Azriel gave one last inspection of the girl's armor. "Where are your weapons?"

The two girls lifted steel daggers from their sheaths and held them out for her to see.

Azriel rolled her eyes. "Okay seriously, don't any of you women know what a sword is? All four of you have daggers." The strain in her voice was apparent to even her own ears. It was bad enough to be on the outs with Serana, but now she felt completely alone with Aela's scorn.

"Watch it there, Sister. I have no problems showing you what this dagger can do." Aela growled at her.

The cockiness of the comment struck Serana as amusing, making her smirk under her hood.

The girls giggled at the threat thinking she was kidding.

Azriel remained quiet. Aela acted as if nothing had happened between them and it had made Azriel feel inferior. She couldn't look at either woman in the eyes anymore with how low she felt.

"We're going to Solitude, by way of the beach. We need to deliver this satchel to General Tullius…and only General Tullius." Erikka fidgeted with her helmet again.

"And give him your message. After, we go to Morthal to see our parents…" Sabrine squirmed uncomfortably under her chest plate.

"Then we're to head to Whiterun and find Vilkas." They said in unison.

"That's everything… I think." Azriel scratched her head, trying to think of anything else that they needed. For a few seconds she thought about everything and remembered her last question. "You two never told me why you were out and about. You weren't heading home were you?"

Sabrine's eyes grew wide. "I completely forgot!"

"So did I! We were looking for you…" Erikka pulled the helmet off her head and sniffed it, making a disgusted face.

Azriel furrowed her brow. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Idgrod told us. She asked us to deliver a letter to you." Erikka chucked the helmet into the sand.

"Figures." Aela's snide remark was more of a grumble as she focused on her nails.

Azriel raised an eyebrow. "Where's the message?"

The girls blushed. "Idgrod took the letters back and made us memorize them instead."

Azriel smiled. "So what did it say?"

"Azriel, come to Morthal. I need to see you. Please, hurry. Idgrod the Younger." Sabrine spat out the message quickly. "She said it'd be too dangerous for us to carry, but she knew we'd find you."

"Those vampires that attacked us wanted to know if we had messages for you or delivered any. Or if we knew where you were…" Erikka was sniffing her armor, trying not to vomit. "Do Stormcloaks not bathe?" She muttered.

"Oh grow up…" Sabrine wrinkled her nose at her twin. "Not like you smell any better, Draugr breath."

Erikka growled at her sister.

The three adults smirked at them.

"She also wanted us to tell you… Don't go to Winterhold and since you won't listen, don't take the beach route."

"Of course she did." Aela muttered under her breath.

Serana looked at her inquisitively and Aela ignored her, still picking at her nails.

Azriel sighed. This is going to be the longest trip of my life. "Then she knows that I'm taking the beach route and I'm going to Winterhold. Tell Idgrod I'll try to get to Morthal as quickly as I can. Now, get going and don't stop for anyone."

Azriel planted her feet in the sand and peered into the darkness. The sun had only set an hour before. Azriel growled low and deep. She could feel it coming and its determination. Her challenge had been accepted and now it had come to stake its claim to her soul.

"Aela! Serana!" Both women turned to look at her as Azriel drew her swords, watching the tree line. "He's coming!"

The dragon's roar captured their attention before either of the two could answer her. The orange beast swooped down from the forest over the beach. It circled high into the air and dove over the Sea of Ghosts towards them. Its taunt filled the air and Azriel grew impatient with its presence.

"Dovahkiin! I have come to claim my right through honor of battle and my Thu'um!" It hovered in the air over them. "I have come for your soul!"

Azriel glared at the dragon. "Sucks to be you, doesn't it? I have no intentions to yield to a weakling!" Her Thu'um pushed the waves from the shore.

Aela drew her bow and saw Serana's hands glowed with magic.

The dragon laughed. "I will be Thur and you will cower before me, joor! You will watch defeated as I take the souls of your mates, Dovahkiin!"

Aela and Serana exchanged a heated, yet confused look.

"YOL!" Azriel roared at the threat to the two women beside her. Her shout catching the dragon in the wing as it started to fly upward.

Aela released her arrow into the dragon's shoulder as Serana leveled it with lightning bolts.

The dragon roared, circling high in the air. Azriel waited for it, knowing it would swoop to attack. She looked over her shoulder to the two behind her. "Let it get low, miss on purpose! Aim over it and make it come straight at me…" The dragon flew out of sight behind the trees.

A moment passed, then two.

Azriel slid one of her swords back into its scabbard. Lightning cracked in her hand as she withdrew her hand. Aela moved to counter Azriel's position and the three spread out waiting for the dragon to circle with Serana and Aela on either side of her.

The dragon roared as it passed the treetops, spraying the ground between them with flames. Serana and Azriel blasted around the dragon with arches of electricity. Aela let her arrows fly, landing them squarely into its wings and past its head, driving it directly over Azriel.

"JOOR ZAH FRUL!" The shout collided with the dragon's chest as he passed over Azriel.

The orange dragon circled right, trying to clear the three women.

Azriel watched with cruel satisfaction as the dragon's wings folded, causing it to crash on the beach near Serana. The dragon bellowed in anger, wallowing on the ground stuck on its side.

Azriel drew her second sword. "Aela... Just like Riften!" Azriel threw her sword to Aela and both women ran forward as Serana lobbed ice spikes at the dragon's snapping jaws.

"Serana! Aim for his wings!" Azriel yelled, diving past her ice volley.

The dragon slammed its head into the ground, pushing with its neck. It thrashed wildly as Aela slit her sword through its wing, cutting the first membrane between its longest digits.

Serana changed tactics and moved closer to its left wing with Aela. Her ice spears impaled the dragon's arm and shoulder as Aela leapt to cut the next membrane.

The dragon gave one final push with its head and tail, rolling its body to the right side. Azriel bowled under his right wing, severing the largest membrane with a precise swing of her blade. The orange dragon thrashed its head and thrust its injured wing forward, slapping its tail to the side and knocking Aela from its body. Its head reared and slammed into Serana, knocking her backwards. Azriel jumped to its back just as the dragon lurched, rearing up on its legs. The violent motion threw Azriel from it and the dragon roared triumphantly as her body smashed against a tree trunk. The dragon swiped at her, catching her across the chest and throwing her aside.

Serana landed gracefully on her feet and Aela slammed into the small sandy creek, knocking the wind from her lungs. The two were only separated by a few feet. Azriel watched as the dragon stomped forward towards Aela and Serana. The mass of the large dragon was too much to run around as it spread its wings and took a deep breath.

"YOL!" The dragon's flaming breath scored the beach and Serana dove on top of Aela, pushing her deeper into the wet sand. The flames surrounded them, scorching Aela's hair and burned around them. Serana held her down, covering Aela's entire body as the inferno set her clothing ablaze.

Azriel jumped to her feet, racing forward. "FUS RO DAH!" The shout hit the dragon squarely from behind pushing it in the sand several feet. The massive lumbering dragon turned as Azriel sprinted forward to attack. The dragon reared its head, unleashing another deafening roar at her challenge and moved to meet her in battle.

Serana pulled Aela up quickly as the dragon turned away from them. Aela yelled a warning as the dragon's tail swept at them catching Azriel's attention just as she reached the dragon.

Azriel made a split second decision, knowing it would cost her. "FUS!" Her powerful shout push Aela and Serana away from the dragon's tail as it swiped the killing blow at them.

Her moment of distraction was what the dragon had been waiting for. It bellowed one last time and reared for its strike. Azriel crouched onto the ground knowing what was coming next. "FEIM!"

It lunged at her, biting down hard into the sand where Azriel had been.

Serana landed on her feet, catching Aela in her arms. The two watched helpless as the dragon lifted its head to the sky, swallowing Azriel whole.

Serana gasped in disbelief watching the lump in the dragon's throat disappear. Her silent rage filled her cold hands with frost magic.

"NO!" Aela pushed herself from Serana's grasp, dropping Azriel's sword and pulling her bow.

Serana launched icy spears at the dragon as she hissed in fury.

The two women attacked the dragon forcefully with ice and arrows, the dragon moving to counter. The dragon roared at them and advanced swiftly. The ground shaking under it as it crushed the spiked grass and driftwood in its path. Its eyes narrowed on the two as it drew another breath. "Zu'u los Thur nu! Hi fen mah us zey! Sosnaak! Mungrohiik! Zu'u viikaan hin liin!"

"You'll pay for what you did to her, Dragon!" Serana roared back wrathfully.

Aela shot it repeatedly in the neck with arrows, her face drawn in anger. "That we can agree on!"

The dragon pulled its head high drawing another breath and froze.

A muffled roar filled the air, vibrating it. Flames erupted from the dragon's open mouth, nostrils and ears.

The two women stopped their attack and shared a quick look.

The dragon back up precariously towards to water, whipping its head frantically.

Aela took a step forward as another roar shook the dragon from within its body. The dragon's eyes were wide with pain as it thrashed. "Dovahkiin! Nid!"

The immense orange body shook violently and the dragon thrashed trying to regurgitate Azriel. Serana pushed Aela's bow down as the dragon backed to the sea. They could hear Azriel's roars from inside the dragon and within seconds, the tip of her sword pierced the dragon's side then disappeared.

The dragon rolled in anguish, trying to stop Azriel. Whipping about wildly on the beach wasn't helping it in the slightest. Another roar pulsed the air as flames escaped the writhing dragon.

Serana watched as Azriel sword cut through the dragon side. She could feel her stomach twisting into knots with hope.

The dragon's feet kicked at the sand, its claws raked the air as it tried to preserve itself. Its small cries fell onto deaf ears as Aela and Serana watched dumbfounded.

Azriel's sword ripped through its side once more, cutting a massive flap for her to escape from.

Aela gasped out a small prayer to no one in particular that Azriel was uninjured.

The dragon twitched at the water's edge one final time, before its head fell lifeless onto the sand.

Aela exhaled a choked sob of joy as Azriel's hand appeared, then her leg. Aela and Serana sprang forward and stopped shy of the gash on the dragon's side.

In a matter of seconds, Azriel fell onto the beach retching, clutching her sword and scales. She was coated in yellowish slim and blood.

Aela moved to help her and Serana was at her side. Azriel turned and looked at them, shaking her head. She dropped her sword and held up her hand motioning for them to wait. Her retching became more vigorous and she vomited repeatedly on the sand under her.

"The next… time…" Azriel vomited again and wiped her mouth on her shaking bile covered hand.

"The next time… a dragon swallows me…" She started heaving again.

Her hair fell in her face and Azriel spewed bile onto the beach. Aela covered her nose at the smells, the offensive odors thickened the air around them. Aela struggled not to vomit herself.

Serana cringed as the smell assaulted her nose. Her relief mingled with her repulsion as she watched Azriel pick something that looked like a decomposing finger from her hair.

Azriel threw up again.

"Are you going to live?" Serana asked anxiously.

Aela cast an amused glance at the vampire. She had been thinking the same thing.

"If I ever get swallowed again... kill me." Azriel tried flicking the ooze from her hands. She pushed her slimy hair from her face as she rocked back onto her heels.

Aela took a step forward to help her up and Azriel shook her head. "You seriously don't want this on you…" She took a deep breath before getting to her feet. "I won't bother telling you what was in that fucker."

Aela smirked, but the smirk fell from her face when she saw the gash on her chest through her split armor. "Azriel, you're injured."

Azriel looked down at her chest and sighed. "My tongue is injured… this is just a scratch. He caught me with his claw. My armor took the brunt of it."

Azriel looked around, noting a small water flow that formed the creek Aela had been in earlier. She looked back at the two women. Their faces mirrored their concern.

"Are you two okay?" Azriel asked quietly.

Serana and Aela both nodded and Azriel breathed a sigh of relief.

"I need to get this…" Azriel waved her hands over her body, disgusted. "…off of me. I don't know how either of you can stand so close."

Serana smirked. "Is it supposed to be different than your normal smell?"

Azriel glared at her.

Aela laughed. "She has a point, Sister…"

"Fuck both of you." Azriel narrowed her eyes at the two. "I get swallowed by a dragon and you two become best of friends. While we wait for the world to end… you can both kiss my brown ass. Meanwhile, I'll be over there dragging my tongue on the rocks to get this fucking taste out of my mouth."

Azriel looked from the two to the dragon as its body lit with fire. The golden purple light swirled out of the dragon and around Azriel. Her eyes slid closed as the dragon's soul filled her with its knowledge and memories.

Azriel walked to the small waterfall, stripping in the water. "WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO FUCKING COLD?!"

She could hear the muffled laughter of the two women that followed her as far as the rocks and ignored them, pulling soap from her ruck sack.

Aela sat next to Serana, silently contemplating how to thank the vampire for saving her. Then she thought about what the vampire had done and grabbed her gently, turning her around.

The leather jacket that Serana wore was burned away along with her cloak. The backs of Serana's arms and anywhere the flames had touched were completely burned away. The charred remnants of her tunic were black against the white of her undamaged skin. Without think, Aela ran her hand across Serana back and Serana jumped up at her fiery touch.

"What do you think you're doing?" The quickness of Aela's actions surprised Serana.

Aela mistook her surprise for hostility and became defensive. "Put some clothes on you damn fool."

"Fuck you, Aela." Serana trudged off to fume on a tree stump a few feet away. Both women kept their backs to each other.

So much for best friends… Azriel hastily scrubbed the last of the gore from herself and her clothing and stepped from the water. She redressed in her wet clothing and whispered to the wind, forming a small warm breeze around herself.

She wiped the last of the slime from her sword and the dragon's heart scales, slipping the scales into her bag. She put the sword back into its scabbard and walked quietly to Aela.

Azriel let her armor steam in her hand as she knelt in front of Aela.

"Let me tend to your wound." Aela said softly.

Azriel watched the older wolf's silver eyes for a moment. She could see the sadness as it claimed Aela again. "Aela, it's not her fault. It's mine and mine alone. Serana is a good person and I saw what she did for you. She saved your life…"

"Leave it alone if you know what's good for you, Dragonborn."

Azriel narrowed her eyes. "No Huntress, I won't. For a minute I saw you, not the jealousy. Aela, I can't take your jealousy anymore."

Azriel leaned closer, catching the Nord before she could pull way. She pulled her close and held her. "Serana saved your life when I couldn't." Azriel took a shaky breath. "I don't know what I do without you."

Aela tried to push herself away, but Azriel's strength held her in place. Defeated, she slumped into Azriel's embrace and allowed herself to be held by the Dragonborn. Aela let her arms encircle the younger woman and pulled her close. For several seconds the silence felt like a weight pressing down on both of them.

"I thought I'd lost you." Aela whispered back, hugging her tightly.

Azriel finally release her and smoothed her hair. "Oh please woman, like I'm that easy to kill."

They switched spots and Azriel pulled bandages from her bag as Aela assessed her wound. The gash covered her chest and was still weeping. Aela dressed the wound and the movement behind Azriel caught her attention.

Serana stood, removing her jacket and discarded it after a single look. She had already taken off what was left of her cloak and had thrown that away as well. She removed the light weight tunic and Aela's breath caught in her chest. Even with her back to them, Serana was unbelievably stunning. Her black hair barely caressed her white shoulders. In the light of the twin moons the woman's skin glowed softly. Her lines were flawless down to her scorched waistband. Serana turned slightly to the side and Aela's jaw fell open. The vampire's beauty was painful as much as it was breathtaking.

Aela heard a slight intake of breath and looked directly into at Azriel's smiling face. Her perfect teeth shown in the moonlight and the deviousness glimmered in her eyes. "See something you like?"

Aela punched her in the shoulder and Azriel laughed quietly, rubbing it.

Azriel was already holding a new shirt and breeches on her lap. "She saved your life… thank her. It's not beneath you and neither is she."

Aela was about to tell Azriel to fuck herself, when Serana tossed aside the shirt and sat down.

"How is she not burned?" Aela mumbled.

Azriel smile grew wolfishly. "Go ask her yourself, Stubborn."

Aela growled, grabbing the clothing from Azriel's hands and trudged quietly up to Serana. She decided it was best to announce herself to the vampire and coughed lightly.

Serana covered herself modestly and turned looking over her shoulder at the halted werewolf behind her. "Did you get lost?"

Aela could barely form words looking down at the vampire in front of her. Does she have to be so damn beautiful?

Aela cleared her throat trying to look anywhere but the vampire. "I brought you these." She thrust the clothing at Serana, who simply stared at it.

Aela rolled her eyes and fixed her with a stern look. "Take them. I didn't poison them. You needed new clothing so I brought you some."

Serana turned on the tree stump towards Aela and reached for the clothing. Aela couldn't help the soft growl that escaped her lips as she watched the vampire expose parts of herself.

Serana blushed at the growl, but remained quiet. She tried to cover herself further, but there was only so much she could cover with a single free arm. She snatched the clothing from her hand and turned away, but Aela didn't move.

"Why are you staring?" The question seemed ridiculously bashful, even to Serana.

Aela scoffed at the question, but her curiosity was peaked. She looked the vampire's back for a moment then reached out and brushed it with her fingers. How is she not burned? That's not possible…

The heat of Aela's touch made Serana whimper. The intensity of it was more searing than the dragon's flames had been. The woman's fire was nearly as intense as Azriel's, but at the same time it was completely different.

"How are you not burned?" Aela was mesmerized by the cool delicacy of her skin, but tried to play it off. You forget yourself…

Azriel watched fascinated as she strolled closer, wordlessly. The fact that the two women were so close to each other and touching made her body flame with her arousal. It fascinated her to watch.

Serana could feel herself lean back into Aela's calloused fingers, the woman's touch held a hint of iciness. Aela heart beat had quickened and the smell of her blood made Serana's mouth water. Silently she chastised herself for it as her thirst pricked at her throat and tongue.

Slowly, Aela pulled away her hand, getting herself under control.

Serana stifled the groan and shook her head. What the fuck, Serana? Get a grip on yourself! "I don't burn. It's part of my gift." Serana wanted more than anything to look at the young Nord's face, but fought the urge.

Aela swallowed, mulling over Serana's answer. "And sunlight? Does that not bother you? You've shown no ill effects from it…"

Serana caved and looked into Aela's questioning eyes. "It's annoying, but it doesn't bother me like lesser vampires."

Aela gave a single nod, her eyes still held the vampire captive. Serana felt butterflies in her stomach under the woman's scrutiny. The layers of silver in Aela's eyes seemed to ripple and change. Their command held her like chains.

Serana took a shallow breath. "Thank you for the clothes, Aela. I appreciate…" Aela stepped closer to Serana and Serana stop mid-sentence.

"Why did you protect me?"

The salty, leathery scent of the werewolf caught on Serana's tongue, making her thirst burn. "It was instinct…" Serana could barely get the words out. Who is this woman?

Aela stepped back and looked at Azriel, who was watching them intensely. The look in Azriel's eyes snapped Aela from her trance and she turned back to look at Serana. This time she kept her tone kindlier. "Dress. We'll need to go when you are ready."

Serana nodded, quickly pulling on her tunic as Aela turned away. She stood unfolding her breeches and looked at the two werewolves behind her. Both looked at the forest, giving her privacy. She slipped off her boots, tossing the burnt leathers away. Serana pulled her breeches up and quickly finished pulled on her boots. She turned, looking directly in Azriel's amused smirk. The blush on her face was instant and she looked away with a grimace of embarrassment. Azriel had been watching them.

"If you two are done courting, we need to go." Both women's eyes landed on her, annoyed. "That dragon is bound to have brought unwanted attention with it."

Aela growled at the implication, but said nothing under Azriel's intense stare. She was still angry with her and wasn't willing to let it go.

Azriel let the smirk remain, watching Aela's blush spread.

She turned and looked at the beach. Azriel whispered to the air and a draft picked up. The sand moved with the light breeze, covering their tracks.

Wow! Damn! You guys are just burning through this story! Almost 1000 views yesterday! You guys rock. thanks for the PMs and reviews! I'm glad to know you guys are enjoying the story thus far!

Anyways parts 4 & 5 will be out shortly... For now, enjoy part 3! :)

~Red