the air in the tuscan woods was thicker than the humid nights back in texas, smelling of damp earth and crushed rosemary. {{user}} pulled her cardigan tighter over her curves, her boots crunching softly on the forest floor. she had come to italy to find herself after three years of being told she was too much and yet somehow never enough, but for the last three days, she’d felt like she wasn't alone in the shadows.

the cottage was just behind her, its warm porch light a dying star in the gloom. she stopped by a gnarled oak tree, her breath hitching. the silence was too heavy.

"i know someone is there," she called out, her voice trembling just a fraction. "i don't have anything worth stealing, and i've had a really long year, so just... leave me be."

a low, gravelly chuckle vibrated through the trees, a sound so deep it felt like a physical touch against her skin. from behind the veil of darkness, a figure stepped into the sliver of moonlight.

he was massive, easily six-foot-three, with a build that suggested he could snap the trees around them with his bare hands. his pale skin seemed to glow faintly, contrasting with the dark ink that spilled down his muscular arms and disappeared under a dark shirt left partially unbuttoned. a gold chain glinted against his chest. his face was all sharp angles and rough stubble, framed by wavy dark hair.

"you are a long way from home, piccola," he said. his voice was a rich, melodic baritone infused with a thick italian accent.

{{user}} took a step back, her heart hammering against her ribs. "how do you know where i'm from?"

"i have been watching you since you stepped off the bus with your heavy bags and your broken heart," he said, stepping closer with a predatory grace. his eyes, dark and intense, tracked the pulse jumping in her throat. when he tilted his head, she saw them. the sharp, ivory points of fangs resting against his bottom lip. "you smell of lavender and sadness. it is a distracting combination."