TEN

Laughing softly, she sank her fingers into his hair at the first cool brush of his lips against the inside of her knee. His hands slipped beneath her, parting her legs.

Antonin's eyes drifted closed, the sound of her pulse seeping into him, thrumming beneath his skin. Her fingers curled, nails scraping his scalp as she urged his mouth higher.

Tongue peeking out from between his lips, he teased and tasted as he followed. Further along her skin he kissed and lapped until he found himself there … She was warm and enticing and perfect. The ache that pulsed through him then, so different from his thirst, forced his eyes open.

Lifting his gaze, he found her watching him expectantly in the darkness. Her teeth pressed deep into her bottom lip as she waited.

He wanted so very much to lean forward. To close the distance and seal his mouth around her clit, suckling and nibbling.

But his thirst … if he didn't assuage that, he might harm her. Draw more from her than she had to give.

Pulling back, he ran the tip of his tongue along her inner thigh. He couldn't consider if this would hurt—his thoughts were too tangled beyond taking what he needed, beyond giving her what she needed—as his fangs pierced her flesh.

Hermione's breath caught, cutting off a sound of shock at the flash of agony, there and gone so fast she thought she might've imagined it. She'd known long ago not feeling pain in dreams was rubbish. He must've nipped a bit too hard, she realized, as it now seemed he was lavishing the same spot with warm, wet kisses, tongue stroking and lips caressing.

He didn't have the presence of mind to be surprised she didn't scream at his bite, only to enjoy how she writhed as he withdrew his fangs to nurse the blood from her wounds. Antonin drank in small, careful sips; he had no idea how he was restraining himself from taking more. The ache was subsiding, slow and steady, and perhaps that was enough for now, but the taste ….

Had it not been for the way she whimpered then, whispering a pleading "Please," he had no idea how long he might've gone on. But he had what he needed now, he could think a bit clearer. Could recall the thought he'd been unable to focus moments earlier.