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

Mortal Danger

Chapter 8 – Mortal Danger

"Wait. What? Where?" Again with the one word sentences. I shook my head to clear it. "You want me to fly to Europe with you? Tonight?!" I stuttered, still not believing I heard him correctly. What could we possibly do in Conwy that would save Amelie's life?

"We don't have time to spare," Myrnin answered me, his eyes hard. I saw Oliver cringe in my peripheral vision, at the cruel reality of Myrnin's words.

"I can't just fly to another country with you," I whispered, trying to make Myrnin understand.

"Claire," Amelie whispered so softly that I barely heard her. Her words caused Oliver to rush back to her head.

"Yes?" I asked Amelie, my eyes wide.

"He needs you. You will go with him. That is an order." She may have been lying immobile on her deathbed, but there was no doubting the authority of her words. I looked up at Oliver's angry glare and shivered. I knew he would quite literally rip my head from my shoulders if I did not cooperate completely and unconditionally.

Resigned, I answered her, "Yes." I turned to gather the remaining equipment and the sample. I had no idea what we were going to do with it now that we were leaving. I shifted the items in my arms as I walked toward the door, muttering to myself, "There is no such thing as life or death, only science."

Before my brain could even catch up with his movements, Myrnin caught me in the doorway, spun me around to face him and held both of my arms, tightly. I tried to stifle my startled cry at the shock of his behavior and the pain he was inflicting with his relentless grip. I was stunned at the complete altercation of his mood. My eyes flickered to Oliver who looked equally surprised as he watched with an intensity that was making it hard for me to breathe. Or maybe that was a result of Myrnin's grip on me. His eyes were wild as he practically snarled, "Where did you hear that?"

I tried to control my shaking and forced my brain to come up with a reason for his obvious distress. I came up blank and whispered, "What?"

"That sentence: 'There is no such thing as life or death, only science'. Who told you that?!" Myrnin hissed intently, a muscle in his jaw clenching.

"My professor," I breathed in confusion, trying to keep the tears that threatened to fall, inside of my eyes. Recognition that he was scaring, and probably hurting me, came into Myrnin's eyes. He loosened the severity of hold on my arms, but did not let me go. His intensity did not diminish even an ounce as he advanced on me, forcing me to walk backward through the door.

Over his shoulder, I saw Oliver kiss Amelie's hair gently and then purposefully get up to joins us. His eyes narrowed in calculation, his face was the mask of a man at war. Oliver shut the door behind us and Myrnin grilled me again harshly, "What is his name?"

"Professor Trey Silver," I mumbled, a wayward tear making it past my eyelashes and down my cheek.

Myrnin immediately let me go and spoke softer, "What does he look like?"

Now that he was giving me some breathing room, I pushed my brain to think carefully. I had only met Professor Silver once, on the first day of school. "He is a little shorter than you. He has blonde hair and green eyes...which felt revealing and secretive at the same time," I tried to explain, remembering the Professor's unusual eyes.

Myrnin hissed furiously.

"Who?" Oliver interjected flatly through gritted teeth.

"Ciro," another hiss escaped Myrnin's lips.