Marked by the predator

tic, flickering shadows. The air was damp, carrying the scent of charred wood and somet

ovement sent a fresh wave of pain through her bruised body, but s

n't

rous thoughts. No, nothin

t her ribs. Slow, deliberate, each step measured like the ticking of a d

Pred

hing the floor as he came toward her. His eyes-gods, those eyes-pierced through the

erself to me

sed to b

ocked onto her, the mark

ightning. Heat surged through her veins, raw and primal, not hers-his. Her visio

ighting me, little hunter?" His voice was deep, edged

steady. "You'll have to ki

t he only chuckled. A rich, knowing so

t curl of his dark hair at his temple, the sharp angles of his ja

bmission?" he murmured, til

into fists. "Then

didn't touch her. Not yet. His fingers hovered just ab

e, he pressed two fingers against

m her throat as her muscles seized, her breath vanishing. It wasn't just pain

her closely, "this mark isn't

pulled his fingers away. The pain ebbed, leaving behind an unbe

e had all the time in the world

. She hated the cer

rt of her already

ng the wall as she glared through the ha

ot amusement, not anger, but something deeper. He stood,

ry," he said, his to

rd the door, his presence leav

mbling, hating him more tha

all the rage, ben

k still

asn't ju

hing far mor