Chapter 6

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the story, I appreciate it . I do not update regularly as work keeps me busy .

For Jane.E & Neliz DB Love

Amelie pressed the secret button to open the door leading out onto the main landing. As Claire moved towards the door she noticed Amelie's lips moving as if whispering. The bodyguard nodded and confirmed Claire's suspicion. She wanted to ask him what Amelie had said but he was not a man, well vampire of many words. She also knew that the vampire only protected her from Monica because she was under Amelie's protection. If it wasn't for the bracelet around her wrist, he would not have interfered. Even though the vampires ran the town, they did not intervene in the lives of the non fanged Morganville residents unless it involved the safety of the vampire community. Some of the vampires might even have enjoyed seeing Monica attack her, vampires like Ysandra for instance.

The bodyguard passed her and without looking at her asked for her to follow him. She instinctively knew that she would soon know what Amelie whispered to him. He lead her down the stairs and they passed Monica . Monica's face was still full of malice and Claire mused that Monica was far from finished with her.

Monica was sitting in Michael's chair with her legs draped over the armrest. She looked almost regal, but she tried too hard resulting in her attitude as spoilt princess betraying the image. She was busy filing her nails for what Claire thought must be for dramatic effect. The spoiled – so dramatic!

The bodyguard led Claire through the kitchen and out into the back garden. The stench of the fires were no longer present in the cool breeze. The horizon showed no sign of the destruction that occurred earlier that evening. Claire's thoughts drifted to the days before the war started; Michael in his chair with his guitar, Eve ranting about work and Shane. Shane Collins is after all the first boy she loves, loved, she corrected herself. The image of her and Shane on the couch was clear in her mind. He would stroke her legs as he lay with his head on her lap. His touch was gentle yet rugged. She wanted to be with Shane, wanted him to be her first and only but Michael made sure that they restrain themselves from their desires. In the past she resented Michael for keeping them from moving to the next level of the relationship but now she was sure it was the right thing to do. The situation would have been so much worse if she had given in to temptation. She could not help but think whether Shane and Eve were having intercourse. Did he touch Eve like he touched her?

"Claire", the bodyguard called her back to the present.

"Yes", she answered softly with a sigh.

"Before we start the rescue mission Amelie would like me to teach you combat skills". The thought of her battling it out with a vampire was almost comical, but he was not smiling. He was serious and soon she would have to wake up to the true effects of the war. With her small frame she was no match for Monica so they might as well stick a lable on her, vamp chow now with 100 % more Claire. He watched, waiting for her reaction but continued after a minute of silence.

"The storm is coming Claire. Amelie wants to give you a fighting chance if you are ever in danger. You are vital to restoring peace to Morganville" His words like years seemed to mature her. She had a duty and responsibility towards Amelie and now was the time to man up. Man up she thought and smiled.

"As you know a stake will not kill an old vampire. It will merely paralyze an old vampire. However staking a young vampire will be fatal".

"How old does a vampire have to be?", Claire asked.

"If Michael Glass were to be staked he would surely die". The bodyguard spoke in a toneless voice and Claire felt the shivers running up her spine. How could he be so impassive? As soon as the thought crossed her mind she answered herself, he is a warrior. He was use to death and people dying, he is a vampire so predator instincts comes standard but Claire imagined that human soldiers would have the same impassive tone when it comes to death. Seeing people die regularly must affect a person. She could not see herself getting use it. She was hunted more than once since moving to Morganville. She still faces it every time she is in a room with Myrnin. For the second time that evening she felt older. As if she has made giant leaps in age. She looked towards the rowan tree and tried to stand tall.

"Ok I'm ready", she said fighting the quiver in her voice.

The bodyguard nodded and removed a stake from it's sleeve. It shined with the light of the moon. Pure silver with Amelie's emblem on it. It was beautiful and dangerous. The tip of the stake ended in a sharp point. It appeared almost liquefied in the moonlight. As beautiful as it is she knew the destruction it can cause. In her mind's eye she saw Amelie lying on the floor with a similar looking stake lodged in her chest. At that moment reality became a burden and Claire could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She did not want this. She did not want to learn how to end a life. She is still a teenager. How could Amelie expect this of her.

Claire wanted to go home. She wanted Shane to hug her and tell her it was going to be ok. Like the wave of maturity crashed over her so did the wave of fragileness. She felt like the small girl scared of the dark. The only difference is back then there was nothing in the dark but now, now the dark hid numerous dangers. Her own death or the death of those dear to her was imminent .

She wiped away the tears and stared at the bodyguard. She did not want to know his name. She did not want to think about whether he would survive. Thinking of him as a nameless bodyguard would somehow make it easier if he were to die the eternal death. She nodded back to him and knew what people meant when they say a part of them died. A part of her had died that night, her innocence.

I hope you like it and that it was at least worth the wait. I will try to update this as often as possible