The night air hung heavy with an almost electric charge as Damien’s shadow loomed over Aria’s trembling form. The darkness of the chamber seemed to deepen, swallowing the faint glow of candlelight.
His eyes, dark and gleaming with an unearthly hunger, locked onto the delicate pulse at her neck. Aria’s breath hitched — a mixture of fear, confusion, and something else she couldn’t name.
Without warning, Damien’s fangs brushed her skin, piercing it with a sharp sting that sent a shiver coursing through her veins. Warmth and cold clashed violently inside her as his mouth pressed against the fragile flesh.
A rush of sensation flooded her body — pain mingled with an inexplicable euphoria. Her heart raced, threatening to break free of her chest as Damien drank deeply, his breath ragged and desperate.
When he finally pulled away, crimson stained his lips, and Aria’s vision blurred. Her head lolled to the side, weakness spreading like wildfire.
Damien’s gaze softened as he caught her before she could fall, cradling her fragile body with a tenderness that contradicted the savage act.
“You are mine now,” he whispered, voice low and possessive. “And this bond cannot be undone.”
Aria closed her eyes, the room spinning around her. The bite mark throbbed, pulsing with a strange heat beneath her skin.
As sleep claimed her once more, she knew her life had changed forever. The first bite was only the beginning — a dark promise sealed in blood and desire.