Chapter 9

"This has to be it."

After making their way through the busy streets of Solitude, they finally stumbled to the place Erik had instructed them to go to.

Josiah walked up to Serana's side, as he said in confusion, "Are you sure? This place is huge. Could it be like an inn or barrack, maybe?"

Shaking her head, Serena replied, "No. I don't think Erik would send us to an inn. Especially if he intends to protect the Moth Priest here."

"Well! Whatever it is, I'm ready to go in. My feet are killing me." Velan exasperated loudly, as he walked in front of them, stretching his arms up with a yawn.

"Hey. We're all tired here, Velan. Stop being so unbearable." Josiah said firmly to his younger brother.

Velan sighed, as he said, "Look, this is where Erik told us to go, right?" He glanced at Serana, and stood silently as he waited for an answer. She nodded slightly.

"Okay, so this is where it is." He pointed to the Blue Palace and said, "There's the Blue Palace. And here's the building next to the Blue Palace." He moved his finger over and pointed to the tall stone building they were standing in front of. "So, please. Can you guys stop your little lovers' spat and hurry up?" Velan turned on his heel, and sighed as he began to walk around the building and to the front door.

Serana tensed up when Velan called Josiah and her 'lovers'. She slowly turned to Josiah, but to her amazement, he didn't seem fazed at all. Instead, he was just glaring daggers into his brother's back.

Serana...you read too much into everything. Just calm down.

Serana slightly jumped when Josiah said, "We should probably head in. I don't want Velan going in first. He'll probably set the whole building on fire, before we even step in." Serana only nodded at him.

Frost followed close behind Serana, as Josiah and her made their way behind Velan. Walking up to the door, Serana took in her surroundings. There were flowers planted neatly along the sidewalk, and everything about the building had a very tranquil and peaceful nature about it.

Do we really have the right place?

"Since we don't have a key, I guess we just knock." Josiah stepped in front of Serana, and he turned his hand over and placed it against the door. Using the knuckles on his hand, he knocked firmly on the door.

He pulled away from the door and took a step back.

Looking forward, Josiah asked, "Who do you think will answer the door?" Velan shrugged his shoulders and said, "If it's someone that Erik knows, it's probably a troll or giant monster." The brothers laughed with each other, and it made a small smile break out on Serana's face.

After a moment of waiting, Serana could hear the subtle sound of footsteps hitting the ground from inside the building.

"Someone's coming." Serana said quietly to the brothers.

"Wait, how can you hear-?" Josiah tried to ask Serana. But he stopped after the lock on the door clicked, and the front door opened.

Everyone picked up their heads, and watched when a young woman stepped out of the darkness of the building and into the light of the outside.

Serana's eyes widened in shock, as the woman stood casually in front of them. The woman was young and beautiful. Her ebony skin was clear and creamy, and her yellow dress only brought out her beauty more. Her eyes were the color of a setting sun, and her long dark, flowy hair framed her perfectly fit body.

Who is this…? Could she be….?

"I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting any visitors. Can I help you?" asked the young woman.

Velan pushed in front of everyone, as he said, "I gotta give it to the Dragonborn. He's got great taste-!" Before Velan could finish his sentence, Josiah elbowed him in the side of the ribs. Josiah looked up at the woman, as Velan gripped his side in pain.

"What he meant to say was that we've been traveling with the Dragonborn, and he told us to come here. We are in the right place, right?"

The woman looked at them, and after a moment her eyes landed on Serana. Serana awkwardly smiled, as the woman said, "Oh, yeah. He just sent me a message that you guys were coming. Please, come in."

One-by-one, everyone filed into the building. Once everyone was inside, the woman closed the door and locked the lock.

The air inside was crisp and smooth. Inhaling deeply, Serana could smell freshly baked bread and fruit. The lit candles around the room gave it a nice and relaxed atmosphere. Looking around, Serana observed the stone walls that were decorated neatly with weapons, plants and banners.

Is this her house, maybe? But if so, why would Erik send us here?

"I just made dinner. I'm sure you guys are hungry, so you're welcome to take whatever you'd like." The woman walked to a table that rested neatly in the middle of the room, and began to slice a loaf of bread. When she cut into it, Serana could smell the sweetness of the wheat within.

"Erik said that he would be back soon, so he told me to show you to your rooms; when you get settled in."

Serana walked closer to the woman, as she asked, "I'm sorry. Did you say that Erik talked to you…?"

"Yeah." She paused before she continued to say, "Since you guys have been traveling with Erik, I'm sure by now that you've seen how powerful he is with magic." Everyone in the room nodded their heads.

"Well, his magical abilities don't just stop at what most people consider as magic."

With a mouth full of bread, Velan asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that even with mastering all of the schools of magic, it doesn't stop there." She turned to Serana and said, "He's telepathic. That's how he can talk to people, even without him being near them. That's how I got the message that you were coming. He told me to look out for a group of people with a small dog." She turned to Frost and waved at him, causing him to wag his tail.

So…...that's what it was…..

The room went silent for a second, before Serana asked, "And you said he was coming back soon though, right? I've been worried about him." The woman smiled and said, "Yeah, but you shouldn't worry about him. Erik's a really strong person. I've never seen him fail at anything."

Serana half-smiled, as the woman brought her a piece of bread. The woman tenderly smiled, and for some reason, it helped calm Serana's nerves.

"I have to ask, what is this place? Is this your house? It's really nice." Josiah asked.

The woman turned to him and said, "Erik didn't tell you? This is his house." When she finished speaking, Velan spit out the mead he was drinking and asked, "What?!" He stood from his chair and pointed around the room as he continued to say, "You're telling me that this is Erik's house? You know? The big, scary intimidating Dragonborn Erik?"

The young woman laughed, as she said, "I think you're looking at Erik the wrong way. He's a very nice person, underneath the exterior. You just have to get to know him first."

You just have to get to know him…..?

"I wasn't expecting that. Erik doesn't really seem like the type of guy that settles down and buys a home." Josiah said honestly.

"Actually, he didn't buy this house. It was a gift from the Jarl." When she said that, the brothers gasped in bewilderment.

"The Jarl?! How more badass could this guy get?" Velan sighed into his hands, as he said, "I mean, he can already talk with his mind! What more could he want?"

The woman laughed, as she said, "Even though Erik doesn't care for it, a lot of people go out of their way to get his attention. Whether that be business or….personal interest."

A shiver ran up Serana's spine, as she eyed the woman in dismay.

Does she mean….?

Serana hadn't really thought about Erik's personal life. She knew it wasn't her business, but something about knowing that he might have personal affairs with people made her a little…..

"What about you?" Velan asked, his eyes focused on the woman.

She turned to him and asked, "Me? What about me?" Velan grinned widely at her question.

"Awww, c'mon. I know you're not stupid." Velan took a sip from his bottle of mead, before he continued to say, "What are you to Erik? I mean, you live in his house. Are you his little wife or something?"

The woman snickered, as she said, "Hmph, I don't know. Could a 'little wife' do this?" Without giving Velan a chance to reply, the woman dashed behind the chair he was sitting in quickly. She grabbed his arms and roughly pulled them around the back of the chair, causing Velan to wince in pain. Using a small piece of rope, she had in her pocket, she tied his hands behind his back and smiled as she pulled away from him.

Josiah and Serana immediately began to laugh in unison.

Velan squirmed uncomfortably in his chair and yelled, "Hey! Release me! This isn't funny."

Josiah brought a hand to his chest, as tears began to form in his eyes. He pointed to his brother and chuckled heartily, as he said, "You should see yourself, Velan! She got you good. Just admit it."

Velan's face began to turn bright red, as he turned away in embarrassment. He mumbled something under his breath, as his head dropped in defeat.

After everyone's laughter died down, Velan picked his head back up. And to Serana's bewilderment, he had a smirk on his face.

"You know what? I'll admit it. That was pretty good. You got me." The woman smiled at his acceptance, as she went to untie him.

"Sorry, if I went too far. But I thank you for taking it with grace." She cut the rope with a dagger she had in her boot, as she continued to say, "And to finally answer your question, I'm not Erik's wife."

Rubbing his wrists together, Velan asked, "Then who are you?"

"I guess I should have introduced myself earlier, to clear up the confusion." The woman stood up straight, as she said, "My name is Jordis. Jordis Sword-Maiden, and I'm Erik's Housecarl. I am sworn to protect his house and everything inside, with my life."

Josiah looked at her and asked, "You're his Housecarl?" She nodded.

"Yes, I am. It was Erik and the Jarl who agreed and appointed me to this position. After personally training me, Erik vouched for my skills to the Jarl, and I've been his Housecarl ever since."

Did Erik really do that?

Serana smiled softly to herself, as Jordis clasped her hands together and sighed.

"I'm just rambling. You'll have to forgive me. I'm sure you guys are tired, so I'll show you to your rooms."

Everyone gathered themselves and followed Jordis, as she walked up the main stairs.

"Before we get to the room wing, does everyone want a separate room?"

Velan turned to Serana and said playfully, "Hey, I'll bunk with you." Serana laughed when Velan winked at her.

Josiah spun around and smacked Velan's shoulder. "Hey, shut your mouth." He threw up his hand, as he said, "Anyone with a brain would know not to share a room with you."

Velan put up his hands, as he said, "Okay, okay. Damn. Someone's touchy. It was a joke, man." Josiah sighed and said, "Yeah, whatever." He spun back around and walked side-by-side with Jordis.

"Okay. Well. I'll let you guys decide, when we get there." Jordis said tactfully.

"I have a question. How many rooms are there exactly?" Serana asked curiously, after a small moment of silence.

Jordis stopped at the top of the stairs and turned around. "There're 10 rooms, and that's not including the master bedroom, that's upstairs. That room's at the top floor."

"If there's that many rooms. How many floors are there? Josiah asked.

"There's 5 floors, but 6, if you include the basement."

Josiah sighed as he said quietly, "Damn. Is there anything this guy doesn't have?"

Jordis waved all of them over, as she pointed to her right. "The rooms are this way. Follow me."

Serana turned her head towards the hallway, and she began to walk behind Jordis slowly. Frost wagged his tail happily, as he strode by Serana's side.

All the doors to the bedrooms were open, so it was easy to look through and see what they looked like. Every bedroom was different, but every room had a similar setup. The rooms had a bed, wardrobe, large bookshelves, and a table, with chairs, that were lit with candles.

Jordis stopped once they reached the end of the hallway, and she turned on her heel to look at the group. Serana turned her head around, when she noticed that Jordis had a confused look on her face.

When she did, Serana noticed that the brothers disappeared. Jordis chuckled as she said, "Well, it seems that they decided." Turning the Serana, Jordis said, "If you haven't decided, I think I know the room you'll like the most."

"Sure. I'll follow you." Jordis smiled, and began to walk to the door that was the closest to them. Lowering her hand, Jordis grabbed the doorknob and opened the door slowly. Serana peeked her head over Jordis's shoulder, as they both walked into the room.

Entering the room, Serana noticed how neat and put together everything was. The bed's, light blue, sheets were perfectly tucked under the mattress, and the books on the shelf were flawlessly shacked together. Looking up, Serana noticed that the room was being lit, not by candles, but by magical balls of light.

Vines and flowers grew brightly on the walls, and beautiful charcoal drawings were displayed proudly on the walls.

Wow...this is beautiful.

Walking further into the room, Serana noticed that an alchemy table was resting neatly in the corner of the room. A jolt of excitement entered Serana's body, when she saw it.

Turning back to Jordis, Serana said, "I love it. This room is beautiful." Jordis smiled at Serana's remark.

"I knew you would. I tried to give this room a more….feminine touch, just in case Erik ever had any female company over."

Serana slightly jumped at Jordis's words. Female company?

Jordis walked closer to the door, as she said, "You should get settled in and get some rest. I'll be downstairs, in the main living room, if you need me." Jordis began to walk away, but she stopped whenever Serana shouted out her name.

"Jordis-!"

Serana became a little embarrassed, when she realized that Jordis was staring at her curiously, after she blurted out her name.

"Ummm…." Serana's voice trailed off, when she failed to ask her question. "Ummm...has Erik ever-?" Her head dropped, when she failed to ask her question again.

Jordis smiled kindly, as she asked, "Are you asking if Erik's ever had female company over?" Serana could only nod shyly.

Jordis's hand dropped to her side, as she asked, "Are you interested in him?" Serana's face grew instantly hot, and her hands felt like they were getting sweaty

"O-of course not-! We just met...not that long ago! And-!" Her voice became quiet, as she said, "He doesn't talk to me…." Jordis looked at Serana sympathetically. The room grew thick with a heavy, almost somber silence.

Picking up her head, Serana began to ramble again, trying desperately to hide her embarrassment. "And-I don't even know what he looks like! How could I be interested in someone that I've never even seen?"

Serana's voice caught in her throat, when she realized how childish she sounded. It was like all the frustration she had about Erik was rising to the surface, and it just spilled over the edge.

Serana sighed in annoyance, as she sat on the edge of the bed. Frost jumped up next to her, and he laid his head down on the bed's pillow.

The room was silent, and for a couple of seconds, Serana just listened to the subtle hum of the mage lights surrounding the room.

Breaking the silence, Serana asked, "What you said….about Erik. Is it true?" Serana turned to see Jordis looking at her warmly.

Walking closer to the bed, Jordis took a seat on a chair that was directly in front of Serana.

"Of course. Erik has changed my life, and I am forever in his debt. He's been there for me, everytime I needed him, even when it put him out." Jordis sighed sympathetically, as she continued to speak.

"Erik…..hasn't had an easy life. And even now, he sacrifices a lot for the well being of others. He goes out of his way to help people, even if in the moment, it might not seem that way."

Serana picked at her nails, as she listened deeply to Jordis's words. And even though it was difficult for her to look past his standoff-ish and sometimes harsh attitude, she could see what Jordis was saying about Erik.

He helped me and let me come with him, even though he could've just walked away….

The room was silent, and Jordis only watched with patience, as Serana lost herself in thought.

"I can see it on your face." Serana lifted up her head in confusion.

Jordis softly smiled, as she said, "It'll be hard at times, but I know you'll be able to find the good in him." Jordis gently clasped her hands over Serana's, and it sent a small wave of warmth over her body. "Please, tell me you'll at least try."

Serana sighed understandingly. "I can't say it'll work, but I'll try my hardest." They looked at each other, and Serana got the feeling that they were on the same page, and that made her feel confident.

"That's all I can ask." Jordis patted Serana's hand one last time, before she stood up. "Get some rest. You'll need it." Serana nodded, and Jordis left after giving Serana one last nod of encouragement.

Serana collapsed back into the bed, as she listened to Jordis's feet hit the stone flooring in the hallway. After the echoes of Jordis's footsteps stopped ringing in Serana's head, she sighed loudly. She closed her eyes and tried to finally enjoy the temporary moment of silence.

Hmmmm...this bed feels sooo nice..

She smiled to herself, as she focused on the softness of the bed. And even though she had a full night's rest, the previous night, she found her eyelids getting a little heavy.

Maybe...I'm still getting adjusted to being awake.

Her tiredness subsided however, when she heard a small knock on the side of her door. The slightly ajar door opened more after a moment of silence. She curiously lifted up her head to see Josiah walk in with a small grin on his face.

"Hey. Are you going to sleep?" Josiah asked, when he saw her sprawled out on the bed.

Serana sat up and said, "Oh, no. Do you need something?" Josiah spun around the chair, Jordis had sat in, and he turned the backside towards Serana. He sat down, and when he did, he placed both of his arms on top of the chair's headrest.

"I just wanted to see how you were settling in." Josiah said honestly. Serana shrugged her shoulders playfully as she said, "As good as I can. How about you?" Josiah smiled as he replied, "As good as I can. I'm not used to sleeping in rooms that are so nice."

Serana shook her head knowingly, as she said, "I know what you mean." Josiah smirked at her comment. "C'monnn. You lived in a castle." Josiah said playfully.

Serana stood from the bed, and started to unclipped her cape as she said, "If you've ever been in that castle, you'd change your mind. It's dark and dreary there."

Josiah brushed his hair back, as he snickered at Serana. "Beats sleeping in the caves Velan and I had to sleep in. And with vampires, might I add."

She playfully shook her head as she said, "I think you're forgetting the part where I was trapped in a tomb for a couple thousand years."

Scoffing jokingly, Josiah said, "Okay, okay. I'll give it to you. You win." Serana accepted her success and sat down on the bed once more. The room was silent for a second, before Josiah started talking again.

"I passed Jordis in the hallway on the way here. What were you guys talking about?"

Serana glanced at Josiah, as she said, "Um, nothing important. Just stuff about Erik." Josiah nodded and said, "Aww, I see. Anything interesting?" Serana shook her head, and the room fell silent, when she didn't speak.

After a while, Josiah said, "I've actually been meaning to ask you a question, ever since I met you and Erik."

"What is it?" Serana asked curiously.

"Erik's a vampire hunter, right?" Serana nodded. "Okay….so why are you two together? I mean, what does a vampire and vampire hunter have in common?"

Serana looked at Josiah earnestly, as she said, "It's because of my father." Serana sighed and continued to say, "I met Erik, after he released me from the tomb. He took me back home, and after I learned what my father was planning on doing, I knew my best shot at getting help was finding a non-vampire to help me. And since Erik was the only other person I kinda knew, and the only person I kinda knew that had experience, I went to find him."

Josiah softly chuckled, as he asked, "And then, in your travels, you found us looking for the Moth Priest?"

She shook her head and playfully said, "Then we found you while we were looking for the Moth Priest." Both looked at each other and smiled. After a while Serana looked down at her hands, breaking their solid eye contact.

"Um, Josiah….Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Josiah's head perked up with curiosity, as he said, "Shoot."

Serana shyly bit her lip, as she said, "When we were in the cave, right before Malkus started attacking us, you said that you and Velan had been under my father's thumb for years. How did you even meet my father?"

Once Serana asked her question, she could tell that Josiah's demeanor instantly changed. His eyes harden, and even though he was trying his best to smile, she could tell he was forcing it. The air became heavy, and Serana watched as Josiah shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Umm, it's a long story. I don't want to bore you with the details." A pang of guilt filled Serana's heart, as she watched Josiah's face wear down with sadness.

She tried to cheer him up by smiling, as she said happily, "Um, it's okay. You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry for asking such a personal question anyway." Josiah shook his head and said, "No, it's alright."

He stood up from his seat and pushed back the chair to its' original position. He took a couple of steps towards the door, before he stopped and turned to speak to Serana.

"It's getting late, so I'll leave. Goodnight, Serana."

She watched his back anxiously, as he got closer and closer to the door. Her stomach felt upset, like something about how he was leaving, didn't sit right. And without thinking about what she was doing, Serana jumped from the bed and called out Josiah's name loudly.

He turned around, and was immediately greeted with Serana pushing into his chest. His eyes widened with surprise, when he felt Serana's arms wrap tightly around his body. The side of her face pressed against his chest, as she locked her fingers around his back.

After realizing what was happening, Josiah returned the hug by wrapping his arms around Serana's small waist. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the welcome contact of Serana's skin. The sweet smell of her hair calmed him down, and he could feel himself sinking into her embrace.

After what felt like an eternity, Serana eventually pushed away from Josiah's body. Her cheeks were splashed with a hint of pink, as she looked down at the floor.

"Umm...sorry. I don't really know why I did that." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, as she lifted her head from the floor. "I guess, it just looked like you needed it." Josiah stood silently, as he smiled widely at her. He didn't say any words, but Serana was able to feel his appreciation through his expression.

Serana went to speak to him again, but stopped when she smelt a familiar scent hit her nose. Her smile disappeared, as she looked around with uncertainty. Josiah's face became confused, when he saw her eyes darting around.

"Serana? Are you okay?" She nodded her head, as she said, "Yeah. I'll be right back." She quickly ran down the long hallway, leaving Josiah in the dust.

She paused and inhaled deeply. Even though the scent was weak, it intoxicated her senses. She turned on her heel and followed the faint scent coming from up the stairs.

I know this smell…..What is it?

She walked up the stairs cautiously, when she heard people talking. Making sure she wouldn't be seen, she closed her eyes and focused on their voices.

"-know I hate seeing you like this." "I've been worse." "That you have."

Who's talking? It sounds like a woman and a man.

The talking stopped for a moment, and all Serana could hear was soft grunting and groaning, mixed with clinks of what sounded like metal hitting glass.

What the hell?

"You know, you should be easy on her. It looks like she's going through a hard time." There was a pause in interaction, before Serana could hear, "What do you want me to do about it?" Serana heard a small slap, before she heard the woman strongly say, "Stop being a hardass all the time. Women don't like assholes."

Serana could hear the man wince, before he said, "I have better things to worry about." The woman scoffed and said, "You say that, yet she's still here. I'm starting to think that you don't even believe what you say."

What are they talking about?

Serana heard the metal clink one more time, before she heard the woman say, "Ready for your favorite part?" There was another pause, before the man said, "Just do it."

After a moment of silence, Serana grew concerned when she heard a loud thud coming from the room across from her. She could hear the man uncomfortably groan deeply in pain. Even though Serana could tell he was trying to muffle his voice, she could tell that whatever was happening, it was hurting him immensely.

She wanted to run in there, but something froze her into place. And thankfully, after a moment longer, everything became quiet. Serana could only hear what sounded like bandage wrapping being pulled apart.

"There. It's done." Serana heard the clink of metal again, before she heard the woman say, "Remember what I said, will ya?"

There was silence, before Serana heard, "I'll try." There was another pause before the man spoke again. "Go home, Jordis. You've done enough. You need to be with your family."

Serana heard some shuffling, as Jordis said, "I have duties here. I can't-" She was cut off, when the man said, "I'm going to be here for a couple a days. So until I leave, I want you to be with your family."

There was a pause, before Jordis said appreciatively, "Thank you, Erik." Serana heard Jordis's steps coming closer, but they stopped abruptly when she turned to speak to Erik one more time. Her voice had authority in it, when she said, "But you better call me, if you need anything. I'm serious."

Serana heard Erik scoff playfully, as he said, "Tell John and the kids I said hi."

Jordis laughed, as she turned around to leave the room. "Will do. But don't get upset, when they find out that you're here, and they come barging into your house in the middle of the night."

Without a reply from Erik, Jordis left the room and sighed happily. After a moment of pause, she began to get closer to where Serana was standing.

"Serana? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be asleep by now." Serana walked to Jordis's side quickly and asked, "Was that Erik? What happened to him? I heard him groaning in pain."

Jordis tried to calm Serana down, as she said, "He's fine. He got here just a little while ago, with a couple of wounds. I was just tending to them right now. But he's all bandaged up, and he's okay. There's nothing to worry about."

That smell….it was Erik's blood...

Jordis turned her head back to the room, as she said, "If you want, you can go talk to him." Serana's confidence level instantly dropped through the floor, when she thought about Erik. Even though she was worried about him, Serana felt a little nervous talking to him.

I do have some things I want to say to him…

Serana bit her lip and looked down in thought. Her eyes curiously rested on Jordis's hands. She was holding black cloth in her arms, and Serana couldn't tell what it was.

What is that? It looks a little tattered..

Serana was brought back to reality, when Jordis said, "Go. I know you have some things to clear up with him."

Jordis began to walk down the stairs, but before she disappeared fully below, she gave Serana an encouraging thumbs up.

She left with a nod, and Serana was completely left alone with her thoughts. A heavy silence fell on Serana, and the quietness made her more nervous. She could feel her skin heat up when she heard quiet thuds coming from Erik's room.

Is it really okay, if I go and talk to him?

Serana rehearsed her lines to herself, as she confidently shook her head. She took a deep breath, and began to stride to Erik's room with newfound determination.

Of course it is! I'm being silly….he's just a normal guy-!

Serana's little imaginary voice cut itself off, when she turned the corner of the opened door to Erik's room. Her eyes widened with shock and disbelief, when she saw the bare skin of Erik's back.

His back was partially turned away from the door, so Serana was able to see that he had a book in one of his hands. He looked deep in concentration, so Serana took the opportunity to stare at him in detail.

Erik's toned muscles moved everytime he turned to a new page, and Serana felt her cheeks get a little hot. Looking closer at his back, Serana noticed that his fair skin was almost completely covered in scars. Some were newer, but most of them looked old and healed over.

What are….?

Serana jumped, when Erik tilted his head towards her. His eyes pierced through her soul, as he fully turned his body to look at her face-to-face. He closed the book, he was reading, with a loud thud and he sat it down on the desk next to him.

Serana grew utterly flabbergasted. And looking at his body only made Serana feel more embarrassed than she already did. His abs and chest were perfectly contoured, and every one of his muscles were exquisitely defined.

Her hands grew sweaty, as her heart began to pound against her chest. Serana picked her head up cautiously, afraid of what Erik might say to her. But when she locked eyes with him, he didn't say a word to her. Instead, he only stared back at her, making her heart leap in her throat.

His beautiful eyes stared intensely at her, as she observed every crevice of his face. His strong, sharp jawline clenched slightly, when he noticed how deeply Serana looked at him.

He's….

Erik's full, perfectly shaped pink lips were darkened with a slight frown, and his soft, yet sharp nose scrunched up lightly as Serana continued to stare at him with an almost hypnotic gaze.

His dark, flawless eyebrows knitted together as he looked over Serana with attentiveness.

She's…...

Her skin felt like it was boiling, when he locked eyes with her. But she couldn't turn away. She didn't understand why, but she wanted the moment to last forever. She wanted to indulge in Erik's presence. She wanted to relish in the pleasure she felt when she looked at him.

They stood in silence, neither breaking the intimate, heavy tension in the room. Erik's aura and appearance mesmerize Serana, and without even realizing what she was doing, her legs began to move forward. The distance between them grew increasingly smaller with each of Serana's steps.

And even when Serana stood directly in front of Erik, neither of them said a word. Eventually her embarrassment died down, and it was replaced with overwhelming intrigue.

Looking up at Erik's face, Serana became fascinated with the hair that draped effortlessly against the sides of his face. With it being parted directly in the middle, it was easy to see the extraordinary contrasting colors in the strands of his hair.

The right side of his hair, above his blue eye, was darker than the night sky, and the hair above his red eye, was as white as fresh snow. Serana had to hold herself back from reaching up and running her fingers through his soft, shoulder length hair.

He's absolutely….beautiful..

Serana's eyes traced down Erik's toned neck, until she became eye level with his broad chest. With him usually being completely covered by his robes, Serana was never able to imagine what his body looked like, so she never expected him to be this muscular and robust.

She looked at his beautiful, fair skin closely. And when she did, her eyes widened in sympathy when she saw the hundreds of scars that covered his entire body. Just like his back, old and new cuts and lacerations were undoubtedly visible.

Looking even further down, Serana noticed a bandage that was wrapped tightly around Erik's abdomen.

This is where he got hurt…? The vampires….they hurt him…?

Serana's voice came out shaky when she said, "Er-ik." He didn't respond, so Serana began to lift her head to meet his gaze once more. She tried her hardest to put on a confident face, so she was able to look him in the eye. But when her eyes met his chest again, she froze.

On the right side of his chest, right above his nipple, there was a large scar on Erik's chest. A scar that was different from the others.

Serana took a small step closer, as she grew fixated on the wound. Observing it closer, Serana could tell it wasn't a cut. It was a burn mark.

It looked aged, like the skin tried to heal over it. But even though it was an older wound, Serana could still easily make out the shape of it.

It's not just a burn mark….It looks like a brand….

Serana's eyes wore down with a sad tenderness, as she continued to stare at Erik's chest. The brand had a large outline of a circle, and within the middle of the circle, there was a symbol. A symbol of a skull with horns.

Serana slightly jumped, when she noticed what it was.

This symbol…I know it from somewhere…

Without thinking, Serana slowly reached out her hand to touch Erik's chest. He had been completely silent this whole time. Even with Serana about to touch him, he stood still and quiet.

Who…..who would do this to him? And why….?

Serana totally lost herself. Erik captivated every one of her senses, and it felt like she couldn't even control her own body.

Erik…

Serana's fingertips brushed against Erik's skin lightly, and it sent a jolt of pleasure through her body. She went to touch him again, but stopped when she heard a knock at the door.

Reality slapped Serana hard, when she turned her head around and saw Jordis walking in with a shirt in her hand.

"Hey, Erik. I brought a shirt for you-" Jordis stopped talking, when she saw Serana's hand almost pressed against Erik's chest. "Ohh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

Erik pulled away from Serana and walked around her, as he made his way towards Jordis. Serana felt a small pang of disappointment, when she heard the subtle thud of Erik's boots echoing away from her.

"You didn't interrupt anything." He stood in front of Jordis, and took the shirt that she held out for him.

Their voices became muffled, as Serana grew slightly light-headed. Her mind felt like it had just woken up from a dream, and for those couple of seconds, her emotions didn't feel like her own.

What just happened…? I felt completely hypnotized by him. I felt like I couldn't even control my body….

She glanced at Erik's back and watched silently as he talked with Jordis.

Your eyes, your scars…..your very being. Everything about you is different…...

Who are you….

…...Erik?