So many emotions and thoughts were running through Claire as she tried to think. She had to go: she just had to. There was no way she was going to let anything happen to her son, she would die before she let it and that meant she had to attend the stupid party regardless of what everyone else warned. The problem was that she needed a vampire.
This was a vampire event and no stray human, not even her, would gain entrance without being at the side of a vampire. Hell, she didn't even know where the darn thing was being held! Michael wouldn't take her and neither would Sam. This left her with one choice so she had to move fast and hope that he hadn't left yet.
Throwing on the dress, she quickly found shoes to wear and placed her hair in a simple but classy bun. She expected tonight's events would lead to running so she donned a pair of flats since tennis shoes wouldn't look right with the dress and she couldn't run in heels.
Natalie was still asleep in the crib and Claire's eyes teared up thinking she might not see her again or, worse, she might not make it to save Nathan and her twins wouldn't see each other ever again. Laying a soft kiss on the toddler's forehead and stroking her hair, Claire watched her for a few more seconds before grabbing a purse-something she could do without but held some things that would help her if tonight did end in a fight-and running out to catch her date.
Eve was watching TV when she made it downstairs and Shane hadn't made it home yet. Eve looked up at her and was stunned.
"You look really nice. You going to a party or something?" Eve joked.
"Yes."
Eve's smile and jaw dropped. "We talked about this Claire: you can't go to that vampire thing. It-"
"I know, but I have no choice now. Just promise me you'll look after Natalie while I'm gone."
Confused, she nodded. "Of course. What about Nathan?"
"Jason has him." She stepped to the wall and visualized the lab. Eve's quiet "be careful" followed her as she stepped through the portal.
Myrnin's lab was dark when emerged and she panicked that he'd already left. "Myrnin? Myrnin?!" She called and walked deeper into the room. On the verge of tears and giving up and developing a new plan, Claire jumped when she felt cold hands on her shoulders.
"Shh. What are you doing here and why are you dressed so?"
"I need to be your date for the thing tonight."
Myrnin looked taken aback. "My date? I thought you and your household all agreed that you would not this because it is dangerous?"
"Things change. I need to go."
"No Claire. Whatever it is that has persuaded you to go is not worth potentially your life!"
"My children are my life!"
The hands on her shoulders softened their grip. "Young Nathan and Natalie, what does their safety have to do with the ball?"
Tears overflowed as she grasped his elbows and tried not to shake. "Oliver has Nathan and if I'm not present tonight, he'll kill him. He'll kill my baby." She couldn't stop the sobs and Myrnin carefully brought her into his arms.
"Shh, my friend, shh." He whispered into her ear as he did his best to comfort her. When her tears slowed she pulled away.
"You see? I need to go! I need to save him!"
"I do see…" She breathed a sigh of relief until he continued. "but you do not need to go tonight."
She pushed away from him in shock. "But I can't let him die! I won't! What sort of mother would I be?"
"A smart one."
Incredulously, she glared at him. "A smart one? What kind of smart would it be to let my child die when I could've done something?!"
"It will be the kind of smart where you realize and understand that you have another child, another baby. If you say, you might lose Nathan. It is sad and it is horrible, but you do have another if you should lose this one. If you go, you will most certainly die and poor Natalie will be without a brother and a mother. You can give her another brother but you are the only mother she has and cannot be replaced. Will you leave your child without any family just to save her from being brotherless?"
Claire wanted to slap him, punch something, break things but she saw the truth in his words. She still shook her head. "I need to at least try. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't try."
"You are not being logical, dear"
"Love rarely is."
He looked at her for a few moments before shaking his head. "Right you are." He turned away from her for a little bit before presenting her with a pair of gorgeous earrings.
Wide eyed, she looked from them to him. "Wha-?"
"You must look the part and these complete your look." She nodded and put them on. "Be brave my young friend." Wiping her face, she nodded. "Shall we go?"
"Let's." Walking through the portal and into a familiar looking closet, Claire was a little surprised. "Is this the same place they had the feast for Bishop?"
Myrnin nodded and Claire noticed for the first time that he'd put his hair in a ponytail. She'd never seen his untamed hair away from his face and it made him look so regal and dashing that Claire stared for a few minutes as they walked down the hall.
"Are you preparing to swoon? Shall I be ready to make another heroic catch?"
Despite the worry and stress weighing down on her heart, Claire actually laughed. "No. I was just admiring how different you look with the curls out of your face."
Smiling, he held out his arm. "Take my arm child as we approach the entrance. I'll try to protect you tonight but there is only so much I can do."
She glanced at him before setting her eyes on the approaching doors. "I understand."
The procession into the ballroom was so much like the feast that Claire half expected Bishop to be seated on the raised dais when they entered. Thankfully, he wasn't. Instead, Amelie sat high observing all and, boy, did her eyes blaze when she they set on Claire and Myrnin.
Barely a few steps clear of the staircase, Michael appeared in front of them looking like a furious angel. "What the hell are you doing here?" He whispered.
Claire looked around and noticed how they were attracting attention; attention she didn't need. "Not right here, Michael. Come on." She pleaded and pushed him back. He didn't move at first but then lead them to where he and Gina were sitting. It was along one of the walls with many other seats but nowhere near the tables with food so, luckily, no one was close enough to hear their conversation.
"Aw, look: it's your baby mama." Gina sneered.
Everyone ignored her.
"Answer my question: what the hell are you doing here? I thought we all decided it was too dangerous for you. For any of you!" He threw a pointed glance at Myrnin.
"I know we did and I'm sorry but I had to come. I had to!"
"Why?"
"Oliver has Nathan."
The anger on his face disappeared. "He's got Nathan?"
She nodded. "If I didn't come tonight he would've killed him. Now all I have to do is find him and take him home."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Maybe. I was going to go to the restroom and then search-"
"It is nice to see you, Claire." The voice and the ice behind it froze Claire in place. "And what a beautiful dress." Amelie continued as she and Sam approached the table. "Though as splendid as it is, I am surprised to see both it and you attending tonight. Why is it that I find you here, Claire?"
"I'm sorry. I-It's just that-"
Amelie held up a hand. "I am needed elsewhere but I look forward to hearing your reasons for defying me. Enjoy your night." With that, she and Sam turned and glided away.
"Crap."
"Yeah, that about sums it up, but let's worry about Nate first, alright?" Claire nodded and tried not to shake. Michael pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry: we'll find him."
"I hope so." She pulled away and really looked at her.
"You do look beautiful."
Blushing, she smiled. "Thanks."
"Yes. She looks very pretty. Now, if you don't mind, young Michael, I would like to have my date back. I think that yours is feeling quite neglected." Myrnin cut in and pulled Claire to his side as she and Michael rolled their eyes.
Myrnin lead her over to the drinks table where he handed her a champagne glass while he got a glass of suspicious looking dark liquid. Trying not to dwell on what was in his glass, Claire took a sip of her own and barely stopped herself from spitting it right back out.
"Wine, Myrnin? You gave me wine?" She whispered and he looked down at her.
"Yes? Is it not to your liking? I can get you a different kind."
"No. I still have half a year til I'm nineteen: I'm not old enough to drink."
He just shrugged. "I was drinking at the age of ten. Laws nowadays are so frivolous and humorless. Enjoy your drink: it will help you clear your mind." She rolled her eyes but sipped her drink.
Scanning the room, she searched for Oliver or, at least, Jason. All she wanted was to get her son and get back home to safety but it was apparent that wasn't going to happen.
As soon as everyone was announced and all had gotten food and were in their seats, Amelie stood and the whole room quieted.
"Thank you all for coming out. Tonight is a night to celebrate our fortune as a collective and our fortune as a people…" Claire zone out for a while as she picked at the meal sat in front of her. It was a good steak but meat cooked by vamps always seemed too raw.
She wondered what was happening to her baby at this moment. She hoped and prayed that Oliver wasn't hurting or scaring him. She hoped Jason was a least protecting him. She also wondered if Jason had betrayed her, betrayed them, with his own free will or if Oliver had compelled him to do so. Did he get a hold of Jason in the last few days or had Jason been his creature since he joined their house, their family?
Claire was knocked out of her thoughts in time enough to hear Amelie wrap up her speech.
"We have all found great pleasure in the way we live these days and in the positions we hold. May we continue to thrive in the days to come and be content with what we have." Her last sentence seemed pointed at someone and Claire was made known who when said person emerged from the crowd and climbed the stairs to the stage while clapping.
"What an inspiring speech, Founder. You preach our superiority yet the laws you pass privilege our food."
"Oliver. Must you ruin such a night?"
"If the truth ruins this night then let it." She cast him a freezing glare but motion for him to continue. "Dear friends, can you say that you are happy with the rules which govern us? Laws that say it is wrong to do what is natural for our kind? Laws that make us equal to our food? Should we be forced to make nice and be friends with our prey? Our founder was once great but she now sympathizes for humans." He continued his speech but Claire found she could not pay attention due to a pair of cold hands wrapping around her shoulders, lifting her out of her chair.
"Wha-?!" A cold hand slapped over her mouth and prevented her from screaming or turning back to look at her table. She heard a quick but quiet tussle behind her-probably between Myrnin, Michael, and whoever else grabbed her-but she could only focus on the fact that she was being lead to the dais where Amelie and Oliver stood opposing each other. Her heart started to beat faster the closer they got and she started focusing on Oliver's words.
"We should not have to level or coexist with humans when it oppresses us. Pretty soon, she will be telling us we can't drink from the willing or the unprotected. Will you, the people, let it come to that?" By this time, Claire had been pushed on stage and into Oliver's grasp.
"W-What's going on?" Claire looked around. She saw Michael and Myrnin barely being restrained by vampires she didn't really recognized before her eyes settled on Oliver and Amelie. "What am I doing up here?"
"You may want to live as if we're humans or as if we can exist peacefully, but I won't." Oliver pulled Claire close so that the front of his body was flush against the back of hers.
All the air left her body. "O-O-Oliver?"
"This human is extremely important to you, is she not?" Amelie just glared at Oliver's taunt. "But to the rest of us, she is nothing but a blood bag; just like every other human." Slowly, he brushed some of the hair that had fallen from her bun away from her neck before tilting her head.
"You know what this means if you do this." Amelie warned in a low voice.
Claire felt his fingers feather over her pulse. "Of course." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck.
"Let's start a war."
Pain seared through Claire's body as his fangs sunk into her throat and darkness surrounded her almost instantly.
A/N: It might be a little while before I update again but thanks for reading!
R&R Please
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