With trembling hands, Scarlett reached toward the crib, her mind clouded, instincts overriding reason. Her gaze was fixed solely on the innocent child, her mouth watering, her fangs aching to sink into tender flesh.
Just as her fangs were about to descend, a voice shattered the silence.
"Are you okay?"
Scarlett's head snapped around, and she exposing her razor-like teeth and the scaly, shadowed skin creeping along her cheekbones. The horror in Garvin's eyes was immediate the moment Scarlett turned to him.
"Holy...!" he gasped, stumbling back, his expression a mix of shock and fear.
With a low growl, Scarlett lunged towards him, her feral instincts momentarily overpowering her reason. But Garvin's reflexes were quick. He reached out, grabbing her wrist in a firm grip, holding her back just inches from his neck.
"You were bitten," he said urgently, keeping his gaze steady as he restrained her. "But you're not a monster. You're human."
