AmythestDreams1991: Hello and thank you for reading and commenting! Yes, I apology for the errors, I try to always find them and correct them and learn but I am glad that they don't disturb too much. It is nice to hear that the story is interesting.
Hopefully you'll enjoy!
After marking on the map where her home, her and mom's and dad's home, was, the vampire ushered her to climb stone stairs to one of the three iron gates.
The gate lifted, and she was commanded into the small room that... Had skeletons and dried bodies in the niches of its stone walls. And there was a fresh body hanging from a pillar at the back of the room, right in front of her.
"Now this sadly will be your room for the time being. Hopefully the cobwebs won't bother you too much", the vampire said while going to the block of stone, pulling one of the handles and the iron gate slammed shut right behind the child. After that, the High Elf vampire released Gyvas' mind.
Whimpering the Nord girl turned around.
"Please, let me out! Please!"
The vampire sighed, pulled another handle that opened another iron gate in the room. Before leaving however, he turned towards the crying, begging child. Lifting a finger to his lips which turned into a smirk.
"If I was you, in there, I would keep it quiet girl. You do not want to stir up the Mutt."
Confused for a moment the girl fell into silence, watching as the vampire walked away.
"Wha- No, please!"
She slammed her fists against iron, sobbing.
"Please... Please..."
A jingle of metal and a groan coming from behind quieted her, created paralyzing terror rushing through as she listened. She was too afraid to turn and see what it was that moved behind her. The Mutt? What or who was the Mutt?
"Hey..."
Hearing a human voice, rasp and deep, Gyvas glanced carefully over her shoulder.
The body that hung from the pillar by its wrist, bound by shackles, feet barely touching the floor, wasn't dead after all. It was a man, Nord, very pale, and skinny looking.
Pair of blue eyes looked at her for a moment in confusion, before widening from surprise.
"Wha- You are just a kid."
She didn't answer anything, keeping at staring at the dirty man who wore ragged trousers. There was dried blood on his chest. And face.
Gyvas glanced down to the floor, seeing bones with stains of fresh meat and blood.
The child fell onto the floor, pressing her back against the gate and hug her knees. She stared quietly with teary eyes at the man.
The man growled, inhumanly, and cursed. Mumbled something.
The Nord man focused back to the little child that had went all quiet and still. The act of prey stirring the cursed one's mind and body, feeling the spike in his blood.
Shaking his head he growled, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Listen... I don't wanna... Hurt you, so, just, just stay there, as far away as you can, okay?"
Gyvas slowly nodded.
The man gave a weak half-smile.
"Good girl."
Athis had traveled almost to the Lake Ilinalta when tracking the other vampire.
So far nothing had happened or anything new discovered, and the Dunmer werewolf was considering to turn around and went after others. It could be the vampires just met by chance and then continued their ways after some greeting or whatever those creatures do when meeting another.
Halting the beast huffed and buffed, staring forward in the darkness.
He should turn back. He wants to be there helping Vilkas and the Dawnguard. Hopefully the blood suckers weren't stupid to do anything to the child. Though, knowing the Nord the vampires were going to suffer anyway. And for his friend the Dunmer would happily help at it.
Seeing something moving, couple of something, humans, on the distance in shadows, the beast-elf drop flat against the ground. Ears perking and red eyes following the cloaked figures. Moving with speed that weren't normal for a human being.
Suspicious rising inside, he started following the strangers.
They ended at some large house near the lake. And the familiar scents alarmed Athis of whose home this was.
"This should be it", a female said while holding a map, looking at the empty seeming house. "Try the door", she commanded, and the other walked up the stairs, placing their hand on the handle.
Yelping they jumped away and hold their hand.
The woman laughed and pointed at their comrade.
"Stop laughing!" the man snarled.
"Just like I suspected, protection spells", she ignored the other and looked at the house. "Not surprising from a vampire hunter. Let's try to see if there's any opening."
"You try."
"Oh stop whimpering Nord dog. Lord Vingalmo trusted us with this quest, and I at least am going to carry it out. Now come."
Behind trees, Athis sat, placing the bag holding his gear on the ground. Listening at the two moving around, he pondered.
Couldn't be any coincidence, these vampires were connected to Gyvas. But why were they here? The Dawnguard had said the vampires had a nest at Rift, and this was Falkreath. Did they have two of them? If so, which one had the pup in it? Athis also had the leader's name, the Dawnguard probably knew the so called lord.
Right thing would be turn and bring this information to the others quickly. But, what if these vampires here had the girl? How much time did she had?
And if the other nest was not the right one, would these here know about it and so anticipate them coming, which would put the pup into more danger?
The Dunmer thought about Vilkas.
The Harbinger would went straight into the direction where he would believe the girl be, and do everything to get her out.
But the vampires wouldn't gain anything from hurting the child. But they were vampires, Athis would not trust the blood sucking snakes not to play with their victims.
And surely they would not give her up even if Dawnguard would give them the Auriel's Bow. And the Dawnguard probably wouldn't give it to them, it most likely was something like that.
The beast-elf growled in frustration, hearing another yell, the man again, from behind the house.
"Molag's balls!"
The woman laughed yet again.
Gyvas glanced at the man who had not spoken nor moved after telling her to stay in distance. If he would had not moved and spoke, she would still think he was dead. Hanging motionlessly like that, barely chest even moving as he breathed. He was really pale Nord. Skinny, but wiry. The dried blood on him made the girl shiver and look away. But there really wasn't any place in the room she wanted to stare at. There was... Bodies... Skeletons and dried up bodies, everywhere. And blood and bones and...
What they were going to do to her?
She focused back to the man.
"Excuse me."
He didn't respond before she repeated herself, louder.
"Excuse me, sir?"
"What?"
She recoiled from the harsh tone of his. Seeing her reaction, he however softened somewhat his voice.
"What is it?"
"...Um, can I, can I ask your name?"
"...Mutt."
She tilted her head.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Why?"
"What does it matter!?"
The man growled and bared his teeth, yanking his chains. For a moment his eyes changed their color into orange, and something moved under the man's skin.
The Nord girl stared with wide eyes.
The anger didn't go away from the man's features immediately. He growled, yanked his chains and wrenched his head from side to side. His body trembled and something seemed like almost boil inside him, his skin moving and darkening.
Then he hit his head backwards, against the pillar, couple of times, and his body turned back into pale and skinny one. He huffed and still shook slightly, dropping his head down.
"...Sorry", he whispered.
Gyvas realized.
"You are a werewolf?"
Mutt raise his head with a deep scowl.
"No... I'm, more like a bear. You have met a wereperson before?"
Gyvas nodded.
"How?"
She looked away, settling to look at her knees. She couldn't tell, she promised not to tell.
"...Was it scary?"
Glancing the Nord girl took a minute before nodding.
"Did they attack you?"
She shook her head.
"...They hurt someone close to you?"
She hugged her legs more tightly. Then did a small nod.
"...I'm sorry."
"...Why are you here?"
"Shitty luck."
Face reddening she glanced at the man, who was staring also downwards.
"I was just traveling. Was a hunter. Then... Got attacked by this creature. It just came, out of nowhere, clawed me and took into this cave to meet its buddies and-"
Mutt again fought under the chance his body wanted to go through as the strong emotions shook him, but hitting his head again he settled back down. Laughing hollowly, first, then shortly more rambunctiously. He smiled as staring at the scared girl.
"Got caught by vampires after that, and been just kept here. All down here, you know. No sun, no wind, no air, just here with the bodies on the walls. Here here here here! And sometimes I get a bite. Something they got, throw it to me. Like a bone to a dog, that's what I am, a mutt, you understand, right? Right? Funny joke right!?"
Gyvas put hands against her ears.
"Hey, hey listen! Girl, listen!"
"Stop, please."
"Yeah that's what they always say, please and stop! Hear that same song every time they eat someone or throw me something. And now a child? A skinny brat, no, that won't fill my hunger, I want to eat a WHOLE GROWN UP HUMAN! Hear me you bastards there!? I want real meat!"
Failing to block the yelling and screaming man Gyvas broke up into sobbing. She wanted her Wolf back. She was so cold and she wanted Wolf to protect her again.
She wanted back to Jorrvaskr to everyone.
Uncle, please, come get me. Now.
In Rift, in an isolated cave, was a battle going on. Dawnguard and the two Companions were fighting through young, trash vampires that were more like beasts than humans anymore. Not pure blooded, just sickened by the disease in body and mind.
Vilkas in his beast form was on the front line, ramming through the attacking creatures Aela right behind him.
Smacking one in front of him to the ground he effortlessly crushed the turned human to death, the creature turning into ash under his monstrous hand. Aela was having the blast, ripping and biting through everything that made the mistake to come after her or the Harbinger.
The transformed Nord man kept destroying attacking vampires, trying to see any clue about Gyvas. Her smell was in there, faint, very faint and it bothered him.
Letting out a horrifying howl, the air vibrating from its force, the beast blooded sent part of the attacking horde into panic.
"I'm heading further!"
"Fine, I'll keep these rats from overwhelming others", Aela answered, heading back towards the entrance tunnel where the Dawnguard was securing that no vampire was getting out. Serana was in front of them, keeping up defense almost by herself with spells and magic granted by her pure vampire blood.
Running past and ignoring other trash vampires Vilkas kept going forward in the cave and through tunnels. Following the smell of his niece as fear and doubt kept playing in his mind. Not her too. He was not going to let it happen. He was going to take her back home, alive.
Coming into a small chamber, the dark werewolf saw couple of trash vampires turn and hiss to him. But his focus went onto one vampire behind them, that clearly was different from the rest in this cave, same as Serana, and smelled of Gyvas.
"Oh", the man said, brows lifted and getting up from a chair with a sword on hand.
"We didn't think Dawnguard would have a beast with them. This is a bit unnerving... Or are you just a mindless dog rampaging in a vampire's nest?"
"Where is the girl?" the werewolf barked, and the vampire was surprised.
"The girl? What do you mean?"
"Answer!"
Stalking forward the tall werewolf was bristling from fury. Crushing and ripping quickly the other vampires who tried to come between him and his prey. The vampire raised his sword and swung. Vilkas smacked it into aside, from the vampire's grasp and taking hold of the creature's throat struck him onto the floor.
Holding down the vampire the Nord brought his snaring snout close the other's face, placed one leg on the other's one knee and stepped down.
The vampire yelled and trembled, squirmed, like stabbed snake under a knife. Trying to claw the beast tormenting him.
"You won't answer to my questions, and I will make you scream for Molag Bal", the werewolf explained, squeezing the vampire's throat.
Vilkas waited until the vampire's lifeless skin started to change it color. Then he loosened a bit, saying calmly and clearly, with a bit of rumbling in his voice.
"Now. Where, is, the girl?"
"Hey girl."
Gyvas kept her eyes closed and kept in a tight ball. The man had stopped from screaming a moment ago, but was now talking to her again. However, his voice was a lot more calmer this time.
"Hey, I'm sorry. Really."
She opened her reddened eyes, sniffled and tentatively lifted her gaze up to the man. He was smiling sadly.
"I'm sorry", he repeated. "I lost it for a moment, but I'm in control again, okay?"
"I promise, I don't want to hurt you or anyone, its just this... This curse, it drives me crazy, making me think and act like a- Like a monster."
"...Okay."
"Good, thank you."
She opened a bit, putting her hand down onto her knees. She stared back at the man.
"...What is your real name?"
"...Aaro. Just, Aaro."
"...I'm Gyvas."
"Well, I would say nice to meet you but I don't think this is a very happy meeting."
She shook her head.
"You know why they brought you here?"
"They want this Auriel's Bow", she muttered, looking down to her hands. She felt so weird without Wolf covering her. So bare, light. She shivered.
"Don't know what's that. But if they want something from you beside food, you probably have better chances."
She nodded.
"...What happened to you?"
"What?"
"You- You said... You told about this creature taking you to its friends. What happened?"
A silence, then the man told.
"Well, they were werebears. Just like the one who had taken me. They made me join them. I couldn't escape and really didn't want to. What they made to me... It's just wrong. It just... It's making me crazy."
"How?"
"It just does!"
Gyvas whimpered, placing hands against her ears again.
"...Sorry. It's just hard. Every little thing, even nothing really, just... Something snaps inside my mind. Switches and turns and suddenly I feel everything at the same time, rattling inside me and wanting out, pushing like an ox to the surface and it hurts and excites and- It's crazy!"
Gyvas thought, was it because the man was a werebear, and not a werewolf? Aela had explained some about being a werewolf. That sometimes it was a bit hard to control, like getting really excited and the feeling pouring over like over filled mead cup. Hard to contain, but not impossible. That she and Athis and Vilkas have learned to control their beasts and used their powers to help in fights and protect others.
That uncle would never hurt Gyvas even if being a werewolf.
But uncle had hurt dad when as a beast.
"You don't have any control of it?" she asked from the Nord man, who shook his head.
"No, so stay there okay."
"Okay."
"Good girl."
She looked over her shoulder, seeing the large chamber behind the iron gate. The handles were too far away- And that was her crossbow!
Getting up and turning she looked at the thing on the stone table.
"Hey, what is it?"
It was, it was her crossbow, with and arrow on it just like she had put it before the vampire had stunned her.
The girl turned around, the Nord man looking at her questioningly.
"We need to get out."
"Why?"
"Don't you want to?"
"Yes, I want to, but how?"
"I don't know, yet", Gyvas looked around the room, trying not to linger on the bodies. She took a step forward.
"Hey, stay there!" Aaro snapped at her and she jumped against the iron gate.
"Sorry..."
"Just stay right there."
It was a very small room after all. Just couple of steps, and the man could... Kick her or something. She now didn't really know how he could hurt her while his arms shackled, but she trusted his word and didn't move from her spot.
She kept looking around.