Chapter 7:
Ok... teeny rant... I have loads of people who read this story, and at first I got loads of reviews... now me no get lots of reviews :(
Thanks to xXxVampChicaxXx for helping me beta this chapter!
RED NOSE DAY! Hey guys, I hope you've all donated money for this! I (and this is a shock) managed a FULL day of school with no talking whatsoever or even my phone, as my friend made that part of the conditions... I raised £43.78 and it's still going up, so yeah, hope you did as well! But the silence near as dammit killed me!
Claire's POV:
He's going to be killed. Shane, my Shane, is going to die, when he didn't do anything. I can't do anything other than sit around and look stupid when I
know that he's innocent.
Amelie wouldn't help him. She wouldn't listen to me, even though I was telling the truth. Michael said to rely on her about Brandon and everything, but if she won't even listen to the truth about Shane, why would she bothered about me? She isn't to be trusted.
But what about Oliver? He saved me from Brandon and he abstained from voting; he wouldn't have been able to stop the penalty, but the way he abstained made me believe that he could believe in Shane's innocence. Could I go to him to ensure that Shane survives?
I rush from the house without a second glance, heading for Common Grounds. Eve was still in bed but I definitely I felt a angry cold chill as I left the house I don't care; this could be the only chance I have to save Shane from definite death.
"Claire, what a pleasant surprise, given the circumstances," Oliver says to me, looking surprised to see me bursting into the cafe. It's empty besides another barrista and I point towards his office for a chat. Tears stream down my face as I walk in, the pain of everything that's going on killing me: I just can't believe it! The tears are just flowing from my eyes without me even realising - I bet I look a right state.
"I need your help," I confess again, sitting down in the chair. Oh god, it's like deja vu - he shuts the door as I talk, like last time... Was it only yesterday that I was in here, pleading for information about what happened? Only yesterday I was suffering memory loss so severe that I couldn't remember who bit me. I'm more relaxed with Oliver, more than I thought possible. More than I should be,actually, given our past...
"I seem to have a feeling that I know what this is about," he says gravely, his hands pressed together under his chin. He appears so Headmasterly, as if he isn't a vampire but someone scolding a pupil. I look him in the eye and he holds my gaze, keeping me captivated.
"Shane is entirely innocent but Amelie won't believe me, she won't help him," I say, tears escaping down my face. "It's all my fault that he's in there... If I hadn't have told him that Brandon bit me, he would have been safe and still be in bed right now, rather than being locked up in some stupid cage."
"Don't blame yourself, Claire," Oliver says, softer than I imagined possible. The tears continue to flow down my cheeks as I wonder to myself why I'm not scared to look him in the eye. I'm relaxed with Oliver, more relaxed than with Amelie or anyone else. Which is slightly worrying, since Oliver is the one that tried to kill me. "Brandon was a nasty piece of work and I can assure you that none of us are mourning his death. I guess it all depends on what lengths you would be willing to go to, in order for the saving of Shane to be possible," he finishes.
"I'd do absolutely anything," I state firmly, entirely confident in this belief. I'd do anything to ensure that Shane is freed, absolutely anything.
He contemplates this a moment, shielding his eyes and face from me suddenly. It feels weird; as soon as he looks away, it feels empty inside of me... It's like I need his gaze on me, something to ensure that he stays with me. This isn't what I should be feeling... I'm worried for me, that he's controlling me - but that's impossible.
Suddenly, he darts away: one moment he was there, the next he has disappeared into some far cupboard and is rooting through it. He returns, holding a box and a sheet of paper with the word contract written at the top.
Could I sign a contract to possibly save Shane's life?
"You said anything," he reminds me, opening the box to reveal a delicate bronze bracelet. "If you sign for Protection with me, I shall do my damndest to get Shane out of that cage," he continues.
"And if I don't?" I ask, watching as his hand (which was circling with the pen) suddenly stops. His eyes revert back to holding their position in mine and I have to remind myself to breathe. His grey-green eyes hook me, making me feel as if I'm having to swim through some dense substance to get out... But I can't.
"Then I doubt I shall feel the same inclination to fight for Shane," he shrugs. "It's your choice."
I hesitate... What do I do? Do I sign away my life for the off chance that he will get Shane released? After all, this is Oliver; he may have saved me and not voted but he is still the same man who wanted control of Morganville... who wants control of Morganville - he never stopped wanting it...
"No," I decide, stating this suddenly. However, my voice doesn't sound assured and confident - it sounds shaky and puzzled why I am saying this.
I can't sign away my life on a whim, incase he can get Shane released. After all, what would Shane think? What would he think of me signing a contract with Oliver, just to possibly save him? My life revolves around him; I need him to think that my actions are the correct ones... if he survives this, that is.
His face turns murderous for a moment before he masks it. He stands up and walks around to me, not breaking the eye contact as he pulls me upright. What is he doing? Why is he making me stand? Is he going to kill me for not accepting his request?
The eye contact breaks as his lips press to mine.
Oh my god, why is he kissing me?
That's my first reaction, as his lips press to my own, hard and fast. They force my own mouth open and his tongue slips into it. It sickens me for a second, as I fight for him to get off, until I relax.
I want him to kiss me. I want him to kiss my lips, kiss me, make me enjoy this. I wrap my arms around his back and pull myself closer to him, making sure that my entire body is pressed up against him so that I can feel the planes of his chest. He isn't particularly warm, there isn't a sense of warmness about him, but he is solid and physical and hot!
"Oliver," I murmur his name as his kisses ravage me, sending a course of electricity through me. I smile and manage to laugh slightly before his kisses head towards my neck, nuzzling it. The sensation shocks me; I've never felt this before, and I gasp in shock, causing Oliver to laugh.
"Claire," he reciprocates the whispering of the name, planting kiss after kiss on me before the oh-so-perfect lips return to my own. I kiss him back with as much force as possible, not even coming close to knocking him off balance. My arms slip around his neck so that I can get a better grip on him, making sure that I don't stop kissing him, and my fingers tingle at touching his soft and cold skin.
His arms are around my back, helping me push myself into him so we're touching in everyway possible. I breathe quickly before kissing him again and again... This is what I want, this is brilliant and I love it...
Oliver's POV:
She's kissing me back and loving it. I laugh slightly as she moans, the kisses on her neck exhilarating her. It's amazing... She's perfect and I'm not only doing this for power, if I'm honest.
I pressed my lips to hers with extreme force, angered that she declined my contract offer. I force her mouth open, bothered about the kiss only as far to get her under my power so that I can force her to accept my contract. However, after a few moments, she relaxes and kisses me back, causing an electric shock through me. She's only responding to my kiss, but it's in a way that means she would be reacting this way if she didn't already have a boyfriend, if I wasn't evil. She is enjoying it... So am I.
Her arms wrap around me and she bumps her body into mine, creating shivers running down my body in every area it happens. She kisses me back, her tongue tracing circles in my mouth, running down my throat, as I do the same to her.
"Oliver," she whispers my name and I smile... She's enjoying this. She's probably enjoying this almost as much as me, which is more than I would care to admit.
She needs to breathe, so I remove myself from her mouth and begin to ravish her neck with soft kisses. To refrain myself from biting her neck, from drinking her sweet delicious blood, is a challenge but I manage it. I manage to tuck up the fangs back into their usual place, leaving only dimple marks in her skin which soon fade.
I laugh softly, kissing her more and more, before suddenly I jump from her neck to her lips once again. She kisses me back and I whisper her name before laughing lightly, continuing to kiss her over and over again.
Finally, my senses return to me; this isn't just a kissing fest; I have a purpose behind this. I need her to sign with me so that Amelie cannot get her under her control. I need Amelie to be confused and wondering, rather than Claire signing with her and Amelie then knowing how she felt and what was happening.
I wrench myself from her lips and manage to simply look her in the eyes. She stares back at me, a look of adoration on her face that makes me swell slightly before concentrating back on the image before me. Carefully, I remove my arms from her and create a distance between us, before moving around the desk in order to get the contract and bracelet.
Claire Danvers
This contract is between yourself and Oliver. You will become his, body and soul, in exchange for Protection. The only requirement is that you meet with him at his every request, be it to discuss your grades or what is happening in town. You will be expected to do as he asks here.
This is the terms of the contract: if I take blood from her, I will become addicted and end up killing her before my plan is complete – to be kissing someone who you have a tangible connection with via their blood is impossible, if you wish for them to remain alive. I don't want money from her, as she doesn't have much, as I have enough.
"Sign this," I order her and she does so instantly, her name legible on the contract, unlike so many others. This is the second highest protection in the entire town – after Amelie's of course. She is unable to break my contracts, as I hers, because I am too powerful for that…
I grab the box and reveal the bronze coloured bracelet to her, grabbing her left wrist and slipping on the bracelet, through her bone and skin. She gasps in pain before it disappears, leaving an expression of nothing on her face.
"Oliver… what is this?" she asks, and I realise that the power I have on her is slipping at the moment – I need to concentrate rather than be distracted by her amazing beauty.
"You will remember that you decided to sign the contract, not that I forced you," I order her, fully concentrating on the mind control of the girl in front of me. "You will not remember kissing me, or that I kissed you, only that you decided it was in your interest to ask for Protection. Do you understand?"
She nods slowly, her brow furrowing slightly. Then her expression clears and she smiles slightly.
"So, Oliver was there anything I need to do for this contract to work?" she asks, worry now returning to her face. "I mean, I signed so that you would go and try and save Shane… you will, won't you?"
I nod and smile, knowing that my words to her were empty – I promised to try and get him out of the cage, I never said whether he was alive or dead.
"Yes, that is what I shall do now," I say, studying my nails as I return to sitting down. I need to appear distant and not as if I have any feelings for her whatsoever, or that she has just been kissing me, especially as she is in her usual way now -she remembers all. "Goodbye, Claire, and go enjoy the day. It's meant to be beautiful."
She walks out of the office and I relax back in my chair, smiling as I think of the huge step forwards I have just taken.
But in what have I made these steps forward in?
Claire's POV:
I could have sworn I had decided not to sign with him, but evidently I did. I have the bracelet on my wrist to prove it… oh god, what are Eve and Michael going to say? I did it for Shane but I don't know… I shouldn't have signed body and soul to Oliver – I could regret it shortly, but I don't care. If it means that Shane can be released, I am glad… if he can be ok, I will never regret this action.
I walk out of the café and head towards the Glass House, wondering how to broach the subject.
"Oh yeah, Michael, Eve, I signed with Oliver… you know, the vampire you said not to enter a contract with…"
That isn't exactly going to cut it, is it?
Oh god, how am I going to get Shane free now? I mean, how the hell am I going to break him out of the cage?
Oh yeah. That's what Oliver is for. I guess… I guess I'm going to have to trust Oliver. Yippee!
So, whatcha think?
Tell me, should Shane be freed or should he be killed? Tell me what you think!
Please review!
Vicky xx
Chapter 7: