The Elven vampire tenderly slid his finger down his sister's cheek, watching her eyes close. "Come, Alecto. Let's get a little closer, shall we?" He smiled as her golden eyes opened as she nodded.

The two vampires stole closer to their game, watching them eagerly.

"It seems things have become more interesting for us. My, my… four werewolves. It's a shame really. Those two children looked quite… delicious. Now, they'll just taste like dogs like the older two." His voice purred softly as he moved to stroke her cheek.

The two stood slowly and scrambled down the rocks. He reached out, touching his sister. "Wait, Alecto. Not yet, I have a feeling this will be an interesting show." His drawl pulling her closer to him just the way he liked her.

The two slunk down next to the rocks watching the four werewolves and the single vampire fight the small group of Stormcloak soldiers. It made him smile as the largest of the wolves backhanded a soldier toward the raven haired vampire.

"Hmmm… interesting." The vampire murmured to himself.

Alecto looked at her brother, grumbling softly for his attention.

He ran his hand through his long sandy hair absentmindedly, his eyes never leaving the battle below them. "Forgive me. It seems that Lady Serana has… a pet. Just watch the lighter red one, Alecto. See how they favor one another?"

The wolves had finished with the soldiers at the beacon and chase down the soldiers at the old fort farther below. The two large reddish wolves and Serana lead the two smaller sandy wolves in their attack.

"Quickly, I wish to see more of this." He scurried forward over the overhang, dropping down next to the path leading to the old Imperial beacon. They climbed down the rocks, sneaking around them to observe the battle closely.

He smirked at the viciousness of his sister's growl. "Patience, love." He whispered, calming her tension. He turned his attention back on his intended prey. The smell of blood driving their senses wild as they watched the fight continue.

Serana grabbed a Stormcloak from behind, ripping him in half and protecting the reddish-brown wolf from his sword. She moved instantaneously from point to point. It actually surprised him that he couldn't track her movements and it made her more attractive. Amphilochus smiled as he watched Serana. She fought with a graceful finesse, unlike the dogs that surrounded her. Her magic cracked thunderously as she vaporized Stormcloak archers with her lightning bolts.

"By the blood, she is delectable. I cannot wait to introduce her to our little games…" He breathed lustfully. "I doubt our Lord will not care for any bruises on her sumptuous skin, but the fun we will have with her..." His breath caught in his chest thinking of ideas. "Ah, but blood will cure those."

Amphilochus sighed in anticipation of their meeting. "She is lovely, wouldn't you say, dearest?"

He averted his eyes from Serana long enough to look as his sister and see her wicked grin. She nodded still watching the fight at the fort with glee. He observed her for a moment as his thoughts drifted around his appetite greedily.

Alecto turned slightly to look at him and growled softly, pointing to Serana.

"You desire her?"

She nodded to him, twittering excitedly.

"Soon, my love… soon. The blood of her pets will sustain us for the hours of pleasure we will need to endure to find her Elder Scroll." The howling wolf drew his attention to the fight and he watched the reddish-brown werewolf summon spectral wolves to her side. The darker red wolf joined in her howl and three ice wolves broke through the forest, attacking the fighting soldiers.

He ignored the werewolves and their minions, casting his gaze around for Serana. He found her on top of the old fort, fighting two soldiers with her dagger, draining their life force. Lord Harkon had said bring her home alive… using any means necessary. He smiled at the plans he was making for Serana while watching her dispatch foes. She will make the perfect new toy and it will be fun to break her.

The vampire watched the two identical light brown wolves transform back to their human forms, the Dragonborn following them. His smile slipped watching the Dragonborn. She will be the problem…

The Dragonborn's commanding voice carried on the wind. "Aela, search the perimeter, make sure we got them all. I'll check inside. Girls, follow me and stay close."

He pushed the thoughts aside letting his smile viciously paint his face as the three young women disappeared within the fort. Alecto growled in question next to him. "Not yet… no. We must be patient." He stroked her cheek, letting her move closer to him. "I have a feeling we will find everything we seek, if we are willing to be tolerant of this little journey they are taking us on."

The last werewolf let her form fade as he watched, consumed by his thoughts. The vampire trackers watched the two women scour the area looking for more mortals for an hour before heading to the door to the fort. Serana reached for the door handle, but Aela stepped in front of her, blocking it.

"A word, vampire." She growled at Serana, her hand pressed firmly against the door Serana tried to enter. Aela was unaware her words carried easily to the vampire trackers ears.

"What now, Aela?" Serana didn't bother hiding her aggravation with the woman.

"Is your thirst finally quenched?" Aela snapped back at her.

Serana glared at her. "What business is it of yours?"

"I could care less if you walked off to die somewhere. In fact, I'm kind of hoping you do, because if you drink from Azriel in my presence again, I will kill you. Do you understand, Leech?"

He watched the two appraise each other with silent delight. "Oh this just gets better by the minute."

"I'll keep that in mind. Now, get out of my way." Serana's voice carried a threatening edge to it.

"I'm not finished." Aela snarled.

Serana crossed her arms. "Then say what you need to say and be quick about it." Serana hissed furiously.

"She may be the Dragonborn, but she's not impervious to being used. I can see the way she looks at you. I already know she cares for you and I also know you enjoy it. So whatever game you're playing with her… stop. Because if you harm her in any conceivable way, I'll hunt you anywhere you try to hide."

Aela grabbed the door handle and yanked open the door. "Now, I'm finished… Leech."

The vampire rubbed his chin with thoughtful delight. "Ah, sweet, sweet jealousy! This is simply too much!"

Alecto looked at him confused.

He smiled and leaned forward to capture his sister's lips in a brief kiss.

"It seems our dear Lady has a small lover's quarrel on her hands…"

Her eyes still reflected her confusion and he wondered how to get through to his simpleton sister. "That other werewolf is also a Companion like the Dragonborn. She is infatuated with our dear young hero as well. Juicy, wouldn't you say?"

Alecto nodded with an excited snigger.

"Come, I suspect they will be in there for quite some time. The young wolves will need their sleep." He smiled deviously as he reached for Alecto's hand. "And we have time for our own games."

He led her back to the old beacon as the sun rose on the horizon.

Aela had barred the entry behind herself and Serana. She wasn't worried about anyone sneaking in behind them. She was worried about Azriel and the girls, but more so about Azriel. Aela wandered through Driftshade Refuge, the old smells of dead wolves still lingered in the walls. She wasn't surprised by it, it hadn't been that long since the place had been cleared out. Serana had already disappeared around the bend in the corridor, but Aela heard her sniffing the tainted air and murmur in disgust. It made her shiver thinking of the past horrors the dilapidated fort had seen when it was occupied by the Silver-Hand.

It was no wonder Vilkas had spent so many days drunk after they returned. Azriel herself had been unusually quiet after she had healed from the near fatal blows she had taken for Vilkas. Neither of them talked about what they had seen when they had recovered the fragments of Wuuthrad from the old fort. Vilkas said almost nothing of Azriel's injuries other than the Silver-Hand had inflicted them. Aela had watched his guilt eat through him as he drank and had finally managed to get him to explain what had happened to her.

The memories of Azriel's poisoned screams haunted her as she walked. The silver fever had nearly killed her, not to mention the blows she had taken defending Vilkas. Whiterun had endured the tremors she had caused in her delirium. Her screams had been so loud that the Companions had fled the Underforge to keep their own skulls and ears intact. It had been the worst night of Aela's life leaving Azriel alone in the Underforge through her fever. But, there had been nothing else she could do.

Aela followed Azriel's scent through the corridors trying to ignore the other odors that assaulted her. The antagonistic pair walked quickly through the old halls when they encountered the first Stormcloak corpse. Serana covered her nose at the stench of burnt flesh and swiftly walked by. Aela quickly followed, equally repulsed. The man was swollen, heated from the inside out.

Azriel had refused to talk about the place and had never explained what had happened there. Of course Aela already knew after nearly beating it out of Vilkas. If she had to guess, being here had only drug up bad memories for the Dragonborn.

Serana exclaimed in surprise and Aela hurried to catch up to her. Impaled on the wall was another Stormcloak. Azriel had stabbed his sword through his chest, pinning him to a wooden beam. The sight was gruesome and even Aela was surprised by the savagery. It wasn't like her to be so malicious. Her kills were always deliberate, but not ever so vicious.

Serana quickly moved down the hallway with Aela right behind her. Together they moved through the main hall, stepping over two more headless corpses on their way down the stairs. They worked their way rapidly through the long corridor and ended in the main dining hall.

"Girls, where's Azriel?" Aela asked the twins sitting at the fireplace in the next room.

"Azriel went on without us. She made us wait here and said she'd be right back." Aela couldn't keep them straight, so she had no idea which one had answered her.

"Thank you, Erikka." Serana answered genuinely, which surprised Aela.

"You're welcome, Lady Serana. But, you might want to think about staying here." Erikka answered stifling a yawn.

Aela raised her eyebrow at the comment. "Why's that, Sister?"

The girl's eyes went wide with surprise as they looked at Aela. "Did you miss the guy she stabbed into a wall?" Sabrine answered.

"Or the one she hung from the rafters in the big room?" Erikka added.

How did I miss that one…? Aela thought to herself.

"Tell me you saw the one she blew up…"

"Alright, we get it…" Serana said a little too heatedly causing the twins to recoil.

"She went that way." The twins answered in unison, pointing to the cellar door.

Aela moved quickly through the short maze of halls and into a room filled with casks. Serana stayed slightly behind her, her hands glowing. Azriel's scent was stronger and mingled with blood. Aela frowned at the smell, picking up her pace.

They found another Stormcloak. His hands and forearms were still on his battle axe, but his body was a few feet away in a pool of blood. They pushed open a door to a room blanketed in ice. They walked carefully up the stairs, but the ground crunched under their feet. Aela stopped and looked down. The pieces of ice had a shape to them, like the parts of some whole. They were almost identifiable.

"What in the name of Hircine is this?" She asked softly, bending down to have a closer look.

"You probably don't want to touch that." Serana answered her in an odd tone.

Aela looked at her, then over to what she was looking at. The pieces belong to two sets of frozen boots and legs. Everything else had been shattered.

Aela stood quickly. "She is really pissed." She glanced at Serana who was looking at the ground.

"She's bleeding." Serana followed the blood trail to the large snowy gap and through the ice tunnel with Aela. The tunnels opened to a large cavern filled with supplies and cages.

"By Talos…" Aela exclaimed looking at the cages meant for werewolves. The blood staining the floor and the lasting remains that decorated the cages told the tale of multiple horrors that the wolves had endured. Silver chains and torture equipment filled the area and there wasn't anything that wasn't covered in old dried blood. Werewolf pelts hung on drying racks and human skins were thrown in crates.

"It's no wonder those two were in shock." Aela's thoughts rested on Azriel and Vilkas for a moment as she stared at the place in disbelief.

Aela could feel the vampire staring holes into her. "What two?" Serana asked.

"It's nothing. Let's move." Aela mumbled.

The next room that followed was enough to chill Aela to the bone. Rotting corpses hung in cages stuffed full of human remains. It was obvious that the older corpses were never removed as more people were added to the cages. It would have been enough to drive a person insane being trapped with rotting flesh under them.

The whipping post and stretching racks held the remnants of humanoids, one of which Aela immediately recognized as a Dunmer female. Another table was covered in dried blood and what she could only guess was pieces of flesh. The straps on the table made it obvious that the intended was lashed down and disemboweled in place while still alive.

Both women stood in the midst of the horror around them.

"What happened to these people?" Serana whispered in shock.

Aela shivered involuntarily. "The Silver-Hand happened to them." She took a shaky breath staring at the corpse of the Dunmer woman. "Looks like the Stormcloaks took the fort after we cleaned the maggots out. It seems they found a use for this torture room."

They heard someone scream and raced down the shaft to another cavernous room with a large fireplace. As they approached the balcony, Aela tried to make out the sound was she was hearing. The closer she got, the more she could hear Azriel's feral growls and discourse.

Aela's jaw fell open as her feet hit the edge of the balcony. She heard the vampire gasp at the sight as well and both women moved quickly down the stairs, stopping at the bottom.

Azriel was repeatedly stabbing what was left of a Stormcloak officer laid out on a large table. His chest was carved open and Azriel stood over him repeatedly plunging her dagger into him. Her eyes were glowing like the sun at noon and voice was coldly reptilian. "Zu fen ald pah tol kriz zey! Joorre fen fraan dii bah!"

Her dagger thudded hard into the body, each strike spraying blood onto her.

"Azriel, he's… very dead." Aela said softly walking slowly towards her.

"Zu'u los thur hi fent thaar zey! Nid gein fen kos left nahlaas!" Aela watched the blood roll down Azriel's face as she ripped the dagger from what was left of his chest. She pulled an unconscious woman up from next to her and threw her on the table.

"Praad!" Azriel's shaking voice growled at the woman and her eyes snapped open.

The woman's eyes flew wide in terror at the blood soak face she stared at. "Mercy! Mercy!" She screamed.

"Aaz? Hi krahl aaz fod hi fen ofan nid wah vorey?" Azriel growled in response.

"I don't understand what you're saying! Please, I'll do anything…" The woman was hysterical.

"Azriel… stop." Aela spoke carefully, inching forward with Serana.

Azriel spun the Kahvozein's Fang in her hand. "Vir pogaan lahney lost hi kun? Vir pogaan ald hin uth? Vir pogaan dilon dreh nii kun fah hi wah doj?"

Azriel pinned the woman down with her hand and held the dagger over her heart. "Vir pogaan do hi kend Zu krii?"

"Talos! Please… don't kill me!" The Stormcloak screamed again.

"Azriel, for the love of Hircine…" Aela moved slightly closer trying to calm her.

"Fos fen nii volbur, Ahziial?" Serana asked gently, interrupting Aela.

Azriel looked up slowly and Aela stared at Serana.

"Zu'u mindok hi los rahgron. Nuz, daar los ni hi..." Serana continued.

"Los nii ni? Zu'u dovah. Vahr fend Zu'u viim aaz fod nust dreh ni?" Azriel asked angrily.

Serana took a deep breath. "Zu los ni gein tol praag wah fahral tol, nunon hi vis."

For a second, the dagger lowered as Azriel contemplated Serana's words.

Aela started to exhale. "Whatever you said worked." Her words slipped out on her breath.

Azriel smiled at them wickedly. "Nid. Til fen kos nid aaz...Zu fen lost hin sil!" She plunged the dagger into the woman's heart and twisted it with a vicious smile.

Aela jumped at the abruptness of her act, shocked at the cruelty in Azriel's face.

Serana drew a ragged breath. She had thought she had gotten through to Azriel.

A soft blue light escaped the dead woman's body and Azriel inhaled the scent of the woman's gushing blood, her scream echoing off the walls as she died. Azriel closed her eyes as the woman's soul surrounded her. The light only lasted a moment then it was gone. Azriel inhaled deeply once more and opened her eyes. She looked at both women and narrowed her eyes. "Nust fen krahsek us zey uv nust fen dir."

Aela tried to move in front of Serana, but Serana pushed her back. "Don't! She doesn't know what she's doing." Serana turned her attention back to Azriel and watched her spin the blade in her hand, glaring at Aela. "Ahziial, HELT!" Serana's voice vibrated the air.

Azriel blinked. She shook her head and her hair fell back into her face. Peering through the bloodied strands, she looked up at Serana confused. She looked down at the two dead in front of her and then to her bloody hand which still held the dagger.

You did this… Azriel thought to herself closing her eyes, stepping away from the two corpses.

I will do this again and again until you release me… The reptilian voice answered her coldly from the depths.

"Azriel?" Aela whispered. She watched Azriel's blank face hoping for some sign of understanding from her.

Azriel looked up at her, her jaw clenched her face devoid of expression. She wiped the dagger on the dead woman breeches and slid it back into her sash. Azriel didn't spare either Serana or Aela a glance as she silently walked to the back of the room. She picked up the map and plans and stuffed them in her ruck sack.

"Azriel? What's going on with you?" Aela was concerned. The brutality of her kills exceeded anything she had ever seen Azriel do.

"Nothing. They were trying to fucking kill me, Aela. They've got a reward on my dead hide and all of them want a payoff, not a cut." Azriel looked down at the two officers with contempt. "Then they have the audacity to ask for mercy? Fuck that. They can suck it. I'm glad I killed them."

"What are you talking about? What reward?" Aela took a step forward, scowling at the wounds on her body.

Azriel took a deep breath. "Remember when I told you about Ulfric Stormcloak and I having a tiny disagreement? Remember what Jarl Balgruuf said?"

Aela narrowed her eyebrows then smirked. "I remember. You also told Ulfric to kiss your brown ass. Balgruuf won't hand you over to Ulfric. It goes against his beliefs."

Serana's lips curled at the corners, but the small smile faded replaced by concern.

"There's a thousand gold reward for my head and ten thousand for me alive. If the Stormcloaks catch me, I'm as good as dead. Ulfric bumped it up a notch, by placing an ultimatum for Whiterun, surrender me… or everyone meets the axe, including the Companions. So right now, anyone anywhere can sell me out and I'm not going to go out without a damn fight." Azriel wiped the blood off her brow with the back of her hand, smearing it further. "I'm done fucking around with the Stormcloaks. I'll kill every last one of them if necessary and I have no problem with it."

Aela bit her lip and watched the vampire rub her temples. Aela had seen the resentment for Azriel in Windhelm. Nords didn't take insults kindly and Azriel had done more than that threatening to kill the man who thought he was already the High King. Now the man stepped it up by threatening the entire Hold and the Companions to boot. Balgruuf would never hand Azriel to Ulfric. She wasn't sure about the other Jarl's though.

She noticed Azriel avoided looking at the vampire and prior to that on the mountain summit. She wondered what had changed between them. She shook the thoughts from her mind and focused on the blood covered Dragonborn.

"Then we'll bring the fight to them, Sister." Aela raised an eyebrow, already knowing her answer.

Azriel took a shaky breath. She ignored the two dead people as if they didn't exist and set her face to a mask. "Damn right. But, right now we need to go check on the girls. I'm sure they have questions…"

"Or they're unconscious after eating everything in sight." Aela stole a glance at the vampire then looked back at Azriel. "I'll go see how their getting on."

"No, I'll go. I should be the one answering their questions. I'm their forbearer, it's my responsibility." Azriel pushed herself away from the table and hiked up the stairs.

Aela looked at the vampire as she walked up the stairs slowly, waiting for Azriel to be out of earshot. "How do you know that language?"

Serana smirked at her. "I was taught it when I was young. It was still spoken by men then."

Aela contemplated the vampire. How fucking old is she?

"What did Azriel say?" Aela couldn't help but think about Saaraadgraat and Paarthurnax's warning.

Serana cleared her throat. "Well… basically she said she would destroy anyone that opposed her and mortals would feel her wrath. And I'm pretty sure the ones in this shithole definitely felt it."

Aela growled at the vampire's sarcasm. "Seems like she had more to say than just that, vampire."

Serana rolled her eyes annoyed. Aela could make the word vampire into a painful slur as easily as breathing. It bothered her to no end, but she wasn't sure why.

"She also said she wouldn't show mercy to anyone who didn't give it in the first place. Which to be fair, I really don't blame her. Not with everything I've seen and heard from these mortals."

"Anything else?" Aela's growl deepened.

"Maybe if you were quiet and listened, I could finish." Serana snapped at her.

"Then be quick about it, vampire. I grow weary of your cheek."

Serana sighed, her hand fled to her temple and Aela watched her rub it for a moment. "She wanted to know why she should show mercy to mortals. What it would change if she did. The last thing she said after killing that soldier was they would bow to her or die. Then she took that woman's soul with the dagger."

Aela inhaled a deep shaky breath, staring at the corpses. For a long moment the two stood on the steps and Aela didn't move.

"This place affects her… She's not acting her normal self." Aela mumbled mostly to herself.

"It's more than that. She is changing. Since I first met her, she's… I don't know how to really describe it." Serana answered softly.

"Explain." Aela growled her attention fully on Serana. "And be quick about it."

Serana watched the werewolf clench her jaw, waiting for her to answer. She contemplated how much to say to her. She put her hands on her hips and looked at the stairs, trying to decide. She looked back up to the werewolf and for a moment she could see the concern creeping into her face. Her eyes locked with the silver ones that had lost their glare. Aela's face lost its anger, only to be replaced with worry. For a second, she was struck by the strength in the werewolf's eyes and it made Aela stunning. Damn it! Stop thinking like that!

Serana took a long breath as if she were going to speak. The two wolves cared for one another and she cared for Azriel. If this woman could help in some way, she'd set her own differences aside to get her to help Azriel.

"She's losing her humanity. She's separated herself from her dragon soul so much that she's at war with herself. She's slipping deeper into her own chaos."

Aela arched her eyebrow at the vampire. "I see."

The silence between them lingered heavily between them for several moments. Aela stepped down the stairs, eye level to Serana.

"So how did you do it?" Aela couldn't help the curiosity she was feeling. As much as the vampire irritated her, her command had stopped Azriel and brought her back around.

"Do what?" Serana snapped at her.

"Are you playing some kind of game? I have ears, vampire. How did you do that?!" Aela snarled at her.

Serana stepped closer. "I don't know what you are talking about, Aela! How did I do what?!"

Aela fought the urge to rip Serana's throat out. She wanted answers from her, not to be toyed with. "How do you know how to use the Thu'um and why doesn't Azriel recognize it when you do?"

Serana stared at her. "That isn't even remotely funny."

Aela leaned closer, her nostrils flared. "I'm not trying to amuse you, Leech."

Serana took a breath, watching Aela closely. She thought carefully at her choice of words before responding. "I'm not using it the same way she does. I wasn't sure it was even the right way. I learned it through her blood, the magic of it was ancient, older than I am. Alluring in its power, yet subtle in a way I can't explain. It's a form of blood magic and it's the only way I know how to calm her. I've only just begun to understand how her blood affects me, how it's changing me…"

Aela fought for control of her thrashing wolf. "Then explain it to me."

Azriel pushed the rag into the hot water and started to wash her face. Her thoughts revolved around her black out. It had unnerved her when she stared at the two bodies on the table. She had no idea how many times she had stabbed the man, but it was enough to hit the table underneath him. She wiped her face and looked at the bloody dagger on the table next to her. It had ripped their souls out of their bodies.

Azriel shivered, thinking about the fact she had taken mortal souls. Alduin took mortal souls… souls he deemed worthy of having. It fed his power…

Azriel set the rag on the side of the bucket and took off her bloodied tunic. She looked at the scabs that were forming on her arms and the bite marks Serana had left around the cut she had made.

Her chest felt heavy at the thought of the vampire. The woman's bite no longer hurt, but the cut on her wrist was still painful. Their relationship was over before it had started and it was completely her fault.

She exhaled heavily, exhausted. She lacked any desire for food or sleep, but she needed both desperately. She was struggling with her exhaustion and her waking world was slipping away from her. Everything was becoming the nightmare that wouldn't end.

Azriel gripped the table under her. I am her mistake...

Her thoughts regressed to her argument with Serana. The weight pressed harder into her and she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. Azriel had done everything she could to cut off Serana after she had made it clear how much of a blunder she considered Azriel to be. Out of everything in her life…thousands of years old… she counts me as a mistake.

The pain from the weight in her chest radiated through her arms and into her stomach. Azriel had already tried to release the bond between herself and Serana, but it had been as pointless as Odahviing had warned it would be. Once the bond was made, only death could break it. Instead, she had used their bond to seal out Serana from feeling her emotions and her own soul had revolted against her for doing it.

It took every bit of her will to keep Serana blocked out and the dragon within her had broken free. Her own internal struggle to keep herself chained had blown up in her face trying to give Serana her freedom back.

She could feel her hands shaking on the table as she fought the tears. She was the Dragonborn and she was supposed to be stronger than a simpering love struck fool wallowing in constant self-pity.

She fought with herself as she picked up the rag and wiped the blood from her body. The simplicity of the mundane task was a colossal struggle. Eventually, Aela or Serana would try to ask her questions or get her to speak and she didn't think she was capable of it. The more she thought, the colder she felt herself becoming.

Azriel remembered the look both of them held for her in the last day. The hurt and the anger… it made her conclusions more firm. She needed to finish her obligations then she would leave Skyrim for good. Remaining longer than that would just drag things out. Azriel pulled a fresh shirt from her bag and slipped it on. She started to wash the bloodied one, thinking about where to go after Skyrim. Definitely not going to the Synod…

"Azriel…" Serana's quiet voice made Azriel jump.

Azriel turned her head to look over her shoulder, Serana was right next to her. Azriel dropped her eyes quickly to the floor and stopped washing her shirt.

"…can we talk?" Serana finished softly.

Azriel nodded, but she felt like throwing up. How much worse can this get?

"Will you please look at me?"

Azriel shook her head and swallowed back the bile she felt inching up her throat. "I already know what you want… I can't undo it. I've already tried." Azriel tried keeping her voice from shaking as she answered, but failed.

Serana was quiet for a moment and Azriel couldn't keep herself from trembling.

"Azriel, I don't want…" Serana stopped abruptly as Aela walked in from the adjacent room.

Aela completely ignored Serana and looked at Azriel. "This vermin infested rock has enough supplies for us to take with us. I also found these…" She held up three bottles of ale. "…and I figured we could use a drink. Were the girls awake when you got back?"

Azriel shook her head and looked down at the bucket, watching the bloody water ripple around her shirt. This is just too difficult.

Aela cocked her eyebrow and glared at the vampire as she retreated to the wall. "Well, Sister? How about that drink?"

"Alright." Azriel lifted her shirt from the bucket and rung it out, letting steam in her hands.

Aela set a bottle down and looked at the two left in her hands. As much as I hate to admit it, she fought well and that's respectable…

Aela watched Azriel, knowing she be upset if she didn't play nicely with the sulking vampire. "Well, Vampire? What about you? Or is ale not to your liking?"

Well... over 200K words. Fancy that!

Thanks everyone for the reviews, PMs, Favs, and Alerts.

I hope you enjoyed part one!