Four years ago…
In the end I jumped. I had stared at the gateway to Sovengard for only a second before I did. Why in Oblivion was I doing this? I couldn't give less of a damn about Nirn. So why had I flown off to save it? My wounds had long since stopped healing despite the full moon. My dragon bone armor was cracked and broken in most places where it counted. I could barely swing my battle axe any more. I had fought through an actual army of draugr and dragons for a world that had treated me like shit since I was a child. I could have turned around gone back to my life. My best friend was getting married, I had pack, I was an alpha, and I was richer than any king. I had things I could only dream of as a kid and yet… I jumped not knowing if I would find my way back to the life I'd always wanted. I fell through clouds of brilliant colors swirling around me like a tunnel a bright ball of light at its end. I had fought for everything I had and I didn't want to lose any of it. I just figured out why I was playing hero . It was because I was selfish. I was not going to let anything take my home or my friends from me. If Alduin wanted to destroy them then he'd have to kill me first. So in the end I jumped not because I was a hero but because I was selfish.
…
25th, Suns Dusk, 4E 205-
The Ragged Flagon was in an uproar the good kind for once. We were celebrating three whole yeas of growth and wealth, mostly wealth. Mercer was dead, the skeleton key returned, and the Thieves Guild was doing better than it had in years. I was told the party was in my honor, yet I was paying for the drinks and any other excursions or damages for the night. Most of the Guild members where in the Flagon or the new Brothel up top in dear old Mercer's house. I couldn't figure out what to do with the place when Maven gave it to me. Niruin had told me to turn it into a brothel as a joke but I rolled with it. I put it to a vote and it seemed nobody else thought it was a bad idea. We named the place the Gilded Dragon, a joke on me, and it was pretty damn popular. There was a courtesan (they preferred that term) of every race working in the place. Believe it or not the most popular where the Kajit and Argonians. The Nord girls barely got any attention and most clients were Nords. Since I was treating everyone the party was split between the Dragon and the Flagon. I hadn't been up top yet but the Flagon was alive with activity. Most of it revolved around drinking, gambling, telling stories, or a drunken combination of the three. For the first time since I had step foot down here the place didn't look as if it was on its way out of business. Laughter, drunken smiles, and music filled the Flagon for once and not a bunch of surly depressed pickpockets. The drunkest and loudest was Brynjolf oddly enough. It was nice to see the big lout laid back for a change and not stressed out about a sinking guild. The tall Nord sat at the bar his green eyes a brighter shade of red then his hair. He was telling the story of my first job in the market. I had distracted my mark by talking to him, Brynjolf had thought I might have been touched. Everyone who wasn't too drunk to hear or too busy gambling was laughing at his version of the story.
"…so he gets the ring and walks right up to Bran-Shei." Brynjolf stops to down his mug then continues through his drunken laughter. "Then…then he starts babbling on with him like he's his best friend! I'm standing there thinking I've hired on the big dimwit!"
The place erupts with laughter a few losing their seats falling on the floor. Anything is funny when you've drunk as much as they have. I'm not looking forward to the bill tomorrow, these louts have probably drunk me out of every septim I own. I can just imagine what those jackasses are doing in the Dragon. I turn my attention back to my game. Hoping I can rope someone into the bill with me.
I'm playing poker on the deck at a round table with Tonilia, Delvin, Karliah, and my old friend Damian. Wining against three professional thieves and a trained assassin takes a lot of skill. I happened to be the best cheater. The only one not cheating was Damian, but he never cheated (probably didn't know how). If he wanted to throw away his gold might as well help me pay for this drunken rabble. I had no idea why the surly old assassin wanted to play with a bunch of crooks anyway. Jinx didn't look old, by the way, being a vampire had a lot of perks. Not looking a day over thirty when you were around five centuries into life was one of them. His dark bronze skin was untouched by a single wrinkle. He did have those weird thinking lines on his forehead that Bretons usually got. I had nicked named him Jinx when I found out he was a mage. He never really said anything to me about the new name, though he never really said more than four words at a time. In his shrouded robes, with the hood down for once, he looked sort of normal. He has short black hair and a full beard that put mine to shame. His eyes where the only thing that gave away what he was. Both were piercing red and glowed their own light. This didn't seem to bother anyone, at least nobody down here. The Guild and the Brotherhood had a good working relationship especially since the new leaders where old friends.
Jinx and I had been friends for a very long time most of my adult life actually. The man was practically family now. That wasn't stopping me form taking his money. I pushed the rest of my coins into the pot at the center of the table drawing curses from everyone but Jinx. The others didn't have much gold left and they weren't up to giving me the rest of it.
"Fold. What 'appened to all that 'onor'mongst thieves talk, eh?" Delvin grumbled throwing his cards down.
"Yeah, like you weren't cheating yourself, Delvin." Tonilia throws her cards down angrily. Then stares daggers at me she really hates losing.
"Four of a kind. That hurts my feelings by the way, I would never cheat!" I managed to say it without laughing. I drop my cards and pull in my winnings, elven-hundred at least, this should lessen the hole in my pocket come tomorrow.
"Hold on Daylen." Karliah says as she lays her own cards down. She's changed out of her Nightingale armor and has on her black senior set of Thieves Guild armor. Her violet eyes motion to Jinx. "Damian hasn't folded yet."
"It's not like he has a…" I look up as he spreads his cards on the table, "…straight flush?" The fucker had a smirk on his face. "You cheated, but… but you never cheat at anything!"
"That hurts my feelings I'd never cheat." He says in his low voice still smirking. With a wave of his hand all the coins float from their messy pile in front of me and arrange themselves in orderly stacks on his side of the table. "I believe this is the part where you would say: 'suck it bitch.'"
That table erupts in laughter with the drunks in tow, seems like everyone's getting a good laugh in at the boss tonight. I've never heard Jinx say that many words at once in the whole two centuries I've known him. I snatch up my bottle of wine only to discover the damn thing empty. That was my last bottle of Argonian spiced blood wine. It was the only damn thing strong enough for me to get drunk with. I had just gotten a good buzz going too. Karliah starts to deal the next game just as Maven walks over, I hadn't noticed her walk in. Maven hadn't said she'd be coming down, but then again she hadn't said she wasn't either. The woman was hard to read even for me and I could scent most emotions. Maven always looked annoyed as if other people were created simply to bother her. She didn't seem pissed or angry right now so none of my drunken guild mates had stumbled and done something stupid.
"It would seems congratulations are in order." she said at length sounding pleased, and not even slightly condescending. Maybe I was actually drunk. "Though I hope this little… 'Celebration' doesn't leave your people too hungover to get up tomorrow. There's still work to be done."
"This is mostly for senior members, Toads to Footpads are still on jobs." I replied staring at the Empty wine bottle "I wanted to at least keep my damn buzz." I had sent Thrynn and Garther to the Bee and Bard for some barrels of wine but that was hours ago. Where in Oblivion where those two blockheads? "You want in on the game? I need to step out for a bit."
"Are the drinks still on you?"
"Yes." I sighed.
"Then I don't see why not." She says.
Maven was in an uncharacteristically good mood tonight. She takes my seat at the table and I head towards the back of the Flagon past the bar. Maven had really mellowed out after becoming the Jarl. When I was chasing after Alduin I needed to have the civil war brought to a temporary halt. So I had the Greybeards call Tullius and Ulfric to High Hrothgar to discuss a truce. I had gotten the Stormcloaks to trade Riften for Markarth and suggested to the General Tullius Maven would be an excellent Jarl. Getting Maven as the Jarl was a huge win for the Guild. Her fondness of the Thalmor was annoying at best. She told me once that she respected their power, or some shit like that. The Thalmor by law where allowed to investigate (pick random Nord), arrest (kidnap), and interrogate (torture) any suspected Talos worshipers. Not being a praying man I never really cared until a passing justicair noticed my mother's necklace. It was an ancient Nordic amulet with smaller pendants of Akatosh, Mara, and Arkay on one side and Kynareth, Zenithar, and Talos on the other. It shielded me from spells but not the force they hit with. She had given it to me before she died. The pendent of Talos had grabbed the Thalmor's attention. They demanded I give it to them, knowing I wouldn't so they would have a reason to kill the heretic. After I rearrange their internal organs an execution order was put out on me. So I was hunted by the Thalmor for a few months luckily they didn't taste as terrible as they fought. Elenwen the first emissary of the Thalmor in Skyrim had a bounty put on my head a large bounty. It was fifty thousand for me alive and thirty for my head. Cynric Endell had told me about it and also how we could collect it. He turned me in 'unconscious' and then broke me out and we split the split the reward. I genuinely felt sorry for the unlucky bastard who had to tell her that. Anyway despite Maven numerous invitations the Thalmor never made it into Riften. No agent who entered the rift ever reported back to Elenwen. Those that were found by search parties seemed to have been attacked by some vicious animal. Maven had blamed me at first but no one outside the Guild or the Brotherhood knew that I was a werewolf. So of course she had to believe I couldn't hunt down and tear apart her guest. Elenwen had sent a letter later saying she could not risk the lives any more agents. So the Thalmor did not come to visit Maven, such a pity they really didn't taste that bad.
As I walk past the bar, Brynjolf asks if I'm visiting Bran-Shei and the Flagon erupts into thunderous laughter and catcalls. Damned drunks. As I walk past I can feel my hard won buzz fading off. It was fucking hard for a werewolf to get drunk even harder to stay that way. I was going to throw those meatheads into the lake when I found them. I yank the door to the Ratway vaults open then shut it drowning out the drunken laughter and loud music. It's colder out here than the Flagon I can feel the difference but it doesn't bother me. Even barefoot with a sleeveless shirt on and my Guild pants the cold never bother me. Not because my Nord blood because I usually have a fur coat. Laughing to myself I turn left and walk into the small alcove with the hidden opening in the ceiling leading into Mercers old house. I make the jump up with little effort, completely sober now. I'd wasted expensive wine I would still have to pay Vekel for in the morning. I head through the door and up the stairs to the network of tunnels beneath the Gilded Dragon.
A few Toads are milling about down here in a room that held mercers desk. We had a lot of new members now, since the comeback and I had to put the old ranking system back to work. So you came in as a Toad then, Wet-Ear, Footpad, Black-Cap, Operative, Ringleader, Mastermind, and lastly Master Thief. I shortened the list to make the ranks slightly more meaningful. Now that we had so many Toads and Wet-Ears handling the little jobs it was easier for me and the others to plan heist. If someone wanted in on a heist you had to be a Black-Cap and up. It helped me filter out the talentedI could never remember all the new names but I memorized their scents and faces these three are brand new. A Khajiit, a Nord, and a Redguard all clad in their new Guild armor. They try to look busy when I walk in as if they were planning to do something. These three guys are why most need to come up the ranks to get real work. Thieves today are careless and lazy as shit. I ask them have they seen Thrynn or Garther. One says they might be upstairs, but none have actually seen them all night. I keep going and much to the young Toad's relief say nothing about them lazing about. The tunnels seems bigger without the bars blocking pathways and Mercer's death traps all over the place. It took us months to disarm them all, he was a paranoid bastard. I catch Gather and Thrynn's scent they were down here a few hours ago at least. If they passed through here they had to be in the Gilded Dragon. They had better have my damned wine by now.
I turn a corner and run into Alain Goneld the youngest member of the Guild. Being fifteen he was the youngest of my pack as well. Besides me he's the only other born werewolf that I know. I had found him in a Silver-hand lair up north. Back then he'd been nothing but skin and bones, having been locked in a cage for days. He had grown in the last four years since I took him in. He was taller and a little broader across the shoulders. He was maybe a foot shorter than me so around five something, at least in human form. Everyone thought he was actually my kid, though the young Imperial wasn't related to me. Al's hair was Steel grey mine a blackish red, we both had skin the color of burnt honey though. It seemed my devilish good look had rubbed off on him he'd be a real lady-killer when he was older. He was also a damned fine thief, in a month of joining the Guild he'd gone from Toad to Black-Cap. I kind of see how people thought he was mine.
"Hey Red!" the kid piped up. Like always, he was smiling. "How'd the card game go?"
"That fucker Jinx cheated." I snort, still sore about being out eleven hundred gold. Even Al laughs at me, which pisses me off. "I thought you were supposed to be working on your 'swordsmanship' with Lydia?"
"Bull showed up and they …" The kid trails off blushing. He looks at me pleadingly, "Is it alright if I hang around with you for a while, Red?"
I walk past him waving a hand for him to follow. He falls in behind me and tells me about how he beat Lydia five out the ten matches. Lydia had gone easy on him today, she's been soft on the kid since we saved him. She'd also gone all soft on Argis, called Bull by the kid, as well. I swear those two went at it like they were in heat. When they first started "distracting" each other I'd given them the house in Riften so I didn't walk in on them in the act again. We all saw each other stark naked more often than not, being werewolves. Seeing them 'together' was an extremely different thing. It left a mental scar no silver blade could ever hope to outdo. We reach the last corridor to a misleading dead end for anyone not in the Guild. I choke the memory down and press in the stone on the ceiling. A small section of the wall swings open slowly and quietly to the linen room. The 'door' was a quick rout out of the Dragon for the employees in case something happened. Shelves and baskets all filled with blankets or towels filled the small room. It used to be filled with nothing but barrels and cobwebs before renovations started no one but the employees came down here now. A small stairway up leads to a door that replaced the hidden way down when Mercer owned the house. I step over a few baskets blocking the opening in wall and head for the stairs as Al closes the passage.
I walk through the door and no one notices me coming out of a linen room that shouldn't lead anywhere. Most having more curvy things to worry about. I'm still amazed at how good the Gilded Dragon looks now. We poured a lot of gold into this place and it was worth it. The Dragon was unrecognizable from what it once was. Walls had been knocked down, another story added for rooms and what not for the courtesans to 'work' in. The large room I stood in now was the main floor and it was packed. A few beams spotted the place from the walls that were knocked down. Soft tinted mage lights floated at the ceiling seting a very intimate atmosphere. Tables are strewn about all seats filled even the few places at the bar across the room from me. The courtesans saunter about singing, drinking, or talking with patrons at tables, some are being lead off to the rooms up stairs. Each and every courtesan in the place went far beyond attractive that included the few men as well. They each had their own skill or specialty some could play instruments others could sing or dance. I knew a dark elf women that could put both heels behind her head. Too bad she was always so busy with clients. Soft music filled the room along with the smell of the Tabaco smoke the highborns seem to love so much. It was made from some plant grown in Cryodiil and unlike skooma it wasn't illegal but it was twice as expensive. It clogs my nose and the scent is overpowering. Besides the smell it's a lot calmer up here than the Flagon, no drunks were allowed in here. The Dragon didn't serve hard drinks but if you did manage to get drunk and make an ass of yourself Shivani had Argis escort (beat and throw) you out. When he was here to do his fucking job, that is. The Bee and Barb was the only friendly place to get drunk in Riften.
Shivani was the Khajiit standing behind the small bar across the room . She ran the Dragon and looked out for rest of the courtesans. She was a retired herself and the others trusted her. I'd given her the run of the place when it became clear that she'd had already been in charge. The others always deferred to her when something came up. She kept us up to speed on anything that might be lucrative and warned us of any trouble. She also kept tabs on anyone we needed and made sure we knew any dark secrets someone happened to let slip. We made enough gold from black mail and extortion to fill the treasure room twice. We actually expand the treasure room just for that. It amazed me at what these idiots would say or do for sex after they fucking paid for it. She was very professional and a little motherly with the other courtesans. She happened to be the only Khajiit I know that didn't speak in third person. Shivani isn't very tall only an inch or two taller than Alain. Her fur was a beautiful frosty white with dark blooms in the shape of flower scattered across it. Her dark lavender eyes shot through with bright green were hypnotic. She was breathtakingly beautiful and had to turn down droves of suitors and admirers. She notices me standing in front of the door with Al and waves us over to the bar. As we walk over I notice a lot of our guild members enjoying themselves at the tables. Thrynn and Garther are noticeably absent, so is my damn wine. The other clients look to be mostly off duty guards with extra gold or cheating husband and wives. We reach the bar and Shivani leans over placing her lovely head on one hand. She has on a black dress the neckline plunges down far enough to show the silky white fur covering her breast.
"It very rude of you to stare, Daylen." she says smiling. Even her voice is beautiful.
"Sorry Shivani, I couldn't help myself." I apologize. I stand at the edge of the bar with her Al comes up next to me waving.
"I think I can forgive you, considering the bill you'll be paying tomorrow."
Her lavender eyes motion over to the stairs on the opposite side of the bar. Cynric Endell is headed up, three women pulling him. He sees us looking and smiles at me broadly before diapering up the stairs. Why the hell was I the only one not having any fun tonight?
"That's not his first trip either." She says still smiling. She looks at me curiously white brows furrowed. "So why are you…?" she lets the question hang.
"I have no fucking idea." I tell her. Who in their right mind would volunteer to pay for all this? Apparently the big fucking dimwit. "You wouldn't happen to have seen Thrynn or Garther skulking around?"
"I haven't, but maybe one of…" Shivani manages before the kid cuts her off.
"I saw them walk out when I came in earlier. They were both headed out the front." Alain Says. Shivani and I stare at him. He shrugs, "You never asked."
I hadn't ask him, come to think of it.
We say our good byes to Shivani and head towards the back door. She reminds me to come see her tomorrow. I hope that Cynric is the only one screwing me over in there. As I walk through the clouds of smoke to the back I spot Iona's light brown hair near the backdoor. I make a bee line that way Al close behind still covering his nose against the smell of smoke. Iona isn't in her armor but in a dark sleeveless shirt and trousers. She has a Bosmer woman on her lap with an arm wrapped around her waist. The elf is a lovely little thing with long wavy dark hair and light blue eyes uncommon to wood elves. She's in the midst of feeding Iona frost berries. I'm standing right behind her chair now but she's a bit too distracted to notice right now.
"You gonna share those?" I ask. The little Bosmer is badly startled and would have fallen if not for Iona holding her. Iona looks back at me smiling.
"Find your own, Red." She laughs audibly. The woman is always loud, you can hear her three doors down when she whispers. Her grey eyes are reddened from drink. Lucky son'va bitch. "You two know were Bull got off to? He told me he'd be back soon."
"With Lydia." The kid and I say together.
"That lying snow-back." She grumbled. "What is it with those two?"
"I don't know." I actually had some idea. My mother told me that wolves could become bonded when together long enough. She didn't explain how it happened saying I was too young to understand. So I guess it had to do with sex. I had never gotten overly attached to any of the women I slept with so maybe I was wrong. Either that or I was more abnormal then I knew, which wasn't all that unlikely.
I ask Iona to stay here till I get back. She nods waving me off ready to get back to her elven girl. Al and I get to the back door and walk out into the late fall night. I step into the small gated back yard of the Dragon and wait for Al to close the door. Once the door is shut I partial shift a feeling of relief passing over me as I do. My bones don't snap and break or anything dramatic like that. My muscles tighten and my body grows another foot. Nails turn black and sharpen, teeth turn into fangs. My ears grow larger and pointed as I flick them around. My eyes go from dark grey to white silver. All my senses come roaring to life sights and sounds sharpening. My sense of smell becomes so strong that it triggers my sight giving most scents a faint color. It was an effort for me to stay completely human, like I was holding my breath. Any form other than my human one felt natural to me. I don't look normal up close like this claws, fangs, and big pointed ears on a Nord never did. I still walk around in the city like this but it's easier to get drunk fully human. Oddly, no one in Riften ever said anything about it. If anyone did think the way I looked was weird they kept it to themselves. I heard a rumour about me being half orc or something. It was likely started by the guards they all gossiped like old women. I run a hand through my hair, it's longer now covering the base of my ears but not the tips. I look back at the kid to see he's shifted with me. He's grown a foot taller and his hair is longer coming down over his eyes. His eyes are normally a dark brown when he's shifted they turn icy blue. He has claws and fangs now and his ears are pointed and twitch slightly. It seemed being in complete human form didn't bother the kid like it did me. It was a mystery to me how he managed it, but it was a useful skill have.
I head to the right toward the gated door that separates the temple of Mara's small courtyard from the Dragon's backyard. Stretching to shake off the slight high from shifting I open the door and walk into courtyard. Getting a brothel next to the temple had been a fucking pain. It had almost cost as much as the damn renovations. The head priest of the temple, Marmal, didn't take our generous "donations" or back down when threatened. That little bastard had a fit when he found out what we were turning the place into. He ran around for months screaming about sacrilege and defiling Lady Mara. We thought nothing of it until the religious nuts started showing up. If not for Maven being the Jarl he might have had them rioting us down. The fact brothels were sanction by the Guilds Act saved us and Maven a headache. The temple itself is always open and they burned some type incents in two large braziers on either side of the doors up a set of stone steps. The scent of the smoke filling the Dragon still has my nose blocked up. I have no idea how humanes smoked that stuff. I didn't understand a lot of things about them. For the recor anything not a werewolf, vampire, or, Daedra was human (not counting Dova). As I walk through the open gate I notice a faint metallic sound like steel clashing. Then a familiar voice's shout of pain
"Did you hear that that?" Al whispers. His ears go this way and that on the sides of his head.
"That was Thrynn. Go get Lydia." I'm moving before I even finish the sentence.
We dash through the courtyard and out onto the wooden bridge to the marketplace I look toward the northern gate. On the largest bridge and I see Thrynn on his knees a pale man bent over him. Garther is collapse behind him unmoving. Al dashes past me headed for Lydia's house. With the kid was out of the way I shoot forward the world blurring around me. I reach Thrynn in a few second and my fist connects with his fast befor I stop moving. The blow has enough force to break bones and send him flying backward to land in a heap across the bridge. Thrynn falls to the ground lifting a hand to his bleeding neck. I look back at Garther and see he's breathing but bleed from his stomach. I look back to the pale man and notice the gory mess behind his prone body. At least eight city guardsmen lay on the bloody cobble stones bodies scattered from the north gate to the bridge. A few figures are crouched over them doing what I can't tell. That gods-be-damned tobacco smoke has me scent blind. I should have smelled the blood the second I shifted. The pale man, who should be dead, starts to move. He gets up to his hands and knees chuckling. Few humans could've survived that punch none would be chuckling after.
"Well, well, well, it seems we have a hero." He says still chuckling away. His voice was annoyingly condescending more so then Maven's usually was. He gets all the way up and turns toward me holding his jaw. His mouth is covered in Thrynn blood and I can see the tips of needle like fangs.
Vampires, which explained how my new friend could still stand. I'd hit him thinking he was just a huma; I had to make sure to hit a little harder. The figures stop what they're doing and skulk over behind him. Three of them in all two Nords and a Breton woman, their mouths are covered in blood. They all had on ragged cloths covered in dirt and blood. The three of them were armed with swords stolen from the fallen guards. The leader, the annoying, one didn't and his black leather armor look sinister sort of like folded bat wings. It looked impressive and scary, I doubted it be worth a damn when I got my claws into him. His face is bat like as well most noticeably is his wide nose it has ridges along the sides of it. This fucker gave ugly a whole new and very serious meaning. The others look mostly normal besides the bloody orange color of their eyes. Thrynn shakily gets to his feet, he's a tough son of a bitch, I tell him to grab Garther and get into the Bee and Barb. He picks up a groaning Garther and hurries to the inn behind me. That left me with two options. I could fight four vampires completely unarmed or I could wait for the kid to come back with an armed and pissed off Lydia. Smart choice was to wait, but where was the fun in that…
"A kind gesture, but you have only ensured that you now die alone." Says bat face. Obviously the one in charge. "You have no idea what you're dealing with you fool."
"A band of dirty leeches and their shitfaced master?" I asked smiling broadly. I flex my fingers claws extending but keeping them hid behind my back.
"Bring me his head!" snarled shitface. Must have been something I said.
The three fledglings rush me, obeying their master. One of the Nords reach me first the woman lags behind. The first one brings his sword down on me with both hands. A swift kick to his groan brings him to his knees. My movement are a blur to the slower fledgling. I tear his throat out in a spray blood before his knees touch down. The next one is a little faster and I have to duck his back swing. I grab his sword arm when I stand. I quickly wrap an arm around his neck. I grip his chin and pull. His neck snaps like a twig and he falls. A fireball collides with my chest. The force of the explosions puts me on my ass a good ways back. Shitface's doing no doubt. My mom's amulet kept me from burning it did not stop the ribs from breaking. My eyes shut against the shocking pain at least two are broken. When I open my eyes it's to the face of a frightened vampiress. Her sword point aimed at my gut but her eyes are closed. Ignoring the pain I lift both legs and kick. She goes soaring into the night I don't see her land. I flip to my feet feeling my bones rub painfully together. Shitface is is looking this way snd he looks pissed wich makes him uglier. I notice the sparks arcing from his hands. I also notice that we're on complete opposite sides of the bridge now. Fuck me, this was going to hurt. I brace myself just as he fires the lightning bolt. I dive forward feeling my broken ribs grate against each other. His spell misses my head by inches. I roll to my feet and charge him. I'm five feet away from him when a jet of fire shoots from his hands. I go down sliding on the stones. The flames passing above me harmlessly as I go. My foot smashes into his lower leg with a wet snap of bone and a scream. I keep sliding past him and get to my feet. An arrow cuts his screaming short. It plants itself deep in the side of his neck. Three more follow. All finding homes in his side. I step over to him and dig my claws into his jaw and plant a foot in his back. With a violent twist and pull I rip his head from his shoulders. His blood is like ice on my hands
I drop the head and rub my aching ribs my free hand on my knee. Bones took the longest heal and they hurt while doing it. It's better than being down for months like a human would. I look up when someone calls out my name. It's the kid he has his dragonbone bow and a quiver of ebony arrows. I gave him the bow for his birthday but never expected him to be any good with it. Thank the gods for Niruin he was a great teacher. He slowly makes his way over to me an arrow still notched. I notice movement to my left. When I look back to the bridge the vampire with the broken neck is twitching. The spasms aren't death throes. Why the Oblivion were vampires so hard to kill? My bones shift painfully as I shuffle over to the middle of the bridge to stand over him. The spasms have stopped and I can hear dull popping noises. He's breathing again but not conscious and the twitching has stopped. I place my foot on his head and press down hearing the dull crack of his skull as I press harder. His skull caves in and his blood splashes onto the wood. I look at his friend who has the decency to stay dead or at least look it. I still bash his head in just in case. Al makes it over to me as I lean on the rail of the bridge messaging my sore side.
"Are you okay Red?" the kid ask. He looks at me worried.
"I'll live kid." I say. "Nice shot. What the happened to Lydia and Argis?"
As if on cue they run up to us eyes blazing gold both partially shifted. Argis' pants are hastily tied being his only form of clothing its noticeable. He does have his dragonbone warhammer out and ready to smash heads. Lydia has her dragonbone sword drawn. She has on Argis' missing shirt the thing barely reaches her hips. They look like they just jumped off each other and ran out the door. My 'saviors' come to my rescue. My bones stop shifting around long enough for me to stand straight. They make it over to us and ask me the same question the kid had. When she's sure I'm okay Lydia starts to berate me.
"You should have waited for us, idiot." She says. She looks at the mess the bridge and street is in. "And can you go a year without pissing someone off?"
"Why is it always my fault?" I ask defensively.
"You do tend to piss people off Red. A lot." Argis says. The big Nord is as tall as I am partially shifted. Since I bit him he's become just as much of an ass as well
"I would say fuck you but Lydia might get jealous." I tell him pointedly looking at them.
That would have set Lydia off but before she can get a word in we hear a loud clang. We look down the street and see the last vampire is on her feet. She just dropped her sword but instead of going for it she takes off. She disappears in a purple flash before she gets to the open gate. Al aims anther arrow easily telling where she is by the sound of her breathing.
"Hold on." I tell him. I turn to Lydia who seems to have calmed down. "Since you're already scarcely clothed, could you go get her?"
She growls at me then hands Argis her sword and strips off her shirt. She takes off after the little vampiress. Lydia skin darkens as fur sprouts over her skin before she reaches the door. Lydia shouldn't have any trouble with one fledgling. I still send Al after her with his bow for good measure. I tell him to call me when they catch her and make to sure Lydia doesn't kill her. Argis and I watch him go as he blurs into motion after Lydia. A few seconds after they're gone I hear a howl split the night. Lydia's fully shifted
I remember Thrynn and Garther and run to the Bee and Barb. I send Argis to the Dragon for Iona so the two of them can get the guards heads out of their asses. I throw the doors open to the Inn. Thrynn and Talen-Jei have Gather on a table a dagger sits in a pool of blood at their feet. Talen-Jei is pressing a towl down on the wound in Garther's stomach, the green scales of his hands covered in blood. Thrynn is slapping Garther in the face and calling his name trying to wake him. I hurry over and they both look up faces is grim.
"Keerava went to the temple for Marmal." Says the Argonian. "I don't think she'll make it back in time."
"He lost a lot of blood and now he ain't waking up." Thrynn voice is strained. Garther isn't the only one that's lost too much blood
I place my hands over Garther's wound Talen-Jei stepping back. My hands start to glow as I cast the healing spell. Restoration is the only type of magic I'm capable of. Thanks to my mother teachings I know more than most masters do. I don't have the magicka to do it but I've never forgotten any of it. I can however manage this and a few other healing spells easily. Garther's wound starts to slowly close it's deeper than I thought. Thrynn tells me what happened, as I heal Garther. Talen-Jei wonders off saying something about cleaning meaning: I don't want to be involved any further. I can respect that, he didn't have to help in the first place.
"We left the Dragon and came around to pick up the barrels from Keerava." He pulls a chair next to me and sits down. He has a rag press to his neck to stop the bleeding. "Gather heard something from the gate and we went to check it out. The guards were fighting them. We stayed out of it at first but then the guards started going down we decide to get lost. We tried to stay hidden but the ugly one came straight at us like he already knew we were there. The bastard was fast he was in our face in the blink of an eye. Gather got a knife in his belly a second later. I went at him but he threw me around like a ragdoll, Red. I lost my sword over the bridge. After that he… well that's when you showed up."
Thrynn sounds worn out and looks paler than he should. I needed to get these two to the cistern. Garther wound completely closes and he starts to breath normally. Just in time cause I'm damned near exhausted. It was an odd feeling worn out but not physically tired. If I had any of my gear I might have been able to keep going but he'd live now. When Garther opens his eyes we pick him up, Thrynn on one side and me on the other and head for the door. I don't need help carrying him but I let Thrynn help anyway. Talen-Jei reappears asking after Garther. I tell him I owe him for this as we walk out but he doesn't say anything back. I don't expect him to call me on the favour but I can think of a way to repay him later. Anyone else would have let Garther die. We step into the late autumn night once again and head through the marketplace. The city guards are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. They pretend not to notice all the blood we're covered in. Some stare but say nothing to or about us, perk of being in the guild. At least now it was with Maven as Jarl. We pass the shrine to Talos and get into the graveyard. Thrynn presses the guild symbol to open the fake Sarcophagus. It slide back into the wall revealing a set of stones steps down to sewer hole leading into the cistern. Garther burst out laughing which leads to a coughing fit. Thrynn and I set him down against the wall of the tomb hoping he's not about to start coughing up blood. When he calms down we ask him what's so funny.h
"Two thieves and a werewolf just fought four vampires for a barrel of wine." He croaks.
The three of us laugh hard enough to hurt ourselves. I have no idea why but that is the funniest thing I've heard in my life. It was absolutely ridiculous. We stop laughing when Garther goes in to another coughing fit then head inside.
…
"We did not need this." Brynjolf sighs. Now completely sober and rubbing his temples.
I just finished telling the others what happen on the streets above. I didn't grab everyone just those who needed to know at the moment. Brynjolf, Karliah, Delvin, and Jinx. Vex is checking on Garther who is lying passed out in a bed Thrynn in another close by. We got them to choke down a potion each before they went down so they'd be right as rain soon. The others hadn't taken the news well but no one would have taken some shit like this well. The rest of the Guild was still enjoying themselves and I needed it to stay that way. Until we knew more about what's was going on we needed to keep this quiet. I stand in front of my new desk in the Cistern the others in front of me. Jinx is the only one who hasn't said a thing since I brought them in here. Back to his silent old self apparently. Maven was gone when I got back called away by the guard. I wasn't looking forward to talking with her tomorrow either.
"Think they could 'ave been lookin' fer you Red?" ask Delvin. He was looking a bit stressed as well.
"No. They didn't know who or what I was until I was ripping their throats out." I tell him.
Karliah folds her arms, "There's been word going around about attacks on towns and small villages. I think this might have something to do with it." She and Jinx had the tie for the calmest
"This isn't some town, lass. It's a gated city, our city." Brynjolf says. He look worried and stressed out again. "Could this have been aimed at us?"
"I don't think this had anything to do with us Brynjolf." I look over at Thrynn in his bed. "From what Thrynn told me they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. They might have never been a part of it had they stayed in the Dragon"
"What did they want?" Jinx ask. His answer comes in the form of a distant howl. By the slight tug I feel in my chest its Lydia's
"Let's go ask." I smile.
…
Me and Damien head out of the cistern. I tell the others I'll be back and to keep an eye on things while I'm gone. As we walk through the city guards are now organized and patrolling. They ignore us as we walk by none so much as coming within ten feet of us. We cross the market then pass the Bee and Barb. We get to the bridge where my fight took place. The bodies are gone and only the blood remains staining the wood and stone dark brown. The guards must have moved their dead. No idea about the vampires though. We cross the bridge just as Iona and Argis catch up to us. Iona hasn't changed but she has both her dragonbone daggers at either hips. Argis still has his warhammer on his shoulder and Lydia's sword on his hip. He also has my stalhrim battleaxe, Grohiik, in his free hand. He gives it to me and they both follow us to the gate in silence. I'd left the axe at their house when I got to the city along with my armor and gear. The battleaxe had been a gift from my father when he died. He taught me how to use it like a master but now days I was strong enough to cut fully armored men in half. So there was no point to the finesse anymore. I still practice out of habit. The axe was a family heirloom and it was old very old. During the day it was cold as the grave when the moons light hits it the blade burns like dragon fire. My grandfather had told me its name meant wolf in the dragon's language. When I was a kid I thought it was just another stupid fairy tale. That he made up the language and was just getting old though he looked young enough to be my older brother. I did like the strange looks my parents gave us when we talked to each other in the odd language. I wish I could thank him for teaching me Dovahzul and to tell him he was right about dragons being real. I'd never even asked where he learned it.
We walk out the gate which is now surround by armed guards. They let us pass none saying a word to any of us. We walk past the small stables just outside the walls and then jog a good distance in to the trees before we stop. All the trees have lost their leaves and I can smell the frost setting in. Masser, the largest of the two moons, cast a red light that gives the night a crimson tent. Grohiik gives off a dull warmth under the moons red light. The cool fall breeze and the scent of the crushed leaves gives me an odd thrill. Tonight was a good night for a hunt I can scent the deer that have passed through here. The full moon was weeks ago thankfully. If it was full tonight my need to hunt would be almost unbearable and the others would be worst. The tradeoff was the power; we became stronger, faster, and damned near invincible. It just took a lot of practice to get any type of use out of it without getting distracted by every rabbit that happened by. On the new moon we lost a good deal of our power and then some. It was like having a horrible hangover. I shake off my sudden need to hunt and get back to business.
I take a deep breath then throw my head back and howl. My howl goes up into the starry night deeper than a normal wolf's. Other howls break the silence as we wait but none are Lydia's. A lot of wolves stayed in the Rift now it seemed they always followed me around. They never did that with the any of others just me. It had only started a year ago they come in on the full moon and hunted with us. Now they just stayed around full moon or not. A few minutes go by then we hear another howl. It's not Lydia's but Al's, which is noticeably lacks the depth she'd have fully shifted. It comes from further west in the direction of Lake Honrich. That fledgling must have been running her little ass off to get that far from Lydia. I strap my axe to my back and take off in Al's direction. As we pick up the pace the surrounding forest starts to blur around us. Jinx jumps into the air and explodes into a large swarm of small black bats to keep up with us. Vampires may not be as strong or as fast as werewolves but they made up for it and then some. Most of them developed odd abilities and powers when they hit the right age. At least Jinx did. We go until we hear another howl its Lydia this time just rushing us along. I slow down as we close in on them I can scent Lydia and Al and follow their trail. It's easy to pick out the fledgling vampires scent she reeks of fear. Lydia must have scared the shit out of her.
They have the fledgling caught in a small clearing a few miles east of Lake Geir. This girl must have been really hauling ass to get this far. Al has an arrow trained on her and ready he really is good with that thing. The fledgling has her back press to a big tree her eyes fixed to Lydia, petrified. The fledgling fear is understandable in this form Lydia is very intimidating. Fully shifted Lydia looks more wolf like then human. Her head and lower body resembled that of a massive wolf. Standing at eight feet Lydia's shoulders are wider her arms longer reaching past her hips. Her fingers longer, thicker and each tip with a black claw. Her muscled frame is now covered in jet black fur the same as her hair. Being part of a pack made control easier. She was stronger than the others so control came even easier to her. Lydia is crouches next to Al, golden and ice blue eyes nailing the little fledgling to the tree. When I step into the clearing, Al relaxes his bow string and Argis goes to stand next to Lydia her long bushy tail swaying at the sight of him. She could have at least tried to look threatening for a little longer. I lean Grohiik on a small sapling and walk over to her. Damien's swarm of black bats swirl in place then reforms him and he drops to the ground. His hood and mask are on hiding his face but not his glowing red eyes. At least someone knew the drill. The fledgling has short dark brown hair that frames her heart shaped face. Her skin is pale as snow and stained with old blood. Other than being scared witless about being chased down by two werewolves she's unharmed. I crouch down in front of her and smile my fangs gleaming.
"Wait, wait, please!" she sputters. Her eyes go wide and the smell of her fear grows.
I hold a hand up to quiet her, "Relax I just need some answers then I'll let you go." She stares at my claws nodding frantically. "First off let's have your name."
"A-Anya Bellette." Her voice isn't as shaky now.
"Well Miss Anya, what did you and your friends want in Riften?"
"I'm not sure." When my smile fades she hurries on, "He turned us on the way here. He was saying that he needed us to 'test' the city. See if the hunters had people there."
Hunters? There were no hunters in the Rift. When word had gotten out about the Thalmor being ripped apart they came in droves at first. I used the wolves to my advantage. They'd all run off thinking the Rift was inhabited by the largest pack of werewolves in Tamriel. It fooled the amateurs the Silver-hand and the Vigilant of Stendarr. Then the real hunters showed up the ones from Cryodiil. They had no official name, emblem, or headquarters as far I know. The only way I could ever recognize them was by their armor and the silver weapons they used. They were called the Steel Hunters by any shape shifter who survived meeting them, very few did. I had more than a few run-ins with them. They weren't idiots like the others they had been hunting werewolves for longer than I'd been alive. They killed my family when I was barely ten years old and more than a few of my scares were their doing. When they showed up I had Odahviing help me say hello. My little pack, hundreds of wolves, and a dragoon had been far more than even they could handle. No other hunter had dared step foot in the Rift for the last four years.
I lean closer to her, "There are no hunters in the Rift." My voice comes out as a growl.
Anya panics, "He said they were called the Dawnguard!" she pushes herself back only press harder into the tree behind her. "That's what he told us I don't know anything else!"
"Last question, then." I say. My face is only a few inches from hers. "What clan was your master from?"
"He found me on the way here. I was sick and dying he told me he could save me but…"
"Never mentioned you'd basically be his slave." I interrupt. Fledglings could not disobey the vampire who created them making them no better than thralls. I didn't know how long it lasted and I didn't care. "I asked about the clan, Anya."
"He never said where exactly just that he came from the northern coast." She whispers. "There used four of us but he… he didn't like us asking him questions."
I smile warmly taking her off guard, "Now that wasn't so bad was it?" She stares at me like I've lost my mind. "Well Anya I doubt your old master was one for teaching. So you probably won't last more than a week on your own. There is a small clan of vampires in Morthal that would be more than willing to take you in. When you get there look for a woman named Alva."
Anya doesn't move even when I get up and walk away from her. She stays curled up watching me puzzled and unsure. When it's clear that I'm not joking she slowly gets up and backs away. When she thinks she's far enough she turns and runs. I move in front of her in a blur of motion and she runs into my chest face first. She falls down staring at me terrified once again.
"One last thing, Anya." My eyes glow brighter. "If I ever catch your sent in the Rift again I'll tear your heart out and feed it to you."
Anya Bellette ran as hard as she could she didn't look back. It's tempting to chase after her fading form. When I can no longer hear her foot falls or her frantic breathing I send Lydia after her to make sure she gets out. Lydia drops to all fours and sprints after the fledgling. Black fur making her fade into the night better than any invisibility spell. Anya should be able to get to Morthal without too much trouble. Alva was kind of a bitch but that was usually directed at me. She was in charge now being the last of the master's direct bloodline (whatever that meant). She didn't like that fact that her clan owed a werewolf a life-debt. Alva had seen me shift and rip the rest of the clan apart. So she was in no hurry to piss me off no matter how she felt about the debt.
"Morthal?" Utters Jinx.
"I let the fledglings live after I kill their master." I tell him. "I thought having a clan of vampires in my pocket could be useful one day."
"Forever the opportunist." Jinx says
"You expect me to let them go no strings attached?" I snorted. "I'm a thief not hero."
"What of the Dawnguard?" He ask. I was hoping he knew about them being a vampire.
I sigh, "Never heard of them."
"An orc was passing through and stayed at the Inn for two days recruiting members." Al says. We all stare at him no one sure how to address that. He gets defensive "No one asked!"
"Sorry. Did anyone join him?" I ask. It would have been nice to know about a hunter passing through.
"No. He did say that if any one changed their minds they could find them at an old fort off the road to Morrowind." He looks at me still defensive. "I didn't think it was a big deal no one took him seriously. Sapphire told me he was crazy."
"They no doubt are openly recruiting." I scoff. "We'll just have to figure out where that clan is ourselves. Those fools sound like amateurs."
"This clan has enough kin to send out and attack cities and no one has found them yet." Argis says. He sounds skeptical. "I don't like the idea of running along the coast of Tamriel looking into every cave along the way."
He had a good point.
"If we join the Dawnguard maybe they can point us in the right direction." Al ventures. "You know since they're fighting the clan. Maybe they know more about them?"
"That could work." Jinx says. He looks at Al amazed. I don't blame him the kid has been on point tonight.
"We have no idea what these hunters are capable of. To be fighting a clan this strong, they could be like the Steel Hunters. Someone has to go with you." Iona declares. She had a good point as well (not matter how loud).
When I look to Jinx he shakes his head, "No. The sun is up." He once again explodes into a swarm of black bats and flies off onto the night sky.
Some friend he was. Wouldn't even face professional vampire hunters with me. I blame Jordis for this. Since they'd gotten married we never did anything fun anymore. Now that he'd turned her I'd have to deal with her forever. She thought I dragged him into harm's way. He's an assassin for fucks sake he killed people for money yet she blamed me when he got hurt. I couldn't stand her blond ass. I had no idea what he saw in her, besides the tits. Jinx was right about daybreak the eastern sky's dark color turning a beautiful red gold. The stars chased away by the rising brilliance of the sun. I think all vampires had an innate sense of time, so they wouldn't get caught in daylight. I'd seen vampires walk around in the sun be for but never letting the light actually touch their skin. I loved the sunrise it reminded me of my childhood in Valenwood before the Steel Hunters came. Well looked like I'd be taking Iona with me. Lydia was the strongest of the four of them if something happened while I was away…
"Since it was my idea I'm going with you!" Al yells. He squares his shoulders and looks me straight in the eye. He starts to wither when I say nothing.
"He's right Red, it was his idea." Argis Laughs.
I shrug, "Alright." The kids face lights up like the morning sky as a huge smile rips across his face. "Just make sure you're ready go."
Before I finish he's taken off back toward the city. I hadn't meant know the three of us laugh at Al's eagerness. He's never actually gone out with me on what he called an adventure. I actually just went around stealing, killing bandits, or treasure hunting. I think the stories of me fighting dragons may have sparked the sudden outburst. He probably thinks we're going to save the world or something. I hope it doesn't need saving again. Because if that's the case the world can go fuck its self. My "hero" days where over. The only thing I planned on saving was the unused gold in people's pockets. I had no idea why the kid looked up to me the way he did. I didn't feel like a great role model. The three of us run after the kid. As we go I think about the weird night we just had. Skyrim was an endless mire of weird shit. I had a feeling fighting vampires for barrels of wine would not be the end of it.
...
A.N: Well that's one down. Reviews are always welcome, any tips as well and thanks for reading.
P.S Sorry for the unintended kick to the lores balls I had no idea werewolves where mortal till a friend pointed it out after i posted it. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it now but give a minute to think promis I'll smooth it over best I can.