As promised! Hope you enjoy it! Oh, and yes, guest reviews count too. :) :)

Chapter 33– The Rabbit Hole

Oliver was already by Amelie's side when we arrived through the portal, to her home. I was relieved once again to see her up and around, instead of suffering from that horrible disease. Anger burned through me knowing the terrible deaths the other vampires had suffered. If Amelie had not been as strong as she was, she would have died as well. I just couldn't imagine Morganville without her.

Myrnin and I sat across from them in Amelie's living room. Oliver must have already brought her up to speed because her eyes were wary and calculating.

"She can't go with him," Oliver stated vehemently. Amelie placed a hand on his arm. I was struck by the volume of unspoken words her simple touch conveyed. "No! You are not going with that bastard," Oliver insisted.

"You know I don't have a choice," Amelie replied softly.

Oliver's face fell as he whispered in agony, "This is my fault. I never should have let him bite you."

"You know he would have let me die, if you didn't. He is only interested in claiming me because of my power. Without it, I am nothing to him," she reassured him. "However, all of it may be a moot point because I don't know yet, to what extent the disease stripped me of my strength."

I sucked in a deep breath. I didn't know the disease had diminished her like that. Amelie turned her cool eyes on me, as if noticing for the first time that I was in the room. Her gaze shifted to Myrnin and then to Myrnin's protective body position over me. I had no idea what she was thinking, but whatever it was, she apparently decided not to share it because she turned back to Oliver.

Myrnin contemplated next to me, "What if we could hide your powers, temporarily?" All eyes turned on him. He continued his thought, "If all Gwion is interested in is your power, we just need to convince him you no longer have it. That the disease stripped it from you."

Amelie sighed, "A lie is not sufficient. All he has to do is force me to use it."

"Yes, but that is assuming you still have it. What if you didn't?" Myrnin pressed. I blinked in confusion; completely lost, trying to figure out where he was going with this.

Amelie was eyeing Myrnin carefully. He stared back intently. It almost seemed as if they were having a silent conversation. I wondered what was being communicated. Oliver's impatience broke through, "Just spit it out, man! We don't have all night to interpret your mad ramblings."

"Clāmāre," Amelie murmured, already understanding where Myrnin was headed. He nodded slowly.

Clāmāre?! I thought in shock, trying to catch up to the conversation and asked quickly, "Wait. What?!"

Oliver interrupted, clearly as confused as me. "What the hell is Clāmāre?" he hissed.

"—and the recipient?" Amelie ignored both of us, addressing Myrnin again.

"Oliver," Myrnin answered quietly.

I understood what he was suggesting now and blushed, thinking about what would have to happen between Amelie and Oliver to transfer her power to him. Oliver slammed his fist down on the end table. It creaked and broke in half in response. "Somebody needs to tell me exactly what the hell you are talking about – now!"

Myrnin explained, "Clāmāre is a process where Amelie could transfer her powers to you, temporarily."

Oliver blinked wide as he understood, and then spoke, "If there is a way to do that, why are we waiting? Let's do it."

"No," Amelie firmly refused. I wondered if Oliver's multiple previous coups to take Amelie's power were the reason for her hesitation. He must have been thinking the same thing, because he spoke softly, "You know we are past that now." He gathered Amelie's hands in his and looked into her eyes with undisguised love and desire. I blushed at their private moment and looked away.

She pulled one of her hands free and placed it over his other one, speaking softly, "It won't work."

"Why?" he hissed.

"Because the process requires an intimate sexual exchange where I would bite you," she explained.

His expression shifted to desire and he spoke huskily, "That sounds like a perfect way to spend a Friday night."

Amelie smiled and continued, "For the process to work, the recipient must be bound."

Oliver smiled wider and spoke, "Still don't see the problem."

"—and completely and utterly submit their will to mine," she finished and waited for him to understand. Oliver's face fell. Amelie stroked his hand again and murmured, "As much as you might want to do that, we both know your will is much too strong to ever completely surrender it – to anyone."

Amelie turned to Myrnin, "What about you?"

Shock coursed through me. Was she actually suggesting Myrnin for a recipient? "No," I flatly refused for him.

Oliver echoed my thoughts with his own objection, "Fuck no!"

Amelie ignored me and turned to Oliver, "It has to be someone I can trust to return my power to me."

"And you think that madman could ever completely submit his will to you?" Oliver replied snidely. Amelie shook her head in resignation, knowing he spoke the truth. Suddenly, both Oliver and Amelie looked at me intently. I stopped breathing. There was absolutely no way I was going to go through that process with Amelie! I blushed deeply.

"We know you are capable of it," Amelie spoke persuasively to me, "You have already accomplished it once with Myrnin." How the hell did she know that?! I turned a deadly glare at Myrnin. He guessed my thoughts easily and shook his head, communicating that he did not tell her.

Oliver's eyebrows shot up. He turned to look at me, a smirk of understanding on his face. I assumed my body would spontaneously combust at any moment, from the searing embarrassment flowing through me.

Amelie reassured me softly, "I would make it pleasurable for you. I have certain…skills."

A second ago, I had been completely convinced I could not get any more embarrassed. Clearly I was wrong. I blushed scarlett red, and hissed under my breath, "What IS it with you people...first Myrnin, then Gwion and now you?!"

Amelie gasped. I had never heard her gasp before. Oliver looked at me with complete shock, his mouth kept twitching like he was going to speak, but the words kept escaping him.

"No…of course I did not go through with it!" I rushed to explain. "That was just the condition Gwion added, in order to get him to return to help you."

Amelie was silent.

"Shit…you've got a set of balls…I'll give you that," Oliver breathed as he looked at me with an odd sense of pride and appreciation. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, with no idea what to say.

Myrnin was surprisingly silent. I stared at him in astonishment. Was he really considering this?! Again, he shook his head no; his brows furrowed in concentration. He turned to Amelie and contemplated, "Would you be able to accomplish it if I brought her to the edge and then you bit her?"

I found use of my words again and lashed out at him, "It was bad enough to consider it with just Amelie! Are you seriously suggesting a threesome?!" I screeched. "While we're at it, let's not leave Oliver out! Why don't I just give him a blow job before we get started?!" I seethed, sarcastic fury radiating out of me.

Oliver laughed. A small smile tugged at Amelie's lips. Myrnin reached to touch my arm. I was out of his reach in an instant, heading back toward the portal. He was in front of me, suddenly, blocking my path. "No, Cariad," he tried to explain.

I interrupted him angrily, "Do not call me that!" I was furious. He only called me Cariad during intimate sentiments of love. There could not have been a less fitting time, for him to use that term of endearment, than where we were currently standing. Abruptly, my mental defenses kicked in, hard and strong; I felt power surge through me. I knew Myrnin sensed it as well, because his posture tensed and his hands clenched.

My eyes flashed. "Get out of my way," I warned him between clenched teeth. I was a bit distracted by the deadly intent I felt running through me, but not enough to make me back down. If I had to, I would compel him here and now, and I was absolutely certain I would be successful at it. I felt a slight hum begin to build in me.

Suddenly, he shocked my senses, breaking my concentration, by pinning me to wall with his body. "Listen to me!" he commanded fiercely.

I stared at him with wide eyes.

"I was not suggesting a threesome," he hissed.

I didn't move.

Now that he saw he had my attention and I wasn't going to attack him, he spoke slower, trying to make me understand, "I was suggesting that only you and I complete the sexual requirements, alone. When the…time…comes, Amelie can deliver the bite completing the transfer. Her mental abilities work slightly differently than mine, so I was asking her if she was capable of doing it that way."

No one spoke, waiting for my next move. Myrnin held my gaze – warmth, love and reassurance radiating out of him. I felt calm – and in control. He gently removed the pressure of his body from mine, but didn't back away. I looked up into his eyes and whispered, "I don't know if I can…" I tried to explain my doubts. I had no idea if I could let him tie me up, surrender my will, and achieve a climax knowing Amelie was in the other room, listening and waiting to bite me.

"Let's just talk this through before anyone makes any decisions. No one will force you to do anything you don't want to," he murmured softly and led me back toward the couch.

I sat back down stiffly. Amelie continued as though my little fit had never occurred, answering Myrnin's earlier question, "Yes…I think I can do that. Again, I am not certain what abilities have been affected by the disease. I am still growing stronger and I haven't had occasion yet to try out many of my skills."

I couldn't believe I was even considering it, but figured I was close enough to the Rabbit Hole now, that I might as well jump in with both feet and asked, "How is a complete transfer possible? When we"—I stopped, a blush rising to my cheeks again—"it was only a partial transfer. I didn't realize a full transfer was possible."

Amelie replied, "Normally, there would be no circumstance to necessitate a complete transfer, however the process does allow for it. The vampire decides how far to effect the exchange."

I looked at Myrnin with new understanding. "Is that why I can compel you?" I asked.

Oliver hissed, his face a blank look of shock, "What did you say?!" Amelie looked less stunned, but certainly surprised as she murmured to herself, "—but you're human…"

Myrnin answered them wryly, "We had a little – episode – when the transfer was made. Claire struggled to control the mental abilities and fought me…for dominance."

I blushed, remembering my behavior.

Oliver burst out laughing. Even Amelie smiled. "Damn, I wish I could have seen her put you in your place," Oliver muttered.

"She did eventually get control over her…impulses," Myrnin replied delicately. I blushed even deeper, remembering what he had to do to me to make that happen.

Myrnin's eyebrows came together as he asked Amelie, "Do you think she will be strong enough to absorb your powers, in addition to what she currently has coursing through her veins from me? As you just mentioned, she is only human. I'm not letting her do this if it could hurt or even kill her."

Amelie looked at me thoughtfully, "How did you feel once the transfer was made?"

I wasn't sure how anything could get more embarrassing than what I had already endured, and if my life was on the line, thought I should be upfront so answered honestly, "Horny."

Oliver burst out laughing again. I rolled my eyes, not thrilled to be his joke-a-minute entertainment. He chuckled to Myrnin, "I definitely see now why you are with her."

I turned to Myrnin, who was looking slightly too smug for my tastes. I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked back at me innocently, before turning to Amelie. I rolled my eyes again. Another idea that had been lurking in the back of my brain suddenly rushed to the forefront. Anticipation, fear and excitement pulsed through me as I considered it. Myrnin's eyes snapped back to mine, feeling the radical shift in my emotions. He studied me silently, trying to solve the mystery.

Amelie responded to my answer hesitantly, "Okay...I am not certain that 'response' really gives us an indication of what we could expect. It is a legitimate concern though; given the amount of power she would be absorbing between the two of us."

"Why doesn't she return Myrnin's abilities to him prior to taking yours?" Oliver asked.

"No," Myrnin replied darkly. "We still don't know if we can transfer Amelie's power and to what extent. Removing my ability from her can be even more dangerous, and I won't leave her defenseless with Gwion anywhere in the same country."

"Is there a way to start the transfer and only go as far as she can take?" Oliver suggested.

Amelie replied, "I can do a partial transfer, but I wouldn't be able to tell if the impact was harming her, until it would be too late. I have never heard of two vampires transferring to the same person before. Admittedly, she is a resilient human, to have survived you"—both Myrnin and I cringed at the truth of her words—"but she is human, nonetheless."

I figured this was as good a time as ever and interjected softly, "What if I wasn't human?"

.

Thoughts? I am intensely curious on your reactions to these last two chapters. I do have another chapter ready and will post it in a week. However, the same offer remains – I could be convinced to post it sooner is five reviews were to happen to show up. I thought I should give you options. :) :)

ps...the next chapter rivals 'The Ties Bind' chapter in its 'maturity'...just FYI... :):)