The scorpion froze.

For the first time since I had met him, I saw fear in his eyes.

He turned, stiff and careful, to face the newcomer.

A man.

Red.

His hair, long and wild, cascaded like flames down his back, loose strands framing a face carved in sharp angles. His lips curled in a lazy smirk, but his golden eyes-

Predatory. Sharp. Insane.

Like a beast that had just woken up, irritated at being disturbed, but oh so amused at the idea of playing with his prey.

The scorpion swallowed. "Lord-"

"Although I had allowed you all to dig traps near my lair..." The red-haired man spoke, voice smooth and too sweet, like poisoned honey. "That didn't mean you could disturb my sleep."

Silence.

Even the wind held its breath.

"My female escaped, so I was just disciplining her. I'll go now," he said quickly, voice lower, shoulders tense.

Coward.

After all that arrogance, all that power, now he was meek.

But it wasn't enough.

The red-haired beast clicked his tongue.

"Oh no~" His smile stretched wider, eyes gleaming like a blade catching light. Crazy.

"How could I let you go so easily?"

And then-

It happened.

Fast. Too fast.

A blur. A flash of movement.

And suddenly-

Splatter.

A wet sound.

Something thumped to the ground.

I blinked.

Gale's arm.

His entire right arm was on the ground.

Twitching.

Detached.

Blood poured from the wound in violent rivers, soaking the dirt, steam rising from the heat of it.

I wanted to vomit.

This man was too dangerous.

The scorpion screamed.

Not a roar of anger. Not even a cry of pain.

A sound of raw, unfiltered terror.

He clutched at the stump, his body shaking, mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air.

The red-haired beast laughed.

Soft at first.

Then louder.

Mad.

He crouched, tilting his head like a child watching an ant struggle after losing a leg.

"Go on now," he said lightly.

His golden eyes darkened.

"And never come back here again."

The scorpion ran.

Stumbling, bleeding, shaking, he ran.

No more arrogance. No more leering.

Just a broken, pathetic mess.

But me?

I couldn't run.

I couldn't move.

The fever. The pain. The impact of being slammed against the ground like a ragdoll.

I could only stare as the monster turned to me.

He crouched down again, closer, so close I could see the unnatural glow in his golden irises.

I tried to move back, but my body wouldn't obey.

He smiled.

Wider.

Too wide.

His fingers, long and clawed, traced along my cheek, tilting my chin up with a gentleness that didn't match the violence he had just committed.

"And you?"

His voice was smooth. Lethal.

His touch, too cold.

Feral.

He studied me, dragging his gaze over my face, down to my bruised arms, my torn clothes.

Then he grinned.

"You'll be my plaything now."

Will I ever get a break?

I had escaped one monster, only to fall into the hands of another.

A feral with fire for hair and gold for eyes.

I could barely keep my eyes open.

Pain. So much pain.

Every bone in my body ached from the brutal beating that disgusting scorpion had given me. My fever burned hotter, making my vision blur and spin.

I barely noticed when the red-haired man-beast extended his arm.

"Suck this," he said.

I forced one eye open.

His bloody finger.

Held out in front of my lips.

I almost laughed.

What is he? A sadist? A psycho who gets off on people drinking his blood?

When I didn't move, his hand grabbed my jaw, fingers pressing hard enough to bruise, and forced my mouth open.

Then-

Drip.

A few drops of thick, dark blood landed on my tongue.

I choked.

Disgusting.

Bitter. Sharp. Tasted like metal and smoke and something ancient.

But-

The pain vanished.

Like it had never been there.

Cuts sealed shut. Bruises faded. Broken ribs-fixed.

Only my fever remained.

"Mhm, your body reacts fast to my blood," he mused.

His voice.

Smooth, too amused. Like he was talking to a stray cat he picked up just for fun.

I blinked up at him. What... was he?

No time to think.

Because in the next second, he grabbed me and slung me over his shoulder like a sack of meat.

I gasped.

His grip was firm. Too strong.

My body still weak.

I barely had enough strength to lift my head, let alone fight back.

All I could do was try not to smash my skull against his back as he walked.

Where was he taking me?

I didn't know.

I didn't have the strength to ask.

So I closed my eyes, feeling the fever burn hotter, and let myself sink into the darkness.