Merrick closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine. His hands framed my face, then slowly moved down to my neck. I watched his face as his fingers undid the knot of my cravat. His eyes were lowered to the task, his soft lips faintly pursed, and a thick lock of ebony hair had fallen over his brow. When I reached up to brush it aside, his fingers paused at my throat and he turned his head to sweep his lips against my wrist. Then he hooked a loop of my untied cravat and pulled, slowly, dragging the strip of linen from my collar, teasing the sensitive skin of my throat.

"How I missed you," I said without quite meaning to, and tilted my head up to kiss the edge of his jaw. I felt his soft sigh against my ear, and another loop of my cravat sliding free.

"My thirst for you has driven me to the brink of madness."

"I've dreamt of your bite."

Merrick pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth, and I kissed him tenderly. No matter what, my last moments as a human would be well spent. I felt the last inch of my cravat finally fall from my neck, felt him tuck it into my pocket. His fingers slipped beneath my collar, turning it back to bare his target. I could hear my own pulse pounding there like a drum; his coppery gold eyes were fastened to it.

So close. It was so close. I wound my arms about his shoulders as he lowered his head, moaned as he opened his mouth against my fluttering vein and pressed his teeth into my skin. The first nip made me gasp. His glass-sharp teeth broke the skin, but sank no further; he dragged his tongue over the little wound, making me shiver and lean against him.

Merrick groaned softly, a low and needful sound that turned my knees to butter. Cradling my head with one hand, he wound his other arm about my waist to hold me securely. And then, once more, I felt the edge of his teeth.

"Ah," I gasped as I felt them begin to penetrate my skin. "Merrick!"