Chapter 29 – Preparations
Claire's POV
When I found out that I was seven weeks gone, I relied on my anger to keep me upright. My anger toward Sam and Morley, toward this whole messed up situation, toward anybody that got in my way, which unfortunately turned out to be Amelie.
After my rant, the anger that I had held so dear flooded out of me like a waterfall. I fell to the floor, not bothering to grab for something. I didn't want to use my energy on something as stupid as standing; I wanted to use my energy to kill Sam.
I looked up at the bodies crowding around me and smiled a wicked smile that I didn't know I was even capable of.
"I have an idea."
Everyone was looking at me with worried expressions, but they seemed to be intrigued all the same.
Sam would die, and not just so that I lived, not just so that Shane lived. Sam would die because he had lived too many torturous years murdering people, hurting people. He deserved to die, and my baby deserved to live.
I sat on the sofa in the middle of a deserted living room. The silence engulfed me like a balloon, and I accepted its comfort with another wicked smile.
I knew that there was a strong possibility that I would regret what we were all about to do, but at this moment, only one thing mattered.
I stood up and walked over to the door. I didn't know what I would see when I opened it, it depended on how much faith people had in Amelie – and I was guessing, more like hoping, that it would be a lot.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the door wide. There was an army of vampires and humans standing on the street. It was a perfect amount, and I smiled at Shane as he gave me a thumbs up.
"Is everyone ready?" I asked, and Amelie nodded. She, Myrnin and Oliver were the only ones that could hear me; I hadn't shouted loud enough for the humans, and the other vampires weren't paying attention.
I took a deep breath before stepping out of the house and closing the door behind me. I walked down the stairs and down the path to reach Amelie. She smiled at me and asked, "The real question is, are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
After nodding her appreciation, she stepped forward. "Ladies and gentlemen," she spoke in her queenly voice. "We thank you for being here today, but this threat that we told you of is not something that should be dealt with lightly.
"There are weapons for you all in the Elders' Council Building where we will be heading to very shortly. I will ask you to be patient as we ensure everything is prepared here."
She turned to me, and an expression of concern furrowed her features. "Claire, you are still seven months pregnant, even if you don't look it. You must remember that."
"I will, Amelie. I promise."
She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around me quickly before turning back to her audience. "Can everybody make their way to the Elders' Council Building? I will meet you all there."
They began to make their way along the road just as Amelie had asked, and after just about two minutes, the once busy road was almost completely deserted.
"Who will be staying with Claire?" Amelie asked the others who hadn't yet left.
"I will," Shane said and came to stand beside me.
"No, you won't," I told him firmly. He began to argue but I looked him straight in the eye and said, "You are one of the best fighters in Morganville, and that includes the vampires. I'm not keeping you here just so that I have company."
"I'll stay," Eve said, "I'm not that good a fighter, and I am very good company!"
I started to say no, but Amelie interrupted me before I even started. "That is a very good idea. Well, now that that's sorted, I guess the rest of us should be on our way."
Shane's POV
It didn't take long to get to the Elders' Council Building from the Glass House. Well, I honestly didn't realise that we were there until Amelie started talking. I was too busy thinking.
I was worried about Claire, she hadn't been acting like herself for the past few days, but she'd been worst today. Her eyes had been filled with anger and a need for revenge, and it honestly scared me – although, I wouldn't admit that to anyone.
Now that we were at the Elders' Council building, I realised how much I really didn't want to be here. I wanted to be at home, with Claire. If this didn't go to plan, then we were both dead. I wanted to be with her for the remaining time that we had together, but I knew she wouldn't let me. I didn't want to be fighting a war that we might not even win – and thinking that I realised that Claire wasn't the only one who had changed. I used to love fighting; I used to live for the fight. Just shows what being locked in a Crypt for three days with an unconscious wife can do to you.
We entered the building and found a crowd of vampires and humans standing in the hall. They seemed to part as we walked through.
"Have we all got weapons?" Amelie asked, and everyone nodded in response, "I guess we're ready then. Oliver, keep an eye out. They should be here shortly."
Eve's POV
I sat and stared at a silent Claire. Being locked in a Crypt for three days and collapsing a number of times seemed to have had a bad effect on her. I offered to get her some chilli and she just shook her head. I offered to get her a glass of water and she stared at me as if I was crazy. I didn't know how to get through to her, so I just stared at her, hoping that if I stared enough she would eventually grow uncomfortable and look up.
That didn't exactly go to plan; she just stared at the ground with a blank expression on her face.
"Want to play truth or dare? Or charades? Or... Something?"
She looked up at me and smiled, not the fake smile that she had been the past few days, but an actual smile.
I couldn't help but smile back, seeing her happy again – or as happy as she could be at this moment in time – was the best thing in the world.
"Charades? Truth or dare? Something else? What made you smile, huh?"
"You. You made me smile. You worry too much, you know that? I'm fine."
I raised my eyebrows at her and she did the same back.
"I'm fine. I promise."
"Okay. Well, truth or dare? Charades?"
"You choose."
"Fine... Truth or dare."