The boat was conveniently placed, just waiting for someone to take it and go to that little island where Serana lived. The boat almost seemed somewhat enchanted. When Serana sat onboard and I pushed it into the water and boarded, it kept going on and on towards the island. Nobody was rowing or paddling or anything, it was just moving by itself at a decent pace towards the island.

The journey to her home was long and tedious, but bearable. I guess it was her that made it bearable. Normally, I would have travelled to the closest hold and just taken a carriage to Solitude, then walk from there. Walking… Divines, I miss Shadowmere. The undead horse dissolved into a black, sticky pile of goo when she died. She was probably in the Void with the Dread Father. I tried returning to the bubbling pit of water where Astrid gave her to me, but the undead mare was nowhere to be found. I imagined that Shadowmere was angry with me for getting her killed, and refused to return to the realm of the living. Ever since then, I stuck to carriages and walking.

With Serana by my side, however, I didn't want to risk getting a carriage. If it wasn't the pale skin, eras-old clothing, glowing eyes, or fangs that would give her away, it would be the way she stared at mortals. She even seemed to eye me with a certain hunger in her eyes at one point or another. But her self control was almost admirable, as she hasn't bitten me or politely asked for some blood.

I also had to travel by night, for her sake, even after giving her a hood following her nearly collapsing. By the time we got out of Dimhollow Crypt, the sun was up, and after just an hour of walking, Serana looked ready to drop. Not drinking blood for thousands of years made her weaker to the sun than even she thought possible. I regretted continuing our journey while the sun was up right after we got out.

It was midday, and the sun was pounding down on us with all its might and I grew concerned for my companion who was uncharacteristically quiet. Though I suppose being a vampire in the sun would really silence you. She was lagging a few meters back, and I only noticed now. Her lips were parted and I could hear her soft pants as she sluggishly dragged her legs along the ground.

"Serana?" My concerned voice pierced the hours-long silence. Serana didn't respond and instead continued dragging her legs in an attempt to reach me. She slowly walked past me as if she didn't hear me at all, and my worry for her only deepened. The sound alone of her feet shuffling on the dirt road was unsettling. I took a few steps forward and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" I gently turned her to face me.

Serana squinted at me and replied through ragged pants, "Mikhael… I really need some shade soon." The vampire was breathless and I had half a mind to offer her some of my blood simply so she wouldn't pass out on the spot. The pained expression on her face was getting to me, and I could almost feel the burn she felt. Immediately, I scanned the nearby area for a place we could stop and rest. It didn't take me long to find a rock formation that would offer good enough shelter from the sun.

"Alright, let's take a break and continue at night, okay? We can take cover by that small rock formation over there. How does that sound?" I turned to face her after locating the rocks. Serana looked like she was trying to give me a smile of gratitude but even that seemed difficult for her. Should I carry her there so we can get her out of the sun faster? Would she mind if I did? When Serana moved at her slow, struggling pace once again, I decided to give her a hand.

Without warning, I quickly scooped Serana up in my arms, eliciting a yelp of surprise from the burning vampire. I moved as fast as I could and carried her to the rock formation. I set her down gently so she leaned against the rocks and then eased into the spot next to her, being sure to leave some breathing room as I did. We sat in relative silence for a few minutes, with the only sound being Serana's heavy breathing. And just like that she fell back to sleep. Or she lost consciousness. It was probably the latter. Part of me was tempted to cut my arm and let the blood dribble down her throat, the other part was more rational, saying she just needed some rest to recover from the sun.

I decided to be calm about things. Instead of feeding her my blood as she rested, I took my helmet off and got as comfortable as possible against the rocks. It would be hours until nightfall and until it would be safe for her to travel again.

I could imagine Isran yelling at me for my course of action. First of all, she should be bound and gagged. Secondly, I should be travelling on a horse with her tied to said horse, during the day. That way she really can't fight back! Ah, but she wasn't my prisoner of war. She was my… She was my companion. I was taking her home. Not taking her prisoner in the name of The Dawnguard. Not wishing to dwell on the battle between my gut and my mind, with the former saying my decision was right, and the latter saying I should take her to Isran, I decided it was time to get some rest. If someone wished us harm, I would wake before any damage could be done. It would be a pleasant turn of events if I'd even be able to get some rest with the remnants of the beast blood in my system.

The first thing I saw when I woke up was Serana's face up close as she shook me. She told me she woke not long ago after the sun set and woke me shortly after. After fully waking up, I realized something that might aid Serana in our travels. I opened the leather bag I kept. It was stuffed with potions, poisons, letters, notes, and other essentials for when travelling.

She actually made a joke or two about my bag because the leather looked so out of place in contrast to the dragon scale armor I wore. She recommended I put together a dragon scale bag to carry my belongings. The concept of something being made of a dragon's scales seemed to come as a slight shock to her at first but she seemed like she could wait for an explanation as to how I obtained the scales for my armor. And the confirmation that there were indeed dragons roaming the land of Skyrim. Though… The dragons were currently in hiding after Alduin's fall.

After a moment of rifling through the bag, I produced a leather hood and handed it to Serana. She eyed it suspiciously for a moment, as if it would tighten around her head and pop it like a melon if she wore it. I explained that if we had to travel by day, it wouldn't be as hard on her as it would be without the hood.

Before we left the rock formation, she grabbed my arm and I came to a halt. She thanked me for the hood and for waiting until night before travelling again. She said it shyly, and the appreciation on her face caused me to grin widely and reply that it was no big deal. With that, we got walking at a decent pace, making much more progress than earlier.

The way she said it and the way she smiled gratefully made me feel like a young Nord taking his first bottle of mead. It was almost ridiculous how I felt this way over this vampire I just met and knew little about. Oblivion, she couldn't even trust me with her past yet. But there was just something about her that was getting to me. I didn't feel this way when Jordis was trying to make a move on me. I didn't feel that way when I would woo Ysolda. I was hopeful that Serana would come around and trust me. And maybe, just maybe, I could win her over. There was more to her than meets the eye. I could feel it.

Wow, Mikhael. Of all the women in Skyrim you pick an ancient vampire that you found in a tomb full of the bloodsuckers. You just met her and you already want to make her yours.

I tried my best to silence the voice in the back of my head that persistently reared itself whenever I did things that even I questioned. I decided that ignoring the thoughts that disagreed with my gut was the best course of action, as it seemed to be most of the time. I reasoned with myself that it was the sound decision. I was still alive after all, wasn't I?

The small boat hit the shore with a thud, knocking me out of my thoughts and causing me to grip the sides of the boat to stop myself from nearly toppling over. A soft chuckle to my left indicated that my nearly being introduced to the boat's wooden flooring didn't go unnoticed.

"Here we are" I said quietly, straightening up as I stared down the path leading to the huge castle. Somehow when the Serana asked me to take her home, I expected something... Well, smaller. The castle was massive, and the bridge leading to it had gargoyles flanking the sides, and I had to wonder if they'd all snap to life if I approached them.

I exited the boat and offered a hand to Serana. She smiled politely and took my hand, allowing me to assist her off the boat. We slowly approached the bridge leading to the castle.

Oh, playing the gentleman card now are we?

"Home, sweet… Castle" She joked. I warily eyed the gargoyle to my right that seemed to turn its head ever so slightly to keep me in its sights. Was I seeing things now?

"You didn't mention your home being this… Large." I turned to look at the massive castle shrouded in mist and fog.

"Well, I didn't want you to think I was just some unhappy daughter running away from her castle. We've all heard that story before" I laughed quietly at her response and continued along the bridge, inspecting the gargoyles as I did.

I approached one and grabbed its snout, glaring at its stony ayes as I did. If it suddenly bit my fingers off, then I'd have the confirmation that they were indeed very much alive. When the gargoyle did not respond to my invasion of its personal space, I tried slapping it once. Nothing. I stepped away slowly, not taking my eyes off the gargoyle as I did. I could see an amused Serana staring at me at the corner of my eye.

I was about to carry on and proceed to the gate and get this little escort over with. The sooner this all ended, the sooner I'd find out if I had a chance of seeing her again after this was all over... And the sooner Isran could finishing scolding me for disobeying his orders.

"Hey... So before we go in there..." I stopped to face Serana, who was biting her lip again. She looked troubled, like she knew something was going to happen.

"Are you alright?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too concerned to the point of seeming clingy.

"Yes. I'm fine... Thanks for asking. I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we go in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while... I think." Serana turned to stare at the gate and the door behind it, choosing her next words carefully.

"I know your friends would probably want to kill everything in here. I'm hoping you can show some more control than that" She looked at me again to give me a smile that was pleading in a way. I gave her a curt nod in response.

We encountered some vampires on the way here and I dispatched them easily and with expertise. One of the vampires that attacked referred to me as a hunter, and after I dispatched the vampires without breaking a sweat, Serana figured out just what kind of hunter I was.

"Are your parents expecting you?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. It was our second day of travelling together, and most of our chatting had mostly been about current events in Skyrim. Much of the information I gave her either shocked or amazed her. Or both. The news that I was Dragonborn and that dragons terrorized Skyrim for a period of time until I slew the World-Eater caused her brows to nearly meet her hairline in surprise. She teasingly called me "Great and Powerful Hero of Skyrim" for the rest of the day.

"Well... I think my father might be. My mother is... Uhm. Well she-" Serana's reply was cut off as three vigilants of Stendarr appeared from the shadows blocked our path on the dirt road. I frowned as they formed a line in front of us, hands behind their backs. The vigilants should all be dead by now since the vampires raided The Hall of the Vigilant. Something was very wrong.

The one that spoke up was an Orc. His tone was sly and he bared his fangs in a toothy grin as he spoke, "You are Mikhael, right?"

How did they know my name? I didn't respond, instead I took a step to stand in front of Serana protectively and placed my hands on the hilts of my dragon bone sword and Blade of Woe. As if the ancient vampire behind me needed protection. The Orc continued, "Oh and you must be Lady Serana, am I correct?" The Orcish vampire's grin and falsely polite tone was unsettling and I knew this would end with his blood on my blades. But the bastard seemed content with dragging this encounter out longer. I heard her animalistic growl behind me.

"Mikhael, I suggest you stand aside. My dear Serana, I implore you come with us and leave this hunter. We'll take good care of you and bring you back to your father." It was a Bosmer that spoke this time, snarling at me as he did, his fangs exposed.

"I think my friend here can take me back home just fine, thank you very much." Serana hissed at the Wood Elf. So they were a pack of vampires that murdered the vigilants and took their robes to impersonate them. They were hardly even impersonating them. They just wore the robes as a form of mockery.

"So be it. Keeper Carcette sends her regards." The Orc taunted, grinning ear to ear and reaching for his battle axe. I didn't let the vampire make a move. I burst forward, bouncing off my feet to give more power. I delivered a jab to the Orc's chin, sending him reeling backwards, clutching his jaw. The Bosmer to my right drew a dagger and raised it high. I drew the Blade of Woe with my left and deflected the attack with my free hand. I quickly finished the Bosmer off with a powerful stab through the temple and he dropped without fuss.

The third vampire, a quiet Nord, struck with his sword. I blocked the strike with my dagger and drew my sword. I delivered a quick headbutt to stun him before stomping the side of his knee, effectively breaking his leg and causing him to drop. I flung my dagger the short distance and caught him in the throat. The Orc recovered and charged me, battle axe low to swing upward. I lopped his head off with a single quick and powerful motion, causing blood to spew out of his neck and coat my armor in red.

I exhaled audibly and approached the Nordic vampire to retrieve my blade. Serana released a low whistle as I wiped my blades off on the robes of the dead.

"Well color me impressed, Hero of Skyrim" She muttered, eyeing the fresh corpses at my feet, the Orc's rolling head finally coming to a stop next to me. I stood straight and turned to Serana while returning my blades to their sheaths. She looked slightly disturbed. But the look left her face just as I turned to her. I suppose the cat was out of the bag now.

Mikhael Ice-Sider, vampire hunter.

For the rest of the journey, Serana didn't treat me much differently. But there were times she seemed almost afraid of me after the revelation that I hunted her kind. But she tried to hide it as best as she could. I also imagined that she was reasoning with herself that I was more than a simple minded vampire slayer. I was taking her home instead of chopping her head off, wasn't I?

"Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead." Serana instructed, pointing at herself as she said so. She approached the gate cautiously, causing a man behind it to stir. He stepped up behind the gate and squinted through the thick mist.

"What do you think you're doing here? Be gone at once! You are tr-" The old gate guard cut himself off and gasped as he saw just who he was speaking to.

The old man turned around to yell at another person that was out of sight, "Lady Serana is back! Open the gate!" The reaction was instant and the gate lifted with a loud clang. The old man stepped to the side and bowed before Serana who put on an awkward grin and motioned for the man to straighten up, which he did.

"Looks like they were expecting me" She said to me, stepping towards the large doors as she did. Serana placed a hand on the large door handle and turned to look at me. She had that look on her again. She bit her lip and had a slight frown on her features. Perhaps this was because after we met with her father, we may not meet again. Or maybe she was worried that the other vampires would kill me. Or the other way around. There was no sure way to tell, really. I tried to smile reassuringly as I motioned for her to open the door.

I felt myself materialize by the docks with a loud snapping sound. Divines, I felt like somebody ripped me apart and put me back together, using nothing but mead as adhesive. And mead was in no way an adhesive! I was nauseous, and felt my head spin as I took a few staggering steps closer to the boat. What sort of damned vampiric magic causes a man to simply disappear on the spot and be transported a distance away? I growled at the thought of the bastard that did this. Harkon. Serana's dear, loving father. I suddenly felt the events that transpired not ten minutes ago feel distant, and hard to recall.

Prey he calls me. Banish me will he? You don't banish Mikhael Ice-Sider. Oh, I'll show him. I'll...

I stumbled and fell face first into the boat that Serana and I used to arrive on the island. I repositioned myself but decided to lay there for a moment and recover from the dizziness I felt. I tried, with some difficulty, to recall what just happened. I returned Serana to her father, who then shape shifted into a vampire lord, as he called it. Then he offers the gift of the vampire lord as reward for returning his daughter. He offered his blood as his gift because he believes that there is no greater gift equal in value to the Elder Scroll or his daughter. Although, it seemed that he cared more for the Elder Scroll on her back than he did for her. Serana seemed disgruntled by that. But it seemed like she saw it coming. I refused his "gift" and he agreed to let me go this once, but vowed to destroy me in the future should we cross paths again.

I swear, just as he prepared to banish me, she turned to look at me. And she had this look on her face. Regret? Sadness? Pity? Conflict? I couldn't place it. For sure she wasn't pleased. That's all I was sure of. But the idea that she was displeased with my leaving the Castle Volkihar brought a little smile to my dazed face.

"Be gone"

It was the old man we met on arrival at the castle. He was in front of me, as if he appeared out of thin air. I frowned and opened my mouth in protest but before I could continue, he placed a foot on the boat and kicked. The boat hit water and soon began drifting back to the docks. Like last time, it went on and on without any further assistance. I glared daggers at the aged vampire that turned his back to me.

There was something very wrong with Harkon, that much was evident. Something about the man made me shake a little with the primal urge to sink my teeth into his flesh and rip him apart with my bare hands. I supposed that was the remnants of the beast blood rearing its ugly head once again. But my diluted killer wolf instincts aside, I felt it in my ever reliable gut that something was very off with the man.

The sinister smile that spread across his lips when he saw the Elder Scroll present on Serana's person was unsettling. As if the court full of vampires feasting on human flesh and blood wasn't unsettling enough on its own. Or the way the members of his court eyed me with hunger and licked their lips with anticipation as if they were waiting for Harkon to give the "GO!" signal to tackle me to the ground and take my blood. What did an ancient vampire, the leader of the Volkihar clan, want with an Elder Scroll? What did he plan to do with it? Whatever Harkon planned, it couldn't be any good.

My mind wandered back to The Dawnguard. Isran would want a full report. And he wouldn't be happy that the "artifact" got away alive and safe. And he'd be even less happy with the fact that I helped said artifact get back home safe and sound. Oh and he'd probably be livid with the fact that Harkon's artifact was carrying an Elder Scroll... Or was the Elder Scroll the artifact and Serana simply a speck on his grand plan, whatever that was. This meant that the vampires were in possession of an Elder Scroll, and saying that this was no good was a large understatement. Isran was in for a headache.

Oh, yes. The lead vampire slayer was in for a huge headache.

A/N: Good day/evening/morning, friends. Firstly I'd like to make clarifications and such.

TheGrinningAnimal, Mikhael Ice-Sider is a Nord. His father was a Nord and his mother an Imperial. Mikhael's mixed heritage won't be made into a big deal in the story, Serana just noticed that his name was not of Nordic origin. She may bring it up again out of curiosity in the future. I'm sorry to disappoint if you were expecting an elf. I was hoping that Serana's mentioning that his name was not Nordic implied it enough that Mikhael looked Nordic, and is Nordic. Sorry if I was lacking in clarity there, mate.

I want to point out the slightly obvious that the italicized words are Mikhael's thoughts and subconscious doubts towards his own actions. Or they are flashbacks. I will use many flashbacks over the course of this fic to show events that are not presented in present time of the fic.

Many of Mikhael's doubts and such are actually some of my thoughts when I played Dawnguard. I recall how I developed a liking to Serana the moment I met her but was telling myself not to get attached, because for all I know she may betray the player in the end. But Mikhael isn't always the type of man that listens to his head. He's more of an instinctive type of guy.

Now enough of my talk, I hope you guys and gals enjoyed the most recent chapter. If you did, feel free to drop a review! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside that I could just RIP YOUR INTESTINES OUT AND SKIP ROPE WITH THEM! *If you saw who I referenced, I give you a virtual brofist* I thank y'all for the reviews and support you've given me so far. Cheers!