#drwo

Chapter 1

The morning the party stumbled across the gur hunter, Ana was already exhausted, weakened by blood loss and ever so dizzy. While she wished for nothing more than to return to camp near immediately, her ears perked up as the hunter announced his target. Of course, it would be none other than the vampire stood beside her.

Astarion shifted uncomfortably, distrusting eyes flitting towards his elven companion. Ana was briefly offended at his mistrust, but quickly realized that after being enslaved for so many years, the vampire would cling to his freedom for as long as possible. In turn, with his own self-serving behavior it would be easy to guess what he would do if the roles were reversed. He would not risk himself for another, and would likely turn over a companion without a second thought- for the right price. It was understandable then, that he was worried his leader would do the same.

Fortunately, he was in luck. Ana had no intentions of selling him out to his old master, or whoever had sent the Gur hunter. She was not as ruthless as he was, or at least, not as selfish.

"I would not suggest making deals with a hag, they rarely end the way you expect," she warned, hand slowly making its way towards her weapon as she gave Astarion as gentle of a look as she could muster.

"How kind of you to worry, stranger. But I will find a way to afford her blood price and flush out the spawn."

"And what will you do when you find him, kill him?"

"Not this time. My orders are to capture him and bring him to Baldur's Gate. My people wait for me there."

Ana watched quietly as Astarion tensed, hand ready to reach for his own weapon while he played the part of a quippy noble quite convincingly, until his face dropped at the mention of his master. Rather than left him finish the hunter's rather theatrical warning about the dangers of vampire spawn, she turned to her own.

"Astarion, what do you think?"

A smirk graced his lips, and before the hunter could draw his weapon Ana's scimitar had relieved him of his head.

"Quite poetic don't you think? Vampire hunter decapitated?" she grinned, the ferocity of her gaze seeming to give even the brutal vampire pause.

"Well, I don't know," he started, "I would have preferred him to die a bit slower myself but, whatever our knowledgeable leader suggests."

While she had planned to reach the hag that day and give her the same treatment the hunter had received, Ana could not help but notice the aura of unease radiating from her vampire companion. While he had played it off with his usual playful, almost flirtatious banter, she could tell he needed time to think. Unfortunately, a fight with a hag would be just about the worst time for one of them to be distracted.

"Let's set camp, on the edge of the swamp preferably."

Gale raised his eyebrows in quiet confusion, and Lae'zel looked as though she was going to object in her characteristic rude manner but thought better of it. Ana let out a small sigh of relief as the party begrudgingly agreed to set camp, and was quick to pull Astarion aside as the sun began to sink below the horizon.

"Something you need, or did you just miss me?" he smirked, but his expression seemed vacant, more hollow than usual.

"Hungry?" she offered weakly.

"For you darling, always."

His normally strong gaze felt weak, and he stopped short of reaching her.

"But not tonight."

Ana would never admit it, but she was happy he had not taken her up on her offer, and looked up at him cautiously.

"Look, I'm bad at this but," she took a deep breath, "you know, you know that you are safe with us, right? I saw the look on your face. However good of an actor you may be, I know you thought I would turn you over to him. If it's any consolation, I'll help you kill Cazador, just as I'll help Gale diffuse the bomb in his chest and Wyll escape is deal if he so chooses. However this may end, I will try to keep this party together until everyone is safe, not just from the parasite, but from everything else that has plagued us."

"Safe," he scoffed, "You think that I would believe that I am safe? I am obviously anything but darling, and you would do well to watch what you speak. Should you be overheard, I won't be the only one he will be hunting. He'll use you, you know."

"Ah, as if you don't? I know you were just looking to alleviate your fears when you came to me in the night. You were hungry, sure, but you fed off of me to make sure that you could break his rules. What's another vampire using me for their own gain? At least I can help you rip his head off before you drink from him, we all know I do enjoy a good decapitation as much as the next hunter."

Her words were laced with venom, but her malice was not entirely meant for him. She felt such hatred for a man she had never met, for what he had done to the man before her.

"Why would you help me?" he asked simply.

"Because I hate men like him."

Astarion laughed bitterly, eyes cast down towards the forest floor as the rest of his body grew increasingly tense.

"There are no men like him."

"Sure there are. Plenty really, men who corrupt and enslave for their own good. Even those who torment and torture others throughout the night because they can. I have known many such men, and that is why I plan on ridding the world of another. Vampire or not, he will die the same," Anastasia paused for a moment to level her tone, obviously having caught Astarion's interest with the mention of her own history.

"So yes, you are safe with me. At least, safer than you would be on your own. I won't let him have you."

"Nor I you, I would kill you before he could ever lay hands on you."

His tone sent a shiver down Ana's spine, and although his comment stung at first it gave insight to what horrors the vampire had suffered through that death would be a mercy. For him, it was likely as close to a kind sentiment she could get, as close to a sign of care as he was capable of.

"Be careful going off alone Astarion. I know you have to feed, but it may be better if you do not go hunting at night. Who knows who else may be sent after you, and it's a bit difficult to make sure that pretty head stays attached to your shoulders when I am trying to sleep isn't it?"

"Is that your attempt at offering a meal, or just a word of warning?" he pondered.

"Both."

"Wonderful"

Within seconds she was entangled in his grasp, his breath tickling her throat as she leaned her back against his chest. She could almost laugh as her own breath caught in her throat, perhaps it had been a long time since she had been held in such a way, so delicately. But could her senses really have failed her now of all times in allowing her to become attracted to a being so dangerous.

Initially I thought this would be difficult to maintain 'cause really, how derpy can one man be?