Warmth soothed Hope's back as her eyes slowly opened, and she was greeted with golden sunlight. The fresh scent of growing grass and blooming morning flowers brought her from her comfortable haze. A mourning dove cooed in the trees somewhere above, and Hope rolled over, basking in the patch of sunlight much like a cat, only this was so much better. A delicious throb ached between her legs, a momentum from the night before.
Movement caught her peripheral, and she rolled, propping herself on her elbows as she watched Astarion face the sun. She studied his tattoos once more but remained quiet. He was…a vampire, not unlike herself, and yet she could do the things he couldn't. The ache that had thrummed between her legs placed itself into her chest.
He'd lived in darkness for over two hundred years.
Most vampires did, of course, but Hope's limitations were different. The things she could do, he couldn't, and for the first time she felt…guilty. Not in the sense that she wished she didn't have her abilities, but because he didn't. She didn't know much about Cazador, only that he'd caused him immeasurable pain. That was enough for her to end him.
Cazador thought himself to be immortal?
She'd see about that.
"Good morning," she murmured, unable to take her eyes off him.
Astarion twitched and slowly glanced over his shoulder, a slow smirk morphing his lips, "It is, isn't it?" He sighed, turning back to the sun. "We should head back before the others wake."
Standing to her feet, she sauntered her naked body toward him unflinchingly.
"Now, why would we do that, with a sunrise like this?" She asked, her voice like molten honey off her tongue.
The corner of his lip quirked again, and he glanced at her sideways, "You're in a particularly good mood."
"Hm, good sex does that to me," Hope grinned and leaned her back against the tree to his left, facing him. Her expression changed to one of concern, "You've not been in the sun all this time."
Astarion sighed softly and looked out over the horizon, "I've been a prisoner of the dark for centuries. Feeding on rats if I ever fed at all…" He furrowed his brow. "When this is over, if I have this parasite out of my head, I could lose all of…this…" He gestured to the open space of forest and meadows below, warming in the sunlight.
"Well, you know, I could…" Hope paused, stopping herself. She actually wasn't so sure that she could. Even if this realm had lapis lazuli, even if she could enchant it, there was no saying it would work on him. She knew the workings of vampires in her world, not this one. He technically was a spawn, which would make a difference, too. At least, she assumed it would. She'd have to learn more about his kind before she could attempt creating a daylight ring.
"What?" Astarion asked, arching a brow at her. "What could you do?"
Hope swallowed and forced a smile, quickly backtracking before she said something she couldn't take back. She took a step toward him and coasted her fingers along the ridges of his ribs. "I could take your mind off of those dark nights."
His muscles twitched under his delicate touch, and she watched his jaw tighten, as if fighting the urge to either push her away or pull her in.
"Can I?" Hope asked.
"Can you what?"
Chewing her lower lip, she grinned, "Can suck your cock, Astarion?"
His eyes widened a little, which Hope found to be a little peculiar. After the things they did the night before, a blow job the morning after was hardly something unexpected.
"You…" He blinked. "What?"
Hope tilted her head to the side and studied him for a long moment, "You seem surprised that's something I'd want."
"It isn't that," he clarified with a sly smile, "I'm surprised you asked. No one else has…"
A swift darkness, cold and icy, invaded Hope's entire being. The utter rage must have shown in her eyes, because Astarion swallowed, eyes widening a little as she tried to calm herself. Had the yellow in her eyes flashed? She wasn't sure.
"I'm going to be very clear, Astarion," she murmured in a low voice, "I will always ask, you can always say no, and those that didn't…" She smirked, deadly and feline, as she said nothing.
Hope's hands were now on his hips, but went no further. She glanced down at his cock, which was now hard and erect, his slit glistening with precum. It seemed consent was a turn on, good. She glanced up at him, meeting his red eyes.
"Answer me, Astarion."
His answering breath came out in a shudder, "Yes…"
Smirking, Hope slowly lowered herself to her knees, maintaining her eye contact with him as he leaned against another tree. Her tongue darted between her lips, wetting them before she leaned forward and slid his crown past her lips, stretching them as her tongue stroked from the bottom up.
His entire frame shivered as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. While the sun warmed his face, Hope worked his hand at his base and swirled her tongue languishingly around his tip. She unhinged her jaw, taking him back as far as her reflex allowed.
Hope listened to his breaths; she couldn't rely on his heartbeat to know when he liked something. He had no pulse. She hadn't realized it until now. The realization, and his low groan, spurred her on, taking him past where she thought was her limit.
"Hope…" Astarion gasped and slipped his long fingers into her hair. He pulled at the roots, and Hope's eyes rolled to the back of her head.
She moaned around his shaft as drool slid from the corners of her mouth and dripped down her jaw. It was then that he looked down at her, and his gaze met hers, red and watery as she sucked and worshiped his cock with her tongue.
"You pretty, naughty little thing…" He murmured as he used the pads of his thumbs to wipe away the tears that fell, then, with careful precision, thrust his hips.
Hope groaned, tightening her grip on his thighs, bracing herself before he tightened his grip on her hair and his thrusts became more manic. Relaxing, she arched her neck and opened her throat, letting him slide with ease as he fucked her throat without relent.
For the first time in her life, she let herself be used.
And she fucking loved it.
Cleaned and dressed, Hope and Astarion entered the camp with secret smiles. Though they walked a decent distance apart as they approached the group surrounding the Druid, Halsin.
"Glad you could join us," Shadowheart remarked, not quite snidely, but was there a hint of jealousy there?
"Sorry, I was a little choked up," Hope replied before she could find the sense to stop herself, and Astarion cast a wicked grin in her direction as Gale's eyes turned the size of saucers.
Said Wizard cleared his throat, "Anyway. Halsin was just explaining to us the difference between traveling through the Mountain Pass or the Underdark."
"The what?" Hope asked.
Halsin nodded with a small smile, "A civilization beneath us, traveling through the Underdark is considerably safer."
"And this will lead us to Baldur's Gate?"
"We must pass the Shadowfell first, but yes…" He frowned. "There is a curse. One that has corrupted the land."
"A curse?" Hope asked. "What kind of curse?"
"It's had the whole region around Moonrise Towers in a chokehold of darkness and despair for years. Those who remained are shadow-cursed. If you don't die at their hands, then you become one of them. We have to get to Moonrise, but the less time we spend in its blighted surrounds, the better."
"Whoa, hang on," Hope frowned, "you couldn't get the worms out of our heads, and now we're supposed to fight a shadow-curse? To what end?"
Halsin offered a tight smile and nodded, "Moonrise Towers may be your only chance of a cure, and as for the curse…I know I ask much of you, and it is not so simple a task, but I need your help. To free the lands, my home."
Well, damn. If she didn't, she'd be a bitch, wouldn't she?
Hope breathed in a deep sigh and nodded, "Okay…side-quest toward the goal of extraction. What's the next step?
"Aradin was convinced there was a hidden entrance in the temple of Selune—I'd start there."
"To get to the Shadowfell?"
"To the Underdark."
"Right, got it," Hope said, though she in fact did not get it. "And you'll be coming with us?"
Halsin nodded, "I've studied the curse for years, to no avail. I have a theory, but to break it, I must find its source. Together, we may do just that."
"Alright then," Hope swallowed, "I guess we're going to the Underdark."