Cruxius merely blinked, his expression irritatingly serene. Her body was freezing against him, lacking even a fraction of human warmth, though it was undeniably soft. But the cold pressure of her hand resting against his throat, combined with the intentional, heavy weight of her crimson stare, sent a clear, intense spike of adrenaline straight through his veins.
It wasn't nearly enough to break his focus.
Her breath hitched at his unwavering calm, clearly thrown by the fact that he was completely unfazed despite having her fangs buried in his jugular for the better part of an hour.
"Don't you like it?" The question hung between them, a taut, humming wire pulled tight.
Evangeline's eyes narrowed into slits. It wasn't anger; it was pure, clinical scrutiny.
"You… are not afraid of me," she whispered, the sound dragging over his skin.
