Hello again! I know I've updated REALLY quickly since the last chapter, but I just couldn't wait to get this one out there! Prepare yourselves, 'tis an exciting chapter if I do say so myself. And I do. So there can be no dispute! In case you are wondering, the title is in Latin, so you can find out what it means yourself via a wonderful thing called 'google translate'. First reader to guess correctly wins a point! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! :) Thanks for all the reviews I've been getting, they make it all worthwhile! I love you guys xxxxxxxxxxxxx Woop! Can't believe we finally made 50 reviews! Now let's try for 100? :D xxx

And for all you people out there who like using google translate as much as I do, here's something else for you to put in there (in french)

Examen mon histoire!
Haha! :)

'Pomo Vetito'

Myrnin was sitting at one of the lab tables, clutching a cup that was probably full of blood. He'd changed into an ostentatiously bright Hawaiian shirt, which he wore under a black frock coat. Both were unbuttoned, leaving his chest bare. On his bottom half he wore black jeans that rode low on his hips, and he was barefooted. Myrnin turned around as Claire entered, making the multicoloured beads around his neck swing and clack together crazily. The lab had been completely tidied; the blood had been cleared off of everything and the floor had even been swept and washed.

"Claire? I thought you left." Myrnin seemed surprised.

"I came back." Claire said shortly, not wanting to go into detail. Myrnin stood, bowed ridiculously low, and offered her his chair. She took it after an awkward pause.

"Thank you, Claire." Myrnin said after a moment.

"For what?"

"You saved my life." Myrnin said sincerely, looking her in the eye.

"Oh" Claire said. She hadn't really been expecting a thanks. She'd come not to expect that from vampires. A thought struck her suddenly. "Myrnin? What happened exactly? All the blood...?"

He looked away from her. "I'd prefer not to talk about it." He said quietly.

"Okay?" Claire said, a little confused.

Myrnin looked up again, grinning, and caught her eye, his mood changing in an instant. There was always something behind Myrnin's smiles, but this time Claire couldn't quite tell what it was. She would never admit it, but that attracted her to him. It was dangerous and exciting.

Myrnin was watching her intently, big dark eyes fixed on her face. Claire turned and looked straight into them. In the next instant, he whipped around the table to stand right in front of her. She could see his bare chest underneath the thin shirt, pale and smooth. Her gaze trailed down to his stomach and lower, where his jeans rested on his hips. In that moment Claire felt a rush of lust so strong, it shocked her. She wanted him. So badly, she had to stifle a gasp.

What the hell was wrong with her? Since when had she liked Myrnin that way?

She pushed her chair back, scraping it as far as it would go before she scrambled up, backing away. Myrnin's mood changed again instantly as she moved away, and he smiled slowly, showing teeth. She'd woken the monster.

"Stop. Stop it, Myrnin."

"Stop what, my dear?" Myrnin said silkily, gliding towards her, their gazes still locked. Claire couldn't bring herself to look away, but she took another step backwards.

"Making me feel...things." She knew Myrnin could screw with her mind; he'd done it before. It was how he lured his prey in.

He seemed genuinely puzzled. "If I were making you feel things, I hardly think you would be backing away from me right now." Myrnin said, taking a deliberate step towards her.

Claire reacted instinctively by taking an even bigger step backwards, and her back hit something hard. By the predatory smile on Myrnin's face as he closed the gap between them, she'd fallen straight into his trap.

She pressed herself into the wall as he leant forwards, caging her in with one arm on either side of her.

She could see the bloodlust in Myrnin's eyes as he breathed her in, nostrils flaring. His breath tickled her cheek and she broke his eye contact to look at his lips. They were slightly parted, and looked a bit swollen as his fangs extended slowly. There was something else behind his eyes though, something beyond just the animal hunger. She just hoped she'd misread what she'd seen there.

"Myrnin..." Claire whispered, breathing coming faster. She tried feebly to push him away, but he caught her wrists with ease and held them gently but firmly pinned to her sides.

He moved forwards even more, and she felt his body coming into contact with hers, which made her feel all kinds of wrong.

"Yes, Claire?" Myrnin purred, staring at her lips distractedly.

He moved his left hand very slowly to her head, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. His dark eyes begged her to trust him as he caressed her cheek softly, all traces of hunger gone from his face.

Claire's internal battle with her feelings was pushed to the side as her body and hormones took over and she relaxed, leaning into him.

Myrnin raised his head, searching her face with something like wonder as he realised she wasn't fighting him.

Myrnin slowly lowered his mouth to hers, hesitantly beginning to kiss her. His lips were cool but not cold, and they fit Claire's like a puzzle piece.

She responded just as hesitantly, lips beginning to move slowly under his. His hands slid up her arms, cupping her face with one and grasping her shoulder with the other.

As soon as her arms were freed they wrapped around him, sliding inside his shirt and up his back. The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate as Myrnin pulled her into him, arms moving down to her lower back. He lifted her up and she hooked her legs around his waist, back pressed against the wall. Her hands tangled in his hair of their own accord, and she gasped as Myrnin ran his hands down her body.

His tongue slid into her mouth and new fireworks exploded inside her.

He growled against her lips as she returned the favour.

Claire pushed away from the wall with one hand and Myrnin stumbled backwards with her, knocking glass equipment off the counter. It fell to the floor and shattered, but he ignored it and continued to kiss her, sweeping the rest of it onto the floor and placing her on the work top.

They broke apart momentarily and Myrnin kissed hungrily along her jaw and down to her throat, making Claire's heart beat erratically. She felt his fangs pressing dimples into her neck and gently guided his face back up to her lips. She kissed him full on the mouth, fangs and all, and was satisfied to feel them retract beneath her touch. He wrapped his arms round her again, moaning a little desperately as she pulled him to her.

A long time later, they pulled apart. Claire was breathing heavily and Myrnin was a little pink in the face. He ran a hand through his hair and stepped back slightly, helping her to slide off the counter top.

She promptly sat down in the nearest chair, a little dazed. She couldn't believe she had just done that. With Myrnin.

"Myrnin, I-" She began, at the same time that Myrnin said,

"Claire, I-" She stopped, and so did he. They met each other's eyes and she looked away quickly, embarrassed and trying to stifle an incredulous laugh which threatened to burst from her chest.

Myrnin was the first to speak again.

"Claire, I don't...I don't know what you've done to me." He said, looking into her face honestly. For once his expression was completely open, and she could see his fear and desperation. Claire could see in his eyes that Myrnin was just as confused as she was. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something, and she knew he wanted her to comfort him. She sighed, knowing that she would have to be the responsible one.

Myrnin would be blamed for nothing - he's Amelie's crazy pet alchemist. Claire was the one who was supposed to be rational. The trouble was, when she was around Myrnin, all sensible thoughts seemed to leave her.

She looked at him again, standing in front of her. He was like forbidden fruit; dark and dangerous and seductive. And she'd just had her first taste.

Claire was already starting to feel guilty for what she'd done. A tiny part of her said that she was on a break with Shane, but she knew in her heart that she'd just cheated on him.

With an insane vampire.

With an insane vampire who only hours ago had bitten and almost killed her. This is screwed up.

But looking at Myrnin now, she couldn't see a monster. She could only see a man who was lost, and frightened of his own feelings.

She bit her lip. "Myrnin...what do you want me to say?"

"Anything!" He cried, beginning to pace the room frantically. He caught his coat on a corner and it ripped. He whirled around, snarling, and tore the coat off, throwing it across the room.

Claire stood quietly, watching as he became more frustrated, getting angrier. Suddenly he grabbed the cup he had abandoned earlier off the lab table, knocking off a stray experiment in the process.

He caught it with lightening reflexes, and looked down at his hand as if he couldn't work out how it had got there. With an animal snarl and a smash that shocked Claire, he threw it against the wall.

"Myrnin." She said quietly. He rushed forwards and before she knew what was happening, she was on the floor with him on top of her, hands around her throat.

His eyes were glowing bright red.

She waited as it slowly faded and he stood up, looking ashamed. He turned away, not looking at her.

"You should- leave now, Claire. I am not myself." Myrnin said quietly.

Her heart broke a little at the sadness in his voice. She picked herself up off the floor, and walked past him to the portal, glancing back over her shoulder every few steps. He never moved, just stood in the centre of the room, head bowed.

She hesitated, and he spoke.

"Go, Claire. I'll be fine. You have lost too much blood today to risk my taking any more."

She nodded. "Ok."

She turned to go, and at the last moment, she heard Myrnin say,

"Claire?"

She paused.

"Yes, Myrnin?"

"Thank you for saving me." He whispered without looking up.

"You're welcome, Myrnin." Claire said quietly, and stepped through the portal.

*squeals excitedly* I know! Claire actually kissed Myrnin willingly - and she wasn't even under the influence of drugs! How about that? C'mon, that's got to be worth a review, even from all you wonderful, lazy readers out there who can't normally be bothered! Go on, click the little button - you know you want to! Please? :D xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx