Hello one and all, welcome back to the story. How is poor Max going to cope with everything that has happened to her? Very minor NSFW warning for this chapter.

Enjoy

Guest Review: Blue Sky - Serana? As in Serana from Skyrim? This gonna be good.

- The use of that name is a kind of nod to Serana from Skyrim, but apart from that there won't be similarities, our Serana is essentially an OC. That is the aim :)

Chapter Three: Into the Dark

Forest

As the overwhelming bloodlust slowly faded and her sharp fangs gradually retracted, Max's newly ruby red eyes fell on the aftermath of the hunt. She felt physically ill at the unmoving bodies sprawled out unceremoniously on the forest floor at her feet. A slightly metallic taste clung to her lips and when she brought her hand up to wipe at her mouth, it came away stained crimson. Her hand shook as she examined it, her entire body feeling numb and her bottom lip quivering.

She couldn't even really remember what had happened in the past few moments. The last thing she could recall clearly was crouching down in the bushes and then… she was here. It felt like her body hadn't even been hers in that time, some unseen force pushing her forward. She had not able to resist the immense desire inside her to bite down into flesh and feast upon the rich flow of blood running through the veins of her prey. It'd been a blur of hunger and need.

She was vaguely aware of movement beside her, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the horrific scene before her… one she had a hand in creating.

"Good girl," the woman breathed into her ear, "Well done," her hands danced down her arm, taking her wrist and examining the blood with an almost clinical eye, "A bit messy in execution perhaps, but that comes with practice," she smiled slyly, "I take you know what we both are now?"

There was little doubt now and no point in trying to deny what she had become. She could feel her strength increasing and her mind clearing with each moment that passed after the hunt, she could feel the new blood circulating inside her veins with disturbing accuracy. She had no idea how to react to everything that had just transpired. While part of her felt so disgusted by her actions, something deep inside her was… content, more than that, almost euphoric and heady.

This wasn't a feeling she really wanted to get used to, but it looked like she wouldn't have much of a choice now. She hadn't wanted this.

She suddenly felt a hand at her cheek, pulling her head gently to face Serana, whose bewitching amber eyes glistened in the low light, pulling her in with no hope of escape, "Max, remember today. This is what we are. Your life as a human is over. You have to embrace this if you have any chance of surviving."

Max's brow furrowed slightly as her mind wandered back to the now lifeless corpses just a couple of feet from where they stood, "What if I don't want to live like this?"

Serana's expression softened, "Oh, Max. You don't really mean that. I understand it can be strange, even traumatic, to undergo such an intense transformation, but you can't just give up like that. Adaptation is what divides the strong from the weak. While it will take time, I just know you will be able to do this. Besides, you aren't alone in this, which is already much more than most in your situation," her eyes flashed with something indecipherable and her lip quirked upward into a reassuring smile, "I won't ever leave your side, Max. I promise," she held out her hand to Max, "Let us leave now. There is no reason to linger."

Max felt herself reach out to take Serana's hand almost unconsciously. The aura around her companion was so overpowering and sucked her in. The two of them made their way back to the home of the older Vampiress, who was completely unaffected by the earlier bloodshed. By this point, Serana had witnessed many lives come to an end, most of which had been by her own hand. Unlike some of her fellow Vampires, she didn't try to deny the fact that she enjoyed the hunt. No matter how adamantly they protested, all of them felt this natural instinct. Instead of suppressing it, they should be embracing and enacting upon it.

So many held delusions that Vampires and humans could co-exist peacefully without incident, but this was not the case. Humanity just wanted to be able to control everything, to feel as if they had some power over their environment and everything inhabiting it, such was the way with most shorter lived civilizations. She still remembered a time where Vampires and other supernatural creatures ran free without restriction. Now there were rules and regulations constricting them with brutal punishment for nonconformity.

Still… it was for the best. Humanity had grown too populous, no matter how powerful the Vampire, or werewolf, the humans could drown them in numbers. No, the only way for our kind to survive, is from the shadows.

They approached the well-hidden door leading into Serana's residence, the same one she had lived in for some time now thanks to the many protective measures, most of which were magical, that she had put in place to avoid detection. She couldn't remember exactly how long it had been since she'd moved in here, time had a way of passing by unnoticed when you'd lived as long as she had. She had long since given up counting the weeks, months and even years that went by. Centuries were a much more manageable unit of time for her.

Still, it couldn't hurt to catch up, "Max," she said quietly as they once again entered the dark stone hallway, "What year is it?"

She couldn't help the pleased smile when the fledgling answered almost instantly, "2015," this almost instantly brought about another question, "May I ask how old that would make you, Max?"

"Well, that depends what month it is really. I'm not completely certain on that, but either nineteen or twenty if it's after September," Max replied after a moment of hesitation. She desperately wanted to ask Serana her age, but didn't think that would go down well so bit her tongue for now.

"That is a fairly common age for people in your situation, at least in my experience," Serana idly commented as they once again entered her room and made their way back over to the love seat on the balcony. From the looks of it, morning was soon approaching. The sky was beginning to lighten, pushing back the stars. She had some time though before Max's body began to shut down again. That would lessen the older she got, but for now, she was just as affected by the sun and moon cycle as she was before her transformation.

"So… what happens now?" Max asked curiously, breaking the silence between them.

Serana relaxed further back into the seat before replying, "First, you need to learn the basics. You have already passed a decent hurdle and I have a feeling that you shall be a very fast learner, especially under my guidance."

Max shuffled a bit, "Then?"

"Then I shall help you uncover the really interesting powers, the ones that differ from Vampire to Vampire in both nature and strength. There is a substantial range of possibilities, so we just have to pinpoint the ones you have a natural affinity for and develop them accordingly," Serana explained.

She had to admit, she was looking forward to seeing which particular powers would manifest themselves with Max. She herself was especially adept in anything arcane so hoped that her young student would be proficient in some other form of power as that would majorly increase the skills she had access to and open up considerably more opportunities.

"Once I've learned all I need to, what do I do after?" Max persisted, eager to know the plan of her fellow Vampiress. She was just too nosy for her own good sometimes.

"My, my, so many questions," Serana chuckled, brushing off Max's prying with ease, "I suppose that depends on how you wish to proceed. I can only guide you so much, Max."

Serana was still not certain of what to do with Max. At first, it had seemed like a decent distraction from the boredom of immortality, but the more she had considered it, the more she realized that she would be wasting an opportunity by simply just training Max up and letting her decide her own path. If she could somehow make it so that Max was willing to obey her every command, have complete and total control over her, then things could get much more interesting.

It would not be the first time that Serana would have used her skills to successfully manipulate someone, but she hadn't ever attempted it on this scale before. The opportunity had simply never presented itself. Most she came across who would be an asset required a lot of time and effort to bend to her will and there was little to gain from going to such lengths to make a human submit… but Max wasn't human anymore. It was the perfect time to be attempting something like this, when she was looking for guidance and had little knowledge of the supernatural world. By the time anyone found them, she could have Max wrapped around her finger and it would be too late. Barely anyone ventured this far into the woods and very few knew she was even here. Those who did know wouldn't be able to locate her unless she wanted to be found. She'd made sure of that.

She glanced over to the fledgling sat beside her with faint curiosity. She had a feeling that it would take some work to get Max to bend to her will, but she always did like a challenge. It's not like Max had anywhere else to go as of now. She needed Serana. So long as she wasn't too heavy handed in this and planned her moves carefully, it should not take too long to get Max on her side and beyond that. In her experience, the best way to get someone to do what you wanted was to create a strong emotional attachment, at least from the side of the target. Once that had been achieved, everything else fell into place much smoother. Serana's well practiced charm and attractiveness had come in handy more times than she could count over the centuries, getting her out of some extremely compromising situations particularly in her youth. She would do pretty much anything to get what she wanted, and if it was fun in the process then that was a bonus.

"It has been such a long time since I have had company here," Serana commented as she gazed out over the forest.

Max looked over to her with mild intrigue, "Really?"

Serana made a mental note of Max's curiosity, figuring that she might be able to exploit that in the future, "Yes. I have had passing companions from time to time, but those never seemed to work out in the end," she put on a wistful tone, her expression distant, "They always moved on eventually. That is the problem with immortality, things can get boring very easily."

Her melancholy was little more than an act at this point. Yes, she had traveled with other Vampires before, but she found many of them insufferable. They had underestimated her and paid for it. She didn't suffer fools lightly, something they had discovered all too late. On occasion she had come across some decent sorts, but soon realized that the only person she could really rely on was herself. Still, it didn't hurt to try and garner some sympathy from Max, to make her feel a closer connection and gain her trust much more easily.

Max nodded thoughtfully, "I can imagine. It must be hard living on your own for so long."

"At times, yes. You get used to it though," Serana offered her a beguiling smile, "Somehow, I think things will be different with you."

A flicker of confusion entered Max's red eyes, "What makes you say that?"

It would appear that Max had not perfected the art of hiding her emotions, a skill that was crucial in the supernatural world. So many different creatures were out to get you, that letting any sign of weakness show was almost certainly a death sentence. This inability would work to Serana's advantage.

"Let's call it intuition," she answered casually. If she had her way, which she often did, Max would never be leaving her side and would become completely dependent on her, "I hope that in time you will come to feel comfortable here. I would very much like for you to stay here after all."

Max seemed taken aback by this, "Are you cereal?"

"Well, that is not a phrase I have heard before," Serana admitted amusedly, "But yes, if that is something you would like of course."

Max shrugged, "I've had worse offers."

Serana decided to test the waters here, to begin the process of slowly working on lowering Max's guard. If she could find an opening, she could exploit this and eventually further cracks would begin to appear.

She shifted her full attention to Max, flashing her an enticing smile and ever so slightly lowering the tone of her voice, "You are certainly very entertaining, Max. It has been even longer since I have met someone so charming."

Max was quiet for a while and Serana wondered if she had come on too strong too soon. Some people were not receptive to the more direct approach and required a certain amount of subtlety. She had suspected that she would need to use a straightforward approach with Max, but she could adapt if necessary. Soon enough however Max mumbled, "I… I'd hardly say I was that."

Deciding that this method would suffice at least for now, Serana pressed on, "On the contrary, I think you are delightful."

Max fidgeted slightly before responding, "Maybe you should wait a bit before coming to that conclusion."

Serana shook her head, "My dear Max, you really do not take compliments very well, do you?"

"I'm… just not really used to them from anyone," Max looked down at her feet, "especially someone like you."

This use of phrase genuinely piqued Serana's interest, "Someone like me?"

Max rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, "Well, yeah. I'm just kind of average and you're… not in a lot of ways."

Ah, embarrassment. I wonder, Eager to test this possibility, she casually brushed her hand against Max's thigh, her lips quirking upwards into a small smirk when the girl beside her tensed very slightly but didn't pull away, "I hope that's in a good way."

It was best to start off very slowly with this, she didn't want to shut down this option now that she was so fascinated by how Max would react. It had been some time since she had even considered this form of seduction, often finding that a well-timed dazzling smile and a silver tongue were enough to get her where she needed to be. In this case that would have been sufficient as well, but pursuing this opportunity would certainly make things more interesting and much easier in fact. At the very least, it was worth a try.

"I-it is," Max stuttered nervously.

"I would hardly call you average, Max," she continued in an almost husky tone, "In fact, I find you extremely intriguing." It was true, Serana could sense the latent power in the girl, and it left her wondering what her magic would develop into as her immortal life progressed.

"Y-you sure are... persistent on that, huh?" Max replied weakly.

In a decisive movement, Serana reached out and tucked a stray strand of Max's mid-length brown hair behind her ear, her fingers lightly grazing her cheek, "It seems I have to be with you."

She gazed deeply into Max's eyes, waiting patiently to gauge the reaction this bolder move would get. She had spent many a century perfecting these skills, testing them where she could and almost always managing to succeed. Sure, it didn't work on everyone, but most were susceptible. Given Max's behavior right now, it was safe to assume that she fell in the majority.

Serana's ears suddenly picked up on the gentle chirping of birds and glanced back out into the forest to see the sun poking through over the horizon. When she looked back over to Max, her eyes were half lidded, as if she were struggling to remain awake, and her body was ever so slowly beginning to slump. Within a few moments, she was lost to the world. Serana shook her head and carefully moved Max back on inside, blocking out the oncoming light with the thick black curtains. While she was a bit disappointed at Max's sudden passing out interrupting her fun, now there was something even more entertaining she could try out. She really was putting all her skills to the test here, which she had to admit was an exciting concept.

It had been a fair few decades since she had entered the world of dreams, which made all of this much more appealing. This promised to be an enjoyable diversion.

"Max…" a hushed whispered echoed in her mind.

Her eyes fluttered open and as her vision became clearer, she scanned the room she was currently residing in. It had an elaborately carved wooden ceiling, with intricate painted panels lining every walls. An elegant golden chandelier hung down from the ceiling about a meter from the impressive canopy bed she was lying on. Everything in this room was so detailed from the furniture to the statues tastefully dotted around.

After the initial awe had worn off, she sat up and looked around to find the source of the voice. Her brow furrowed when her initial search came up blank. Maybe she was just hearing things. Shrugging off the earlier voice, she shuffled to the edge of the bed, her feet dangling off it. It was then that she saw the figure in the shadows. Her body tensed up, ready to attack.

An almost intoxicating laugh filled the air as the figure stepped out from the shadows, "No need to worry, Max. It's just me."

Max was confused to say the least when she saw the slender dark haired woman with amber eyes that almost seemed to glow in the dim lightning. She approached the bed with deliberate steps, stopping just in front of where Max was sat.

"Serana? What are you doing here?" Max asked confusedly, wondering what the hell was going on right now.

Serana absentmindedly wrapped a strand of her hair around her finger, her eyes locking onto Max's with an almost predatory intensity, "That is a good question," an inviting smile danced across her face, "It might be better to skip the explanations and show you."

Without further warning, Max felt herself being violently pushed back with immense force onto the bed. Before she really had a chance to understand what was going on, Serana had already made her way onto the bed and straddled her, pinning her arms above her head with one hand and locking her leg in place with her surprisingly strong thighs. When Max finally caught up with the situation, Serana's face was inches from hers.

"Now," she whispered huskily, her tone immediately sending shivers down Max's spine, "What am I going to do with you? Any guesses?"

Max was rendered speechless by all this, her throat now suddenly dry and a mixed sense of fear, but also anticipation, passing over her. Her entire body tensed at the piercing stare of the woman pinning her down and she swallowed hard.

A slight smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, "No answers for me, huh? Let me help you out then."

Her grip on Max's wrists tightened as she leaned down, bridging the previous gap, and roughly began kissing her. Max was surprised to say the least, uncertain how to react to this strange encounter. When her mind finally caught up with her body, she realized that she had been subconsciously reciprocating.

Serana briefly pulled away, offering Max a smug grin, "Guessed yet?"

Her eyes pinned her to the spot more than Serana's physical restriction. All Max could do was nod before Serana was on her again, moving her lips aggressively against Max's. When Serana pulled at Max's bottom lip, her sharp canines grazing against the inside, Max tried to release her hands from the hold, desperate to let them roam across the other woman's back. The harder she resisted, the tighter Serana's hold became and the more lustful the kiss became. Her fingernails had begun to dig into Max's wrists at this point, but this only heightened the sense of exhilaration building up in her mind and body. She shuddered as she felt Serana's fangs graze the skin at the base of her throat.

Max felt a hand creep underneath her shirt, long fingernails raking against her pale skin and causing her to shiver in delight. While she so desperately wanted to escape this restrictive hold, equally she wanted it to intensify. Serana's tongue slid into her mouth, eagerly exploring and brushing against Max's own fangs as her nail dug deeper into Max's wrist, almost threatening to pierce the skin at this point.

She abruptly pulled away, much to Max's disappointment and an involuntary whimper left her lips, something that seemed to amuse Serana greatly. She very slightly loosened her hold as she now descended on Max's neck, her fangs brushing against the skin, teasing her with the promise of piercing. Max moved her head, exposing more of her neck for Serana as she felt the vice-like grip around her waist and legs tighten, increasing the friction and fueling her attempt to escape. Max could feel Serana smile against her neck before she poked the tip of her fang into flesh, followed by a firmer bite moments later right where Max's pulse would have been if she still had one.

The sensation was so exhilarating, just as Serana had anticipated that it would be for Max. Vampire's venom had many purposes for different situations, normally it was merely to numb the pain or immobilize prey, however under circumstances like these it could act as an aphrodisiac, amplifying the entire experience. Max grit her teeth, stifling a moan.

Serana, having picked up on this, relented for a moment, her eyes wild as she growled lowly, "That is not how this works, Max. You don't get to decide what I can and can't hear from you. Understand?"

Max's bottom lip quivered as she said this, not used to seeing her so angry but loving every second of it. When Max hesitated in her answer, Serana's expression darkened further, "I said, do you understand?"

"Y-yes," Max mumbled, her body starting to tingle slightly.

Serana's expression softened a fraction at her compliance, "Good girl."

The praise resounded in Max's head, driving her further into the mounting desire. Serana returned to her neck, intent on finishing what she had started. She picked a fresh spot and once again sank her fangs in, this time more painstakingly slow as punishment for Max's earlier suppression. This time, Max didn't dare hold back. While that look of rage had excited her, it had also been the single most terrifying thing she had ever experienced and didn't want to push her luck.

On hearing Max's positive feedback, Serana's senses were sent into overdrive. It had been so long since she'd felt this much of a high, in fact she wasn't even sure she'd ever felt this good. Most Vampires were dominant and always fought for it which, while it had its charm, could get boring very quickly and humans would break under the full force of a Vampire's passion. Their bodies just were not up to it and there was little chance of the Vampire involved being able to control themselves at the height of the whole experience. When a Vampire desired human companionship, which had its appeal especially because of the added blood aspect, they often turned to specific areas such as the BDSM community, but even then they could never completely let loose. The only way to really allow for total satisfaction was with another Vampire, or in some cases another supernatural creature which wasn't all that uncommon.

Once satisfied with her work and confident Max would be more pliant, Serana gently removed her fangs, running her tongue along the bite marks before pulling back. She glanced up at Max's face to see her much more relaxed now. She had been getting way too tense too quickly for Serana's liking, so this should help with that. Repositioning herself slightly, Serana took the hem of Max's shirt and impatiently tugged at it, demanding for its removal. Max lazily arched her back, allowing for the Vampiress above her to pull it up. She very briefly let go of Max's wrists to ease the shirt over her head, immediately clamping back down on them the second she had finished. She had to have total control in this. She could have used some kind of restraints, but it wouldn't have been the same as herself physically overpowering Max.

After haphazardly throwing the shirt to the floor, Serana took a moment to inspect Max's thin frame. Had she still been human, this amount of exertion would have no doubt broken at least a few of her bones. Red marks marked the left hand side of her stomach where Serana had dug her hands earlier and stood out against Max's pale freckled skin. Her skin would only get paler as time passed through lack of sun exposure. Her hand explored the contours and dips of her newly exposed skin with passing interest, before placing her hand over one of Max's breasts still covered by her bra. She pushed up slightly towards her hand, her hips bashing against Serana's once more. She squeezed her thighs to restrain Max again as her hand snaked around her back, feeling the strap she needed to remove. Her fingers deftly undid the hooks, throwing the useless fabric to the floor in irritation. She hated unnecessary hurdles like this, such a waste of her time that could be spent on something so much better. Her upper lip curled in annoyance and her hold tightened ever more as she reached down, her hand gliding over the newly freed area, an action that seemed to rouse Max. Her unsuppressed moan of pleasure echoed around the room, bringing a grin to Serana's lips. She moved her knee so that it was directly in between Max's legs and varied the pressure she applied. Every time she pulled back, Max tried to move towards her again, but Serana wouldn't allow her to.

Her hand slowly made its way down to the waistband of Max's jeans, playing with the top. It was tempting just to go all the way now, but that would be no fun then. She wanted Max to feel frustrated, to need this more than anything and if she just released her now, this whole exercise would be pointless. Still, she could have a little more fun before she stopped this. Her fingers teased with the button on her jeans, Max attempting to move herself closer.

Serana shook her head at the vain attempt, "Oh Max, haven't you learned by now? We do things on my terms, not yours. You'll have to wait for the rest," she slipped back down to the base of the young Vampire's throat and sank her fangs in again, smiling at the sound it provoked as her venom flooded the girl's system again. This was the thing she had missed most about the more intimate of seduction methods, slowly seeing someone descend into an overwhelming state of limbo at her hand and being able to decide when to release them from it, if ever.

As much as she would love to toy with Max like this forever, she had to be considerate of the time she had remaining. Besides, it was best to keep her wanting. She very slowly began to let go of the power sustaining this particular dream, allowing it to fade into the darkness once more. Max would soon be waking and Serana was looking forward to seeing her reaction.

Serana's Bedroom

Max's eyes flickered open, taking a moment to adjust to her surroundings. As she laid there, the vivid images from what she now realized had been a dream ran through her mind. If she still had blood pumping through her veins, she would no doubt be blushing right now. It had felt so… real and intense. When she had dreams in the past as a human, they hadn't been anywhere near as involved as this and she often forget them within second of waking, but not this time.

She bit her lip gently, taking into account her now exceptionally sharp canines, as she thought over the dream. As far as she could recall, this was the very first time she'd had a dream anything like this. She had never been really that bothered about… that kind of thing before, unlike some people her age.

So why am I so flustered now?

Before she had much more chance to consider this, she felt the bed dip beside her. When she looked over, she saw Serana sat there smiling down at her, "Good evening Max, I trust you slept well."

"Ugh… y-yes," was all she could manage in response.

Serana's eyes shimmered at her answer, "Good," she tilts her head curiously to the side, "You were moving around a lot, so I wasn't sure."

"W-was I?" Max stuttered, feeling self-conscious on hearing this. It was already bad enough that she'd dreamed something like that, it was even worse to realize that in her sleep she could have been outwardly reacting.

Serana nodded firmly, "Indeed. I am glad to find out that it wasn't because of a nightmare," her expression became more worried as she met Max's eyes, her brow furrowing in concern, "Max, you seem troubled. What's wrong?"

Max shuffled uncomfortably, wanting so desperately for the ground to swallow her up right now so she could avoid this situation, "I… just had a bit of a strange dream is all. Nothing to worry about."

"Strange? How so?" Serana asked.

"It's…" Max hesitated. What was she even supposed to say now? She didn't want to necessarily hide things, but this was just something that she had to keep to herself, "hard to explain. It was just a bit confusing."

Serana gave her a thoughtful look, "Confusing in a good way?"

That was the question here. If she was truthful about this, she… did actually enjoy the experience, maybe a little too much. She'd been disappointed to find herself back in this room, not wanting the dream to end. She didn't know how to deal with that feeling yet.

"M-maybe," Max admitted, pushing back the sudden feeling of elation that surged through her body by letting her mind wander, "I'm still not sure really."

Serana momentarily closed her dazzling amber eyes. When she opened them, she gazed deeply into Max's eyes, "Dreams are funny things, Max. What you have to remember is that your subconscious, and even unconscious, thought often fuels them. The basic idea has to come from somewhere after all," her expression softened as she spoke and her tone became lower, "You can learn a lot about yourself and what you want from them. It is worth having a think about at least."

Just try and stop me, Max wryly thought, still unable to push the images to the back of her mind.

Serana carefully placed a hand over hers, breaking her from her thought and causing her to tense, offering her a comforting smile, "I know a thing or two about dreams, so don't hesitate to ask me."

There was no way Max could tell her about this, it would be way too embarrassing even if she left the fact that it was Serana herself she had been dreaming about out of the discussions. For now, she would have to think on it for herself.

"Th-thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"No need to thank me, Max," Serana gently squeezed her hand, "We have to have each other's backs after all."

Forest

As Chloe and Rachel pressed on into the forest, the blonde Vampire froze, her body tensing as she tentatively sniffed the air.

Chloe came up beside her, "Rach, what's wrong?"

Rachel turned to her with a solemn expression, "I can smell blood. It's faint, but it's definitely there and it's fairly fresh."

"Which way?" Chloe asked without hesitation. It could be related to their investigations, even if it was a bit of a stretch.

"To the West. It must be at least a few miles from here, probably more, and…" her hazel eyes filled with concern at this point, "a lot of people pass through on that side."

Chloe briefly considered their options, "So, we can either continue to aimlessly wander deeper into the woods or we can go check it out."

"Alternatively, we could split up if you want," Rachel proposed, "That way we can do both. I can go check out the blood trail and meet up with you later."

Chloe crossed her arm and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her fanged friend, "Oh, so I continue on into the dangerous bit, huh?"

Rachel shrugged, downing the last drops of blood from the vial Chloe gave her earlier, "It was only a suggestion. Besides, who says that investigating will be any safer?"

As much as she didn't want to, Chloe had to admit that both of them searching the same area was a bit redundant. They were both more than capable of heading out on their own and they could afford to miss out on something this suspicious.

Chloe sighed resignedly and passed her over a fresh vial just in case, "Ok, fine. Just be careful."

"I should be the one saying that. I'll see you soon," Rachel called back as she pocketed the small glass bottle and sprinted off as fast as she could in pursuit of the blood. She expertly moved through the forest, every so often jumping up on a high branch to scout out the area below her for potential clues or threats. Soon, the scent became more potent as she entered a less dense part of the forest. She was obviously close now. The thing that worried her the most was that she could distinguish at least two different blood types clearly and there seemed to be a lot of it.

The trail led her to a small clearing, with overgrown bushes enclosing the area from the rest of the forest. The smell here was so strong. It had to be here. Her foot hit a glass beer bottle as she approached the area and there were the remnants of a makeshift fire pit sat just to the left, with broken chairs and tattered pillows positioned around it. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a large crimson stain just a few inches from this. She crouched down and inspected it closer, poking at it with her index finger. A deeper pool sat about a foot away from this one. The blood had started to congeal, especially around the edges, which meant that it couldn't have been spilled too long ago, maybe an hour max. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the stale blood. Unless preserved by some kind of spell, blood outside of the human body quickly went off and became undrinkable for a Vampire.

She tried her best to ignore this almost rancid smell and followed the trail. It appeared that someone had dragged a body off into the bushes given the way the leaves and dirt had been pushed over. She glanced back over to the red pool. That was probably where the main attack happened. The victim, or victims as she suspected, may have tried to escape initially, but they didn't get far.

Rachel carefully pushed her way through the undergrowth. Soon enough, she found what she had been looking for. There were three bodies hidden in among the leaves a fair distance from the original killing scene. They probably would have not been found until weeks later, if at all, that is if she hadn't come to investigate. They couldn't be much older than seventeen. She wasted no time examining the cold unmoving corpses. Her eyes immediately fell on a deep bite mark on the neck of the nearest body. On closer inspection, she could see a few other smaller pierce marks on the surface of the skin, none of which had properly broken through. This may suggest either a struggle or inexperience. Most humans couldn't even hope to even begin to match the strength of a Vampire, so this was unlikely. There was also a fair amount of dried blood staining the skin. Messier kills were more common among fledglings. She moved on to the second body, which to her surprise was a completely different story. She really had to search for the bite mark on this one and the wound was spotless. There was no way that one Vampire could have changed their kill pattern so drastically, unless it was to purposely throw off a trail. The last body was slightly cleaner than the first, but nowhere near the standard of the second.

Two Vampires, one older than the other, either that or a feral.

She had heard rumors that there might be at least one Vampire residing in this forest, but there had been no proof to support this and it wasn't a crime for supernatural creatures to live out here. Something else bothered her. She could feel some kind of energy surrounding this place that didn't belong here. She suspected that the older Vampire had access to a certain degree of magical powers and by the looks of it they were extremely powerful. Vampires were notoriously hard to track, this coupled with magic would make it impossible to locate these two.

Great, Rachel sighed, A dead end.

She couldn't help but feel particularly concerned now. If her initial hunch was right and there was a fledgling travelling with a much older Vampire, then there was a possibility that Max could have already been found. Most she knew would not hesitate to take full advantage of a Vampire unversed in the politics of supernaturals.

I should report back to Chloe as soon as possible, she thought as she turned on her heel and raced away from the saddening scene. This wasn't the first time she'd witnessed something like this, and it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.

Things certainly aren't getting any easier for Chloe and Rachel. Will they be able to reach Max in time before it's too late to save her from Serana's total control? Only time will tell. Have a great day and see you next time.

P.S. Just before anyone says anything about the whole dream thing with Serana, this does not get rid of the chance for established LIS ships if myself and Tyler decide to include them later on. While we can understand everyone being excited for the potential prospect of certain ships being explored in this fic, we may decide the story works better without them. Nothing is certain yet. However, we do value your opinions on these kinds of topics and take them on board while writing.