A man of striking appearances stands there staring at her.

His hair is an unnaturally vibrant shade of auburn red which nearly brushes his broad shoulders with its length.

The two-piece suit he wears is dove blue, the undone buttons a polished gold that compliment the beige-grey shirt revealed beneath the open blazer.

He isn't wearing a bowtie but this doesn't disrupt the balance of his attire. In fact, its absence highlights the obvious; whoever this man is, he is more than comfortable in his own skin. A subtle but threatening sort of confidence oozes off him like syrup.

When Sofie finally drags her absorbed eyes up to his face, she notices something even more beguiling.

A pale oval-shaped patch of suede hides his left eye, the colour almost identical to the shade of his skin so that it's hardly discernible, hinting its purpose to be more of a necessity rather than a fashion accessory.

Sofie's stomach flutters at the man's unwavering appraisal. Her lungs seize completely when he moves, a sharp spark of panic igniting in her chest as she watches him make his way round to her side of the table, but she remains standing there, frozen to the spot like a doe in a set of headlights.

The stranger stops just outside her personal space, his stature amplified by the increased proximity.

The air around him is charged with a strange sort of energy that prickles Sofie's skin and she shrinks away when he extends his hand and holds up the plate of cheesecake.

"For you."

The sound of his voice is far from what Sofie expects. It is smooth and rich like warm liquid chocolate, but it does little to ease the tightness in her chest.

"Uh..." she exhales. "T-thank you."

Her hand trembles slightly as she takes the dessert from him. Her appetite is all but gone, fear souring her sweet tooth.

The rush of her blood echoes in her ears along with a single thought: Leave.

Her feet finally unglue themselves from the ground and she takes a step back.

"Please don't be alarmed," the man speaks again before she can flee. "But when I saw you standing here all alone, I couldn't resist the urge to come and say hello."

"Oh," she mumbles, peeking up at him through lowered lashes. "Hello."

His lips curve at the corners as he gazes down at her with a single eye that shocks Sofie with its colour. A rich purple reminiscent of a ripe plum or a deep bruise. Woah.

"Howl."

She blinks, the skin between her brows forming a V. Huh?

"My name," he clarifies. "It's Howl."

"Oh!" she says, realising what he meant. "I'm Sofie."

Her throat constricts, mouth going completely dry when he reaches out and takes her free hand. Bringing it to his lips, he brushes her knuckles with a light kiss.

The material of the glove is too thin to protect her from the unnatural chill of his skin and she shivers.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he murmurs. Leave!

"Uh..." Sofie squeaks, eyes going wide. "N-nice to meet you too."

She pulls her hand away hastily, contradicting those own words. Her heart beats frantically against her breastbone, no doubt loud enough for him to hear.

With a frown marring his flawless brow, he regards her.

"Forgive me," he says softly, dropping his own hand so it rests by his side. "I did not mean to frighten you."

"You didn't?" she asks, daring another glance up at his face.

His expression is pinched, lips thinned into an unhappy line. His one visible eye looks like it's wincing.

"Frightening you is the last thing I desire to do."

"Oh," she repeats, her heart rate slowing a fraction at his fervent statement. "Well, then - um, apology accepted."

"Thank you," he says, the smile returning to his lips. "I'm ashamed to say that my social skills aren't at their sharpest. It isn't often I get invited to events such as this."

"Me neither," Sofie admits, returning a small smile of her own now that her unease has dissipated a bit.

"Please forgive me if my next question is too intrusive," Howl continues, "But how come such a beautiful girl like yourself is here unaccompanied?"

The smile instantly falls from her lips, her brows puckering.

"I'm not unaccompanied," she answers, her tone brusque, and a look of befuddlement flashes across his face.

Realising her mistake, Sofie swallows thickly and averts her gaze.

"I have upset you again," he mutters, displeasure colouring his voice. Uh-oh.

"No- uh, I mean - not entirely," she rushes to explain, chest tight with anxiety again. "It's just... No. Forget I said any-"

"Please don't do that." His words cut her short.

Sofie's wide eyes return to his face, seeing not anger but pain in his expression.

"Do what?"

"Be concerned about what you say to me. Please speak freely," he reiterates, "And tell me what I said to offend you."

Sofie chews on her bottom lip, pondering for a moment on how best to respond.

"You called me a girl," she says eventually.

He simply stares at her, uncomprehending, and she blows out a breath, realising that she will need to clarify.

"It's just that... I'm a woman," she, explains, cringing a second later when she realises the very different way that declaration can be interpreted.

Her cheeks heat, skin prickling again as if touched by electricity.

As Howl's gaze intensifies whilst never leaving her face, Sofie wishes the ground would suddenly up and swallow her whole.

Why did I say that?!

She looks away, desperately searching for something that can save her from this mortifying moment of her own making until he speaks.

"Of course. Please forgive my foolishness." His low drawl does something strange to Sofie's stomach, turning it inside-out like a crisp packet.

"In that case, I don't suppose it would be distasteful if I were to ask for a dance?"

This question recaptures her attention. She looks at him, noticing the clenched muscles around his jaw, the tightening of his shoulder, and-

Wait... is he nervous? Sofie gapes at him.

No, that can't be right. She must be misinterpreting. Why would he, a vampire, be nervous around her, a human? It doesn't make any sense.

"I, uh..." Her eyes flicker towards the Grove, longing taking a hold of her very soul. She swallows back the disappointment when common sense kicks in and ruins everything. "I was told not to wander off."

"A brief dance then," Howl propositions, holding out a hand.

When Sofie makes no move to take it and stares at it like it's some sort of weapon, his expression softens.

"I promise that you have nothing to worry about from me," he murmurs. "Do not be afraid."

Once again, Sofie's teeth attack her lower lip.

"I'm supposed to be bringing this to someone," she says, indicating to the cheesecake. She's been gone too long already; Malcolm is probably sick of waiting.

"There are servants for that," Howl reminds her.

Reaching out, he plucks the sugar-glazed strawberry from its place on top of the slice of cake and brings it to his mouth.

When his lips part, Sofie catches sight of milky-white canines that appear to be much larger and sharper than any other vampire fangs she has seen.

LEAVE!

With a heart thrumming at the speed of a hummingbird's, she watches as the helpless strawberry is crushed between his teeth.

When he's done, he pries the plate from her fingers and sets it back down on the table. He then takes her hand which remains frozen in place, long fingers curling around hers like the mouth of a Venus flytrap.