#vampirenoble

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.

The desperate hunger in his eyes was obvious as he stumbled backwards away from her recently awoken form, but Ana could not find the energy to be distraught at his betrayal. After everything else, she figured she should have seen it coming. After all, it wasn't as though Lae'zel had not already made her loyalties clear. This however, was different. Astarion was, of course, a slave to sanguine hunger above all else; however, his eyes screamed not just with hunger, but with both a deeper need and something else: fear. Not that he would ever admit to it, and if confronted she was sure he would just as quickly have a knife to her throat, again.

His inhuman nature had been obvious, and his smile was always shallow enough to hide his now visible canines. Along with his avoidance of running water that she had previously chalked up to discomfort, Ana was surprised she had not recognized the signs sooner. After all, he was not the first vampire she had met, although he was the nicest to look at.

Her eyes took in his display of submission, and noticed then the tension in his shoulders, the crease of his brow, the shallowness of his breathing. The sounds she had heard earlier were not mere tossing or discomfort, he had just awoken from a nightmare. Fortunately for Ana, his stirring had awoken her as well. Otherwise, she may have become his meal, although she still might. Her eyes searched his face for a response or explanation, but found only a thinly veiled fabrication of submission.

Beyond that though, was the fear still etched on his suddenly open expressions. For once it seemed that he may be quick to tell the truth, but she already knew it. He was not just hungry, he was afraid. For whatever reason, he needed to feed for reasons beyond hunger. Validation perhaps? The signs were all there, but without knowing much more

"First Gale is a living bomb, and now you cannot even find the decency to not feed on your friends, or at least, companions? Could you not sulk off to the woods and find less important prey?"

The betrayal in her voice was thick, but she could only hope he would not catch on to her deception as she waited eagerly for his explanation.

"I am just too slow, too hungry to catch anything," he mourned, lowering his chin as though ashamed of his actions. Ana knew better than to fall for his act, however convincing it may have seemed. He was, after all, quite the manipulator when it came to luring victims back to his master before the mindflayers liberated him.

"But if I just had a little blood, if I was fed I could think clearer, fight better. Please."

Ana watched him closely before letting out a sigh, uncertain if she should let on her intuition or keep silent. If she could remain seemingly oblivious, the vampire may let more slip about what got him so riled up in the first place, preferably without the use of the wretched parasite.

Focusing her energy into her hand, Ana slowly rose to her feet. Astarion's hand flexed and reached for his blade, but she was faster. With an outstretched hand, the elf placed her hand on his temple and delved into his mind. Memories flashed before her eyes, but she focused in on the most prevalent ones, the memories that were brought to the forefront of his mind during their conversation. From his perspective, she watched him feed. However, it was not from a human, not even from the neck of some other humanoid creature. Instead, she watched as he sunk his fangs into the twisted body of a rat, the only thing his master allowed him to eat. It was then that she understood.

He did not just need blood to satiate his hunger, he needed it because in a way, it would signify some semblance of freedom from Cazador. Perhaps in doing this, the vampire could prove to himself that he was no longer trapped under his master's command, that he could disobey. He was free to do what he wanted after all, at least for now.

"Alright, take what you need."

Astarion's face fell at first, and it would seem that he had not even listened to her response as his usual scowl began to cover up the slight show of vulnerability. It was only when Anastasia lowered herself onto the blankets and stared him down that he seemed to comprehend her words.

"Really? I-," he stammered, attempting to regain his composure as Ana purposefully pulled down her collar.

"Oh, not a drop more. I swear, you won't regret trusting me."

She could almost laugh, but did not want to frighten the man off. She knew he was lying and yet, she understood his need. Perhaps a bit distant from the hunger, but the need to prove his freedom, to be out of the pervasive grasp of his master was familiar to her. He loomed over her, and for a moment her eyes caught his own, the ferocity in her eyes stopping him in his tracks.

She knew that doing this would only paint a larger target on her back, especially from the vampire lord that had such a strong hold over the elf, even now. At the same time though, she reveled in the ferocity in Astarion's eyes, and hers mirrored it. Together, they were ripping apart the ties that Cazador had so meticulously woven, and for once she was not worried. After all, she did not feel as though the fate at the hands of a vampire could be much worse than the fate of becoming a mind flayer. At the very least, Cazador would be in for a surprise when she transformed during her capture if he were to find them.

Her mind wandered as the vampire sunk to his knees beside her, wondering if Cazador would be able to regain control of his pawn in spite of the tadpole, or if he would be able to overtake hers while the tadpole still took refuge in it. The tension was almost tangible, and she fought a hiss when his fangs finally found their mark, masking it with a sharp intake of breath.

Ana could feel him slowly lose control as her blood flowed from her neck, his pace quickened alongside his breathing before she finally reached up to rest a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to break him from his trance.

For a moment she began to wonder if he would come to his senses, or if this was his plan all along. Before she could protest, he tore himself away from her neck and stumbled to his feet, apologizing and wiping the blood from his face as he went. His eyes gleamed with excitement, and he seemed stronger, more confident than before. Most importantly, the fear that had previously etched itself onto his perfect features had been replaced by an emotion Ana had never seen on him before. Astarion was happy, and that was enough to put Ana's mind to rest for the time being even as the dizziness began to overtake her senses.