The King's War

1. The Messenger

NATHANIEL

My eyes opened as I felt the sun descend over the horizon. All vampires have that instinct, the awareness of the sun's position at all times. It would have been difficult to survive for so long without it.

I turn to see what had become one of my favorite sights — Avery, asleep, with her blonde hair fanning out across the pillow. My awakening must have stirred her because she groaned lightly, then rolled over and rubbed her eyes.

"Is it time?" she murumured in a voice thick with sleep. The adjustment to my schedule had not been easy for her, but she was managing.

I smiled. "Hello, love." Then I moved closer, wrapping my arms around her and placing a kiss on the top of her head. She sighed sweetly and nuzzled closer, placing her hand on my chest, over the the heart that beat faintly underneath.

We lay in contented silence, my hand right hand cradling her shoulder, tracing slow circles into her smooth skin. Oh, how perfect she was. And she was finally mine.

Avery yawned and looked up at me. "How are you already wide awake?"

I gave a light chuckle. "I'm a vampire."

My kind didn't have the same necessity for sleep that humans did. We didn't do it to replenish our energy, but to conserve it in an effort to stave off the thirst for blood. Given our rather fatal aversion to sunlight, it was how most of us spend the daylight hours. But when we come out of our induced hibernation, we were completely fine. No bleary eyes, no grogginess, no pitiful desire to get just five more minutes under the comforting lull of sleep.

Avery stiffened at the mention of my nature. She tried to hide it, but I could tell. I could always tell. Over the past two weeks we'd spent together in Nantucket, she'd made great strides to mee me on even ground about the subject. But there was still a part of her that wished I weren't a vampire. Knowing it stung, but that was my reality. I hoped that in time, she too would accept it.

"Are we finally going whale watching today?" she asked with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

I'd been promising to take her ever since we first came to the island. None of the guides here gave night tours, so I had to make special arrangements with a man who was willing to do so, provided I gave him enough time to clear his schedule. I could have simply paid him, but I knew Avery wouldn't like it if I imposed.

"Not tonight, sadly," I replied.

She frowned, then shrugged it off. Neither one of us was in any particular hurry. Avery had nothing on her plate, and I'd left the nation in the capable hands of my sire, Balthazar Hale, the Duke of New York. Nothing short of a statewide emergency could bring me back from this vacation.

"Then what is on todays agenda?" Avery asked.

"Well, first I'll make you breakfast..."

Avery's forehead creased as she frowned. "If that's the case, I hope breakfast came from a box in the frozen food aisle. Although I doubt your ability to even work a toaster oven."

I groaned. "I learned to cook in a time before refrigerators, much less toaster ovens. Forgive me for being just the least bit rusty."

"The omelet you made was tougher than bike tires," Avery said with an airy giggle. "How about I handle all the cooking?"

"No!" I protested fervently. "We are on vacation, and you are my guest. You shouldn't have to do a thing."

She sighed. "Then how about you take me to that 24 hour diner? They serve breakfast all day long."