Chapter 3 – My Own Personal Blood Donor

I was getting ready to call his name again, when he whispered from right behind me, his breath tickling my neck, "Never."

I jumped and spun around before my brain could lock down my body's response. It was too late. His pupils dilated and his body shifted just a little bit lower. To anyone else, his actions would not have meant anything. To me, I knew he was right on the edge of a whole lot of crazy – that could easily end up with me dead.

"Hello, my dear," he purred.

Still struggling to get my breathing back to a normal pace, I scolded him, "You know better than to scare me like that. You know what it…does…to you."

"Uh huh," he agreed with me, his eyes glittering wickedly. He licked his lips slowly. Purposefully.

I fought my body's natural response to pull away from what it recognized, was an obvious predator, and stood my ground. He was just inches from my neck, hovering over my carotid artery, inhaling my scent. I placed a hand on his chest and felt his muscles ripple in response. He was silent as he lightly brushed a strand of hair back over my ear. Such a harmless looking gesture to anyone who didn't know him.

I knew my time was running out. I needed to snap him out of it. Quickly. My tone took on a hard glint, "Myrnin. Don't do this. You don't want to hurt me. It would crush you if you hurt me." I hoped I was right; that my words would spark familiarity in his head, speak the truth that always evaded him in this state, but I was never really sure with him. I hoped that he would care enough for me to regret killing me. Yet, he was a predator, through and through. I had no delusions about what he was truly capable of. The horror and pain he could easily inflict. That he wanted to inflict on me right now.

"My sweet Claire," he purred as he pressed his lips lightly against my neck, but firm enough for me to feel his fangs extend.

That was it; I was out of time and had to play my backup card. Well, back up weapon actually. I shifted the angle of the dagger in my hand. "Myrnin, I have a silver dagger against your chest. You know I do and you know I will use it," I let anger seep into my words. I had used it once; thrust it deep into his chest, my hands shaking uncontrollably, when he had dropped to the ground in front of me. I prayed he wouldn't push me that far today.

He hesitated.

"That's it," I coaxed him, wanting to release my breath in relief, but couldn't – he wasn't there yet. I continued in soothing tones, "You can feel the truth now. Hold onto it."

His eyes reflected the internal war that was waging within him; teetering between his physical desire to eat me and his mental desire to protect me.

"What project were you working on today? Before I came in?" I worked to pull his mind back, to force him to latch onto the present, before he was in an altered state.

"Claire?" his eyes began to change, to relax and dull. I hated this part. More than the fear. More than the panic, I hated what always came next: his guilt. I knew immediately when he was fully aware again, because he stared down at the floor in shame. "I'm—"

"Shhh. No. Don't you tell me that you are sorry, because that wasn't you." I slipped the weapon back into the sheath and placed both hands against his chest. He shifted to back away from me, but I clutched his shirt tightly and whispered again, "No."

A second ago, his body had felt unstoppable with the raw power and energy that coursed through it. Now, as he slumped forward slightly, he felt broken beneath my fingertips and I couldn't stand his pain. It killed me to see him in pain. "Stop it," I pleaded.

He rested his forehead against mine in defeat. My hands traveled up his chest to cup his face and wipe away the silent tears I knew would be there. I struggled not to cry with him – not to get lost in the sorrow of his torment.

"You're too good for me," he finally uttered softly. "Too good. Why don't you go running and screaming, away from the monster I am, and never return?"

I lifted my chin to look him in the eyes and smiled softly, "Because I am not that weak."

"No, you most certainly are not," he whispered.

"Sit," I motioned toward the couch with my head. "I am going to get you some blood." He nodded silently and obeyed me like a small child, shuffling to the couch and sitting down.

I went to the tiny kitchenette and expertly heated two pints of blood. I thought it should feel odd, to prepare his meal without thinking twice. But it didn't; I had done this so many times, that now it just felt normal. I transferred the blood to sports bottles, so that he wouldn't have to drink it from the bags in front of me.

My nose wrinkled a little bit at the smell and I quickly twisted the caps in place. I walked back to the couch and settled myself next to him, handing him the first bottle, "Here."

He took it and emptied it quickly, the tension beginning to release from him. I handed him the second bottle. He went slower, but I knew he would. We had spent so many times in this exact moment; I could literally feel him; my body had memorized his behavior, his tension, his timing and I breathed slowly along with him, resting my head against his chest.

When he was finished, I broke the silence, because I knew he needed me to, "Feeling better?"

"Claire, I—"

I cut him off, "You know the rules. Don't start with me, young man," I scolded him, playfully but desperately hoping he would listen.

He didn't. And started again softly, "But—"

With a pained whisper, I cut him off again, "Don't. If it were me, would you turn your back on me?"

"Never," he replied quietly.

"So just don't say it. More importantly, don't you dare feel it. That is what friends are for. Now be my friend and do as I say."

He smirked, the mischief returning to his eyes. I finally let out that breath of relief.

Our moment of calm was shockingly short lived as the lab door was suddenly thrust open and Oliver stormed in, his face almost unrecognizable. Myrnin's response had been faster than mine; he was crouched in front of me, snarling a feral warning to Oliver. I had no idea what had caused Oliver's alarming entry, but I knew any physical confrontation with Myrnin would result in the lab being decimated. Before I could be angry about having to clean up after their mess, Myrnin oddly straightened from his crouch and asked grimly, "What is it?"

I stood up from my seated position on the couch and peeked around Myrnin's shoulder. Oh, no. I saw it now. Oliver wasn't angry. Instead, abject fear radiated from his eyes. My heart took off like helicopter blades; nothing made Oliver afraid and certainly not to the point where he would reveal his fear to Myrnin or to me.

"Amelie," he choked, trying to keep his voice level, "is sick."

"Sick?! That's not possible. What the hell are you talking about?" Myrnin spoke the same thoughts that bounced around inside of my brain. We had just seen her last night; what could have happened?

"It began two days ago. Five of her guards experienced non-specific pain; faint at first, but consistent. Amelie was alarmed and had them quarantined. We have been doing research since, to define and isolate the threat."

"And now Amelie has it," Myrnin finished for him tightly.

"Yes. She's doing remarkably well not showing her pain or worry, but she needs help. Now. You need to come." Oliver's face contorted.

"Me? I have no problem going to help her, but I am not a doctor. You need Theo Goldman," Myrnin urged him.

"Theo is already there. He has never seen this before. He doesn't know what it is," Oliver said, his voice monotone. "There is a car outside for you."

"Of course," Myrnin nodded hard. He took my hand and led me to the waiting vehicle. I climbed inside. "Just a minute," Myrnin said as he turned back toward the lab and disappeared from sight. He returned a moment later; carrying a small box of equipment, with blood draw needles, syringes and sterile glass vials.

When we arrived to Founders Square, it was like the parting of the Red Sea as we walked through the atrium and the hallways toward Amelie's office; everyone moved out of our way. No one spoke. But given Oliver's fearsome expression beside us, I understood their behavior.

I expected to wait outside the door, but Myrnin didn't release his grip on my hand until we were in Amelie's office. When he finally let me go, I backed against the wall and tried to stay as small as possible.

Amelie sat with regal elegance, her polished suit, hair and nails all done to perfection. If I didn't know she was sick, I never would have guessed from looking at her now. The atmosphere in the room was another matter altogether. It was thick with tension. Myrnin knelt down so that he could look her in her eyes. He held her hand gently and murmured, "Milady".

She gave him the smallest of smiles, tension touching her eyes. Myrnin began again, this time to address Theo, but he never took his eyes off of Amelie or released her hand. "What tests have you already done?"

Theo rattled off a long list of complicated diagnostics and procedures, only half of which were familiar to me. "All of the completed testing has been done on the five other vampires, who took ill two days prior to Amelie. Their results were identical in nature, so I suspect hers will be the same, however we waited for you to arrive before we began."

"Her activities?" Myrnin inquired.

Oliver spoke, "Over the course of a day, five different vampires began to experience symptoms of pain throughout their bodies. Amelie immediately called Theo, who arrived shortly thereafter and began testing."

"What is the common link?" Myrnin asked to no one in particular in the room.

Oliver answered him, "Blood. We believe they all consumed blood from the same delivery."

"And yet, her symptoms were not in timing with theirs?" Myrnin noted.

"She is stronger," Oliver murmured softly, "but clearly not immune."

"Stop," Amelie spoke the word quietly, but the entire room froze. She continued in a frustrated tone, "I am still in the room – alive, I might mention – and perfectly capable of answering on my own."

Myrnin's mouth turned up slightly at the corners. I knew he felt relief at Amelie's feistiness. "Of course," he agreed. "And how do you feel?"

"It began quite insignificantly, just a vague impression that I hardly took notice of. But it has progressed since this morning—"

Myrnin breathed, "That fast."

She nodded tightly, "—the effect is an overall uncomfortableness, similar to silver—"

I saw Myrnin's back and shoulders tighten.

"Could this be a naturally occurring problem, Doctor? A human disease transferred?" Myrnin looked at Dr. Goldman.

"Unlikely. I have never heard of such a thing and the established facts suggest a different origin," Theo replied, his voice tense.

Myrnin raised his eyebrow.

Oliver continued for Dr. Goldman, running down the logistics of their investigation, "We are certain at least six bags were infected, however there were twenty bags total in the shipment. According to records, they were extracted from different donors on different days. The odds are almost non-existent that a sudden and random section of the human population became infected, causing an isolated delivery to be affected."

"Is it isolated? How can you be sure more blood is not infected?"

"We can't," Oliver spoke grimly. "So, for now, Amelie is drinking only from the source and we have destroyed the entire blood supply."

I sucked in a deep breath while Myrnin snapped his head toward Oliver to see if he had heard him correctly. Oliver's mouth formed a hard line as he nodded.

My mind was spinning. ALL of the blood supply? Gone. What was that going to mean to the residents of Morganville? A city full of hungry vampires was sure to cause more than one human/immortal conflict.

"The infected blood—"Myrnin let the words hang in the air, allowing for anyone with additional information to explain.

"Samples are being brought to your lab now," Oliver supplied. "As well as, the diagnostic results of the other vampires, for comparison."

"Claire," Myrnin ordered me forward, leaving no room for disobedience. I rushed to his side, and he handed me the four vials of Amelie's blood," Get it on ice and back to the lab now." He rattled off which equipment I needed to assemble for him once he got there. I blinked, struck by the fact that I was now holding Amelie's blood. He saw the worry in my eyes and nodded hard. In that private look between us, he silently revealed the overwhelming gravity of the situation.

I gripped the vials tightly and ran for the door. As I crossed the threshold, I heard him call, "Portal!" I didn't take the time to acknowledge his instruction; I knew what he wanted.

I rushed to the receptionist's desk and barked out the word, "Ice!"

The normally level headed woman, who manned the desk, quickly spied what I was holding and spoke so quickly into the phone that I could not even make out the words.

Almost instantly a very large vampire – I identified as one of Amelie's trusted guards – appeared with a cooler packed with ice. I recognized it; it was one of the blood bank's transports. I carefully settled the vials inside, snapped it shut and then took off running again down the hall toward the conference room with the portal.

I threw open the doors to the conference room and hurtled around the dignified looking oak table, to reach the back wall. I pushed with my mind. The portal opened, but wasn't solid; I couldn't see the lab. Shit, I had to stop shaking; I scolded myself and breathed deeply; a crystal clear image of the lab appeared. I ran through it, toward the first item Myrnin had given me on his list.

I only had time to collect two of the objects, before I felt the portal open behind me and Myrnin stepped through. His expression was grim. I lost sight of him for the moment as he moved at vampire speed toward the back of the lab and back again. He carried various models of equipment; some I recognized; most I did not.

When he finally joined me at the large lab table, I whispered, "What could it possibly be?"

His tone was hard, "I don't know, but from the rate of decline, I suspect time is not on our side."

"Myrnin, the blood bank…it will be even more dangerous than it already is, for humans."

He didn't respond.

I froze as a new horrible possibility occurred to me, "Myrnin, the blood you just drank! What if? Could it have been?!" My voice raised an octave as panic choked the air out of my lungs.

Suddenly his arms were around me, "Shhh, Cariad. I am okay." I searched his eyes, looking for any sign of weakness. I found only grim confidence and clarity. I felt my heartrate slow to normal and nodded my head as he circled back around the table to continue his task.

"Oliver doesn't think the entire supply was contaminated, but they are not taking chances. The employees at the blood bank were questioned carefully," Myrnin's eyes were tight as he explained, a bit reluctantly.

He didn't say as much, but I knew their 'questioning' likely meant tortured. I was scared to ask, but had to know, "What did he find?"

Myrnin confirmed grimly, "They found nothing. I am inclined to believe it – given the techniques they used to verify the information…" I didn't ask him anything more about it. We worked in silence for the better part of the next two hours.

I fiddled, cleaning up the equipment and work areas, as he performed test after test. I heard the gentle hum of the centrifuge machine and finished the next table, before turning around again. My heart twisted when I saw him sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.

I walked slowly to him and put my fingertips on his shoulder, "Myrnin?"

He didn't answer.

I sat next to him and wrapped my arms around him. "Are you worried about the blood supply?"

He raised his head and looked at me with tight eyes. I knew he was remembering our earlier episode. He hated the fact that his sanity often seemed to hinge on his regulation of blood. I held his gaze and promised softly, "I won't let anything happen to you."

He tried to soften his expression to ease the tension and teased humorlessly, "What, are you volunteering to be my personal donor?"

I didn't break eye contact and didn't move. His expression turned to shock as he realized that was exactly what I was offering.

Thoughts/reviews thus far, Lovlies? It really does help tremendously to keep my creativity flowing. Smile.

Much love-T