Vampire P.I., Double Trouble

Chapter 3: A Perfect Day

*Claire*

I open my eyes at some point when the sun is streaming through the top of the nearby window and hitting me square in the eye. I moan and try to roll over to hide from the light when I hear a rustle and a clang in the kitchen in the other room.

Working a hunch, I reach out my arm and leg and feel that the bed is absent of my vampiric counterpart.

Damn.

He's already awake, and he's probably also making breakfast for the both of us.

Deciding I need to not be a lazy bum, I force myself out of the bed and stumble into the bathroom where I catch a glimpse of my horrendous bedhead. I wince at seeing my reflection. I need to tidy up if we are going out today.

I hurry and wash my face, brush my teeth, and run a comb through my hair before making my way into the kitchen where I see Nathaniel standing, shirtless, over the stove. As I enter the kitchen, I hear the toaster ding and, as precise as always, Nathaniel reaches over without missing a beat and retrieves the lightly toasted bread.

He spins around and sees me, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he places a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast onto the countertop.

“Good morning," he smiles as he retrieves a fork and the jelly from the refrigerator. “Sleep well?" The puckish grin on his face tells me he might be fishing for a compliment, but I guess he deserves it.

“Very well. I had some help getting to sleep though," I reply with a wink. Nathaniel smiles and brings the plate over to the table where we both sit down and admire the view through the gossamer-like shades overlooking the water.

I hurriedly bless my food before beginning to tuck in. Immediately, the flavor melts in my mouth. I can hardly believe it. For a guy who doesn't usually eat food, Nathaniel's cooking is amazing.

“Is it okay?" he asks as he unscrews a small flask he keeps with him and puts it to his lips. When I give him a look that says, 'yeah, duh', he smiles charmingly and nods. He takes a small sip of the liquid inside, which I know is blood, and places the flask back into his pocket.

It's one of those things that he tries to keep private, his need for blood for sustenance, but he is always forthcoming if I have questions. I suspect his stash is getting a little lower than he would like, but he'll tell me if we need to do something about it.

“So, what's on the agenda for today?" I ask. Every day, Nathaniel has had some kind of surprise or another, so I wait with bated breath to hear what he has to say. He smiles one of his charming smiles again and nods.

“I actually do have a few things in mind," he says. “We have to get ready to go outside though."

I feel my body tense ever so slightly.

“In the daylight?" I ask. Nathaniel, being a vampire, has to be careful in the sunlight. While he explained that vampires could go out into the sun, Nathaniel also explained that it was like an extreme sunburn. Nathaniel developed a kind of sunscreen to help him out in the daylight, and he also wears hats from time to time.

He must see my concern because Nathaniel nods and nudges my foot with his ever so slightly.

“Don't worry. I have enough," he remarks. “Now, I'm going to start getting ready. You ought to do the same after you finish. Athletic gear, okay?"

Athletic gear? What on earth is he thinking?

“Good to know," I reply.

After Nathaniel leaves, taking a moment to kiss the side of my head, he vanishes into the bedroom and quickly gets ready. I enjoy my breakfast as fast as possible before scrubbing the dish clean in the sink and retreating to the bedroom to get dressed.

I walk around the corner of the doorframe and see Nathaniel pulling on an athletic type of shirt, long-sleeved, over his head. I take a moment to admire his frame, noting some of the scars he's sustained through his many years of life. Some of the scars are ones I recognize since they came from when he was protecting me from the other vampires during our first case together.

Nathaniel begins plastering a sunscreen-like material onto his hands and face while I slip into some of my athletic gear. I waste no time getting ready so I can help Nathaniel apply his skin protection. For a moment, I almost want to distract him and get him back out of that shirt, but we slip into our shoes instead and head out to the car.

The next few hours are a complete whirlwind adventure.

Nathaniel takes me to one of the trails in the national park on the southern part of the island. Thankfully, the trail is heavily shaded, and we end up on top of a cliff by the water. Just when I think the trail ends and we need to head back, Nathaniel scoops me up into his arms and, making sure no one is around, leaps off the edge.

My heart is instantly in my throat. I barely stifle a scream as I clutch onto him for dear life. He leaps from one set of rocks to the next, easily bounding down the edge of the cliff to a small beach-like area at the base where I spot a small cave.

When Nathaniel sets me down, I give him a playful, teasing slap on his shoulder.

“Don't scare me like that!" I scold as I catch my breath, my heart pounding out of my chest. Nathaniel, obviously amused, chuckles and shies away from my playful slap.

“Apologies, though you ought to be used to my spontaneity by now," he smiles. “Now, shall we see where this goes?" He gestures to the trail and in just a moment, he wins me over. I take his outstretched hand and we walk along the cavern wall, watching the way the light dances in the water as we pass by areas where the sun peeks through the stone.

We spend several hours walking along the inside of the cave, and this improvised path until we make our way back to the water, where we follow the wet sand back to where he parked the car.

Afterward, he drives us back to the cabin, insisting we get ready for a nice evening on the town. We shower, Nathaniel slipping in and interrupting my shaving session, and spend the extra time enjoying the warm water running over our bodies.

This 'nice evening' Nathaniel spoke of involved a lovely dinner out followed by a walk on the beach, which ended up being on the edge of glowing water.

“It's bioluminescent algae," he explains as we walk arm in arm, my bare feet splashing the blue shimmering water. “Disturbing the surface tension is part of why it glows. It reacts with the oxygen and the chemical reaction between the…"

I interrupt him by tugging him close and kissing him, a wave crashing over our feet and soaking the bottom part of my dress. I feel his tongue against mine as our lips caress. Nathaniel, distracted by our shared kiss, wraps his arms around my midsection, pulling me close.

A gentle breeze ruffles my hair as I reach up and press my fingers into the back of his neck just along his hairline. There's nothing I can do to stop myself as I let my weight fall back onto the sandy ground behind me.

Nathaniel, instinctually, catches me and lowers me safely onto the grainy surface. I feel the ocean barely brushing the tips of my toes as I stare into Nathaniel's face which is framed on all sides by a perfect night sky filled with stars.

His weight leans into me, lips brushing against my neck. His chilled touch against my side sends shivers cascading through my body. Each breath I take is filled with his scent, which swirls in my mind like old leather-bound books and lifetimes of memories.

I never considered myself to be the kind of girl to have s*x on the beach where anyone could stumble upon us, but this wasn't raunchy nakedness or lust. This was making love. Pure, unadulterated love which I couldn't stop myself from enjoying.

I stare up into the night sky as Nathaniel's body moves in mine. A shooting star flares just for a moment before vanishing above us. I may not be one for signs, but something about this makes me feel secure like nothing could separate us from these precious moments.

Eventually, we wrench ourselves apart and go back to our room, but our night had only begun, and, at the first light of the next day, we finally remembered how to rest, encased in one another's arms.