Chapter One

Claire's POV:

Sometimes Claire felt like her whole life was someone else's.

She couldn't help but feel this similar sensation as she stared at Michael – her landlord, house mate, and her best friend's husband – in horror. The way he had violated her person space, her mouth, was so wrong. And totally not right.

Only moments ago, only a few seconds ago, it was normal. Not that normal, she scolded herself as she once again risked a sneak glance at Eve. A pang of regret came from deep within her. When she saw Michael moving towards her in that tiny hospital room, she should have known really. The look on his face seconds before he kissed her told her everything.

Michael was feeling scared, angry and worst . . he was enjoying himself immensely. Anyone who didn't know him as Claire did would have said otherwise. They would have said that someone had influenced Michael somehow. It was just so very out of character. Not Michael Glass, the kind and caring eighteen year old who had grudgingly let her into his home two years ago. Why hadn't she moved away? She just stood there stupidly and let a married man stick his tongue down her throat. With her boyfriend, Shane, and Eve.. Right. There.

"Claire. Don't stare at me," Michael hissed at her, his eyes mutely flashing burgundy. She jumped, having not realised she had been even looking at him the entire time she had analysed what had just happened. Averting her eyes, Shane Collins could be seen on the other side of the room. Crap, Claire thought. Her expression must have said it all, because her boyfriend merely grunted. Shane was leaning against the wall, watching her intensely. The damn boy didn't seem at all surprised. She took a huge laboured breath;

"Shane – "

"Shut up, Claire,"

When she opened her mouth to protest, he continued, "I don't want to see you any more. You hurt everyone. I've always known," Shane took a step towards her with every heart breaking word, looking at her as though they were alone. As though the last crazy twenty-four hours hadn't happened at all. He didn't even glance at Eve or Michael. No, this was all about her.

Claire set her chin firmly, "Known what, huh? That I'm a heartless tart?" she spat at her boyfriend, layering the sarcasm on thickly.

The heavy lights of the hospital room seemed to throw a dramatic twinge on everything; Eve looked extremely young and sick on the hospital bed. Claire could see that, as she backed slowly away from her fuming exboyfriend, Eve looked dead inside. Shane looked closed down, face of the finest marble on earth, looking at her with a loathing passion. Ouch.

This was getting them nowhere. Claire – the whole of Morganville – had a crisis that needed fixing. Surprise, surprise. Little Claire would just have to carry out the impossible to save the day. Yet again.

The feeling of living someone else's life hit her stronger than moments before. If only this were a dream! She screamed in her head. If only Amelie had not gone all Darth Vader on their asses, if only Claire had accepted her place at MIT, if only Myrnin hadn't left town...

Shaking her head at whatever lame reply Shane was about to throw at her, Claire steadied herself. Myrnin wouldn't want to cry in a corner. He would be out there, building and developing a master plan to somehow get out of this god's forsaken mess. Otherwise known as Morganville.

Channelling her crazy-yet-brilliant vampire boss Myrnin, Claire swung back to Shane and said in a monotone voice, "I'm leaving," Aloof, Ice Queen. On a roll, enjoying this new Claire that reminded her way too much of Amelie, she continued her rant at her house mates.

She turned to the vampire stood rigid, mirroring Shane, "Whatever is up with you today, Michael, you need to get your act together. I know you're scared, but heck we all are. Look at her -" She gestured toward the broken and bruised Eve, "- she's your frickin' wife! I'm your best friend... your best friend's girlfriend! What do you think gives you the right to -"

"- To kiss you?," Michael turned his full-frontal angelic vampire body towards her, his face full of venom. Must be 'lets hate Claire Danvers' day among the Glass housemates.

"No, to run for president. Of course to kiss me, you arrogant fang!" Claire screeched, suddenly feeling vulnerable as she saw that all faces in the room were looking at her with disbelief. As though she was the one who kissed Michael and not the other way around. Her body was alive with tension, wishing that Michael would say something to defend her.

Instead, he sighed and said, "I've wanted to do that ever since I first met you."

Then all hell broke loose.