The Stars Lie {Myrnin, Morganville Vampires}

Your Desire is Breathtaking

Chapter 41 –Claire's POV– Your Desire Is Breathtaking

His eyes turned dark. "I've given you room. At what moment am I to accept you simply won't have me? Is this the appointed time? Do you really want me to walk away?"

"I don't know." She whispered again in agony. She wanted him – with every fiber of her being. She just didn't know how to let go of the dream she carried for so long. It was painfully obvious to her now, that her dream was over, so why didn't she feel free?

"As you wish." Anger flashed over his features as he strode toward the door.

For a moment, Claire was afraid. His eyes were tinged with red; hunger radiated from his expression. She knew this look. He was going to hunt.

Claire ran for the door to stop him. It was a dangerous maneuver. At any second, he could lose control and she would become the prey."You can't do this...." She pleaded.

"Do what?" He growled.

Claire's anger surfaced, "Don't pretend I am stupid. I know you better than anyone. Maybe better than you know yourself." She implored him to listen to her. "You can't...hunt."

He spun to face her and Claire took an involuntary step back; his eyes were fully red now. "What if it isn't blood that I have a taste for?" he sneered.

Her heart stopped. "What?" Claire whispered, struggling under the onslaught of pain when she imagined him with someone else. Images of Anwyn in his arms plagued her.

"You have made your intentions and affections – or rather, lack of them – perfectly clear." He spat. "So, I think it is time I stopped listening to you and exactly the right time to indulge my...more primal desires."

She was finding it difficult to breathe. Before she recovered her vocal capacity, he disappeared and was gone. "No!" she cried to an empty room.

She panted as she struggled to control the panic attack that consumed her. She had to find him. Stop him. But was that fair to him? If she couldn't let go of the pain of one lost dream, shouldn't she let him go? Let him move on.

He could have any woman he desired simply by compelling them to do what he wanted. She wondered briefly why he never did that with her. A stray thought pushed itself to the surface of her consciousness: would it make it easier if she asked him to compel her? Her Myrnin was gone to her forever; why was she still holding on? No. She told herself forcefully. She had to mend her broken heart on her own.

Claire grabbed her bag from the counter, assuming he would have returned her phone to it. She dug frantically and let out an exasperated cry when her fingers seemed to touch everything but her phone. She dumped the bag over in frustration, the contents spilling out, including her elusive phone.Her hands trembled as she tried to get Rhysian on the line. "Rhysian, I need you!"

"What happened?!" The dread in his tone made his words come out so quickly, Claire had to work to follow him. "Are you okay...Is it Myrnin?!"

"Yes...it's Myrnin." Her throat clenched at the mention of Myrnin's name. "Please hurry." The phone clicked silent in her ear.

Impossibly, she heard the rev of an engine pull up just a few moments later. She took off running toward the dark car. She felt Rhysian's arms around her before she even saw him exit the car.

"What?! Bebe'...what is it?!"

"It's Myrnin. We — "

Claire hesitated, trying to find the right words.

"—fought."

Rhysian raised his eyebrows in question. He knew there was more.

"Oh, Rhysian." Claire's face crumbled and she buried her head in his chest as her words tumbled out. "He wants more...I think I want that as well, but...but..."