Lunar's POV

I kept myself curled up in front of the fireplace. Mr. Lincoln was keeping the blasted temperature low, and I was freezing. He was still quite avoidant with me, too. Admittedly, it was pissing me off. Another thing he was doing was going out late and downing lots of pints of blood... Then throwing his glass at the wall and getting pissed off. When that happens Mr. Hayes has me leave the room. Of course, I had many questions, but I knew better than to ask them while this was all going on, so I mostly just kept to myself.

Shivering, I pulled my blanket over my shoulders and curled up into a tight ball, hugging my pillow as I started to fall asleep. My body jumped at the movement of the covering as an arm wrapped aggressively around my waist, pulling me firmly against a rough torso.

Turning over, I nuzzled into Mr. Lincoln's chest, trembling as he rested his head against mine. He had a fang blocker in his mouth as his eyes kept repeatedly dilating. Carefully, he toyed with my hands, his thumb outlining my veins as he held me closer. My shivering stopped as his body heat penetrated mine and warmed me up, his arms slowly lifting me and carrying me over to the couch. I held onto my cushion and blanket, paranoid I'd start shivering again as he set me in his lap.

"I'm hungry," He managed as he flickered his pupils around the room. Every form of movement or sound that happened had his attention. He couldn't seem to focus on one thing, and I could tell it was irritating him, "I hate that this fucking shit happens every year. I don't get how Tyler could grow accustomed to it, and I can't."

He fidgeted around with the retainer in his mouth, holding it in place forcefully. It worried me he'd break his teeth. His sentence started to put the pieces together for me and answer my questions. Hesitantly, I took his hand away from his mouth, earning a growl from him, but he fought back the reaction to hurt me as soon as he looked at my face and gave himself a focal point.

My arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him soothingly against me and resting my head on his shoulder. I could feel his heart pounding at my actions, his body incredibly stiff as he forced his arms around my waist, resting his head against mine, "I could kill you, Kitten."

"If that were so, I'm sure you'd have done it weeks ago," I replied comfortably, earning a chuckle from him, "But clearly I'm still standing."

"Don't tempt me, Pet."

"Oh, please, you could, but you won't," Sitting up, I rolled my eyes at him as I didn't play oblivious to the amusement in his irises. He leaned his face into my hand as I combed my fingers through his hair, trailing my fingers down to his jaw and watching his pupils dilating with the movement. He was trying to keep his pupils focused on my face and not my hand so close to his lips. I found it cute. He was like a predator tracking prey, looking for the best attack route. Not like a fully grown predator, more like a cub. It was like all his years of training to be a Fang --- the Mafia of "Pacifists" --- were reduced to atoms.

Leaning in, I brought my lips to his, his hand grasping my throat immediately and holding me back as he snarled, "Do not."

"Chickening up, are we?" I grinned at him, holding his hand around my neck as it loosened up. Growling into my mouth, he accepted my kissing, his grip tightening back up as he pinned me against the couch, hovering above me.

Wrapping my legs around his waist, I pulled him closer, his hips not even fighting against grinding as he snarled against my lips, "You just like pushing buttons, don't you?"

"Pushing buttons would be me trying to piss you off or get punished," I kissed, chuckling against him as I leaned away, "I am simply trying something out that may put you at ease while at the same time get me laid tonight."

He laughed, giving me a moment to take his retainer out of his mouth and throw it onto the table. In an instant, he was covering his mouth and turning his face away from me, the back of his throat snarling, but his eyes shut tight, "Give that back, Lunar Floid."

"Look at me," I used the back of my index to caress his cheek, his head leaning toward it hesitantly as he shook it, refusing to look in my direction, "You don't scare me, Ryker."

"I scare me," His voice was breaking, his muscles shaking as he kept trying to refrain his fangs from coming out. It seemed like it hurt him physically to do. I'm guessing during this their bodies aren't meant to hide their fangs because they're supposed to feast until the hunger fades.

"Please, Dueño?" I cooed out, my voice a purr at the end as I kept petting his cheek. I watched it redden, his irises glancing at me, "Pretty please?"

Part of him faltered, but his fear was still strong. He didn't want to hurt me. I know I should be afraid, but I'm not. He's gained my trust. I have no reason to be afraid.

Taking a deep breath and swallowing, he finally faced me, still covering his lips with the back of his wrist and hand, his hand shuddered as it repeatedly clenched and unclenched from being a fist. I smiled at him, watching his pupils continuously dilate as I brushed his hair with my fingers, purring out, "I trust you, but I can't trust you for you."

Laying further down, I rested my head against the arm of the couch, holding his other hand and tracing circles around the back of his palm, and unwrapping my legs around his waist.

As much as I wanted to make sure he wasn't going to run off and avoid me all over again, I needed him to move for himself. He's able to read auras and all that, but I'm only human. I can't read more than facial expressions and posture. All I can do is encourage him that he's allowed to act, and I'll be alright. All I can do is show I'm here and not going anywhere.

Hesitantly, he pushed his knee between my thighs, pressing it firmly against my groin and cupping the left part of my throat. It was the smallest action to express he was warming up to his thoughts. You could see the wheels turning in his eyes as he pondered what to do next.

I tilted my head back, exposing my throat to him with a hum. He became conflicted again. It was like he was fighting something in him. Predator against Predator. The will to kill and the will to keep me alive.

I remained still, refusing to move. I felt if I moved, he'd grow startled or pissed. Either would lead down an awful path that'd lead us both to regret, and I wanted him to feel safe. I needed him to feel safe.

He sank his fangs into the right part of my neck, connecting to the mark and filling my body with electricity and ecstasy, a growl leaving his throat. The hand I had been caressing gripped mine tightly but slowly loosened up as his body relaxed against mine, his knee rubbing circles between my thigh. My free hand gripped his thigh, my lips parting with whimpers as I tried to steady his movements. Rejecting my attempt and shoving his knee back into place, he snarled against my skin, "You wanted to play. Get over it."