It's Just A Burning Inside

Thermodosa sent the others back to the Last Light Inn. No need for all of them to wait around to see if this guy would come back after having him kill himself. Astarion gave her a look, like he knew better, but he didn't say anything. He was the only one of her companions that took her ... urges seriously. It hadn't been as difficult to take the shadar-kai out as she thought it was going to be. Of course, she hadn't banked on him letting the spirit of the dead barmaid to inhabit his person in order to receive her so called "punishment". That hd been a happy turn of events, as far as she was concerned. And the look on his face when she ordered the girl to keep stabbing was priceless, even if it had brought up other urges she had issues managing at times. Talking these opponents into killing themselves was almost as satisfying as doing it herself.

Almost.

She nudged his body with her steel capped boot. No response. She was sure that his death queen made them immortal, but perhaps that was just a myth and she had been too indulgent with her more bloody desires and had gotten too ahead of herself. She cocked her head t o the left while staring down at the bloody scene in front of her, raising an eyebrow slightly. No, it couldn't have been a story. It had to be truth.

She slowly squat down so she was resting on the balls of her feet and closer to the shadow elf's face. She raised her hand and struck his pallid face in a quick, forceful backhanded motion.

"You can stop pretending now," her voice as dry as the kindling cracking in the fire not far from where the body lay. His black inky eyes flew open, hand moving swiftly to her throat as he sat up.

"You sadist," he spat at Thermodosa, applying the slightest pressure around her windpipe. She leaned in toward him, closing the distance between their faces.

"You're the one who wanted her punished, were you not?" He squeezed tighter.

"I didn't tell you to kill me," he ground out through his teeth. Thermodosa cocked her head to the left again, fixated on his mouth now.

"Should have been more clear with your instructions. Perhaps I need to be punished now?"