Nate tensed as his eyes scanned everything for any sign of him. Escher hadn't told him that he could turn invisible. Did Escher even know he could do that? Nate felt a soft breeze to his right and stayed low as he swung his sword. Dawnbreaker passed through the air, finding nothing. Nate started to switch hands to swing his sword on his left, when something landed on him from behind. Nate yelped. His back was to the wall! How had he gotten to him?! Movarth wrapped his arms around his torso and flipped him off the ledge to the floor below. Nate gasped as his back hit the ground, his concentration breaking, causing him to turn visible again. Panic rushed through Nate's veins as his wits caught up to him. He was exposed and vulnerable. Looking for his sword, he froze when a charming voice from the ledge above called down warmly. "There you are." Nate started to sit up as he stared up at the now visible Movarth. He was crouched on the ledge and looked completely content with himself. Just as Nate moved his leg to get up, Movarth jumped off the ledge and landed over him. Crouching over him, Movarth grabbed Nate's neck to pin him back to the ground, adding curiously. "Well, look at you. I must be getting old... or the hunters are training a... younger crowd these days."

Nate grabbed Movarth's wrist more out of habit than to actually try to fight his iron grip. Taking a quick breath, Nate sarcastically shot back. "When was that... When dragons roamed the earth?" Movarth pulled Nate closer to him by his throat. Movarth inhaled his smell in a long deep breath, then told him with a cocky grin. "I do remember that smell... Snow Elf." Nate's heart skipped a beat as Movarth's eyes met his. Movarth had very interesting eyes when they weren't reflecting the candlelight. His eyes were a light green with traces of yellowish-brown hues. Movarth tilted his head a little, his long platinum bangs falling over his eyes so beautifully. Nate could feel Movarth's beauty trying to distract him. His thoughts kept drifting to how he wouldn't mind Movarth sitting on his lap if it meant he wasn't dinner. Movarth smiled, showing off his perfect white teeth. Leaning closer to his lips, Movarth whispered to him in a sudden deep tone of voice. "Do I appeal to you, boy? Do you wanna give yourself to me?" Nate felt his senses cloud his mind causing his body to relax. His eyes rolled back as he tilted his back to expose his throat for Movarth. Movarth loosened his grip on his throat, stroking the side of his neck as he leaned in closer.

Nate got goosebumps as Movarth's lips brushed over the vein along his throat. A small voice in Nate's mind was screaming something, but his body was muffling it out with pure desire to be his. His body wanted to give in and be the object of Movarth's own lusty desires. Movarth's fingers trailed down the side of his neck, coaxing him even closer as he whispered to him. "I don't know whether to drain you dry or savor you overtime like a fine wine." Nate's hand slid up Movarth's muscular arm to his broad shoulder. His fingers curled into his loose tunic shirt, trying to convince him to embrace him. Movarth's fingers curled around the leather cord around his neck. Movarth absently curled his fingers up in the necklace cord, tightening it until Nate gasped softly and looked at him with clouded eyes. Movarth grinned, his fangs extending slowly as he began to purr out. "I don't think I'll be able to stop once I get a taste... Snow Elf blood is so... icy and sweet... I think I'll just-" Movarth stopped talking, his eyes falling to the ring that was pulled out from under Nate's tunic. Movarth's face changed to a darker expression as he hissed out under his breath. "Tarin... You're Tarin's brat?!"

Movarth's sudden aggression, gave Nate an opening and he took it. Lifting his hand from Movarth's shoulder, Nate conjured his candlelight spell. The ball of blazing white light shined on Movarth's shoulder, prompting Movarth to flinch as he looked away with a loud hiss. The feelings Nate had dissolved enough that Nate shoved Movarth off balance to get him off him. Movarth fell back onto his ass, raising a hand to protect his eyes from the bright light. Rolling up onto his feet, Nate made a wild dash for Dawnbreaker. Grabbing the handle, Dawnbreaker's little sun began to glow brighter. Whirling around, Nate tried to bring it up to activate its sun ability, only to get his wrist grabbed by Movarth. Movarth squeezed his wrist, until Nate yelled in pain and couldn't grip the sword. The sword fell from his hand as his hand lost feeling. With his other hand, Movarth lifted the table to dump everything off it. Nate winced as the dead body fell off it and goblets fell over, soaking the dark wood in more blood. Dropping the table back into place, Movarth gripped Nate's arm more securely and flipped him across it. Pinning his shoulders down, Movarth leaned over him with an aggressive hiss that showed off his long sharp pearly white fangs. Movarth's eyes reflected the candlelight, shinnying with a frightening fiery reddish-golden gloss.

Nate kicked and thrashed, but Movarth had him completely pinned to the table. Movarth leaned in toward Nate's throat. The second the sharp tips touched his flesh, Nate belted out a scream of pure terror in a pitch that he didn't even know he could hit. Nate barely saw something wrap around Movarth's throat, before rolling over his back and flipping him across the room like a man of his size weighed nothing! Movarth fell across the second long table, knocking goblets off it. Just before he fell off the end before the throne chair, Movarth rolled onto all fours to stop himself. Letting out an aggressive hiss, Movarth growled out loud. "Volkihar!" Nate grabbed his throat, panting hard as he looked at Escher who stood beside him. Escher hissed loudly back at Movarth, then grabbed the table Nate was on to flip him off it. Nate rolled off to the ground with a startled yelp, watching Escher grip it better to throw it at Movarth. Movarth shot off the table, meeting the thrown table in the air to smash straight through it! Slamming into Escher, they went tumbling back across the ground in a mass of snarls and hisses. They were exchanging blows so fast that it gave Nate a headache to try and keep up with them.

Removing his hand from his neck, Nate groaned. His fingertips had traces of blood on them. He didn't know if it was from the blood that had been on the table or his own. Getting up away from the dead body, Nate looked for his sword. Rubbing his throbbing wrist, he wondered if he could even grip it now as he rushed over to it. Reaching down to pick it up, he groaned as his hand couldn't get a strong enough grip on it. Picking it up with his left hand, Nate muttered to himself. "That's just great..." Adjusting his hand to grip the sword better in his non-dominant hand, Nate tensed as a soft feminine voice asked him from the shadows. "Hello, Stranger." Turning slowly, he watched a woman saunter out from the shadows. Alva. Giving him a devilish smile, Nate saw blood leak down the sides of her mouth. Her fangs were stained in blood and he didn't know if it was from Dumbuk or her feeding from earlier. Extending her arms out to him, she cooed out to him sweetly. "Embrace me. And I'll let you do anything you want, honey." Nate slowly approached her, keeping his eyes locked on hers. She licked her soft red lips, sliding her hands up his chest as she told him casually. "That's right. Look upon me. Am I not beautiful?"

Nate was internally surprised. Was she trying to influence him? If she was, she sucked at it. He felt nothing for her. She was pretty but he wasn't attracted to her in anyway. She reached out to stroke her hands along his face, purring to him confidently. "Don't be scared. You're cute. I think I'll keep you." She tilted her head back to laugh and Nate positioned his sword to point at her stomach. From across the room, Movarth called out in warning. "Alva! Don't he's-!" Nate shoved the sword into her stomach, causing her to scream in horror. The golden sword began to glow with a powerful warm sunlight. Alva tossed her head back to scream louder as the sunlight burned up her flesh like blazing golden veins. Within seconds she turned to ash and fell into a pile on the floor. Nate turned to look at Movarth, while Escher chuckled out from the ground where he'd been thrown. "Shame. She didn't know he's resistant." Movarth looked at Escher with a dark look, telling him in a cold voice. "I'm going to rip out your fangs and wear them around my neck, Volkihar!" Nate tensed; Escher looked hurt. Movarth rushed to Escher, grabbing his neck in a tight grip and pulled him up to his knees.

Escher squirmed and hit Movarth, letting out distressed hissing. Movarth leaned closer, sneering out. "I'm offended that he sent YOU to deal with me. You are not strong enough to face me on your own! You are nothing more than the whore Harkon left his wife for! You're no fighter. But don't fret... I'll be sure to send you to him... in pieces. One at a time." Movarth squeezed Escher's neck, forcing Escher to open his mouth in a pained whine. Movarth started to reach for one of Escher's fangs, causing Nate to think fast. Stepping forward, Nate yelled out. "STOP! Spare him and you can take me." Movarth snorted, stating out dryly. "No. I'll kill him and then YOU." Nate turned the blade to press it against his wrist, asking quickly. "Your choice! You can hurt him and lose me. Or you can release him and savor every drop of me." Movarth finally looked away from Escher, telling him with amusement. "You'd kill yourself for nothing?" Nate swallowed, then told him brutally honest. "I won't be walking out of here either way. You kill him, you'll kill me. You take this deal... You'll kill me. Even if I run now, I won't make it passed your harem of vampire whores." Movarth raised an eyebrow, then glanced between Escher and Nate, before chuckling out. "You like him...?"

Movarth laughed, asking Escher in shock. "You're two-timing Harkon for a blood bag? Wow... I wonder what Harkon would do to you both if he discovered that." Growing frustrated, Nate yelled out. "Make your choice, Movarth!" Movarth looked back at Nate, daring him flatly. "Go ahead. I'll be with you before the first drop hits the ground." Escher's voice came out strained as he told Nate. "Toss it here!" Escher extended a hand out and Nate didn't think about it. He just threw the blade. The blade fell just short of them. Escher reached for it, but Movarth moved to kick it away. In that moment, Escher picked up the wooden dagger that Movarth had been standing on without knowing it. Quickly leaning into Movarth, Escher jabbed the wooden dagger up into Movarth's heart. Movarth squeezed Escher's neck, letting out a loud thundering growl. Escher tried to jam the dagger up higher to finish him. Nate seized the moment to rush in, grabbing his sword with both hands to stab Movarth in the side with it. Movarth dropped to his knees as his body began to turn to ash. Just before he completely puffed into ash, he uttered out almost in relief. "You've made a big mistake... Without me... There is no one to stop Harkon now... You're all going to die."

Nate released his sword, letting it fall to the ground as Movarth's body finally dropped into an ash pile. Escher fell back on his ass, panting out grimly. "Well... That did not go as I had planned." Nate chuckled, sinking to his knees as he replied a little shaken up. "Nothing ever does... You get used to it after a while." They shared a chuckle, before Escher asked more seriously. "Would you really have killed yourself for me? You barely know me..." Nate licked his dry lips, honestly admitting to him. "You saved my life and I save yours. We are even." Escher blushed a bit, replying sweetly. "No. We're not. I fed off you. I still owe you a little something for that." Nate waved a dismissive hand. Leaning closer, Escher lightly rested his head on Nate's shoulder and whispered to him in a worried voice. "Are you ok? Did he bite you?" Nate shook his head, answering as he leaned into Escher a bit. "No. I don't think so." Escher lifted his head, reaching out to turn Nate's chin from side to side to check his neck. After a minute, Escher said in a relieved voice. "He didn't. Just scratched you a bit. You're covered in blood... What did you do fall into a blood bath?" Nate chuckled, gesturing back toward the body of the dead Nord as he promptly answered. "Fell on dinner, apparently."

Escher giggled, brushing a thumb over Nate's lip as he whispered out a little distracted now. "At least you didn't end up dessert." Nate found himself leaning in to bring his lips to Escher's. He wanted to kiss him. Just before their lips touched, Dumbuk's gruff voice bellowed out from farther up the tunnel. "NOW THAT was fun! Nothing like slaying a few vampires to get your adrenaline pumping! HEY, BARD! That leech still around?! I wanna AXE him a question!" Nate let out a groan as Dumbuk laughed heartily at his own joke. Escher smirked at Nate, reluctantly telling him. "I should go before he sees me..." Nate grabbed Escher's wrist, pleading with him hopefully. "You aren't leaving town yet, are you?" Escher shrugged, telling him in a low voice. "I can't stay. If he sees me... He'll hunt me all over again." Nate put a hand to Escher's cheek, pleading more desperately. "I have to rest at the inn. Meet me there? I'll leave the window unlocked? Please?" Dumbuk's heavy footsteps trudged down the tunnel, asking louder. "BARD?! Still alive?!" Escher glanced at the tunnel, then leaned in to give Nate a quick kiss. Upon pulling away, he told him sweetly. "Alright. I don't want to say goodbye like this either." With the rustle of a soft breeze, Escher was gone by the time Dumbuk strutted into the room looking large and in charge.

Dumbuk took one look around the cave, asking with a smug grin. "Impressive. It's not easy to take down a Master Vampire. And you are still alive to boot! Now, where is our little parasite?" Nate pointed to Alva's ashes, telling him without hesitation. "Over there. The Master Vampire got him, and I got the drop on him." Dumbuk huffed, chuckling out darkly. "Oh well. I knew he wasn't as tough as he thought he was. You can always tell the weak ones. Guy looked like he'd been nursed at his coven his whole bloodsucking life. Hardly any fun to kill baby vamps like him." Tapping his fingers on the handle of his hammer that rested over his shoulder, Dumbuk hefted out with ease. "Well, let's loot the place and head out. Always more vamps to take care of." They looted the place as much as they could. They found gold and things to trade for more gold in town. Nate wasn't as interested in that stuff, but Dumbuk told him that it paid for the trade. The more he killed them, the more he could sell their stuff to kill more of them with better stuff.

By the time they got back to town, the sun was rising on a new day and the guards were buzzing with news from a messenger that had rode in during the night. Nate didn't care, he felt dirty and wanted a bath. He was covered in dirt and blood. However, as he made his way with Dumbuk to the Jarl's hall, a guard blurted out to someone across the town excitedly. "You didn't hear the news?! Helgen was attacked by a dragon! And the Dragonborn has been called to High Hrothgar!" To Be Continued...