Join Me In Death

He watched the other man helicopter the grass blade, momentarily mesmerized.  “Fair enough.  I find it hard to fall asleep myself, but.  The ocean air and the quiet helps, hey?  Actually the fucking quiet in this town kind of drives me nuts,” he leaned in, as if confiding something very personal between them.  But then Iann swiveled again, and watched about five people cresting the hill.  They were all dressed in black, goth’d out, wearing sunglasses and looking mightily pissed off.  “Ah…” Iann said, pulling his baseball cap lower and lifting his collar slightly.  He looked at the guy for a moment like he was considering him, and then shrugged, grabbing his hand.

“Just play along,” Iann said through clenched teeth, and he scooted a little closer, as if the pair were sharing an intimate moment.  Given how chill the guy was, Iann hoped he really would just play along as the group of five glared around the grassy knoll, searching.

He watched as the man turned to look behind him and gently looked around with him, turning back quickly when he saw the group. They looked annoyed to say the least. When he grabbed his hand and moved closer, he smiled and nodded. He whispered to him. “Well I’m not going to argue with a good looking guy flirting, even if it is an act.”

He put his arm around the man and rested his head against his, listening carefully to the footsteps of the group not far behind them. One of them seemed to take a step nearer but moved away almost as quickly. He thought he heard them leaving. “I think they might be gone but I daren’t look round.”

Nathaniel Avery | one hundred and thirty four | vampire | Taken | Mark Ruffalo

"Won’t you die tonight for love? Baby, join me in death."

Nathaniel was born Edward Williams to wealthy parents in the latter part of the 19th century. He was raised well with a good education but he always had the tendency to be a wild child. During his teenage years he visited brothels and opium dens, becoming a recognisable face in the seedy East End of London. His dalliances with both men and women would later cause him trouble. He calmed down somewhat in his later teens and began to court the daughter of one of his fathers associates. In 1900, just before his twentieth birthday, he was blackmailed by a rival for her hand in marriage. The blackmailer had knowledge of Edwards trips to the East End and his affairs with men. Edward responded to the threat by fleeing the country with the intention of settling in America.

Upon reaching America, Edward renamed himself Nathaniel Avery and began a new life. His excellent education meant that he was skilled in literature and writing and soon got a job as a journalist in New York. He was well liked for his charm and he was caring towards all of his friends. However, he knew how to do his job and could manipulate people’s accounts into something newsworthy and would do anything for his story. As the years passed, he fell back into his old ways. One night walking home from yet another one night stand, he was attacked. He fought his attacker but by the time he felt the teeth in his neck and could taste the blood, he knew it was hopeless.

His first weeks as a vampire were filled with endless nights of feeding to satisfy his bloodlust but, despite the thrill he knew he shouldn’t be taking in the attacks, he was vaguely aware that it couldn’t go on. But as time passed he grew used to needing blood and learned to feed without guilt. His human charm and caring were still there but only to those he considered his friends. He realised that he enjoyed being a vampire and relished in the danger that meant to others. His life consisted of the nights, the daylight proving too dangerous for him. Everything changed for him, however, when he saved the life of a young witch by carrying her from a burning building and caring for her until the ambulance came. The two became close friends and, after some years, she trusted him enough with people to create a daylight charm for him using one of her most treasured pendants.

Determined to prove that she was right about him and desperate to show that he could change, he moved to Sumner in order to attend the academy and better learn to control his hunger. He took a job as a bartender in one of the local bars in order to earn money. He continues to wear her pendant constantly, even during the night, as a reminder of his goal and regularly stays in touch, letting her know how he’s doing.

Or at least that’s how he seemed to Iann, who was currently sweaty and rumpled, his clothes a little damp.  “It’s going to be a scorcher today.  Skin cancer ahoy, and me without my sunscreen.  Do you mind if I sit here with you?” Iann asked, but took a seat anyway.  He looked behind him again, then squinted over at the sunrise.  It was pretty much dawn now, and he breathed a sigh of relief.  He looked back at the guy, figuring he should be a little chummy until Iann knew for sure that the coast was clear.  Whoever buddy was, he looked calm as fuck and Iann became slightly intrigued. “What’re you doing? Prayers?”

The sigh of relief intrigued Nathaniel but he figured it was best not to pry. He looked back down at the grass and picked a blade, twirling it in his fingers as the other man spoke. He laughed gently to himself. “No, I’m not much of a prayer kinda guy. I’m often up early cause my sleep cycles a little weird. It’s a rare day off so I figured I’d come and relax in the sun.” He looked to the sky again and nodded his head before tunring back to the man next to him. “You’re right, it’s gonna be a hot day.”

Grisham did not walk along the beaten path, in fact, he walked just two steps to the side of it, feeling the grass beneath his bare feet. As a fae, he always felt himself very at ease around nature and animals. People were often confusing, a cacophony of emotions and urges, whereas animals were much more simple than that. He flexed his sore hand, knuckles still bruised and the skin still cracked from an unfortunate incident the other day. A black eye graced his features, but he did not try to hide it with sunglasses, he wore the injury like he would a hat, and tried to forget about it.

His musings and his walk were soon interrupted by a man speaking. “Are you saying that it is a good morning or that I should have a good morning? Alternatively, are you saying is it a lovely day, it will be a lovely day, or that I should have a lovely day because it is a good morning?”

“It’s a good morning. The sun is shining bright and the birds are singing. Also, I hope you have a good morning. People should enjoy days like today for what they are: beautiful. I think that it will a lovely day, and I certainly hope that you will find it so. I hope that if you do have a good morning, you will proceed to have a good day or, alternatively, I hope that if you are in a less than pleasant mood, this good morning will make your day lovely.”

He sat back a little and smiled at the man before giving him a playful wink. That was actually quite fun.

Ephram had decided to take a little breakfast break in the middle of his morning shift; there were two extra-early, before-sunrise deliveries he’d had to make and although Cassie had left some blintzes in the fridge that he’d bolted down cold before heading out, he’d found himself hungry again. Fortunately one of the places he’d delivered to was a very posh cafe, so Ephram had gotten himself some food and come out to the promenade to sit on the grass and enjoy it.

He nodded over to another patch of grass, slightly dappled by the shadows through the trees, and said, “Wanna join me? I got somethin’ called brioche in here–” he pronounced it more like breeotch, “–and a, um…” Ephram attempted to start saying a word a few times, then laughed ruefully and settled on, “Some sorter fancy ham in a biscuit. I don’t mind sharin’.”

“I’d love to, thank you. That sounds like quite an interesting breakfast. I haven’t eaten yet. I confess that I’m still getting used to daytime routines.” He began to walk over to the trees when he realised he hadn’t introduced himself. He quickly turned back to the man and held out his hand with a smile. “Nathaniel Avery.”

A frown lined her face as she kept her stare up, carefully looking over his face and narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “I know you. Do I know you? You look familiar.” Nixie grabbed another gummy worm out of her bag, biting delicately at the tip and dragging it out.

He thought for a moment, wondering if he had met her and forgotten. That didn’t seem likely though. “I have one of those faces that’s quite familiar. Don’t worry, this isn’t the firt time someone has recognised me although they’ve never met me. My name is Nathaniel Avery. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss...?