As the Ash Settles

Chapter Nineteen: Fluttering.

As soon as Astarion's feet landed at Gale's, he rushed to where Citrine lay, he had pushed aside Shadowheart as she tried to get an answer from him as to what had been going on. He slammed the door open, and there she was sitting up her eyes lost in confusion. Scratch and Robin zooming over the bed and around the floor. Her eyes met his, "Astarion." He was bloodied and torn his chest filled with tiny holes. "Astarion!" She tried to leap from bed but her body failed her, he rushed to her side adrenaline being his only saving grace.

"How am I alive?" she whispered into his chest, tears rehydrated his blood.

"That does not matter my love, the only thing that matters is that you are here." He gave a small chuckle, holding her close not daring to let go, faces of his passed lovers flooded his thoughts.

"You're hurt."

"This, this is nothing. I've been through far worse." It was a lie, and she knew it but she dared not press. "I thought I told you to stop making decisions for me."

"And I thought we didn't lie to each other." At her words he slumped over onto her, adrenaline finally wearing off.

"Astarion! Astarion." She shook him, he was barely responsive. "You need to feed!" She shoved his mouth around her neck, ushering him to bite down, even in his weakened state he was as stubborn as ever. "Please Astarion!" He refused his body growing weaker she got up running to their trunk pulling a dagger out she sliced her forearm shoving it into his mouth, he drank. The smell of her sweet, fresh blood in his weakened state was too much temptation. It tasted of sweet ripened fruit; how could blood taste so nice after sitting stagnant? Whatever it was he had no control. His body became stronger as he did. He kept drinking, more and more. "Astarion." she tried to remove her arm from his grasp but he was stronger now, she was still weakened from her trip with death.

"Astarion!" Shadowhearts scream broke his trace, Shadowheart pulled Citrine from his grasp. Casting lesser restoration on her once more like she so often did. "She's alive, and this is what you do."

Citrine's eyes fluttered open, "He didn't, I forced him to. He was going to die."

Shadowheart pulled Citrine into her arms, as Citrine tried to make her way back to Astarion. "Explain how she's alive and why you almost killed her again."

"He did not!" Citrine yelled pulling herself out of Shadowheart's arms.

Astarion had not said a word, this is what he feared and it almost happened. The satyr if here would of been grinning ear to ear. Citrine just held him, burrowing herself into him. Shadowheart outraged left the room. Her anger could be heard as she slammed and stomped. Astarion did not blame her.

"How am I alive?" Citrine broke the silence.

"Another time my darling." His eyes fixated on the wound on her forearm, not out of lust for more blood but out of pain. Pain that yet again she would carry another scar because of him. Her touch was painful, he could still feel all those he had sent to their living hells hands on him. He tried to push it back but could not.

"I need to clean myself off, rest and we will talk after."

"I've been resting hardly much more for a body to do when dead. I can hel-"

"No, my love just. I need a moment." Citrine swallowed the rest of her words. He looked as if he had been through hell. For her. He had done so much for her in the short time she had known him and what had he done this time? She could not bare the idea of him enduring more pain on her behalf, but she listened. Watching him walk out the door.

Scratch and Robin tackled her as soon as Astarion was gone, kisses and cuddles plenty. They wagged their tails and made noises of joy. She pet them happy to see her friends again. A soft knock at the door drew her attention.