Morndas, 19th of Sun's Dawn, 4E 01 11:43pm

Two days after Jarow and I split ways after clearing out that den of vampires. For some reason, ever since we went our separate ways, I had been getting tired easier and easier. I knew there was a shrine to Talos at the Temple but it was so far away. I could barely see Bruma in the distance, and that was only because of the lights from the city's walls. They'd made sure that no more Gates or otherwise would catch them unawares again and so reinforced the walls, set more patrols, and put more torches and bonfires along the walls. Hopefully they kept it up because with there being no Emperor, any forces could come and try to invade.

I stumbled along the path, desperately needing to get there and get to the shrine, something was wrong with me. I hurt all over and my strength seemed to be fading away at a rapid pace for some reason, which wasn't right since I was in great physical position, for a Nord of my size. I dropped to the ground, unable to go on. The back of my head was throbbing with pain, where that stupid vampire had struck me when I thought Jarow had taken care of her. I was on my hands and knees, trying to keep from passing out from the pain. I tried to call out, there were usually traders on this road, but none came or heard. I dropped to my stomach, eyes becoming blurry as my vision went. I felt myself passing out and I fought as hard as I could but the darkness was taking over, I could see it at the edges of my vision.

Then, everything went black.

I was plagued by hallucinations and nightmares, everything coming and going just as fast but nonetheless horrifying. I saw my family members before they turned into monstrosities coming at me, monsters with my friend's faces, laughing at me, screeching at me. Every worst thought or dream I'd ever had became reality before my eyes.

I felt hot, burning, like I was being cooked. I looked down and found myself in a giant pot, water boiling with vegetables floating around. I looked up and saw the vampire who scratched me laughing down at me, fangs reflecting the light, shining. I looked away, covering my head with my arms to protect myself. I backed up to get away from her and tripped over a vegetable and fell into a hole that went on and on, never ending.

Finally, I landed on a bed, the soft sheets and pillows reducing my fall. I sighed and relaxed in the bed, it somehow soothing, reminding me of home. I smiled and closed my eyes, turning on my side to go to sleep. I opened my eyes and found a dark, shadowy figure standing over me, laughing softly. I smiled up at them and looked back at my pillow and hugged it, rubbing my face on it, enjoying the feel of it.

The figure cocked its head at me before leaping on my neck, sinking fangs into it. I sighed contently, ignoring the blinding pain from the bite, the embrace of the bed making the pain drown down to an itch instead.

I hugged my pillow harder and felt the shadow pull off of my neck, grunting when the blood stopped flowing down their throat. They faded out of view and I fell asleep in the comfortable bed, once more returning to the darkness

Tirdas, 20th of Sun's Dawn, 4E 01 9:12am

I sat up straight in the bed, sweat dripping from my forehead, looking around alarmed. I was in a room, the door on the other side, a table in the middle with four chairs, a few pieces of assorted furniture placed around the room, and a fireplace on one wall blazing with a roaring fire.

I remembered the pot, the figure, the bed, the bite. I reached for my neck and found two small holes on there. I freaked out, getting out of the bed, but fell as soon as I stood straight up, my legs weak as a new babe. I hit the floor and the breath went right out of me.

As I lay there, catching my breath, a door in the room opened and I heard a soft, "Oh."

I looked up and saw the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She was a Nordic beauty, blonde, almost pale, hair down to the middle of her back, eyes that looked like sapphires of the deepest blue, red, full lips just begging to be kissed; she was wearing a rose red wool dress that swished around her bare feet and a golden locket with a ruby in the middle hung around her graceful neck.

She set down the bowl of what smelled like soup on the table and rushed to my side, sliding her slender arms underneath mine and lifted me up back onto the bed, resting against the wall. For such a slender woman, she sure was strong.

I realized my mouth was hanging open, still in awe from her beauty, and I quickly closed it, it shutting with an audible 'plop'. She noticed and blushed, focusing on wiping the sweat from my brow with a rag instead.

"Are you alright?" She asked me, looking worried. "I didn't expect you to be awake so soon."

I nearly ascended to the Divines, her voice was heavenly. It was almost as if she was singing when she spoke. I managed, "Yeah, I… I'm fine, thank you," Before I resumed my staring at her.

She noticed and blushed deeply; smiling at me before she went and retrieved the bowl she had set on the table. She came back and sat next to me on the bed, raising an eyebrow when I reached for it. She hesitantly gave it to me, making sure I had the strength to hold it before she let go.

We sat in silence as I ate the broth, her cooking almost as delightful as her looks. I kept sneaking glances at her and every time, she'd be staring straight back, those blue eyes glistening in the light.

"So..." She started, looking nervous. "By your armor and katana, I'm guessing you are a Blade, yes?"

"Um yes, I am. Do my comrades know I'm here? And where is my equipment? They are probably getting worried. I'm usually not gone this long, I know Jauffre especially will be anxious for my return, the man raised me. Well, he's not my father, but he took me in and… I'm rambling. Where is my equipment?" I completed, feeling like a fool.

"It is in the other room but I am not so sure you should be moving anywhere. I will send a messenger to Cloud Ruler Temple with the news of your whereabouts, so they will not be so worried as you say. Will that appease you?"

"Yes, thank you…" I trailed off, realizing I didn't ask her for her name.

"Kirine. My name is Kirine," She finished for me, smiling that wonderful smile at me.

"I'm Kasuld," I replied, holding my hand out.

She slid her small hand into mine, and shook it. I motioned to her to help me up and she grasped my hand more firmly and pulled me to my feet. Once more, she was a lot stronger than she looked.

When I was standing, we were face-to-face, barely half a foot away, she looked surprised, not expecting me to get up as quickly as I did, expecting me to fall again. I looked down at her, her being a head shorter than me, and leaned down to kiss her, unable to resist any longer. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me back, her hands going into my hair. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hoisted her up, her wrapping her legs around my waist when I did. I pushed her against the wall and kissed my way down to her neck, nibbling as I did so; she moaned into my ear and that encouraged me to keep going.

I got halfway down her neck when I felt a strange feeling come to me, one foreign. It wasn't the feeling of desire or anything that I'd felt before when I was with a woman but something new. I ignored it and went back to what I was doing but the feeling came back even stronger this time. Once more, I ignored it, but I was beginning to feel light-headed.

Then it took complete control; I bit her neck, making her moan louder, but for some reason, I couldn't stop. I kept biting harder, and harder, and harder until it drew blood.

"Um… Kasuld...Ah… That hurts… Kasuld, Kasuld! Stop, that hurts!" She cried, but I couldn't stop, I couldn't control it.

I became a passenger to my own body, new instincts taking over, making me bite harder and harder until I ripped her neck open, and started drinking the blood that poured out of it. She sagged against the wall, a dead look in her eyes but I couldn't stop, I drank and drank until she was devoid of blood and life. Once she was drained, I dropped her body, still not in control of my body, and walked towards the door, preparing to do the same to whoever was in the vicinity. Finally, I managed to fight the instincts and broke free of the spell that was over my body. Doing that drained all of my strength and I fell to the floor, darkness filling the edges of my vision.

Before the darkness consumed me once more, all I saw was Kirine's lovely face, staring back at me with an expression of utter horror.