Pranavi woke to the shrill offense of her alarm, the kind of sound that dragged her straight from dreams of tangled limbs and relentless need into bright, rude morning. Shivatya's side of the bed was empty, but when she rolled over, buried her face in his pillow, his scent tangled around her, a subtle mix of wood, want, and cool spice, sinking deep into her skin. She pressed the pillow tighter, letting his memory fill her senses, letting the ache of not having him right now linger a little longer.

Her neck tingled, a pulse of deep, secret pleasure blooming at the place he'd bitten her last night. The memory flooded back, his mouth, his fangs, the sharp thrill that set every nerve in her body on fire, twisting pain into ecstasy. She touched her neck, fingers ghosting over the sensitive mark, and shivered. She wanted it back the bite, the roughness, the rush of knowing she was his.