A/N: Heads up, this chapter gets VERY NSFW.

Serana looked up at the night sky. Stars burned brightly in the never ending black expanse, surrounded by gleaming streams of light the auroras produced. It was almost strange to see the same night sky as in Skyrim. This valley felt so disconnected and distant that seemed it needed to have it's own set of constellations and other stellar entities.

She looked over at Akiseta, who sat near the burning fire of their little camp, completely naked, a large bear pelt draped over her to ward off the cold. Her clothes and backpack also rested beside the fire to dry.

The Argonian had a journal set down in front of her, and was writing in it diligently. She had stopped most of her shivering, but an occasional shudder ran through her.

"What are you writing about?" Serana asked.

"The events of the past few days." Akiseta replied, keeping her eyes on the pages. "The first time I started keeping a journal, it was shortly after I came to Skyrim, after I found out I was Dragonborn. Lydia gave me a journal as a gift. Since then, I've written about a lot of important things in my life. It all takes up a few journals. This particular one is filled with everything that happened since the attack in Whiterun."

"A lot has happened since then."

"A hell of a lot." Akiseta sighed. She closed the journal and set it aside, then proceeded to stare at the dancing flames of the fire.

Serana frowned, biting her lip. She knew Akiseta was troubled from having to kill those dragons. But there had been no other choice.

She couldn't imagine how it must feel, to feel so disturbed by killing something others would take pride in killing. She considered how it would feel to kill another vampire, one that wasn't a member of her father's court. Would she be troubled as well? Maybe.

She glanced back at Akiseta, wondering if she should say something. What was there to say? 'I'm sorry you had to kill your brothers.'? That wouldn't help.

"You're staring." Akiseta said, looking away from the flames.

"Sorry."

"No need to be sorry. If you were naked, I'd probably be staring."

"Oh, shush." Serana turned her head away, feeling her cheeks warm up. "Besides, it's admiring, according to you." She heard Akiseta chuckle softly.

Serana looked down at her hands. "Hey, want to see something cool?"

"Of course."

Serana scooted closer to Akiseta, ignoring the heat of the fire, She took hold of Akiseta's hand, holding it out palm up. She created a few harmless sparks of her lightning magic around her fingers. She ran a finger across Akiseta's palm, and traced it down her forearm.

Akiseta watched the sparks dance along her skin in amazement.

Serana pulled her hand back with a smile. Akiseta looked down at her arm, running a finger along her skin.

"Wow. That was cool. It felt... different, but it was cool. I didn't know you could do that with that kind of magic."

"Well, I know more about this kind of magic than you. And I did tell you I had some surprises of my own."

Akiseta grinned, then shivered. The pelt had slipped off her shoulders. Serana pulled it back up, draping it more securely.

Akiseta smiled. She leaned her head against Serana's shoulder. Serana put her arms around the Argonian's neck.

"I wish I could do more to help you keep warm." Serana said.

"You could try kissing me." Akiseta suggested.

Serana laughed, and pressed her lips against Akiseta's, placing a hand under her chin. She felt Akiseta move into the kiss eagerly, and felt her hands grip her shoulders.

The heat from the fire was getting unbearable. Serana regrettably pulled back from the kiss, gently drawing her fingers along the underside of Akiseta's chin, before moving away from the wretched flames. Akiseta blinked a couple times, and pulled the pelt around herself.

"Did that help any?" Serana asked teasingly.

"Yeah." Akiseta said, turning her head away and tightening her jaw a bit, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. Serana had seen her make that face before. She did that when she was blushing quite a bit.

Serana turned her gaze back up to the stars. She closed her eyes, taking in a few deeper breaths.

She felt arms snake around her waist, and scales brush up against her neck.

"Still cold?" Serana asked.

"Yes." Akiseta said, pressing soft kisses along her neck. Serana tilted her head to the side a little.

Akiseta's hands slid under her shirt, and up along her stomach, her claws grazing skin ever so slightly as the Argonian pulled her closer.

Akiseta's hands slid up to her bra, and the Argonian undid the ties and pulled it out from underneath her shirt, all the while peppering her neck with tender kisses.

Akiseta moved her head away just long enough to pull Serana's shirt off, then moved her lips to the other side of Serana's neck. She cupped her hands over her breasts, beginning to knead them. Serana gripped her forearms, biting her lip.

Akiseta sucked in the skin of her neck, pinching lightly between her teeth. Serana's breath hitched a bit, and she scraped her nails along the Argonian's left forearm, resisting doing the same to the right one to avoid grazing Akiseta's scars. She was pleased with the groan she felt against her neck.

She wriggled free from the Argonian's embrace long enough to turn around, capturing her scaly lips with her own. She gripped Akiseta's shoulders tightly when she tasted her tongue, moaning into to the kiss as Akiseta's hands drifted to her breasts again. She nipped Akiseta's bottom lip very gently with her fangs, enticing a groan from her lover.

She adjusted herself slightly as Akiseta worked her out of the rest of her clothing, before Akiseta pulled away, leaving Serana breathing hard.

The way Akiseta looked over her body filled her with warmth, and made her heart pound so hard it hurt. The Argonian looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world. That's how the other woman made her feel.

"You're so beautiful." Akiseta purred, leaning in to kiss Serana again. She moved away from her lips a little too soon for Serana's liking, but made up for it by kissing her neck. She moved along to kissing her jaw and cheek, murmuring "Beautiful, and perfect."

"I'm not perfect." Serana said softly. She didn't want to kill the moment, but she couldn't help but say it. Nothing, and nobody, was perfect, especially not her. She let out a soft sigh when Akiseta nipped her earlobe, wrapping her tail around her waist.

"You're perfect to me, iluukai." Akiseta whispered into her ear, a slight husk to her tone. Serana felt so warm she thought her insides would melt.

Akiseta met her gaze briefly, before lowering herself down a bit to kiss her breasts. Serana gripped her feathers tightly, panting as her lover's lips and tongue worked over her nipples. She gasped when Akiseta's teeth pinched one.

The tip of Akiseta's tail teased along her thigh, making her shiver from the contact, and making it harder for her to draw in air. The underside of the tail brushed against her, stroking her with a caress that left her breathless and aching for more.

Serana's skin was pleasantly cool against Akiseta's mouth. Her nipples were stiff from arousal, and Akiseta worked them over with tenderness, reminding herself to be careful with her teeth.

She drew the underside of her tail between Serana's legs again, prompting a soft cry of pleasure from the vampire. Her skin was cool, but here, she burned just as hot as any woman.

She pulled both her head and her tail back from Serana, leaving her panting and flustered. The taste of her skin lingered in Akiseta's mouth, her dampness still warm on her tail.

Akiseta couldn't help but feel pleased that she could please Serana like this. Serana deserved as much. It was also pleasing that Serana wanted her in this way. Wanted her period.

Serana wanted her. That was still such an amazing thing to Akiseta.

She leaned in to kiss her lover again, and was caught by surprise when Serana pushed her onto her back. She managed to sit up a little, and then Serana was kissing her. Serana traced a finger along her tail, grazing it with her nail and making her hiss with the sensation.

Serana's hands slid along her torso, cooling her heated skin and scales as they passed by. They rested on her breasts, and Serana moved to kiss her neck as she began to knead them, making Akiseta moan softly.

Serana's hands were gentle and tentative, hesitate with her own inexperience with being the one doing this. Akiseta arched her back a bit, pressing her breasts into Serana's palms. That seemed to entice the vampire, who drew her fangs along Akiseta's neck, making her hiss with pleasure.

Akiseta hadn't realized how starved she was for touch like this. It had been far too long since she'd been felt in this manner, and by the Hist, she was loving it.

A hand ran along her thigh, the coolness of it doing little to quell the heat Akiseta was feeling. A finger teased hesitantly along the edge of her cloaca, making her gasp. She sucked air into her lungs, relaxing her cloaca.

She let out a cry of pleasure when Serana's fingers slid inside her, enjoying how the cold from them worked against the burning pit of heat inside her.

Though Serana's motions drew out pleasure, they were still hesitant. Akiseta thrust in time with them, desiring relief from the pressure building inside her. In response, Serana's fingers pressed a little harder. Akiseta felt her fangs pierce the skin of her neck just a tad, in the same place as the first time Serana had done so.

Akiseta panted, her body trembling. The musky scents of arousal came to her nose, not just her own, but Serana's as well. Serana was aching as much as she was. She couldn't leave her like that.

She stroked the vampire with the underside of her tail again, drawing out her name in a breathy gasp from her lover. Serana's other hand gripped her shoulder, and she pressed her forehead into the crook of Akiseta's neck.

Akiseta continued to caress Serana with her tail, delighting in the slickness she felt. She felt Serana press harder against her tail, rubbing herself against it. It only added to the pleasure Akiseta was feeling.

Serana's fingers worked against the tender spot inside her, making her cloaca ache with pleasure and desire. She then felt a tingle inside her, the same one she felt along her arm earlier, from the gentle touch of Serana's magic.

The sparks of pleasure it sent through Akiseta were quite literal. "Xhuth! Oh,... Serana."

They were both pushed over the edge at the same time, kissing as shudders rocked their bodies, leaving their hips aching.

Serana buried her face against Akiseta's shoulder, and Akiseta rested her chin on Serana's head, both of them panting. They collapsed beside each other, and Akiseta draped the pelt over them both, grateful for its warmth as her body began to cool off.

"I didn't expect you to be so worn out." Serana said.

"Why do you say that?"

Serana offered a small shrug. "Well, this isn't your first time having someone be intimate with you."

"True. But intimacy between people is always different. And beside, no one's ever used magic when nesting with me before."

A playful grin came to Serana's lips. "I take it you liked that?"

Akiseta felt herself blushing. "I loved it, iluukai. Sep zaloth xho."

"What does that mean?"

Akiseta realized what she said. Her chest tightened, and her mouth felt dry. She turned her gaze away.

"Aki, what does that mean?" Serana persisted, propping herself up.

Akiseta bit her lip nervously. It wasn't like she hadn't wanted to say those words, but maybe she shouldn't have. Was it too soon, though? It had felt so right to say them, but maybe it wasn't the right time.

Putting off an explanation wasn't helping. Akiseta looked up at Serana, who was looking at her curiously. She sat up a bit, and swallowed dryly.

"It means... it means, 'I love you'."

Serana stared at her, her mouth falling open. Akiseta rubbed her arm nervously, the silence becoming uncomfortable.

"You.. you love me?" Serana finally asked. "You mean that?"

"Of course I mean it, Serana." Akiseta said, letting out a sigh. "Look, Saxhleel don't say things like that lightly. When we say it, it's because that's how we feel. I.. I've told you before how important you are to me. And, I know what this feels like. I've felt love before. But, with you, it's different. It.. Before, way before, I was so afraid of opening my heart to you. I was scared. It was just too hard. But, then you kissed me at the spring, and I realized how easy it really was."

Akiseta ran a hand through her feathers. "You are the most wonderful person I have ever met, Serana. And, I love you. I know it's probably too soon, and I understand if you aren't quite there yet. I just wanted to let you know how I felt."

"Thank you for telling me, Aki." Serana said softly. She brush some of her hair out of her face. She looked like she was blushing.

"Are... are you alright?"

"Yes. It's... Before I met you, I didn't have any shining examples of romance, or intimacy, or anything. Then you came along, and showed me trust, and friendship, and so much more. I remember feeling so damn frustrated with how you kept pulling back. Maybe that's why I took things into my own hands back at the spring. With you, I feel things I've never felt, ever. With you, I don't have to pretend, or put up with things expected of me. With you, I... I feel whole, for the first time in my life. You are the most incredible person I've ever met in my life."

Serana brushed her hair from her face again. "I know I've little experience with these things, but... if this is what love feels like, then I love you too."

Akiseta felt like her chest would burst with happiness. She blinked back some warm tears. She wrapped her arms around Serana, pulling her close, breathing in their mixed scents.

Whatever tomorrow brought, whatever happened when they left this valley, it wouldn't take this away from her. The love of her life was in her arms, and that was all that mattered right now.

Sep: I

Zaloth: Love

Xho: You