In My Blood

Chapter 3: The Vampire Spawn

TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter briefly references some characters being victims of S/A.

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A boar, its huge body resembling a heap of shadows, is snuggled in the long grass in the silent, dark woodland. Moonlight peeks through the branches overhead, the soft rustle of leaves and the far-off hoot of an owl fill the peaceful night air. The hog appears to be unaware of Astarion sliding gracefully and stealthily through the thick undergrowth. He moves through the shadows while shrouded in darkness, his eyes sparkling like polished rubies. His steps are practically silent as he approaches the gullible creature, an odd calmness accompanying every step.

With his eyes fixed on his target, the pale elf glides closer, his predatory senses sharpened.

A beautiful elf, bathed in the warm glow of the moonlit glade, sneaks through the forest behind him with a kind of ethereal elegance. Her emerald-green eyes hold a profound awareness of the surrounding landscape, and her soft brown curls bounce along her shoulders like stray springs. She moves with the quiet stride of someone who is in tune with the forest's heartbeat, her green clothing blending in perfectly with the lush foliage.

Astarion's eyes shine an unusual crimson, and shadows appear to dance across his face as he flashes his fangs. Delphie has the startling realization that she discovered the elf's secret. Before her is no ordinary magistrate; he's a vampire.

As Delphie watches in a mix of horror and fascination, the vampire elf leans over the sleeping boar, his fangs piercing the creature's neck. A sense of dread mingles with the natural beauty of the forest, creating an eerie tableau beneath the moonlit canopy.

Determined to remain unseen, Delphie steps lightly, quieter than a mouse. However, in her careful pursuit, a small twig emits a sharp snap beneath her foot.

The sound echoes through the stillness of the forest, causing a ripple of disturbance.

Delphie freezes, her eyes meeting those of the vampire elf as blood drips from his elongated teeth. A tense silence hangs in the air, interrupted only by the distant rustling of leaves. There's a glint of fear in the vampire spawn's eyes, yet Delphie seems to be completely unfazed. After a moment, her long slender legs approach him, only stopping inches away from him. Before she realizes what she's doing, she lifts a hand and wipes the blood off his mouth. Her hand lingers on his cheek for a brief moment before he gingerly moves it for her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The elf's doe eyes grow wide as she tries to dive deeper into his.

"At best, I was sure you'd say no. More likely, you'd ram a stake through my ribs." A wary smile creeps on the vampire's face.

"I grew up around many beasts. Feril beasts. Beasts who attack for their own enjoyment," Her gaze shifts to the sharp points inside his mouth and back. "It takes a lot more than fangs and sanguine hunger to scare me."

"It's not what you think. I feed on animals! Boars, deer, kobolds," Delphie's eyebrows raise in amusement. "Whatever I can get." There's a brief period of silence between them before Astarion lets out a dry chuckle. An idea has hatched in his tadpole-infected brain. "It's normally not this easy for me. I'm just too slow right now. Too weak."

"Let me guess. You need my blood to make you strong. Is that right?" She adjusts her posture, standing slightly more straight than she was, arms crossed over her chest.

The lids of the crimson eyes in front of her blink a few times. Astarion clears his throat. "Listen, if I had just a little blood, I could think clearer. Fight better. Please." With that, Delphie feels a strange tingling sensation. He's opening up his mind to her, secrets half-revealed. There's still something he's hiding from her, but she doesn't push it further.