"How are you feeling?" Michael was first to break the silence, of course.
Claire looked up at him, her relief at the silence being broken palpable. "Better, I suppose." She murmured, not missing the fact that Shane refused to look at her. "I think I'm coming to terms with everything."
She could practically hear Myrnin scoff and dug her nails into his arm to shut him up.
"That was unnecessary." He muttered, pouting, she was sure, but he took the hint.
Claire unclasped her hands and relaxed slightly, smiling at Michael. "I'll be okay; I've got Myrnin to help me." She grinned, sunnily, ignoring Shane's loud scoff and Myrnin tensing next to her.
"Is that his name?" Michael asked, his eyes dancing with mirth. "I thought it was actually Count Crackula."
Claire laughed and Myrnin snorted, feeling slightly indignant that jokes were being made at his expense, but willing to let it slide if it meant Claire laughing.
"You spend way too much time with Eve." She giggled, releasing Myrnin's arm completely and sliding into one of the chairs, closer to Michael than to Shane. "That almost sounded like her talking then."
"What on Earth are you insinuating?" Michael gasped, feigning being offended. "I do not sound like a girl!"
Myrnin leant against the doorframe, his focus still on Shane, that boy was practically radiating bad energy.
"Nah, you just look like one."
Michael clutched at his heart, and the impromptu comment even dragged a genuine laugh from Myrnin, prompting more laughter from Claire.
"And here I thought we were friends!" Michael huffed, pouting and folding his arms over his chest, making Claire laugh more.
Myrnin took his eyes from Shane to glance in Michael's direction. The blonde was clearly faking, his eyes bright and amused as his caught Myrnin's gaze, the latter inclining his head slightly in appreciation.
"God, can you fucking stop?" Shane exploded, reminding Myrnin why he had been keeping an eye on him.
"Shane." Michael murmured in warning, the laughter from Claire stopping as quickly as it had started and the mirth fading from Michael's eyes.
Myrnin tensed where he was stood, a minute change in his posture, but enough to ensure that he would be able to stop any and all potential attacks, from any party in the room.
"No! What the hell is wrong with all of you?" Shane yelled, standing up from his seat, "Claire is dead, and you're all sat here laughing and making jokes!"
"I'm right here, Shane." Claire whispered, choking back tears. "I'm not dead."
"You might as well be!" Shane's fist hitting the table punctuated the finality of his sentence; the disgust in his voice; the shattering of Claire's heart.
Eve clattered into the room, slightly out of breath, not that anyone paid her any attention.
"Mr Collins, I suggest that you take yourself elsewhere to calm your idiocy."
"I don't give a fuck what you suggest!" Shane snapped, turning on Myrnin. "I bet you're glad this happened, aren't you?" He advanced on the vampire, ignoring Michael's second warning. "Saves you the trouble of changing her yourself, or maybe you're upset, but only because you missed the opportunity. Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll kill her soon enough, the same way you killed your psychotic, little girlfriend."
Eve gasped, stunned at Shane's outburst, but his temper was the least of their worries.
In a blur, Michael dragged Shane to the other side of the kitchen, just as Myrnin tackled Claire, who was lunging for Shane's throat. The force of their movements sent the pair crashing through the doors to the lounge, only slightly missing Eve who moved out of the way just in time with a confused squeal. She saw Michael holding Shane by the scruff of his shirt against the fridge, the former's eyes glowing a dull red, and surmised that the blur that had just bypassed her must have been Myrnin and Claire.
"What the fuck?"
Claire succeeded in throwing Myrnin off of her, sending him crashing into the coffee table, shattering the glass and splintering the wood, but he was on his feet and had a hold of her in an instant, before she could get back into the kitchen. He grunted when she thrust an elbow into his stomach and his arms loosened around her waist marginally, he was sure she shouldn't be this strong.
In the kitchen, Shane was seething. That fucking fanged fuckhead had the gall to attack him, he'd probably be dead if it wasn't for Claire and Michael.
"I'm going to kill him." He muttered, glaring at Michael when he refused to let him go.
"Kill who? Myrnin? Shane, you dumbass, he just saved your life."
"What?" Shane breathed, going slack in Michael's hold. "No."
The three roommates winced when they heard something break in the lounge.
Satisfied that Shane wasn't going to do anything rash, Michael released his shirt and headed out to help Myrnin, telling Eve and Shane to stay behind him.
Claire was pissed, this stupid fucking vampire wouldn't let her kill the stupid fucking human. She growled when he avoided her kick and tried to tackle him instead.
Myrnin frowned, perhaps he shouldn't have bought Claire here. He swiftly avoided her leg and grabbed her wrists when she tried to tackle him, forcing her back against the wall instead and pinning her there.
"Claire." He murmured, trying to catch her gaze. She wasn't hungry, but he wasn't sure this was a point in his favour, at least hunger was an easy fix. "Claire!" He snapped when she continued to struggle against him, his eyes blazing red.
She froze, suddenly scared of him as she registered that he was much older and much stronger than her. Good, he thought, fear was easier to deal with than anger.
"Claire, it's me, Myrnin, I'm your friend, remember?"
"Myrnin?" Claire whimpered, the red fading from her eyes.
He nodded, softening his grip on her wrists slightly. "It's me, you're okay, fy annwyl."
Claire let out a sob when she realised what had happened and her knees gave out from underneath her.
Michael flung open the door, expecting to find an enraged, vamped out Claire. Instead, she was on her knees on the floor, sobbing earnestly and clinging to the lapels of Myrnin's coat. His arms were wrapped around her and he cradled her protectively, muttering softly in her ear.
Myrnin looked round when Michael burst into the room, quickly followed by Shane and Eve and Michael noticed his eyes flash red for a split-second when he saw Shane.
"Get him out of my sight," he muttered darkly, "before I do something I don't regret."
His tone sent a shiver down Eve's spine, and she grabbed Shane's elbow, dragging him out of the room to the stairs. He didn't need any further hint, and disappeared up to his room, slamming his door. Eve winced before heading up the stairs as well, figuring it was probably best that she bring Claire's stuff down for them.
Claire had calmed down slightly by the time Eve re-joined them, she was still in Myrnin's arms, but she wasn't crying anywhere near as much and Eve let out a soft sigh of relief, thumping the suitcase down in the doorway.
"You're quite alright, Eve." Myrnin addressed her after a few moments of hovering awkwardly in the doorway. "Mr Collins made the grave mistake of upsetting a new vampire quite grievously, I am moderately sure you're not as foolish."
"Gee thanks." Eve muttered tolling her eyes.
Claire looked up at Eve with red-rimmed eyes; Eve's heart broke at the sight of her and she rushed over to her best friend's side. Myrnin relinquished Claire to her easily and she wrapped her in a tight hug.
"Don't worry about him, CB, he's just being a jackass, you know Shane, he'll come round."
"I don't think he will, Eve. He said I might as well be dead." Claire muttered, too distraught to cry anymore.
Eve looked up in shock and Michael nodded slowly, confirming Claire's words.
Myrnin disappeared momentarily, grabbing Claire's things and taking them through to his lab, deeming the danger to have passed as long as that stupid boy didn't show his face again.
After a while of allowing Claire, Eve and Michael to talk, mostly hash out what had happened the other day in regards to them siding with Shane, Myrnin pushed away from the wall he was leaning on while he observed them with a sigh. Claire looked around and her shoulders dropped when she realised it was time for them to leave.
"I apologise about the state of your table, Michael, I'll have Amelie send over a new one." Myrnin sighed, looking at the remains of the table.
Michael shrugged, his hands in his pockets, seeming slightly surprised. "It's not your fault, hopefully Shane's learnt his damn lesson."
Myrnin smiled at the younger vampire as Claire joined him. "I hold little hope where that boy is concerned, but we shall see." He placed a hand on Claire's shoulder, gently leading her through the portal.