KATHARINA The moment I swallowed that blood, I knew it was game over. What happened next was no longer within my control. With the last remnants of my consciousness, I watched in helpless horror as my self-control shattered—and I sank my teeth straight into its paw. Everything else dissolved into nothingness. There was only the taste. Sweet as nectar, intoxicating beyond reason. It flooded my mouth, overwhelming my senses, luring me to take more—another sip, another swallow—until the very idea of stopping ceased to exist . It was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. And no—this wasn’t just hunger speaking. This was different. A difference so vast it felt as though I had been feeding on the wrong thing all along. Time lost all meaning. I couldn’t tell whether it was minutes

