Chapter Text
"Ah, so the blood-sucker has arrived," Nyx grinned as Astarion approached.
She had snuck off on her own once more since the first night. That night as well, Nyx and Astarion spent the entire night together, Astarion watching to make sure Nyx didn't lose control and Nyx trying her best to keep him from getting bored. She had even tried playing a game with him at some point, something he had been less than receptive to.
In the end, he got out a book and Nyx occupied herself by meditating and trying to chase away any cruel thoughts.
She didn't need to sneak off every night. Dark thoughts plagued her at all hours, but there were times where she could relax and meditate while the group slept. Sometimes, she could even sleep herself. Almost a week had passed since the first night.
Now, tonight, it was less about her bloodthirst and more about her revelation the night before. Their night time escapades provided a chance to speak alone, after all.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd never call me that again," Astarion wrinkled his brow at her and frowned.
"Wh- what? Not gonna try to suck my blood tonight?" Nyx continued to tease him.
"Why? You want me to?" Astarion attempted to turn it on her, "I know you were enjoying yourself the other day. I could feel you writhing underneath me, and the sounds you were making..."
"Guilty!" she laughed, "Don't pretend you didn't li- didn't like it, too! I had to pry you off of me!"
"Guilty," he shrugged. She laughed, and caught a small smile on his face before he schooled his features again.
"But, seriously, you never told me you and I were s-s-s..." she paused, trying to get her words in order, "So similar."
"How so?" he sounded bored now. Whether that was intentional on his part or how he actually felt, Nyx didn't know.
"Well to begin with, everyone is afraid of us," she took a seat on the soft grass beneath her and immediately began pulling grass out of the dirt.
"Correction, my dear, they're intimidated by us," Astarion leaned against a tree, "You give yourself too much credit."
Nyx rolled her eyes. She was certain everyone at camp was at least a little afraid of her. At the very least they were afraid of when she would lose control next. She supposed they weren't exactly afraid of Astarion, as much as they were wary of him. One thing was for sure, they didn't react nearly as violently as they had when they found Alfira's body.
As for Nyx, she was confident Astarion wouldn't try to drink anyone's blood again after she had thrown him off her with so much force that he had the wind knocked out of him. Shadowheart had to heal a broken rib.
"We both had to- to do things we didn't want to do..." Nyx trailed off, wondering if perhaps she shouldn't have said that. Astarion was tender about his experience with Cazador, and still hadn't told her much.
"Doesn't everyone?" Astarion brushed the question off. Even to Nyx it was clear she shouldn't push further. She was lucky he hadn't blown up on her, like he had earlier when she asked him about his past.
"Whatever, you just don't- don't want to admit you have anything in common with me," Nyx continued to pull grass out of the soil, sensing it was time to change the subject, "Anyways. Do you want to s-s-suck my blood or what? Just don't go overboard like last time."
Astarion pretended to consider her offer for more than a second, "If you insist."
He knelt down to the ground where Nyx was sitting. The pain in her neck was fleeting as his teeth sunk into her, replaced quickly with something far more pleasurable. He gripped her body as close to his as he possibly could, one hand on her neck and one on her back, pulling her close. Idly, Nyx wondered what her blood tasted like. She wondered what Astarion's blood would taste like.
With no room for air between them, Nyx could feel every shiver of his body. Hopefully pleasant shivers. Nyx' back was arched, her chest pressing against his. As much as she was pressing into him, he was pressing himself into her. Or, more accurately, hugging her to himself.
If she wanted to, she could break free. They both knew this. She had done it before. Today, she chose not to.
She placed her hands on his back, tracing down his spine with her fingertips. A thought flashed into her mind, unwanted, of ripping his spine out and leaving him to bleed to death. She dug her nails in, close to his spine but not quite there. It would be so easy...
He unlatched his teeth, but did not pull away immediately. Instead, he licked at her wound. She shivered and forced herself to release him.
She could feel his labored breathing on her own chest. Certainly he could feel her heartbeat, though he himself did not have one. She felt a little woozy, like she probably shouldn't try to stand up right away.
"Mmm..." he finally pulled away, "Delicious."
She gripped the back of his shirt in order to stay upright. Astarion, for his part, didn't seem to mind. He was still basically in her lap. She could feel blood and saliva drying on her neck. Astarion himself, who was usually cool to the touch, was warm. With her blood, perhaps? When she met his eyes, he smiled at her.
She could see her own blood on his sharp canines and had to clench his shirt tighter to keep herself from grabbing at his mouth and just pulling, pulling, ripping at the tender skin. Not stopping until his jaw was unattached from his skull. She had been right the first time she met him, he would make a pretty corpse.
Pushing him away, she closed her eyes to focus on the present moment.
"Are you alright?" he asked, tilting his head.
She looked back up at him and met his eyes, and couldn't stop herself from grinning and responding, "Never better."