Page 15 (1/2)

FIFTEEN

He took the hand off her eyes and wrapped his other arainst him "Stop," he said to the others Claire opened her eyes to see Shane getting up fro blood fro frozen about twenty feet away, terrified and unsure Michael was doith a wooden stake in his chest-- oh, God, that could kill a young vah--and Frank Collins was slowly circling around, staring at Myrnin and Claire with the intensity of a hunting tiger

West, the only other h alive, had her bon and was standing with an arrow pointed at Myrnin&039;s chest The only problem was that Claire&039;s own chest was actually in the way

"Help Michael," Claire said Myrnin&039;s hand closed around her throat, choking off her words, but Shane seemed to understand, and went to pull the stake out of Michael&039;s chest Their friend rolled on his side, coughing, weak and not able to even try to get up

Shane held the stake in his fingers and twirled it restlessly, staring at Myrnin noith the exact sao," Frank said "You kno this is going to end It&039;s just a matter of how bloody you want to make it"

"Well, friend, I don&039;t know about your tastes, but I tend to like it very bloody," Myrnin said He shifted position, dragging Claire along like a rag doll without any effort at all "Have we been introduced?"

"Probably not Why, you askingIs this one yours?"

"No," Frank said, and looked at Shane, just in a quick flicker "Let&039;s say she&039;s a friend of the family"

"That&039;ll do Now, if you want to keep her breathing, you&039;ll take all these children and your woman-at-arms--hello, West, how have you been, --and depart gracefully, while you still have the chance, and bring Ada to o"

"Nice offer," Frank said "Why exactly should I take it again?"

"Because the boy there wants you to," Myrnin said "I can tell Can&039;t you? He&039;s just dying to come over here and save her from the evil, wicked vampire Well, boy, why don&039;t you? Don&039;t you like her?" Myrnin&039;s hand tightened on her neck "Come on--tell her how you feel It&039;s your last chance, you know, before she dies"

Don&039;t, Claire tried to say, but all that came out was a squeak She felt a little sick, because she knehat Myrnin was doing, and she hated it

"Sorry, freak," Shane said, "but you&039;ve got a wrong number I don&039;t know that chick at all And the second you kill her, we&039;ll take you down, soa little, but Claire could see that he was lying, at least about that first part She could see it in his eyes It hadn&039;t been long, but he felt so for her, even if it wasn&039;t maybe what she felt yet--and she knew Shane He&039;d never, ever stand by and just let her be hurt He wouldn&039;t do that even if she was a total stranger

"I think your friend has a hero coht into her ear "That , doesn&039;t it, Claire?"

She felt her heart stutter in her chest He knew her No--no, wait, he didn&039;t; he just knew her narip around her throat eased just a little, and she was able to gasp out, "Myrnin, please stop Please You know this isn&039;t right"

"You knohat isn&039;t right? Waking up to find everything changed, to find Adaintowhat I hold dear? Does that sound right to you?"

"It&039;s not what you think," Claire said desperately "Ada&039;s not here She&039;s not co back You have to understand that what&039;s down there isn&039;t so you have to stop!"

He was silent Frank Collins took a step forward, then stopped, watching Claire&039;s face She frantically shook her head

"You do sound convincing," Myrnin said He put his head down, mouth very close to the side of her throat, and took in a deep breath "You do smell familiar, I admit Your scent is all over the lab, and I confess, I have no explanation for that"

"Because I work here For you," Claire said "You know that Myrnin, you have to reo and shoved her forward, hard--straight into Shane&039;s arrab her as she fell, and held on

Myrnin stood there for aat the two of the," he said, "that I&039;ve seen this before Seen you before"

"You have," Claire said, and cleared her throat, trying to ignore the ache "Myrnin, you know us Stop Just stop and think, okay?"

He stared at her, and she saw that he was trying--groping for the lost threads of his life She sa it frightened him to feel this way, too Maybe he&039;d enjoyed it, on so about anyone but himself and Ada

But that wasn&039;t him Not anymore It hadn&039;t been for years

"Claire," he said, and took a step forward "Claire, I thinkI think Iforgot soht I don&039;t think any of this is right And I think I knowI think I know Ada--"

He stopped and turned to look at the portal an instant before Claire felt the flash of power from it "No!" he snapped, and stretched out a hand toward the doorhich was starting to spark and flicker with color "No one else comes in!"

She couldn&039;t let him stop this, no matter what happened, but she felt sick about it She&039;d been close, so close to breaking throughand noas gone again

Claire scooped up the fallen stake and lunged for his back

She didn&039;t make it, of course; Myrnin was too fast, and too alert He whirled, grabbed her arm, and held the point of the stake an inch froht into her eyes

"Oh, child," he said "You shouldn&039;t have done that"

But she&039;d done exactly what she&039;d h the rooh the portal behind Myrnin, shining like a white diauards, and Oliver But Oliver wasn&039;t going to be any help, because he earing silver chains on his wrists and ankles

He could hardly stand, Claire realized He looked terrible

Myrnin forced Claire to drop the stake, and held on to her wrist as he turned to face A low from the waist "Founder"

"Myrnin," Amelie said, as the portal dissolved into black behind her party "I seeirl you have in hand, and West, of course" West, looking very unhappy, loosened the bow and relance at Frank, she walked over to stand with the new arrivals, signaling a change in her allegiance Amelie fixed her attention on Frank, and then Michael, as still on the ground Eve was kneeling next to hioing well for you, Mr Collins," she said "I suggest you take these children and withdrahile you have the chance"

"No," Michael said raggedly, and staggered to his feet

And Shane said, "We&039;re not going without Claire"

"I assure you, boys, you will be going, one way or another," Airl to me, and I will deal with this intrusion"

"But--"

"Do you doubt that I will act in the best interests of Morganville?" she asked, holding his gaze "Have you ever doubted that, in all our years together?"

"But they have Ada," he said, and his voice was sive her back Please" "I will," Airl"

Myrnin nodded and shoved Claire at her

Claire tried to twist aside, but A to move at all, was somehow in the way She took hold of Claire&039;s arrip, and looked at her with even colder eyes "Be still," she said "I&039;ll deal with you in a moment" Claire felt her last hope die, because there was no hint of real recognition in Amelie&039;s face

Frank said, "You&039;d better deal with me before you settle with soet offended"

"You&039;d better deal with all of us," Shane said "I&039; to let you hurt her"

"You sound brave, Shane, for so in my presence before," Amelie said "But I won&039;t hurt her Or any of you" She looked at Claire again, and this time there armth in her eyes A kind of co here"

She rehed as the tension left her body Things were still dangerous, no question about that, but with Aht She could convince Myrnin to do the right thing

"They have Ada," Myrnin said "You have to find her Please"

Ao and moved her off to the side, out of Myrnin&039;s reach "There&039;s no need," she said, and the compassion in her voice was a kind of pain all its own "We both knohere Ada is, Myrnin I know you remember"

He didn&039;t move, and didn&039;t speak, but there was a frantic, feverish glitter in his eyes

"You&039;ve been ill Ada was caring for you, but she fell ill as well Weakness has always triggered bad things in you, and she greeak One day--"

"No," Myrnin said It wasn&039;t so

"One day I came here and found her dead Drained of life"

"No!"

"It was too late to save her, but you&039;d tried, once you came to your senses Heaven knows you&039;d tried You did your best to preserve what you could of her--don&039;t you re his face in his hands "No, it isn&039;t true!"

"You know it is," Aentle hand on his shoulder "My friend, this isn&039;t the first time we&039;ve had this conversation You becoet, and you wait for her to coone"

"No, she&039;s not gone," Myrnin whispered "I saved her I saved her She can&039;t die now She can&039;t leave me She&039;s safe I&039;ll keep her safe No one can hurt her"

He still thought Ada was in the rief, soedy in slow motion, because Claire knew she&039;d have to see hiain

Just like everyone else

But the difference was that Myrnin wanted to hang on, had to hang on He was three years in the past, and sick, and crazy

He&039;d do everything he could to stop the Ada away from him That hy he&039;d treated Claire like an intruder in the first placebecause on so to save Ada, and he knew that Claire intended to destroy her

"You can&039;t take her," Myrnin whispered "You can&039;t take her away from me Please don&039;t do that"

Aone still and cold "There&039;s nothing to take," she said "Ada&039;s gone Three years ago you wept in the corner and ripped your own skin I had to stop you fro in your pain I won&039;t let you go back to thatbeast You deserve better than that"

Myrnin shuddered and dropped his hands li to do?"

"Turn it off," she said "Stop this madness while we still can You&039;ll be better once it&039;s done"

Myrnin&039;s eyes flared bright, shocking white, and he leaped for A Claire with her Her guards ju, and as full-on crazy as she&039;d ever seen hith of the lab, and staked the other with a broken chair leg, and screao!" Oliver yelled at Amelie, and shook his chains i to do with any of this, and you needat him, and then bent to expertly unlock the chains, which dropped froered a little, gasping out a breath of relief, and Amelie reached out to take hold of his araze "I remember what happened I remember, and I am sorry"

He hesitated, then nodded in response It was as if he aiting for her tohianville Nor should you be mine Equals" She offered her hand to him, and he looked down at it, clearly taken aback But he took it "Now defend what is ours, rinned!--and whirled to meet Myrnin in mid-leap as Myrnin attacked

He had Myrnin down in seconds, but it was a rush of adrenaline that faded, and Claire realized that the pain of the silver chains was taking its toll on him He slowed down Myrnin didn&039;t, and in another few deadly seconds, Myrnin&039;s clawed fingers slashed at Oliver&039;s face Oliver ducked, but lost his balance as Myrnin threw him backward in a rush

Oliver crashed with deadly speed into a wall, and Myrnin ran in a blur for the back of the roorabbed Oliver&039;s fallen silver chains as Myrnin yanked the rug away She heard the beeps of the code being entered in the trapdoor lock "Stop hi who-knehat Creatingthings Letting hi him up here

Somehow, she still wanted to reason with him It isn&039;t Myrnin, not really She reotten to know, the kind, alht her soup and held her upright when she&039;d been too tired to stand on her own The one who&039;d fought for her tiht for hiainst himself

Frank Collins almost made it to the trapdoor, but it slae with a sharp, buzzing snap of power "Don&039;t touch it!" she yelled, as Shane&039;s dad reached for the keypad "It&039;s electrified!"

"It&039;s the only way in," Oliver said as he climbed painfully to his feet "Someone has to open it"

"It&039;s not the only way," Claire replied, and looked at Amelie "There&039;s a back way Isn&039;t there?" Amelie hesitated, then nodded She turned and headed for the portal on the wall Rudolph&039;s body was lying there--well, half of it--and she moved it aside and stood in front of the black doorway Colors shifted, pulsed, and faded into darkness again

Claire found she was holding on to someone&039;s hand It turned out to be Shane, who&039;d come up beside her She could feel how tense hisHers was at least twice as fast

"There," A seemed different about the darkness on the other side of the doorway, but Claire felt a kind of energy radiating out of it "I warn you, it&039;s not a safe course Go quickly I have to hold it open, or he ave her a doubtful look, but plunged past into the darkness; it sed him up like a pit full of ink Frank and West followed, and then Claire and Shane Before they stepped through, Shane hesitated and looked over his shoulder

Michael was right there--pale, a little unsteady, leaning on Eve&039;s shoulder "Right with you, bro," he said "Go"

"Are we totally sure this is a good plan?" Shane asked, quietly, to Claire The fact that he asked her made her feel a little faint; it felt liketrust

No, it was trust Trust she hadn&039;t earned, but so that felt unbearably precious to her

Claire tried to sound confident "I think so," she said "Just watch your back, okay?"

"Nah, Michael&039;s got ot yours"

Shane jumped into the darkness, and took Claire with him

On the other side, it was just as black--a kind of darkness that made panic twist up in a hard, hot knot in Claire&039;s stomach She knew this darkness She&039;d been in it before

"Easy," Frank Collins said, and she felt his hand grab her shoulder to keep her still "Don&039;t move"

"There are holes in the floor," she said "Pits Can you see them?" She hoped he could; all the vampires she&039;d ever known could She and Shane and Eve were about as blind as it was possible to be

"Yeah, I see it Hang on; I&039;ve got a light" That was Frank Collins speaking froht blazed out in a pure white cone that lanced out over rocks and pale, angular juts of quartz, sharp as razors They were in a big cavern, silent except for the echoes of their ht, because the area where they&039;d coh was the only reliably safe spot in the room The rock floor was pitted with inky black holes that led, for all Claire knen to the center of the earth and out the other side Not only that, but she knew from experience that where the rock looked solid, it probably wasn&039;t It was like a maze, and the last tih He wouldn&039;t be doing that now He&039;d be trying to send her screa her She sed hard; in the distance she saw a th of silver chain He&039;d been imprisoned here, once, when he&039;d beenht not remember that now Or care that he&039;d tried to save her life

"I know the way," she said softly, and took the flashlight from Frank She tested every step carefully; soile, eaten away beneath by unseen underground rivers that were long gone Her foot broke through twice, and only Shane&039;s grip on her ar forward the second ti the little path Even the vareat care Claire supposed itdown an endless black tunnel; what if they couldn&039;t get back out? How long could they survive down there without blood, or light? And if they did survivethat ht almost be worse

Claire orried most about Michael He&039;d taken a lot of abuse already, and now Shane was quietly taking his other arer under Michael&039;s weight He&039;ll be okay, she thought She had to believe that, and focus

A sound went through the cavern, like a sigh; she frowned, wondering what had caused it It wasn&039;t wind; there was no breath of a draft in here, just cool, dahed down heavily over her skin She shivered and waited a second, but the sound didn&039;t coainst her face--an un that ruffled her hair Claire pointed the flashlight in the direction fro but the treacherous rock floor, the glittering quartz crystals jutting from the walls, and the dark, silent chasms that spread out in sheets

Claire made her way carefully toward another patch of apparently solid rock, and as she did so, she felt the breeze again,froht out of the darkness Claire braced herself carefully and turned the light doard, into the pit, trying to see whatThe darkness sed the flashlight&039;s gloithout a trace

Claire put out her hand Definitely that was a cool breeze blowing up, as if a fan had been turned on

She felt a little funny, suddenly A little faint A littlewoozy

"Hey!" Shane said, and grabbed her shoulders to drag her back fro?"

She took in a deep breath Her head hurt a little "Looking," she said, and coughed It hurt "Sorry This way"

Moving away froh she now had a kind of odd, twisting nausea inside, and she wanted to breathe deeper and deeper, even though she wasn&039;t tired Claire focused on each step, every careful movement She heard someone stumble behind her, and Frank Collins&039;s quiet curse

And then she heard West cough, an explosively loud sound "Sorry," West said, but then she coughed again, and again, and when Claire looked back she saw that the tall vahs

She was retching up blood

It was in thatwas very, very wrong It seemed obvious now, but she wasn&039;t sure why she hadn&039;t understood before Her brain didn&039;t seeht Her vision swa, too, deep, tearing sounds that left hili, too