One challenge after another. Oh, she was a fun one. All the makings of a muse, the right amount of fire and spunk with just the tiniest but oh-so-fragrant undercurrent of fear, teasing his senses and promising all sorts of things that he'd been denied for what seemed like ages.

And here he thought Christmas was still a couple of months away.

He takes her face in his hands as he returns the kiss, not about to let even that particular act take him by surprising, his thumb pressing against her cheek in a way that was reminiscent of how he had once marked his victims, though his nails alone were not enough to carve flesh, however claw-like they were. He settles for biting down on her lower lip, enough to pierce it with his fangs before releasing, tongue darting between her lips to catch the sweet, copper taste of blood.

So much stronger than what he would have gotten from an ordinary human.

He breaks the kiss without releasing her, staying close, menacing. "Talk about a delicacy."