Somehow when I posted, this chapter totally got screwed up, so don't read the next one until you reread this one, it cut out a bunch for some weiird reason. Sorry for the mess up.
**Claire**
I had been putting this off for a long time. Again. But I knew I couldn't avoid Myrnin forever. So one morning, I shoulder my bag and begin walking in the sweltering Texas heat.
I get to the alley without being interrogated by Grandma Day; I take it as a good sign. I climb down the steps in the shack that lead to the brightly lit lab; he tended to leave all of the lights on. He's nowhere in sight, so I plop my bag down by the stairs.
"Myrnin?" I call, and suddenly, he's right there. As in two inches in front of me. "Don't do that!" I say out of habit more than anything.
"Sorry," He says sounding anything but. "What brings you here today Claire?"
"Work," I say slowly. "What else would I be here for?" But I know. A light dies in his eyes and his face goes carefully blank.
"Of course," He says in a monotone that makes me cringe inwardly. "Then we have much to do. Come." And with that, he turns and heads towards the hidden trap door in the floor.
"Do we really have to go down there?" I ask, dreading it. You never knew what surprises Myrnin might have lurking down there. They generally were very unpleasant.
"I won't let anything hurt you," He says softening a little. He wrenches open the door which groans in protest. Then, he simply walks in, a fall like that wouldn't hurt a vampire. Tentatively, I approach the gaping hole; it looks like a black abyss ready to swallow me whole, never to be seen again. "I promise to catch you," Myrnin's voice calls up softly. "Jump." Everything in me was telling me that this was a very bad idea, but, I squeeze my eyes shut tight, take a deep breath and walk forward. There is a rush of air, my stomach drops, and I feel the horrible sensation of helplessly falling through the air.
It only lasts a second, and then I am enfolded in cool, strong arms that hold me close. His face presses into my hair and he holds me much longer than necessary. My heart pounds and I picture us staying this way, here together, forever. But now is not the time for these thoughts. He seems to know it too, for he pulls away, leaving me alone and cold. I'm glad that I can't see his face in the darkness.
I feel his hand fold around mine and we begin walking. Soon, we reach the brightly lit cave that holds the computer that controls and sees everything in Morganville. And he drops my hand, refusing to look at me. It is an insane mess of screens, strange things bubbling in tubes, wires, and oh yeah a brain. But it worked. Impossibly, against all reason like everything Myrnin made it worked. It was pure genius.
"Where's Frank?" I ask looking around for the crazy biker ghost that was the computer.
"I turned him off," Myrnin says shrugging. "He can't materialize, hear, say, or do anything unless I say so. He was becoming very annoying."
"Are you saying that the portals aren't working? That people can just leave town?" I ask trying to mask my excitement.
"For now," Myrnin says giving me a small, sad smile as if he can guess my thoughts. "But who will notice? That's the problem you see, Frank is too hard to control. We need another way to make the computer work."
"You are not putting my brain in there Myrnin!" I exclaim, growing cold. I can't even imagine how horrible it would be to be trapped in that machine forever unable to really do much of anything. I would go insane.
"I know!" Myrnin says quickly. "That's not what I meant!" I find it very hard to believe that. "We need to either find someone capable—"
"And willing." I say firmly.
"Yes and willing," Myrnin says rolling his eyes. "To control the machine. Or we need to find a way for it to work without a brain like we tried before, maybe a computer program?"
"But someone could hack it, put viruses into it." I say latching onto the idea, my thoughts flying a mile a minute.
"Well, what else do you suggest?" Myrnin asks giving me a small triumphant smile.
Hours, maybe even days later for all I know, we are no closer to a solution than before. Oh sure, we have some ideas, but there are always way too many flaws. But, I'm way too exhausted and caffeine deprived to function any more.
"Myrnin," I say tiredly, after he's finished a very animated story that I really didn't pay any attention to. "I'm exhausted, can't we work on this tomorrow?"
"Of course," He says looking concerned. "Are you going to be all right?"
"Yeah, "I say, giving him a confused look. "I'm just tired."
"Okay, I'll help you out. Take me hand," He holds it out and, after a moment's hesitation, I take it and he leads me back down the dark corridor. We stop after several minutes and he releases my hand, leaving me alone in the dark. Just as I'm about to begin panicking, he suddenly swoops me up in his arms, and I give a little gasp of surprise before wrapping my arms around his neck. "Hold on tight." He whispers, cold breath hitting my face. I squeeze my eyes shut, I feel him tense, and then he jumps, there's a rush of air again and then we're back on solid ground. But, he doesn't let go. I open my eyes to see him looking down at me, his curly black hair disheveled and hanging in his eyes, which stare down at me, dark and bottomless.
"Myrnin…" I say trailing off, unsure of what to do. He makes the decision for me, leaning down to kiss me. I don't even resist this time, I kiss him back. It's long and sweet, and when he pulls away, I know that I'm blushing. Gently, he places me on the ground again, giving me a grin.
"Claire..." He says and then hesitates, looking away.
"What?" I ask gently. "You can tell me."
"Would you—well I was wondering if…"
"If what?" I prod.
"Would you like to go on a date, as I believe they call it, with me?" I stare at him in shock, jaw dropping. That was so not what I had expected. After a minute of stunned silence, he looks away again. "It's alright if you don't. It was stupid to ask." He says sounding bitter.
"What? Oh no I would love to!" I say in a rush. "It's just that I'm so surprised, it doesn't seem like a thing you'd ask." I babel and then force myself to stop.
"How does dinner and a movie sound? Shall I pick you up?" He asks a light sparkling in his eyes that I love to see.
"It sounds great. And how about I meet you there?" I say, not able to forget past car trips with Myrnin. A four year old could probably drive better.
"My driving is not that bad!" He says indignantly.
"Uh yes it kind of is." I say smiling.
"Fine," He says sounding exasperated and blowing a dark curl out of his eyes. "How about I have a driver get you then? Say six thirty?"
"Sounds great." I say and I mean it. He gives me another light peck on the lips before I head up the stairs and into the alley.
How had things changed so quickly? I had a date, with Myrnin.