"Claire, did you alphabetize these volumes by title?"Claire shook her head. All she'd really done was put them in there, figuring she'd sort them later. Myrnin sniffed the air, eyes narrowing. "Someone else has been here...and I think I remember them..."Claire tensed. "Someone who?" And why would they come in here just to organize Myrnin's library?Unless they were as crazy as he was..."Myrnin? Are you in there?" a voice called from the shack above. Whoever-it-was was a woman (definitely not Amelie, her voice was much harsher than the vampire ice-queen's), and was heading down the stairs towards the lab. Myrnin blinked, confusion and then recognition crossing his features."Annika? Is that you?" He flashed to the entrance, giving a delighted cry. "It is you! I haven't seen you in-how long has it been? Come in, you can meet my assistant!"The woman that walked down into the lab with Myrnin was, if anything, almost the exact opposite of what Claire had expected. Standing almost taller than Myrnin(whose height was not inconsiderable), her fiery red hair and violet eyes stood out against the tell-tale pale skin of vampires. This woman's skin, however, made the white suit she was wearing look a bit less white and a bit more gray. As she noticed Claire, a red tinge came to her already odd-colored eyes."My my, who is this?""Annika, allow me to introduce my assistant, Claire Danvers. Claire, this is Annika of Deganwy. I met her a few years after I was turned into a vampire."Annika's sharp eyes watched Claire's every move with intense, unnerving focus. She finally seemed to snap out of whatever had taken hold of her, as she sighed. "I believe I should wait somewhere until you two are done...I haven't been around humans in quite a long time, you see, and..." She had trailed off, but Claire knew what she meant even before she saw the sharp glitter of fangs while Annika was talking. Myrnin seemed to notice this, as well, and nodded. "You may want to go see the Founder, if you're planning on staying for any period of time...""Amelie? She still runs the town, I presume?""Oliver has tried, but he cannot gain control." A portal opened behind Myrnin, and he opened the door and bowed gracefully to Annika. She nodded in return, then took the portal to the ice-queen's office."Myrnin? Are you sure it's alright to just send her in there?"Myrnin's smile-one of those that warned her of how dangerous he was-was followed by the words "Of course, of course..." as he moved to the lab table nearest him."Let's get to work, shall we? I'm sure once Annika has signed the accords and gone to the blood bank, or however Amelie chooses to deal with her thirst, she will be able to visit again." He'd politely avoided mentioning hunting, but Claire knew that was all too possible. That vampire had looked-and felt, somehow-older than even Myrnin or Amelie. Claire was pretty sure she'd try to stick to the old ways as long as possible. Myrnin darted to another table to grab a tool that looked like something an evil dentist would be scared of using.
Yep, back to his hummingbird-on-crack self...