She would have done anything to take it back, but it was too late, and it hit him like a punch in the face. He's been hurt so much. Why did I do that? Why ...
Michael was there, all of a sudden and stepped in between them. He threw a glance over his shoulder at Shane. "I'll do it. " He was blocking Eve and Shane's view. Before Claire could do anything to stop him -- as if she could do anything -- he grabbed her left hand and pulled the sleeve up to her elbow.
He stared at the gold bracelet for a paralyzing second before turning her arm first one way, then the other. Then pulling her sleeve back down over the tell-tale jewelry evidence.
"She's fine, " he said, and met her eyes. "She's telling the truth. I'd know if a vampire had bitten her. I'd feel it. "
Shane's mouth opened, then closed. He took another step back, stared at her for a second, then walked away. Eve called, "Hey, how about taking some of your crap back upstairs, if you're planning on staying?"
"Later, " Shane snapped, and went upstairs without looking back.
"I'd better go talk to him, " Claire said. Michael kept hold of her arm.
"No, " he said. "First, you'd better talk to me. "
He hustled her toward the kitchen. Behind them, Eve said, "Just another great family dinner. Whatever! I'm taking the last hot dog!"
Even with the kitchen door shut, Michael wasn't taking any chances. He pulled Claire along with him to the pantry, opened the door, and turned on the light. "Inside, " he ordered. She stepped in, and he shut the door after her. It was cramped with two people, and it smelled like old spices and vinegar, from where Shane had dropped the bottle a few weeks back. Michael's voice dropped to a fierce hiss. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What I had to, " she said. She was shaking all over, but she wouldn't let Michael intimidate her. She was tired, and besides, everybody seemed to be trying to intimidate her these days. She was small, she wasn't weak. "It was the only way. Amelie -- "
"You should have talked to me. Talked to us. "
"Like you came clean with us, when you were a ghost? And did you have a house meeting before you decided to go all the way to vampire?" Claire shot back. "Right. Well, you're not the only one who can make choices, Michael. This was mine, I made it, I'll live with it. And it'll keep all of you safe. "
"Who says?" Michael asked bluntly. "Amelie? You're trusting vampires now?"
She didn't look away from his big blue eyes. "I trust you. "