The Last Light of Dawn: An Astarion and Dark Urge FanFiction

Chapter 2

"I have been thinking what our friends are going to say. About all of this." Alan'na's head rested on Astarion's lap. Her voice had given out, but she still screamed, her body arching in terrible angles. "Take Minthara, for instance. She would approve of this...new outlook on life more than anyone." He continued in his raspiest voice. "'You must seize this power for yourself. You and Astarion could rule the world together!' I must admit, that does sound like fun. Though, I am not sure if a newborn spawn is going to want to do anything except feed."

He stopped and combed a few sweaty strands of hair out of her face. "I suppose Shadowheart would be the most indifferent, or at least she would act like she doesn't care. 'It is not that far of a leap to go from constantly bathing in blood to drinking it as well.'" He laughed at bis own joke as Alan'na went through another silent spasm. "Well, you would find it funny if you were half-conscious at least."

Once he started talking, he could not stop. His mind was being battered by dark thoughts like an old dam in a storm. He was used to this after two hundred years. The two things he did to stop them were what he was best at: keep smiling and keep talking. Yet after so long— after learning to care for someone more than himself— that dam was beginning to crack. Keep smiling. Keep talking. "I wonder what Halsin would think. He would say something like 'this is not what nature intended but you are still a gift' or some such drivel. He really is good at making one swoon, isn't he?

"Jaheira will not be pleased. 'After all I did to help you get out from Baahl's grasp this is how you repay me? By turning into another monster?' I know, Jaheira, I was telling her the same thing. Can you believe how foolhardy our Baahlspawn can be sometimes? And she said she did it for me of all things. Not that I can blame you, love." He sighed as the newest spasm faded and she fell back into his arms. "If I had to suffer through the agony of transformation all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat, if it meant saving you from this."

It was an odd thing to say, but he realized it was true when it fell from his lips. More than that, he wanted to take every last scrap of misery his lover felt and turn it upon Romulus tenfold. And he would, make no mistake. Especially since he doubted she would be able to even raise a finger against him now. A vampire spawn was helpless against their master. And now that they didn't have a tadploe, there was no way she could do what he did. Not alone.

Revenge would have to wait. He was needed here. He knelt there, listening to the sound of Alan'na's rapidly beating heart as the cracks in the dam got wider.

.....

Dawn found its way through a small crack in the curtains. It creeped its way across the floor and stopped just before the bed. Alan'na woke from her meditation to find Astarion resting his head on her chest. He was always so silent when he returned from his nightly hunt. His breathing in perfect rhythm to her own. She always wondered if that was intentional.

The faint hint of color on his cheeks proved that he had fed. She was worried he wouldn't. On the way back to their inn, he kept jumping at the faintest sound. When that happened, he would either tgrab her and pull her back or force himself in front of her like a human shield. Romulus had him on edge, she could tell. It was sweet at first but got annoying as the night wore on. He almost didn't leave her side. She had to push him out of their room to get him to leave. It was strange. He had wanted to protect her from Cazador when they were hot on his trail, but never this fiercely. Now he acted like she was a damsel in need of defense. She was a child of Bhaal, for gods' sake. If anything, Romulus ought to be afraid of her.

Astarion adjusted himself, moving his head to the precise location of her heart. He liked to listen to it during the day. It calmed him, he admitted. Even now a small quiet smile appeared on his face. He was different when his sleep wasn't plagued by nightmares. Peaceful. Calm. Not constantly looking over his shoulder.