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

Immortals

Chapter 24 - Immortals

After a quick shower and change of clothes, we sat on the familiar couch and waited for the call, letting us know it was time to leave. Myrnin's head was reclined back with his eyes closed, but I knew he wasn't sleeping. As I stared at his relaxed profile, my earlier questions came to mind. "Myrnin, why did you send Liam to get Eve?"

He looked up at me. "Assuming that the outcome of your challenge with Gwion would be successful, Eve needed to be brought here in preparation for us to depart. However, if things had gone badly..." he cringed visibly at the thought, "I had given Liam instructions and resources to get Eve out of the country."

"That makes sense," I allowed, "- but why Liam?"

Myrnin sat up and studied me, suspecting there was more than casual curiosity behind my questioning. He began carefully, "I needed someone I could trust and there was no one that I trust more than him."

"Uh hmm..." I looked back at him steadily, now fully convinced he was leaving significant facts out of the story. He recognized my posturing, and braced himself for my next question. My eyebrow rose. I suddenly decided to approach the topic from a different angle. "Why did you turn Liam?" I inquired.

My abrupt change in direction surprised him. He hesitated a moment and gave me a perfect non-answer, "Why wouldn't I have changed him?"

Okay, he wanted to be difficult. I suppressed a giggle - because I had years of experience dealing with 'difficult-Myrnin' - and I was just getting started. "How many people, exactly, have you turned?" I asked pointedly, knowing the answer was small. I smiled when he shifted in his seat uncomfortably; it meant I was on the right track.

"I don't exactly recall. I've lived a good many years. Some of the details may have slipped my memory," he said evasively.

"That's an interesting answer, considering we have already had this conversation - of course you were high on red crystals at the time - but nonetheless, we have already covered this territory."

His eyes opened slightly wider at my revelation.

I pressed forward with my point, "- and, even while high - you had stunning clarity when it came to the number of people you have turned in your lifetime."

I saw a muscle flex in his jaw. He knew I had him on this point. I just wondered how far it would get me to what I really want to know - the connection between Liam and Eve.

Admittedly, I was having too much fun with the uncomfortable look on his face, when I held my hands behind my back and murmured, "I am holding up the exact number of fingers that equals the number of people you have turned." I smirked, "So...I guess we both know it's not more than 10. Wanna guess how many fingers I am holding up?" I asked sweetly.

Reluctantly, he admitted, "Nine."

"Yes - exactly nine people - over the course of how many hundred years?" I pushed.

He smirked, "It's not polite to ask a boy his age."

I narrowed my eyes at him, ignoring his response, and continued with my point, "Given the teeny tiny number of people you have turned, you must have had a reason for each and every one of them - and Liam's reason is clearly connected to Eve. Now, are you going to tell me what I want to know?"

"I'm not certain what you mean," he replied innocently.

I tapped my fingers on the couch impatiently and asked, "Are you really going to make me guilt you, into telling me?"

The sides of his mouth turned up slightly at my question. He remained purposefully silent. I sighed and muttered under my breath, "I don't know why you always have to do things the hard way."