Dedicated to my biffle Laura aka ThatisSoHaven – because this is the only way I'll ever get her to read about vampires – especially sparkly ones.
Chapter One – Audrey's POV – Twilight Troubles
I woke up to the sound of waves gently lapping against the docks outside. The Gray Gull was quiet this early in the morning. Duke wouldn't come downstairs to start prepping for lunch for a few hours yet. I turned my head and stared out the windows that covered the back wall of my room. It was still dark out, dawn at least an hour away. I thought about going back to sleep but when I closed my eyes Nathan's face was there staring back at me. His beautiful crystal clear blue eyes and a face that looked like it belonged on the cover of GQ. I started to think about the mess I had made of things between us when I pushed him away. I thought about the fact that I'll be disappearing in two days and things may never be resolved between us. My thoughts seesawed between regret over never having the chance to explore what could have been between us and my memories of us together. The way he had always protected me and made me feel safe, the feel of his lips on mine, the ways that, even now, he finds little ways to touch me, and that vest that he was wearing yesterday, I mean is he trying to kill me?
"Ugh seriously? I said, my eyes popping open. Clearly sleep was not an option. I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom. Morning hair is not a good look on me. I gathered my blonde hair into a pony tail, brushed my teeth, and threw on some sweats and my sneakers and headed out into the cool pre-dawn morning. Hopefully a run will help to clear my head, I thought. I breathed in the salt-water air and started my stretches. A crash from Duke's boat startled me and I started to walk over when I heard what sounded like glass breaking. All of a sudden, a giant shaggy dog stumbled out onto the deck of the boat and shook itself seeming disoriented. I stopped in my tracks because this dog was easily the biggest dog I had ever seen. It looked like a wolf but it's coloring was more like a German Shepherd. The dog lifted its huge head and froze when it spotted me.
"Yeah, this can't be good" I muttered to myself and slowly started backing up towards the door of the Gull. I had barely taken a step when the dog jumped off the side of the boat, onto the dock and ran at me full speed. I spun on my heel and launched myself at the door but not before I felt the beast's giant paws slam into my back and push me to the ground. I spun onto my back and looked up at the massive thing looming above me. It looked down at me and let out a whimper before laying wet slobbering dog kisses all over my face. I laughed and gave him a little push back as I stood up.
"Hey, you're not so scary" I said ruffling the fur on his head. "Now where did you come from?" I wondered.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a blur of movement and then Nathan was suddenly there standing in front of me. I blinked my eyes, momentarily stunned. I didn't think it was possible but he was even better looking than I remembered. His hair looked like it had grown inches overnight and it fell in haphazard layers around his face. His normally light brown hair was now a dark copper with caramel highlights. His skin seemed several shades paler but was smooth and perfect like polished alabaster. But the thing that struck me the most was his eyes. His beautiful blue eyes were now amber with gold flecks.
"Nathan?" I asked. "Is that you?" The dog came over to sit beside me, leaning up against my leg. I put my hand on it's head and scratched behind its ears while I waited for Nathan to say something. Nathan looked down at the dog and smirked and then ducked his head trying to conceal his amusement. The dog growled and looked between me and Nathan.
"Something funny?" I asked starting to get a little irritated. Finally Nathan looked up and met my eyes. The smirk disappeared from his face and his eyes looked dazed for a moment, his lips slightly parted. All of a sudden his stance changed. He started to stalk towards me, and that's really the only way you could describe the way he was moving. I felt like I was being stalked by a large cat the way he smoothly glided towards me not making a sound. His eyes never left mine and the look he was giving me was panty combusting hot. Finally he stopped mere inches in front of me so that I had to crane my neck up to look at him. "Audrey" He said and his voice was like warm honey. I stepped forward closing the distance between us and placed my hands on his chest which was rock solid like stone. Nathan lifted his hand and traced a line down the side of my neck. He inhaled deeply and I felt his chest vibrate as he groaned. "You smell so good." He said, as he snaked a hand around my hips and pulled me against him. His other hand brushed my hair away from my neck as he dipped his head and placed a kiss just below my ear. I shivered at the contact from his cold lips and his hand tightened on my hip. He started kissing a line down my neck to my throat. All of sudden I felt a pinch and Nathan began sucking on my throat.
"Nathan? Nathan stop, what are you doing?" I pushed against his chest but it was like trying to move a boulder. The dog started barking hysterically and bit Nathan on the leg. He jumped back and I saw my blood dripping from his mouth. He closed his eyes and licked his lips like my blood was the best thing he had ever tasted. When his eyes opened again they were black as midnight and full of hunger.
He started to take a step towards me and the dog launched itself at Nathan's throat and the two fell to the ground rolling over each other. They moved so fast all I saw was a blur, every once in a while I would see either Nathan or the dog on top but then they would move again and my eyes could barely track the movement. Finally the dog seemed to get the upper hand and he pinned Nathan to the ground growling.
"Hey!" I yelled, getting the dog's attention. "Come here boy, you're a good boy, leave him alone" I called to the dog patting my leg. I didn't think dogs could roll their eyes but this one did before turning back to Nathan and growling at him one more time. He slowly backed off Nathan and came to stand by me.
Nathan stood up brushing the dirt from his jacket. "Thanks a lot Duke, this was a new jacket." I looked between Nathan and the dog. "Did you just say Duke?" I asked. Nathan stopped fretting over his jacket and looked up at me. "Um, yeah" He said "Ok don't freak out but that dog….is Duke" I looked down at the dog, or Duke I guess, and he looked back up at me and snorted. "How is that possible?" I started to ask but then answered my own question "What am I saying, this Haven, of course Duke is a dog." I said shaking my head.
"But how did you know?" I asked.
"I can hear his thoughts" Nathan said. "I've been able to hear everyone's thoughts today, well, except yours Audrey."
I raised my eyebrows, "You can hear people's thoughts?" Nathan nodded. "What's with the highlights and the blood sucking?" Nathan shrugged, "I have no idea, I'm so sorry Audrey I don't know what came over me."
Just then dawn finally broke above the horizon and sunlight spilled over the three of us. Duke started wheezing and I looked down at him concerned but I realized this was as close to laughing as he could get in dog form. He flopped to the ground and rolled on his back, paws up in the air, laughing. I put my hands on my hips and narrowed my eyes at him "Duke, why are you laughing? I hardly think this is funny." A spark of light caught my eye, and when I looked up, Nathan was sparkling. Honest to God sparkling. Finally I understood what was so funny and the pissed off look on Nathan's face just made the whole thing even funnier. I tried not to laugh, I really did, but I couldn't stop the laughter from bubbling up.
"Wait, wait, so let me get this straight," I said finally catching my breath. "Duke is a dog, or I'm thinking the correct term is werewolf in this situation, and you're a sparkly vampire?"