Chapter 32 – This Means War

"I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a Lion among the Sheep"
-Quote, Harkon

"Malketh. How did I know you would betray me?" Z spoke so coolly despite the guards holding both her and Farkas steady. His eyes flashed to her with rage, Z's held cool.

"I am a servant of Lord Harkon, a devoted husband; it was my job to have a cold hearted criminal brought to justice"

Z regarded him coolly; her jaw was set behind her mask. She saw what was in his eyes, the desperation and fear behind his rage and put on. It took her seconds to weigh the situation up. They were trapped, the army was moving. Now all Z could do, is what she always had done despite her words. Go with the tide of life's river.

"Serana!" Tai screamed as Serana stirred. His head hurt, his body felt drained of its life as he stared at his beautiful Serana. She was covered in blood, her tongue hanging from her mouth in a mix of thirst, pleasure and intense sickness. She was shivering, almost throwing up from the smell over her body. It was intense, she felt the hunger and rage bubbling in her but she couldn't stomach the blood of a child again. She hung, shuddering in her confusion as she tried to hide within her mind. Malketh was there. Malkath was haunting her, forcing her to retreat further as she watched the world through eyes that could no longer care.

"Serana!" Tai snapped again, his hands closing around the bars of his cell. He pulled desperately, despite shifting the bars slightly he already knew his effort was useless. Farkas was also awake, staring at his meditating wife.

"She won't hear you Tai. First she needs to win her own battle, she needs to accept" Z spoke so calmly that Tai shivered. She was heartless in this moment; her dark eyes pinned on the lock as Farkas stayed out the way with his eyes contently on her.

She calmly got to her feet; her hands were already around the lock picks she had hidden. She stood before the cell door with an impossible cool over her. Tai paid no attention as he stared at Serana. Her head was rolling as he called to her, faintly she was noticing him.

"Done" Z smiled stepping back from the gate. It did not budge when Tai's hands closed around and pushed. Z looked irritated as she stared down at the snapped lock pick. She muttered in dragontongue as she stared at the bars, her eyes almost changing to black. After a moment she threw her hand palm first into the gate. It flew back with a loud glang.

"Like I said, done" Z huffed as she took a stride out. Tai bolted, not even noticing he had knocked Z off her feet.

He fell to his knees before Serana. His hands closed around her cheeks as she murmured. He nearly sobbed as his hands connected with her soft skin, marred only by the gritty feeling of dried blood flaking from her wounds.

"By my ancestors… Serana?" Tai whispered quietly. Her eyes shot open. He let his tears fall as he saw the look in her eyes, broken. He had never seen her look so defeated except for when Z had fought her. He could already tell there were few people who knew the trick. Z was the best, the next was a nameless assassin who had been raised with the Foresworn.

"This is a trick" Serana gasped. Tai looked to her in horror as she averted her eyes, she didn't even believe it was him squatting right in front of her.

"Serana it's me. I love you, wake up" Tai whispered softly, Serana's eyes were filled with unshed tears as they locked with Tai's again. She looked lost for a moment, hopelessly happy. Then she plummeted again into the broken state Tai had found her in.

"You're an illusion" she whispered. Tai glared, he was furious. He knew words couldn't sway her, he didn't know what would. With a frustrated growl he ran his hand through his hair.

"Is this an illusion?" he finally demanded as an idea flared to mind. Every romance he had read had been solved with a kiss, he knew he could tell Serana by her kiss but could she tell him apart from whatever had happened? He couldn't help wonder as he pressed his lips to hers, trying his best not to vent his rage into roughness. Serana froze beneath him as he pulled back, staring desperately into her eyes.

"Good illusion" she chuckled, tears streaming down her face. Tai pressed his forehead against hers as tears streamed from his eyes, almost mirroring Serana. He couldn't help notice the irony. He was there, strong and proud, a werewolf and arrogant male. Serana was broken, dirty, soft and ashamed, a vampire maiden of unspeakable humbleness hidden behind a mask. They were opposites in many ways, but the same in many more.

"What did they do to you?" Tai demanded, a fire suddenly burning within him. Serana smiled as he tore the restraints from her wrist as if they were parchment, when in reality they were designed to hold even a vampire in place.

"It's rather degrading" Serana mumbled an explanation, Tai snarled as he turned to challenge Z and Farkas. They were gone.

Vale chuckled as Aela's tongue flicked across her cheek. She looked up at Aela who was in wolf form, grinning with a fire that made Vale's knees feel weak. She had finished giving blood to the Dawnguard, who stood at the bridge silently. The tenseness was in the air, it sat heavy in Vale's gut.

"Something isn't right" Aela finally snarled. Her voice was gruff, yet Vale knew the tone was soft.

"I think the plan is for us to wait. Well, you to wait" Vale sighed sadly, her eyes flashing to the top of a broken tower. There was a flash of metal. Aela saw it too, she snarled, dropping low to the ground.

"Go. We can handle this" Aela ordered. Vale looked to her with sorrow, she pressed her lips to Aela's wet nose, coughing as fur entered her mouth. She couldn't help laugh as Aela snorted, taken aback by Vale's movement.

"I love you" she said clearly. Instantly the Dawnguard looked uncomfortable. Women together was not accepted among the Nords. An Elf and a Nord was even worse. A mix of the two was unspeakable, but none dared stand up to a Dragon Born and her Werewolf girlfriend.

"We can explore that when we win this war" Aela suggested with a flick of her brow. Vale was already running up the bridge, almost invisible.

"I love you too Vale" she spoke again, Vale turned and nodded before she continued up the bridge.

Tai ran ahead, pulling his armour on as Serana found some that fit her. The vampires all glared at them, but somehow were unable to act. Tai didn't understand how this was working. Outside he could hear a battle raging, inside the vampires just waited. They stared at the door, almost completely ignoring Tai and Serana as they walked calmly through the ranks.

"I don't get this" Tai whispered to Serana. She turned her eyes to him, again they burned but there was a certain emptiness to them. Tai swallowed.

"I do" She finally whispered back. Tai's heart pounded at her tone. She was so cold, distant. He knew she had not fed, but she was not showing any sign of weakness in fact she seemed to ooze strength and rage. Tai finally understood, or was beginning to.

"Serana? Are you sure about this? He is your father"

"Not anymore. I had hoped, but… No. He must die Tai, I'm ready as I'll ever be" Serana sighed. She was so cold, Tai nodded respectfully. He could see she was weak, behind the power she was emendating she was emotionally weak.

"Then, let's finish this" Tai answered her as they walked past the table. It was then the vampires roared. Another voice flooded them all.

"Meyye! Tahrodiis aanne! Him hinde pah liiv! Zu'u hin daan!" Z yelled. She stood at the door, which was flung open. Beside her Vale stood, bow drawn as was Z's short sword.

The room was silent as Z strode into the room, Vale in perfect stride with her. The two were an imposing force, clearly alert and ready for a battle. Z was fluid as water, Vale light as air. The two women who fought so differently were the obvious team.

"Tai. This is where you and Serana let us handle this" Vale winked, earning snarls from the vampires surrounding them. Vale chuckled as she crouched, Z stood calmly beside her, eyes on the ground.

Tai nodded as he jogged away, dragging a stunned Serana behind him. Their walk settled into determined as they reached a gate blocking the doors. Tai and Serana didn't even hesitate as they threw their feet against it, crushing the giant metal structure into a ball.

"Ready for this Z?" Vale chuckled; Z looked to her with a smirk. The two nodded as the vampires circled them, believing their pray captured. Z laughed warmly, baring her teeth in a battle snarl at the approaching Nordic Vampire.

"I'm the Listener" She replied calmly. Then the vampire launched.

Z ducked, throwing her hand up to catch the vampire's wrist. With one movement she pulled the vampire down onto her blade. By the time it realised she had beheaded another two with a spin of her body.

Vale threw her fist into a vampires face, following up by slamming her bow into its gut. She had designed her weapon to be bladed; it tore the vampire's guts open. She threw her elbow back into the nose of a second, threw the string around the head of a third. She wasted no time in head butting the vamp then kicking it forwards. Its head rolled free from its shoulders.

"I forgot how hard someone's head is" Vale groaned, rubbing her forehead with her right hand. Z had already fell many vampires swarming her.

"I forgot how relaxing this is" Z sighed as she tore her blade free from the eye socket of another vamp. She wasted no time in flicking the tip of her blade to Vale.

"Teamwork?" Z asked as Vale's hand closed around the tip. Strangely the blade did not slice her skin. Vale laughed, looking to Z with eager eyes. The two women looked to the vampires storming at them and used a single shout.

"WULD!" they flew in perfect time to the other side of the room. Vale's eyes flicked back to the pile of dead left in their wake. Again they looked to each other before they both fired off a shout.

"IISS SLEN NUS!" Vale shouted at the table. It froze solid, Z couldn't resist.

"FUS RO DAH!"

Aela slashed with a paw at the man. She no longer could tell who was on her side and who was not. She was desperate, thrashing around the battle field destroying it all.

The dirt stuck beneath her claws, freezing her pads off with each stomp in the icy mud. She slipped in the muck, which now covered her entire body from her struggles. The war trolls had turned on her; she had reacted like a beast and destroyed them. She felt the cool in her ears, the salty taste on the wind which was coming from the ocean. Her lashes were frozen, drips of water and small ice shards clouding her vision.

She felt the pain as a man slashed at her back. His blade had barely done any damage as Aela turned. She didn't even hesitate as her jaws closed around the man's head. She sighed at the taste of blood running down her throat, the softness of his brains. Then she felt herself forced to the ground.

"Die wolf!" The man above her growled. Then he let out a stifled grunt and fell to the side. Aela lifted her head to see Vale standing, her bow still held. Aela smiled in her wolf form.

"What did I do to deserve her?"

Tai snarled as he kicked the door open. His eyes fell in the dim church; a shrine to Molag Bal flowing with a bloody fountain was at the far end of the room. Beside the doors were stairs, both leading to seating areas either side of the room. Beneath was also a sitting area, domed as if outside and yet in the solid stone walls of the castle. Bones were in large piles, much like the dungeon.

His eyes however were pinned on the vampire lord before him, Harkon in his full glory. Tai felt the rage bubbling in his stomach, pulsing into his neck as he glared. This man had cost him so much, had given Serana to a Deadric Prince to be brutally raped till death. He had sacrificed thousands to earn Molag's favour, he had driven Serana's family apart, outlawed her mother and tortured Serana. Tai had had a gut full.

"Harkon!" Tai snarled, glaring at the vampire lord standing before him. Serana's own eyes burned as she took a stride forwards. Tai gripped her wrist.

"Serana" he started, she never removed her eyes from Harkon.

"Let. Me. Go. Tai"

"This isn't your fight" Tai whispered, Serana turned her eyes to him in shock.

"Whose is it then?"

"This fight is mine" Harkon interrupted, Tai turned his eyes back to him, snarling uncontrollably as he spat the words.

"Fus you"