Okay, I'm super sorry for the wait. Hope this chapter makes up for my neglect. Enjoy. And thank you to my reviewers: loulouflowerpower, MorganvilleRoza, LuPeters, invisibilgirl, and Charliee. Thank you so much for reviewing. Can't wait to hear from you again possibly.
Disclaimer: Only Rachel Caine owns Morganville Vampires. I just wish I did.
She had just finished dressing herself in her skinny jeans and black t-shirt with the words "BITE ME" written in red glitter on it when Myrnin stepped out of the bathroom in only his baggy pants and his favorite beach flip-flops. She watched his chest move with his breathing before looking up into his dark eyes, clouded with something she couldn't quite name. Then his face broke into a smile at the sight of her shirt.
She looked down and picked up her Converse wordlessly. "Don't say anything," she warned.
"About the fact that you are wearing a shirt that says to bite you in the company of Vampires? No I wouldn't say anything," he said jokingly.
She scowled at him over her shoulder. "Myrnin. I swear to all that is Holy that I will stake you if you don't shut up right now."
He kept smiling but pressed his lips together and made a zipping motion over them with his two fingers pinched together. He then proceeded to mime locking it and throwing away the key. She rolled her eyes and turned away to walk out of the room.
"Claire," he said suddenly.
She turned toward him. "Yes, Myrnin?"
"I was just wondering what your impression of me was when we first met. And if it's changed?" He actually looked genuinely interested.
She sighed and sat back down on the bed, staring at the ground. She felt him sit down next to her and then spoke. "Myrnin, when I first met you, I thought you were this charming, sweet, beautiful man. Sure you seemed a little off at first but nothing compared to how you acted later. I was excited to have you for a teacher. I wanted to know everything you could teach me. I wanted all the time in the world to learn.
"Then, over time, you got crazier and crazier. Finally, I accepted it and just learned to deal with it. When you cured yourself, you changed. You were confident and shy, silly and serious, beautiful but frightening; you were such a wonderful man and a conceited boy. That man is my favorite. It's everything. You're everything. You're amazing." Then, before she could embarrass herself further, she stood and walked out of the room, leaving him in shock. He could hear her walk to Oliver's but could not bring his body to follow her.
She forgot to tell him if her opinion changed. But…she used present-tense. Maybe it hasn't changed. Maybe she feels like that now. He smiled to himself. That would be perfect. She was perfect. He sighed happily and walked to Oliver's as well.
"What are you going to tell the boy, Claire?" Oliver was asking her when he came up to the door. But he didn't go in. He wanted to hear this.
"I don't know Oliver! I don't know! I don't even understand why I said what I said!" Claire was yelling and sounded distressed.
"You have to do something. You can't keep both men trapped on a string around your finger. You understand that don't you?"
"What? No…Myrnin doesn't feel that way about me. Does he? Oh, God, what am I saying? Oliver, help me! I don't know what to do!"
Oliver laughed. "For once, the know-it-all doesn't know something. Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I have not been in this particular situation for many years. So I couldn't tell you. But from my experience, I would tell you to figure out which one could offer your parents the most. But I come from a different time."
Claire grunted. "You've got to be kidding me. That's all you've got?"
"Well, I don't normally get this way so don't tell anyone I said this. Got it?" Myrnin could only assume she nodded since he couldn't see through doors. "Which one makes you the happiest? Choose the one that will make Claire happy. Don't worry about their emotions. They are both men. They will get over it." Then he was quiet for a moment. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must fetch Myrnin."
Oliver walked out of his room and saw Myrnin. He looked at him. "Don't influence her," Oliver said before walking leisurely back into the room.
Claire looked at Myrnin and blushed. Maybe he wouldn't be too bad to hang out around, she thought. He is cute, funny, sweet, everything she said he was. Why is it so hard to choose between two fantastic guys? Shane is a magnificent man. And so is Myrnin. I'm sure that everything will be fine. Right?
Finally she sighed and looked to Oliver and Myrnin, discussing amongst them. "I'm going for a walk," she said. They either didn't hear her or didn't care. Either way, she was going out there and getting some fresh air to help her think. Who knew that she'd be going to a foreign town to help Amelie and end up choosing between her boss and her boyfriend?
Outside, the sun was shining down bright on her as it does everywhere in Texas summer. She walked along the broken-down sidewalk, wondering if there were really Vampires here. With a shake of her head, she took her phone out of her pocket and searched for a signal to call Shane. She needed to hear his voice. Maybe that would make it easier to make her decision. But when he stared at her screen, there was nothing there. She hadn't charged it!
She groaned and stuffed it back into her pocket. She kept walking with the blazing sun. After about ten minutes of feeling the sun burn her back she decided there weren't any Vampires in this deserted town and ducked into an old abandoned building. She sighed in relief of the cold air and just sat there for a minute. But when she heard a sound behind her, she wondered how she could have forgotten one thing. Never go into the shadows of an abandoned building in a town where there might be Vampires.
She turned slowly and came face-to-face with a pair of blood-red eyes and long, sharp fangs. He smiled maliciously and watched her. She took a step back and hit the wall.
"What are you doing here, little girl?" he asked in a raspy voice.
"Enjoying some reprieve from the heat. How about you?" she asked casually, hoping to deter him.
He laughed. "Just getting some lunch."
She shivered. There was something in his laugh. It chilled her to the bone. She stared at him with wide eyes. "I've got friends just down the road who will kill you if you kill me."
"I don't care. I can fend them off. I hope you enjoyed your nice break, little girl. Because it'll be your last." She screamed and shut her eyes against the image of him lunging for her neck before a stinging pain that felt like fire burned into her neck. She could feel her blood move out of her body. She could almost see it run down his chin and into his mouth. She smelt the blood before she felt it drip down her shoulder.
A loud growl interrupted the pain, making her wince. Too loud. Without much warning, her head hit the ground with a loud crack. Her eyes opened tiredly and saw Myrnin and Oliver standing over the Vampire with their fangs bared. She smiled in exhaustion. At least they came to help.
Myrnin suddenly saw her and his eyes widened. She blinked for a second but that was all it took for his face to take up her vision. He was saying something. But his voice was muffled and sounded like he was whispering into a pillow.
"Oliver…helps…Amelie…Claire…bite!" was all she could hear clearly from him.
She giggled. "You sound funny," she slurred…well she thought that's what she said. She didn't even understand herself.
He looked even more worried. She hummed in resignation as she shut her eyes and drifted to unconsciousness to the sound of Myrnin screaming in protest.
Before she could disappear completely under the soft sheets of either death or a coma—she couldn't tell—she felt a burning sensation in her neck again. But it didn't hurt. She was too far gone. This must be her own personal Hell. She didn't seem to care. Death was peaceful. And if a slight burning feeling was all she'd feel out of it, then she was all for it.
Good-bye Shane. Good-bye Eve, Alyssa, Michael, Amelie, Myrnin. I love you all, was her last thought.
I hope ya'll like it. Please review. Can't wait. Love all of you my faithful readers!
