It was a chaste, tentative kiss, not much more than a gentle meeting of skin. Doris lingered for a moment, inexperienced enough not to know what should come next but willing nonetheless. She was slightly unnerved by the Hunter's rigidity under her touch, and soon she felt the first fingers of embarrassment begin to creep up her spine.

But then he moved, tipping down his chin so that his lips better met hers, his neck arching subtly. Doris flowed against him, her hands racing up to clutch at the front of his shirt as she leaned into his kiss. It lasted longer than she could've hoped, but still it wasn't enough. Her hands gripped tighter in an innate, reflexive action when the Hunter began to pull away, her mind clouded with the taste of his skin. D's hands came to rest over hers, cool and sure, holding them as he stared down at her. She waited, lips parting, in anticipation of his next move.

To her dismay, D withdrew her hands from his shirt, lowering and releasing them with a small, gentle squeeze. Doris furrowed her brow, confusion plain, and opened her mouth to protest when he cut her off. "Doris." His voice was soft and frayed, almost apologetic.

Of course, D knew what she wanted. And he couldn't deny that he wanted her as well. But such desire came with a slew of grim implications, of instincts he had long since learned to suppress and ignore. The pounding of her heart was thunderous in his ears, stirring his Noble blood in response. His eyes moved over her flushed cheeks, drifting to the soft, glistening allure of her lips. But it was the graceful curve of her neck, half hidden by her loosely tied hair, that held his gaze.

And there, in the hollow of her throat, were the baleful scars left by the Kiss of a fearsome Noble. The marks stood as a bleak reminder of the girl's brush with death, and the forcible violation of her mind and body at the hands of the lascivious Count. He had claimed that her virginal blood was exquisite, desirable enough to lead to the downfall of his House and Progeny, all for the chance to take her for himself.

Doris followed D's gaze, watched as the kindling heat in his eyes turned cold and alien when they came to rest upon her throat. But she was only able to catch a glimpse before he stepped away, his face once again hardening. "I can't," he said simply, the flat refusal clashing with her desire to sit, sour in the back of her throat.

Her mouth suddenly felt very dry. Doris licked her lips. "Why not, D?" Her voice sounded raw in her ears, tainted by a half dozen emotions. She knew what his answer would be, but she didn't want to hear it. The look in his eyes was almost enough to undo her right then and there, their crystalline sorrow shining with longing. She pushed on before her nerves could fail her. "I want you," she said, her motivations stated plainly, lingering in the stillness of the cabin.

"Doris…"

"You can have my blood, D. I'm not afraid." She took a slow step toward him, her eyes never leaving his, sure of her intent. There was no going back now. "Take me."

D was unbearably still as she watched him, his expression guarded and unchanged. She waited with baited breath, half convinced that he would deny her again. Then there was a flutter of movement, so quick and small she almost missed it, the constricting of his throat as he swallowed. His hand reached out to cup her cheek and pull her into a kiss and Doris sighed against his lips, melting into his touch. Her hands snaked their way through his hair to clasp at the base of his neck, bringing him closer and loosening his raven strands to fall in a curtain around them.

His lips parted slightly when they met hers and she followed his lead, the warm slide of his tongue on hers exciting and stimulating in a way she had never experienced. She pressed her body to his, all semblance of proprietary forgotten, and shivered when his hands began to move over her body, exploring the curves of shoulders, her ribs, her waist, her hips. Her nails dragged lightly along the skin of his neck, eliciting a shudder from the Hunter.

D brought his own hands up to the thick tangle of her dark tresses, the restraining leather strap slipping off easily. He broke the kiss then, his lips trailing across her flushed skin to continue along her jaw. He leaned into her embrace, one leg gliding between her thighs as she clung to him to apply a gentle pressure just there, and she moaned his name, lost in the sensation.

Doris writhed in his arms, her attention torn between the heat of his mouth and the growing heat in her loins. She could feel his breath on her skin when he kissed down her throat, a noticeable tightness building in his movements when he neared her frantic pulse. She arched her neck, exposing herself to him readily, the tendons of her throat taut beneath his lips.

A low sound rumbled from D's throat, deep and savage and carnal, vibrating against her skin and sending a deliciously hot shock through her core. His lips parted at her neck, his tongue tasting her, and she felt the firm press of his fangs against her skin. She made a small noise then, high and keening in the back of her throat in anticipation. But he did not bite her. Instead, D's mouth continued to move lower, planting kisses on her shoulders and sternum. He supported her frame easily with one hand while the other began to wander over her hips and stomach, coming to rest against her ribs just beneath her left breast.

Doris squirmed, raking her hands down his back before squeezing them between their bodies, quickly undoing the buttons of her shirt to bare more skin to his insistent kisses. His focus remained steady, his lips moving down to kiss the swell of each breast before pressing his face into her chest, reveling in her scent and listening to the pounding of her heart. His damp hair tumbled down to brush her shoulder, a pleasant contrast to her heated skin.

"D?" she whispered, plaintive. Doris was restless in his grasp, her hands gripping up and down his arms, her hips moving against him. He remained with his cheek on her chest for a moment longer, allowing himself to savor the feel of her warmth as he had not before. She was so vibrant, her skin awash in the light of the fire, and yet still so delicate.

The furious thrum of her heart beckoned him with its siren call, his fangs aching at the promise of fresh blood just beneath the skin. But D resisted, centuries of self control rearing up to quell the burning fire that threatened to overwhelm him... But for how long, he couldn't say. He had had little opportunity to practice this kind of restraint. And when he looked up to see the raw desire in Doris' eyes his resolve nearly came undone.

He kissed her again, hard and sure, taking the breath out of lungs when she felt the wicked tips of his fangs on her lip, her tongue, teasing but not drawing blood. Her legs felt as if they would give out any second, the throbbing in her loins wet and insistent. Her hips bucked against him, his leg still between her thighs, and she leaned into him, trying to find the right spot again until–

Doris gasped. Without pretext, the Hunter had stooped and lifted her into his arms, bringing her head on level with his. He moved to the nearest bunk and was about to place her down when her lips found his throat, kissing and biting the sliver of exposed skin above his collar. D shuddered hard, his hands gripping around her tightly, almost painfully, his body reacting with unexpected voracity.

Sensing the sudden change in him Doris released his flesh and looked up, staring with wide eyes as his usual serene expression gave way to an unconcealed snarl. His lips drew back over lengthening fangs and his eyes were filled with a hot, dangerous red gleam. He held her firmly, pinning her against his chest, her body completely at the mercy of his inhuman strength.

But she wasn't scared.

Slowly, Doris moved against his restraining grasp, working one hand under his collar to graze the skin of chest. His gaze flicked to her then, the uncharacteristic anguish in his eyes clashing with unbridled lust, and Doris shivered. She had never wanted him more than at this moment. She kissed him again, lips gliding over his bare fangs hungrily.

"Take me, D," she whispered against his skin. "Make me yours."