Chapter 4:

So, I left a TEENY cliffhanger last chapter, about Oliver and Claire... So enjoy this one!

Man, I am too gullible and nice to update so fast... so enjoy it!


Claire's POV:

"Come in, Claire," Oliver's smarmy voice says before I have even opened the door. Trust him to be using his vampire senses to be finding me... Yet I can't exactly be a cow to him, if I want to have any chance of finding out about who bit me and wiped my memory. Michael said something about Amelie but I don't know... After all, would the Founder of this town be bothered about a human problem? I know if I was her, I wouldn't be.

"I need your help," I stupidly say as I enter his office. As my breathing increases, so does my heart rate for being in such close contact with a vampire (and the most dangerous one I've met) and choosing to be. It's different with Sam - he seems pretty normal and after he rescued me from the party, he definitely deserves to be treat as normal - and he's Michael's grandfather.

"Claire Danvers wants my help," Oliver repeats, less emotion in his voice than a brick. "Whatever could be so bad that means she cannot go to her new best friend, the Founder, and give her the thing that was rightfully mine?" he continues, his face twisting up into something between a grimace and a murderous look.

"If you had the book then you would have destroyed everything, including me," I fight back, raising my eyebrows in a defensive way as I settle into the chair in front of him. "Therefore, I hedged my bets and went for Amelie... Also, the fact that she was in the house sort of changed our opinions as well, as well as the fact that you had killed Michael made me think that you were the bad guy."

"Fine, do you have any other reason for being here, other than to insult me and make me want to kill you?" he asks me, his voice dangerously sharp. I take a deep breath before nodding and looking him straight in the eye.

Without breaking eye contact, I pull the high neckline down on my jumper with shaking hands to reveal the bite mark. His eyes widen slightly, his eyebrows raising, but he doesn't say anything.

"I was bitten," I say, my voice shaking slightly as I release the neckline of my jumper.

"The point of showing me this?" Oliver's voice seems detached as he doesn't release me from his gaze. I can't look away... I'm captivated.

"I don't remember anything..." I say, my voice quavering. "Everything has gone... I only remember walking into the shop here two days ago before waking up yesterday morning with a head that felt as if it attacked by a chainsaw and a throbbing neck. So do you know anything?"

"Even if I know anything, please explain why I would tell you," his placid tone says, instantly dulling any hope in me.

"I'd do anything to know," I rashly say, unable to prevent myself from doing anything to find out who bit me...


Oliver's POV:

Yes! This is exactly what I wanted - she is coming and begging for information. The fact she is begging suggests her already weak mind control and protection (destroyed when I broke her two days ago) has become near non existant... She is mine for the picking.

The fact that she is so under my power now, that I can do almost anything, is imperative for my plan for Morganville and Claire. She can be controlled by me to do everything that I need her to and the fact that she forgot everything proves that I shall be able to plant things in her brain to make her go down the wrong pathway and ultimately end up doing the most henious thing... Killing Amelie.

Then I can claim the spot as ruler of Morganville and Claire, her purpose fulfilled, can be drained by me - a nice snack inbetween destruction and burnings...

"I know what happened," I say, not smiling whatsoever. I stare into her eyes, boring into her brain what I want her to know. "I saw... Brandon biting you. I managed to get him to stop before you died but by then he had already wiped your memory - I cannot alter what someone else has done to you, so I couldn't help you remember... Although I doubt you would particularly want to," I lie fluidly, using my eyes to send forwards a memory of what happened. Brandon stalking her through the shop, following her to the back. It being empty, so no-one knew that she was being bitten... Her screaming and my arrival, the saviour of her, meaning that she didn't die: this is what she needs to believe - that I am the good guy in the situation… this will mean that I can do what I need to, without her instantly distrusting me.

"Then why do I remember now?" she asks hesitantly, her lower lip shaking. For heaven's sake girl, pull yourself together! I don't have time for namby-pambys... They don't get the work done that they need to in order to be part of my plan.

"My awakening of your thoughts has triggered a catalyst, meaning that any memory loss compulsion Brandon put on you has been entirely eradicated," I say without hesitation. She nods slowly, a worried expression on her face. She has everything to be worried about; finally this girl has shown one of the emotions she ought to, if she had a drop of sense about her.

"W-what can I do?" she asks, a tear forming in her eye. Oh Claire, you have made this too easy for me!

I stand up, without breaking the eye contact, and move around to her, noting how her head follows my every movement. With only a touch of strength, I pull her up to face me, her only the size of Amelie. Her scent hits me powerfully, floral and sweet... Intoxicating. I never expected to be drawn into her, to be entirely captivated by her, but I have been. She has drawn me in… and I don't like it. I must reassert my authority, and quickly, for otherwise she could destroy my entire plan without even thinking about it.

With a movement so quick I almost miss it myself, I bend over and press my lips to hers. It isn't a romantic kiss, one with any feelings in it, but a powerful one… one to assert my authority here, one to show that I control her, not the other way around. I don't have any feelings for her; she is simply a puppet, someone easy to control and for me to use to get Morganville. There is nothing more. I don't want her, not in that way.

My lips press to hers and I feel something strange – as I did the first time I used electricity, I get a shock. My hair stands on end slightly and my hand ends up worming its way into her hair, her hands around my back instantly. This isn't right… this isn't controlling enough.

I wrench her head back slightly, pulling back. I am in control; I can stop this kiss whenever I want. But feeling her delicate mouth on mine, feeling the sensation of my tongue in her mouth, makes me nearly feel otherwise. But I must remain in control – I must not loose sight of the fact that she is necessary for my advancing plans. So I pull her head back further, trying to cause her pain, to show that she is mine.

However, her expression leaves me stricken. Because of all this mind control and such, she wants me to continue kissing her… she wants me to kiss her… to bite her. But I cannot – if she comes here just to lose more blood, she will know that there is something wrong, and I doubt that Michael would not realise it, if she didn't.

"Wow," she whispers, as I nuzzle her neck, controlling the monster in me that simply aches for her blood. I ignore her before looking up into her eyes, knowing that with the provision of the kiss, she is entirely mine.

"You will tell Shane that Brandon bit you," I inform her, my voice rough with the effort I am putting into this… but it may also be from the effort into that kiss. "You will just let it slip out, accidentally showing him the bite marks. You will be scared and have just remembered on your own, you will not mention that you saw me. You came to the café and remembered. Do you understand?"

She nods blankly, mutely, and she continues to stare into my eyes. I hold her expression, noting how her arms seem to stretch around me even more now that she is under my control. It feels strangely nice… I want her to do this.

However, I cannot. I regain my senses and push her away, towards the door.

"Return here tomorrow, Claire," I inform her, my voice sharp. "Remember, do not tell anyone that you were here."

She doesn't say anything, simply walks out of the door and shuts it behind her.

What am I to do?


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Vicky xx