Chapter Two

Amelie

As she sat on a battered couch inside Myrnin's laboratory, she could not help but notice her friend's fidgeting. She would watch him walk back and forth across his laboratory, hands clasped behind his back. Other times, he would mutter nonsensical words continuously, while he worked on some complex experiment. He was being unpredictable again, but more than the usual.

Amelie would hear him give frustrated sounds, a few foreign profanities here and there as he made blurry movements that only a vampire was capable of.

"Perhaps" she said to him, after a while of strenuous watching "you need an increase of dosage to calm you?"

"No, no, no..." he replied, not directly looking at her. His eyes were elsewhere and un-attentive "I believe giving me more than the necessary dosage is an immense mistake. I'll have you know that what I did to Claire was unforgivable" this time, he stopped whatever it is he was doing, and stood in front of her, his huge eyes suddenly manic. "Absolutely unforgivable! It was foolish of me to attempt, and the girl is not happy."

"And are you concerned of her safety?" she said to him, unfazed of what he was feeling

His manic eyes widened then ever so slowly returned to its normal size "I am most concerned, my friend. I will never, never forgive myself if she is hurt, much more if by me. I might as well die than live in shame and guilt"

For a moment, as she looked at him with such pain, something stirred in her. It was a very rare emotion, and it made her feel unsettled. But it was there, as rare as it happens to her, because in all honesty, never before had she seen him so wounded. The last time she saw him this crumpled was when Ada died. But this, she saw, was torment on his poor soul.

She could just imagine his reaction if Claire was dead. She shuddered internally.

"Amelie" he said, meeting her eyes "Making the girl come back is another mistake"

"Definitely not" she snapped at him "Claire, no matter what happens, will always be your assistant. Whatever feud there is between the two of you is none of my concern. The only thing I want is for you to finish what I asked you to do, and for Claire to learn as much as she can from you. Do you understand me, Myrnin?"

He did not reply for a moment. She observed him as his face formed tiny little expressions pulled by invisible strings.

Finally, he sighed and took a seat across from her.

"Amelie, you must understand that I am entirely capable of accomplishing this task alone. In fact, the girl could very well stay out of this. I do not think she is much needed at all, nor do I think that she is willing to help. If you've seen her fury, then perhaps you'd spare me this lecture. You have observed, haven't you dear friend, that the girl has grown to be a smart and independent woman? Such women of her calibre need not anymore coddling from someone as ancient as I"

"Do not tell me what to do, Myrnin. I may be your friend but I still am the founder"

But he stood up now, and walked to his kitchen. "Would you like some tea?"

"I do not understand you Myrnin" she said, knowing he could hear her perfectly clear. "Why push this topic, instead of just agreeing? Can it be that there is a deeper reason for your tenacity?"

She heard his breathing pattern hitch slightly "No! No other reason at all!"

"Perhaps...you've grown to love her?"

Silence

Smash!

Amelie smirked as soon as she heard the sound of smashing china from the kitchen.

"Pardon? I thought I heard you say—"

"Then my suspicion is proven, my friend." She told him "Why conceal the verity of your feelings?"

He came back to her with a steaming pot of tea, and two cups. His face was in a subdued mask. "I do not know what you are talking about any longer, Amelie"

Amelie raised a slender finger to silence him as she heard a beating heart amidst them, coming closer.

"The girl is coming" she informed him "I trust you to be in your best behaviour, Myrnin. I do not want to hear you slobbering to ask for forgiveness. You have, after all, still your dignity, no matter what's left of it"

He gave her a slight nod.

And then they both listened to the approaching human, running closer and closer towards them.

OOO

Claire

When she was nearing Myrnin's lab, she slowed her running and calmed herself. It'd been a hard decision for her, if she would come or not. However, when she'd glanced at her bedroom clock and realized she only have nine minutes to spare, she took off like a bat from hell, with no explanations to her friends whatsoever, and ran all the way from the Glass House(the portals were unfortunately unavailable).

Claire glanced at her watch. Two minutes left.

With one last sturdy breath, to calm her nerves and rising emotions, she opened the door and closed it behind her.

"Come and sit down, Claire"

Still a bit out-of-breath, Claire proceeded to the receiving area. It was there that she found Amelie sitting on a battered couch, her hands on both the chair's arms, looking very much like a queen with a throne. Across her, in another battered sofa, sat Myrnin. His back was to her. He did not turn to look at her at all.

"Sit" Amelie said

Claire sat on the sofa where Myrnin was, but made sure there was a large enough space between the two of them. And, for good measure, she dumped her knapsack in between.

Amelie, having noticed her doing this, said "There will be no ill manners between the two of you, do you understand me, Claire?"

She felt Amelie's power, pushing her to give the correct answer. "Yes, Amelie"

Hell no!

"Very well" said the founder "I called you in today to inform you that it is my orders for the both of you to work on an impossibly drastic experiment, one that can help...my kind to survive under the sun for a long time. I have been informed that our weather has been on an increased temperature for five to ten points this week, and there might be a time that even if vampires stay in sheltered places, they would feel the burn from the sun"

"But Amelie" Claire interjected "couldn't clothes protect you enough?"

Beside her, Myrnin gave an impatient noise. She glared at him.

"Clothes, I'm afraid, does not suffice in answering the problem. The higher the temperature, the thicker the clothes we have to wear. Wearing thick clothes can be a hassle to vampires, and not to mention, leave us feeling stiff and unable to move."

"How about doubling shelter protection?"

"Not enough resources for our town population. We live in the middle of the dessert, have you forgotten?"

Claire folded her arms to her chest and scowled. There has to be a way for her to stay out of this.

"Evacuate everyone to the Founder's Square?" she said hopefully

"Enough excuses!" hissed Amelie "You. Will. Find. A. Solution. And that is an order Claire. Our kind is suffering from extinction from different kinds of causes, each terrible in its own way. I cannot have something as trivial as the sun ruining that for us as well"

"What if I tell you I won't do it?"

She knew right away that what she said was wrong because Amelie stood up, her eyes flashing. Suddenly, the air turned cold. Claire gave an involuntary shiver as she felt the founder's power pressing unto her again.

"Amelie" said Myrnin, with a consoling tone. "Didn't I tell you? The girl does not want any part of this. Perhaps it is best if you send her away and never let her come back. She has made up her mind"

Claire turned to look at him with fury "Don't try to defend me! I still don't like you"

"I wasn't defending you by any means, I was stating a fact! What opinion you have of me is none of my concern. Besides, there are many creatures who like me." Myrnin paused and thought of a few "Like Bob, for instance"

"You are so pathetic!" she said to him heatedly "And Bob doesn't count! He's just a spider for God's sake!"

"A spider is not just a spider, young one. It is an arachnid, a creature made to be appreciated for having eight legs. Apparently you happen to be a close-minded being that is why you cannot see beauty in such things"

"Oh, I so don't want to talk about spiders right now. Most especially, I don't want to talk to you. I don't even know why I'm talking to a vampire who tried to turn me into a vampire! And I told you I quit, didn't I? Well guess what, I meant it!"

"Claire, I could not care less if you quit. You go ahead and continue to live in a horrendously mundane environment with that boy of yours while you are slowly wasting your intelligence away. I could not care less"

"Oh, what the hell does that mean? I'd rather waste my intelligence on something else than in this lab of yours!" She said, hotly "And don't you dare bring Shane up on this! He's ten times a man you will ever be—"

"SILENCE!" Amelie called

Claire and Myrnin glared daggers at each other.

"Both of you have driven me to my very edge and tested my patience. I have tried to deal as much as I can, explaining things so calmly. But after your little banter, I do not think I could show the same manners again.

As punishment for your shameless behaviour, I will both lock you up in this laboratory until you have come up with the invention I have asked of you. And since you are a human Claire, I have already made sure that the necessary precaution of living with a vampire is taken care of. You will have to discover them yourself. Myrnin, you will drink your daily dosage with a twelve hour interval.

I do not wish for any of this to happen again. You have tested me, now you have seen my wrath. Now be thankful that this is all the punishment you will get. Things would have been worse for the both of you"

Then she left, her heels clicking against the floor with feathery pace. She left with a vampire guard right behind her.

The door clicked shut with a ringing finality.

And Claire was left alone with Myrnin, for God knows how long.

Shit

A/N: Thank you for those who gave a feedback! I appreciate it! Well folks, this only the beginning of the thrill ride. Every exciting thing that's to happen will start in Chapter 3. Stay tuned!