perfect and every guy wants you!' thing. I liked the ghost though. I'm just not that into these books.
    • 2/5
      Well... I think the whole serires is kind of a flop. They got better as the series progressed, but I wasn't really a fan... I'm only reading the series (including the return series) becuase some of my students like it and wanted my opinion. The ending didn't clarify anything, ir just ended, so I guess it's good the author added two more books, even though it's a different series. Ugh.

    Book preview

    The Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith

    1

    Things can be just like they were before, said Caroline warmly, reaching out to squeeze Bonnie’s hand.

    But it wasn’t true. Nothing could ever be the way it had been before Elena died. Nothing. And Bonnie had serious misgivings about this party Caroline was trying to set up. A vague nagging in the pit of her stomach told her that for some reason it was a very, very bad idea.

    "Meredith’s birthday is already over, she pointed out. It was last Saturday."

    But she didn’t have a party, not a real party like this one. We’ve got all night; my parents won’t be back until Sunday morning. Come on, Bonnie—just think how surprised she’ll be.

    Oh, she’ll be surprised, all right, thought Bonnie. So surprised she just might kill me afterward. Look, Caroline, the reason Meredith didn’t have a big party is that she still doesn’t feel much like celebrating. It seems—disrespectful, somehow—

    "But that’s wrong. Elena would want us to have a good time, you know she would. She loved parties. And she’d hate to see us sitting around and crying over her six months after she’s gone." Caroline leaned forward, her normally feline green eyes earnest and compelling. There was no artifice in them now, none of Caroline’s usual nasty manipulation. Bonnie could tell she really meant it.

    I want us to be friends again the way we used to be, Caroline said. We always used to celebrate our birthdays together, just the four of us, remember? And remember how the guys would always try to crash our parties? I wonder if they’ll try this year.

    Bonnie felt control of the situation slipping away from her. This is a bad idea, this is a very bad idea, she thought. But Caroline was going on, looking dreamy and almost romantic as she talked about the good old days. Bonnie didn’t have the heart to tell her that the good old days were as dead as disco.

    But there aren’t even four of us anymore. Three doesn’t make much of a party, she protested feebly when she could get a word in.

    I’m going to invite Sue Carson, too. Meredith gets along with her, doesn’t she?

    Bonnie had to admit Meredith did; everyone got along with Sue. But even so, Caroline had to understand that things couldn’t be the way they had been before. You couldn’t just substitute Sue Carson for Elena and say, There, everything is fixed now.

    But how do I explain that to Caroline? Bonnie thought. Suddenly she knew.

    Let’s invite Vickie Bennett, she said.

    Caroline stared. "Vickie Bennett? You must be joking. Invite that bizarre little drip who undressed in front of half the school? After everything that happened?"

    "Because of everything that happened, said Bonnie firmly. Look, I know she was never in our crowd. But she’s not in with the fast crowd anymore; they don’t want her and she’s scared to death of them. She needs friends. We need people. Let’s invite her."

    For a moment Caroline looked helplessly frustrated. Bonnie thrust her chin out, put her hands on her hips, and waited. Finally Caroline sighed.

    All right; you win. I’ll invite her. But you have to take care of getting Meredith to my house Saturday night. And Bonnie—make sure she doesn’t have any idea what’s going on. I really want this to be a surprise.

    Oh, it will be, Bonnie said grimly. She was unprepared for the sudden light in Caroline’s face or the impulsive warmth of Caroline’s hug.

    I’m so glad you’re seeing things my way, Caroline said. And it’ll be so good for us all to be together again.

    She doesn’t understand a thing, Bonnie realized, dazed, as Caroline walked off. What do I have to do to explain to her? Sock her?

    And then: Oh, God, now I have to tell Meredith.

    But by the end of the day she decided that maybe Meredith didn’t need to be told. Caroline wanted Meredith surprised; well, maybe Bonnie should deliver Meredith surprised. That way at least Meredith wouldn’t have to worry about it beforehand. Yes, Bonnie concluded, it was probably kindest to not tell Meredith anything.

    And who knows, she wrote in her journal Friday night. Maybe I’m being too hard on Caroline. Maybe she’s really sorry about all the things she did to us, like trying to humiliate Elena in front of the whole town and trying to get Stefan put away for murder. Maybe Caroline’s matured since then and learned to think about somebody besides herself. Maybe we’ll actually have a good time at her party.

    And maybe aliens will kidnap me before tomorrow afternoon, she thought as she closed the diary. She could only hope.

    The diary was an inexpensive drugstore blank book, with a pattern of tiny flowers on the cover. She’d only started keeping it since Elena had died, but she’d already become slightly addicted to it. It was the one place she could say anything she wanted without people looking shocked and saying, Bonnie McCullough! or "Oh, Bonnie."

    She was still thinking about Elena as she turned off the light and crawled under the covers.

    She was sitting on lush, manicured grass that spread as far as she could see in all directions. The sky was a flawless blue, the air was warm and scented. Birds were singing.

    I’m so glad you could come, Elena said.

    Oh—yes, said Bonnie. Well, naturally, so am I. Of course. She looked around again, then hastily back at Elena.

    More tea?

    There was a teacup in Bonnie’s hand, thin and fragile as eggshell. Oh—sure. Thanks.

    Elena was wearing an eighteenth-century dress of gauzy white muslin, which clung to her, showing how slender she was. She poured the tea precisely, without spilling a drop.

    Would you like a mouse?

    "A what?"

    I said, would you like a sandwich with your tea?

    Oh. A sandwich. Yeah. Great. It was thinly sliced cucumber with mayonnaise on a dainty square of white bread. Without the crust.

    The whole scene was as sparkly and beautiful as a picture by Seurat. Warm Springs, that’s where we are. The old picnic place, Bonnie thought. But surely we’ve got more important things to discuss than tea.

    Who does your hair these days? she asked. Elena never had been able to do it herself.

    Do you like it? Elena put a hand up to the silky, pale gold mass piled at the back of her neck.

    It’s perfect, said Bonnie, sounding for all the world like her mother at a Daughters of the American Revolution dinner party.

    Well, hair is important, you know, Elena said. Her eyes glowed a deeper blue than the sky, lapis lazuli blue. Bonnie touched her own springy red curls self-consciously.

    Of course, blood is important too, Elena said.

    Blood? Oh—yes, of course, said Bonnie, flustered. She had no idea what Elena was talking about, and she felt as if she were walking on a tightrope over alligators. Yes, blood’s important, all right, she agreed weakly.

    Another sandwich?

    Thanks. It was cheese and tomato. Elena selected one for herself and bit into it delicately. Bonnie watched her, feeling uneasiness grow by the minute inside her, and then—

    And then she saw the mud oozing out of the edges of the sandwich.

    "What—what’s that? Terror made her voice shrill. For the first time, the dream seemed like a dream, and she found that she couldn’t move, could only gasp and stare. A thick glob of the brown stuff fell off Elena’s sandwich onto the checkered tablecloth. It was mud, all right. Elena … Elena, what—"

    Oh, we all eat this down here. Elena smiled at her with brown-stained teeth. Except that the voice wasn’t Elena’s; it was ugly and distorted and it was a man’s voice. You will too.

    The air was no longer warm and scented; it was hot and sickly sweet with the odor of rotting garbage. There were black pits in the green grass, which wasn’t manicured after all but wild and overgrown. This wasn’t Warm Springs. She was in the old graveyard; how could she not have realized that? Only these graves were fresh.

    Another mouse? Elena said, and giggled obscenely.

    Bonnie looked down at the half-eaten sandwich she was holding and screamed. Dangling from one end was a ropy brown tail. She threw it as hard as she could against a headstone, where it hit with a wet slap. Then she stood, stomach heaving, scrubbing her fingers frantically against her jeans.

    You can’t leave yet. The company is just arriving. Elena’s face was changing; she had already lost her hair, and her skin was turning gray and leathery. Things were moving in the plate of sandwiches and the freshly dug pits. Bonnie didn’t want to see any of them; she thought she would go mad if she did.

    You’re not Elena! she screamed, and ran.

    The wind blew her hair into her eyes and she couldn’t see. Her pursuer was behind her; she could feel it right behind her. Get to the bridge, she thought, and then she ran into something.

    I’ve been waiting for you, said the thing in Elena’s dress, the gray skeletal thing with long, twisted teeth. Listen to me, Bonnie. It held her with terrible strength.

    You’re not Elena! You’re not Elena!

    Listen to me, Bonnie!

    It was Elena’s voice, Elena’s real voice, not obscenely amused nor thick and ugly, but urgent. It came from somewhere behind Bonnie and it swept through the dream like a fresh, cold wind. Bonnie, listen quickly—

    Things were melting. The bony hands on Bonnie’s arms, the crawling graveyard, the rancid hot air. For a moment Elena’s voice was clear, but it was broken up like a bad long-distance connection.

    … He’s twisting things, changing them. I’m not as strong as he is … Bonnie missed some words. … but this is important. You have to find … right now. Her voice was fading.

    Elena, I can’t hear you! Elena!

    … an easy spell, only two ingredients, the ones I told you already …

    Elena!

    Bonnie was still shouting as she sat bolt upright in bed.

    2

    And that’s all I remember, Bonnie concluded as she and Meredith walked down Sunflower Street between the rows of tall Victorian houses.

    But it was definitely Elena?

    Yes, and she was trying to tell me something at the end. But that’s the part that wasn’t clear, except that it was important, terribly important. What do you think?

    Mouse sandwiches and open graves? Meredith arched an elegant eyebrow. I think you’re getting Stephen King mixed up with Lewis Carroll.

    Bonnie thought she was probably right. But the dream still bothered her; it had bothered her all day, enough to put her earlier worries out of her mind. Now, as she and Meredith approached Caroline’s house, the old worries returned with a vengeance.

    She really should have told Meredith about this, she thought, casting an uneasy sideways glance at the taller girl. She shouldn’t let Meredith just walk in there unprepared….

    Meredith looked up at the lighted windows of the Queen Anne House with a sigh. "Do you really need those earrings tonight?"

    Yes, I do; yes, absolutely. Too late now. Might as well make the best of it. You’ll love them when you see them, she added, hearing the note of hopeful desperation in her own voice.

    Meredith paused and her keen dark eyes searched Bonnie’s face curiously. Then she knocked on the door. I just hope Caroline’s not staying home tonight. We could end up stuck with her.

    Caroline staying home on a Saturday night? Don’t be ridiculous. Bonnie had been holding her breath too long; she was starting to feel light-headed. Her tinkling laughter came out brittle and false. What a concept, she continued somewhat hysterically as Meredith said, "I don’t think anybody’s home, and tried the knob. Possessed by some crazy impulse Bonnie added, Fiddle-dee-dee."

    Hand on doorknob, Meredith stopped dead and turned to look at her.

    Bonnie, she said quietly, have you gone completely through the ozone?

    No. Deflated, Bonnie grabbed Meredith’s arm and sought her eyes urgently. The door was opening on its own. Oh, God, Meredith, please don’t kill me….

    "Surprise!" shouted three voices.

    Smile, Bonnie hissed, shoving the suddenly resistant body of her friend through the door and into the bright room full of noise and showers of foil confetti. She beamed wildly herself and spoke through clenched teeth. Kill me later—I deserve it—but for now just smile.

    There were balloons, the expensive Mylar kind, and a cluster of presents on the coffee table. There was even a flower arrangement, although Bonnie noticed the orchids in it matched Caroline’s pale green scarf exactly. It was a Hermès silk with a design of vines and leaves. She’ll end up wearing one of those orchids in her hair, I’ll bet, Bonnie thought.

    Sue Carson’s blue eyes were a little anxious, her smile wavering. I hope you didn’t have any big plans for tonight, Meredith, she said.

    Nothing I can’t break with an iron crowbar, Meredith replied. But she smiled back with wry warmth and Bonnie relaxed. Sue had been a Homecoming Princess on Elena’s court, along with Bonnie, Meredith, and Caroline. She was the only girl at school besides Bonnie and Meredith who’d stood by Elena when everyone else had turned against her. At Elena’s funeral she’d said that Elena would always be the real queen of Robert E. Lee, and she’d given up her own nomination for Snow Queen in Elena’s memory. Nobody could hate Sue. The worst was over now, Bonnie thought.

    I want to get a picture of us all on the couch, Caroline said, positioning them behind the flower arrangement. Vickie, take it, will you?

    Vickie Bennett had been standing by quietly, unnoticed. Now she said, Oh, sure, and nervously flicked long, light brown hair out of her eyes as she picked up the camera.

    Just like she’s some kind of servant, Bonnie thought, and then the flashbulb blinded her.

    As the Polaroid developed and Sue and Caroline laughed and talked around Meredith’s dry politeness, Bonnie noticed something else. It was a good picture; Caroline looked stunning as ever with her auburn hair gleaming and the pale green orchids in front of her. And there was Meredith, looking resigned and ironic and darkly beautiful without even trying, and there she was herself, a head shorter than the others, with her red curls tousled and a sheepish expression on her face. But the strange thing was the figure beside her on the couch. It was Sue, of course it was Sue, but for a moment the blond hair and blue eyes seemed to belong to someone else. Someone looking at her urgently, on the verge of saying something important. Bonnie frowned at the photo, blinking rapidly. The image swam in front of her, and a chilling uneasiness ran up her spine.

    No, it was just Sue in the picture. She must’ve gone crazy for a minute, or else she was letting Caroline’s desire for them all to be together again affect her.

    I’ll take the next one, she said, springing up. Sit down, Vickie, and lean in. No, farther, farther—there! All of Vickie’s movements were quick and light and nervous. When the flashbulb went off, she started like a scared animal ready to bolt.

    Caroline scarcely glanced at this picture, getting up and heading for the kitchen instead. Guess what we’re having instead of cake? she said. I’m making my own version of Death by Chocolate. Come on, you’ve got to help me melt the fudge. Sue followed her, and after an uncertain pause, so did Vickie.

    The last traces of Meredith’s pleasant expression evaporated and she turned to Bonnie. You should have told me.

    I know. Bonnie lowered her head meekly a minute. Then she looked up and grinned. But then you wouldn’t have come and we wouldn’t be having Death by Chocolate.

    And that makes it all worthwhile?

    Well, it helps, Bonnie said, with an air of being reasonable. And really, it probably won’t be so bad. Caroline’s actually trying to be nice, and it’s good for Vickie to get out of the house for once….

    It doesn’t look like it’s good for her, Meredith said bluntly. It looks like she’s going to have a heart attack.

    Well, she’s probably just nervous. In Bonnie’s opinion, Vickie had good reason to be nervous. She’d spent most of the previous fall in a trance, being slowly driven out of her mind by a power she didn’t understand. Nobody had expected her to come out of it as well as she had.

    Meredith was still looking bleak. At least, Bonnie said consolingly, it isn’t your real birthday.

    Meredith picked up the camera and turned it over and over. Still looking down at her hands, she said, But it is.

    What? Bonnie stared and then said louder, "What did you say?"

    I said, it is my real birthday. Caroline’s mom must have told her; she and my mom used to be friends a long time ago.

    Meredith, what are you talking about? Your birthday was last week, May 30.

    "No, it wasn’t. It’s today, June 6. It’s

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