Carpe Corpus Page 0,82

be jealous, love. You're the only girl for me." Myrnin strode up to the keyboard, through Ada's two-dimensional form, and Claire saw Ada make a startled face and turn toward him.

"What are you doing?" she demanded. "Myrnin!"

"Fixing you, hopefully," he said. "Claire."

She headed for his side, but Ada turned on her, and the prim Victorian image turned into . . . something else. Something dark and corrupt and horrible, snarling at her.

She flinched and veered off, but Myrnin's hand reached out and grabbed her to drag her in, past Ada. "Ignore her," he said. "She's in a mood." Myrnin tapped symbols, then uncovered the sharp needle on the control panel, and slammed his hand down on the point. "Ada. You will no longer accept commands from Mr. Bishop; do you understand me?"

"He was nicer to me," Ada said sulkily. "He gave me better blood."

"Better than mine? I believe I'm offended."

Ada's giggle sounded like a rattle of tinfoil. "Well, you haven't been yourself, you know. But you taste much better now, Myrnin. Almost like your old self."

"Imagine that. Well, then, I promise that you'll get all the lovely sweet blood you'd like from me, if you will block Bishop from access, my sweet."

Ada made a long, drawn-out humming sound, as if she was thinking, and then she finally said, "Well . . . all right. But you have to give me a full pint."

"I haven't moved my hand at all, my dear. Drink away." He let almost a minute go by, then gestured to Claire to come closer. "Nearly done, Ada?"

"Mmmmmm." Ada sighed. "Yes. Delicious. I feel ever so much - What are you doing?"

He yanked his hand off the panel, grabbed Claire's, and slammed it down on the needle. She knew better than to try to fight him this time, just winced and bit her lip and tried not to wonder if, say, having Myrnin's blood infecting hers would have any nasty side effects, like a sudden craving for blood and an allergy to the sun.

"Sorry," he said, not as if he was, and altered his voice again to that velvety, dark, seductive tone. "Ada, my love?"

No answer.

"Ada, Claire is my very good friend, and I really must insist that she have the same access I do."

Ada made a retching sound.

"Ada."

"No."

He sighed. "List for me who has access to the system, please."

Ada said, "There are currently six individuals with full access to the portals, not including you. I have removed Mr. Bishop, because you asked so very nicely. That leaves Amelie, Oliver, Michael, Claire, Jason, and Dean. Although Claire is no good for you, Myrnin. You should eat her immediately."

"Thank you, I shall think that over." He frowned down at the console. "Jason. Jason Rosser? Why did I not know this? And who is Dean?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Ada said, and laughed. Myrnin blinked.

"She's not supposed to do that, right?" Claire asked.

"Right. Oh dear. I think that my blood might have carried an infection deep into her systems. This may be a very bad thing."

"Can't you give her the cure?"

"It's not quite that simple," Myrnin said, and shifted his focus again. "Ada, my love? Can you tell me how Jason and Dean have access to the system?"

"Sam Glass gave it to Jason," she said. "But not full access, of course. Just to use open portals. Dean is Jason's friend. I revoked Sam's access, obviously. Because he's no longer functional."

Claire fidgeted uncomfortably. The white-hot pain in her hand was starting to eat away at her calm. "Um - Myrnin, can I please stop now?" She figured that Ada must have drained at least a pint by now.

"Please," Ada said. "I don't like your blood anyway." She made a computerized spitting sound. Claire yanked her hand away in relief and cradled it against her chest, squeezing her fist tight to stop the bleeding. "Disgusting. Too sweet."

Claire stuck her tongue out at the computer.

"I saw that."

"Good," she snapped. "Where did Bishop go?"

"Why should I - "

"Ada!" Myrnin's voice cracked across the computer's sulky response, and she went quiet. "I want you to block access to the portals for anyone except me, Amelie, Oliver, Michael, and Claire. Do you understand?"

"I'm not your slave." Ada's image flickered, then went out completely.

"I'm sorry," Myrnin said, and put his hands on the machine, almost like a caress. "My dear, I will come back and talk to you soon, and we'll work all this out. But you must promise me this. It's