The Stars Lie {Myrnin, Morganville Vampires}

Goodbyes

Chapter 53 –Claire's POV– Goodbyes

Claire sat alone in the dark, listening only to her lung's hitched breathing; the sound echoing loudly in her ears, against the silence in the room. Her heart cringed under the assault of panic that threatened to consume her. Calm down she instructed herself. It had only been an hour and a half since he had kissed her goodbye. Since she told him she loved him. Since he had gone to help 1409 Myrnin. 1409 Myrnin, her heart constricted again. Was he safe? He was her rock; he had picked up all of the broken pieces of her and put her back together again. She couldn't lose him. Not now.

The sound of the doorknob being turned, made her jump to her feet as Rhysian walked into the lab. "RHYSIAN!" she called and ran into his arms. Her joy was immediately cut short. Myrnin – neither version – was with him. "Rhysian?" her voice choked off.

He stared at her, his eyes in agony, full of grief and sorrow. Claire looked down to his chest, trying to identify the red stains on his shirt. Somewhere in the back of her mind, hidden along with her worst nightmares, she knew what they were, but she refused to allow for any possibility other than they were both safe and sound. But where were they? Why weren't they here? Her subconscious screamed. And why was Rhysian looking at her as if he were staring up out of a grave?

"No, Rhysian. No—"

He stood silently, a tear slipping down his cheek.

Claire's voice raised an octave, "Rhysian...Are they dead? Did they DIE?! She screamed, beating him in the chest with both fists, as if her violence could force the answer she wanted, out of him.

"Bebe'—"he wrapped his arms around her. She writhed in his grip. "No, they are not dead." His voice broke.

She stopped fighting him and searched his eyes, desperate to find any glimpse of hope in their depths. She found none. A tight band of steel wrapped around her heart and squeezed unmercifully as he whispered, "They are gone."

She shook her head violently at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No...no...they can't be."

"Anwyn...surprised us. Six highly-trained vampires emerged from a time portal after we arrived. They shot crossbows as they emerged. It was...too fast...too many. She took them."

"NO!" Claire screamed as she fell limp in his arms. Her wailing continued in an unbroken stream of tortured syllables, high and piercing, as Rhysian held her. Suddenly, her breathing choked off and a gurgling sound suffocated her cries.

Rhysian picked her up and ran to the couch in a blur. He sat next to her, holding both of her shoulders, forcing Claire to look at him, as he commanded, "Breathe with me!"

Claire's eyes were terrified. No sound came out of her lips. Her brain felt muddled due to the increasing lack of oxygen and her eyelids fluttered.

"Now, Bebe! Breathe with me! NOW!" Rhysian roared at her.

It took every last bit of strength Claire had, to lock onto the ice blue eyes that had been her lifeline for so many months. She didn't think; just allowed her body to remember the hundreds of times she had done this before. Her panting gradually slowed; still without regular rhythm, but enough to regain control of her lungs.

Rhysian waited and then walked her through what happened, step by step, including Anwyn's instructions at the end. Claire's eyes began to twist in anger and hatred. "That bitch wants to see me again? She'll see me," Claire swore fervently. "We need to go to Amelie, now."

Rhysian nodded as they walked to the portal and Claire opened the connection to Founders Square. The sun was coming up. Claire's body was beginning to feel the effects of extreme fatigue. She hadn't slept in almost twenty-four hours. They waited while someone called Amelie. She arrived thirty minutes later.