Through my Blood

CHAPTER V: Waking Dreams

"You aren't asleep yet?" Remus greeted Serana upon entering Honeyside house. Serana was reading a book, Aedra and Daedra.

"For the last time, Remus. I'm a vampire." Serana chuckled. "We don't sleep much. Especially during the night. I was just too weak before, that I allowed myself to sleep." The vampiress closed the book and dropped it on an end table.

"Well, I didn't know that last part." Remus grinned as he placed both his swords on a weapon rack.

"Oh, really? I thought vampire hunters knew all about vampires." Serana replied.

"Well, not me. I just joined the Dawnguard." Remus shrugged.

"Huh, really? I didn't know that."

"By the way," she continued. "You sure have a lot of books. I helped myself and borrowed one" she said as she gestured at the book she just read. "Where did you get them?"

"Here and there." Remus briefly answered as he removed his cuirass. Serana saw at the corner of her eye that his body was... scarred all over. But what caught her attention was a burned portion of his left arm.

She wanted to ask him about it, but ultimately decided against the idea for it may be far too personal for her own good. The man got into a white shirt and prepared for bed.

He usually sleeps half naked when in shelter, but he chose not to make his vampire companion... uncomfortable. He proceeded to lie on the bed in a supine position, using both his arms as a pillow. Serana just sat in a corner of the room against the end table.

After a few minutes of silence, Remus broke it with a question.

"Hey Serana, I've been meaning to ask. But you can refuse to answer if you don't want to..." Remus heaved before asking the vampiress carefully. "Were you... always a vampire?"

Serana hesitated before answering in a low voice, "That's... a long story." She moved her gaze towards Remus, curious on how the mortal would react.

For a moment, Remus felt lost in Serana's gaze. "I want to hear it." Remus said in a rather solemn voice.

The vampiress pursed her lips in uncertainty before moving on. "I guess, we have to go way back. Do you know where vampirism came from?"

Remus knew that vampires are considered to be a cursed existence. He also used to be well-read, so it wasn't that hard to answer.

"I'm guessing it came from a Daedric Lord."

Serana's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't think that he'd get it in his first try.

"Exactly. The first vampire came from Lord Molag Bal. She... was not a willing subject."

Remus clenched his fists hard. He knew the Daedric Lord from experience. Back when he wasn't exactly good.

He could've mentioned this to the vampiress but seeing Serana's eyes becoming grim as she spoke, he decided that it's a story for next time.

Serana continued. "But she was still the first. Lord Molag Bal is a powerful Daedric lord, and his will is made reality. For those willing to subjugate themselves, he will still bestow the gift, but they must be powerful in their own right before earning his trust."

"How did you actually become a vampire then?" Remus followed up. But after seeing Serana's reaction to his question, he thought that he should not have asked that.

The vampiress' features creased – as if in pain.

"If you don't want to answer..." Remus relented but the vampiress cut him off.