No Elves in Sovngarde Book Two, NEIS continued Options

[Elisabeth Hollow]

No Elves in Sovngarde Book One is here, and is currently being spiced and touched up, bit by bit.

For those who don't want to read the first book, or need a refresher on what has previously happened, I have included a brief summary of the first book, which will be written later, when I'm not freaking out about how to write a summary.

I really am terrible with summaries. To prove my point, here's my summary of Toy Story:

"After sitting here with my fingers frozen above the keyboard, all I can say about Toy Story is that it made me terrified of having toys as a kid, and gave me nightmares. The only thing I took away from that movie is that you shouldn't judge others by appearance. Except the bad kids. They wear skulls so you can identify them easily."

-shakes head in shame-

Anyways, I've got a prologue written up. The summary should be up, hopefully, within the next few days or so. Or when my computer's plate isn't so full, lol.

Enjoy!

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Chapter one

One of the first things Emelia taught me to do was to harmlessly feed from someone. She brought me to a small encampment of two bandits and, while I stayed back, she calmed them, making one sit on the ground while she stood next to the other.

The small Imperial girl amazed me with her magickal skills. When I told her this, she gave me a small smile and a similarly small half-shrug.

"You'll learn them too," she said. "I'll teach you. You'll need them."

She turned to the bandit next to her, a male orc four times her size with a mohawk and fur armor. He carried a large axe and a vacant expression. Emelia gestured for me to come near him. I did, and through the sweat, dirt, and body odor, I smelled an almost overwhelming scent of testosterone.

Emelia giggled as I gagged. "You don't like super manly men? Odd. I thought, since you grew up here, you would be all over the type."

I shook my head, fanning the air from my face. "No. I like men who are smart, with magickal skills. I don't care for men who get into drinking contests or fistfights." A whiff of something...pleasant...hit my nose. I turned my head to my left, where the other bandit was sitting.

"That thmell... wait, why am I-?" I reach up and feel my fangs.

"Good godth, they're enormouth! Why are they tho big??"

Emelia was giggling insanely, one hand on her knee and the other on her mouth. It was a cute, tinkling laughter that made me want to laugh too.

"Emelia, ith not funny. Thtop it." Emelia laughed harder.

"Thtop laughing!" I held back my own laughter.

"Thith is theriouth! I thound like an idthiot!"

Emelia was on the ground, nearly rolling in laughter. The calming spell started to wear off, and the orc sluggishly reached for his axe. Emelie cleared her throat and put a calming hand on the orc's ankle. The axe slid back into place. The other bandit sat completely still where he was.

Emelia stood up and pulled a few leaves out of her hair. "When was the last time you fed?" She combed her blonde hair with her fingers. "When I gave you the rapist, right?"

I cringed. "I'd apprethiate if you dithen't thay it like that."

"We have to fix that. No one will take you seriously if you keep talkiing like that." She motioned me closer to the orc. I began to walk to her, but a sound caught my ear. A heartbeat. My head swiveled to the other bandit. A Breton man, mid twenties, with dark brown hair. I sniffed the air. He was scared. That delighted me for a moment.

"Emelia-"

"I know. Focus."

I suddenly felt guilty. The man was scared out of his mind, pretending to be under a spell. To survive. He probably made a few bad choices in life, and got pushed into being a bandit. He probably had a sister at home, or a mother. A dad or little brother, worried about him-

Emelia put her small hand on my arm.

"Kayla," she said gently. "Stop staring at the Breton and focus on the orc." I turned my attention to the orc. Emelia took my hand and put it on the orc's neck. The fur armor left his neck exposed, and I could feel the pulse beneath it. Suddenly I wasn't so concerned about how the orc smelled.

"Feel that? That's a main flow of blood. There are lots of places to get blood, but this one is the most popular."

"Mhhmm." I barely heard her.

"Down here in the crook of the elbow is another good place, but if you want to be-"

I'm so thirsty...

"-careful about how you feed, don't go for any big veins, or you'll lose control and-"

I want to drink it all.

"-they'll end up with confetti bursting from their heads and grow tails like Argonians."

I snapped back. "Wait, what?!"

Emelia smiled her small smile. "I didn't think you were listening."

"I...wasn't."

"I know."

I rubbed the back of my neck, ashamed. "How am I supposed to get the hang of this?"

"Practice." Emelia took my hands into her own and looked up at me. Her red eyes glistened slightly. "You've been hungry. You've been ravenous with thirst. Now that you know what it feels like, you can have a better handle on your instincts. Curb the ones that would make you do less human things. Like feeding indiscriminently."

I winced, knowing she meant Erik. Her cool hands gave mine a gentle squeeze before letting go.

"There's no shame in what happened."

"Are you serious? There's a lot of shame in what I've done. I should have stayed asleep, or something. I couldn't find a dagger, or otherwise I would be dead."

"I know."

I put my face in my hands. "I can't do this," I said. "I can't-"

I powerful blow knocked me off my feet. I saw stars right around the time that I saw the red-tinge of rage around the edges of my vision. As I sailed through the air, I saw the orc grab Emelia by the throat and attempt to crush her throat. Her legs kicked uselessly in the air, and for one moment, I saw myself back in the barn with the raven-haired vampire.

I rolled over as soon as I hit the ground, wiping the blood from my lip. A swift kick to my back sent my head spiraliing. I let out a cry of rage and pain and grabbed the assailing Breton's ankle, pulling him down with me. He let out a yelp as he fell, his arms waving wildly in the air while Emelia's body went limp.

"Emelia, NO!" I screeched as the orc dropped her. Her small body fell awkwardly with a thud as he came over to help his buddy, his large axe gleaming wickedly in the moonlight. He grinned a tusked grin and held the axe above his head