The next day came fairly quickly as the party awoke to the chirping of birds and the sun gracefully shining its rays over their camp. After packing up, they continued on their trek. Skye was sure to separate the gith and the cleric, lest they tear each other apart...which would've been highly entertaining to Astarion. He did quite enjoy their bickering.
The air genasi glanced over at her younger sister, who was dressed in a tunic bluer than the sea, adorned with golden accents along the poet sleeves. The tunic seemed to be enchanted with a protection spell, as a faint, radiant aura emanated from it. Around her neck was a teal collar, separate from the shirt, fastened with a golden amulet. The amulet bore their circle's emblem, beautifully engraved in sapphire at its center. She wore simple black leather pants and brown boots that matched her sister's.
Skye stopped walking and knelt in front of her sister. "Your pigtails are crooked," she muttered, taking out one of the golden fasteners and adjusting it to match the other.
"Skye," Misty warned as her face began to flush in embarrassment.
"Chk, you have terrible priorities," Lae'zel grumbled from the back of the party.
"Well apparently, you've never been a little girl, Lae'zel," Shadowheart said with a smirk. The gith looked over blankly before rolling her eyes.
"There." The air genasi stood back up after she was finished and continued walking. She scanned her surroundings for a moment. "Wait a minute. I know where we are," she mumbled, turning to the others with a soft smile. "We're near a druid grove."
Yet, as they approached, the situation quickly turned sour. A brief argument between a druid and a tiefling was abruptly interrupted by a horde of goblins, followed by a menacing bugbear and a snarling worg. Instinctively, Skye assumed command, directing Shadowheart, Misty, and Astarion to take the high ground, while the rest moved in close.
Both the cleric and the rogue were impressed by the young air genasi's remarkable skill with a bow. She inhaled, aimed, exhaled, and released—each arrow striking its target with flawless precision.
Astarion's crimson eyes were drawn to the battle below, where Skye secured her quarterstaff to her back and extended her arms. In an instant, her body began to glow, her joints shimmering like stars with luminous lines connecting them, forming a living constellation. A glowing blue shortbow appeared in her hand as she opened her eyes, now radiating with a golden light. She pulled the bowstring taut, a radiant arrow materializing in the notch. With a steady exhale, she released it, watching as the arrow set one of the goblins ablaze in radiant fire.
Skye glanced behind her to check on her sister, only to be confronted by her worst nightmare. A goblin was sneaking up on Misty while the trio above remained focused on the targets below. Taken off guard, the air genasi quickly aimed a radiant arrow at the vile creature, but was struck across the back with a club. She shouted her sister's name in a desperate warning, but Misty didn't comprehend the danger. Instead, she aimed an arrow at the goblin attacking Skye.
Misty jumped at the sound of an arrow whooshing past her ear, striking a target behind her. She turned just in time to see a goblin collapse to the ground. Whirling around, she caught sight of Astarion, who was nonchalantly pretending he hadn't just saved her. She offered him a soft, grateful smile in thanks.
Below, Skye maintained her starry form, aiming a radiant arrow at the goblin attacking her. Her shot struck true, disintegrating the creature in a burst of white flames. Panic gripped her heart as she looked up at the cliff and saw the aftermath of the attack. She sighed in relief and exchanged a knowing glance with Astarion. Though he wouldn't admit to rescuing the little wisp, she was deeply grateful nonetheless.
Under the stars in the clearing, Skye reflected on the day's events. They had been welcomed into another circle's grove after defending it from a goblin horde. They had also recruited another infected person to aid in their quest. But most importantly, Astarion had saved her sister's life. She hadn't known Astarion long, but she was certain he was an ignorant, self-absorbed asshole. So why had he saved her sister? Surely, he had other motives. Perhaps he was simply protecting his own hide from her wrath.
Her thoughts were broken by a sudden growl of frustration. Sapphire curls sprung up with her as she rose to her feet. She followed the sound of the noise deeper into trees, where she found the vampire spawn breathing heavily, staring at the path in front of him.
"Astarion?" She paused in her steps as the rogue's body tensed. "Are you alright?"
It took a moment for him to respond, before putting on his usual charming facade. He pivoted to face her with a practiced smile and a clasp of his hands. "Darling! I didn't even see you there. I'm just out for a hunt."
Skye narrowed her eyes skeptically and began to circle him like a predator stalking prey. She observed as his facade slowly began to crumble, revealing a look of misery. It dawned on her as she recalled Astarion's performance in battle earlier: the only arrow he landed had been the one that saved her sister's life. He was clearly struggling to feed.
The vampire spawn couldn't handle her scrutiny anymore and placed his hands on his hips. "Alright, fine. I'm not as fast as I can be and I've been having trouble catching food."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Skye offered, rubbing her arm awkwardly.
"Hmm..." Astarion scanned her over for a moment, with a hand on his chin. "Perhaps, there is. I'm too slow, right now. Too weak. If I could have just a little blood, I could think clearer. Fight better."
The air genasi threw her hands up defensively. "Woah, woah, woah. I was thinking more along the lines of finding food for you, not becoming a living snack."
"Ahh, Skye, my dear. Your offer is generous, truly. But you see, catching food—while commendable—would only delay the inevitable. I'm...in need, and feeding from willing donors is far less...messy, shall we say? It's a simple exchange, really. A moment's discomfort and you go unharmed, with my gratitude to boot."
Crossing her arms over her chest, Skye shifted uncomfortably, trying to look anywhere but at him. Astarion approached her, hesitantly placing his hands gently on her shoulders, sending a shiver down her spine as she finally glanced up at him.
"I understand your hesitation, believe me, but imagine the relief it would bring me. A quick sip, and I'll be stronger to aid our cause, to protect you. To protect Misty. All of us, really. You're a compassionate soul; you can see this isn't about mere hunger. It's survival, for both of us." They stood there, locked in an intense gaze until his hands slowly dropped back to his sides.
Skye replayed his words in her mind, sensing his partial honesty and the underlying manipulation. Despite her reservations, his points struck a chord. His hunting was becoming sloppy; just that night, they'd stumbled upon an exsanguinated boar while scouting outside the grove, forcing them to divert the party's attention. She groaned inwardly. She couldn't believe she was actually entertaining the idea.
The air genasi let out a loud sigh. "Fine." The vampire spawn's crimson orbs lit up instantly, but before he could open his mouth to say anything, Skye interrupted him pointing a finger accusingly at him. "But one drop more than you need and I'm driving a stake through your chest."
Astarion's grin faded slightly at the seriousness in her voice. He nodded solemnly, his gaze locking again with hers. "Understood."
"Alright then. Let's get this over with," Skye muttered in irritation. She shrugged off her cerulean leather overcoat, revealing a pleated white blouse underneath. With deliberate movements, she removed the matching choker embroidered with golden vines and set both garments aside, never once breaking eye contact with Astarion.
"You know, under different circumstances, darling, this encounter might've taken quite a different turn," he purred, a flirtatious glint in his eyes, his sharpened canines catching the light.
Skye suppressed a shocked reaction to his words by clearing her throat and looking away. "In your dreams, rogue."
Astarion chuckled softly at her response. "Now, let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?"
The air genasi reclined on the grass, her breath catching as she watched Astarion straddle her. They locked eyes for a moment, tension crackling between them. Eventually, Skye cleared her throat.
"So, are you going to drink from me, or are you just going to sit there and stare at me like I'm on display at Sharess Caress?"
The vampire spawn's expression softened, his gaze shifting to something more contemplative. He reached out with a gentle hand, brushing a stray lock of hair from Skye's face. "You have my word, Skye," he murmured. "I'll be as gentle as I can and I won't take more than I need."
The druid held his gaze for a moment longer, searching for any hint of deception. Finding none, she nodded slowly and tilted her head to the side exposing her neck to him. Astarion's expression softened further as he leaned in, his breath barely a whisper against her skin. With utmost care, he pressed his lips to her neck, his fangs piercing her skin with a gentleness that surprised her.
Nevertheless, it still hurt like a bitch and she couldn't stifle the pained whimper that escaped her lips as she instinctively wrapped an arm around him. He gently cradled her head to the side with one hand, while the other rested on the grass beside her. As he continued to drink, she felt her heart race and an odd sense of release washed over her. Gradually, she relaxed into him with a soft hum, beginning to lose sensation in her arm.
"Astarion, that's enough," she whispered weakly as she started to regain her senses.
Her words were enough to break him from his trance, and he pulled back, licking his lips. "That was...delicious."
"Don't get any ideas," the air genasi warned, pressing a hand to the new wound on her neck.
Astarion picked up her coat and choker before extending a hand to her. Skye hesitated, her gaze shifting between his hand and his eyes. After a moment, she tentatively accepted it, allowing him to help her up. As soon as she released his hand, however, she began to stumble. The vampire spawn swiftly caught her and swept her up into his arms.
"Astarion, put me down," the air genasi protested, weakly pushing against his chest.
"If I were to do that, how would you get back to camp? You can't even walk."
Skye groaned softly, and the forest fell silent around them. She could have sworn she felt his crimson eyes locking onto her multiple times as they walked.
"This is a gift, you know?" He muttered uncomfortably. "I won't forget it."
Then, her eyelids felt heavy and everything went black.
Letting Astarion bite her was the worst choice she could have made. She was thankful he didn't abandon her in the forest when she lost consciousness, but it was still a terrible idea. Now, she felt woozy and lightheaded, possibly even a bit disoriented—all the symptoms of blood loss. Lovely.
At the moment, she was absentmindedly helping Misty with her hair, a ritual they'd maintained ever since the girl's hair had grown long enough when she was just a babe.
"That's a pretty nasty bite," Misty's voice echoed in her ear. Skye's golden eyes widened as she realized she had forgotten to put her choker back on, leaving the two puncture wounds on her neck exposed for all to see. "How'd a spider that big sneak into our camp?"
A hand quickly covered the young genasi's mouth. "It's not that big of a deal," Skye whispered. "Don't send the party in a panic over large spiders."
Before she knew it, the party's cleric was already trudging over. Skye rolled her eyes and released her hand from her sister's mouth. "Go practice your spells. I'll join you in a moment." Misty nodded skeptically and walked over to a secluded part of the camp.
"So, I couldn't help but overhear you have a rather nasty bite?" Shadowheart asked with her arms crossed after she reached the air genasi.
"Apparently, it was a large spider," the air genasi deadpanned, her indifferent facade masking the rapid beat of her heart.
The cleric leaned in and tilted Skye's head to the side, inspecting the wound closely. "That's certainly a vampire bite."
At that moment, Skye caught Astarion's horrified gaze as he glanced up from his book, trying to appear nonchalant. Despite how much he sometimes irritated her, she had made him a promise, and she always kept her promises. She turned back to Shadowheart, whose impatient eyes were blazing with curiosity.
"There's no way," Skye finally said, causing the cleric's brows to raise skeptically. "I would know if a vampire bit me."
Shadowheart studied her blank expression with one of her own. Her gaze then swept over to the person most likely to be a vampire. Fortunately, she didn't catch his worried look because Misty began to call him over to show him the new cantrip she had learned. Astarion, usually disinterested in watching her practice, seized the opportunity to escape.
"If you say so," the cleric replied. She incanted a few words, placing a hand against Skye's neck. A blue energy washed over the air genasi, healing her wound and restoring her to her normal self. "Just be more careful in the future," she advised, standing up and walking away.
Skye released a breath she didn't realize she was holding and walked over to Astarion, witnessing a surprising sight before her.
The vampire spawn, who usually had a strong dislike for children, was sitting next to her sister, showing her how to properly sharpen her dagger. The corners of Skye's lips twitched with amusement. Noticing her presence, Astarion stood up and cleared his throat.
"Sis, look how sharp this is." Misty proudly displayed the ragged blade with a wrapped hilt in front of her.
The older air genasi studied the weapon in front of her, impressed at the sharpness. "Very nice, Mist." She glanced over, noticing Astarion had yet to move. "Hey, I need to have a quick word with Astarion and then we'll start your training."
Misty nodded with a mischievous smile as Skye gestured for Astarion to follow her. After they'd walked further into the forest, the vampire spawn broke the silence. "Thank you...for not telling Shadowheart about-"
"I promised you your...secret was safe with me, and I don't break my promises," the air genasi interrupted with a shrug, gently brushing at the gravel on the path with her foot. She stopped and turned to give Astarion a sincere look. "Look, the party is starting to get suspicious. They're eventually going to find out."
Astarion blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Trust me, I know."
"I think it's better to tell them before they find out themselves," Skye suggested.
The vampire spawn grew silent, staring at her blankly. After a moment, he nodded, albeit hesitantly. "You're right," he admitted softly.
Feeling a surge of guilt grow in the pit of her stomach, Skye reached out and placed a comforting hand on his arm. He flinched slightly, pulling away from her touch as if she had seared him. The air genasi let her hand fall to her side, looking away in embarrassment.
"You protected my sister from being killed by a goblin," she continued, her voice soft but earnest. "You could've ignored her, pretended like you never saw her... but you didn't." She finally met his gaze, relief filling her golden orbs. "And for that, I'm entirely grateful. So, I promise you, Astarion, as long as I'm alive, I will protect you."
For a fleeting moment, she glimpsed the vulnerability behind his mask, a flicker of gratitude in those shimmering crimson orbs of his. But as quickly as they appeared, his defenses snapped back into place, replaced by a practiced grin. "That's all I'm asking."
Skye nodded, a twinge of disappointment flickering across her features at his hardened response. "Now was that all?"
The air genasi managed an annoyed smile, gesturing back toward the direction they had come from.