Astarion x M!Reader

Four

Teeth bared, you placed your hands on Horren's chest. He felt strong under your fingers. Muscles twitched as your cold flesh robbed him of warmth.

He didn't move as the tips of your teeth dug through the first layer of flesh on his neck. Only a slight twitch told you that he pulled a face.

You smirked against his skin. Teeth dug deeper. Blood filled your mouth and suddenly there was that feeling you knew all too well.

Desire.

Blood was like liquid gold to vampires. Not only did it keep them alive, but it was also the only thing they could savour. In large quantities, it intoxicated them like alcohol, but if they were moderate, it provided warmth and satisfied their hunger. The better the blood, the longer it could tame the beast that slumbered in every vampire.

And Horren had really excellent blood.

It was neither too sweet nor too bitter. Normally, illness tainted the flavour, but you couldn't taste any of the black plague in this blood.

You had to remind yourself to moderate yourself so as not to drink it to the last drop. Just a few sips would be enough to make him immortal thanks to your saliva.

With a smacking sound, you pulled back. A thread of thick red blood ran down the corner of your mouth and across your chin.

Horren gasped. His eyes were cloudy and he could barely stay on his feet.

"Well, my, my dear.", you made a gesture and the shadows caught him. "We don't want to die now. I didn't save you for this."

A weary gasp escaped his lips. His eyes grew heavy and he threatened to fall asleep on the spot.

"As you wish.", you leaned over him and breathed a kiss on his sweaty forehead. "The first night is always the worst. Survive it and you'll never die."

His eyes flickered for a moment. Blue shimmered in the moonlight. You looked at him to remember that exact colour. It wouldn't adorn his eyes for much longer.

Vampires all had red eyes. Except for the lords. They could decide how their appearance manifested itself.

You had decided in favour of (E/C). It was the exact same shade you had as a mortal. The eyes with which your mother had given birth to you and pushed you into the shadows to save her own skin.

Her eyes.

"L-Lord...", gasped Horren in a weak voice.

Like a painting, he hung limply in the grip of the shadows, his feet off the ground while his gaze was on you. You smiled at him.

"My darlings call me Platinum.", you breathed into his ear. "Because I adorn myself with it."

Once again, Horren struggled to keep his eyes from closing.

"What... is your... real name?", he asked.

As you caressed his hair, you shook your head. A lord never reveals his name.

"Platinum is enough. And now sleep. Your willpower will decide whether you wake up another night.", and with these words you handed his body over to the shadows.

They would carry him safely home to you. They had never failed you before and they would not fail you now.

Satisfaction spread through you as you wiped the sweat from your hands and glanced up at the moon. What a good night for a successful hunt.

Perhaps it was unwise in all your years of experience but for a brief moment your senses dulled and you felt like a human. It still wasn't cold and you couldn't feel the stone under your feet. But your ears went deaf and your nose was clouded by the wind.

That sometimes happened when your strength was drained after a transformation. It would soon subside, but now it was probably better to retreat.

You were just turning round when you suddenly stopped. Your eyebrows raised in surprise.

A young man with silver hair stood in front of you. His eyes wide open, he took a quick step back. Fear constricted his throat. He didn't even call for help.

"Brennan.", his name tasted like a faint memory.

How bitter sweet.

The young man backed away. His head jerked and he gasped for breath.

He must have approached you from behind. That's why you hadn't seen him behind Horren. His steps must have been swallowed up by your dwindling strength.

"H-Horren!", he gasped, stumbling over his own feet in the dust. "The lord constable has been killed!

Tears filled his eyes.

You smiled gently at him. Your hands opened as if you wanted to invite him into a hug.

"But no.", your voice was gentle, as if you were talking to a child. "The black plague will no longer torment him. I have freed him."

"M-Monster!", Brennan pulled a scroll from his pocket and conjured the spell.

Suddenly a burning ball awoke right in front of you.

You couldn't feel the heat but it made the metal of your jewellery glow. Black edges ate into your wrists as the heated bracelets burned into your skin.

Undeterred, you wiped the fire away with your bare hand. The ball burst into several small flames that burnt up in the wind.

Just as you were about to call the young man to his senses, a shadow suddenly appeared and grabbed Brennan by the throat. Startled, he gasped and dropped the scroll. Not a second later, teeth dug into his throat, causing him to scream.

Red streams gushed out of him and soaked the light-coloured robe. Unaware of what was happening, you watched the scene until there was nothing left of Brennan but a withered husk.

"I must confess, Platinum...", a vampire turned to you, his face smeared with blood. "You have good taste. That boy was delicious."

Cazador Szarr gave you a smile that was more mockery and derision than anything else. Dissatisfied, you curled your lips.

"You damn bastard, that was supposed to be my new spawn.", you growled.

There was still a trace of Horren's blood on your teeth. Cazador bowed his head internally.

"I see you didn't remain empty-handed today.", he said, wiping his mouth clean with a white silk handkerchief. "So why the displeasure?"