This chapter is dedicated to binge-eaters… and all the ice cream I have regretted over-indulging myself on. Please read and review.

Sanctuary

It was easy to forget Astrid was married while Arnbjorn was away on guild business. In front of the others, she was entirely the guild leader, showing no preference to any of the assassins, but there were many moments when Astrid would seemingly disappear into the shadows and wait for Nessa to walk by. She'd leap out of the shadows and wrap a hand over Nessa's mouth to stifle her startled yelp and drag her into a shadowed alcove to kiss her.

"You see?" whispered Astrid. "This is the meat and potatoes, as it were, of an assassin: Surprise and speed." She kissed Nessa's ear and trailed her tongue down her neck, still holding her hand over the girl's mouth as she quietly moaned into Astrid's hand. Her voice low and velvety she hummed into Nessa's ear. "And sometimes… seduction." Then she told Nessa exactly what they would be doing in her bed that night. That would be followed up by a long, scalding kiss and Astrid would let her go.

Yes, it was easy to forget Astrid was married.

Nessa's days were spent training with Veezara. He had taken a keen interest in her, especially since she'd brought him the maple candy from Whiterun. He was lightning fast with his blades. He drilled Nessa in hand-to-hand combat and sparred with her. He was as patient as he was polite. His skill was so immense that he could stop his blade just a hair away from touching her and, when he made her lose her balance and fall, he would always make sure she landed gently, if he could. As a result, Nessa had relatively few bruises. They always sparred with blunted weapons, of course, but they could leave nasty bruises or sometimes worse.

Gabrielle was most helpful, too. She was never too busy to attend to Nessa's bruises and pulled muscles. She had a very good grasp of healing magic, something Festus, the other mage, thought was a complete waste of time. She even taught Nessa a very rudimentary healing spell, although Nessa had very little aptitude for magic.

Despite all the training, Nessa's body would be yearning for Astrid's touch. The path Astrid's tongue had traveled down her neck seemed to tingle all day long. She was tempted to escape to her room and try to find relief from her state of arousal for herself, but that seemed like cheating.

Then the evenings were spent on Astrid's bed, and layer by layer, Nessa's shy innocence was peeled away. It seemed there were as many ways to bring pleasure to someone as there are stars in the sky. Astrid would demonstrate and then Nessa would try it on Astrid. She learned many, many intimate things about the guild leader and sometimes before they fell asleep in each other's arms she would tell Nessa stories about her past.

One night Nessa worked up the nerve to ask about her past. "How did you become…" Nessa hesitated to say it, because at some level she didn't like to think about it, "a… vampire?"

Astrid grew very quiet and reflective. Nessa worried that she might have offended her lover. "I'm sorry," she added quickly. "It's none of my business. I should not have asked."

Astrid shook her head and turned to look at the girl. "It's all right. What's done is done and there's no going back." She stroked Nessa's hair and stared into her blue eyes. "I was growing older and my closest friend, Babette, wasn't. She knew that one day I wouldn't be able to keep up and eventually I'd be gone while she went on and on forever. Every year on my birthday she offered to infect me but I always refused."

Nessa's brow furrowed with sympathy as she listened.

"When I turned thirty she took me to a mirror and showed me the wrinkles at the sides of my eyes when I smile. She threw a massive tantrum." She chuckled, her silver eyes looking absent with the memory. "You can't believe what sort of a tantrum a 300-year-old ten-year-old can throw. I kept going out of my way to look at my aging face and wonder what I'd see in another decade or two. Eventually my vanity won me over to her way of thinking." She snorted and her eyes refocused on Nessa.

"I think those lines are beautiful," Nessa said innocently. "It makes my heart sing when I see them. I know it means you're happy."

That remark brought the lines under discussion into view and Astrid kissed the girl until they both forgot about the topic.

~o~o~o~

Another glorious night, like the dozen that had preceded this one and Nessa and Astrid were becoming adventurous in their lovemaking.

"It's your turn, Nessa. You come up with a story and we'll act it out," Astrid said, smiling in anticipation. Nessa's imagination was quite good and she enjoyed the role-playing.

Nessa looked down at her feet shyly. "I liked the lazy maid and the Jarl. I could be the Jarl this time."

Astrid shook her head. "Come on, girl. Use that imagination of yours. Think of something new!"

Biting her lip, Nessa thought hard for a few moments and then a shy smile broke over her face. "Well… How about you're the evil vampire who has captured a maiden to ravage her and drink her blood?"

Astrid's laughed roundly at that. "I am the evil vampire. That's not even make-believe."

Nessa shook her head. "You are not evil. Oh, come on, Astrid! It'll be fun."

It was hitting a little close to home. There were times when the desire drink from Nessa was strong. Still, she had no doubt she could control herself. "All right," she agreed.

Suddenly Astrid disappeared. Nessa swung around looking for her. How can she just… disappear? Then she felt Astrid's strong hands on her and then she reappeared behind her. It was the first time that Nessa had seen her use her vampiric talents. A shiver of fear and delicious anticipation went through her as Astrid pushed her to the bed and pinned her there. She could have struggled harder and won free… maybe, but that would have spoiled the game.

Astrid tied her firmly to the bed, hissing threats at her the entire time. "I'm going to make you scream for mercy, Nord girl. Only you won't be able to scream." She tied a cloth over Nessa's mouth. "Then you'll be my blood-doll. My thrall." She dragged a sharp fingernail along the artery in Nessa's neck.

Nessa looked at Astrid in mock terror. The shivers of anticipation, however, were not mock. There was something in Astrid's eyes she'd never seen before, a hypnotic intensity. It seemed that the evening's theme was resonating with her. She'd never had reason to distrust Astrid, the woman had always been unfailingly gentle, except where a bit of roughness might yield exceptional pleasure. Astrid never fed on anyone at the Sanctuary, other than Arnbjorn. As far as Nessa knew, feeding was something performed perfunctorily, without any particular relish or pleasure, in nearby Falkreath if Arnbjorn wasn't around.

"I will drain you to within an inch of death," she said while unbuttoning Nessa's dress. "You'll beg me to do it, again and again." Her sharp fingernail left a red welt down the center of Nessa's throat and then her finger cruelly pinched a nipple. "One day, I may drink too deeply." Astrid nearly quit the game at that moment because what she had said was too near the truth. Nessa was already becoming pliant. Her slender body yielding and ready for whatever Astrid wanted to do. Her senses were swimming with the knowledge that under that pale, slim column of a neck there was a rich, warm river of life.

She undressed herself and crawled on top of Nessa, rubbing sensuously against her and sucking the tender points that made the girl writhe under her. Her cries behind the gag were sounding like pleas and she could feel the girl's heart beating faster. She licked the length of the artery that ran up her neck, to the point where it disappeared under her jaw, then scrapped her sharp incisors against it. Her hips rubbed against Nessa's and she found a rhythm and position that hastened the girl's pulse even as it did her own.

Rising up on her arms, she increased the contact between them by wending her leg through Nessa's. She quickened the pace again, and Nessa's breath seethed out her nose, her eyes squeezed shut, and a sheen of perspiration formed on her forehead. So fragile, so helpless… Under the girl's warm skin, capillaries dilated bringing a rich, rosy hue to her cheeks and chest. Her heart beat hard, pumping life through her tender veins, veins that were as innocent and unknown as the girl herself had been. The smell of her body, her arousal, the iron tang of blood that she could almost…almost… taste… Too much, too proffered to resist.

Astrid's careful iron control shattered as she did. With a guttural moan she threw herself onto the girl's neck and pierced her artery with her sharp incisors. She didn't even have the wherewithal to question what she was doing, so instinctual was the act. Sweet, hot blood flowed into her. It increased the intensity of her bliss a hundred times over.

Nessa's eyes flew open at the pain of the bite but after a sharp pinch it stopped being painful. Just as suddenly her body was flooded with intense pleasure. Her hips jerked against Astrid's and a thin, high wail came from behind the cloth binding her mouth. As Astrid sucked at her neck, as her heart delivered her life's blood to the vampire, it wracked her with ecstasy she'd never known before.

The women were locked together in an ancient knot of pleasure and the exchange of life. Astrid was lost, well beyond reason, and Nessa was bound and helpless. Even if she were free, she would be powerless against this seemingly endless pleasure.

The door to the room opened suddenly and Arnbjorn dropped his bag and weapon as he took in the scene in front of him: His wife, nude, on top of Nessa, also nude and bound and gagged. Astrid's lips were clamped to Nessa's neck. Astrid shifted her eyes up to look at Arnbjorn and only took her mouth away from the girl's neck to hiss at him. There was no recognition in her eyes. She was like a sabre cat crouching over her prey.

What in the name of all the gods is she doing? She's going to kill her. A few weeks ago, he wouldn't have stopped her, but he knew his wife liked the girl and… truth be told, so did he. Feeding and sex was a dangerous combination for Astrid, or rather her lovers. Arnbjorn strode over to the women and pulled Astrid off the Nord girl. "Astrid!" he shouted, trying to contact the human woman he knew and loved. "Astrid, stop this!"

His words and touch pierced the delirium that the feeding had sparked in her. Her eyes focused on his face and she came back to herself. "Arn?" She looked confused for a moment then her attention locked onto Nessa. She looked far too pale and was barely stirring. "Nessa!" She ran over to the bed and grabbed her hands and chaffed them. "Nessa… sweetling, please… are you all right? Please be all right!" Tears spilled down her cheeks and dripped on the girl's face. She hurriedly untied her bonds and the gag around her mouth.

Nessa's heart beat slowly and her chest rose and fell with shallow, slow breaths but her eyes opened a crack and she saw Astrid's concerned face. "Gods…" she whispered, "…don't stop. Please, don't stop."

I've enslaved her. Astrid pulled away from her and turned to her husband. "Arn… I didn't mean to. It just got out of hand. She was so helpless there… so perfect." She buried her face in his chest and sobbed. "I almost killed her. How could that happen again? It hasn't happened in decades."

Arnbjorn stroked his wife's hair and looked at the girl on his bed. His wife was distraught over nearly killing this girl. Nessa had become something more than a plaything to her. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but surely now this would be the end of it. If Astrid had a lick of sense she'd put an end to this now. And if she didn't... he would be here to remind her of how futile this affair was. "Shush, my love," he said, soothing her. "She'll live. Gabrielle and Babette will have her fixed up in no time. Best you get dressed. I'll take the girl to her room."

Astrid collected herself and wiped away her tears. She leaned over her bed with Nessa in it. "Gods, my sweet, I am so sorry." She kissed the girl on her forehead and began to collect her clothes, her hands shaking… with fear, yes, but with hunger too. The blood she'd tasted called to her now.

Arnbjorn wrapped the girl in one of the furs on their bed, covering her nakedness. She hung limply in his arm, all but drained of blood. He carried her out of his room and to her own room, passing through the great hall on the way. All of the assassins stopped whatever they were doing to see who Arnbjorn was carrying.

"Babette and Gabrielle, with me, everyone else… attend to your own business," he snapped gruffly. Most of the assassins turned away, but Veezara looked on with concern although he didn't follow.

He lay her down on her bed and covered her with the fur when they reached her room. "She's lost a lot of blood." He turned her head to the side and showed them the bloody wounds on her neck. "She's going to need the cure, Babette."

Babette looked inordinately pleased. Ha! I knew this one would liven this place up. "Are you sure Astrid wants her cured? Maybe Nessa would like to turn." Babette knew well that the girl was now infected with Sanguinare Vampiris, the disease that makes vampires. Having Nessa as a new vampire, that would be fun. I could show her how to sneak up on sleepers and bite them, never waking them.

Gabrielle went to the bedside and began to heal Nessa with restoration magic. There was little wrong with her though other than the wounds on the side of her neck and the blood loss.

Arnbjorn turned abruptly and towered over the tiny vampire girl. "You will give her the cure," he growled.

"Maybe so," Babette said pertly and turned to leave the room and the bossy werewolf.

Arnbjorn's hand reached out and snatched her shoulder, halting her exit. "Don't defy me, Babette," he warned.

Babette turned her head and cast a quick smile at him. "You never let me have any fun at all!" She stuck her tongue out at him and skipped off down the hallway, her shrill laughter floating back to him.

Arnbjorn took a deep breath, letting his anger dissipate. He turned to Gabrielle. "What can you do for her?"

She shrugged and pointed to her neck where the bites were already healed. "I've already done it. I can only help her a little with the blood loss. It'll simply take time for her body to make new blood." She smirked at Arnbjorn. "As you well know." Arnbjorn was often down a few pints of blood. Astrid's penchant for drinking from him was a poorly kept secret. Now it seemed she was getting a little more… variety.

"Is she…" Arnbjorn looked at the girl with concern.

Gabrielle nodded. "She's going to be fine." She got up. "I'm going to let her rest. I'll be back in a while to check on her." She left the room and Arnbjorn.

He sat down heavily at the side of the girl's bed. She still smelled strongly of arousal and a little bit of blood. He cursed his werewolf senses for revealing so much. His body responded to both scents and the memory of his wife and Nessa naked together. He rubbed his hands over his face trying to erase the image he knew would be haunting him. He growled with frustration and pulled the fur off the girl. It was their fur; they'd need it on their bed.

Nessa stirred and her eyes cracked open. "Arn… bjorn," she said, her voice a bare whisper. "Where's Astrid?" She tried to push herself out of bed but collapsed.

"Lamb shank, you're not going anywhere. You're lucky to be alive." He lifted her and pulled back the covers on her bed and replaced her in it. His hands skimmed along her warm skin as he settled her into bed. He had nearly forgotten how warm a woman could be, Astrid was always cool to the touch. Her scent… It stirred him in ways he'd forgotten. Astrid was virtually scentless, as vampires were. "You need to stop this, morsel, even if she won't. She'll kill you with her love. You've seen it… you're not strong enough."

Nessa shook her head weakly. "No," she whispered. "Can't."

He shook his head and looked at the girl with pity. "This will wear off in a few days. She's enthralled you. I'm going to make certain you don't leave your room. We'll have your food sent up."

She looked up at him, her expression devastated. "No… please."

He'd never seen a thrall before, but Astrid had told him about them. Why it hadn't happened to him, he didn't know. Something in his werewolf blood must protect him. He couldn't contract the vampire disease either. The stories he'd heard, both from Babette and Astrid, of humans enslaved to serve their vampire masters… through the exact sort of coupling he'd seen between his wife and this girl. Astrid was like one of those wealthy Nord matrons who could devour a whole box of sweets in an evening. She just couldn't say no to such a temptation laid before her.

He squeezed the girl's hand and noted how cool it felt now. The loss of blood would make her chilly. He looked at the fur he'd taken from his own bed. They could do without it tonight. He spread it over the girl. "Sleep, morsel. You'll feel better tomorrow."

He got up and left her room and sought out Nazir. "I need a round the clock guard on Nessa's room. She needs to be confined to her room for a few days."

Nazir looked at Arnbjorn with a curious expression. "Oh?"

"Just… do it. I'll take it as a personal favor if you don't ask too many questions. Make sure she gets plenty of food, water, whatever she needs, she just isn't to leave."

Nazir nodded. "All right. Consider it done." This was just more proof that bringing this new girl here had been a mistake as far as Nazir was concerned. He was very curious what she'd done. Was this punishment? He figured he'd find out sooner or later. You couldn't keep a secret here.

Babette and Veezara walked up while the two men talked.

"I'll take the first watch," Veezara volunteered.

Nazir nodded. "That's fine. Someone will relieve you in the morning."

Babette handed a vial to Veezara. "See she drinks that, would you? It'll help her sleep." She turned and glared at Arnbjorn. "And it'll cure her Sanguinare Vampiris and help her make more blood."

Arnbjorn rubbed his forehead, irritated at Babette. So much for keeping it secret. "Thank you, Babette." He nodded to his fellow assassins and went back to his room. Now he had to deal with the other half of this mess. He opened the door to find his wife packing a bag. "Astrid, where are you going?"

She looked up at him and he noticed her hands were still shaking. "Her blood calls to me. I need to leave for a while or…"

"You'll kill her?" he finished the sentence for her.

She nodded. "I can't stop myself. Why did I even think I could? After all this time, I should know better." She threw a pair of leggings into the bag. "It was that stupid game we were playing. I should have listened to my instincts."

Her face was an emotionless mask but Arnbjorn knew the frustration that lurked behind it. He crossed the room to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Drink from me, love. Forget that girl." He kissed her gently on the forehead.

He felt her shake her head. "It's not that, Arn. I love you with all my heart, my sweet wolf, I always will. Perhaps I'm just infatuated with her and this will pass. I don't think I can trust myself right now. I have to leave for a little while." She detached herself from her husband and resumed packing. "There are a few contracts I can fulfill."

He watched her pack for a few moments. He'd missed her while he had been away, now she was leaving. "I'll go with you, love."

"No. Stay here and run things. Don't let Nessa come after me." She laced up her bag and turned to Arnbjorn. "It'll just be a few days, a week at most."

Astrid kissed him. When she pulled away he finally saw sadness in her eyes. "Tell her… Tell her, I'm sorry." She slung the bag over her shoulder and left.

~o~o~o~

Veezara slept inside Nessa's room, every night for three nights, preventing her from leaving. She begged, cried, and even tried to fight him once, although he could easily duck her fists. She was like a skooma addict going through withdrawals. Eventually, he learned the true nature of her illness; she'd been enthralled by a vampire. No one knew exactly who it was, but it was very suspicious that Astrid left at the same time.

On the morning of the fourth day it seemed that Nessa was more herself again, if sad and withdrawn. Veezara, who was quite fond of the Nord girl, brought her a bouquet of flowers he picked, all of them ones she could use to create potions and poisons and all of them in cheerful colors. Veezara was a very practical Argonian. She was given freedom of the Sanctuary again and she didn't try to leave, but she did little more than mope.

"Tidbit," Arnbjorn called to Nessa as she passed him in the great hall. "You and Veezara are going to take care of a couple of jobs we have." They were simple jobs, Nessa could have handled them herself, but he didn't trust sending her off alone just yet. It was best to have someone with her. Yet he and Nazir had agreed they should keep the girl busy and away from the Sanctuary for a time. Besides, Astrid would return soon and he could only just imagine what would happen when the two women saw one another again. He put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. "Cheer up, beef roast. Things are going to get better."

Nessa froze in her tracks realizing that Arnbjorn was actually being friendly and even… sympathic? She looked in amazement at his hand on her shoulder and then looked into his face with a stunned expression. "Arnbjorn…" she said softly. "You like me."

He slowly removed his hand and a little growl issued from his throat. "Don't flatter yourself, morsel." A little twist to the corner of his mouth told another story.

She gave him the first smile she'd had in days. "We'll leave in the morning."

Arnbjorn nodded and strode off. This was good. By the time she returned, Astrid would have collected herself and perhaps the girl would have too. They could return to normalcy or what passed for it amongst the Dark Brotherhood.

~o~o~o~

Notes: I'm guessing from the lack of reviews of the last chapter that folks didn't like it. If you ever don't like something I write I really would value that feedback as well. The story is experimental for me, having never written slash fic before. But the affair is an important part of the story, especially with what happens later.

My thanks to Zevgirl and Biff McLaughlin for the reviews and support.