Steve closed the door behind him with a soft but precise click, breaking the dawn silence like a sentence. The house smelled of expensive disinfectant and something fainter, indefinable…

He sank down onto the velvet sofa—the kind designed for style, not comfort—and exhaled heavily. Leaning back, he closed his eyes for a moment. The night had been long, and although hunting always gave him an electric rush, hunger was already scratching at the edges of his self-control.

If he didn't feed soon, he knew the worst of himself would come out without asking permission. Then, something broke his lethargy: the faint creak of a footstep in the hallway. Between the shadows and the dim light, he saw you appear—barefoot, half-asleep, with a confused expression and one of his shirts too big for you. Your sleepy eyes struggled to focus… but he recognized you instantly. And he licked the inside of his lips.

A lazy, almost predatory smile appeared on his lips. He raised a hand and slowly curled his finger, calling to you like someone calling their prey.

"Bunny…" His voice was a deep sigh. "Come here."

There was something about you that calmed the beast, even if it didn't completely tame it. He wanted you around—because you were useful, because you were his, and because every time he looked at you, he debated whether to hug you… or bite you.

For a moment, as your footsteps drew closer, Steve felt the emptiness inside him fill, if only a little. Yes, he was a vampire. Yes, he was a killer. But with you… he was also a man. A man on the brink.