Chapter 1

Floor stained with fresh crimson blood. A young child falls to his knees, horror plastered on his face. A young woman is laying on the ground, her hand touching the side of his cheek. A painful and sad smile creeps on her face. Warm tears are streaming down the young child's face, as he calls out for her…"Mother?"

Gasping, a man jolts up in his sleep. He brings a hand to his throat, as he pushes himself up against the cave's cold stone wall. Stucking in a harsh breath, he lowers his head into his hands. He closes his eyes, as he lightly bangs his head against the wall behind him. He softly mumbles to himself.

"This has to stop…"

Dragging his boots against the rigid rocks, he pushes himself up with his arms, the noise of his steps echoing inside the cave. Snapping his fingers, a lantern's wick sets on fire. He pulls a dark black cloth off of the ground and ties it around his head, right underneath his eyes. Flipping a black hood over his face, he turns and sighs, a cold breath floating away from him. He walks outside, his eyes shut slightly, trying to adjust to the light. He turns to leave, but a castle in the far distance catches his eye.

"I wonder…"

"Ahhhh. It feels amazing to breathe again," a woman sighs happily. Her dark hair flows lightly in the cool breeze.

The man besides her starts walking, leaving the young woman behind.

"Wait!" The young woman shouts. "Where are you going?"

The man's eyebrows knit in slight frustration at the woman's words. His brilliant colored eyes being the only thing to see on his fully clothed body.

"I'm taking you home," he said in a deep monotone voice.

The woman's bright yellow eyes glisten in the sunlight. She sighs lightly, folding her arms against her chest.

"I know...just hold on. You've barely said anything at all. I don't know your name, who you are, or who sent you. Was it my father? Did he send you to come get me?"

She softly snickered and said in a slightly sad voice, "What am I saying? Of course he didn't..."

The man just continued to stare, whenever her voice trailed off, and it caused the woman to look away. Even under her hood, the man could see her clenching her jaw, her face contorted with confusion. Silence followed, and the woman broke the tension by sighing quietly.

"It makes you uncomfortable that I'm a vampire, doesn't it?"

"No."

She let her arms drop by her side and she walked closer to the man, still keeping her distance. "Are you wondering about the Elder Scroll that's on my back?"

"No."

The woman looked a little taken aback at the man's blunt and short responses. The pitch of his voice, making her a little intimidated.

"You know my name. Since we're going to be together for a little while, I think it's only fair if you tell me yours." The man looks at her thoughtfully, and raises his eyebrows slightly.

Walking over to her, he quietly says, "Hold onto my shoulder."

Serana raises her eyebrows in confusion and takes a small step back. "Why?"

The man sighs and says, "The castle you speak about is on the coast of Solitude. It will take us over a month to get there on foot. I can take us to the castle right now, if you grab on to me."

Serana looks deep in thought as she says, "I'm not sure I can trust you. You won't even tell me your name."

The man's blank expression wears down on his face heavily. "I'm doing you a favor by taking you back home and not just leaving you right here. If you don't want to come with me, you can figure out how to get there on your own."

His harsh words took her aback a little, but she stood her ground as she said, "Okay, fine. You don't have to be so rude about it. I'm not sure what's going on either. You can't be mad at me for being a little cautious." She paused, and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, her face twisted in deep thought. "This doesn't mean I trust you, but I...I don't really have another choice."

The wind was the only noise they could hear, as Serana slowly lifted up her hand. She looks at the man standing in front of her. Up until now, she hadn't been able to look closely at his face. Even now, she couldn't see anything but his eyes. The black mask and hood easily covered his entire face. If he was trying to conceal his identity, he was doing a good job at it.

She took a fast glance at his face and stopped. She froze whenever she saw his extraordinary eyes, something she didn't notice until now. One of his irises was a dark blood red, the other a bright icy blue. The sunlight that hit his eyes, made them stand out more. His eyes are different colors. What is he?

The man noticed her staring, and squinted his eyes slightly. "What?" He asked in an off-putting voice. Serana shook her head and looked away. "Nothing…"

She was drawn to them, and she didn't know why. They didn't glow like vampire eyes, but when he looked at her, she felt like power was seeping into her skin. He was mysterious, and his eyes felt like they held a secret, but getting home was Serana's priority. She was curious about this few-worded stranger, but she knew it would be best, if she went home and forgot about him.

"Let's just get this over with. I haven't seen my family in a long time, and maybe my father…" Her voice trailed off, as the man continued to look at her. Her face had a hint of sadness on it, but she quickly picked up her head and smiled brightly.

"I'm ready. Let's go!" Her voice was back to normal, and she softly placed her hand on the man's shoulder. She felt it slightly tense up whenever she touched him. His face stayed blank, as he looked down at her.

"You may want to close your eyes." The man said deeply.

"Why? What are you going to do?" She asked in a curious voice.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." The man said sternly.

Before she could say anything else, she felt a massive gust of wind hit her face. It felt like she was being dragged away by the air. Her body felt light, and the ground beneath her feet disappeared. She squeezed her eyes tightly, and the wind seemed to get stronger. But before she knew it, the wind stopped. And just as fast as the ground disappeared, she could feel it beneath her feet once more.

Everything went quiet. The only thing she could hear was the soft sound of waves crashing on the shore. She slowly and cautiously opened her eyes, not knowing what she might see. Her eyes were met with the dark red amulet that laid upon the man's broad chest, and when she pulled away, she could see a dark cloud of smoke dissipate around them.

She let her hand fall from his shoulder, as she tried to steady her breath.

"What...what was that? What did you do?"

"I warned you." The man said in a deep voice, a smoke cloud forming from his mouth.

Serana pinched her nose and said, "Thanks for waiting for me to respond..!" She sarcastically said. She continued to ramble on, but stopped when the man turned and looked up.

"We're here."

"What do you mea-" Serana cut herself short, when she turned her head to look up.

Serana hadn't even looked around at her surroundings. When she turned her head around, her eyes widened in surprise and slight excitement. A large bright blue ocean stretched out before her eyes. The soft sound of birds chirping could be heard in the distance. And sitting in the middle of the water was Castle Volkihar. Her home. A home she barely thought she remembered. It had been so long. We really are here.

The man silently stared at her, allowing her the time to reminisce. Her face grew with that hint of sadness the man had seen on her face, just a little while ago.

The man turned towards the falling sun and he looked around at the shore. Serana noticed what he was doing and asked, "What are you looking for?"

"There should be a boat around here." The man motioned for her to follow him, as he spotted the boat. "Get in."

Serana sat down in the small creaky boat, and the man pushed the edge of it with his boot. The small waves rocked the boat, and the man used the paddles to push the boat forward. He was silent, as Serana quietly looked up at the castle. She enjoyed the soft sound of the waves, but something in her wanted to talk to the man. She knew this would be the last time she would probably see him.

She turned her head and cleared her throat. "So, um...what was that? How did you get us here so quickly?"

"Magic." He said, as he continued to paddle the boat.

She continued to talk, knowing that he'd stop talking all together, if she didn't.

"I figured that. I meant, what kind of magic? I practiced with magic a lot...when I used to live here, and I've never seen something like that."

The man didn't look at her, as he quietly but firmly said, "I was taught it, when I was a kid."

He didn't elaborate any further on the subject. She wanted to ask more about it, but something in his voice changed whenever she asked him the question, and she decided not to push it any further.

It was silent, and it made Serana feel like her anxiety built up faster as the castle got closer. She was nervous to see her father. What will he say when he sees me? How will he respond?

Being in deep thought, her heart jumped in her throat, when the boat banged against the shore. The man placed the paddles down, as he stood up. He kicked off onto the ground, and Serana followed closely behind him. He never looked back at her, and he continued to climb over the bridge in silence.

Serana jumped in front of the man to stop him, and he stared at her, waiting for her to speak.

"Wait...when we get in there, I don't know how this will play out. I know this is the last chance I have to speak with you privately."

The man looked down at her, and she started to speak once she felt like she had his attention.

"I don't know who you are or who you represent, but I'm hoping you'll control yourself once we get inside. You're not a vampire, which means you're not part of my father's court. So I'll do the talking...not that I think you'll have a problem with that." He slightly raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, so Serana began to speak once more.

"I wanted to thank you for bringing me here. I really do appreciate it, but once we get in there...I'm going to go my own way. And-" Her voice cut off for a second before she continued to say in a quieter voice, "And...whether you care or not, I'm going to say this. I'm glad it was you who found me. You didn't have to bring me back, but you did. So, thank you."

Her voice sounded so genuine, that it caused the man's eyes to widen a little.

But before the man could say anything to her, the large iron gate that covered the main door opened, and a group of vampires began to move down the bridge, their weapons drawn. The man didn't think they were a threat, so he didn't draw out a weapon. But he moved his feet, so he had a better stance, if he needed to fight.

Serana noticed his sudden change in stance, so she moved in front of him. The watching towers, surrounding the sides of the castle, had vampire thralls watching them. Their bows were aimed at Serana and the man, and he could feel their eyes on him.

"You're trespassing. Leave here now, or you won't be leaving at all. I won't ask you again." The leader of the group said in a stern voice. Serana slowly dropped her hood, and she raised up her arms to signal she didn't mean any harm.

"Not even for me?" Serana asked in a sincere voice.

The vampire's eyes lit up, as his eyebrows widened in surprise. "Serana? Is that you?"

The man lowered his weapon and walked closer to her, and once he got a better look at her face, he pulled her in for a hug, knocking the air from Serana's lungs. "Oh, Serana...it's good to see you. It's been so long. I almost had forgotten what you looked like."

Serana laughed quietly and released the man. "It's good to see you too, Vingalmo."

Vingalmo shouted to the thralls on the tower. "Lower your weapons! It's lady Serana!"

They did as he asked, and he turned back to Serana. "Come inside. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I'm sure you'd like to see your father." Vingalmo looked at the man who stood silently, and he squinted his eyes slightly, as if he was trying to place the man. "Who are you?" Vingalmo asked.

Serana pushed in front of the man quickly and said in a hurried voice, "He's the one who released me from the tomb."

Vingalmo pondered for a moment before he said, "Then your father will want to meet him. Follow me." He turned around and motioned the couple to follow him.

They pushed through the other vampires, all their eyes following the man who kept his head straight. The man looked up, and he took in the view. The castle was huge, and its atmosphere was enough to make the bravest of warriors run away. The cracking stone wall was dark, the architecture was gothic, and it seemed like even the light wouldn't go near it.

Vingalmo opened the massive front door, and allowed Serana and the man to go through. The front room was clean, and a bright red rug was placed nicely on the floor. Vingalmo walked in front of them and once he reached the front room's porch he shouted in a delighted voice, "My lord! Everyone! Serana has returned!"

Silverware clinked on the table, as multiple voices could be heard chattering excitedly. Serana turned to the man and said, "It sounds like they're excited."

They both began to walk where Vingalmo stood, and once Serana looked down into the dining hall a deep voice boomed against the walls.

"Serana, my daughter. I take it you have my Elder Scroll?"

Serana's face darkened as she irritately said, "It's good to see you too...and yes, I have your Elder Scroll." Serana started to make her way down the large stone stairs, and she motioned for the man to follow her.

"Of course I'm glad to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud?"

The man gathered in his surroundings, the dining hall was rather clean, except for the blood and corpses that littered the dining tables. The candles placed around the wall, dimly lit up the room, the light reflecting off of the eyes on the vampire's below.

The overwhelming smell of blood flooded the man's senses, and it made his head pound against his skull. Harkon noticed the man standing atop of the stairs and it caused him to raise his eyebrows. The vampires eating off the lifeless bodies of humans, perked up when they noticed the man.

Dozens of glowing golden eyes were on him, and Harkon broke the tension that grew thicker with each passing second.

"Serana, my dear, who is this...stranger that you have brought into our home?"

"This is the man who released me from the tomb."

Harkon smirked with an uneasy smile and he said, "Come down, stranger. I wish to speak with you."

The man walked down the stairs, his dark cape swaying behind him. Every step the man took, he took with care. He stood firmly in the middle of the room, keeping his distance from every side. Harkon took a step forward, as he continued to stare at the man. "For the safe return of the Elder Scroll and my daughter, you have my gratitude. Tell me. What is your name?"

Serana and the man caught eyes, and she was thrown off guard when he spoke his name.

"Erik."

The man turned back to Harkon, and both men refused to look away, both studying each other's movements.

"Well, Erik. I have to say, I'm impressed. You don't seem nervous, assuming that you know what we are."

"Vampires."

Harkon chuckled deeply, as he lifted up his arms. "We are not simply, 'vampires.' We are the most powerful vampires to walk on Tamriel. Pure-blooded. Direct disciples of Molag Bal."

Erik watched as Harkon sipped from a jewel-encrusted chalice. "I don't care what you are. I've done what I came here to do." Erik took a quick glance at Serana, who was watching the situation with what seemed like concern.

Harkon squinted his eyes at Erik with slight irritation. "Yes, you have. And now I ask you, why? Why bring my daughter here, knowing what we are?"

"She wanted to come back."

Harkon walked closer to the man, closing the distance between them. Harkon studied his face, and Erik studied his.

"Your eyes...have we met before? Your scent is...familiar to me, and it's unnatural from any human I've killed."

Serana continued to look at Erik, and a chill went up her spine. The tension was so thick, it made her want to vomit. Erik looked unfazed by her father, and it was something that she's never seen before. Even the vampires that were in his court, were uneasy and somewhat terrified of him.

"I'm a vampire hunter. Maybe you've smelt my scent on a vampire's corpse."

Erik's words rang loudly inside the dining hall, and for a split second, the silence became deafening. Clatter rang loudly in the room as the vampires sitting along the tables, dropped their cups and silverware. They stood up quickly, and readied their weapons. All of their glowing eyes staring daggers into Erik, waiting for the opportunity to strike him down. Some of them shouting profanities and threats.

Erik didn't move, and Serana was dumbfounded at how unnerved he looked. Harkon smirked and threw up a hand, silencing the vampires that grew impatient behind him. Harkon laughed, and Erik could smell the blood in his breath.

"Erik, I wonder...are you brave, or are you just stupid?" Erik's eyes didn't leave Harkon's, and after a split moment of silence, Erik spoke.

"That depends on who you ask." Erik said in a serious monotone voice.

Harkon lowered his hand and took a small step back. "For the safe return of my Elder Scroll and my daughter, I offer you my blood. You will walk like a lion among sheep. You will be powerful." Harkon walked back to his throne, and the vampires still kept their eyes on Erik.

"What is it that you desire, Erik? Do you wish to be powerful? Do you wish to be able to strike down all who oppose you?" Erik didn't move or say a word, as he watched Harkon stare back. His eyes were emotionless, and Serana couldn't read him at all.

"You're not like other mortals. I could put you to good use. I offer you this once, but if you refuse, I will banish you from this castle."

Without hesitation, Erik spoke in a firm voice. "I refuse."

Harkon's face contorted with irritation and disgust, as he sat down, leaning back against the chair. "So be it. Like all mortals, you are prey. I banish you."

Erik looked at the pair of eyes that had been on him this whole time. Her face was twisted with concern, and it made Erik linger on her face a moment longer, before he vanished. Serana's eyes never left the spot he was standing in. A dark smoke cloud, like the one from earlier, filled up the room and dissipated.

And just like that, he was gone.

Erik...