The Shadows | Astarion

~ 10 ~

Aelia's breath hitched as she walked backwards, until her back hit the cave wall. Astarion stalked closer to her, until she had to look up at him.

"Tell me when to stop, my sweet." He whispered, pushing her up against the wall and moving his face towards her neck.

She nodded, and found herself leaning her head to the side, offering up her neck to him.

His fangs lengthened and he grazed her neck softly, and she gasped quietly.

He then sunk his fangs into her, and she hissed in pain, but felt his hands around her waist keeping her upright. She breathed out as she felt him drinking her blood.

Astarion groaned against her neck and she felt his hold around her hips tighten, she laid her hands on his chest.

"Astarion." She gasped, feeling a little light headed. He soon stopped, and released his fangs from her neck.

But he didn't move away.

He licked the drops of blood from her neck, and she felt sparks on her skin, and a feeling of pleasure.

His hands moved away from her hips, but she stumbled against him, feeling woozy.

Her slightly hooded eyes glanced up at him, and she could already see a difference in him, his eyes brighter, standing more proud.

"It seems I've taken a bit too much." He purred, and still kept his hands on her hips, keeping her more upright.

"It's fine, I wanted to help you." She mumbled, her hands sliding down his chest as she leaned against the wall.

"Do you need something?" He asked, his eyes were concerned as he stared down at her.

"I think I'd like to sit down." Astarion nodded and let go of her hips, and Aelia slid down the wall and sat on the floor.

Astarion then sat beside her.

She blinked slowly, and then leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. He stiffened, but then relaxed quickly.

"Do you want to know something?" She asked quietly, her eyes closed.

"Anything." He replied, barely breathing.

"Whenever I'm with you, the darkness doesn't scare me." She whispered and then fell silent.

Astarion glanced down to see she'd slipped into her meditation, her body needed to replenish what he'd taken.

He didn't want to disturb her so he sat as still as he possibly could.

Shadowheart then walked back into the cave, and her eyes immediately swept to the pair, and she grinned.

"Be careful with her, Astarion, I'm beginning to think she might be healing from whatever horrors she faced in her past." She spoke, and glanced at Aelia softly.

Astarion wondered what else she had suffered through, especially if her father had been so cruel.

He wondered what room she had been talking about.

"I know that." He answered softly, and she went to her pack. No sound but the crackling fire filled the cave.

Until Gale walked in.

The wizard's eyes looked at Astarion and Aelia, and he looked away quickly. The vampire stared at him.

He didn't like that he'd woken up to see Aelia and Gale sitting so closely, his hand in hers, the fact they were both drenched in water. He wondered what they'd been doing.

Astarion shut the thoughts away.

He let her rest on his shoulder until she woke up.

Her eyes opened and she felt more clear headed, she then realised Astarion was still next to her and she had her head on his shoulder.

Flushed in the face, she quickly moved away from him, looking around to see that she was still in that cave, and not there.

"Feeling better, pet?" Astarion purred, a smirk on his lips.

Aelia continued blushing and stared at him, "I am, thank you for... staying with me."

"It's the least I could do, I did stick my fangs in that pretty neck of yours." He said, his eyes full of amusement.

Aelia tilted her head and smirked at him, "You think I'm pretty?"

"I think you're absolutely beautiful." He answered, red eyes boring into hers.

Aelia didn't know what to say, as they stared as each other.

"The sun sets soon, we should get ready to leave." Gale's voice broke their stare, and Aelia stood up.

Without a word, she set off to pack her bed roll, Astarion watched her walk away for a moment before walking to his pack.

Gale looked in between the two without a word.

"We can stop at an inn on the road rather than a cave this next time around, hopefully they have rooms." Shadowheart spoke, looking at them all, then they left the cave and set off towards the inn.