All The Queen's Horses {Myrnin, Morganville Vampires}

Mortal Danger

"Would he have the science to do this?" Oliver asked, his eyes dark and dangerous.

"If I don't, I hardly think so. But we cannot deny the probability. He must. We need to get to the campus. Now. Do you have someone who can take her sample to my lab?" Myrnin replied.

Oliver nodded and made eye contact with a vampire, who sprinted to his attention. Oliver spoke too quickly for me to hear him, but suddenly the container disappeared from my hands.

Without warning, Myrnin gathered me in his arms and ran with me to the conference room with the portal, Oliver by our side. He didn't bother to set me down as he forced the portal open and we flew through.

The campus was quiet, it was early still. Myrnin had finally released me to my walk on my own feet as we came to the Professor's classroom. It felt oddly powerful to be hunting my elusive professor while being flanked by the two strongest predators I knew.

Oliver broke the lock to the classroom with a flick of his wrist. I watched as they rummaged through the desk, papers and books, but everything was immaculate, devoid of any personal items. As they searched, Oliver asked Myrnin, "How did you hear of Ciro?"

Myrnin explained, "It has been centuries since I last saw him. We worked together on various science studies."

Oliver interrupted, "Is this about you?" he screeched, making my ears ring a little.

"No," Myrnin replied definitively. "He was never my enemy. If anything it was the other way around. He enjoyed my collaboration and wanted me to get involved in more projects. I declined because his 'love' for science controlled him. He was driven, not passionate, about it as I was. His drive caused him to brutally hurt people to get the results he wanted. There were enough areas of science to explore in this world, I didn't find it necessary to start with the ones that caused people pain. He disappeared and I never saw or heard of him again."

Oliver hissed, "How did he get past Amelie's screening for a professor?"

"She never met him or knew of him. And he used a fake name." Myrnin looked at me with a new realization. "You said he seemed 'overly' interested in you?"

"Yes," I trembled, knowing where he was going and knowing he was right.

"Was he the professor who called you, wanting to know when you would be returning to class?"

"Yes... I actually thought he was hitting on me", I admitted finally. Myrnin growled so deeply that it vibrated his entire frame.

Myrnin turned toward Oliver and spoke pointedly, "She met him the same day you came to me about Amelie – which was also the day after she was attacked in her bedroom. There must be a connection."

Oliver took over the conversation, speaking with military ease, "Both of you, get back to the lab, take care of Amelie's sample and be ready to go. The travel arrangements will be made by the time you arrive. I will find this professor...if it is the last thing I do," he swore, his face twisted in deadly determination.

I shivered, not doubting him for a second.

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The sun was barely touching the horizon as we were driven to the Glass House by one of Amelie's guards, so that I could pack my things. I struggled against my fatigue and rested against Myrnin's arm hung over the back of the leather seat in the sedan. I let my head fall to the side to look over at him. "Myrnin, you know I am not a fan of Oliver, but today...I've never seen him like that..." I didn't know how to finish my own sentence.

Of course, Myrnin knew what I meant and replied, "I understand his pain. Losing someone you love is never easy."

Oh! I cringed, having forgotten that Myrnin experienced his own deeply painful loss. I said quietly, "I'm sorry...are you remembering Ada?"