The Stars Lie {Myrnin, Morganville Vampires}

Scary Bitch

Chapter 52 –Her Myrnin's POV– Scary Bitch

Stepping out of the lab and into the night air, changed us. I felt the transformation. I know Rhysian did as well, because his behavior mimicked mine. He slunk into a lower posture. Deadly intent whispered violent promises through his crimson eyes, as he scanned the horizon for threats. He murmured, "My vehicle or on foot?"

"On foot," I answered grimly. "We need to intercept him – preferably before he gets us both killed – and he will be traveling away from the roads, using as much cover as the landscape can provide."

Rhysian grunted his agreement, a small rumble in the back of his throat. We broke into a flat out sprint. Rhysian hung back a step so that he could follow my direction. Our volatile speed did not hinder him from quietly asking, "Where are we headed?"

"If she is still there, it is a run-down house in an even more run-down district on the outskirts of town. If we travel quickly enough, I expect we will connect with him about ten blocks away from the house, giving us the opportunity to coordinate an attack out of listening range."

We careened through the terrain of trees, well-manicured grass and shrubs, as we navigated around small obstacles – houses and such – cutting as straight a path as possible to our intended destination.

The residential neighborhood gave way. We quickly advanced on a small strip mall, devoid of lights, the doors locked tight for the night. The buildings were compacted together with shared walls, making it impossible to do anything other than follow the sidewalk for the length of them.

"Claire said he killed one of them?" Rhysian interrupted the silence. "So that just leaves Scary Bitch and the Slim One? Shouldn't be that bad, right?" His hardened expression disagreed with his casual words. He had faced Anwyn before and understood what he was running towards.

I didn't answer and gave him a look.

He sighed heavily, "I was afraid you might say that."

We jutted harshly to the right, down an alley, and back on course toward our destination. My attention kept drifting between the path we were on and the route my alter-ego was taking; making automatic course corrections as he changed directions.

Rhysian murmured, "What happened at Michael's? Amelie advised he wasn't dead, which I found surprising, but she did not elaborate."

"I spoke with Amelie, while Claire was...gone," I lapsed into a short growl at the end. The words came out a little too harshly, my irritation over Claire's jail visit still present in my voice. "It was clear they didn't intend to kill him. They disappeared after leaving a souvenir stake in his chest, but not a lethal wound, which they could have easily inflicted while he was unconscious."

"Oh, she does intend to kill him," Rhysian disagreed quietly. "She was just waiting for Claire to become hyperaware of her little cat-mouse, crazy-as-a-loon jealous, punishment scheme first."

My gut twisted; all irritation over Claire's stubbornness drained out of me, as I faced the truth again.

This was my fault.

I had put her life in danger. Again. And not just from the monster that I can be. No, this time, I had to make her vulnerable to a monster ten times my equivalent – a creatively vengeful female vampire, with a penchant for theatrics.

My step faltered as the weight of that knowledge bore down on me. Rhysian must have recognized my silence and broken gait, because he grabbed my arm and yanked us both faster. "We don't have time for that now," he spoke harshly.

No we didn't. He was right. But if we made it; if we live through this terror, I would spend a lifetime – Claire's lifetime – trying to make it up to her.