Vampire P.I., Double Trouble

*Claire* Darkness. Pure, unadulterated night. I remember a time when I used to fear the dark. It's one of those innate things that is ingrained into you, especially as a child. It's a clear memory in my mind—one of those childhood memories that becomes part of you. I was down in the basement of my family home getting something or another for my parents when a chill ran up the length of my spine. I turned and looked out toward the back door to see what looked like a face peering in through the sliver of glass at the top of the door. I screamed, ran up the stairs as fast as I could, and tripped at the very top, scrambling the last few steps because I was convinced something was chasing after me. My parents, immediately by my side, took me back down the stairs and showed me that there was nothing to be afraid of in the basement. They showed that it was a reflection of lights from a neighbor's house and, the next day, enrolled me in some self-defense classes so I could have the tools I needed to protect myself if I ever felt scared of the dark again. Of course, I am older now and I know there are plenty of things in the dark. There are monsters and evil people in the world, but I know how to protect myself and others now. Knowledge is power. Still, it's amazing how things like this come to mind in the darkness of night. It has been years since I've thought about this memory, and yet here it is, reminding me of how far I have come since that time when I was a scared child. I stare up at the unlit ceiling of the room and close my eyes to enjoy the peace that comes with it. The sounds of the nearby waves of the water are faded, barely discernable by my ears as the water laps against the rocks. It brings a sense of peace to my mind and lets my body relax. But another, more prominent sound also has my body in a state of tranquility. Nathaniel's breath, deep and relaxed, feels like it is all-encompassing, surrounding me like his protective embrace. I carefully turn and lay on my side, pressing my ear against his chest to listen to his soothing inhalations and exhalations. Nathaniel Ballard. The love of my life. My soulmate. Who would have known that I, no-nonsense and lawful goodie-two-shoes officer Claire Knight, would have found love? I open my eyes and gaze up at his relaxed features, admiring the way his dark hair falls ever so slightly into his eyes. Though closed, I can still imagine his dark, piercing eyes staring back at me, which makes my heart skip a few beats. Honestly, I am the luckiest person on the face of the earth. Even after losing my family and through trials and adversity, the past year has put me on a whirlwind adventure that I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams. One year ago, I was starting my career officially as a police officer in the heart of Detroit, Michigan. I wanted to protect people, and still do, but my career started off at a sprint with a string of mysterious murders. Bodies were discovered completely exsanguinated, devoid of all blood, and it was apparent they were viciously attacked. It was then that my unbelievable journey truly began because I met a private detective named Nathaniel Ballard. Nathaniel was, in a word, mysterious. He had an air about him that made him seem refined and, before I knew him, a snooty guy who thought rules were for other people. Our interactions were tense at best when we were first together working on this case of multiple mysterious homicides. I had a weird feeling like something was off about him and, as it turns out, I was right. After being attacked and nearly becoming a murder victim myself, Nathaniel revealed the secret of a lifetime—vampires existed, and he was one of them. I remember being stunned and disbelieving until he showed me what he was capable of as a vampire—night vision, enhanced senses, and incredible speed and strength. I didn't believe him for the longest time when he said that he hadn't killed anyone and was able to sustain himself using unorthodox methods of drinking animal blood and supplementing with small amounts of human blood which he would obtain from various individuals attempting to commit petty crimes in the late hours of the night. After some time, I realized he was telling the truth and that, despite my initial impression, he was a decent person. More than me realizing my initial impression was incorrect, I would further go on to fall for this man harder than I had ever allowed myself to fall. We saved one another back then, and even now he saves me from my once-desired isolation. One year. Four months. Seventeen days. Amazing how everything could change in such a short amount of time. While I do still work for the police force in Detroit, I have been spending more time with Nathaniel working private cases. We've been working together as partners, much like partners in a law firm, but I can't quite give up my life as an officer of the law just yet. Still, even I know when I need a moment to step away from work and, thankfully, my better half knew exactly where to go. At the drop of a hat, he took me away to the northern part of Washington State to one of the many islands off the coast of the mainland. Taking care of everything, he arranged a place to stay and some of the loveliest activities I have ever experienced including a late-night boat tour and hikes along some of the most beautiful historical parks I have ever been to. I look back up at him and sigh quietly. For the past two and a half weeks, we have been blissfully unaware of the outside world, absorbing time with one another instead and leaving the troubles of everyday life behind us. For the past two and a half weeks, we have been living a fun, carefree life. Here I am in the embrace of the man I love, the luckiest woman in the world, absolutely smitten with him living the adventure of a lifetime. As I lay next to him, feeling his arm pressing along the length of my spine, I let the coolness of his body sink into my skin. I stir again, wanting nothing more than to fall completely into him, losing myself entirely. At the same time, something is holding me back. Feeling the coolness of his skin and knowing he is a vampire reminds me of our one significant difference. I shake the thought away from my head, making Nathaniel stir ever so slightly. I do not want to think about that difference now. It would ruin the moment I was having silently in the dark. I glance over my bare shoulder and stare at the nearby window. I see that it's still dark, but the horizon is threatening to break across the horizon. I know we have a busy day ahead of us, but I want nothing more than to see Nathaniel's smile. I decided to stir a little bit more to disrupt Nathaniel's rest. I do feel a twinge of guilt as I do, but it vaporizes when I see Nathaniel's eyes open, and he focuses his gaze on me. Besides, vampires don't sleep. He only rests his eyes and meditates so he can hold me all night long. His dark eyes flick from my gaze over to the nearby window in our log cabin-style hotel room. “Good morning," he says softly as he gazes back at me, adoration filling his eyes. “Is something troubling you? Are you all right?" I beam a smile up at him and shake my head. “I just wanted to see you smile."