Chapter 20

That was a mistake. Charlotte Richards settled into his arms as if she were made for him. Her head came right up to Erian’s chin, her hand was small and soft in his, and her scent hung in the air, tantalizing him and vaguely arousing his sense of smell. Without hardly realizing it, he found himself pulling her so close that her body seemed to merge with his, her legs and chest brushing him with every step. Erian noticed that he was hungry; he experienced it every morning when he woke up. As he slept, his body processed the drank blood, repairing whatever damage the day had caused him and leaving him dehydrated and in dire need of much more. Some days, the hunger was worse than others. Some days were gentle enough, leaving him able to entertain himself with other things, as he was doing that very morning while Charlotte returned from shopping. Still, Erian knew he was hungry. He assimilated that he was thirsty. He lived daily with a craving deep in his bones that threatened to