New Start (Morganville Vampires)

Chapter 17

I woke up all of a sudden. Something was wrong. I felt hot, and nothing felt right. Everything looked out of place. Nothing looked how it had been when I had fallen asleep. Something felt wrong inside of me.

I bolted upright, and grabbed my phone, but I had not messages.

I got up and put some clothes on. I quickly brushed my hair, and wrote a note to Michael, and placed it on the kitchen table, where he would see it in the morning when he got up.

Something's wrong. Gone to find Myrnin.

I vamped my way around the streets, dimly lit with warm orange urban lights. The lights didn't feel warm or reassuring tonight. They felt cold, and they seemed even dimmer than usual. More lights seemed to have gone out.

I turned the corner onto the street leading to Myrnin's alley. I slowed down. There was a smell of smoke drifting in the air. Not just a thin smoky smell, but a thick smell that made you gag, smelling of burning chemicals, wood, and metal. Then I saw it.

Down the alley, there was a fire licking above the trees, and there were a few people gathered around the entrance to the alley.

'No!' I shouted, and ran towards the alley.

The shack over the top of Myrnin's place was collapsing, flames licking from the stairs out of the doorway. I could feel the heat of the fire from the entrance to the alley. People moved away from me as I barged past them.

The heat was getting stronger, and the fire was raging on. I put my hand in my pocket to pick out my phone, to call 911, but I had left it at home.

'Myrnin!' I shouted, shading my eyes and edging towards the hut.

'He won't hear you.' A voice said from behind me. I spun around.

Oliver was lurking in the shade of the trees, turning something over in his hands. 'Here.' He said, throwing what was in his hands to me. It was a lighter. 'Have it as a keepsake.'

I snarled and lunged at him, but I changed my mind. I wasn't going to strike out at him. That what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to show Amelie that I couldn't be trusted.

I turned back around to the hut, which was hardly holding itself up.

Traditionally, vampires are afraid of fire. Maybe it was because of its heat, maybe because of the blinding light that it gave off.

I was a vampire, and maybe I should have been afraid, but Myrnin was in there. And I had to get him.

I put my hood up ofer my head, and charged into the flames. I could feel them against my body, burning my skin, but I carried on.

'Myrnin!' I screamed, running down the steps. 'Myrnin!'

The flames were worse underground. The many tables were burning, and his heaps of books were just fuel to this destructive menace.

I could hardly keep my eyes open. It was so bright, and the smoke was stinging them.

Myrnin was in his chair, his face was blackening with soot. He looked as if he had just fallen asleep, but I knew he hadn't.

'Myrnin!' I screamed, and ran towards him. He didn't move at all.

I wrapped my arm around him, and hoisted him up.

I wasn't tall enough to carry him, and his feet dragged on the floor.

I dragged him up the stairs.

The hut was hardly standing, and it was creaking.

I lost my grip on Myrnin, and I had to hoist him up once again, as the hut gave out a massive creak. I had to get out.

I pulled Myrnin's body up the last step, and into the hut. The flames were still going wild, eating at Myrnin's house.

I got Myrnin out of the hut with one last pull. The hut collapsed straight after us, letting out a thick cloud of dust, further fuelling the fire.

I pulled Myrnin out of the alley, and into the shade of some trees, and collapsed on the ground next to his body.

Everyone who was outside before had disappeared, including Oliver.

'Please wake up.' I said, cleaning the soot off of his face.

I heard a vehicle, and a fire truck rushed onto the street, them turned down the alley, completely ignoring us.

I sat up next to Myrnin.

'Please.' I said. 'I need you Myrnin.'

Myrnin didn't move at all.

I stayed sat next to him, and sobbed.

The sun was beginning to come up, luckily we were in a shaded area. But I didn't want to be out in the sun. My skin was coated in burns, my clothes full of holes. I couldn't stay out for much longer.

I grabbed hold of Myrnin's stone cold, stiff hand. 'I love you.' I sobbed. 'Don't do this to me.'

Myrnin's hand twitched just a little bit, but it definitively moved.

'Myrnin?' I said.

Myrnin's hand moved again. He coughed, and turned his head on its side. 'I'm okay.' He rasped.

I smiled, and kissed his hand.