Scooting back across the floor from Harkon, Nate patted his body for a weapon. When he felt only his clothes, he looked up at Harkon with hazy concern. His whole body felt stiff and sore. Harkon slowly rose to his feet, stating aloud in a regal tone of voice. "Awake at last. I was starting to think that Molag Bal disapproved of you." Harkon beckoned him to follow him to the front of the church, regaling to him coolly. "Come. You'll feel a bit tense and unfocused at first, but it will pass as you get used to your new body." Slowly getting to his feet, Nathan snapped out at him. "Where is my stuff? Where am I?" Nate winced as the loud pounding of a heartbeat thundered in his ears, followed by the sounds of flustering birds. Jerking his head to the side, he saw a human Nord woman jerk against Escher's hold on her. Reaching up to cover his ears, he whined as the birds outside the windows cawed and the bats up in the shadows of the rafters squeaked. Nathan dropped to a knee, yelling as the noises got louder and louder. They threatened to overwhelm him, until Harkon called out from across the church. "Nathan!" The harsh tone of Harkon's voice snapped him out of it, causing the sounds to fall away into the background.

Standing tall, Harkon smirked out. "Good. The power is growing within you. Now you must learn to wield it." Nathan slowly got back up to his feet, only glancing at Escher briefly before inching toward Harkon. Harkon raised his hands to gesture around as he told him calmly. "This is our church within my castle. Our shrine to our maker. Molag Bol." Harkon placed a hand on a gothic fountain that was trickling blood from a skull that looked like Molag Bol's head into a large basin filled to the brim with fresh warm blood. The smell of it was making him tense up as he drew nearer to it. Stopping just before the steps, Harkon continued with ease. "Escher has stored your belongings away. You won't be needing them right now. For now, you must be trained. Controlled." Harkon placed a hand on the edge of the basin, while adding in a firm commanding tone. "With my guidance, you will become a deadly instrument. Striking terror into the hearts of mortals, wherever you tread. Now listen to my words. And do as I instruct." Harkon moved closer, grabbing his chin in order to lock his glinting golden eyes with him as he continued. "The true power of the ancient blood is found in the form of the Vampire Lord. Assume the mantle of the Vampire Lord and we will continue."

Harkon's hand slowly released him, but he never looked away. Taking a step back, Nathan shook his head and uttered out. "No..." Harkon's eyes narrowed on him, before coolly telling him. "Transform. Or I will make you." Shaking his head, Nathan told him sternly. "Go to Helheim." Harkon smirked, flashing him his fangs as he almost purred out with amusement. "Too late. You need to feed. Or you will lose control and feast anyway. This way it is less messy for us all." Harkon dipped his fingers into the blood basin, then lifted them to show the blood dripping off his fingers. The sound of every drop echoed throughout the church as loud and clear as a church bell. Nathan staggered back, grabbing a wooden pew to keep himself from falling. His body focused in on the smell of warm copper, causing his mouth to open instinctually to let his fangs grow out. Harkon lifted his chin a little smugly, before licking his blood soaked fingers. A strong shiver ran down Nathan's back. He could almost feel something under the skin of his back move. His fingers broke into the back of the wooden pew, his tight grip crushing it beneath his palm with little effort. Bending over a little, an inhuman growl left him. Deep and enraged.

Harkon cleaned his fingers, teasing out to Nathan. "Can you smell it? Can you hear the pure sound of every drop as it plops into the basin?" Nathan shook his head, growls thundering from him as he tried to resist the urge to charge up to the basin or whirl around to attack the human in the room. Harkon traced a finger around the edge of basin as he walked around it, purring out in a tempting tone. "The monster in you can. Deny him... and you'll only make yourself weaker. Feed. There is a whole world waiting to embrace you." Nathan gasped, his throat starting to burn as the smell made him realize how thirsty he felt. The more he tried to ignore his thirst, the more his body fought to hunt and feed. He felt like a teenager going through puberty all over again. Only instead of his emotions and hormones getting out of control... it was his deep primal and destructive desires that were going crazy. He wanted to attack something and sink his teeth into warm flesh. To rip and kill something. Dropping to all fours, Nathan's fingernails grew out before he clawed deep marks into the thick stone floor. He was losing control of himself. Arching his back, Nathan let out an ear piercing scream. The bats in the rafters shrieked and the Nord woman screamed behind him.

Nathan's body went numb seconds before he felt the skin tear along his back to release large grey bat wings. His bat wings unfurled as his pale skin changed color and thickness. After fully transforming into a large humanoid bat, he hissed and shook blood off himself. Harkon gestured to the basin and Nathan didn't think. His wings flicked out from their smaller form to fully webbed wings of red, before they propelled him across the room to the basin in a single powerful flap. Grabbing the sides of the basin, Nathan's clawed feet never touched the ground as he hovered over it. Leaning down, he opened his mouth to sink his fangs into the basin of blood. Drinking heavily through his fangs, his urges slowly calming down. Harkon watched him with interest, letting him drink his fill. The powerful wind wafting from his flapping wings didn't bother Harkon. When Nathan finally lifted his head from the basin, Harkon put a hand on his arm, telling him soothingly. "Good boy. That wasn't so bad now, was it? Now you should be able to focus better. Now that your mind is no longer on the hunt. Fold your wings. Ground yourself." Nathan pushed himself a little from the basin, before slowly focusing on what new muscles he was using to flap his wings.

After testing a bit, he discovered how to fold them. Curling them slowly enough that he landed. He was a little surprised that when he released the basin, it wasn't broken or crushed despite the grip he'd had on it. Harkon patted his arm as a little reward, upon regaling to him. "Good. You'll get used to them and they'll grow stronger as you do. In this form you can drain the life from your foes and reanimate them at the behest of your blood magic. Remember this. Blood is a life giver. We can drain others to sustain ours. Heal ourselves. But we can also drain our foes and use their blood to preform Necromancy or Blood Magic spells. Use their blood to summon Gargoyles. Death Hounds. Corpses. As a Vampire Lord, you can resist the sunlight. Walk on water. Turn into a swarm of bats. Charm your prey. And even take a beating that would destroy lesser vampires or creatures to ash! You'll hear farther. See Farther. Move faster. Be stronger. Even without your blood magic... You can fight as beasts do. Slashing your foes in two with your claws. Ripping their throats out. Or simply flying them to a great height to drop them." Nathan looked over his grey hands and sharp fingernails. Since feeding, he didn't feel as stiff jointed or as sore. He felt strong. Stronger than he'd ever felt before.

Harkon moved around him, informing him without pause. "Over time your powers will grow stronger, and you will find new ways to use your gifts." Harkon stopped in front of him, looking up at him as he asked curiously. "Any questions?" Nathan shook his head, prompting Harkon to clap his hands excitedly as he told him. "Good. You should know that I keep a stable of Thralls in the castle dungeon. Thralls like her. Cattle to feed on should the need arise." Nathan glanced at the woman, his eyes narrowing in on the bites along her throat and arms. Quickly looking away to the basin, Harkon leaned in to answer a question that he hadn't asked yet. "No. We only feed from the basin on holidays and special events. Such as your rebirth. For the rest of the time, it stands as tribute to Molag Bol. It's not blood easily come by in times of war." Nathan blinked, his curiosity piquing when he asked suspiciously. "What kind of blood is it?" Escher suddenly started to butt in loudly. "Maybe I should show him to his coffin, Lord Harkon? He must be-" Harkon stared only into Nathan's eyes, ignoring Escher to answer carelessly. "Babies blood."

Nathan clenched his jaw tightly, his hands starting to shake. Harkon pointed to the Nord woman, ordering him in a calm collected tone. "Dispose of her." Nathan's eyes met hers and the strong smell of her fear filled the room. Tugging against Escher's grip, she pleaded out. "Lord Harkon! No! Please?! You promised I'd be like you! You promised!" Lord Harkon turned cold lifeless eyes on her, correcting calmly. "I told you that you'd be in the company of those like me. I told you that I'd think about turning you... I did. I thought about it. I weighed the value of your life and found it... lacking." The Nord woman began to cry as she hysterically began to thrash and scream for help. Nathan felt Harkon's eyes on him and met them with his own guarded ones. Harkon gestured him off to her, commenting dryly. "Silence her. Prove to me that you understand and have control." Walking down the steps, Nathan slowly walked over to her. She began to beg and plead him not to. He could see the intimating monster that he was reflected in her glossy dark brown eyes. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and tilted his head back as he forced his body to relax. It surprised him how easy it was to revert to his human form.

Having fed to his fill, the monster within was calm and approved of hiding. Exhaling slowly, he used a meditation technique from the Arcane University to clear his mind and ground himself. It was normally taught to young mages to help them calm their minds and bodies. A calm mind and body helped keep a mage's magic from getting out of control. Allowing them to focus and feel magic as it slowly flowed out. Otherwise, a stressed out mage was a hurricane of wild and uncontrolled magic. He hadn't used the meditation technique in years... but he found that it actually helped. Lowering his hands from chest level toward the floor as he exhaled all his breath, he felt the pent-up magic in his arms drain back into the earth. He felt lighter and less like an explosion waiting to happen. Opening his eyes, he looked at Escher. Escher seemed nervous, but there was a trace of happiness in his tiny smile. Nathan returned it. He had missed him too. As his eyes moved back to the hysterical woman though, Nathan felt a surge of grief. He refused to be the monster that Harkon wanted him to be. Just like his magic, he'd learn to control this his own way.

Standing up straighter, he bluntly stated aloud. "You know what...? I don't think so." From the front of the church, Harkon uttered out darkly. "What?" Shrugging, Nathan smiled as he looked at Escher's startled face and said lightly. "I'm just not feeling it. Guess, you are just going to have to put her back, until I'm in the mood. I think I drank too much. I'm just not hungry anymore." Escher's eyes drifted nervously to Harkon, who bellowed out firmly. "I didn't ask you to drink her. I said to kill her. Kill her. Reanimate her. Take her outside and let her remains fall to ash." Nathan shook his head, defiantly retorting. "And if I don't?" The sudden rush of wind to his right, made Nathan turn to face Harkon. Harkon now towered beside him like a looming dark shadow. His voice as bitter and as cold as ice when he told him sternly. "Did I forget to mention... I made you. So, I OWN you. Shall I give you a taste of my power? Show you what it is like to be a puppet on a string?" Nathan braced himself for a fight, staring deep into his eyes. He tried to tap into whatever ability his new vampire powers gave him to influence Harkon to do his bidding. Molag Bol wanted him to kill him, didn't he?

Harkon's fingers slide under Nathan's jaw as he brought his lips closer to his. Harkon's lips curled into a small smile that hinted at his sharp fangs. Nathan's breathing turned heavy, his mind getting a little fuzzy. Harkon was turning the tables on him. Brushing his lips across his cheek, Harkon whispered to him with soft predatory growl. "So young... and stupid. I have centuries of experience and control on my side." Nathan found himself turning his head away from Harkon's lips, baring his throat for him. Nathan tried to stop himself, but he couldn't. He only managed to raise a hand to put on Harkon's chest. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to push him away. Harkon purred as his lips went to his neck, sending shivers through Nathan. Giving his neck a fleeting kiss, Harkon whispered over his throat. "Fascinating... you have some resistance in you. It's too undefined to be useful to you though. Just like a child. So much potential... and no focus." Nathan's eyes went to Escher, who looked more tense than he had ever seen him. Nathan then cringed, closing his eyes as Harkon's lips trailed up to a spot under his ear. Harkon sighed against his skin, before mumbling out in a light growl. "How shall I punish you for your defiance?"

Escher's voice was barely audible, when he slipped in. "My Lord...? He doesn't know better. He's drunk with power... We've all had those moments." Harkon's lips parted to trace his fangs along Nathan's neck, before answering breathlessly. "That's exactly the point. I can't encourage dissension among my ranks. Like all young vampires... He needs to learn his place." Nathan's fingers lightly slid down the silk of Harkon's shirt, he could almost feel the vampire within him shaking. Escher inched closer, pleading in the softest voice that Nathan had ever heard. "He's a Vampire Lord now. You made him your ward. Surely, damaging him would take more effort than you'd want to spend on him?" Nathan locked soft eyes with Escher, while Harkon answered against his flesh. "That is where you are wrong, Escher. In fact... I think I know just what to do with him." Escher inhaled sharply, seconds before Harkon pierced his fangs into Nathan's throat. A soft whine left Nathan as he grabbed Harkon's sides. The pain was so dull compared to the other times that he'd been bitten. It felt more like a bad bee sting now. The bite was nothing... but the way Harkon drank him was the part that truly scared him.

He didn't know if Harkon could kill him twice, but the vampire in him didn't want this. The more Harkon drank, the weaker Nathan started to feel. Harkon wrapped his powerful arms around Nathan to keep him upright as he kept draining him. Thrashing, Nathan yelled out in a distressed tone. "STOP!" Escher shifted in place, looking completely helpless. When Harkon finally released Nathan, Nathan fell back across the floor weakly. His limbs felt like lead. Harkon licked the blood that leaked from his fangs, before ordering Escher sternly. "Put him in the dungeon. Cage him with her. When he gets hungry enough... he'll feed. That should drain the fight from him." The Nord woman cried more softly now. Her voice sore and ragged. Escher kept a firm hold on her, but his focus was on Nathan as he asked. "My Lord? Are you sure you want to do that? He'll scare the other cattle." Harkon locked glinting cold eyes on Escher, almost chuckling out. "The concerns of cattle mean little to me, Escher. Do it. Or I'll hold you responsible. You vouched for him after all." Escher bowed his head as Harkon moved closer to state more firmly over his shoulder. "And don't think that I don't know why. I could taste you in him. Don't think for a minute that we won't talk about that."

Escher nodded without looking Harkon in the eyes. Harkon stroked his knuckles along Escher's cheek, then swiftly turned on his heel to leave the room. Nathan tried to sit up but found himself too weak. Just the mere thought of sitting up made him pass out. To Be Continued...