I slowly stalk through the streets of Whiterun, making sure I remain unseen. The moon is high in the sky and the city is asleep, but the guards continue their rounds as usual. My throat burns like fire as my body demands blood, I have put off feeding far too long. I can't feed on an armed guard, I'd surely get caught. I slink into the shadows beside the tavern, waiting for a patron to exit. After a few hours a young woman leaves the bar and passes within a few feet of me, my mouth watering as the wind wafts her scent towards me. She's well past intoxicated, she won't even notice the holes in her neck when she wakes up tomorrow. I follow the red-haired woman to her home, making sure I remain unseen.
I watch the woman enter her home, and wait for an hour before I push open the door and slink inside. The red-faced woman is sprawled out on her bed, her snores echoing around the two room house. I hover above her for a few moments, gathering my willpower so I don't end up snapping her neck halfway through my feast. I slowly curl my lips to reveal my gleaming fangs, and sink them into the woman's neck in one swift motion. She lets out a small sigh as her blood drains into my waiting mouth, but doesn't wake. When my feeding is done I quickly leave the house, my belly full of lifeblood.
I don't bother sticking to the shadows, there's no need to. A few of the guards call for me to stop, but I ignore their shouts and break into a run. I push through the gates, dodge the guards, and arrive at the stables. I mount a horse, who cares if I get a fifty gold bounty? The guards already want to cut my head off, they won't even give me a chance to pay for my crime. The horse screams as an arrow buries itself in her flank, the guards are no doubt hoping to kill her and leave me without an escape. I continue to kick the mare beneath me, and soon enough the guards give up and stop pursuing me.
The horse is badly wounded, she'll probably die before the night is over. I cross the bridge near Honningbrew Meadery and follow the stone trail, the horse's breathing is becoming shallow. I force the mare to take a narrow, stony path to the top of the rock wall beside the main path. The trail is rarely used and branches and stones litter the trail. The horse fights to return to her warm stables, but I quickly slash her rump with my dagger and she soon complies. When we reach the top I dismount and yank on the mare's reins, trying to force her into my lair. The horse rears at the smell of vampires, but when I hiss she quickly allows me to drag her inside.
The three fledglings lick their lips when they smell the bleeding horse, but shy away when I snarl at them. They need to learn self discipline, or else they'll never be able to feed on humans. It's only when they all calm down I move away from the horse, allowing my lessors the chance to quench their thirst. The horse screams as her hide is pierced by three sets of fangs. The beast is quickly drained of blood, but the fledglings have small thirst and are satisfied with the meal I brought them. The two male vampires quickly slink away, they usually do after meals. They were humans less than two weeks ago and are terrified of being anywhere near me, but in time they'll get over it and accept I'm one of the few people that won't kill them on sight.
I slowly climb onto my pile of hay as my stomach growls in hunger, but I couldn't take anymore blood without killing the poor woman. The hay is scratchy and uncomfortable, but it's the closet thing I have to a bed. Another pile of hay is over near the back of the cave, the men refuse to sleep in the same bed as me. The female vampire quickly cleans her claws of the horse's blood, before slowly crawling into our makeshift bed. Over the last few weeks her appetite has grown, I have a feeling she'll be a fully grown vampire within a week. Soon enough she'll stop living off of instinct, and then she'll resume thinking like a normal person. It'll be nice to have another sentient being around, for the last month I've been living with three rabid animals.
I suppose it's my own fault, if I hadn't fed off of them they would all still be mortals. I could have easily abandoned them, but I don't have the heart to leave them on their own. I can only hope they survive long enough to become Nightmasters, and in the female's case a Nightlord. Eventually they'll be strong enough to fend for themselves, but for now they need an elder to guide them in life. I'm the only Nightlord Vampire in all of the hold, so it falls to me to raise them and teach them to avoid the human population. The young vampire coos as she falls asleep, no doubt feeling secure now that I've returned. I turn towards the entrance and slowly close my eyes, still paranoid about the guards finding us.
Aela POV:
I take a deep swig of my mead as I collapse into the chair beside Kodlak, my head throbbing as Vilkas screams at Farkas. "You wished to see me?" I ask as I finish my drink. "Yes. There's a problem, a deeply troubling problem." Kodlak pulls out a map of the Whiterun hold, and places it in between us. I slam my glass down and ask, "Are you going to keep saying there's a problem, or are you gonna tell me what it is?" Kodlak furrows his brow and says, "A vampire fed off of Ysolda last night. She's alive and being treated by a healer, but she isn't the first victim. It appears the same vampire has been doing the exact same thing every Sundas night. She sneaks into the city, drinks her fill, and flees from the city on a stolen horse. The citizens and guards are terrified, the stable owner is angered, and the Jarl is offering a chest of gold to the person that brings him the vampire's head."
"Sounds easy, why don't you give it to Ria or Njada?" He sighs and answers, "Apparently the beast has taken refuge in a cave close to the city, it's right," He points at a cave on the map. "here. We sent out a scout and he found out she has other vampires with her. The scout couldn't get very close, but he's certain he heard more than one vampire in the cave. I don't want to send one of the younger companions and end up giving the monsters another member. So, will you go?" I groan, but tell him, "I want the chest of gold in my room when I get back." I ignore what he says and exit Jorrvaskr, planning on heading straight towards the cave.
The cave's entrance is small, but I have no idea how big the actual cave is. I pull my dagger from my sheath, I can already hear the monsters inside. It's the middle of the day, so I have no doubt the creatures are fast asleep. I slowly approach the entrance, before leaping inside and screaming. The creatures yell in fright and scatter, all of them are huddled in the back besides one. Her fur is bone white, her eyes are a deep crimson, and her fangs resemble a saber cat's teeth. She's wearing hideous orcish armor, but it'll stop my dagger from slipping between her ribs. I charge at the vampire, and scream when she leaps at my chest.
Her weight forces me to the ground, my weapon slides across the cave floor as she forces my wrist to the ground. "Run you fools! Run!" She screeches over her shoulder to the other vampires, and they all quickly bolt out of the cave. I struggle to free myself from the vampire's grasp, but her grip is like an iron cage. It's only after her fellows are gone she releases me, and leaps a few feet away and takes a fighting stance. I quickly grab my dagger, flip around, and charge at the kneeling vampire. Kneeling? I halt a few feet away from her, she's offering her gauntlet to me. "I yield." She says. "What?" Surely she isn't really yielding, monsters never yield.
"I yield. You would best me in a battle, so I'm giving up. I yield to your superior skill in battle." As an afterthought she says, "Just please, don't hurt the others. They're young, without me they'll leave the area. Please." I consider chasing the others, but it was her head the Jarl wanted. Hopefully, he'll still pay me if it's attached to her shoulders. "Rise." I tell her, when she does I flip her around and press my dagger to her back and place my hand on her shoulder. "Walk." I tell her as I begin pushing her out of the cave. She hisses when we exit the darkness of her cave, but doesn't fight.
I push the monster into her jail cell, an arguing Jarl and Kodlak behind me. "This is outrageous! I demand you kill that monster!" The Jarl snarls, but Kodlak shakes his head. "She yielded, there's no honor in killing a bested foe. Besides, her followers will leave soon enough. Then, the hold will be vampire free. Also, she never actually killed any of her victims." The Jarl screams, "I will not have that beast in my jail!" Kodlak cringes and says, "Fine. We'll find another place for the beast to be held." I turn around, and Kodlak catches my eye. "Aela will contain her." The Jarl thinks it over and says, "Very well, but get her out of here. NOW!" Kodlak nods and goes to open the cell, the bound vampire stumbling out.
As soon as we're in Jorrvaskr I flip around to face Kodlak, "What in Oblivion did you do!?" Kodlak raises his hand and says, "You allowed the beast to live, now it would be dishonorable to kill her. Contain her, but don't trap her. A trapped vampire is more likely to snap and attack." I start to argue and he snarls, "This is not open for compromise! Do you understand!?" I snarl, but nod and walk over to the vampire. I grab her arm and yank her down the stairs, not caring that she begins falling halfway down. I push the creature into my room, she lands on her face. "Stay." I tell her as I turn to leave, the beast inside me gnawing at my core. As I march out of Whiterun I can only think one thing. Damn her yield.