CRAVED (SHE TOUCHED THE MONSTER)

ke befor

city barely stirring beneath it. Her room was quiet - too quiet. No cars. No siren

t up s

the rain. Her phone had ten missed calls from her friend Jen

e was

i

... sad. He'd looked at her like he knew her. Like he saw her. A

. They ached, though

n stared back, pale and tired. She leaned closer.

she feel.

did she

ely said anything. And yet, something about him clung to her like smoke. Not just a

d. "I'm losing it

kept going

still call

-

rself she was

t Liam lingered - in the corners of her thoughts, in the space between heartbeats. She sa

er feet were already moving. Coat on

s, barely breathing until the alley appeared - quiet, empty,

hesi

h

't stay

ipped out of

eath c

over his shoulders, hands in his pockets, moonlight brushing his

ted. "I don't k

s head sligh

retched be

er. "You could've hurt me t

done," he said, voice quieter

trust

at that. Like t

shoul

pping closer again. "I haven'

r fingers lightly against h

am.

e felt

ike she already knew what he'd

didn'

the cold. It smelled like blood and iron and someth

d've pul

he d

en them. Her lips brushed his-soft, tentative, human-and for a hear

mo

pped away.

Hurt flared in her eyes-raw an

't have-"

oo fast. Too flat. "But tha

wned. "Th

The mist had thickened, curling around the

e said quietly. "You think you want t

s not

It's

slower this time. "You feel

lenched. He

said. Softer now.

in her voice, like she wanted to break something open and off

w," he

y: "That's t

ped somewhere

f them

s were w

-

ap-closer

ods didn't make that sound u

not like some romantic reflex-but like a creature older than in

d his arm. "

r. His eyes wer

pped into t

t had always been. Like the dark had p

ent left in the cold. And eyes-God, the eyes. Hollow p

breath

't look

oked

pped. "Don't spe

the he

id do

us, like a predator trying to decide if t

when he spoke again-older, rougher, like s

der my pr

be it didn't. The face didn'

t a drag of cold air, like a tomb

came from the trees, not its mouth

jaw tig

said. "

ith lips. Just with the sense

er from it," it sa

the woods, the way a shadow retreats wh

old staye

whisper now. "What

idn't

before. Long ago. It didn't

or promis

er-had just stepped