:O Well, I must say I am very disappointed in you all! Three reviews, honestly! And then forcing me to update again with you cold silences! ...OK, I forgive you, but I expect at least double the amount this time... Please? :D xxxx

Anyway, here is Chapter Twenty Three for you, I hope you like it! I can't believe we are this far in already, and it feels like nothing's happened... and there hasn't been nearly enough Myrnin/Claire action for my liking... :( ... I must have some dedicated readers for you all to have put up with my waffle and still want to review and tell me you like it (or not!) :) xxxxxxx

'There's Been A Claire-Napping'

Claire's POV

Claire slumped at the kitchen table and buried her head in her arms.

Guilt had settled over her like a thick muffling blanket. Everything she saw reminded her of how she had betrayed Shane and allowed - no encouraged - Myrnin to kiss her again. And she was fairly sure that this time, she'd even been the one who'd started it.

Her body burned as the ghosts of his hands trailed across her skin, and she shivered.

She heard the front door slam and jumped up, hastily wiping tears from her face as Eve clumped into the room, dumping her bags on the counter.

"Hey, Claire." She said, unsmiling. At least she was talking to her. "What are you doing home so early? I thought you went to donate blood to your pimp."

Ouch.

Claire wiped her face again, although she knew it was still puffy and red.

"Look," Claire said, getting straight to the point. "What would you have done if Michael was lying there dying? Could you honestly say you wouldn't have given your blood?"

Eve opened her mouth angrily, then shut it again, looking annoyed.

"I-I- look, that's not the-" Eve spluttered to a halt, looking at Claire in frustration - she knew Claire was right.

Eventually she sighed and slid into the chair opposite Claire.

"I guess I just got angry because I was scared. I don't want you to get hurt, and I can't believe you would be stupid enough to do that. He could have killed you!"

It was Claire's turn to sigh now.

"I know. I'm sorry, Eve." She said quietly. Eve pulled her into an awkward hug across the table, and Claire started crying again at the relief she felt at Eve being her friend again, but also because of all the guilt and tension of the last few days. She sobbed pathetically into Eve's shoulder for a while, until her sobs turned into hiccups and finally just sniffles.

She pulled away and dabbed uselessly at her face with the hem of her shirt.

"Claire? What's up? This isn't just the usual I-just-made-up-with-my-friend tears. Spill." Eve looked at her worriedly, and - if it was even possible - Claire immediately felt even more guilty for the amount of worry she had caused her friends recently.

"N-nothing." She lied. Even though what she wanted more than anything right now was to tell Eve everything, she couldn't. She couldn't pile her problems on Eve's shoulders.

She could tell Eve didn't believe her, but like the true friend she was, she didn't press the matter.

Claire gave her a grateful smile, and got up to go to her room. Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, the door opened again, and Shane stepped in. Encouraged by her talk with Eve, Claire said,

"Hey, Shane."

He didn't even glance at her, just walked past her as if she wasn't there. Sighing dejectedly, she headed up to her room, slamming the door behind her and collapsing onto her bed. She'd thought she must have used up all her tears, but they still slid down her cheeks thickly as she let out a sob.

She almost didn't hear the quiet knock on the door through her misery.

"Come in." She called, her voice muffled because of the pillow she had thrown over her head. The door creaked open, and she sat up to see Michael standing silently in the doorway.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey."

"Can I come in and sit down?"

Claire rolled her eyes. "Knock yourself out."

Michael grinned and came to sit on the edge of her bed.

"I just came to say that I..." Michael paused, looking a bit confused. "Well, I guess I came to say that I understand. What you did."

Claire nodded, but said nothing, allowing Michael to get whatever else he wanted to say off his chest.

"But...I also see Shane's point of view. Even though he is being ridiculously childish by ignoring you like this. So...yeah." He smiled awkwardly, and stood up again.

"Thanks, Michael." Claire said sincerely. She appreciated his understanding and support in this.

He nodded thoughtfully and left the room.

The days passed in a confusing and horrible blur after this, and a frustrating pattern emerged.

Shane had taken to ignoring her on the days she went to the lab, and refused to talk to her if she tried to bring it up. Things were at least back to normal with Eve and Michael, but it was another story with Myrnin. He hadn't spoken to her properly since the last time they'd kissed, when Amelie had walked in on them. Claire still blushed every time she thought of it. She could only assume that Amelie had spoken to Myrnin and made some sort of threat; either that or Myrnin had suddenly had a complete change of heart. Claire knew she should be relieved that Myrnin was distancing himself from her, but part of her said sneakily that what was the point of having all this guilt, and not even having the pleasure of committing the sin?

She left the lab just after dark after another frustrating few hours during which Myrnin had stonily ignored any attempts at conversation she had tried to make outside those concerning the elemental properties of the moon. She hadn't meant to leave so late, but she had stubbornly refused to leave until Myrnin spoke to her - at least until he had threatened to eat her. But his heart wasn't really in it.

So now she was stranded in the dark without a lift. She hadn't any money on her either, and she realised with a jolt that she had left her cellphone at home.

"Shit." She breathed. She couldn't go back to Myrnin - if she pestered him any more, he might actually snap and kill her. So, no choice but to walk home in the dark and pray to God that she didn't get eaten by a passing stranger.

She walked quickly down the darkened street, keeping her eyes straight ahead, concentrating on nothing but getting home as soon as possible. She thought her neutral badge would protect her, but there were always a few crazies out there willing to risk Amelie's wrath. She only hoped she didn't meet any of them tonight.

Claire wasn't really sure when she became aware she was being followed. She just knew that suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck were prickling, and she could sense someone behind her.

Increasing her pace, she walked quickly round a street lamp lit corner, resisting the urge to turn around.

"Don't panic, don't panic." She whispered to herself, keeping up this mantra as she crossed the street. Out of the corner of her eye, she actually saw a figure in the shadows. Her heart rate doubled, and she sped up even more. She was practically jogging now.

Two blocks to go.

Claire couldn't hear anything behind her, but then, she didn't expect to, in a town full of vampires.

She jogged round another corner, her sense of urgency increasing as she broke out into a run.

One block to go.

Something slammed into her back, and she hit the floor with a cry of pain, rolling instinctively back onto her feet. She tried to get up, but then something was grabbing her throat from behind and dragging her up with it.

The hand tightened and she choked, struggling for breath. She clawed uselessly at the cold hand clamped around her neck. Judging by the skin temperature alone, her attacker was a vampire.

"Let...go..." She whimpered.

She heard a low chuckle right by her ear, and would have screamed if she didn't need to conserve her breath.

Her vision started to blur, and she had an idea. Claire purposefully made herself go limp, slumping forwards as if she had passed out. The hand at her throat immediately loosened its grip, and she jumped up, kicking out behind her blindly and twisting out of her assailant's grip. She felt her shoe connect with something, and used it as leverage to push herself away. Somehow, she managed to run a few meters before the vampire caught up with her. He wasted no time in simply injecting something into the side of her neck. She yelped in surprise and reeled backwards, still trying to run.

Claire stumbled down the street, not even sure if she was going the right way anymore. She suddenly wondered why she wasn't being chased. Turning her head, she looked behind her to see a blurred figure standing at end of the street, arms folded. She turned slowly around again, and was greeted with the ground rushing up to meet her face.

I must say, I have had quite enough of people being knocked out via injection. I mean, can't the vampires come up with something a little more interesting? I can only assume that the reason they don't knock people out using more conventional methods (using their fists, for example) is because they can't risk blood being spilt. But surely they must have heard of chloroform? Anyway, that is the last time, I promi- heck, I won't promise, just in case! Haha :) xxxxx

Anyhoo, please please please please please review? You won't be getting any more of Claire for a while, as the next few chapters are all in Myrnin's POV, so you'll be left guessing for now! Mwahahahahaa! (Evil laugh) :P

Sooo, who do you think had attacked poor little Claire now? :) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx