Exceptional love

Chapter 33

"Nathan, you need to feed," Harry murmured as he walked into the bedroom three nights after Abigail came into the world. Nathan was sitting in a chair next to Neville's side of the bed. The vampire was cradling his daughter against his chest, occasionally running a gloved finger against her cheek. He'd taken to wearing gloves when he held Abigail to make sure he didn't give her a chill. When he wasn't sitting in that chair holding his daughter, he was in the bed next to his husband and hadn't moved beyond that for more than a moment.

"I will."

"You said that last night and the night before. You haven't gone and there's no more reserves here. I'll stay with Neville and Abigail while you go get blood. Promise I won't leave them."

"Harry-"

"Please. You won't do either of them any good if you're too weak from lack of nourishment. Nor if you become agitated and violent. Don't make me go and get Trent. You'll only worry Neville when he wakes."

Nathan pulled his eyes away from Abigail to look at his mortal husband. Neville had yet to stir. Monroe said it should be any time that night or the following day. The healer said the antidote took, but Neville was still too pale. He still looked like a vampire before his time.

He blew out a breath and stood, knowing Harry was correct. "I feel like hunting someone. It's still better coming out of a neck than from a bottle."

"There are those restricted areas the Dark Lord set up..."

Nathan laughed at Harry's worried tone. "Don't worry. I'm not about to do something to anger your husband again."

Harry went to take up Nathan's seat, smiling when the vampire deposited his daughter into his arms without hesitation. "Um... Nathan? What was that about your sir name? Tom hasn't explained." Nathan looked like he didn't want to answer, didn't want it brought up again. "You don't have to answer."

"I was near royalty," Nathan murmured as he sat on the side of the bed facing Harry. "My parents are far related to the Royal family. They disowned me because of my preferences- in many things- and then told people I was killed to save face. They paid me to stay away forever. I was fine with that so I took the money, signed their abysmal contract and disappeared because I had no intention of ever wanting to see them again. I still don't." The vampire shook his head. "Your husband recognized the name immediately, which means he knows that. He must have recalled the story. It was in the news at the time, my apparent death. They could easily be blackmailed now."

"Shit," breathed Harry, suddenly understanding why Nathan would have rather kept it secret.

For a moment Harry wondered how Tom could know that information, as a decade ago he was still in spirit form; but then he reasoned when Tom was resurrected, the Dark Lord would have studied up on all the news and knowledge that he missed. Muggle and wizard. He wondered if Tom had been aware of what was going on in the world while he was a spirit. Had his husband been able to see and hear what was going on around him at the time? It was something to ask later though he was hesitant to do so because Tom avoided talking about that time. Being nothing more than a spirit for years was not a pleasing experience. Still, Harry thought he deserved it after killing his parents, murdering so many innocent people.

"He will use that to his advantage in some way, as only he could," Nathan went on, "and I know there's nothing you or I can do about it."

Harry grimaced. That was true.

Nathan shrugged, turned back to look at Neville. "Doesn't matter, whatever the case. I have my darling and our little girl. I don't care about anything else. One day Neville and I will have a second child and the four of us will walk this earth for eternity together. As far as I'm concerned, I'm much better off without my first family."