Title: Angel's Kisses

Category: Book – Morganville Vampires

Character: Michael x Claire

Disclaimer: I'm not the brilliant mastermind of these characters.

Chapter 3: An eye for an eye

"What did you do?" Michael demanded in annoyance, not at them but at himself. He had seen Brandon outside but the vampire did not attack, fortunately for them at the present time. But instead, he sent them a kiss and walked away. That got him worried. He was scared, scared for them. What did they do?

The girls were yelling at Shane, demanding about his bargain with Brandon. 'He bargained with Brandon?!' he thought with outrage.

"Oh, you care now?" Shane bellowed, "Where were you when I called? If you had picked up the phone, we wouldn't need to come to this!" Shane was furious with him and went for desperate measures. Michael knew his friend well, too well, that he feared for him.

"Stop it, Shane. It's not Michael's fault!" Claire shouted, standing in defence in front of Michael. Eve and Shane stared at her, at her gesture.

Michael put a hand on her shoulder and moved her to his side. "She has every right to know, Shane," Michael said, taking away the other boy's options to keep silence.

Claire has the right to know. He paled when Shane told them that he traded two sessions with the vampires in order for Claire to get out of harm's way. They argued and for the first time Claire was scared of Michael. "She's not Alyssa!" Michael roared.

"I know she's not Alyssa," Shane said coldly as he told Michael to back off and went to his room, angry, after a few more arguments. Shane was hurt. Hurt that Michael was no help when they needed him.

Michael turned when a small movement from Claire caught his attention. He scared her, he knew it, it was clear in her eyes, "Come sit down," he ordered and firmly repeated it giving her no choice and she needs to eat. "I'll get you something to eat,"

"I'm not-," Claire tried to protest, but he was leaving no room for arguments. She's in shock and she needed to eat.

He went in to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of chilli and a can of Coke. He heard Eve began to explain more about what Shane had exchanged with Brandon and knew with grief that more trouble will come their way after to night. Shock was clear on the young girl's face when she realised Shane was trading his life for hers and guilt came on her.

He went back to the living room and sat the food down, He mused to himself at the power that such a small girl holds. Their lives were peaceful until she came along. Michael had thought that he would kill anyone who would come and disturb their peace and harm them, but with Claire, he just doesn't have the heart to. She was innocent. She was different from them. She has a choice. She could still leave. At the thought, his chest burned. He loved having her around.

He made a subtle hint for Eve to leave them alone so that they can talk in private and he waited as she ate. "Shane had a sister who died in a fire, Alyssa. She meant the world to him," he started when she had finished, "She would be your age if she was still here," he watched her expressions closely. "Claire?"

"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't mean to cause trouble," Her eyes were filled with pain and remorse. Michael frowned. This was not what he wanted for her. He got up from his seat and went to her side and embraced her to reassure her.

"It's not your fault," he placed a soft kiss on her head.

"Don't, Michael," she said pulling away from him slightly, "I don't like feeling weak," she said, "but thanks, it helps," she said with a smile.

He smiled and pulled her chin towards him and pecked her on the corner of her lips, surprising her yet again. "That's for being brave," he said. They shared a smile for a moment before she looked away with an existing blush. They began discussing the matter until she figured out that there must be a hierarchy in the vampire system.

She thought of a plan that is to trade something with Brandon's boss so that Brandon would let both Shane and her free. It was, Michael thought, a plausible plan. In fact, there must be something they wanted.