Sunlight & Silver

Chapter 2

Sam's head throbbed. His muscles ached furiously and he groaned with pain when he stirred. His eyelids felt heavy when he tried to open them, and pain coursed through his body when he made to move his leg. He lay still, listening to the wind brush over the grass and the leaves of the trees whisper to each other. Where was he? Sam vaguely remembered soft grass underfoot, but other than that, his mind was blank. He squeezed his eyes and his lips opened to take a deep breath. They were chapped and dry. Sam frowned.

   "You are so noisy when you're asleep, you know that?" The voice startled Sam, and his defensive instinct kicked in. He tried to get up into a sitting position but his muscles had other ideas. He flopped back against the grass and gritted his teeth together. "Oh, you dogs are so pathetic..." The voice sighed, shifting his feet over the grass and leaning over him.

   "Open your eyes, Lassie, it's almost day time. Then I won't be here to protect you." The boy's voice pounded in his ears. He had a headache, as always, and would also be running a fever. His hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat. He forced his heavy eyelids open and the world swirled around him in blurred colours. He blinked a few times. The boy above him had dainty features, and surprisingly big eyelashes. His eyes were wide and his pupils small, rimmed with a scarlet ring. He had a crisp white shirt and was wearing a suit. He had a suitcase in one hand and an umbrella in the other.

   The look on his face wasn't overly impressed, "You almost damaged my suit last night," He said loftily, brushing some lint off the collar of his jacket, "I would make you pay for the dry cleaners, but seeing the state your in I think that would be a little mean..."

   Sam rolled over, clutching his stomach and coughing. Blood stained the emerald grass, "Urgh...W-why...why didn't you kill...me...?" He managed to choke out, before another fit of coughs cut him off. He could feel bile rising in his throat, burning his mouth.

   The boy cocked his head to one side and frowned, as though the answer were obvious, and anyone who was half as intelligent as he was could have worked it out, "I do not kill without meaning," He said slowly, "I am not one of you." He finished with a sneer. Sam forced himself onto his hands and knees, sitting back and looking at the boy properly for the first time.

   "I didn't know there were vamps here," He said unevenly, "What's your name?"

   The boy looked down his nose at Sam and muttered, "Nathaniel. And what, pray tell, is your name? That is, I am assuming it's not actually Lassie."

   Sam scowled and staggered onto his legs, taking a few moments to clear his mind and gain his balance, "I'm Sam," he put his hand out, but Nathaniel merely looked at it disdainfully, so he dropped it, "Thanks for not killing me. You know, it's hard to control yourself when your a werewolf."

   Nathaniel looked at him haughtily, "I know. Many good men have fallen prey to your 'kin'. In fact, my father's own brother was taken a few years ago. It was quite unexpected. He was simply taking a stroll through the grounds when a giant monster of a werewolf attacked him. It was a close fight, however," He sniffed and opened his umbrella, "It ended badly for us."

   "Sorry? Why are you taking out an umbrella?" Sam looked up, but the sky was clear of clouds. The moon was dipping below the horizon, and daybreak was imminent. Nathaniel let the umbrella rest against his shoulder. It was quite big, and almost blocked any light from him at all. he waved indifferently at Sam.

   "To keep the weak sunlight off. It does not work in broad sunlight, but it is good enough at dawn." He turned on his heel and looked back at Sam, "Maybe you should work on your restraints. You didn't do a very good job." He walked across the grass, the big black umbrella blocking him from view. Sam watched him leave before turning round and walking back home.