Work Text:
“What’s it like feeding on other people?” You ask after your latest adventure quiets down. That fight was brutal and it was lucky that Astarion was able to bite and get strength back towards the end.
“It’s more fun when they’re willing,” he eyes your neck. He pulls you into a tight and swift kiss. His body is warmer than usual and thrums with the fresh blood. “And you’re the most willing, aren’t you?” He has mostly only bitten others during fights.
“Is there a particularly different taste?”
He swallows hard. “Yes, of course there is.”
You set off together, fingers intertwining.
A thought flashes through your mind. “Would… You know you can always find other willing participants if you want. I mean, I’m alright with that if you wanted it.” He’s quiet for a moment. You let him think. Then, you notice a series of emotions flickering across his face. “Please tell me when you’re ready,” you remind him.
“Seeking them out in…brothels or taverns or wherever I would find people to feed off of would feel too much like what…what I had to do before. Having someone else seek them out would be…also…difficult.” He shakes his head. “I just… Maybe? It would need to be done right.”
“What if we asked the brothels, in total transparency, if any of their staff would be comfortable?” You ask. “Entirely above board. No persuading, no luring, just clear rules and consent. Everyone can leave if they want. We can do it in one of Sharess’ Caress’ rooms and make sure everyone feels safe.”
“I’d love a chance to feed over and over on willing people,” he mused. “Your neck is delicious but…” Astarion shivers dramatically. “I can’t imagine being that…full. Sated. Is this something that you want?”
“I want it if you want it.”
You continue together in silence for a few minutes until he says, “Alright. I want to try this.”
***
The first to volunteer is a plush and large human man. The others remain on an elegant little sofa watching politely and quietly. He settles propped up on the bed and extends a hand to invite Astarion over. Astarion sits beside him tentatively and takes the offered arm.
“Are you joining us?” He asks you and you come to sit on the bed beside Astarion.
“My name is Le Kay.”
“My name is Astarion.” You nearly shiver listening to the way he says his own name.
“I know,” the human smiles. “Ready when you are.”. He’s a little older than you would have expected but he was confident and self assured in the interview, all traits that would certainly draw its own clients. He said took more escort jobs than intimate ones these days, but was more than happy to agree to this and claimed it’d be the easiest money he’d ever made.
The rules are clear.
Astarion won’t feed for more than five minutes on each person. He has to stop if asked to stop - no safe words, just plain stops. Anyone can leave and still get paid. Nobody is to try to seduce Astarion - a hard rule he had debated and settled on just before the event started.
You settle down beside Astarion reassuringly. He had told you he was excited and also nervous. You’d let him rant and rant about his nerves and you had reminded him that it can stop at any time. He wanted to, though, he said he was sure he wanted to do this.
Astarion bites down on Le Kay’s waiting wrist, eyes open and glancing around. He’s nervous. Quickly, he pulls back, “Alright?” he confirms. Astarion looks at you and looks at Le Kay.
“Wonderful, you’re such a doll,” Le Kay says, patting Astarion’s elegant hand with his thick fingered human one.
“I’ll pull you off if anyone needs to stop, even if you get lost in the moment,” you remind Astarion. Your hands trail his back reassuringly.
Nodding, Astarion lowers his lips to flesh again. He groans. He lets go slowly.
You keep an eye on the clock and after a few minutes you give Astarion’s shoulder a gentle shake.
“Spectacular,” he licks his lips.
“How do I taste?” Le Kay asks as he presses a ready clean towel to the puncture marks on his pale pink skin. He’s completely unphased.
“Hmm,” Astarion says in a thoughtful moan you’ve become incredibly familiar with. “Like coffee cake. There’s a bitterness and a sweetness that play together wonderfully.” Astarion looks already sated. He leans back and his shoulders are relaxed. “Decadent.”
“You look more relaxed,” you run your hand along his back reassuringly.
Placing his hand on his chest, Astarion takes a dramatic breath. “Admittedly, I was a little nervous how that’d go.”
“You were very gentle,” Le Kay says politely and reassuringly.
“Ready for more?” You ask Astarion.
Astarion’s fingers trail along his own neck. “Oh, yes, please.”
“I’d like to go next,” the curvy dwarf, Holly, saunters over. “Although I’d rather you not bite my wrist.” Holly eyes you, “Much rather try the thigh. If it makes a mark, it’ll make a wonderful intimate story.”
Astarion looks to you to see if you’re alright with that. “It’s your call,” you tell Astarion.
Holly settles down beside the first, Le Kay, and drapes her leg across him so its a little propped up for access. Astarion holds your gaze as he runs his fingers along her thigh. “Ready?” He asks but he’s still looking at you. After a brief nod, he turns from you, leans to the bare thigh and bites down. Holly lets out a yelp followed by a moan and grips the first worker. Watching the three of them, you feel aroused as if you were watching something else entirely. Le Kay gives Holly support and Holly feeds Astarion.
Astarion’s hand snakes towards you on the bed and you hold it. As he gets more engaged in the feed, his whole body starts to move in gentle waves as if he is drinking with his entire body. He is letting out more sounds than he usually does when drinking, half moans.
This time he doesn’t check in and only stops when you ask him to stop after the set amount of time.
“And,” the dwarf asks, “what do I taste like?”
“Sweet,” Astarion licks off a last bit of blood from his lips. “And…spice. Not spicy like hot but like…like a winter festival.”
“Mmm, I’ve never been told that before.” Le Kay hands Holly a fresh towel and she presses it into her thigh, still curled up against him. “I almost hope it does leave a scar,” she muses.
Astarion chuckles and leans back, “If it doesn't, you know where to find me.”
He pulls you towards him and then slumps against you pleasantly. You can feel how warm he is. His body feels loose and more relaxed than it ever has been before. His blinks are slow and languid. He reminds you of a cat with a bowl of cream.
“Course after course,” Astarion sighs. “I have never needed to pace myself before.”
You wrap your arms around his waist. Despite knowing that isn't how the feeding works, you almost expected his stomach to be over full. His midsection muscles are relaxed but not distended with his feasting.
You kiss his neck and his ear gently. “This makes me happy.”
“This actually is fun,” the last purs from where they’re seated on the wall. “Coming into this I thought it would be boring just waiting. Although I would love to get my turn.” Their name is Trynn if you remember right.
“Tired of waiting?” Astarion asks them while still nuzzling into you.
Trynn gets up and saunters over. You realize that Trynn is only wearing sheer clothes under their robes when they start to shed them. “It’s getting quite warm.” You give them a warning look.
“It is warm,” Astarion purrs. “Do what you must with your clothes. Just know that no matter how much skin you show, you won’t be seducing me.”
“Do you maybe need to lose a layer, Astarion?” you ask him. You can feel heat thrumming beneath his clothes even though he never gets more than barely warm normally.
“Seems so,” he peels off his shirt. “Feels like…like when you drink a little too much brandy.” His cheeks are actually flushed. You hadn’t even realized that this was possible. “A little out of control, too.”
“Do you want to keep going?” You ask him.
“Yes,” he looks like he’s swaying a little. “Yes, I know you’ve got me.” He touches a hand to his own face. “My, my, I’m sure I'm in such a state.” Astarion’s chest is even a little flushed. His hair is disheveled after the feeding and removing his shirt. His eyelids are heavy.
Trynn is in quite a state of undress without their robe. They lay down in front of Astarion. “You’ve bitten a wrist and a thigh so far, what would you like to bite on me?”
Astarion directs them to lay their head on your lap. “I’m going to bite your neck,” he says silkily. “The blood will flow fast so,” he looks to you, “stop me a little early.”
They look up at you from where their head is resting on your thighs. Trynn smiles and makes a show of snuggling into you. “Ready when you are,” they tell Astarion.
When Astarion moves to bite down, it's slow. He’s already full and satisfied but he is embracing the experiment. At this angle, you can watch very well and touch him almost as though you were the one being fed on.
You love seeing Astarion this way, like perhaps his hunger is finally filled. He drinks smooth and deeply from Trynn but the thick draws make a trail of blood.
You notice Astarion’s hair is falling across his face. The angle and way he’s drinking, he’s about to get blood in those lovely stray locks so you pull it back. His head gently presses into your fingers. He releases his lips from this person’s flesh ever so briefly. He lets out a wordless thankful noise as he keeps drinking.
With your hands in his hair, it almost feels like he’s drinking from you. The same way you feel when he feeds - that need, that fulfillment, that way he loses himself in you, the way you know you make him feel safe - is all there. He’s your precious partner and you feel a sense of pride and thrill in the way he trusts you. He trusts you to protect him. He trusts you to stop him.
Your fingers are tempted to fist in his hair but you stroke gently. Your fingernails scratch softly on his scalp and then pass smoothly to stroke towards his neck. The gesture is more nurturing than you would have expected from yourself even if you are historically protective of your sassy vampire.
This is what he should have been given from the beginning. Your heart breaks and remolds itself as you think of how he should have been given a chance to develop a relationship with blood that was free and full. He should have learned restraint through abundance. Instead, he was starved and denied, and left to pick up the pieces after centuries, even after getting revenge.
But here he is, daring and vulnerable. Caring for himself despite everything that was beaten into him.
“That’s enough,” you tell him gently when the time is up. His face is smeared in blood but you managed to spare his hair.
“And,” Trynn asks, still with their head on your lap, “what do I taste like?”
“Rich, thick, complete. Like cream,” Astarion tilts forwards so he’s pressing his forehead onto your shoulder. You drape a hand on him and hold him close.
The human Le Kay, the first to be fed on, pulls Trynn, the latest, towards them and presses yet another fresh towel to their neck. The three sex workers who had been fed on are all propped on pillows now, curled around each other as they gently trace fingers on each other's skin and watch you.
Astarion drapes himself over you and says, “I need a moment before anything else.” His eyes are shut and you pull him towards you. “Almost like I can’t think past the blood.” It doesn’t seem to be lust, hunger or longing, but a deep calm. “Like I can’t at all.” He seems almost too relaxed to even ramble.
“I’ve got you,” you kiss his hair.
His bloodied chin drips onto his neck, his chest, and a little bit your clothes, but you don’t mind. You expected as much.
Astarion is loose and relaxed in your arms and against your body. With all the tension dropped from his body, he feels even softer as you trace your fingers along his shoulders and arms. Despite the blood and the heat of the multiple feedings, this moment itself feels incredibly wholesome, as if you had finally gotten him a feast of his favorite foods and he’s ready to sleep it off.
“How do you feel?” You eventually ask.
“Heavy and light all at once,” Astarion sighs.
“Flattering,” Holly croons from the little cuddle pile.
Astarion nuzzles you but is mostly still. “Feeling very full right now. The high buzz from a single feeding has made way for something slower and deeper.”
As he explains, you realize that you have a buzz of your own. Typically, you are the submissive in your relationship with Astarion, but today you are in charge, caring, and making sure he’s safe. Today, you are doting on him and filling his needs. If not for the venue and the blood, it might even be wholesome.
“You’ve still got one more,” you kiss his forehead. “If you want. We saved the best for last.”
“More?”
“I have a new client,” Le Kay says, standing and getting the door. “He’s getting married in a week but he’s never…been…intimate with anyone.” A young man steps in dressed in spectacular finery. “Once we’re finished here, I’m going to help break him in. But we wanted to see if you would be interested.”
“A virgin?” Astarion perks up. He looks at you with his mouth open.
“Only if you want,” you very gently kiss Astarion’s forehead.
“Oh,” he continues to sit up. He clasps his hands together in glee. “Oh, I want very much.” Astarion stands and moves like liquid towards the half-elf. You were not sure how he would feel about this youth but you had heard about it from Le Kay at the very last minute. “This is what you want?”
“I want everything and anything,” the little aristocrat says. “I…need the experience. I want the experience.”
“Of course,” Astarion circles him. “What fun.” He leads him to the bed but only so the young man’s knees press against it. Astarion stands behind him swaying a little, and wraps his arms around the man’s waist.
The young man leans into Astarion. “Thank you,” he whispers.
“No,” Astarion croons, leaning the man’s head back. He’s incredibly gentle and slow. “Thank you.” He looks up at the three sex workers and then at you. “Keep your eyes open, little one,” he tells the young man. “Watch them watching us.” He keeps one arm around the man’s waist and the other on his head as he bites down. Astarion holds your gaze as he drinks until his lids slide slowly shut.
The young half elf looks to be enjoying himself, judging by his face and the bulge in his pants.
“Soft,” Astarion releases the neck for a moment. “Clear. Pure. Sweet like a mountain creek in spring.” He returns to the neck. The half elf is practically melting in his arms and Astarion’s taken most of his weight now.
In a surprise to everyone, Astarion detaches before the time is even called. He exhales and stumbles back. “Oh, I could just about drain you dry,” there’s danger in his voice. “Best you’re on your way before mistakes are made.” He brightens the facade and says, “This has been fun my dears, but there are things I want to do alone with my little love.”
They say their goodbyes and you watch Astarion swaying slightly. He holds your gaze as the others leave. You admire him, relaxed and powerful. Blood has smeared over him, stark against his pale features.
“Thank you so much,” you tell them just before the door clicks shut. They have already been compensated but you make a mental note to drop additional tips for them when you leave.
“In fact this… is the last one,” Astarion growls and crawls towards you. He pushes you back and slides atop you. His body is hot and practically feverish. Feeding always makes him warmer but this is different.
You can feel yourself start to sweat beneath his body as he takes his time. He presses heavy against you as he kisses your cheeks and nibbles your ear. He runs his tongue along your neck to cross to the other side and reverse the movement.
“Surprised you can even consider drinking any more,” you comment.
“Oh,” he guides your hands to be pinned at your sides. “I’ll always have room for you,” and he bites down.
He doesn’t drink for very long before he pulls back. Your hands roam up and down his back and his arms where he’s braced atop you.
“I can’t tell if you’re sleepy or horny,” you whisper.
“I’m everything,” he kisses your cheek. “I’m everything,” he laughs at his own words. “But I just want to be here with you,” he lays beside you and rests his head on his arm. “This was perfect.” His other arm drapes across you. When you look at him, his eyes are closed but a soft smile remains on his bloodied face.