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!

In the event of a life-changing tragedy, we have one of two choices. We adapt, or we fall. We can ignore the changes for a bit, pretending that what has happened never happened, but that only causes us further pain in the long run. The wise see the change and adapt quickly, allowing themselves the benefit of very little pain. The foolish fight it with everything they have, and end up hurting themselves and others.

At least, that's the way I think of it.

It was clear that there was no cure for me, despite what Erik said. And it was clear that the more I starved myself, the more feral I became. So I adapted, and tried, to the shame of my sister, were she to know I was alive, to become the most humane vampire there was. Never killing if I could help it, and never turning anyone. No. My next, and last, kill would be preserved for Asta.

Asta. Where could I begin with this monster? Turning children against their will and declaring herself a sort of general with the army she was amassing. She never would tell me what her plans were for this army, she only grew its numbers. The girls she had with her had looked upon her with a child-like admiration.

Because they were children, and didn't know better. They ate the blood she gave them, killed whom she told them to kill, and followed her every word. They were thralls, even though they were vampires. They didn't even know it.

The only one who was any different was Emelia.

She defaulted from Asta's army, coming back for me. She gave me the blood of a criminal, easing the guilt of killing another. She saw no purpose, no reason, for an army of vampiric girls. She confessed that Asta most likely was going mad.

Asta's plans were failing, though, in spite of my weakness. Reports of a red-maned hunter they called The Slayer, a blonde barbarian they called The Lioness, and a fierce warrioress they called The Unbroken, were tearing through Asta's ranks. I knew who they were. It would only be a matter of time before they found Asta's hideout. Part of me wishes they would find it soon. She was getting desparate, turning children at an alarming rate to replace the ones that were killed. The other part of me hoped that when they found her, I would have already killed her.

Her frenzied attempts at replacing her army had forced her to start stalking the cities to find children, earning her the attentions of the trio doubly. Emelia swore to teach me how to be a gentler vampire, and to help me with Asta. I had an advantage, finally. Both Erik and Asta thoght I was dead, and wouldn't be looking for me.

But I was looking for Asta. And when I found her, she would pay.

YEEEEEE!!!

*Jumps up and down in excitement, waving hands*

That is all.

Edit: Actually, wait, that's not quite all. Does Kayla still have Dawnbreaker, or has Meridia been all like "You're a vampire now, so YOUR SWORD BE MIINE!!"?

-In arena announcer voice- This should be interesting!

It's gone. Kayla has no weapons right now. Asta most likely had it thrown off of a cliff or tossed into the water.

Besides, if a vampire wields Dawnbreaker, it injured them XD

I learned that the hard way in-game

Oh, OK. So Meridia was all like "YOUR SWORD BE MIINE!!" then. Cool.

Pretty much XD

Thanks Meridia. That's very helpful

As far as prologue's go, it is nice and short. Sure, it doesn't remind one of all the drama but it doesn't have to. All we need to know is that Kayla is an unwilling vampire and is going after Asta who is a creepy child.


And Erik! Whoo, go Erik the vampire slayer! May your hair always be shampood and shiny.

Love the news of the vampire-slaying trio.

I’m surprised folks aren’t also talking about an Imperial known as “The Lioness’s Tail,” formerly Aerin of Riften.

-snort!!!-

Congrats on starting Kayla's second book, 'Kayla the Asta Hunter'. Or perhaps, 'Nobody Likes a Smart Asta'.

Oh my god!!! -rolls around laughing-

WOO HOO !!! This promises to be as exciting as the first !!!!! WOOOOOOOT !!!!!!



ROFL !!! Oh Acadian, I missed this one! ROFL !!!

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

NOOO!

Something tells me this won't go well for the Orc though....


Great chapter

How funny that fangs would make you thound funny when you thry to talk! I wonder how orcs manage it with their tusks?

Like KoB, I loved the bit about confetti heads and Argonian tails!

Oh my. Too much girl talk and not enough paying attention to dinner. Eeep! Tusks or not, Kayla needs to punth him in the moufe!

The part where Kayla was trying to talk with fangs had me in hysterics! I especially loved that she couldn't keep her eyes and thoughts off the Breton, and that she could sense his emotions - Awesome Write!

First, sorry it took so long to get here...

Second, congrats on the new bookness of things...*Applauds*...

Third...Blimey, the Emelia thing didn't last long!... ...

Though, maybe the vampire regenerating thing will come in handy...Should have taken the Breton out earlier though... ...

Thought the whole fang thing was funny... ...

"I thall athitht you in cathe there ith a thudden crithith!!"

Looking forward to the muchness of moredom...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Guys... You're a day "late," calm down XD

… to become the most humane vampire there was. Never killing if I could help it, and never turning anyone.
I wonder how many other vampires there are like this. I wonder how many tried and failed.

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


That Breton has some nerve to just sit there. Aaand here I thought Emelia was paying attention. Oops.

The whole part with the Breton was great. She likes men who are smart enough to pretend to be under Emelia’s spell, and here’s this guy that she might have liked but now really wants but doesn’t want to want that way. And meanwhile he and the orc commence to beat the snot out of them. Love it!

Still working toward being caught up- but then- I will be caught up- which will mean you have to write more.

Chapter 9- Wow. Just that. Wow. Which follows on, of course, from the goggle-eyed gasping that I did over the fight in the vampire lair.



That- was... yes.

I know I am late to the party and probably circumstances will change things- but I really want to stake Onmund out on an anthill- after smearing him with honey. “Mead, is it? I will give you MEAD!”

And hooray for Lydia!

The whole chapter is simply remarkable. You have this way of writing with an immediacy and a realism (which- yes, I know it is a fantasy setting but that’s the POINT) that hold the reader enthralled. (Checks Liz photo for signs of mind-control magic… hmmmm).

Chapter 10.1- Again, Kayla’s emotional healing, as well as her determination to move forward ring true. Heart-breakingly so.



As for example- THAT.

Hmm- paralyze poison. It WOULD make staking Onmund to that anthill easier…

Chapter 10.2- The talking at cross-purposes between husband and wife was… pitch perfect. And again- the REALITY of an unequal relationship. I am willing to see his point to an extent. But ONLY to an extent. But it rather reminds me of what Mrs. Treydog said a LONG time ago. “If you see someone you think you want more- go ahead. But you had better tell me first. And you had better be SURE- because we will be DONE.” And 25 years on- here we are.


Chapter 11- As to “moar fighting- ARRRGH”… a phrase we throw around a lot here is “character-driven story.” And you have got that concept down to a science. The “action” will come in its place- and I know it will be quite as good as the character-building.

Trey sure does recognize the conflict behind that journal entry. Of course- he was a lot whinier about it…

Clever elf to dodge that “special brew.” Skyrim Safety Tip (Number 2 of a Series)- DO NOT take “special” drinks from strange beings you meet in- taverns, inns, caves, barrows, lonely cottages on deserted moors, &c (see addendum for complete list).



Yes. Most definitely a Nord.

The scene of the--- debauch- and Kayla’s reaction to it- where simply marvelous. You had me laughing, while I was also intensely feeling her discomfort.

Some lovely humour here and that Breton sure thought quick. It also goes to show that having an actual child as your mentor, one who is probably pretty new to the whole vampiring herself, isn't the best option.


And just after the fun and things were starting to look up, badness strikes again. If there is a Daedric prince of bad luck and misery, Kayla must be an unwilling but helpless follower.

[quote]"There's something you should know first. My real name isn't Kayla. It's Nisse."[/quote]

Hmmm. Wonder if this is going to be the truth- or another cover story. Guess I shall have to RAFO, as I tell Mrs. Treydog.

Oh- yes. “Read And Find Out”.

The memory is quite wonderfully drawn- the younger Nisse’s view of her world and its people is brilliant. And another vote for finding Old Bear slightly creepy.

[quote]"He's always been like that. He's always hated anything not human."

I sat up. "I'm not human? Am I a monster, Ma?"[/quote]

Um. Yes- well, she may be a wonderful mother in most ways, but I guess “tact” got left out.

Eeva’s theft is probably not going to have a happy result.

[quote]"He's here!" She whispered frantically. "He wants me to follow him! Nisse, I'm so scared!"[/quote]

Oh dear.

[quote]I got hurt! That means the game stops!" I called out. She peeked over the roof.

"It's a scratch. Doesn't count!"

I grunted at her furiously. "I have splinters!"[/quote]

It’s only counts if it’s bleeding…. Yeah- I remember THAT “rule.”

[quote]Run, I told my body. RUN. But nothing happened.

That was the last thing I remembered.[/quote]

Sooo glad I am reading this in the bright light of day. That’s all I am saying. Not a scaredy-rat- nope- not me. I LIKE to sleep with lots of lights on. I’ve ALWAYS done that.

[quote]"You got very lucky, little one," I heard a familiar voice. "I don't know how you got away from whatever animal attacked that girl with just a small bite, but you got lucky."[/quote]

Oh crap.

[quote]"Madam, you have two other children who need you. Let us take care of the worst one right now." [/quote]

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Oh crap.

[quote]"How many children are sick?" Talon asked.

"All of them."[/quote]

Many bad words. Family forum- so use your imagination.

[quote]I feel like my writing is declining in substance and worth, sooo... I don't know. I'll keep on trying to improve.[/quote]

Don’t MAKE me stop this car… Oh, wait. Wrong metaphor.

[quote]I loaded up my fire and let out a war-squeak and hurled the fire as hard as I could.[/quote]

And yes- you can manage humor even in the midst of this. And thank you for that.

[quote]I ran into the forest, out of town, weeping. Weeping for my parents, my sisters, even my uncle. Weeping for the children who only wanted to grow up and become adventurers, wives, fathers, farmers, merchants.

But mostly, I wept for myself and how alone I was.[/quote]

Excellent and sad and wrenching.

[quote]"Asta, NO!" I shrieked. Asta giggled as I ran to Onmund, trying to stave off the blood flow from his neck. Onmund gurgled, his eyes already glassy. His body convulsed in my arms. Asta fled.

"HELP! " I screamed. "SOMEBODY HELP!"

Onmund was gone long before the guards came.[/quote]

I… will be… over HERE. In this corner. With my stuffed toy. He will protect me. And a flashlight. Yep. Need one of those too.

[quote]Lydia still looked confused. "WHY are we heading to Rorikstead?"

"I need advice on how to kill my 9 year old sister."

Lydia's eyes looked like they were pop out of her head.

"Well, kill her AGAIN, I mean." I added. Lydia's face paled.[/quote]

OK fine. So I couldn’t stay away. So sue me.

The adventures of Kayla the vampire slayer continue!

Prologue:

Kayla's commentary here was excellent. Well-written and indeed sounding much like her. I imagine her Nordic accent here. The idea of a vampiric army made of young girls is . . .heh . . .insane! I can't imagine hundreds of Babette's stalking the wilderness with sob stories made to lure prey!

The search for Asta shall begin and hopefully Kayla will have the revenge she seeks!

Chapter 1:

Kayla doesn't like manly men? No meat-heads for her, then. Nice humor here. Never would have imagined fangs made vampires sound like that. So she sounds like an Altmeri girl with a Nordic lisp?

I liked how Kayla felt here about killing the bandit. Even though he was a criminal and that might have placed him on the rather easy list of "best type of prey vampires should kill," he nevertheless might have as family and of course, became a robber do to misfortune in his life.

And she should've allowed her vampiric thirst to lead her to prey. The Orsimer proved to be the enemy as always. Remember Kayla, sooner or later the thirst always wins!

The entire exchange involving the lisping fangs and how to feed cracked me up no end; this is probably the first scene I've ever seen/read that raises this problem, and I've decided that it must from now on be mandatory for all media involving freshly-turned vampires.

DE, I know you like vampires, so you keep that in mind!

Really? No one has ever pieced together that there's two giant pieces of bone inyour mouth and it will make you talk funny? Hmmm lol

I think most authors were more focussed on how much brooding their vampire protagonists needed to do instead.

I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the fangs thing! I was laughing so hard writing it, and my husband was like "What?" and I would go "THITH ITH THOOOOO FUNNY!"

The look he gave me, lmfao!

Treydog, you need to catch up! Hurry! HURRY!!! XD

And welcome, DE! Maybe this book will be more to your liking? XD

And to those who think they're late when they read-Shush. For real. You're fine. Look at treydog and DE. Reading when an entire book is done. One or two or ten chapters behind won't kill me. Calm down XD

CHAPTER TWO

Erik's sword sliced through the neck in nearly one swing. The vampire gurgled, her hair stuck and matted on her face with her own blood, covering her mouth and nose. She fell with a hard thud. Uthgerd patted his back.

"Good job. That's another nest." The tall Nord female wiped away the sweat from her forehead with a steel-plated hand. Her eyes traveled around the dark cavern, lit up only by torches on the walls, and one roaring fire in the center. They hadn't found Asta's nest this time, but Uthgerd felt like they were close. Where others saw sheer madness, she saw desperation. She glanced at Mjoll, the other blonde Nord wiping her blade, Grimsever, clean.

"Mjoll, first watch tonight?"

"Sure." Mjoll wiped her brow with her also steel-plated hand. The two Nordic women were similar in the regards that they were both female and wore the same type of armor. Where Mjoll was blonde, Uthgerd had a tinge of red to her locks, giving her the look of a strawberry-blonde. Uthgerd's green eyes were hard and unforgiving, whilst Mjoll's blue eyes shone with compassion. Uthgerd turned her nose up at the vampires while Mjoll shook her head in sadness.

"These were children," she said to herself. She glanced at Erik. The red-maned barbarian was wiping his sword clean silently, his blue eyes focused on the silver blade.

"You say that every nest, Mjoll," Uthgerd said. She looked down at Mjoll over her nose. "When are you going to grow a thick skin?"

"The day she gets used to putting a sword into the heart of a child is the day she leaves this group," Erik snapped. The sharp ice of Erik's glare peirced the hardened green of Uthgerd's nearly unwavering gaze. She huffed and began cleaning her axe. Mjoll sheathed her sword and put a hand on Erik's shoulder.

"Thank you."

"No need." Erik ignored Mjoll's hand on his shoulder, continuing to wipe his blade clean. "I'll take first watch. You get some sleep."

"You know I can't sleep after a raid."

"Then we watch together."

The unhappy trio pulled the bodies out one by one and burned them, allowing them the luxery of a nearly stenchless cave. Nearly. Mjoll and Erik sat near the entrance of the cave, Erik watching one side while she watched the other.

Mjoll was startled when Erik spoke. "How's Aerin?" He asked politely. Not wanting the night to be completely silent, she thought to herself.

She responded nonchalantly, "He's fine. Worried sick about me. He acts as if I can't defend myself. He has seen me bash a thief's head into a rail and kick him into the canal, and he still asks me if I'm alright." Mjoll chuckles.

Erik was silent for a moment. "Don't write him off."

"What?"

"Don't write the guy off." He turned towards her, but wasn't quite looking at her. He searched her face, but looked disappointed in what he saw. His normally icy blue eyes misted for a moment. He blinked. Gone. He turned away again.

"When a man cares like that for you, you should give him a chance. Maybe you'll be surprised."

"He's not my type."

"And what is your type, Mjoll? You've never told me in the year that we've traveled together. A strong warrior, maybe? Or a mage with enough power to crumble cities? Certainly not a common man." He added under his breath, "Not a common farmer."

Mjoll's eyebrow knitted together. "Are we still talking about Aerin?"

"Nevermind."

Mjoll let out an exasperated breath. She turned her eyes to the starlit sky. She took in a deep breath of crisp, cool air and allowed her mind to wander.

Erik kept his eyes trained on the terrain below. The stench from the cave was burning in his nostrils still. He wiped his nose on the back of his hand and groaned in frustration when he realized he still had vampire gore on the back of his hand. He choked back a coughing fit and pulled on the shirt under his armor and wiped his face with it.

He looked back at Mjoll, but she didn't appear to have heard him. He turned back to the swampy terrain. He remembered a story Kayla had told him when she first came to Rorikstead and stayed at his father's inn. He had scoffed at her when she offered to train him, but she said "That is fine. I wouldn't want someone who killed the Dark Brotherhood to train me either."

Erik had done a double-take and stared at her grinning face. Many soldiers who had came through had told stories of the elf who had came to Dragon Bridge with a bag full of heads claiming they were the last remaining members of the Dark Brotherhood. A smile crept up on his face at the memory.

Erik had dismissed her and waved her off as mad. Later that night, three men attacked their inn, knocking his father out and taunting Erik. The closest thing Erik had to a sword at the time was the dagger his father kept under the counter for those who didn't need to be told twice. These men wanted bloodshed.

Kayla had lured one man into her bedroom and knocked him out, while the other two she had taken out with a firebolt to the face. Kayla had pulled Erik up and he realized that even though he was tall, she was still taller than him by half a head. He suddenly saw all of the scars on her, with her armor not covering them. She had mirth in her eyes and teased him about wanting to be an adventurer, but couldn't even take care of some low-life bandits.

Their training had started the next day. Kayla was not a "practice paddling on the safety of land" type. She was a "throw you in the water and see if you could figure it out," but not with cruelty. She critiqued his form and threw pointers while they fought wolves, and at the end of the week, she offered to pay for his armor. She said he had great potential, and could see him being a wonderful partner for another adventurer. Erik's heart had leapt with joy.

While her own armor was being repaired, she stayed at the Frostfruit Inn, laughing with his father over a glass of wine. She seemed more amiable and loose at this time, and Erik's father saw the look he gave her and stood up, slapping his hand on the table.

"I need to go clean a few dishes. I'll be back later."

Kayla had waved to Mralki and trained her eyes in Erik. That ever-shining look of mirth in her eyes was intensified by the alcohol. She gave him a half smile and pointed at him to take a seat. He did, and she rested her chin on her hands and gave him an odd look.

"What?" he had asked.

"Nothing," she said, smiling. "You're doing so well with training, and I think that you'll be ready by the time I leave."

"By the time YOU leave? I'm not coming with you?"

She shook her head, the smile gone. "I work alone, Erik. I always have. But," She reached under the table and put her hand on his leg. "There's no reason why we can't leave on good terms."

Erik glanced at the table, the color in his face rising. He saw she had only had three glasses of wine and figured it would not be enough to alter her thinking. He pulled her up and lead her to his room, the only room with a door. He had heard couples make love plenty of times in their stay at the inn, in the wee hours of the morning when no one else was awake, and he thought he recognized the sounds well enough to figure she was satisfied. She was quiet and demure during, blushing and making delighted gasps. Erik supposed that for his first time, he had done a good job.

Kayla had fallen asleep soon after they were finished, and Erik fell asleep as well. When he had awoken a few hours later, Kayla was awake, her clothes back on but her hair still disheveled. She gave him another odd look before shaking her head and leaving his room. She left the next morning without a word.

At that time, Erik was confused. He had learned later on that Nord woman can handle their alcohol much better than Elven women, and Kayla was not just tipsy, she was one sip away from being smashed. Erik had chastised himself for letting his lower head do his thinking for him. His course of action would have been much different had he known.

He snapped out of his memory when the scrape and clank of Uthger's armor could be heard, getting up, like always, early for her shift. He looked behind him and Mjoll was already heading down the cave entrance, her blue eyes blinking sleepily. Erik nodded to Uthgerd and she took Mjoll's spot, her green eyes never leaving the terrain. Erik sighed and walked down the cave entrance, hoping to get some sleep.

Yeah yeah. You just like that funny "sproiingggg- oing- oing glinkle inkle" sound the Quot-a-Matic ™ makes when it overheats and spunges the widget.

But- I am also reading- just need to do the standard maintenance on the machine...

Machine all oiled and shiny. So..





Sad and true and terrible.




Funny- I have had people fake death or serious illness to get me to stop telling a story…

Simply love the effortless way you work Ma’Dat’s Khajiiti gestures into the descriptions.

I rolled my eyes. "Erik is still green, and needs some practice with his sword."



There are passages that just sing- like that one.



Sometimes, those we think still need "seasoning" hold the knowledge and experience we most need.



Um- yes. And that is perhaps the thing I resent most about being “grown up.”



Felt almost like a Buffy the Vampire Slayer moment there.

And thank the Nine for Ma’Dat!

So Erik, Mjoll, and Uthgred have been vampire hunting, eh? Lets hope they don't kill the wrong vampire....

First off, WOOOOOOOOOT !!! Mjoll and Aerin! I love those two! There are like 200 vids on Youtube of men who married Mjoll and had Aerin show up on the doorstep a few days later, and then suddenly Mjoll was sleeping in Aerin's bed instead of her husband's, ROFL !!!!! Love those kind of things in game!

Uthgerd was the first female to make an impression on me in Skyrim, I almost quit playing, ROFL !!! She makes Lydia seem sweet and pleasant. If you can befriend her she is pretty nice, but her AI is so glitched you never know what she is going to do next, ROFL !!!

You picked some Awesome characters here, and of course I gotta love Erik - we talked about him when we first started communicating over at the FF site.

GAAAAAAH!!! So Kayla had Erik's first, huh? Well, he def remembers it! That was an interesting little tidbit, I wonder what significance it will have in the rest of the story? Awesome Write!

A neat glimpse at the vampire hunting trio!

Also, an interesting view of Kayla from Erik’s perspective. Poor Kayla, smashed on three glasses of wine. But how was Erik to know? Especially after this:

‘Kayla had lured one man into her bedroom and knocked him out’

We can see now, why Erik pines a bit for Kayla. I hope their next meeting goes better.

Not a great shock when I say that that was amazing... ...

The three characters work brilliantly together...I love Mjoll, she's so sweet...

I also loved that line with Erik and the...Oh wait, I'll find it... ...



That was just epically brilliant...Sent the shivers up the spine...Erik is now my hero!! ...

And then the quiet watch...*Applauds*...

Loving this story... ...

Nice one!!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Hehe. Not all of them. I added some humor in my story. Such as when Raven began tossing rotten severed body parts at her older brother from within a coffin just to bug him. Overly brooding characters are boring, I agree.

Now, Elizabeth, I loved the update!

You have some skill writing battle scenes. Keep it up and you can write an amazing yarn! Mjoll! Quite a fiery woman that one! Love her and her axe!

Vampire hunters, eh? And fearsome, but funny ones, at that. I do recall Kayla having a weakness to wine . . .


But then he would take an arrow to the . . .nevermind.

The trio is deadly. Loved this chapter! I admit I'm liking Kayla more than before. I want to see how she copes with this situation!

And we are finished with book one. Will need to have a lie-down after that, but first must fire up the Quot-a-Matic ™

Poor Erik and the Bucket of Doom.

And I really like the fact that this “dance” with Asta is not a simple one-way pursuit. The thing Kayla needs to remember when hunting a predator- THEY also stalk the hunter!



The Khajiit is not the only one who acts as if Kayla is “new to this.” Guts and stubbornness will get you a long way- generally into a hole just too deep to climb out of- if not tempered with wisdom.

And I do not like Riften. Maybe it mostly has to do with the fact that the only character I took into the Ratway had no light source….

Withholding expressing an opinion on the journals- mainly so I won’t remove all doubt as whether I am an idiot.



What do you expect from an Altmer raised by Nords and then a group of vampire-hunters? Geez.



Because I am NOT charming, I automatically distrust it on sight. Still- that was funny.



Oh dear…



Ah….

And another stealthy attack- aimed at….?



And yes- here is one of those “Darn! I wish I had written that” moments.



Bloodsucking undead predator or not, you have to admit Niruin has style.



Style yes- but that does not mean you TRUST him. Dammit woman…. (Meaning Kayla- I don't know you well enough to speak to you thus, Ms Elizabeth)



Uh-oh



And sending a team to get rid of Ma’Dat… and poor Erik. Urf.

And watching Nisse/Kayla struggle against what her sister has made her. Wow. Powerful writing indeed.

As to the next meeting with Erik, well I would have to quote the enter thing to highlight the “good parts.”

Here I suppose I should come up with some grand summation. However- I will only note (superfluously, because this request has already been answered):

S.G.M.

And she kept her sense of humor throughout. How very Kayla!

I like the way you’ve filled in Uthgerd’s and Mjoll’s characters. You’ve made them very different despite their similarities. And you showed how Erik has grown with one paragraph. Well done!

This may be my favorite part yet. I just love the way you portrayed these three hunters.

Quite the team of vampire hunters. Despite that, Erik's thoughts are on Kayla. That was a fun memory and now we know where the green sword comment comes from!

I'm so sorry for not updating on Thursday. No, Saturday. See?!

treydog, you picked up every. single. little. line. That caused me to pause and go, "This has to be worded THIS way." Every line that I put a little piece of myself in.

All of them. I thank you for your attentiveness.

Now everyone, wait til you hear the story of Kayla luring the man to her room from HER perspective XD

Erik has grown quite a bit since we last saw him. He (thinks he) killed the woman he's pined after for so long, and has to kill children on a regular basis.

Mjoll and Uthgerd just wrote themselves, lmfao! Especially Uthgerd. God, she's a tough cookie.

Here's the next chapter!

CHAPTER TWO

Before the orc's axe could fall, Emelia leapt onto his back and, with her hands on his shoulders, she planted her feet on his spine and yanked him backwards, breaking his back. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as his axe dropped. Emelia leapt out of the way of his falling body in a fuid motion. I pulled the assailing Breton to me, fangs extended.

Emelia waited patiently as I fed on the Breton. I pinned his arms to the earth, reveling in the struggle. He screamed and cursed and writhed beneath me until he was too weak. When I pulled back and licked my lips, I saw his face. His eyes were half shut, and his mouth partially open. Somehow during the struggle I had raked my claws against his cheek.

I began to shake, and Emelia put her hand on my shoulder. "There have been a lot of reports of travelers being beaten and left to die along this road. You probably saved more by killing him."

I didn't look at her to see if what she had said was true. I nodded and stood up, looking at the orc.

"What are we going to do with him?" I asked. He was still alive, but paralyzed. Emelia brushed a few leaves out of her hair.

"I can still show you what to do, if you want. But I'm kinda hungry now." Emelia eyed the Orc. "I don't care how they smell, really. I'm just hungry."

I shrugged. "Fine. We can do this later."

Most of Emelia's attempts ended up like this. On the one occasion I didn't drain the poor woman's life from her veins, the bandit Chief burst in. Emelia calmed them both as we made our escape, with me frothing at the mouth.

I could tell she was getting irritated at me. Any time I lost control, her tiny fists clenched and her eyebrows scrunched over her blue eyes.

"It's been nearly a year, Kayla. I'm ten, and I have more control than you!"

I winced. "I'm...sorry. I have an appetite. I always have," I lowered my head in shame. Emelia shook her head.

"Kayla, you need to get a hold on your appetite, or you will eat all of Skyrim." Emelia said, calming down. She glanced around and saw a cave near the fort. "This will have to do for now. We'll stay here until nightfall."

We slid into the cave entrance and were greeted by wolves. Emelia and I killed them, except for the pups. They jumped and barked at Emelia, who was a pile of giggles on the dirty cave floor.

"Wow, you'd think they never saw us slaughter their mother." I said, scratching my head.

"Wolves like vampires. Can I keep them?" she asked, her eyes shining brightly.

"Uh... that's not... I mean..."

"I had dogs back in Chorrol, and I know how to take care of them!"

"Uh..."

Her blue eyes pleaded with me, and I shrugged. "I don't know!"

"They're defenseless!" she pleaded as the sharp baby teeth tore at her fingers. When the pup drew blood, it snorted and shook its head. It cocked its head and sat down, pawing at Emelia's arm. The other sat at my feet and looked up at me with large brown eyes, its head cocked to the left.

"What do baby wolves even eat?" I asked.

"Meat," Emelia said. "I can feed them. They'll eat skeever, which is easy to find." She gave me another "please?" look, making her eyes wider and blinking innocently.

"Ugh, fine, I don't care. What we would do with wolves, I don't know. I don't even like dogs." I lied. Emelia squealed in delight and hugged the wolf pup she had. The other one laid down at my feet.

"Go away." I said. It sighed, and I decided to check and see if it was a boy or girl. When I knelt down, it rolled over and exposed its belly. I saw it was a girl. I hid a smile.

"You're kind of cute," I said. She wagged her tail, her tongue lolling out. I rubbed her belly and scrached it gently. Her leg kicked, and I smiled.

"This is ridiculous. How am I supposed to protect you?" I asked her. Her tail thumped lightly against the cold cave floor. Her fur had a reddish hue to it against the grey. I looked around and saw that there was a mixture of red and grey wolves, but none of the white wolves that resides near Winterhold. That was fine. I sighed.

"This is ridiculous," I mumbled as Emelia and I made camp for the night. We dragged the bodies of the wolves to one side of the cave. Emelia's pup pawed at what I guessed was its mother, but when she didn't respond, he yipped at her. He whined and went back to Emelia. The pup following me around never left my side, indifferent to the moving of the bodies.

Periodically through the day, Emelia's pup would paw at her face while the one attached to me would lie placidly at my feet. Hers wanted to play while mine would just stay near me. She eventually inched her way near my head and licked my ear.

"Disgusting!" I said, wiping my ear. She blinked at me, and I smiled. "Stop it. Stop being so cute." She panted her puppy breath into my face.

"Gehh. Fine. Lay by me, I don't care." She nuzzled her way into my arms and sighed in contentment. She was warm, and eventually I curled myself around her. Emelia sighed.

"I'm going to name him Sai," she said.

"What for?"

"It's a story my mother used to tell me. Sai is the god of luck."

"I see."

"He married a Nord woman and had children with her. It was his influence that drove the Falmer from Skyrim. But he was being too nice to the Nords, and had to stop giving them so much luck. Mara said he could only visit his wife once a year, and took the form of a wolf."

I blinked. "I see." The pup in my arms was fast sleep. Emelia continued.

"Maybe he'll bring us some luck."

At the expense of himself? I thought. I didn't want to say anything to Emelia to upset her, so I kept quiet.

"What are you going to name yours?" She asked me.

I looked at the pup and decided hastily. "Miriam."

"Why Miriam?"

I sighed. "Frost Mirriam is an alchemical ingredient designed to keep you warm. I used to chew it when I was younger. It made me extremely sleepy as well. I don't chew it anymore because it also drains my magick. When you combine it with slaughterfish scales, it works even better. But if you-"

Emelia's eyes had glazed over. "Nevermind," I said. "I like the name. And she keeps me warm like the herb used to." Satisfied with this answer, Emelia turned over and went to sleep. I closed my eyes.

I knew it wouldn't go well for the bandits. Never underestimate the undead.




Emelia's reaction was pretty funny. I could just imagine her thinking

"Blah, blah, blah, what a bore!"

The bit with the wolves kind of sweet, and I liked the way it emphasised the childlike side of Emelia there; she hasn't been around long, but she's already developed a lot of depth.


D'awww, who's a cute pair of predators? Yes you are! Oh yes you are!

I am loving the patience of little Emelia! Even if she does scrunch her tiny fists up, she keeps trying.

Loved this line:




BWAAHAA! ROFL !!! LOVED this chapter, these two are perfect together!

What a violent little thing, Emelia. Breaking people's backs. And she's ten! I am anxious to see how Kayla will control her bloodlust, or Skyrim will be bled dry.

Puppies!! Training them to be little killers! Good chapter!

You’re doing a great job with these two (now four if you count their pups). Emelia is terrifyingly adorable. And so the two continue to whine and dine their way across Skyrim!

Puppies!!


And Emelia has already mastered puppy dog eyes.

Awwww...Wolfie Puppies™!!!...Sooo cute...

I did love the stop being so cute thing... ...And the story behind the names were a brilliant touch...

And I'm very pleased that Emelia got away well enough to off the orc...

Brilliant stuff...

Loving it..

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

That she has!

What I am really enjoying about this (and book one) is how you play with the reader's expectations. Vampires - they've been turned, their world upside down having been through this immense trauma - and yet they are the ones who are finding humour in the situation (the fangs, oh my God, the fangs - it should be illegal to make me splutter aloud like that!) and the, dare I say, human connections - both with the wolf pups (cute, cute, cute!) and with each other. Compared to our vampire hunters. Disconnected. Unable to say what they really mean, unwilling to admit to themselves what's in their hearts. You never take the obvious approach here, and the story always seems fresh because of it. And it doesn't hurt that it's great fun!

Lovin' it, lovin' it! Please continue