New Horizon [Morganville]

Chapter One

Claire Danvers’s mobile phone vibrated violently on her bedside table.

She had ignored it three times already, and this was the fourth time it had rung. She slowly reached for her phone and squinted down at the bright, blue screen. It was only typical, her crazy vampire boss, Myrnin, was calling her. Claire had deliberately ignored him for almost an entire week now, since he had let her and her friends believe that the draug, a vicious species that hunts and kills vampires, had killed her boyfriend, Shane. He had lied.

Claire pressed her thumb over the ignore button and she let the mobile drop to the floor. She took a moment to stare into nothingness, and then she turned on her side to find that Shane wasn’t asleep next to her. Probably not a good thing. She sat up suddenly and stared at the empty space in the bed. Shane had done a rough job of pulling the covers up, and it was easy to tell that someone had slept there recently.

It was only eight in the morning.

It was only normal for Shane to be sleeping in for another three or four hours, and it struck Claire as completely unusual that her boyfriend was missing from her bedroom. Quietly, accustomed to the Morganville behaviour, Claire slid out of the bed and softly walked out of her room. Her feet padded softly against the wooden floors, and she neared the closed bathroom door.

“Yeah?” Shane called out once he had heard the knock, his voice low and husky. 

Claire sighed in relief. “Hey, Shane, it’s me. Are you alright in there?” She wasn't waiting long until the door opened to reveal Shane wearing nothing but a pair of faded blue jeans. His hair was damp, as if he had just gotten out of the shower, but Claire couldn’t stop herself from looking at his chest. Shane chuckled, and his hands cupped her face as he brought his lips down to hers. It was the type of kiss that made Claire feel warm inside. "Well, good morning to you too,” she mumbled between kisses. “What are you doing up so early?”

Shane took in a deep breath, and he looked over her head. Anywhere but into her eyes, Claire realised. “I can’t sleep.”

She felt a wave of complete disappointment. Every one of the Glass house residents were struggling with the events that they had gone through, but Shane was suffering the worst. Claire sighed, a small breath of air that escaped from her lips, and she stroked his cheek.

Shane really needed to shave.

“I wish there was something I could do," she said.

"You just being here is all I need," Shane paused for a brief second. "Was that corny?"

"Incredibly," Claire grinned, and she pressed one last kiss to his lips as she stepped past him and into the bathroom. 

"Hey?" He protested, and his eyebrows furrowed. "Wasn't finished."

"Really need a shower. We can finish later."

And then Claire smiled, and she rolled her eyes as she shut the door on Shane's grin.

* * *

When Claire had finished showering and pulled on some jeans and a shirt, she made her way back to her room. It was almost nine by the time she had finished in the bathroom, and Shane had comfortably made himself at home in her bed. His feet still stuck out from under the sheets and Claire laughed. She climbed back into the bed with him, kicked off her shoes, and snuggled in close to the warmth of his chest when she felt the vibration.

“What the hell?” Claire blurted, and she jerked upright. 

Shane's grin was wicked. Satisfied that he had startled her, he pulled the phone out from beneath the thin sheets. “Count Dorcula is trying to reach you.”