Viconia was already at the chapterhouse by the time I arrived, sorting through a small collection of coins that represented more money than what I would've seen in a lifetime of legion savings. Her eyes were alight with the same strange glow that appeared whenever she looked upon wealth or trappings of power and influence, and I could see that she had spent some of the money already to gain better clothes.

  For the moment she was dressed in a central Nibeanese dress; a flowing garment of silk and silver threads that was completely at odds to the worn leather and chainmail she had worn for the previous months. Once again I felt the pang of the attraction I had for her suddenly knife me in the gut, seeing all too well that the flowing silk did nothing to hide her beauty and only seemed to accentuate it. A simple belt clinched it around her waist, and it hung freely from her shoulders, leaving her forearms bare and a short slit down the front revealed a considerable amount of cleavage. A strange sense of remorse filled me as the ghostly white trails of scarring could be seen across every inch of dark flesh, showing a networked history of pain that had been etched into skin.

  She looked up as I entered, the sound of the door and my booted footsteps on the stone floor announcing my presence. She caught my eyes in her wolf-like gaze which seemed to turn cunning and predatory for an instant before an alluring smile smothered it.

  "I was wondering when you would return." Rising gracefully to her feet she floated over to me with her sandalled feet making no sound.

  As she moved closer she saw the red swelling of my jaw and eye and raised an eyebrow. "It seems that I can't leave you to your own devices."

  Reaching up she tilted my head to the side with the back of her hand, gazing over my fresh wounds. The touch and feel of her skin against mine almost made me sigh with pleasure but I clamped down and ground my teeth instead. There was no doubt that she was toying with me, even as she stepped back with an amused twinkle in her eyes and folded her arms.

  "I got into a fight." My reply was simple and only made her pout slightly.

  "That much is obvious dos'wael. Was it anyone interesting?"

  "A cultist." My grin was still somewhat shocking as my teeth still slightly pink with blood. "She tried to stab me in the back."

  "And yet here you are darkening the doorway looking like you were struck in the face. They must've been incompetent or had terrible accuracy."

  "Ha. She was a pretty good fighter actually. Got a few good hits in before I managed to finish it." With my free hand I gestured to her as I placed the coins I had left over from my visit to the tannery on the table. "I see that you have managed to procure some new clothes."

  She flicked her hair back slightly to get it from her eyes. "I grew tired of wearing those rags I have been stewing in for weeks. While we're in town at least I thought I would wear something more comfortable instead."

  The expression that filled her face was all challenge as though she was daring me to say something against her spending the money on non-essentials. Truth be told with the amount of wealth we had found ourselves in possession of I doubted that she would have been able to spend the entire amount in less than two days.

  "It... It looks good." I stammered, feeling my heart suddenly racing. From the lack of emotion that I felt during a life-or-death battle this situation felt alien and left me feeling somewhat nauseous in comparison.

  Her smile grew broader in a combination of pleasure at my poorly attempted compliment and in an all-too-familiar expression of predatory hunger that I was becoming too accustomed to. It made me feel as though she was a spider and I was an insect stuck in her web for her amusement and appetite.

  "The dress? Or me?"

  The smell of the perfume she had applied was thickening the air around me and I suddenly found my mind wrapped in cobwebs. At that point anything would have been a welcome reprieve from my own nervousness and the growing lust consuming me. If an Oblivion Gate had opened outside the door at that very moment I would've thrown myself into it without hesitation.

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  "Uh... Both?"

  She laughed, her voice suddenly musical and still managing to be sensuous. "You have such a way with women abbil. They must fall by their dozens at your feet."

  "I have never been that lucky." I replied half-jokingly.

  "Well, by what I have seen these past weeks on the surface I'm surprised and somewhat appalled at what you surfacers consider courtship. Powdered and perfumed, weighed down with wigs and cloth and not one using any form of skill or what little natural grace they were gifted with."

  I suddenly found myself uncomfortably close to her as she stepped forward until she was less than a daggers length away. Fully clad in my armour and gaining a couple of centimetres in height from my leather boots she seemed so tiny and petite, almost appearing fragile until one saw the steel-like cords of muscle threading through her limbs. The scent of her flesh wrapped around me as I looked down into her yellow eyes, feeling my desire growing almost like that of my thirst for blood.

  "I have seen you look at women in our travels, but they have never seemed to have retained your attention for more than a glance." Unbidden my enhanced senses suddenly allowed me to feel the warmth of her body, and hear the steady pulse of her heart beating in her chest as my nervousness was building more than just my desire. "There were times I wondered whether you were a eunuch or otherwise enfeebled but I have also seen the way you look at me."

  A finger traced a pattern up my steel breastplate and despite the layers of greased leather, cloth, chainlink and steel I could have sworn I could feel the caress of her fingertip as it wove a pattern. "I know all too well how to stir your emotions and there are none in this world that deserve anything that you have to give."

  For a heartbeat I felt sure that she was about to move even closer and kiss me, or touch me or do anything but instead the hand withdrew and she stepped away. Every nerve ending was aflame with overwhelming desire and couldn't tell whether it was my nervousness, inexperience or self-control that kept me as unmoving as a statue.

  There was a moment of disappointment in her eyes before it became satisfaction, leaving her tapping a finger against her chin in thought. "Tidy yourself up abbil, and wipe that expression from your face. I don't think it will be a good idea to show everyone that you are standing straight by drooling from both sides of your mouth at once."

  Turning in a flurry of fabric and silk she scooped up the pile of coins into the tiny chest we had procured for our stay, looking over her shoulder to where I still stood dumbfounded. "I will see you for dinner. Don't be late."

  After she ghosted from the room with liquid grace and the door closed behind her alluring form I remained rooted to the floor. Thousands of thoughts were running through my head and I wrestled with them all. I had never felt so confused in my life and while I felt somewhat angry and insulted in the way that she teased and played with my emotions and feelings I couldn't help yearning for more. My body and soul yearned with a clenching fire for even the hint of the slightest touch from my alluring companion.

  Instead, after finally collecting my thoughts sufficiently enough to be able to remember how to breathe properly I simply sat in a chair, staring into the wooden wall and trying to understand just exactly I had found myself in since deserting. The mood between Viconia and I bordered on outright flirting and some not-so-subtle teasing from her. Not knowing what to do I simply chose not to react, which in turn only seemed to encourage her to continue. It was maddening and in so many different ways I was finding myself being lost to the various changes eroding my soul and personality.

  The fortnight we remained in Skingrad became steadily more productive, receiving and fulfilling a handful of contracts in the local area. Each contract seemed to increase our growing fortunes despite our best efforts to spend some of it, and by the time we would have to move on we were both more suitable attired and prepared. New leathers and more expensive cloth covered our bodies, and each of us kept more comfortable attire for our stays in towns or cities. My hauberk had been repaired and adjusted to be more a second skin and to suit my physique as well as leaving the necessary space for when the vampire took over and filled my muscles with its strength.

  Viconia no longer dressed in what was comparatively rags to her beauty, instead even her armour had been chosen not only for its protection but the way it looked while she wore it. Every buckle, piece of cloth and chainlink was of the best quality that she had managed to procure and soon pieces of jewellery found its way into her possession. Rings, necklaces and a headband of Stirling silver soon became permanent decorations that only seemed to highlight her natural allure while not appearing ostentatious or making her a target for thieves.

  Several new contracts arrived for the guild to fulfil and we found ourselves busy with clearing a nearby silver mine of goblins, rescuing a daughter of one of the town burghers and a few other minor errands that usually revolved around some form of animal control. Otherwise we trained and spent time around the city. Due to her interest in several of the books I had acquired I soon found myself teaching her to read what little I knew of ancient cyrodillic and Dunmeri. In return she began teaching me Velmer; something that she seemed impressed with how quickly I managed to pick up the basics. Spending such time in close proximity did nothing for my confused feelings for her and the uncertainty of our relationship, but it was pleasant nonetheless.