“That could have been the most disgusting and scarring things I have ever done in my life,” Shane shuddered as he sank into a chair. Common Grounds smelt like freshly roasted coffee beans and blueberry pastries. “And I have done a lot of bad things in my life.”
“That’s just the half of it,” Claire sighed and sank in to the chair next to him. She let her bag fall to the ground. “At least you don’t have to clean his cage.”
“You don’t clean his cage,” Myrnin interrupted and sat opposite them. “I do, because you are too much of a lazy employee to do your work properly.”
“Hey,” Claire defended. “I did once, but then he decided to crawl up on my arm. I freaked, and you’re lucky Bob’s still alive.”
“You are so cruel,” Myrnin narrowed his eyes at her.
“Coming from the man that slaughtered all of his other assistants,” Michael smirked.
“What are you doing here?” Claire smiled as Michael walked up to their table. He had his guitar in its case slung over his back and Eve strode up happily behind him in all her Gothic glory.
Myrnin was too busy examining the guitar pick he had snatched from Michael, and he kept muttering something.
“I’ve got a gig,” Michael shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Finally, huh?”
“That’s great man,” Shane winked at him and he got an odd look from Myrnin who just happened to look up at that time. “Can I come backstage with you?”
Michael looked around and bent down a little. “Not in front of the girls,” Michael replied. “I thought we were going to tell them later?”
“Oh bite me dorks,” Eve said and rolled her eyes. “If we’re coming clean, I better admit that me and Claire had a little lesbo-action the other day.”
“Damn,” Shane whistled.
“Ew,” Claire frowned. “You’re disgusting.
Michael chucked, “Hey, Claire. I need to talk to you after the show, so don’t go anywhere.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Claire shrugged and looked between Shane and Myrnin. “Not like these two would let me anyway.”
Michael only smiled, kissed Eve on the cheek and walked away through the door that read ‘OFFICE’.
“Look at these dumbasses,” Shane said suddenly and Claire turned to look at him. He was looking towards the dark corner of the room where a group of FRAT guys sat close together. One of the guys glanced around the room and handed a small, plastic bag to one of his friends.
“What do you think they’re dealing?” Eve asked as she sank into the spot next to Myrnin. Myrnin glanced at her and scooted away, getting an eye roll from Eve.
“Dealing?” Claire asked and tried to get a better look.
“Who knows,” Shane shrugged and leant back into his seat. “Weed, ice. Probably ecstasy though.”
“Or vampire blood,” Myrnin added as he quickly glanced at the group of guys. He clearly wasn’t interested and was oblivious to the three people staring at him.
“But that’s illegal?” Claire said as she looked back to the guys.
“Many things are illegal, Claire,” Myrnin said and chucked the guitar pick on the table. He sighed and looked up at Claire. “Youngsters still do it. Just ask Shane over there.”
Shane glared at him, “Why are you here exactly?”
“Coffee and doughnuts!” Myrnin waved for the waitress and looked at Shane as if he were crazy. “And Claire told me that you were intelligent.”
Claire sighed, “I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?” Shane asked as he stood up with her.
“To the bathroom?” She smiled. “I’m fine, okay?”
She walked off before Shane could reply and headed for the bathroom. She looked over her shoulder, half expecting to see Shane or Eve or even Myrnin following her, but she couldn’t see anything of the crowd that had made its way into the coffee shop. She turned back and stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes set on a man bringing a vial to his lips.
A pale red substance escaped from the glass vial and into his mouth, and he licked the remains of the liquid from his lips.
As if he had read her thoughts, the man turned and looked at her.
Shit. Dylan was in Common Grounds and he smiled at Claire.
He gripped onto the now empty glass vial and pushed through the crowd and to the front door. Claire watched as he disappeared into the dark night that consumed the streets of Morganville.
“Shit,” Claire breathed and started to follow him. She ducked down and did her best to hide from anyone that might stop her from leaving.
But the front door opened, and Claire was blasted with cold air.
Dylan was still there, she could see him walking down the street.
“Wait!” Claire called and ran after him.
Dylan stopped and looked over his shoulder. His grin made shivers run down Claire’s spine.
“Claire,” He said as he started walking towards her. “What are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” Claire caught her breath as she pointed to the vial in Dylan’s hand. “What are you doing? Vampire blood? Come on, they’ll kill if you if they find out.”
“They won’t find out,” Dylan smiled and tossed the vial into the air. He caught it in one hand and looked down at Claire. Something in his eyes changed, as if something had been switched inside of him.
“Dylan?” Claire asked softly and she quickly looked over her shoulder. Common Grounds wasn’t that far away. She turned back to look at Dylan, but he was right in front of her.
“Why don’t you love me?” Dylan screamed at her and shoved her back. Claire felt herself stumble, and she tripped over her own feet.
She would have fallen down if the brick wall hadn’t been behind her.
The back of her head hit against the hard surface with a nauseating whack and a sting of pain rang up her body.
“Because I don’t even know you!” Claire yelled back and she blinked back hot tears. Her head was sore and she felt like the whole world was spinning around her. She was an idiot.
She should have listened to Myrnin. To Shane. To Michael.
No. Claire had been too stubborn and thought that she could handle herself, and when she saw Dylan grin at her with that smug look on his face as he drank a vial of vampire blood, she honestly thought that she could reason with him.
For once in her life, Claire Danvers was wrong.
“You do!” He screamed and he threw the glass vial to the ground. It broke into thousandths of little shards and they bounced on the cement floor.
Claire shut her eyes and held in her breath, as the glass seemed to attack her, flying into her clothes, her hair and her skin.
She flinched when a small sliver cut into her cheek, and her hand instinctively covered it. A small trail of dark blood ran down and it escaped from the imprisonment of Claire’s hand.
“That was your fault,” Dylan screamed, and then he just stopped. Claire stared at him with wet and wide eyes. He blinked at her and reached out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that, Claire. I’m sorry. Let me get that for you.”
Claire’s whole body shook and trembled as he slapped her hand from her face and plucked at the tiny splinter of glass in her cheek.
“All gone,” He smiled and showed her the bit of glass as proof. “How about I walk you home now?”
“That’s okay,” Claire’s voice wavered. “My friends are waiting for me back at Common Grounds.”
“Your friends?” Dylan was angry again. “Only your friends can walk you home?”
“No, that’s not what I meant –”
“Am I not your friend?” He shoved Claire again, and her head hit the wall another time. “Am I? Am I Claire?”
Claire screamed. It was a loud, ear-splitting scream that actors would have to practise for in movies. Dylan was taken by surprise and he moved back just a little. Claire broke past him and she started in a flat out run back towards the safety of Common grounds.
“Claire!” She heard Dylan scream her name, and she glanced back for a brief few seconds. The brief few seconds would cost Claire her life.
A cat ran out from a nearby house and hissed at Claire as she neared it. Claire yelped and tripped over a loose rock as she tried to dodge the cat.
She tumbled face-first into the floor and she gasped as she tried to pick herself up again. A heavy weight was placed on her back and she thrashed around.
“Get off!” She screamed. “Get off, get off!”
Dylan struggled and grabbed her hands, pinning them above her head as he rolled her over onto her back.
“Stop running Claire,” He sighed, and he almost seemed upset. “Just stop running. Give in. It’s best for all of us.”
“No!” She screamed again and with a low growl, Dylan pressed a hand to her mouth. Her screams came out muffled and she was certain that no one would hear her pleas for help now.
“This is how it has to be,” Dylan spoke as if he were in a dream, and his eyes glittered making him look alien-like.
“Amelie will kill you for this,” Claire managed to say with his hand pressed to her mouth.
“Amelie will burn in hell,” Dylan snarled. “You all will. This is a revolution, Claire. Morganville is going to change, for the benefit of humans. I just need your help.”
“You’re crazy!” Claire screamed and shook her head violently. The pressure on her mouth died away and she felt hot and sticky and she could feel the salt from Dylan’s sweat on her lips. “You’re full on crazy!” Dylan ignored her comment.
“I know why the town was evacuated, Claire. I know that you helped destroy the only thing that the vampires were scared of. With the Draug gone, there is nothing to stand up against the vampires except us!”
“How do you what Draug are?” Claire cried. “You told me you thought it was a toxic spill! How could you have found out about them?”
“I know a lot more than you would think,” Dylan’s maniac grin made Claire want to vomit and she was sure that she was going to pass out from the amount of times she’d been hit in the back of the head.
“That’s enough,” Claire heard someone say. Dylan froze and stared down at Claire. “Get off her. I need her alive, for now.”
“You said I could have her,” Dylan said.
“Once I have gotten everything I need from her, she is all yours. Now, get off.”
Slowly and reluctantly, Dylan moved off Claire’s stomach.
She scrambled backwards and picked herself off the ground.
“No,” Claire shook her head as she took big steps back.
Naomi sighed, “Dylan. You disobeyed me.”
“What do you mean?” He asked her, a frantic pitch in his voice. “I did everything I was told!”
“I told you not to harm Claire,” Naomi shook her head as she stared at the blood that had stained Claire’s cheek. “So what is that?”
“It.. It was an accident. I’m sorry, My Queen.”
“You are, a disappointment,” Naomi sighed and she blurred next to Dylan. Claire heard the sickening snap, and Dylan’s dead body fell to the floor. His eyes were still open, and they stared widely at Claire.
What did I do? They seemed to ask.
Claire gagged and she heard a strangled cry escape from her lips. Naomi looked at her and smiled. She took in a deep breath of air.
“It’s nice to be home,” She purred and strode towards Claire. “Go on. Tell my sister of my return.” She grinned, showing sharp fangs. “Tell Amelie to prepare her army, because I am here to rip out her throat.”
Well, shit.
[External link for sequel.]