Chapter 30 – Planning The Attack

"It is good to see you Z. I must confess, Harkon is worse than I imagined" Malketh sighed. His movements were awkward, functional but clearly not his own. Z shook her head, her expression was dark.

"I told you not to go there! I told you that you were not good enough, and that you would be killed. Now you are worse than dead"

"I know! Now he dangles my wife as bait, if I do everything I promised I would then my wife dies. Z, you saw me those years ago. You know that I would do anything for her, now Harkon uses her as my doom. I still am trying to help you, but Harkon wanted Serana. I could not resist" Malketh looked desperately to Z, his eyes flashing. Z could not read him as well as she would have liked, she could smell the incense through the room from his candles. This could not hide the smell of his slowly dying host.

"Now get us in" Z demanded, spinning an old chair within her reach. She sat on it like a saddle, her forearms crossed over the back.

"I can get one man in. You can get yourself in, the rest I cannot" Malketh sighed, closing his hands around his desk. He stood there, his shadow flickering against the wall behind Z. The dense air was dusty, Z was hiding her trouble breathing well.

"How?"

"I can get one man in, as a new cow" Malketh winced at Z's expression. She seemed lost in thought. She then nodded.

"Get Tai in… Now I have a plan" She threw the chair to the ground as she leapt, landing on her feet effortlessly. She walked to stand beside Malketh, staring over many old maps. Together they began their plot.

"I don't need to be watched!" Tai snarled, looking to the chains on his wrists. They looked so flimsy, a foolish human design created to hold a little girl not an animal like him. They were just so brittle, one twist and maybe.

"Don't. Even. Think. About. It" Vale laid the words out in a dangerous tone. Her ears had flicked back and her jaw was set. Her usually wide black eyes had become dangerous slits. Tai shuddered and dropped his hand with a frustrated growl. He was grateful his hand fell into the furs.

"As for been watched. You tried to beat Isran to death" Aela pointed out with a cocky smile. Tai snarled at her, baring his teeth.

"Do not snarl at my mate again Tai or so help me I won't be nice little Vale. I'll give you a dose of wolf you won't forget" Vale now snarled, her ears had definitely pinned themselves against the side of her head. Aela wrapped an arm around Vale's stomach and pulled her kicking and biting away from the bars of Tai's door.

"Farkas! Handle this cub before Vale tears him apart, and I enjoy it" Aela spoke with a growl in the back of her throat, it was not the threatening growl but the lusty one.

"Sure. Get a room" Farkas walked to the bars in his everyday armour. Tai's blood continued to boil.

"What's wrong with me?" Tai finally panted. Farkas gave him a steady look.

"Werewolves can get overly attatched to their mate. It can happen more than once, it can go through breakups; we become protective over what is ours. Especially males, in wolf form. As you can see, Vale is in a unique position. She gets it bad, unless Aela proves she's Vale's. Much like you and Serana of late" Farkas raised his brow at Tai's shocked look.

"We are not that bad" he muttered.

"After mating outside in frozen water you fell asleep. Not even Z and I ever did that" Farkas seemed unashamed to point that out as Tai shook his head.

"How do you cope been involved with a extremely powerful woman, maybe more powerful than you?"

"You don't annoy her. Why are you annoying her? Be good at whatever she wants, don't annoy her" Farkas answered in a matter of fact tone.

"And… You love her with all your heart" Farkas finished with a grin. Tai looked up to his brother, his expression unreadable.

"I've got it Z. Now, this body needs to rest before I burn it out" Malketh began walking towards the bed, Z shuddered.

"You'll be spying on us?" Z asked. She shuffled slightly, staying dextrous on her feet as she clasped her hands behind her back. Her fingers were around her dagger, she was weighing up. He was her friend, one of her only remaining alive but he was threatening Tai and Serana. He was threatening the world. The Listener began to rise in Z.

"I have no choice. Harkon's orders" he whispered turning away. Z leapt, wrapping her hand around the man's face and placing the dagger blade to his throat.

"I can't let you do that" She growled. She felt the man's body pulsing violently in fear. She could smell it in the air, taste it on her tongue in a chalky sweet sensation. Her own heart was slowed, time seemed frozen as she pushed his shoulder forwards and dragged the dagger across his throat. She felt the warmth of blood spray onto her wrist and fingertips wrapped around her dagger, she saw blood spray onto the wall before her. She released his body, her dagger arm outstretched as the man fell to his knees gagging. Z put her foot into his shoulderblades and pressed down, throwing the man to the ground.

"Do not fear the void, embrace it" She whispered then silently turned away. She had a lot to do.

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"Sit. All of you" Z commanded as she walked into the hall. Everyone but her husband and Tai were there, eating and talking. Z was beyond caring on thoughts; she had pulled her hood up and wore her metal mask beneath the cloth. She had also cleaned off her blades and crossed them on her back. She shone in the torchlight, a dark shadow that absorbed all the light around her. The room went silent, Isran rose.

"Sit down" Z ordered in her cool voice. Isran's knees were shaking and weak as he slowly sat down. Z's eyes seemed to shine as she glared around the room, she pointed to one man who shook.

"You. Go get Farkas and Tai" she was using a very soft quiet voice but it was so powerful everyone shook. She glared around the table more as her eyes fell on a chicken leg. Casually she reached across and grabbed it. Removing the cloth across her mouth she bit into it, everyone was staring in utter silence as she ate. Her eyes never left them, and her silent chewing was dooming as more of the chicken leg vanished into her mouth.

"What's the plan sis?" Tai started, flinching as Z fixed him a look. He silently sat next to Isran, his blood boiling as he glared down into his empty plate.

"Farkas. Sit" Z ordered, Farkas smirked.

"No room dear" He stood against the wall as everyone watched between him and Z. She seemed unbothered as she fastened her masking cloth again.

"Right. Here's the plan. I'm going to take Tai and Farkas with me. The rest of you will get to storm the castle about two hours after we enter. You will all have a very well created copy of Auriel's bow, and your arrows will be enchanted to make a similar effect so there will be fire. Do not waste the arrows, Gelebor is not thrilled to make working fakes and whatever you do… Do not get Serana's blood on any of the arrows, or the damn trick is out. We move out tomorrow, if you want to quit its my dagger stopping you. Now get some sleep" Z spoke quickly, she was already walking away.

"Details?" Isran demanded.

"Vale and Aela are commanding the storm force, along with Sadean. The rest I won't tell any of you, Isran already made a deal with Malketh brokering to Harkon for time. I'm making some magic in the time"

"And if there are more vampires than us?" A man voiced.

"There are three Dragon Born and at least one of them is a Werewolf, the other is me and Vale is trained by the Greybeards for hundreds of years. If you believe the vampires stand a chance, I'm willing to give you all a demonstration of one Dragon Born in action, let alone three working together" Z turned to eye everyone. No one voiced another complaint.

"Get some rest. We move out at dawn" Z repeated her order and stormed towards the shadows. Her cloak spun around her as she literally vanished. Farkas shook his head as the crowd dispersed.

Tai wondered back to his room, his toes scuffing against the stone floor. He dragged himself into his bed with a groan and closed his eyes. He didn't take long to drop into sleep.

Serana felt the blood trickling down her wrists as she glared up into the eyes of her father. Her forehead was also bleeding, her eye was only half opened to avoid getting her sticky blood in it. Her clothes had been torn from her beatings. She lost count of who had done what to her, her father kept questioning, kept pushing. Serana set her jaw, her back teeth hurt they were clenched so hard but she refused to tell her father anything.

"Who is this champion the Dawnguard have invested so much trust in Serana?" Harkon growled. Serana raised her eyes to him and smirked.

"Afraid he might be stronger than you father?" She hissed. Harkon's eyes darkened as he began to pace before her. His shadow kept making her cold as it passed over her, his manner was as if he was questioning his lunch instead of his daughter.

"I have met him one, Tai I believe his name was. He admired you. Tell me, did he taste good as you killed him? Were his lips pleasant against yours in Whiterun? Does he make you feel complete as you scream his name in ecstasy? Does he make you a woman Serana with his expert tongue and body? Does he whisper every dirty thing you fear and make you moisten for him? Do you like what he does to you as you realise you're just like every other common wrench?" Harkon pressed. Serana hissed.

"Go to Oblivion, you wolf dung!" Serana spat. Harkon laughed.

"Oh Serana what I'm goi…" he started but was interrupted.

"My lord. The court is seeming empty without your presence, allow me to continue on this disgrace. I'm sure Coldharbor would be a delightful place for her to dream" The man walked in. Serana looked weakly to the Breton who had spoken.

His face was fairly rounded, his nose small and curved upwards. His brow was low but soft, his eyebrows a good denseness but held a certain finess. His eyes were brighter than a usual vampires, as if his eyes had been white before his death. Down his left cheek was Forsworn facial paint in a deep red shade. His head was shaven, except a lush Mohawk and braided lock dangling down his left temple.

Harkon left as the man walked to her, he crouched before her with a friendly smile revealing fine fangs. He was a man of stealth.

"Greetings Serana. My name is Malketh and I know a lot already. My job is to get information, I would rather be pleasant with you because washing my red shirt is rather hard when it gets blotchy and blood doesn't ever come out the gloves. In the interest of been kind I am a mage of sorts, I can make you dream whatever I want, put you into others heads and even posess your body. I advise we be honest… hmm?" Malketh spoke calmly; his voice was a gargling deep like a river that crashed in Serana's ears.

"Go dream away from me!" Serana spat. Malketh put his hands to her temples softly.

"I'll be nice, think of someone special and let yourself sleep" he whispered. Serana instantly felt her mind fall to Tai.

"No. I cannot let him hurt Tai" she struggled desperately but Malketh over powered her fight in a matter of seconds, as if he had already known what she would do.

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Tai stroked his hand gently from her cheek to behind her ear, teasing the black hair aside. Serana caught her breath as Tai brought his thumb down her neck slightly. He knew that got her going, he knew she enjoyed that. Serana gasped lightly, Tai didn't even pause, focusing his gaze on her neck.

"Tai" She started, he suddenly applied more pressure in the perfect place, Serana jolted slightly, a soft moan escaping her lips. Tai turned his eyes to her and smiled softly, encouraging her. His gaze returned to his hand, on occasion his eyes flicked to Serana's face.

"Do you still want to learn?" Tai asked softly, his hand stroking her bra strap aside. Serana pondered this for a moment; she would lose all her dignity if she allowed Tai upon her. He knew her body better than she did, after a few nights together; she had owned her body for eras. Tai however flicked his finger lightly; Serana moaned softly, her eyes closing in a momentary pleasure. Then she again felt humiliated.

Tai's spare hand cupped her shamed face, stroking down her cheek as she tried to avert her eyes. It was wrong. She wasn't married to him, she never could be. Why did she lead Tai down this path? Why did she lower herself to this? She knew what would happen; Tai would have her moaning in a matter of minutes. He didn't need to remove anything, or touch anywhere she didn't welcome. He was the master of her, something she despised.

"I know how you feel Serana. This has to be even ground, which it may never be for you. I understand" Tai whispered, his eyes disappointed yet the love in them never subsided.

If she was going to lose again; it was going to be her way. She turned to look into his eyes with a shy smile; Tai gave her his soft, comforting expression, his hand still on her shoulder, he removed it. She licked her lips nervously before she stroked up his ribs, lifting his shirt slightly. She was satisfied as he gasped, she returned to that point. Tai was holding back but his breathing was growing heavier, she continued up him softly, lifting his shirt as he stared down in doubt. He didn't know what she wanted. Serana smiled.

"What are you waiting for?"