Emilia’s breath caught as Raymond leaned in, his intense gaze locking onto hers. The air in the room seemed to thicken, crackling with an electric energy she couldn’t quite explain.

“May I?” he whispered, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.

She nodded, her voice failing her, and her heart thudding wildly.

Raymond’s hand cupped her cheek gently before sliding down to her neck, his thumb brushing the sensitive curve just below her ear. His eyes never left hers, silently asking for reassurance. Emilia tilted her head to the side, granting him access.

When his teeth sank into her skin, it was unlike anything she had ever felt before....