Astarion x M!Reader

Six

Candles flickered as your bare feet descended onto the soft carpet of silver blue velvet.

Although vampires lost their human senses the more they surrendered to darkness, you could still feel something sometimes. In order not to lose any of these precious moments to an unpleasant feeling, your manor was adorned with only the most beautiful of things.

The carpets were soft, or so you thought, and the only other fabric was velvet or silk. Platinum gleamed on the ancient stone walls.

Your gaze travelled up the dark wooden staircase, over ornate vases full of blooming flowers. A series of pictures were displayed high up. They all depicted the same man at different stages of his life.

An untrained eye would have thought it was a bloodline of men who looked very similar. But you knew it was one and the same person.

You.

More than hundreds of years ago you had started to have these kinds of pictures made. Not to deceive visitors, but so that you could remember after all this time that you too had once changed.

Now you were always the same. And that wouldn't change for the rest of eternity.

"Master!", a voice chirped at you from above.

A man, young, almost too young for your taste, leaned over the banister of the heavy wooden staircase with a beaming smile.

His upper body hung so far over the railing that you knew he was going to fall. He would probably even fall on purpose so that you would catch him in mid-air.

You made a gesture with your fingers and the shadows woke up. Like snakes, they stretched upwards and wrapped themselves around the slender body to carry it from the railing to the ground.

You received him with a smirk, two fingers on his chin. Stubbles were visible around his jaw. It wasn't often that Cillian didn't shave.

"My darling.", you purred and let him press a kiss to your cold cheek.

Arms wrap around your neck. You raised your hands for the shadows to place him in your arms. He wasn't heavy, after all you had superhuman strength.

"We were already worrying.", two more men were coming down the stairs.

One of them was as broad as he was tall. The hair on his head was completely gray and his beard was already completely white. He reminded of an older, more mature version of Horren.

"Albert.", you stretched out your head to ask for a kiss.

As usual for him, he kissed your forehead while Cillian squeezed between you, giggling.

"Master.", a sweet voice crept into your chest and thawed your icy heart.

"Lorelei.", you beckoned him closer with a gesture.

Of all your spawns, Lorelei was the one who had remained the most human. Compared to the others, his tanned skin had not taken on the tone of ash. He wore his hair down to below his shoulder blades and the red in his eyes had hardly affected his tan.

Of all the ones you had ever turned, he had stayed the longest. Voluntarily or involuntarily. And even after all this time, you still appreciated his presence in your house.

"You look exhausted, Platinum.", he put a hand on your cheek.

With a deep breath, you close your eyes.

"It's been a long night.", you confirm. "Did he arrive safely?"

"He's asleep.", Albert grabbed Cillian to take him from you.

The younger one protested, but you snapped your fingers and the shadows tamed him.

"Take it easy, my darlings.", you take your time looking at them all in turn. "He's not here to steal your seats. His presence is just an added bonus in this house."

Lorelei frowned.

"It's been a long time since you created a new spawn.", he said. "You're not up to anything, are you?"

Your gaze jumped to Albert. Even if he was the quietest of them all, he could read you well. His eyes dropped and he let out a long breath.

"If that's what you want, so it will be, Platinum.", he said, setting Cillian down on the floor. "I will welcome any scion."

"That's how I'll do it!", Lorelei protested, giving Cillian a quick glance. "But it's... not like you."

His dark eyes locked with yours. You calmly returned the eye contact. A smile appeared on your lips.

"If you have any concerns, then speak up.", you said, already standing on the first steps of the staircase. "I'll be the last one to shut you up."

"Should I restrain myself?"

"No. Not at all. We've been together too long for that."

The wood creaked under your footsteps. Candles flickered and cast wide shadows.

The windows were darkened by silver and white curtains. Only a few threads of moonlight made it into the house.

"Platinum!", Lorelei gathered all his courage as he called out to you as if he was entitled to an answer. "If I ask, blunt as it may be... Do you have more in mind to bring to us?"

Your eyes rested on him, the lids heavy and languid.

When had he started to take such an interest in the others?

It had been a long time since he had last reacted like this.

Was that jealousy on your spawn's face?

You almost had to chuckle. With your hands on the railing, you leaned in his direction. Dark figures danced around your feet.

"My darlings.", your voice was as smooth as honey and yet harder than iron. "You need not worry. We have all the time in this world and beyond. I will not neglect you."

With these words, you took the last steps of the staircase and disappeared into the upper floor of your mansion. Satisfied, you noticed that they did not talk to each other and that not a word of discord was sown.

Nevertheless, you couldn't help but notice how strange the question had been.

What reasons could Lorelei possibly have for opposing the creation of new members of this family?

It couldn't be jealousy. He had been with you for too long. And he had never been the type.

So what was bothering him?