"How…how are you feeling?" Golden hands carried a small tankard over to the human sitting at the table. Both women were cleaned up from their journey, and a hot bath did much to alleviate the toils of a long journey and hard battle. But it didn't completely dissipate the pain of falling off a large reptile or almost being burned alive.

"I've been better," Lydia shrugged but winced. Her shoulders were still a bit sore. She accepted the hot beverage prepared for her. She sniffed it, sad that it wasn't mead. It smelled sweet and spicy, and Lydia let the fumes waft upwards into her face while it cooled enough for drinking.

Sirsha chuckled uncomfortably from the bedside and adjusted the folds of her nightgown just to have something to do with her hands. They itched with the need to seize her human. Her throat was burning for a taste of blood to heal her dead body back to vitality. But she couldn't just…take it. Yes, Lydia was her housecarl and thus sworn to protect and serve her Thane no matter the cost, but there had to be a limit.

"I would imagine so," she said. She wasn't too particularly inclined to add more, and thus an uncomfortable silence settled in the rented room of Candlehearth Hall.

Lydia bent down to take a sip of her tankard and the liquid flooded into her mouth. It was exactly like the scent – delicious.

"It's a cider," Sirsha explained. "My tutor would make that for me when I was younger."

"Well, it's delicious. Not like good Nord mead, but for elves, this is good," Lydia smirked and took another dredge from her cup. She pulled off a hunk of bread from a nearby plate and sunk her teeth in.

"You Nords and your drink. I'll never understand."

A chip of awkwardness melted under their good mood. Sirsha felt it safe enough to fall backwards onto the plush furs. They were warm, but she wanted body heat. Maybe she could…but last time they were in bed together, she had molested the poor woman. She doubted Lydia had forgotten that. But…she didn't have much choice. If Sirsha told her to, she had no choice.

"My Thane," Lydia began. She swallowed a hunk of her bread before continuing. "What…what are you planning to do? Now that we know about the dragons?"

Sirsha closed her eyes and let images speed past her lids. Elenwen. She was beautiful. And intelligent. And wise. And sadistic as fuck. She was in charge of the Thalmor Embassy to Skyrim for a reason. The Empire knew what it was doing putting her charge, and that was one thing they did right. She need only write to Elenwen for an invitation to the next little "party" and she could move from there.

Sirsha didn't really care about the world ending too terribly much. All good things must come to an end. Hell, there was a rumor going around that some mad coven of vampires wanted to end the world. But it was her duty as Archmage of the College to protect Skyrim. It just so happened that she had Dragonborn graces gifted unto her for some unknown reason. She had the soldiers of Whiterun under her authority if she so willed to use it, but lording over humans didn't appeal to her greatly.

She paused, wandering what she wanted. She loved magic, the way it felt in her hands, the way it moved through her body, and electrified her mind. She loved mastering a new spell. And absorbing a dragon soul was like that. But ten times better. It was uncouth and counter-culture to her own, but the Nords and their dragons were fire in her veins much like wielding spells. She let the memory of using her Thu'um for the first time engulf her body. Just like lightening.

So she didn't give two shits about saving the world for others or even herself. But dragons and thu'ums were a high she couldn't deny.

And that scared her.

"My Thane?"

"I think, Lydia, that maybe this isn't such a bad idea," Sirsha said, her mind still swimming in the thoughts of pure power and energy. "I'll write to Elenwen in the morning, yes, I should. Enlisting her aid won't be a bad idea." And perhaps if she could help, they might be able to take down the rebellion while they were at it. Then she could go back to studying her magicks in peace with Aranea. Just like old times.

Except, now she had Lydia with her. So it wouldn't be like old times at all. Why was she here with Lydia instead of Aranea?

"You want the Thalmor to help us take down the dragons?" Lydia tried to compose her face into something neutral. She didn't particularly like either side of the war – both were stupid fuckwads – but at least Ulfirc was a Nord. The Thalmor would mow over all of Skyrim and destroy the once proud country and probably magic the fuck out of it to make it look like Cyrodil.

"It's not a bad idea. I mean, think about it: dragons are powerful creatures, and Thalmor soldiers are some of the best and brightest in all of Tamriel. The Thalmor receive intel from everyone and everything from all over. We can't ignore them."

"But…do we have to trust them?"

Sirsha pulled herself up to stare at her housecarl. She looked so vulnerable in her roughspun tunic and cotton breeches. She wasn't the bright knight in shining armor right now. She was a simple mortal woman. Her guard was up, but not enough. Not physically, not emotionally.

"What are you so scared of, Lydia?" While Lydia tried to find an appropriate answer, Sirsha stood up and approached her human. Her shoulders stiffened when she came closer, and Sirsha crouched down in front of her pale mortal to set her at ease some. "Is there anything to fear?"

"I fear you."

Lydia was practically frozen in her chair. Her vampire Thane was staring up at her, her golden eyes tinged with the scarlet of hunger eating her away on the inside. She knew what Sirsha needed, and she knew she would ask…one way or another. It was best to let her take it, to get it over and done with. But those cold hands would reach around her bare skin and grip her tightly. They would squeeze the air from her lungs. They would claw their way down her flesh and leave raised red marks. Her mouth would trail cold fire across her neck, and then her sharp fangs would descend and puncture the fabric of her mortality. Her lifeblood would spill, and Lydia would be at the mercy of a monster in hominid guise.

"I fear your hunger," Lydia whispered, mostly to herself. She was able to deal with moody Sirsha, and wise-ass Sirsha, and bossy Sirsha. But the vampire was a nightmare.

"Why's that?" Sirsha dared to kneel and lean forward, her golden eyes staring up into Lydia's stormy grey. She knew Lydia was smart. Neither was being subtle.

"You're going to hurt me." Lydia tightened her grip around her now empty and cooling mug. Sirsha was giving her a very poignant look. She wanted to feed. She knew she could make Lydia lie down and be quiet, but it was as if she wanted Lydia to volunteer herself.

"What if I promise not to?" How she itched to touch that warm body in front of her. Between the heat radiating from the upstairs fireplace, the smaller fireplace inside their room, and Lydia's own warrior body, Sirsha was practically drowning in fire. It was beautiful. "What if I promise right here, right now, that I won't leave but one mark on you?"

Lydia didn't answer. They both knew what Sirsha needed. It was a matter of how willing Lydia was, and how much self-control Sirsha had. Lydia swallowed hard and curled her toes inside her boots.

"What will happen if you don't feed?"

"I will eventually go into hibernation." She paused to compose herself. "After becoming a blood starved murderer."

Lydia took a steadying breath. Very well. It had to be done. And there was a big chance that Sirsha could steal her life away in her sleep or feed off a stranger. The thought repulsed her a little, and Lydia had to fight to keep a sneer off her face.

"Okay," she said, straightening her chin. "You promise?"

Sirsha let out the breath she had been holding. She wanted to lunge upwards and latch onto that pulse beating in her human's throat.

"Yes, I promise."

Lydia almost stopped her there, but if she did, the blood of innocents could be on her hands. If her Thane became blood starved and killed innocents, it'd be Lydia's own fault. Then the Dawnguard would come to hunt down the infamous Dragonborn vampire who, just by being what she was, had brought and could potentially crush the hopes of thousands of people worldwide.

So she nodded her consent. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain of needles biting in her neck.

Sirsha tried to control her breathing and her movements. She wanted to savor the moment, but she knew Lydia wanted it over as soon as possible. She couldn't scare her poor human with rapid movements. She had to pace herself, she had to be gentle.

She rose up slowly, grabbing Lydia's forearms on the way up. She urged them to relax, noticing that Lydia's eyes were closed and her breathing forced into a steady pace. She traced her hands up Lydia's arms and rested them on her powerful shoulders. She lowered her head down, nose grazing the beating pulse in her neck. She kissed her mark and felt Lydia shiver. When she parted her lips and pressed her teeth against her neck, Lydia flinched.

"For Talos' sake, please just get it over with," Lydia hissed. Sirsha glanced up to see her eyelids squeezed shut. Sweat had gathered at her temples and her lips were taut with anxiety.

"Lydia." Sirsha grabbed Lydia's fists, their warmth pushing into her chilled ones. "Please relax." No change. "This isn't a death sentence." She brushed a stray hair behind her ear and took small comfort in that Lydia didn't flinch. But she was so tense that feeding was going to turn into a nightmare.

"Lydia," she murmured. "I promised that I wouldn't hurt you."

Wouldn't hurt her? She was a vampire! And she had watched not too long ago the very same woman who now professed her care condemn a man to death. Not just any man, but a coworker and probable friend. She was also the woman who tried to molest and feed from her shortly before that. Not hurt her. Ha! But…better her than the innocents just outside this room, right? Someone had to be the scapegoat. It was probably for the best.

"Just get it done with, please," Lydia breathed, trying to relax more. She heard Sirsha sigh and those full lips return to her throat. As she exhaled, she felt those canines break her skin. Immediately she inhaled and gripped her knees. One of Sirsha's hands left her own and went up to pull her neck closer. The chilly temperature added to Lydia's tenseness, but those soft lips were a soft anchor.

It didn't hurt as much as last time. This time, Lydia could feel the difference. Last time was angry, this time it was apologetic and necessity. Sirsha's other hand left hers and grabbed onto Lydia's shoulder to brace herself against something solid. She was beginning to press herself into Lydia who was quickly becoming drunk on….something. Feeling light headed, she wrapped one of her arms around Sirsha's waist and pulled her closer. Sirsha was quickly warming to near Lydia's own temperature.

"I think," Lydia gasped, "that you've had near enough, my Thane." The room was too fuzzy and warm now. Was this blood loss?

Sirsha stopped drinking but remained attached to her human, lips still pressed against the pale skin. Lydia was so warm, and if she left go – if either let go – the familiar cold that Sirsha had grown used to would envelop her again. Here was a human she could trust to not kill her, one that understood what she was, and despite all her fuck ups, still knew what had to be done. Priceless, this one.

"I…I don't want to leave you," Sirsha mumbled into her human's neck. Feeding from Aranea had never been like this. Aranea had always been eager to become a meal. Lydia was apprehensive. Aranea had a violent temper and strong bias towards everything. She was a great friend accomplished lover, but Lydia was an honor bound Nord whose natural animosity to another race was so enticing it made Sirsha want her more. Though why she wanted her in the first place was completely past her.

"Um…pardon me?"

"I…I want…to stay…" The words were hard to push out and still harder to swallow. She'd already said them once, it was going to be difficult to say them again. But she had to. "With you. I want…you."

Lydia was thrown. Sirsha was undeniably beautiful and powerful. Anyone would bed her. And in Lydia's current mental state, she was sorely tempted. But also to consider was everything that Sirsha was. If Lydia's parents knew that she was servicing – let alone bedding – an elf, they would turn over in their graves. But they weren't here, and Sirsha was very real and very there.

But she was also a vampire who admittedly wanted her blood. But she was sated. And it didn't hurt. Not that much. Sirsha had promised that she wouldn't hurt her. She held true to that promise. It wasn't exactly proper either for a housecarl to sleep with their thane, albeit a common occurrence. Lydia didn't have to if she didn't want to.

But it had also been several weeks since her last night of fun. And since Sirsha was initiating, it wouldn't be Lydia's fault. One little hot night in Windhelm wasn't going to be bad. Both of them were sober and consenting adults.

"I want you too," Lydia said and wrapped both arms around the mage who had taken to sitting on Lydia's lap. Her nose was pressed firmly in the warrior's neck. Lydia pulled back to look at the elf and make sure she was on the same page. Those amber eyes were alight with lust and affection. They wanted the same thing then. A night where they didn't have to feel alone. Lydia kind of wanted to have some fun, but for the most part, this was a mutual desire for relaxing and feeling someone close.

Sirsha leaned down tentatively to ascertain the same. Lydia didn't back away. A small beacon of hope settled in Sirsha's stomach and she closed the distance between their lips. The light exploded into pure heat when everything she had been holding in exited her through that one physical outlet. Lydia's strong hands pulled Sirsha's hips closer and deepened the kiss. A warm tongue begged entrance into her mouth, and Lydia complied, interested and very much invested in this turn of events now that she was a willing participant.

The two women continued to face battle fervently and take comfort in the other's warmth which was steadily brimming past the confines of their needless evening attire. Their growing passion became a heated fire that kept them through the night, all thoughts of dragons and warring factions behind them – for now – forgotten until morning.

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Wow, I've been gone for a while. Sorry about that. Just a lot of stuff had been going on in my personal life, I just assumed I would get to it later haha. Um, this is something I choked out. Hope you guys accept it. You don't have to like it. It IS fanfiction geez. To all those who left reviews and I didn't reply because I'm an AWOL dipshit, thanks so much, and I really did read them and apply your feedback to celle-çi. Have a good Vday everyone, and I'll see you guys some time after this that is obviously not now. Cheerio!