A/N

Hi! As promised, I'm releasing the new update this month! The next update would be around next month, but, you may never know. If you leave plenty comments/reviews, I just might release them earlier :P jk

I hope you enjoy this one! Please, please... do leave some comments/reviews! I really love reading your reactions. The more I see, the more motivated I become to write faster.

Anyway, see you next update!

One of the vampires gaped in horror as he saw the head of their leader blown into bits by a thunderbolt spell cast by Serana.

The other vampires were also taken aback as they stared down at the vampiress standing in the clearing. She had her hood on to conceal her face.

"You dare come inside this glade and desecrate its beauty with your wretched presence." Serana said as her hand crackled with electricity. "And you dare… you dare hurt him…! I'll show you… I'll show you wretched fools what it means to be a true-blooded vampire."

The vampires aimed with their crossbows while the others prepared their ward spells and conjured several gargoyles.

They felt it. The extra-ordinary aura Serana was emanating. The vampiress is holding in an impressive amount of magicka.

She needs to be dealt with immediately.

Upon signal, three of the vampires fired at the vampiress.

But, the crossbow bolts bounced right off as an even more powerful ward spell protected Serana.

She slowly removed her hood. Her skin is now gray and scaly, similar to that of a gargoyle's. Her eyes are pitch black… and they throbbed with anger. Even her hands are slowly transforming into razor-sharp claws. Her fangs were bared… in a sinister smile.

It wasn't even a full transformation to being a vampire lord. But, the power she possessed had already increased exponentially.

With a snigger, she spoke again. "I've decided… you're all going to die down here."

In a blink of an eye, Serana assaulted the vampire closest to her with a burst of speed. She gripped him by his head, dangling him in the air. Another vampire swung her sword towards her, but to no avail because of her powerful ward.

With her other hand she blasted him with a lightning bolt, while squashing the head of the vampire like it was fruit within her grip.

The gargoyles were attacked her up front, but Serana easily dealt with them using her magic.

The wards prepared by the vampire mages were useless before her powerful destruction spells. The ambushers were either blasted off by powerful lightning or have their limbs forcefully torn off from their bodies by Serana's claws.

The glade's greenery is soiled, little by little, with the dark red blood of her enemies.

She didn't even have to cast multiple spells to put them down.

Doing that would be too easy.

She wanted to deal with these low-lives up close... and personal.

The surviving vampires stared, their weapons trembling in their hands. They knew it's a fight they couldn't win as they watched their comrades scream for help or for mercy.

Then there was a signal. The Elder Scrolls were retrieved by one of them while the vampiress was distracted.

It was time to go.

One by one, the vampires started to run. Most of them were killed by Serana in pursuit. The remaining few were able to escape.

Serana coquettishly called out. "Where are you going? Get back here. I'm not done with you."

All of a sudden, she was short of breath.

She slumped down the ground with labored breathing. Her greyish skin was starting to shed. Her claws were slowly turning back to how they used to be. The pitch-black color of her eyes started to fade, reverting to her feline ones.

Serana dropped down the ground as she slowly lost consciousness.

It wasn't long before the vampiress woke up. She sat right up, her palm supporting her throbbing head.

Then, she looked around… and her eyes widened in horror. Mangled corpses of vampires littered the glade. The clear waters from steam pools are tainted with dark red blood. Some of the torn body parts even hang from the canticle trees.

Serana was no stranger to blood and gore. But seeing all these vampires, all dead in the most horrendous way she could think of by her hands, she wanted to cup her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from puking.

Her head throbbed with panic and everything in her mind was going into a chaotic swirl.

Then she remembered.

Remus.

She sprinted back towards the small crevice at the corner of the cavern. There she saw Remus slumped down, just the way she left him.

Serana felt uncomfortable. What… what if…

She quickly unbuckled Remus's armor before pressing her ear against his chest.

The vampiress let out a sigh of relief.

It was slow… but his heart's still beating. It must be because of the paralysis poison. Still, he looked pale and terrible. And that worries her.

Carefully, she hoisted Remus on her back. She was also feeling under the weather, but Remus's safety was the only thing she could think of.

She ran back to the glade clearing. Serana tried her hardest not to mind the gruesome setting. Her eyes darted toward the canticle tree, where they left the Elder Scrolls.

Gone.

She clicked her tongue in dismay. After a short pause, she shook her head. She strengthened her resolve to save Remus.

Right now, his safety is the only thing that matters.

With that in mind, she hurried for the glade's exit… without looking back.

[Remus' POV]

Remember, Remus… you must acknowledge your weakness. Your blood is weak. Your body is weak. Everything about you is weak.

What's this…? A woman's voice…?

Those things… aren't very nice to say. I'm not that weak…

But… you WILL become strong one day. Keep on trying hard… that you'd be able to protect yourself. Maybe you can even be a hero!

I felt a warm hand over my head. This… this sensation…

I believe in you, little Remus… my…

The voice trailed off. Another weird dream.

"Please work… please work…"

He heard a familiar voice… Serana…?

I slowly opened my eyes.

Sure enough, I was lying on a bed. Serana sat on a chair next to me while she held a small flask. She was teary-eyed as she looked over me. Her lips… they're trembling.

She seemed surprise that I came to consciousness. Without a single thought, she dropped the flask and immediately wrapped her arms around me.

"T-thank… thank goodness… I was… I was… really worried…" she cried. She was trembling so hard. I must've worried her so much.

I smiled. I raised my right arm to embrace her back but then I felt a sudden jolt of pain.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"Oh! Sorry!" Serana pulled back immediately. "I… I forgot your wounds haven't completely healed yet…" She wiped down her tears.

"No, no. It's okay." I forced a smile.

"It's a good thing though, you're starting to feel pain... and you're moving… I'm surprised how fast your body recovered from the poison…"

Right, we were attacked. I checked on my side and my shoulder. The bolts were removed, and both were patched up. I slowly looked around. We were in some sort of shelter. A pretty run-down one at that. Although, this place looks familiar…

"Where are we?" I asked as I turned to Serana.

"An… an abandoned house. I'm not even sure where we are exactly... But, I'm sure we're still in Falkreath hold." she hung her head. "I- I needed to get you out of there… I didn't have time to think. I just… ran." Serana replied weakly, squirming in her seat. "Are you feeling better? The poison might've relieved the pain but… when the bolts first hit you… it must've hurt…" she asked with a worry-stricken face.

"I'm feeling better… thanks." I briefly replied. I looked at my patched-up wounds again. "You really did a good job with this… I can't believe you managed to pull out those bolts…" Now, I can cast restoration spells later once I've recovered enough magicka.

"It… it was no big deal. Maybe I panicked so hard that I did a proper job." Serana smiled weakly.

"How did you do it?"

"I used an anticoagulant to stop you from bleeding so I could remove the bolts..."

"Anticoagulant? How? You brought some?"

"No. I made some… After arriving here, I left you for a while to gather some herbs and ingredients…"

"You left me here? Damn, that's cold-blooded!" I joked, but Serana seemed to be in no mood for those.

"… After all, I'm still an adept alchemist thanks to my mother…" Serana sighed. She is still trying to smile for a change but to no avail. I looked at the vial she just dropped.

"So, what was that?" I pointed.

"I made a health potion. Well, I tried. Health potions for vampires and humans are different so I have to sort things out…" she glanced at the flask. "That was the third one I made… I was so relieved that you woke up…"

"I see…" I reached for Serana's hand. "Thank you…"

She just gave me another forced smile. "It was nothing."

"How did we get out?"

Serana's eyes narrowed before turning away. She quickly withdrew her hand from mine and grasped her other arm. She was… shaking.

"Serana…? What's wrong?" I asked with worry.

She slowly looked at me, tears starting to well up in her eyes again. "Now… you've seen me like that, huh..." she said darkly.

"Wha—"

Right. Before I passed out, Serana was acting… strange. Even how she looked was kind of different.

I remembered her eyes slowly turning pitch black, and some parts of her skin turning grey.

"You mean…" I started but Serana shifted her look away. I guess I shouldn't be too specific. "What… was that about?"

There was a long pause before Serana answered without even glancing at me. "I turned into a monster."

"A monster?"

No answer. Still pure silence.

I thought hard.

That's when I remembered my first visit at Castle Volkihar.

Harkon's display of power…

"Look, Serana… it's not that of a big deal."

"Stop lying." She said coldly. "Admit it, you hate me."

"What…? I don't—"

"Cut it out... Even I hate becoming turning into that…" Serana laughed dryly, tears still streaming down her face. "I… I didn't mean to… I just… you were hurt and I…"

"Serana, I told you—" I tried to console her but she wasn't exactly stable.

"Everything just turned pitch black… and when I came to… I… I've killed them… not only that I… I…" she was trembling furiously, tears steadily streaming down her face. Her voice was starting to break. "It… It was i-inhumane… T-The bodies… I've—I've… desecrated the glade…!"

Serana…

I pulled her into an embrace, not minding the pain from injuries.

I gently caressed her back. She was shaking terribly. I… I don't know how I'd make her feel better.

That's when I remembered.

Blacking out… waking up in a garden of mangled corpses around me… the smell of blood and death…

I once felt the same.

"I know how it feels."

Serana slightly pushed me away and shot me an angry look. "Remus, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop lying for my sake." She said aggressively.

"No, I'm serious."

I told her what happened.

About my dealings with the Companions… About the Blood-Moon pack… about how I barged into their camp to face… him. How I blacked out and… slaughtered everyone.

I omitted the fact about my… blood. That's something I… I'm not ready to tell her yet.

Telling my story is still painful. But, seeing her cry like this… I just… have to do something.

All through out, she just stared back at me. Her tears had stopped, and the guilt-racked look on her face was replaced with intrigue, and surprise. But the sadness in her eyes still remain.

"I… I didn't know." Was all she could say after finishing her story.

"Besides the fact that I hated acting on the whim of people who needed help, this was the greater the reason." I paused. "The reason why I ran away and hid. I was ashamed." I smiled bitterly. I reached out for her hand and stared right at her. "The difference between us is that, you killed them so you could protect me. Me, I… until now I don't know why I did it. Out of spite? Regardless, taking his life was one thing, but slaughtering the uninvolved was needless."

The look on Serana's face softened up. Little by little she started to smile. "Still, they were bandits, right?"

"... And you fought vampires earlier. To save me. Now you get my point."

She chuckled softly. "Thank you… for telling me all these. I'm glad I got to know you better…" she gripped my hand tightly.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe…" she paused. "But don't expect me to forgive myself easily for committing something… inhumane." She slowly let go of my hand.

I just gazed at her. Speaking about how something could be humane or inhumane, despite being a vampire. She really is… kind. Time and time again, these words coming from her reminds me how I used to think vampires knew nothing but kill humans for blood.

To be honest, I'm having a hard time with this redemption thing. But seeing her try so hard to make things right, makes me want to do the same thing.

Serana slowly lifted her legs up the chair and rested her head on her knees. "So, tell me… about your mother…"

"My… mother?"

"You mentioned her earlier…"

"Honestly, I… I don't know about her. Up until now, I can't remember anything before I stayed at the orphanage…"

"Still, that's what triggered you to… blackout, right?"

"Well, I just…" I paused for a moment, collecting my thoughts. "… I remembered the Harbinger's words to me and I… I seriously can't remember." I looked at Serana. "I'm sorry… it's just… a memory I want to forget."

Serana sat properly once more. "Then… why tell me the story in the first place?"

"I hate seeing you cry."

I said that without hesitation. Her eyes widened in shock before turning her head away. "Seriously, this guy… this isn't good for us… especially me…"

"Isn't good for us?"

"No, nevermind." Serana gave me a short smile. "You should rest for a little bit more." She stood up from her seat.

"… Where are you going?" I asked, slightly raising myself from the bed.

"I'll just be right outside." Serana replied. "I just… need some time to think." She opened the door, and before leaving she glanced back at me and smiled. "… I'm really glad you're okay, Remus… I really am. Try to rest a little bit more, okay?"

Her tone was just… full of concern. Somehow, it was enough to make my heart beat faster.

"Okay…" I replied. She gave me one final smile before closing the door.

I stared at the closed door longingly, knowing Serana's just behind it.

I spaced out for quite a bit before looking over my bandage again. My magicka should suffice. I carefully stripped off the bandages.

My wounds… they still looked terrible even though they're healing.

I wonder what Serana felt… while she pulled out those barbed bolts…

I started casting restoration spells.

After treating my wounds, I just sat on the bed in silence. I looked around to check for the Elder Scrolls.

They were nowhere in sight.

Damn it... we might've lost them during the attack.

I don't even want to talk to Serana about it. She was already starting to feel better, I wouldn't dare befoul her mood again.

I stared at the lit fireplace.

I lost.

I clenched my fists in frustration. I was careless.

Moreover, I had to force her to fight. If only I wasn't shot then... she wouldn't be so disheartened right now...

I… I've got to be better. Stronger.

It's been a while since you last had strong desires for power.

My eyes widened in shock. That voice… the one inside my head… it's him again.

Still unresponsive I see. Every time you desire power, I'll always be here.

I chose to ignore it… like I always did.

"Where is she?" Remus thought to himself as he moved restlessly on his bed. He couldn't sleep. Also, he couldn't help but think he's already been in this place before.

Finally, he decided to get up.

Wearing his undershirt, he went outside.

There, he saw Serana sitting on a bench made of uncut logs just outside of the house, her eyes widened in surprise as Remus stepped out of the house.

"… I told you to rest." Serana groused as she moved slightly from her seat.

"I couldn't." Remus responded as he sat down next to Serana.

There was an awkward silence. Remus thought it must be because the vampiress was still in no mood to talk. Regardless of coming to that conclusion, he still chose to break the ice.

"Ah. I thought so. I now know why this place looks so familiar."

Serana looked at him curiously. "Why's that?"

"I've been here before. This place is called Pinewatch."

"I see—"

"You brought me to a bandit hideout."

With a sudden movement, Serana gasped. "What?!"

"Hey, be careful! This thing isn't exactly stable you know." Remus laughed as he tapped on the makeshift bench. "Don't worry. I've already cleared it out years ago. There's a hidden switch near the bookcase leading to tunnels below this place."

"That's… actually pretty impressive."

"Knowing this place is still abandoned, I guess Siddgeir remains useless as Jarl." Remus sighed. "Could've set up another lumber mill around here…"

No response from Serana. Remus just stared at her as she continued to delve in her thoughts. He couldn't help but notice the melancholic expression on her face, her eyes staring blankly in space.

"Serana." Remus called out.

There was a long pause before Serana replied, "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

This time, Serana stared back at him with a forced smile on her face. "What for?"

"You had to fight, just because I was careless."

Serana heaved a sigh. "It's okay. Really. It was an ambush." She paused before letting out a forced chuckle. "What happened after that… it would take me some time to forget."

"I still promised, though."

"Huh?"

Remus' eyes widened in disbelief. "Hey! Don't tell me you already forgot?!"

"What are you talking about?"

"It was a night just like this." Remus recounted as he gestured towards himself and Serana. He also tapped the bench.

"Uhhh… what?"

Running out of patience, Remus grabbed Serana's hand and entwined his pinky with hers, pulling Serana completely out of her dark thoughts.

Remus spoke softly. "I promised I wouldn't die on you. But, today, I… I jeopardized that promise. I'm sorry."

Remembering that night flustered the woman. It was cheesy… and childish.

"I-I told you it was okay…" she stuttered as she didn't really know what to say.

"Actually, I've decided to promise again. But, I'd like to change something." He grasped Serana's hand and entwined their pinkies once more. He stared directly at her eyes before he spoke, "I promise… I'll do everything in my power to stay alive and not die on you."

Serana was completely mesmerized as she stared right back at Remus' dark blue eyes. She completely forgot about the brooding she's been doing earlier.

Remus continued with a cheerful smile on his face. "Although, I really can't guarantee I won't give up just about anything… aside from my life… just to keep you safe…"

Remus' voice sounded genuine to Serana's ears. The vampiress felt tearing up but this time she fought it back by blinking rapidly and looking the other way.

"Ah. You damned idiot."

"W-what?"

Serana turned back to Remus. "No… nothing. I guess I think I really can't change your mind about that last part." She giggled. "But I'll definitely hold you to your promise."

The vampiress gave him the sweetest smile she could muster.

Seeing Serana happy and smiling made Remus realize something. Whenever she smiles, the more her beauty is discerned.

After that, he realized the fact that his face is only a few inches away from hers.

His heart suddenly started beating faster and he felt his blood rushing to his cheeks.

Suddenly, Serana stopped smiling and stared at the young man.

"Hey…" she started. "… are you really sure you're okay? Your body heat suddenly shot up."

Feeling conscious, Remus noticed that his pinky was still entwined with Serana's. Panicking, he quickly pulled it back.

"Yeah… yeah. I'm fine. I'm just… uhhh—"

That was the longest 'uhhh' that came out of Remus' mouth before coming up with something to say.

"… I just wanted to… tell you that… I—uhmm, really thankful… for saving my life. I really do owe you one."

Serana clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Seriously, I told you it was no big deal, you—"

"N-no! It really was… a big deal… I'd—I'd do anything to make it up to you."

Hearing his words, Serana's face softened up.

"A-anything?"

"Anything."

She clasped her hands together before shying away from the conversation.

"Well then…" the vampiress hung her head before planting both her hands on Remus' face.

"Serana wha—"

In a blink of an eye, Remus felt their lips touch. Stunned, his eyes remained open in surprise as Serana savored their kiss.

After a few seconds, the vampiress slowly pulled back. Remus stared right at her in bewilderment as Serana had mixed emotions her face. Still, her eyes expressed happiness.

She tried her hardest to grin, as if she just pulled a prank on him. "That's… revenge. For that thing you pulled on me back at Morthal. Now you owe me nothing."

She quickly got up and started walking towards the forested part of the area.

"H-Hey! W-Where are you going?!" Remus asked, his cheeks stil burning hot and his heart beating even faster.

"I'm hungry… and besides." She turned to look at him with a devious grin. She whispered to herself, "… I got what I wanted…" she called back to Remus. "I'll be back at sunrise. You better rest!"

She hurriedly sprinted into the woods, leaving the confused Remus behind.

Once she managed to do some distance, Serana hit herself in the head. She might've been showing a playful exterior, but she's feeling butterflies in her stomach.

"Damn it Serana, what were you thinking…"

She remembered she was about to tell Remus something before they were interrupted back in the glade.

She sighed.

After all of this is over… I'd… I'd tell him…