Chapter Two

Tav and Shadowheart had been walking for a while now. Tav wondered how her companion faired in so many layers in this heat. She wiped her forehead with the cloth on her sleeve.

Shadowhearts voice was impossibly sweet. "Are you alright? You don't seem well,"

Tav turned to the cleric. "Is it that obvious?" She smiled playfully, knowing damn well it was. Shadowheart didn't return the smile. Instead, she looked concerned.

"Do you think it is the parasite?"

Tav just turned and continued walking up the path, Shadowheart right behind. Of course, Tav considered it was the parasite. What else would it be?

"Im not feeling anything abnormal," Shadowheart admitted, "but perhaps it could be affecting us differently. Maybe it would be wise for us to find a place to rest sooner than later," she stated.

Tav heard a scuttle in the bushes. Normally, she would be more cautious, but she chose to ignore it. Her oncoming headache was eliminating any other concerns at the moment.

"Help!" a sudden call from just ahead rang out. The two companions shared a concerned glance and rushed up the path towards the voice.

Reaching the clearing, there stood one man, his clothing slightly regal looking, purple with golden accent embroidery. Slightly suspicious, Tav subtley placed her hand out gesturing to Shadowheart to halt. This could be an ambush...

"Down there," he pointed into the brush below "its another one of those brain things..." his voice was expressive, the words curled off his tongue.

Tav glanced around and concluded he was, in fact, alone. Walking over to investigate, she leered over the edge to where he had pointed. Squinting, she searched for any signs of unnatural movements but found nothing. Sensing his eyes on her, suddenly becoming painfully aware of herself.

"Can you see it?" He whispered. Something about his voice felt too close and too far away at the same time. She turned to look at him. White curls framed his angular face and whisped down the back of his neck. His features danced between sharp and soft, and it was beautiful to behold. Pale skin, dark lashes, and irises sparkled like the blood of a fresh kill. She resisted the inappropriate urge to lick her lips as she stared into the blood-red eyes.

Tav felt a wave of heat wash over her again, and the headache emerged. Feeling the sudden need to isolate herself somewhere dark and cold.

Her voice was unexpectedly gentle. "I don't see anything. It must be gone now." She turned to walk away. Whatever it is, he will have to deal with it... right now, she needed to rest...

In an unexpected flash, she was on her back against the hard ground, the handsome stranger straddled on top of her, holding her in a compromising position.

He pulled at her hair aggressively, not helping the headache that was already ripping through her head. His other arm arched, to point the tip of the blade to her throat. Reaching up, she grasped his arm, pushing it away simultaneously, trying to wriggle back, wanting to put some space between her and the blade. With a hiss, he dropped his weight on her harder, pinning her hips into the ground and twisted his hand that gripped her hair, forcing her head to tilt back, further exposing her neck. Gritting her teeth, she realized she was fucked. All she could hope for now, is maybe he was the merciful type and would make it quick. She focused on his eyes. Looking for any sign of his intentions. He looked up at Shadowheart and exchanged a few words that blurred in her mind. Red eyes shifted down back on her, his expression dark... was this it? Was he finally going to do it? Oh hells, please make it quick.

Tav saw the strangers hard eyes drift down to her neck. She watched him closely as his mind seemed to wander elsewhere, his expression softened and a fraction of tension in his body relaxed. It was only for a microsecond, but that's all she needed.

All at once, she thrusted her hips up and tilted, pushing the weapon arm up and to the side, dodging the blade as he lost his balance. Falling to the side, they both rolled onto their feet, facing each other, each ready to pounce.

A second passed as they processed what just happened and their new circumstance they found themselves in. The stranger clutched the knife with vigor, his eyes looked sharp, his expression stern. He was ready for a fight.

Tav on the other hand felt like shit and was currently unarmed. It didn't take them long to conclude she was still at a disadvantage.

A Shockwave rippled through thier minds, linking something forbidden. Tav clutched her head between her hands and squeezed her eyes shut in a feeble attempt to shut it out. The pain was blinding as a memory that didnt belong to her ripped open her mind. A mental stuggle of push and pull as something was being forced into her and at the same time being pulled out of her. It felt dirty, vunerable, violent. She could hear the stranger grunt in pain.

Darkness surrounded her as if there was only ever night. Over and over and over again. A man's voice spoke words she couldn't piece together, but it induced a crippling fear. Her body shook. She felt small, insignificant, disgusting. The strong desire to curl within herself and disappear became overwhelming. Tears streamed down her face, she opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out..

As quickly as it happened, the cord snapped and she was brought back to reality. Staring dumbfounded at the man infront of her. He was panting, sweat beaded down his temple and he looked at her with a wild insecurity.

"What the fuck was that?!"

A Shockwave rippled through thier minds, linking something forbidden. Astarion saw the elf buckle immediately, clutching her head.

Instantly, like a sharp blade splitting into his mind, it spilled open. Fighting back against the unnatural intrusion, the feeling shredding and tearing. Something was being pulled out of him, a defiant memory that was being ripped out against its will. Not only that, but another one was pushing itself in the empty space. like something that didnt fit but was being forced to, it ached. He groaned against the pain...

He bathed in a lake of blood. A deep hunger starved his body, his mind, it squeezed tighter and tighter. A feeling of being lost, out of control, a helplessness. It will never be enough. The blood rose until it began to cover his face and he felt himself slip under. It will never be enough. He began to drink the lake, desperatly gulping down the blood, breathing it in. Choking. Drowning. But the hunger remained. It will never be enough...

As quickly as it happened, the cord snapped and he was brought back to reality. Staring dumbfounded at the woman infront of him. Her eyes looked at him, unfocused. Pools of despair collected in her eyes and overflowed down her face. Confused. Afraid.

"What the fuck was that?!" An aggressive accusation spit out of him before he could think.

"The worm must have connected your minds just now" Shadowheart suggests, havung been on the outside, witnessing their collective despair.

Astarions eyes darted between the two, mind swirling. The worm... that means they must have it too... "The worm? of course... that explains things..." he ponders to himself. That could also explain why he hasnt shrivelled in the sun.

Sheathing his knife he awkwardly faces the elf girl standing infront of him. Feeling like both the violated and the violator. A unpleasant, unconsentual shared experience of eachothers mind that was all together vunerable and confusing. A part of him felt bare before her, also feeling shame to have seen something that was never his to see.

Extending his hands out, he gestures vaguely, "and to think, I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards... apologies." The words came out playfully, but he was sincere.

He watched as her expression softened into something he couldn't help but to think was delicate and beautiful. Her voice was like a purr, but the words caught him off guard.

"Apology accepted. I might have done the same to you if the roles were reversed." she smirked, something mischevious. What an unexpected surpise.

A chuckle escaped him, "a kindred spirit." the choice of words made an odd sensation move through him, a tinge of loneliness.

The dynamics have shifted, a lucky turn of events. He supposes it was good he didnt have to spill her blood, it would've been such a waste of a pretty face. "My name is Astarion, I was in Baulders Gate when those beasts snatched me." a little snarl slipping out at the end.

She shifts her weight, placing a hand on her hip. A relaxed pose, but her face held some strain, she was in pain... "My name is Tav," elegantly gesturing towards the cleric, she continues, "and she is Shadowheart. We were also on the ship." her demeaner changes slightly as she contemplates telling Astarion something, then clearing her throat she adds, "The worms will turn us to mind-flayers. We are planning on finding a way to get them out."

Astarion leaned towards her in shock, "a mind-flayer!?" his eyes wide in disbelief. Pullling back, he dropped his gaze to the ground. Of course he would turn into a monster... what did he expect...

"You could come with us," Tavs gentle voice snapped him out the edge of swirling thoughts he was dangerously dangling on.

Shadowheart was closer now, a scowl painted across her cute features, "You do remember he just tried to kill you, right?" she directed towards Tav with disgust.

A sweet smile spread across Tavs lips, but as her eyes settled on Astarion, he could see something else glimmering beneath the surface. Something dark. It intrigued the vampire spawn.

"We have a better chance of surviving this if we stick together." glancing down to the knife hanging from his hip, she makes a lazy attempt to point at his belt "as long as you can manage to keep your blade sheathed, Astarion. "

He bit his lip against the smile that he simply could not contain. She had said his name in a way that dragged out across her tongue, like she was testing it out. He wondered if it tasted good in her mouth. He wondered if she liked saying it as much as he liked hearing it. A gutteral instinct wished he could hear it again and again.

His voice was playful, almost like a tease "No promises, darling."