“It's not hard to decide what you want your life to be about. What's hard is figuring out what you're willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.”          -Shauna Niequist

Chapter Seven

The nurse made me wait outside. I waited right outside and when the nurse came out she smiled at me. “Claire will be ready soon. The doctor just has to check a few things.” I nodded and called Eve, asking her to be here soon. The nurse brought me a wheel chair and smiled again. “Use this to transport her. She should keep activity to a minimum for a little while.” I nodded and knocked on the door after the doctor left. 

“Come in!” I opened the door and Claire was leaning against the bed. 

“Hey.” I smiled at her and she gave me a weak smile in return. “Hurts?”

“Yeah.” She glanced down nervously. “Um, thanks for....”

“Gina had it coming.” I shrugged and my voice went rigid. 

“No! I mean-yeah. But thanks for staying with me.” She was blushing.

“Oh.” I shrugged and smiled at her. “Well, you’re interesting when you sleep.”

“Stalker!” she teased. 

I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling, “Come on.” I rolled the wheel chair over to her and placed my hands on her hips to help her get in. I wheeled her out and toward the exit. 

“How bad is it? I mean, is it, like, really gross?” 

I smiled, “Unbelievably gross. Horror movie gruesome.”

She groaned, “Oh God.”

My voice came softer, “It’s not so bad. It’s about the size of a quarter. Your teacher guy did a good job chopping up your clothes and getting it away from your skin. I know it hurts like hell, but it could have been worse.” I frowned and slowed down the hall. 

“Do you-do you think she was going to-?”

I tensed, “Pour it all on you? Hell yeah. She just didn’t have time.”

“I guess that was Monica’s payback.”

“Some of it, anyway. She’ll be really pissed now that it didn’t go over the way she thought it would.” She won’t touch her.

She was silent until we reached the door, “Oh.” Her hand shot to cover her mouth in horror and I felt bad. She found out vampires were real a couple days ago and that’s not something a sixteen-year-old girl should have to deal with. “Oh no.” 

“Yeah, well, we’ve got transpo covered, at least. Ready?” She nodded and I took a breath, spotted Eve’s car, and then ran out the door toward it. I opened the door and Claire tried to climb in herself but I picked her up and lifted her in. I kicked the wheel chair away, dove in the car and Eve pulled away. The whole thing might have been a little overly dramatic. I took a deep breath and looked at Claire. She was wincing in pain and I tensed, wishing there was something I could do. Protect her. Right. I had been thinking when I was with Claire. Her threats were Monica, her friends, and Brandon. But Brandon controlled Monica who controlled her friends. I had to get Brandon off her back. Claim her off limits too. I needed to make a deal with him. I told Eve I was just gonna talk to him. “Is he there?” I asked Eve. 

“Yeah. He’s there. But don’t put me in the middle of it. I have to  work there you know.”

“I promise, I won’t tick off your boss.” Eve drove to Common Grounds and I  got out and walked in quickly before anyone could ask questions. I walked up to Oliver. “I’m here to talk to Brandon.” 

“Brandon?” Oliver smiled warmly and gestured to where Brandon was sitting. Something about him didn’t feel right to me. I walked over to Brandon, his eyes following me the whole way. 

“If your here to tell me to leave that goth girl of yours alone, you’re wasting your time.” 

“Eve can take care of herself.” 

Brandon’s brow furrowed then he smiled, “Ah. The other one. You wear her scent all over.” That was creepy...and kind of thrilling.

“Leave her alone.” I clenched my fists. 

“Little Claire...right? She does smell intoxicating and so beautiful, too.” 

“Leave her.”

“Why should I?”

“She’s young. She’s not-”

“Nothing you can say will keep me away. And you just made killing her that more exciting.” 

No. “I’ll make a deal with you.”

“A trade?” That caught his interest. 

“Yes,” I nodded. 

“The terms?”

“Leave her alone, I’ll do whatever you want.” Shit, Shane. Stupid.

“Fine, I’ll leave her alone. But I want two sessions.” 

“Deal.” I got up walked away and, at the doorway, turned back. “Two sessions. If you can catch me.” His eyes flashed red and Oliver stopped him before he tore my throat out. I walked to the car and got in. Eve drove away quickly. Brandon’s confidence worked for me this time. 

“Do we need to be afraid now? Because I’d like a head start before the official terror alert goes up.”

“Nope. We’re clear. Claire’s got a free pass. Nobody’s going to come after her. Including Monica and her sock puppets.”

“But-what? Why?” Claire was confused at glancing at me worridly. 

“We did a trade. Vampires are all about the one-up.”

“You’re such an idiot!” I was waiting for Eve’s outburst. 

“I did what I had to. I couldn’t ask Michael. He wasn’t-” I punched the seat and controlled my anger, “He wasn’t around. Again. I had to do something. Claire wasn’t kidding. They’ll kill her, or at least, they’ll hurt her so bad she’ll wish they would finish it up. I can’t let that happen.” I won’t. 

Claire tried to meet my eyes in the mirror, “Shane? What did you promise?”

“Nothing I can’t afford to lose.” 

“Shane!” Her scream surprised me. I didn’t say anything. Why was she so mad? I saved her. I was protecting her. She cares about you just as much. I told myself to shut up. We pulled up in front of the house. Claire tried to get out herself but I was there and helped her out. Taking great care of her back. She shivered. 

“Cold?” She looked at me and I was completely shocked to see hot desire in her eyes. Oh. 

Then she stopped all of a sudden, “Shane, what did you promise?” She grabbed my forearm and we were close. Really close. So close I didn’t think to pull away from her grip. Kissing close. “You didn’t-do something-”

“Stupid?” I looked down at her hand on my arm and placed mine on top of it. Dammit, this wasn’t right. Sixteen. I pulled away quickly and saw the hurt in her eyes which only became worse as I snapped, “Yeah. That’s what I’m good at. The stupid stuff. Probably for the best; having two big brains in the house might get kinda crowded.” She opened her mouth to respond but I cut her off, “Unless you want to hang a This Vein for Rent sign around your neck, move already!” I ushered her to the door then stopped when I saw Brandon standing under the streetlight. He blew me a kiss then walked away. Damn, I wanted to punch him in the face. I flipped him off then turned to Claire. She wasn’t in the house, but instead watching me. “Don’t you ever stop out there!” I yelled and she flinched. 

“You said I got a free pass!”

“It doesn’t come with a written guarantee!”

“What did you promise him?” Dammit! I slammed the door and pushed past her. How was it that a second ago I was gonna kiss her? Michael stepped in my path.

“Answer her. What the hell did you do, Shane?” Michael asked. 

“Oh, now you care? Where the hell were you, man? I called! I came and looked for you. Hell, I even picked the lock to your room!”

His eyes moved behind me and back, “I had things to do.”

“Dude, today you had things to do? Whatever, man. You weren’t around, and I had to make the call. So I made it.”

“Shane.” Michael grabbed my arm and I refrained from throwing him off. “It sounds like she deserves the answer. We all do.” 

I let out a laugh, short and breathless. I needed to get out. “Ganging up on me with the girls? Low blow, man. Low blow. What happened to male bonding?”

“Eve says you talked to Brandon.”

I took a deep breath and let it go. “Yeah. I did. I had to. I mean-look, they threw acid on her and the damn cops wouldn’t even-I had to go to the source. You taught me that.”

“You made a deal with Brandon.” Understanding flashed in his eyes, “Oh, dammit to hell, Shane. You didn’t.”

I looked down and shrugged, “Dude, it’s done. Don’t make a thing out of it. It’s only twice. And he can’t drain me or anything.”

“Shit!” Michael shouted and hit the wall. “You don’t even know her, man! You can’t make a crusade out of this!” I knew her better than he did. But you didn’t have know about something to care about it. Like a shirt. I may not know what the fuck it’s made out of, but I could never want anything to spill on it. 

“I’m not.”

“She’s not Alyssa.” I froze. He yelled but the silence might as well have muted it. I can’t believe he went there. 

“I know she’s not Alyssa. You need to back the hell of Michael. You need to stop thinking I’m the screwed up kid you knew back then. I know what you’re doing, and you’re not my dad.”

“I’m the closest thing you have to family around here! And I’m not letting you play the hero. Not now.” 

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d step up and watch my back!” I ran upstairs and slammed my bedroom behind me. I punched the wall. Dammit. I don’t care what he said. I did are about Claire. At first it was because she seemed small and fragile. But now, now it was because.... Hell. I don’t know. Liar! Whatever. I liked her. Liked her. There. I’d protect her from Monica and Brandon. I realized something. When I thought of Monica, I didn’t think of Lyssa. When I thought of the vamps, I didn’t think of Mom. I thought of Claire.