Hello, CHAPTER TEN already! Shouldn't this be like a milestone or something? Anyways, thankies for all the reviews and stuff, special mention here for 'making an account soon girl' for her awesome review! :D Hope you likes this chapter, m'dears! xxxxx

'Cutter'

As soon as she heard the door slide shut, Claire let out a sob. Tears were already streaming down her face.

She knew that he'd said they were on a temporary break, but to Claire it was like they'd broken up. Curling up on the couch, she made herself as small as she could, buried her head in her arms, and cried until her face was red and puffy.

A long while later, Claire felt the shimmer of a portal opening to her left. She raised her head slightly, wiping her eyes. Amelie walked through it, seeming unsurprised to see Claire there.

She appeared to be alone, for once (although Claire assumed her guards were around somewhere), and looked tired and strained. Claire stood up as soon as she was in the room, because it seemed like the proper thing to do.

Amelie sat down in the seat Claire had just vacated, slumping very inelegantly for a moment before straightening again with visible effort. Claire remained standing, unsure whether she should leave or not. The minutes passed, and Amelie said nothing. She just sat there with her eyes closed. Claire eventually turned to go, but Amelie said softly,

"No, Claire. Stay. I came here to speak to you."

Claire stopped, and turned around again, surprised. "Me? Why?" Amelie didn't answer. Claire frowned and took a tentative step towards her.

"Amelie? Uh...are you OK?"

Amelie opened one eye. "It is not me you should be concerned for, child." She said after a moment.

"Who's been hurt?" Claire said automatically, panicking a little. "Is it Shane?" She asked, before realising that if one of her friends was hurt then she doubted Amelie would even care. Who, then? "Myrnin?" She guessed.

Amelie looked at her sharply, then nodded. Claire gasped.

"Is he OK? What happened?"

Amelie looked at her steadily, and Claire began to feel uncomfortable. She held Amelie's gaze, determined to prove she wasn't afraid. After an intense minute Amelie seemed to make a decision.

"I think you had better see for yourself." She said, and stood up swiftly, motioning for Claire to follow.

With a shiver, Claire noticed Amelie's guards stepping out of the shadows. She hadn't even known they were there, and she'd been looking for them. A portal snapped into existence on the wall in front of her, and she followed Amelie through.

She came out in what her brain told her was the lab she'd been in just hours ago. But her eyes told her that couldn't possibly be true. For a start, everything was red. And it looked like a tornado had torn through it; almost everything that was breakable had been broken.

Crushed glass littered the floor, along with the torn pages of books, and a thick liquid that she recognised as egg yolk. Tables had been overturned, and one bookshelf looked as if it had been thrown across the room - either that, or it had just happened to explode right in front of a very suspicious looking wall.

She glanced around to where Amelie was kneeling, next to a dead body. The man was covered in blood that was dripping onto the couch he lay on. There was something familiar about his face, though.

Claire felt her eyes widen as she recognised the body.

"Myrnin." She breathed. She ran over to his body, falling to her knees in a puddle of blood. She felt it soaking through her jeans, but she didn't care. Myrnin looked so dead. His skin was paper white and icy cold to the touch. His lips were starting to go blue. Claire grabbed his limp hand and held on.

"Please don't be dead, please don't be dead, please don't die." She whispered, tears dripping down her cheeks. She turned to Amelie. "Is he...?" She choked out, unable to finish the sentence. Amelie did it for her.

"Dead? Not yet. He will die soon, though, if he doesn't receive blood." Amelie said bluntly. Claire hated her a little, just then. How could she be so cold and uncaring? She gripped Myrnin's cold hand tighter.

"Give him some, then!" Claire said. Amelie raised her eyebrows, but Claire didn't care how rude she was being. All she could think was, Not Myrnin.

"He needs fresh blood, Claire." Amelie said quietly, her tone softening. "Fresh human blood."

Claire understood straight away, and she knew that she had to do it. She also understood why Amelie had chosen her; she was the only human whom they knew would give their blood willingly for him. Her decision was made in seconds, and she stood up slowly.

"Will...will it kill me?" She asked, looking Amelie in the eye. Amelie met her gaze steadily.

"I will not allow you to die." She said sincerely. Claire nodded and crouched next to Myrnin again, stroking the hair back from his bloody face. He looked so vulnerable, like the Myrnin she knew and was a little in love with.

She looked up at Amelie, who was watching her with a peculiar expression on her face.

"How should we do this?" Amelie looked slightly shocked at her willingness, but got on with it, producing a small knife.

"A small drop will suffice to begin. Once Myrnin tastes the blood he should react...naturally." She handed the knife to Claire, who closed her eyes and quickly made a small cut on her wrist, gasping as the sharp blade cut through her skin. A large globe of blood welled up, and she held her wrist over Myrnin's mouth, watching as it dropped onto his lips.

A long moment later, his tongue snaked out to lick it up. Claire hovered near him, but he didn't move again. She gently lifted his head and pressed her wrist to his lips. He reacted slowly, nostrils flaring as he smelt the fresh blood. His tongue ran over the cut, causing more blood to flow out and into his mouth. She saw him swallow once, then his eyes snapped open.

He grabbed her wrist, wrenching her into his lap.

Myrnin growled softly, eyes burning feverishly red, and bit down on her wrist, hard. Claire stifled a scream as his fangs sunk in, and she felt her blood being drawn out. He was holding her in a really uncomfortable position; she couldn't move at all without causing herself pain.

After a while she started to feel a bit lightheaded.

"Amelie." She said. Her tongue felt thick. "I think...he's had enough."

Amelie nodded and stepped forwards, placing her hand on Myrnin's shoulder. He lifted his head and snarled at Amelie, blood smeared over his lips. At the same time he twisted Claire around so that she was behind him. He crouched protectively in front of her, unwilling to let his human snack go.

Claire couldn't see any trace of Myrnin in his face. All that was left was the monster.

She started slowly inching away at a nod from Amelie, but in another second Myrnin had whirled round and grabbed her again. He held her in a painful armlock, neck exposed.

Amelie reached forwards, looking horrified, and he snarled again, dragging Claire backwards with him. He stopped when Amelie stopped, and they stared at each other for a moment. Stalemate.

Then all of a sudden, Amelie lunged forwards in a blur. In the same instant, Myrnin bit down on Claire's neck.

Wow, intense, right? Hehehe :D Sooooo...please please please review...or else! :) xxx