Well here's chapter three, and thank you to Adele who reviewed this story! and


I am going to be late. And it's all down to Monica bloody Morrell. She made me late to Professor Green's lesson (and if you are late to that, well you've had it for the next 45 minutes) because she was demanding that I tutor her in economics. So I said I will for one hundred dollars, which made her crazy and keep pleading and demanding (she alternated between the two) that I do. So I agreed to just get to physics in time but no, I was still all of two minutes late, so I spent forty three extra minutes listening to him drone on about tardiness before he finally let me go.

11:45amif fifteen minutes to get across town, which would take at least twenty five, even in this small place. So, what can I do? Run, or… check if there are any portals open on campus – if not, well this time deserves potential brain damage.

I pull out my iPhone and click on the app I made to see the open portals – great, there is one just around the corner from the university coffee shop – means I can go grab a coffee for ten minutes before getting to Myrnin's on time and with no brain loss. Perfect!

So that's what I do: I order a mocha with the barrista and talk to Eve whilst she makes it – this is the quiet time so she can talk instead of rushing around with order after order. She knows I have to go to Myrnin's, so deliberately makes the drink a little cooler so that I don't have to throw it away before I leave.

"So how was classes CB? You said this morning you would be here for 11am, and you're a little late," Eve asks me lightly, just as she makes a lone coffee for a customer in the almost empty shop.

"They were fine, besides for the fact Monica kept bugging me about tutoring so for the time I was supposed to be walking to physics, she kept asking me to tutor and then demanding. So finally I gave in, saying I want one hundred dollars but by the time I got away, I was already two minutes late for Green. So naturally I had to endure a lecture for forty five minutes on the importance of being punctual. So apart from that, it's been great. What about you?" I reply, letting the steam out of my head as I know if I let Monica get to me (well build up) it's unmanageable and I end up being rude. And I don't want to be rude to Sam when I haven't seen him in over a year now: when he was rescued, nobody besides Myrnin and Amelie was with him, and the only details Myrnin would spill (Amelie's mouth – when I saw her – was tighter than the PVC catsuit Victoria Beckham wore the other year) was that he looked awful but was slowly getting better.

I check my watch: 11:56am – I'd best be off. I drain the last of my mocha before touching Eve's hand and saying:

"See you later Eve: don't save me any dinner – we're having food at the lab as a party for Sam's return so I won't be hungry," I tell her, only just remembering myself.

"Sure thing – have fun!" she calls after me, and I put my hand in the air over my head as a parting gesture.

I run round the corner, to where the awful statue of Bishop used to be, and visualise the doorway that'll take me to the lab. It appears quickly and I grasp the doorknob in my hand, flexing my wrist to see the time: 11:58am – I've got ages left!

I pull the door to and see the familiar site of the lab before my eyes: then I step through the portal and am in the lab – which I now see has a large pile of decorations still waiting to be put up… but a subtle (so far) layer already up.

"Ah Claire good, you're early. As you seem so keen to be here, you can help me put up these decorations!" Myrnin calls to me, in a seemingly good mood – I can't see him at this angle (he's just around the corner) but I can't bear to see what awful outfit he has on today.

"Myrnin, if I was exactly on time, or late, I'd still be putting these decorations up wouldn't I?" I bitingly enquire – even though I know the answer.

"Of course Claire, of course – that's what assistants do: follow instructions that don't really change if you're on time or tardy. Which I hear that you were to physics today," Myrnin finishes with a mock (well, with Myrnin who knows if it is mock or not?) anger at me.

"Yeah well, blame Monica Morrell," I grumble as I pick up a banner saying:

Happy retirement

"Myrnin, why do you have a banner saying happy retirement? Sam is coming back, not retiring!" I ask and he chuckles to himself – oh how I love the sound of him chuckling, it's like wind chimes in the wind. Did I really just think that? What is going on? I have no idea as to why I just thought that, but I did!

"Oh that's just a selection of the decorations I have amassed over the last year – whenever I go shopping, I just pick up every one that I see: means I'm always prepared!" Myrnin explains, making a soft thud – I can't see how – before walking around the corner. And knocking the breath out of me.

He is wearing a normal black tuxedo that makes him look absolutely dashing. His smooth black glossy hair has been brushed and gelled so it looks tousled; his stubble has been razored off and his pale white skin is gleaming with cleanliness. He's never looked so good. or normal.

"Wow Myrnin, you look, you look great!" I stutter out, and he smiles cockily as if he already knows this and just wanted confirmation. His brown, soft eyes however, seem to stay calm and collected, sweet and generous, the brazen personality not destroying the peace in them. He looks so much younger than his physical age of twenty five, but in a sense, so much older and more mature. He's amazing.

"Well my dear, it is a party, and in my day we would always get our best clothes out, especially for a fallen comrade coming back: it's the British way you know," he airily says, grinning though, at the compliment I gave him.

"Yeah, but still you look really good, and normal – not a mixture between Edwardian and normal… just normal!" I continue, mocking him slightly (hey, he does it to me!) at his dress sense. Wait, this brings back memories of the favourite shoes: pink bunny slippers with fangs. Let's just check… no, thank god he's actually wearing normal shoes!

"So Claire, as we work (we're already sifting through the piles of decorations and putting up appropriate ones such as 'welcome back' or 'Sam, you are amazing' – I have a feeling that was specially made) how are you now that you and that boy have broken up?" Myrnin casually asks me, and I ponder the question before thinking of something disturbing.

"Myrnin, how did you know we were fighting and I dumped him?"

"Oh that's quite simple my darling, the founders doors we have created have an upper sound restriction of 300Hz so when you completely yelled at him, I heard every word. I have to say though, it was a lot more entertaining than watching people scream like that for a job on Eastenders!" he explains and it makes sense: of course, if the doors already defy space and time mannerisms, I should have realised sound would travel as well.

"Oh, well anyway, I feel fine – we were arguing a lot before-"

"Yes my dear, I knew," he interjects dryly "You weren't exactly subtle with a) your volume and b) the way you came here afterwards with the heartbroken and yet murderously angry face!"

"Thank you for that interjection Myrnin," I say, shooting him a dirty look, which makes him drop the decoration, jump off the 10ft ladder he is currently on, and make a deep bow of apology to me. "Anyway, as I was saying, we were arguing before and I was thinking of ending it prior to when I did, and when he followed me here and watched us work – well that was the last straw. So, I don't feel bad for dumping him because I don't feel the relationship was going anywhere."

My phone is humming a tune that I programmed for my parents – yay, my favourite phone call but anyway, they'll be delighted about the news: although they have tried to like him over the past year, it's not really worked, and to be honest they have been waiting for us to 'get bored' – I overheard them talking.

"Hi dad!" I say breezily, and Myrnin smiles at my change in tone: wistful and angry to airy and without a care in the world in a heartbeat.

"Heya honey, I was just wondering if I could speak to Myrnin if you're at the lab?" he inquires and I feel a rush of hurt that he doesn't want to talk to me, but a thought of confusion as to why he wants to talk to Myrnin.

"Sure thing, he's just here, (to Myrnin) Myrnin, my Dad wants to talk to you," I say to both and hand the phone over.

I try not to look as if I'm eavesdropping, but all I'm getting is a lot of 'mmm hmmm's' and that's it – it's as if Myrnin is agreeing with Dad, but what about? I tie ten more balloons to the walls before the phone call is over and Myrnin resumes getting the lab ready for a party: one problem, we don't have any food!

"Myrnin, where's the food?" I ask with a sense of urgency in my voice.

"Relax child (this really annoys me because Amelie doesn't even call me child anymore, and to be honest it's really patronising!) your father is bringing over the platters of food your mother has painstakingly prepared for us. We have another 27 minutes until the couple arrive, so please just clear all these unnecessary decorations to the storage cupboard over there, and I repeat myself, relax!" he explains and I do just that: not just because I'm not the food, but because this must be what they were talking about earlier.

I clear away the decorations and look at the lab: all the scientific equipment is pushed to the back of the benches, leaving room for the food, all Myrnin's books have been shelved correctly – by me – and the lighting is soft and subtle, perfect for the three vampires… well Sam mostly because not only is he still the weakest because of the whole death thing, but because he is the 2nd youngest vampire in town!

"Food's here!" Dad calls, and I rush to grab the platters off him before he falls down the stairs: the shack at ground level and the stairs are the only things that haven't been revamped in the past 18 months, since Bishop and his men destroyed it all. Pointless, but Myrnin assures me it stops people coming in. yet the stairs are a danger; he's almost been won over, but may need a little more persuasion – perhaps by my death – to actually fix them!

I grab the three platters and arrange them on the white lab benches, with the bottles of coke, beer, wine and water around them and the glasses/cups around them. It looks all neat and tidy: with starters on one platter, main meal tit-bits on another and my mum's dessert pieces on another. It looks fabulous!

"Thank you Dad – I'd ask you to stay but Sam and Amelie get here in about 3 minutes so…" I say and he gets the message: so far Amelie has issued a warning saying no vampire or human is to come near this place today because Sam is still fragile (obviously this excludes myself and Myrnin) and too much contact with humans could make him really thirsty – apparently he's got more of a bloodthirst than before, but this is slowly waning back to normal. That's the other reason he's stayed in Amelie's house the whole time: he'd kill people and that's completely against Sam and his beliefs.

"T minus two point five minutes," Myrnin continues with his countdown.

"Shut up Myrnin!" I retort and he makes a childish face before saying two minutes even louder. I roll my eyes, but still find his display endearing for some strange reason. I have absolutely no idea why I am feeling like this: it's so strange!

"T minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero" Myrnin announces and as he says zero, the portal opens and out steps two figures, hand in hand, smiling at us both (and that's a miracle for Amelie) fondly.

"SAM!" I squeal, and run over to hug him. He's finally back!


Well this is the end of chapter three… Myrnin has made his appearance (I think he sounds quite cute and 'boyfriend material' ahaha I wish!)

Please, if you read, review as well and make me a happy bunny (with fangs!)

Vicky xx