Burning Cold

Haldr sighed heavily, the breath leaving his lips in a foggy haze. The cold that gripped the Dawnguard keep was unrelenting. The snows had barely started to fall before the fortress was claimed by the freeze. It had been several months now since the keep had been reclaimed by Isran and the others, yet their presence and efforts hadn't made it any less decrepit it seemed.

The nord rubbed at his eyes wearily as he sat up from his cot. Night had fallen well and truly now. The only light was from a sad, flickering candle that still clung to life at this late hour. Yellowed papers sat curled upon the dark wood table. Haldr's leather Dawnguard armour stood sentinel on its stand to the side of the bed, barely illuminated in the dark orange glow. It was probably early morning. The whole keep was likely asleep, save for the few unlucky souls on night watch. Though tired, Haldr was having trouble sleeping. He'd fallen under a few times, but the startling images of terrors and horrors he could scarce believe he could even imagine kept dragging him back to consciousness.

He shook his head vigorously with something of a growl and got up, leaving the relative warmth of his bed and relishing the feel of it. He liked the cold. He couldn't explain what it was really. There was something about the crisp sharpness of it that invigorated him, made him feel alive. Maybe it was simply because he was a nord, or maybe he was just odd.

The hunter padded away from his cot and over towards the circular iron railings that surrounded the large opening in the second floor. The roof hatch was open, letting in a slither of moonlight into the keep with the brisk breeze. The wind stirred against his senses and he realised he couldn't hear Isran snoring in the room around to the left. The redguard was probably up and about himself: ever vigilant, ever paranoid.

Haldr breathed a chuckle to himself and leant on the railings, gazing up at the night sky. A pair of spectral rivers ran over each other in the navy expanse, dancing slowly and softly up, over and through each other. One red, one blue. Perfect opposites in perfect harmony.

"Can't sleep?"

The sudden, quiet question jolted Haldr from his musings. He spun on the spot to find a pair of glowing amber eyes fixed intently on him. For a wild, primal moment, Haldr thought to fight or flee. Then he quickly recognised who those eyes belonged to and, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness surrounding them, he relaxed.

"Not really. My mind can't rest it seems."

"Oh? Having nightmares?"

The figure with amber eyes pushed herself off the wall and Serana stalked closer to him, just before the edge of the moonlight. Smirk affixed on dark lips that stood out bold against pale skin.

Haldr let out a harsh chuckle, "Maybe a little. I thought we were supposed to be done with that sort of thing when we get older."

Serana chuckled ruefully, "I've lived quite a while, Hal. I'll let you know when it happens."

"Is that what you're doing up this late then?"

The amber eyes quirked in confusion for a moment before the pale lips parted slightly to reveal razor sharp fangs. Serana casually pointed to them with a long, pale finger.

"Right, vampire. Stupid question. You don't sleep at night do you?"

"Less chance of nightmares that way." She smiled. "For a vampire hunter you seem oddly ignorant about my kind."

"I'm still pretty new at all this."

Another smirk and a flash of white fangs. "You're inefficient as well. There's a vampire standing right in front of you. You're currently doing a very poor job of slaying me, you know."

"True, though I suppose you're glad of that fact. Thanks for letting me know though, I suppose I should give you a few minutes head start. Just to be fair, you know?"

Serana regarded him curiously for a long moment, amber eyes narrowed in appraisal. Her head was tilted forward slightly, giving him a clear view of those exquisitely carved cheekbones.

"What is it?" Haldr cocked his head.

"I have wondered …" She began before taking a deep breath, almost as if to steady herself. Yet to Haldr, she'd never looked stronger. "Why didn't you try to kill me? In Dimhollow Crypt, why didn't you finish me off? You didn't know me, but you knew what I was there and then, didn't you? I had just woken, I was weak. You could have managed it without much of a fight. So … why?"

"Would you have liked me to?" The hunter shook his head with a wan smile. "Seems an odd thing for anyone to want-"

"Why didn't you?" Serana pressed, her golden gaze forceful.

Haldr met her glare evenly for a moment.

"If you really wanted to know, couldn't you just … I don't know, dominate my mind and get the answers you want? I've seen you do more than that to men before."

A slip of a smile, it was simultaneously both sweet and dangerous, "I certainly could, if I wanted to. But I don't. I want to hear it from your lips, willingly."

His dim blue eyes clashed with her bright amber ones. "I think you already know."

"Why, Hal?"

She paced right up to him now, right into the path of the moonlight. Her pale, regal face was illuminated clearly. She stood every inch a queen, beautiful and glorious. Yet the intent darkness behind her eyes betrayed her true nature. She was gazing deep into his eyes, his very soul. Haldr swallowed thickly under her scrutiny.

"Honestly … out of all the possibilities I could have expected, I never thought I'd find someone like you locked up down there."

"And what is someone like me? A vampire? A woman?"

"A beautiful woman." The admission came quickly, his voice quiet and a little hoarse. The temperature in his cheeks rising. "I- I opened up that crypt – your cell – and there you were. This … beautiful woman, trapped in a rotting prison. Yes, I knew what you were from the moment I first laid eyes on you, but there was something … I don't know. You looked so at peace, like you were just sleeping. I could tell you weren't a monster like the others. I just- I just couldn't kill you like that. You were unarmed and weak and it didn't seem right. And … well, here we are. That's why."

Serana's expression hadn't changed at all throughout his confession. Still she examined him closely, as if he were a specimen in a mage's laboratory, a troublesome mystery to solve. Haldr felt a trickle of nervous sweat trail down his spine but he kept his eyes up to match her gaze.

"And now?"

"… Now?" The hunter raised an eyebrow, confused.

"And why haven't you tried to kill me since? What's stopping you from striking me down now?" She spread her arms out wide as if inviting him to stab a blade through her heart. "You've had plenty of opportunity. I'm still a vampire, still a threat to you and everyone you hold dear, aren't I?" She quirked a smile, equal parts humoured and teasing, "Surely my looks aren't the only thing keeping me alive. I haven't noticed you lustfully gazing after me like a fool, so it can't just be that."

"How can you be so sure?" The 'joke' left Haldr's lips before he could help himself.

An elegant, dark eyebrow rose, "I'm very perceptive, hunter. I would have noticed. You haven't answered my question though."

"You've been helping us deal with- with the Elder Scroll, haven't you?" He was about to say Harkon's name, but caught himself quickly. Haldr couldn't even begin to imagine what fighting against her father was doing to Serana. She didn't seem to register his moment of hesitation. "It'd be pretty rude of us to murder an ally after all. Even Isran's aware of that at least." Haldr shook his head with a smile.

"Is that all? Is that all I am?" The vampire's eyebrow rose expectantly with a dark hint of a smirk.

Haldr regarded her carefully for a moment before replying. He had a slither of a feeling that he was being manoeuvred into saying something incriminating. Either that or she was sizing him up for the kill. He had to remind himself that stood before him was a cold blooded vampire, a dangerous, predatory creature. Yet Serana was so much more than her kin, more intelligent, cunning and capable by far. She had all the reasoning and intellect of any man or mer – maybe more so – to go along with the innate skills and strength granted by her blood. He wasn't sure if that made her more or less dangerous to him. He quashed the thought quickly.

"Does it really matter, Serana? I'm not going to hurt you, not now, not ever." Haldr swore and he meant it. "We're partners now."

"Cute." The vampire chuckled. "But I want a proper answer, Hal. I need one."

She put a pale, delicate hand on his muscle toned chest, pushing him right back up against the railing. Through his slim night shirt, he could feel her touch. It was cold, almost burningly so. Her eyes were alight. She only touched him lightly with her fingertips, yet he felt pinned there by all the strength of a dragon.

"Serana …" Haldr murmured through clenched teeth.

"Why do you protect me?" Serana murmured seductively. Her hand slowly crawled up his chest, one cold finger at a time. "Why do you vouch for me in front of your friends? Why aren't you afraid of me? Why, Hal?"

"I …"

The fingers reached his collar and his breathing hitched a little as the cold met his skin fully. Serana let out a throaty chuckle, she leaned in towards his ear, her fangs hovering so close to his neck.

"Why?" She pressed once more, voice barely a husky whisper.

"I want you!" He gasped desperately, the truth out so suddenly he wondered if she hadn't just bewitched him after all. "I need you. I couldn't bear to see you hurt. I-"

Serana's finger pushed against his lips as she leaned back, silencing him immediately. Her amber eyes flashed with fire and life as she smirked. She was biting the side of her lip between sharp fangs as if trying to decide his fate: Whether to merely push him off the balcony, or whether to bite his neck and drain his life away.

She lunged.

Her freezing lips crashed into his hot ones with urgency and longing. Surprised, Haldr quickly responded, relishing the alien feel of a vampire's embrace. It was like nothing he had experienced before and nothing he could have imagined.

He felt her grasp his rear and the pull that led him back towards his quarters. Haldr followed, a little numbly at first, but he soon found sure footing. The lone candle that stood on the table still flickered slowly as they passed, so little of the candle left to burn.

Their embrace was a pure paradox. His lips were chillingly hot, hers burning cold. A perfect storm erupted between them and neither wanted to back out to safety. It was intoxicating, like dancing with death, in only the way true danger could be. One slip, one errant twitch, one wrong movement, and she'd claim him with her fangs. Would he turn right away? Or would he wake as a vampire in the morning? Would she have to intend for him to join her in un-death? Or would the slightest nick of her fangs do the trick?

At last Serana broke the contact abruptly, she was panting hard. Haldr's head was spinning, as though she'd drained his blood completely. He'd already decided he'd give it all willingly if she asked.

"I want you, hunter. Now." Serana demanded with urgency. She forcefully dragged him around her with hidden strength and pushed him to fall on the cot. The frame creaked angrily at the sudden weight.

"Then come get me, vampire." The hunter laughed, gazing up at her with barely contained hunger.

Serana growled deep in her throat as she pounced. They fumbled and clawed at each other, desperate and yearning, passionate and gentle. Everything was a contradiction. All of his touches were burning and strong. Every touch of hers was icy and precise. It was pure ecstasy. She claimed him with an urgent craving, and he gave everything without question.

It was madness, pure madness. A vampire hunter and a vampire. Their kinds were bitter enemies for many an age. Yet here they were, locked in carnal abandon. It was dangerous for both of them, if they were caught. It was dangerous even if they weren't.

But above all, it was right.

xxx

Haldr woke slowly, the soft echoing of voices and footsteps from beyond his chambers brushed against his hearing. He opened his eyes a little only to shut them again against the morning light that crept in from the chamber beyond.

"Sleep well?"

The question came from nearby. His vision slowly settled to find the speaker perched on the side of his cot. Serana looked down on him with something of a mischievous grin. She'd donned her familiar attire of the Volkihar clan already.

"Serana?" Haldr sighed as he sat up, rubbing the vestiges of sleep from his eyes. He had only the thin sheets of his bed to cover his modesty.

"So you are awake. Funny, you seemed dead to the world." She leaned in close to level her amber gaze with his. "Almost like a vampire."

A chill swept over him in a wave. He cautiously probed his teeth with his tongue. No fangs, not that he could tell anyway. So she hadn't-

"Relax." Serana eyed him with a knowing smile. "I don't make a habit of turning people against their will."

Haldr found no words to say to that. He smiled in thanks and in embarrassment for having thought she might actually turn him. He had no idea if such a thought could cause offensive to a vampire. Serana didn't seem offended at least. Haldr slowly sat up, feeling at peace once more. He realised that the horrors that had plagued his mind of late were strangely absent. His dreams had been clear and peaceful for once. It was refreshing to say the least.

"I haven't slept as well as that in … Gods, I don't know how long."

A chuckle as the vampire stood, "I'll take that as a compliment, hunter."

"So … what now?"

"Now?" Serana quirked an eyebrow, "Now … I suggest you go get breakfast. Smells like eggs."

Haldr could smell no eggs. A vampire's senses were strong indeed.

"You know what I mean, Serana."

"Perhaps." She smirked. "Perhaps not."

"You're just toying with me now."

Serana regarded him carefully for a moment. "First rule you should know about being a vampire hunter, Hal …"

Haldr cocked his head at her. He opened his mouth to ask what she meant when suddenly she shot towards him with a speed no natural being should have. Her face was pressed up into his. She claimed his lips in a sudden kiss that brought back the cold and the memories of the night before.

He gasped. Pain suddenly shot through his lower lip as Serana's fangs bit down hard. Hot blood trickled into his mouth and oozed down his chin. His eyes went wide in alarm, but she held him there with unnatural force.

"You're not the only predator out there, you know." She purred through his bloody lip.

She released him as fast as she had claimed him. Leaning back, she licked the crimson liquid – his blood – from her own lips with a salacious grin and a chuckle. When she swallowed, it was with a very slow, very deliberate motion that arched her head back gracefully. She turned and left the room without another word, a confident stride to her step that screamed predator.

Dumbstruck, Haldr couldn't tear his gaze away.

He wiped his mouth and thumbed his lip when she'd left. He eyed the crimson with a curious look, almost as if he expected some sort of sign of a vampire's kiss that she'd left in his lifeblood: Some mark, or a change of colour even. There was nothing, only blood. The only marks she'd left in her wake were the puncture wounds in his lip and the rapid beat in his heart.

In spite of himself, he couldn't help but smile.