I let out a low groan, arching into him as a sharp ache bloomed in my lower abdomen. It wasn’t just the heat of the night; my cycle had started early, a messy, human reminder of the reality I’d tried to escape. He froze. His chest stopped moving. I expected him to pull away in disgust. Instead, his pupils dilated until his eyes were pitch black. A dangerous, intoxicating grin pulled at his lips, revealing the sharp glint of fangs. "You smell incredible," he whispered, his voice a dark, gravelly vibration against my skin. "So sweet." Before I could breathe, his head dipped. The hot, rough slide of his tongue dragged across my inner thigh, licking the smear of crimson straight off my skin. I gasped, a shiver crashing down my spine as he swallowed, his fingers digging deeper into my flesh.