Here's the new chapter, thanks everyone for the continued support

Claire blinked a few times before her eyes stayed open, she was obviously confused,

'Emergency room.' I told her feeling slightly worried that she'd ask me who I was.

But then her eyes met mine and she visibly relaxed. 'Damn Claire, warn a guy before you face-plant the floor next time. I could have acted all heroic or caught you or something.'

'You caught Gina.' I held back a laugh her voice was funny, she made a face and tried to correct herself... 'You caught Geeeeeena.' ... and failed.

'Yeah.' I let out my laugh when she smiled awkwardly. 'You're high as a kite you know. They called your parents you know.' Her face changed staring at me as if I'd spoken Chinese.

'Parents.' She said, from her voice I could tell she'd already guessed their reaction.

'Mom and dad where pretty freaked to here you had a lab accident, the campus cops forgot to mention how Gina deliberately threw acid on your back, they seem to think it was one of those freak accidents.'

'Was it?' she asked.

'No way she meant to hurt you.' Under Monica's orders.

'Killed my shirt.' At least she's got her priorities straight.

'Yeah pretty much.' I have got to tell her what happened with Michael. I was still pissed at him. Very pissed.

'I tried calling Michael, I don't know where he is, I didn't want to leave you alone but.'

'He's ok.' She said it immediately, sounding totally sure.

'And I'm ok too.' I smiled at her and gently stroked her hair not feeling weird about it.

'You're OK, I'll be here when you wake up.' She nodded, relaxed into her pillow and then was out like a light.

'You're sure this is the right thing to do?' Eve asked me as we stood in the doorway of Claire's room whilst the nurse injected Claire with the meds needed to wake her up. Eve was worried, as usual. Girl needs to realise I actually own a brain.

'Well. Have you figured out where the hell Michael is?' I asked and she replied with a guilty look.

'Exactly.' I snapped. 'Someone has to get shit done and looks like it's going to be me.'

She glared this time. 'You know how dangerous this is. Brandon doesn't mess around especially –'

'I'm not messing around either!' I cut her off. 'That bitch is going to get Claire killed. Anyway you say Oliver's a good guy, he'll help me out if shit goes down, right.' I hope this guy's as great as Eve makes him out to be. A smart coffee-bar owner, yeah.

'Oliver is a good guy but he's one of the only people who can control that asshole. He doesn't want any drama.'

'Whatever. Just let me do what I need, I can handle myself.' She opened her mouth to protest. 'Just go and get the car ready, we'll be out in around 20 minutes.' I didn't look at her. That way she couldn't guilt me into not going.

Not long after Claire had woken up the second time and was being helped into a wheelchair by her nurse. She was smiling and looked a lot better than before. The nurse nodded and gave me the all clear so I went over and pushed her toward the doorway.

'How bad is it?' The first thing she asked.

'I mean is it like gross.' I guess a little lie/joke won't hurt. 'Unbelievably gross, like horror movie gruesome.'

'Oh God.' She groaned, hah! She must be imagining Saw right now.

'It's not so bad.' I cracked. 'It's about the size of a quarter. Your teacher guy did a good job of cutting up your clothes and getting it away from your skin, I know it hurt like hell but it could have been a lot worse.' Claire thought about that for a second.

'Do you think she would have -'

'Poured it all on you hell yeah, she just didn't have the time.' She pulled a face.

'Guess that was Monica's payback.'

'Some of it anyway, she'll be really pissed that it didn't go all the way.' I rolled her to the doors, that's when I realised how dark it was.

'Oh.' She said.

'Yeah, we've got transpo covered at least, ready.' She nodded. Gunning it to top-speed, I bet I broke some kind of wheelchair record, she obviously didn't expect it because she yelped and grabbed the handles. We stopped at Eve's car, I grabbed Claire by the waist, barely giving myself a second to enjoy the wave of heat I got from it.NOT THE TIME! I put her in the back, kicked the chair away and jumped in,

'Punch it.' I told Eve, who must of hit 60 in about 10 seconds. Eve looked at me in the mirror making sure I was still up to it. I nodded and let my eyes drop.

We were on the street Common Grounds in two minutes and Eve hit the brakes slowing down.

'Is he there?' I asked, Eve glared at me.

'Yeah. He's there. But don't put me in the middle of it. I have to work there you know.' She told me.

'I promise I won't tick off your boss.' I knew she didn't believe me but she carried on driving, parking up a second later. When we pulled up Claire was about to ask me something, but I got out before she could. I did not need another interrogation.

Walking into the store (which smelt awesome) I felt a lot like I'm guessing the people in the Chainsaw Massacre felt. I felt like lunch.

The small chatter died down instantly and every ice-coloured eye focused on me. I set my jaw, made myself look as broad as I could and walked over to the table Brandon was seated at. I watched him but remembered not to look directly into his eyes. An older man moved behind the counter narrowing his eyes at me.

'I think you must have the wrong place.' Boss-man said. Oliver I'm guessing, he's not that much of a sweetheart.

But I stuck to my guns. 'I'm here to talk to him.' I jerked my chin at Brandon who looked way to happy to see me.

'Oh please Oliver, let him stay.' Brandon grinned. 'It seems urgent.'

I didn't give into it and just continued walking over to the table when two vamps moved to clear a seat across from him.

'So little boy. What can I do for you?'

Now or never. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

'You need to stop this bullshit attack on Claire. Now.' I cut to the chase. 'Princess Monica thinks she can screw with whoever the hell she wants but she can't. Especially not with us.'

He didn't speak for a few seconds, probably trying to intimidate me, it worked a little. But then with a straight face he said.

'I have no idea what you're talking about.' He didn't move and by this time Oliver was stood next to our table at a safe distance.

'Don't fuck with me.' I snapped. 'You're her patron. You and your little crew need to lay off Claire. She nearly died today!' I tried to steady my voice. He won't take me seriously if I kick off.

'Ah yes. I heard about that. A lab accident, yes.' He said it slowly watching me react.

'Accident' I stressed.

'Yes quite a bad one I hear but luckily she survived.' He said putting on a sick smile. Which totally pissed me off. I balled my hands into fists.

'Yeah well. I'm not letting Monica have another shot at it. So how are we going to go about this?'

'Well you know I can't do you any favours for free?' I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded.

'You want to make a deal then?' I nodded again. He smiled showing all his teeth. Including his special ones. I cleared my throat.

'What do you want out of it?' I said hearing the tension in my voice.

'Well it's not very difficult to decide, you may be hard on the outside, but you're defiantly sweet on the inside, I can smell it.' I wanted to throw up, all my life I promised myself I wouldn't left ANY fangs come near me but here I was.

'I'm not letting you drain me asshole.' He frowned.

'Not drain just a few bites.'

'A few.' I asked.
He considered it. '4.' NO WAY. I shook my head.

'3' UH-UH. I shook my head again.

'2, no draining and that's the lowest I'm going.' You have to do this. You have to keep Claire safe, he can't kill you.

'Fine.' I told him flatly. His entourage all exchanged smiles and he held his hand out to me.

I looked at it then back at him.

'We need to seal the deal.' He said. I took his hand and he pumped twice, holding me in an almost bone crushing grip. 'I look forward to our meeting.' He half purred not releasing me.

'Brandon...' Oliver finally spoke and Brandon eased up just enough that I could pull back my hand and walk out as fast as I could. It wasn't fast enough to miss Brandon saying.

'Must you always mess up my fun.'

That's what am I now. A vamps fun toy...

I marched out of the shop and got straight into the car, not saying anything to the girls who where both staring at me.

'Should we be scared?' Eve asked timidly. 'Because I'd like a head start before the official terror alert goes up.'

'Nope.' I lied, not very convincingly, but I couldn't get them worried.

'We're clear, Claries got a free pass nobody's coming after her even Monica and her sock puppets.'

'But - what? Why?' Claire said.

'We did a trade, vampires are all about the one-up.'

'You're such an idiot.' Eve hissed, probably guessing what type of deal I'd made. She sounded as disgusted as I felt.

'I did what I had to do. I couldn't ask Michael he wasn't.' My voice broke thinking about it. So much for having my back. 'He wasn't around. Again. I had to do something, Claire wasn't kidding. They'll kill her or hurt her so bad she'll wish they'd finish it up. I can't let that happen.' Nobody said anything, then Claire caught my eyes in the mirror.

'Shane what did you promise?' she asked.

'Nothing I can't afford to lose.' I told her, not giving anything away.

'Shane!' she said louder. But I didn't answer and I glared at Eve to make sure she didn't either.

When we came to the house Eve bolted out and unlocked the door, when I lifted Claire up she shivered.

'Cold?' I asked, hoping she would answer with yes or no and not another question.

'Shane what did you promise?' Damn. She said worried. She then grabbed my arm I didn't pull away. I looked down at her and could see in her eyes how scared she was. She almost looked as venerable and she did lying in that hospital bed.

'You didn't do anything -'

'Stupid.' I finished for her. I didn't want her to look at me and think stupid. Her hand was so close to mine. I reached out to touch it, snapping out of it at the last second. Of course she knows you're the stupid one.

'Yeah that's what I'm good at stupid stuff, probably for the best; having two big brains in the house might get a little crowded.' She looked like she regretted it, but I was too pissed off to hear it. 'Unless you want to hang a, this vein for rent, sigh around your neck, move already!'

She turned to move but then stopped and stared at something. I followed her eyes and saw Brandon. He was stood across the street and didn't move until he blew us a kiss. My blood boiled and I knew I was about to blow. I grabbed Claires arm and shoved her into the house.

'Don't you ever stop out there!' I shouted at her again. Calm down, you're safe now.

'You said I get a free pass.' She shot back.

'Well, it doesn't come with a written guarantee.' I said glaring at her. Everything was still boiling up.

'What did you promise him?' She shouted. I slammed the door and, once again shoved her forward, I didn't get far as Michael came into my way, great just the person I wanted to see (!)

'Answer her.' He demanded. Who is he to talk to me like that. After everything that happened today. 'What the hell did you do Shane?' I felt REALLY annoyed, now he comes and asks what's up.

'Oh so now you care. Where the hell where you man, I called, I came looking for you. HELL I even picked the lock on your room.' Now I was yelling at him.

'I had things to do.' He said. Guilty as fuck.

'Dude, you had things to do today? Whatever I had to make the call so I did.'

'Shane.' He said and grabbed me, 'She deserves an answer, we all do.' Eve came around the corner, the 3 of them staring at me waiting for an answer, and Michael was backing them up. I laughed/snorted.

'Ganging up on me with the girls, low blow man. Low blow. What happened to male bonding.'

'Eve say's you talked to Brandon.' They're going to find out soon enough. I let my guard down.

'Yeah I did, I mean look man they threw acid on her back, the damn cops wouldn't even... I had to go to the source, you taught me that.'

'You made a deal with Brandon.' I didn't say anything. 'Oh dammit to hell Shane you didn't.' I didn't even look at him.

'Dude it's done man don't make a thing of it, it's only twice he can't drain me or anything.'

'Shit.' Michael burst out suddenly. He hit his hand into the frame making a loud cracking sound. He knew how much I hated all this. How I always said I'd never let anyone of them touch me. 'You don't even know her man. You made a crusade out of this!' He was talking about Claire.

'I'm not!'

'She's not Alyssa!' He yelled at me. How dare he? How fucking dare he bring that into it... I looked at him he was furious. But all my will to scream had let.

'I know she's not Alyssa, you need to back the hell off Michael. And you need to stop thinking I'm that screwed-up kid you knew back then! I know what I'm doing, you're not my dad.'

'I'm the closest thing you have to family around here, and I'm not letting you play hero not now.' He laid off the shouting too, but I could feel it coming off him.

'I wouldn't have to if you'd step up and watch my back!' That one hit home. Michael shut up and I stormed past him to the stairs. Staring him in the eye every second of it. I might've taken a risk, but he wasn't there to stop me in the first place.

I slammed the door to my room and just lay on the bed. I hated that Brandon won - at least over me. That had pissed me off, but Michael comparing Claire to Alyssa, that was low. Not because he brought my sister into it, but because there was some truth in what he'd said. I doubt he knows of any feeling I'm trying to hide but I'm not doing this to be some kind of hero, I'm doing this because I need to show that skank that she can't keep hurting people, especially the ones I care about. I don't regret my decision, I want to keep Claire safe – whatever it takes.

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