The Morganville Vampires Series: Final Goodbyes

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

CLAIRE

"They'll be ok, Claire," Shane whispered, "I promise."

Claire, feeling distraught, looked into his eyes and, despite her aching throat, whispered, "we may never see them again, Shane. How is that ok?"

"You'll just have to trust Jesse and Oliver to keep the babies safe. And you'll have to trust me that we'll see them again when we get out of this." Shane squeezed her hand.

They were tied up in the basement of the Glass House along with Myrnin, Eve and Michael. They gave Oliver and Jesse a momentary distraction, so they had time to take the babies away from the danger.

"Where's Sam?" Claire whispered.

"Is that what you're thinking about?" Eve asked her. "Where Sam is? Shouldn't you be thinking about how to get out of this mess? I know I am - but you're the 'genius'."

Claire swallowed down the soar lump in her throat. "What makes you think that I'm not?"

"Yes, Claire has a point," Myrnin spoke softly, making them jump, "if Samuel was to appear, he could get us out of this mess."

"Calm down, will you?" Sam suddenly materialised. "I was making sure that Melissa could hold the protection for Amelie. They've got her locked in the secret room and... they're slowly harming her. She'll be ok though. Amelie is a strong lady, she will heal from their wounds in due course." Sam looked at Claire. "Eve's right: you are a genius, Claire."

"Just untie us." Claire ordered him, not in the mood for compliments.

Sam followed through on his order and untied them all. "Quietly, get into Eve's hearse- hang on!" He shushed them. "They're coming!" He whispered, "pretend that you're still tied up!" Sam dematerialised as Hiram and Ada entered the basement.

"I said I'll help you, if you helped me to kill her," Ada said, grinning at Claire, "should be a piece of cake for you."

Hiram looked hard at Claire. "Wait a minute... You!" He shouted at Claire, who got up slowly as she was still holding Carrie. "You tresspassed on my home! You lived within my walls! I should have killed you again when I had the chance."

"Would have done," Claire whispered croakily, "but for some reason that room..."

"That's where Melissa is her strongest - some pathetic bond happened in that room." Hiram said as he growled at Claire.

"That's where Sam proposed to me." Melissa told everyone as she materialised. "That was where I told Sam I was pregnant." Claire could understand why that room was so protective - in more of a magical sense rather than a scientific sense.

"Oh," Hiram rolled his dead, black eyes, "hold your tongue."

Claire spotted a small, pale figure in the corner of the basement, standing behind Ada and Hiram. It was Miranda and when she had Claire's attention, she mouthed, "Claire! Run!"

Claire looked at Shane and then at the others. She locked eyes with Eve and, when no one was looking, she made a gesture for driving. Eve seemed to get the message. So did everyone but Hiram and Ada. There was noise from above them. Hiram and Ada, confused, began to make judgement of their actions and started to move to check it out. Claire slowly counted to three in her head. And that's when it all kicked off.

"Oliver and Jesse are back." Miranda explained as they all jumped to their feet.

Myrnin charged ahead, clearing the way for the rest of them. He then rushed them out of the door and to the hearse. Eve jumped in the driver's seat with Myrnin sitting in the front, whilst Shane, Michael and Claire sat in the back.

"Quick," Myrnin ordered, "to my lab!" Eve put her foot down. "Claire, I do hope your brain is fuctioning well. I will need your help - if the machine isn't in pieces - we will reverse the effects."

"What are you talking about?" Shane asked, angrily.

"I will modify my machine to do the opposite of its purpose." Myrnin tried to explain.

Shane just looked at Claire, who croaked out, "send ghosts back."

"Ah," Shane understood Claire in three words unlike Myrnin's twelve,

"Don't worry, Collins," Myrnin answered, "Amelie, Jesse and Oliver will join us as soon as they can get away."  When they pulled up, they all piled out of Eve's hearse and stood outside the lab.

Claire , "but the machine is broken."

"The roof fell into the entrance of the hole - not where the machine is kept." Myrnin explained. "I will need to take you down there with me, Claire. I will need your assistance."

"What about the gas?" Michael asked.

"There's no way Claire's going down there." Shane demanded.

"The gas has stopped," Myrnin told them, "and the remaining gas is floating around the lab. It's only a small amount but you may want to get checked out again - all of you - and take the babies outside. Claire, can wear a special suit and gas mask I own. Also, her medication will still be fighting off the gas."

"No," Shane put his foot down, "I almost lost her a couple days ago. Look at her, she is too weak to start working. You're putting the babies at risk." Shane was trying to not shout. "You can wait until Amelie, Oliver or Jesse get here."

"Eve," Michael turned to her, "make a turn. We'll go to Founder's Square and get some more help."

 Five minutes away from the lab, Eve slammed on the brakes and the hearse skidded to a halt. Ada was standing in the middle of the road.

"Just run her over!" Michael demanded. "Eve, she's dead already."

"What if it's a trick?" Eve questioned.

"Probably is." Shane agreed what Claire was thinking.

"She may come into the vehicle if you drive through her." Myrnin pointed out. "It's a real shame. Ada was once a sweet, innocent young woman, but she was also very cunning and determined. When she wanted something, she got it and would never have to share it. For her, it was her way of life - it was how she was raised."

"Yeah, yeah," Shane rolled his eyes, "princess troubles. We get it. We have princess troubles right now."

"Yeah," Eve agreed, "the royal b-"

"Please!" Myrnin cut her off. "Maybe if I spoke to her..." He opened the car door and Claire heard him murmur, "forgive me Jesse."

Michael climbed into the front seat. The four of them sat watching as Myrnin walked towards Ada, calling her name. She was smiling at him - not an evil smile, but a friendly one. He bowed to her and then took her hand and kissed it. Old fashioned manners, Claire guessed.

Ada said something and Myrnin locked gazes with her. Myrnin the pulled her close to his frame and kissed her like he had been longing for her touch for a century.

"That isn't talking to her!" Eve cried.

"Shush," Claire said, feeling like Myrnin had an alternative motive, "when he pushes her out of the way, speed by."

Myrnin kissed all the way to the sidewalk and manged to turn her back to them. His eyes were open and focused on the four of them whilst he was kissing Ada. Myrnin made a small gesture with his hand to indicate that they drive on without him.