Hullo! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, everyone! I have no excuse! :) Thank you for the brilliant response, in the form of reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter, as I found it a little hard to write. :P Responses to reviews are at the bottom :)


'Truth May Be Blamed'


Claire's POV


The 2D image of Frank Collins was hanging in the air in front of her.

Claire took a step away from it, her back hitting the wall.

"Frank?" She whispered, with a dry mouth. Ice-cold fear trickled down her spine. She'd forgotten all about him.

His image smiled. It wasn't a nice smile.

"Hello, little Claire."

His gravelly voice came from several places in Claire's room, including the speaker on her phone. She broke out in a clammy sweat when she realised he'd used Myrnin's irritating pet name for her. He knew.

"F-Frank, please. Let me explain." She didn't like how scared she sounded.

"No need, no need. I already know everything." He said, his expression twisting into one of anger. "How do you want me to kill him?"

"What?" Claire blurted out, confused. She'd been convinced he was going to try and blackmail her. You know, the traditional threatening to spill her secret if she didn't comply with his demands.

"Myrnin." Frank's image spat. "Bloodsucker bastard."

"W-What do you mean?"

Frank looked surprised, then, if possible, even angrier than he had been previously. He swore, then looked at her again, his expression softening uncharacteristically.

"Oh, honey. You know alcohol don't affect vampires."

Claire's expression was blank as she processed this, then her eyes widened in horror.

"But- but he- I was- " She stammered, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. Thought you knew." Frank really did sound sorry.

"He was lucid." Claire whispered, still in shock. "He knew exactly what he was doing. I'm so stupid." Claire looked at Frank with tears in her eyes. "I'll kill him." She said. At the time, she meant it. She was so angry with Myrnin.

Frank nodded in agreement.

"I don't blame you, love."

Claire swayed forwards suddenly, feeling lightheaded. She clutched the edge of her bed and sank down onto the sheets, holding her head in her hands.

"I didn't mean to." She sobbed. "I love Shane."

"I know."

Somehow, that reassured Claire. If Frank could understand, maybe Shane could, too. But Frank's next words dashed any hopes she had of being able to tell Shane.

"Don't tell my son. He won't be able to forgive you."

Claire looked up.

"No, don't say that. He'll understand. He loves me." She hiccuped, wiping tears away from her eyes.

Frank shrugged, then cocked his head to the side as if he was listening.

"That traitor and his fang-banger girlfriend are home." He said, then disappeared. Seconds later, Eve yelled out that she was back, and then Claire heard her heavy boots coming up the stairs.

Claire tried to compose herself, just as the door swung open and Eve's head popped round the corner.

"Claire!" Eve cried. "Where the hell have you been?"

Claire attempted a shaky smile, and Eve rushed across the room, enveloping her in an enormous hug.

"Ohmygod, are you OK? What happened? Mike! Get up here!" Eve started frantically checking her over for bite marks. Claire heard the door crash open, and then Michael's voice said,

"What's wrong? Is she OK?"

"I don't know." Eve replied, then gasped as she pulled down the collar of Myrnin's shirt and caught sight of the bruises. Claire panicked, and tried to pull it back up, but Eve pulled back more material, exposing more bruises.

"What the hell?" She breathed. "Claire?"

"It's nothing." She mumbled, knowing Eve wouldn't believe her.

"Mike?"

Michael stepped forwards, his nostrils flaring as he scented Claire.

"I can smell another vampire on her. It's..." Michael's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. He looked at Claire in disbelief. "How... how could you?"

Tears sprung to Claire's eyes, and she looked at her lap.

"It wasn't like that." She whispered, not bothering to ask how he knew what had happened. That much was obvious; she silently cursed herself for not showering before she left.

Michael looked even more horrified.

"He didn't. Tell me he didn't."

Claire looked up in shock as she realised Michael's conclusion.

"No!"

Eve looked back and forth between them in increasing confusion.

"Okay, am I missing something here?"

Michael walked to the door.

"I think Claire had better tell you herself." He said quietly, and left the room. Claire waited until his footsteps had faded completely before daring to look at Eve.

"Claire? Honey, what is it?" Eve said gently, worry etched onto her face. She put her arm round Claire's shoulder.

Claire couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes, and before long she was sobbing on Eve's shoulder. Eve even let her cry on her favourite black tee, showing the true strength of their friendship. After a few minutes, Claire quietened to occasional hiccups.

"Claire?" Eve asked tentatively. "What happened?"

Claire didn't answer. She couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"Was it Myrnin?" Eve said softly.

Claire just nodded miserably.

Eve held her at arm's length, looking into her eyes.

"Claire...look, I can't believe I'm asking this, but... did he...did he rape you?"

"No!" She said vehemently, then hesitated. "I don't- I don't think so."

She saw Eve's eyes widen.

"What do you mean you don't think so? Claire? Are you trying to protect him?" Eve said in alarm, giving Claire a small shake. Claire couldn't bear to see her friend so worried.

She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to sort it out in her head.

"No- I..don't think so. I don't know." She looked up at Eve in misery. "I-I didn't m-mean to, Eve." She whispered.

"To what, Claire?" Eve said, frustrated.

Claire blushed, and looked down at her lap again.

"I slept with him." She mumbled, twisting her hands together.

Eve's eyes bugged out of their sockets.

"What?" She cried. "Claire! How could you do that to Shane?"

"No!" Claire said, desperate for Eve to understand. "I didn't know what I was doing! Myrnin-" She stumbled over his name. "- got me drunk. I didn't know what was going on until I woke up this morning in his bed. I'm so sorry! I never would have wanted to..." She crumbled, bursting into hopeless tears. A moment later, Eve wrapped her in her arms.

"Oh, Claire. It's OK. Shh." Eve whispered, stroking Claire's hair.

"I can't believe he d-did that." Claire sobbed. "He pretended he- he didn't know w-what he was d-doing in the morning and- and I believed him!"

Eve hugged her harder.

"He's not worth it, Claire."

Claire pulled back. "But he's not just some- some boy, Eve. It's Myrnin." Even as she said his name, she cringed. "And he's my b-boss."

The reality of the situation seemed to crash down on Claire all at once, and she sobbed harder, uncontrollable tears pouring down her face.

"I'll fucking kill him." Someone said suddenly. Claire jumped, turning round. Michael was standing in the doorway, his fists clenched. He'd obviously heard everything, and he looked angrier than Claire had ever seen him.

Claire shook her head.

"It's m-my fault. I shouldn't have -accepted the drink when he offered i-it."

"Well, that was kind of crazy." Eve agreed. "Why'd you do it?"

"I don't know. I'd just broken up with Shane, so-"

"Woah, slow down! You broke up with Shane?" Eve exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Claire frowned. "I kinda thought Shane would have told you."

Michael and Eve exchanged a glance.

"He didn't mention anything, Claire. He...he seemed fine." Eve said apologetically.

Claire tried to ignore the hurt that swelled inside of her.

"Where is he?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

Eve shook her head.

"I don't know. I thought he was out looking for you."

"It doesn't matter." Said Michael through gritted teeth. "Claire, you have to tell Amelie about this."

Claire looked at him in shock.

"What? No, I can't!" She paused, then backtracked, realising she was sounding like she wanted to cover for Myrnin. "I- I mean that, well, it was a drunken mistake. What can she do about it? I was perfectly willing at the- at the time." Her voice broke on the last sentence.

"But Claire, he obviously planned the whole thing!" Michael snapped angrily. He knew she was right. There was nothing that could be done. However, something didn't quite make sense in Claire's mind. It nagged at her, then finally clicked into place.

"He couldn't have planned the whole thing, though." She said slowly.

"What do you mean?" Eve said exasperatedly. "Claire, it's easy enough for him to decide to get you drunk and take advantage of you."

"But don't you see?" Claire cried, "Why would I get drunk? In a normal situation, there's no way I would have accepted that drink! And he could hardly plan me and Shane breaking up." She stopped, convinced that what she'd said was true. Eve and Michael exchanged another glance, then Eve spoke.

"Claire, honey, vampires can...manipulate people, you know. Don't you think that's what he was doing to you?" She said as gently as possible. "Think about it. You love Shane. I know you do. You wouldn't break up with him unless- unless, maybe, someone made you do it?"

There was silence as Claire digested this. But somehow, she knew Myrnin hadn't manipulated her. She would be able to tell if he'd done that. Wouldn't she? He'd done it before, she knew, but she'd always managed to resist, somehow.

"No." She ejaculated, more forcefully than she intended. "That's not what happened."

Michael's eyes flicked to Eve, then back to Claire. "Why did you break up with him, then?"

She dropped her gaze to her lap.

"Because- because he was - accusing me of- of sleeping with Myrnin." Claire mumbled. There was silence, and she laughed humourlessly. "Yeah. I know."

Eve looked ready to kill.

"How dare he?" She growled.

Claire smiled shakily, trying to brush it off.

"That's what I said."

"Oh, Claire, I'm so sorry!" Eve cried, moving forwards and enveloping her in a tight hug. Claire hugged her friend back for a moment, then pulled away.

"Please don't tell anyone!" She begged.

Her friends exchanged yet another look, then Michael spoke.

"Claire, we-"

"Please!"

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I can't let you do this. Not to protect him." He said it with an air of finality, and Claire stared at him in shock as she realised he was making no attempt to hide the fact that he was a vampire, and therefore 'superior' to Claire.

"Michael." Eve said, her face hardened in anger. "What the hell?"

Michael would normally have backed down immediately, but this time he stood his ground, turning to Eve, his whole aura blazing.

"What would you have us do? Just forget it ever happened?" He snapped. Eve shrank back from him, her eyes widening in fear.

Michael's expression changed as he saw her fear, and he seemed to return to normal. He stepped towards her, hand outstretched.

"Eve-"

"No." Eve said with quiet rage. "Get out."

Michael's jaw clenched, and he didn't move.

"No."

A terrible look flitted across Eve's face.

"Fine!" She said sharply, standing up and pushing past him. They heard her footsteps on the stairs, and a moment later, the front door slammed. Michael turned to Claire, but she shook her head sadly.

"No, Michael. I don't know how you could do that to Eve."

Michael's face seemed to harden.

"I didn't want to, Claire." He said angrily. "It's not something I can control."

Claire stared at him, then stood slowly.

"Yes, it is."

Michael's gaze snapped to her.

"What?" He growled.

Claire refused to back down.

"I said, yes it is. You can control it if you really want to."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Michael snarled. His eyes flashed red, and he took a step towards her, fangs snapping down.

Claire froze, all the boldness rushing out of her.

"Michael?" She said in a small voice. She took a step back, and he stopped instantly. His eyes widened, and a look of shame passed over his features.

"Oh my God, Claire, I'm so sorry-" His voice came out distorted, because his fangs hadn't retracted yet. He reached out a hand to her, and she flinched instinctively before she could stop herself. Michael's face drained of colour.

"Claire?" He whispered. "Claire, I'm so sorry, I just lost control, I- I swear I would never hurt you, I-" He broke off with a choking sound. His eyes were wet.

Claire shook her head; she didn't want to hear him. She didn't want Michael to feel guilty, she didn't want him to apologise. She didn't want to be scared of him.

"It's - it's OK, Michael," Claire said, quickly. "It's my fault for going on at you."

"No.." Michael whispered. "You're right. I should be able to control myself. What if- what if I lost control with Eve one day, and- and-" He let out a sob, and Claire stepped forwards, hugging him as tightly as she could.

"You won't." She said firmly.

Michael laughed, but it sounded wrong. Flat.

"Claire, how can you say that?"

"You won't." She repeated, wondering how it was suddenly her that was comforting him. Claire pulled back, looking up at him. "OK?"

He nodded, but she knew he didn't believe her. Michael stepped back.

"You should probably go and apologise to Eve." Claire said quietly. Michael looked at her, panic in his eyes.

"It will be fine, Michael. I won't tell her what happened."

He grimaced.

"I'm so sorry, Claire..." He whispered, before turning and walking to the door. Michael hesitated when he got there, half-turning back to her. "I-I won't tell Amelie, if you don't want me to. But this isn't the kind of thing that stays a secret, Claire. She'll find out eventually."


If I haven't replied to your review down here, it does not mean I don't appreciate it, just that there wasn't much more I could say in reply than thank you, and a lot of happy grinning :) Also, THANK YOU to everyone who out this or me on their favourites/alerts :D

Kimbeam219 - Thank you! I agree, do not like Shane after Bite Club. I'm glad you like the story :)

CereziithaCamuii - Well, at least if it was the first one you read, I didn't have any expectations to live up to! Glad you liked it! :)