Chapter 12 – Return to Family

"To Hunt with me your feet need to be quick, and your eyes quicker" – Quote, Aela.

Tai laughed as Serana stumbled out the Soul Cairn, her weight plundering forwards straight onto Tai, they both fell onto the stairs weakly, the scroll was still around Serana's back which Tai eyed nervously.

"So how much do you actually know about that thing?" His voice was serious, despite his inner fight to contain laughter at Serana's predicament with the floor.

"Not a lot. You would think I would be an expert but it turns out, you don't learn about something by just sleeping with it" She seemed to pause, Tai charged into the little quip.

"Are you saying you want to learn more about me?"

"Not at this rate, no" Serana answered slowly, her voice heavy as Tai chuckled. Serana groaned.

"Are you alright?" Tai asked, he was on his feet as Serana lay sprawled like a dead duck. Tai got half of that right, but at the same time wrong. Vampire's confused him he decided as Serana stirred. She groaned.

"Fine... My back hurts"

"That's good. We don't want that scroll getting damaged" Tai joked, his elbows rested on his knees as he squatted, Serana gasped.

"Nice to know you're concerned about me" she crossed her arms in that manner, fist closed as her attitude showed through. Tai laughed loudly as he offered her a hand.

He couldn't help smile as she placed her little fist on her hips, her face stern save the twitching corner of her mouth. Tai rolled his eyes as he bent down and lifted her to her feet, his arms under her knees and arm around her, fingers almost touching her breast.

"Tai. Get your left hand off my boob and put me down!" Serana raised her eyebrow at Tai as he shook his head in no, twitching his thumb in her shoulder. Serana squealed, then snarled. Her hand leaving a nasty red mark on Tai's cheek after her well timed slap.

"Ouch!"

"Oh you milk drinker, take it like a man"

"I'm about to give it to you like a …" Tai cut off as wafting voices followed that and growls. Tai let Serana down as he ran to the vessel, snatching the ingredients out and shoving them in a leather pouch. There was another rumble as the circles returned to their previous position.

Tai and Serana stared as Serana was screeching, Tai remembered himself in this position several times, and he knew a little bit of faith was needed as his eyes pinned on a door. He called Serana as they sprinted, the hounds barking was close on their heels.

They bolted through the door and gasped. They were on a small balcony, it had once led to another great door but it too had been destroyed. Their little prison sat overlooking a large crest of rock, leading into small scattered islands going out to sea. Tai groaned, he hated faith and yet he clung to it as his arms strained, the metal of his armour almost slitting from its sudden smallness, Tai had built more muscle since he had last been fitted.

"Tai! What do we do? We're trapped!" Serana was hyperventilating. Tai stared for a moment, shaking his head as he spoke.

"No. Do you trust me?"

"What?" Serana seemed uneasy with the question.

"Serana, do you trust me?" Tai asked again, his voice harsher with his stain. Serana looked him the eye and nodded.

"Completely"

Tai nodded, his hands flying from the door as he took three huge strides, arm somehow wrapping around Serana's waist as he leapt from the balcony, his eyes intent on the water. Serana screamed loudly, praying for life then cursing like a man from Rifton. Half the words that fell from her mouth the well versed, fluent Tai didn't know the meaning, from Serana's furious face he decided he didn't want to.

He gasped as she fell from his grasp; together they fell into the grey frozen ocean. Tai gasped desperately for air when he hit the top, the sea salt already clinging in his hair. Tai was relieved he had just missed the ruins of the boat, in his heavy armour it would have been a death sentence. Still he gasped weakly.

"Serana?"

There was no response. Tai couldn't smell anything but the sickly sea as he felt the vomit rise in his throat, his stomach churning with worry as he saw a body floating a few metres closer to the boat ruin. He somehow managed to swim and scream.

"Serana!"

He lifted her head onto his shoulder as she groaned weakly.

"Tai. You know I hate you right?"

"Yes I know. All because I saved your life, again… But now we have to escape some hounds" Tai whispered, pulling her onto his back as the hounds snapped at the water's edge, it seemed death couldn't swim. Tai swam faster than he had in his life with a not feather weight woman on his back, all to save something already dead. Tai was losing his grasp on reality wasn't he?

"Just a few more steps!" Tai strained, holding the fast fading Serana in the cold snows. The hounds on their tail were driving Tai crazy as the sunlight faded behind the lurking mountains. Tai knew there could be no rest this night but he desperately pushed Serana on. They had been running for a few days now, Serana's bite should have healed but somehow had not. Tai groaned as Serana stumbled. His eyes flicked to the black forms looming over the hill.

Tai groaned again, bending as he hooked his arm under Serana's shaking knees, his other arm already around her as his hands tightened, his fingers teasing the edge of her bra. Serana protested with her usual fluent cursing, for cursing she made it sound so elegant. Tai replied with language so crass Serana blushed, their speed doubling as Tai sprinted. Every stone made him stumble, but Serana's weak arms around his neck reminded him he had to keep running. So he did. Every bone aching, possibly broken ribs and yet he never once let Serana slip.

Time lost meaning; he needed no nourishment save blood. He couldn't get it, he didn't even know where to begin so instead he ran and ran and ran. Tai knew he wasn't heading the right way, but by now he had lost all longing for the correct path; his only concern was for Serana. He couldn't tell how long he had been running when he saw a cave; he lost all thought as he ran to it. It looked strangely familiar, bricked and manmade within the strange mountain. He could care less as he placed Serana as far from the entrance as possible.

He rested her head down gently, his eyes scanning her injured body worriedly. He quickly released the leather holding his heavy armour to him, he groaned in relief as the metal clinked to the side. Upon screwing nose up at the metallic stench of his shirt beneath Tai returned his eyes to the unstirring Serana.

Even sick Tai decided she was gorgeous. She had slimmed down since Tai had first seen her, or so he imagined. Her hair was always tied in that manner that made Serana look like royalty, her eyes closed with her mouth slightly parted, giving a view to her perfect fangs which were drawing her own blood.

Tai stroked a stray lock aside from her face gently, prying his fingers between her lips to unlock her jaw. Serana moaned as she obeyed, Tai quickly removed her bottom lip from harm's way as Serana almost snapped her mouth shut. Tai shook his near decapitated finger tips with relief.

"Tai? Please don't leave me here" Serana whimpered weakly.

"I'm staying right here" Tai stared down at her, his own body shielding her from the building wind. He felt her shiver as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his own body.

"Please don't let me go" she whispered as he shifted his hand, he stared at the greenish tinge to her as he whispered his reply.

"I'll never let you go" Tai saw the tears, or maybe it was a sick sweat dripping down her face as he used his thumb to wipe a few pesky drops away, squeezing Serana's shoulder. She sighed happily at the fact Tai had removed his armour. She snuggled into the warmth and beauty of his skin, even dead he was the most striking man she had ever seen. She closed her eyes weakly, allowing herself to relax. Again she shivered.

"It's so cold" she whispered. Tai made an agreeing "hmm" sound.

Tai blinked in shock as Serana's hand forced its way under his shirt, hand starting at his muscular peck muscles and slowly slipping down, her finger caressing around his painfully obvious nipple, the cold forcing them harder. Tai tensed awkwardly as her hand continued down him slowly, he tensed more to the cold than Serana's hand although it held his warm shirt off his cold skin.

Her hand continued under his firm breast muscle, a finger trailing down the obvious bumps of his ribs, slowly down his taught skin and defined abs, her finger sliding along his shiv scar before circling his belly button. Tai was in utter shock as she removed her hand, only to slide up and rest against his chest.

"Warm" she sighed happily as Tai shivered, so much for him been warm.

She leaned her head into his shoulder and shuffled closer weakly, Tai naturally closed the distance and closed his eyes, arms wrapped around the semi unconscious Serana. He knew her delirious state had contributed to her strange action, that and he was warmer under his shirt. Tai couldn't face the other alternatives. It took Tai maybe a few minutes for him too to fall into a doze, the howling of hounds drawing closer.

"It's waking up" The voices reached Tai's ears, instantly his arms tightened upon the thin air.

A weak scream woke him up completely, staring straight into the spear of a Dawnguard scout. Tai looked around the laughing brute to stare at his companions.

Serana was reasonably stripped down, her undergarments left on her as the men threw her around them, slapping her or punching her. On occasion groping for her, Serana was just a raging rag doll too weak to even snarl. Tai snarled for her.

"Stay your weapons Dawnguard, I am Tai, Isran has charged us with stopping Harkon!" he didn't expect the laughter that followed. He stared at the men's build, not accustomed to the dented armour.

"Not Dawnguard" his voice was low as he cursed, flaming eyes on Serana as they threw her to him.

She collapsed into is arms as he rolled his hip, easily catching her in his lap, he stroked her bleeding face as he turned his furious eyes on the imposters. Serana was weeping openly, nursing some potential broken bones and several harsh, fast healing gashes that Tai ran his hand down gently, earning a wince from Serana.

"Let her go and live boy. Either way we are going to have some fun, stay and you'll watch or let her go and be allowed to leave" The brute laughed as Tai stared into Serana's crying eyes.

"Tai. Isran needs the scroll" Serana coughed, how she summed it up Tai had no idea. He shook his head swallowing. This was what he was reduced to, been beaten by common thugs in his domain. Then again, the sunlight bounced off their armour. It was not his time, not anymore.

"I promised remember" he whispered to her, she gave him a scolding look.

"Go Tai"

"No!" Tai growled at her, then turned to the men. Again his eyes flared at the men as they levelled their spears at the vampires in each other's arms, Tai was not going to move.

"Move" they commanded again. Tai lashed, snatching a spear and thrusting it back into the brute's face. One pinned Serana down; the other stabbed him in the leg. Tai screamed at the blazing shot of agony that shot through his body, his good leg shooting into the spear at Serana. Both spears then levelled at his throat. He snarled as he felt his skin pierced, so slightly he knew the blood wouldn't come close to fatal.

There was a sudden flash of black as the men's spears level, peacefully. Tai's eyes were wide however on the pale hands held flat as boards, leading into black wrap gauntlets. The woman was crouched, body twisted dangerously and a leg spread out, ankle bent to be almost flat. She straightened, turning her eyes on Tai. Midnight blue eyes.

Tai never had remembered Z been so beautiful; it seemed she was shocking the men as she released the black cloth around her face.

"Let's get you home Tai" she whispered quietly.

"Aren't you worried about those men?" Tai stared at them, standing so straight and shocked. Z laughed.

"No"

"Trust the listener to have a dangerous body" he groaned. Z somehow was not offended, instead she laughed. The blood trickled freely from the gasping men into Z's almost hungry hands; she licked her hand once as if testing the blood before placing the blood into a vile as she stared at them.

"It is time for you to join the dead. Do not fear the void" Z whispered to the men as she held their noses, the men too weak to struggle as Z slowly killed them all, then set the scene up. Then she called into the skies, quietly as Tai again lost consciousness.

Tai awoke weakly, in his old room. He sighed, leaning back into his familiar pillow, feeling the comforting feel of his skins beneath his bare back and rump. He groaned as he felt the tight binding around his thigh, where he had been stabbed. Tai gasped, straightening in his bed to stare at his career.

"Vilkas?" he couldn't help but be shocked at his brother smiling at him.

"Take it easy brother; Z did some taste testing on us. Our blood relation is undeniable" Vilkas seemed proud of his younger brother as Tai groaned.

"Serana?"

Vilkas gave him a knowing smile, something Tai found strangely warming. The pants were thrown to him by a warmer Farkas as he too gave that knowing smile, it seemed something was afoot.

"Get dressed and meet us in the hall brother" Vilkas smiled.

"And don't go looking for the women" Farkas winked as he and Vilkas left.

Tai stared down at the clothes offered to him, black leather pants with soft boots, sharpened by studs down the shins. He also eyed a fur vest, he knew by looking at it that it would already not do up. Tai reached for it, noticing his darkened skin.

"Ah good my tan's returned" Tai sighed. Then stiffened, did that mean?

He bolted to the water bowel in his room, not caring about the noise he made and his acute lack of attire. He stared down into the water, blue eyes stared back. Tai gave a scream of shock, then of joy as he jumped up and down like a mad man, cheering he was cured. He ran thoughtlessly down the halls skipping, wondering why everyone's eyes were upon him as he busted into the main hall, straight into Aela.

"Oh forgive me, I didn't see you" Tai nodded his head respectfully.

"Apparently you didn't see your clothing either" Aela was quite annoyed. Vale's voice floated to the confused Tai.

"You may want to think of putting something… Anything on" Vale's tone was also crisp.

Tai suddenly remembered, mainly to the cold wind that blew down his entirety, his nude entirety. He gasped and sprinted back, laughter wafting after him. Aela and Vale's voices were included. Tai sighed, this strangely felt like home to him. He wondered if he could in fact return to this family, once this was all over. Tai knew now he could fit in, but what of Serana. Could she fit in, more importantly could he live without her if she could not? Would she even want anything to do with him after this fight ended? Ta couldn't help wonder as he pulled on his clothing, suddenly very aware that his hair was back to its wavy form in good natural condition.

Tai didn't even bother with the vest, instead pulling some fur over his black leather and binding a leather shoulder to him, leather strap crossing down his bare chest and back. He knotted the leather strap, allowing a metal tipped strip to hand down as his left shoulder was protected. He then placed his sword in the sheath strapped to his back, pulled a fur gauntlet to his right hand and a tough leather one to his left. He shook then walked back to the hall.

"Not bad brother" Farkas and Vilkas chimed at once, Z smiling her quiet agreement.

Aela circled him, a pondering look on her face as Vale watched on, a glint of jealousy in her black eyes before she laughed lightly, nodding her unseen before… Approval? No Tai was surely mistaken.

"You may like this too" a familiar voice rung in his ears, the strong body against his back as a amulet was chained around his neck. Every inch was a circle, the beautiful if not simple chain led down into the Horn of Stendarr; a necklace of any warrior. He smiled, his eyes pinning on Serana as she gave a little spin before him, her own eyes admiring him.

"It's good to see you're alright Serana" Tai sighed, staring into Serana's flaming eyes hidden slightly under a fringe. Tai thought this made Serana appear simply adorable.

"It's good to see you running around" Serana eyed Tai down with that cheeky glint she disguised quite well in a smirk. Tai felt the blush coming on.

"It's also good to see you with clothing on" Serana laughed, Tai's blush made her laugh even harder.

"You are truly evil you know that?"