RAWR

Chapter 3

The following day, I did everything in my power to avoid Carlos. I refused to speak to him, especially after that unsettling beast was in my room. Instead, I decided to spend my day reading in the garden.

Carlos eventually joins me on the picnic mat. "Stop avoiding me, Hannah," he says, playing with the ring on his finger, which he claims keeps him alive. I try to grab the ring playfully, but he grabs my wrist firmly.

"I'll die, Hannah," he warns.

Ignoring his words, I continue reading, determined not to let him get under my skin.

"Pay attention to me," he insists, tightening his grip on my wrist. A strange sensation washes over me, a mix of fear and a curious attraction.

"Or else what?" I challenge him.

"You don't want to find out," he warns, releasing my wrist and abruptly walking away.

Later, he texts me, instructing me to be ready by 6, wear something nice, and come downstairs. I put on a plain black dress and my trusty chucks and arrive downstairs promptly at 6.

Carlos scoffs at my choice of shoes. "Those shoes, really?"

"I don't have any others," I respond.

"I'll have to fix that," he says, biting his lip, a gesture that sends a shiver down my spine.

We head to a fancy restaurant and sit across from each other. The table allows our knees to touch beneath it, his long legs adding an enticing touch.

We order our food and eat in silence, and I can't help but ask, "Are we just going to sit in silence?"

He apologizes, claiming his mind is occupied, but his intense gaze lingers on my lips and neck throughout the meal.

After dinner, we get into his car, and he drives in a direction opposite to his house.

"Where are we going?" I inquire.

"Don't ask questions, Hannah," he retorts.

We eventually arrive at a beach, where we go for a walk. Carlos stops in the middle of the beach.

"I can't do this," he murmurs.

"Do wha—" My sentence is cut short as his lips crash onto mine. The kiss is intense and desperate, as though he hasn't kissed anyone in a hundred years. It's the best kiss of my life, lasting a minute before he pulls away and licks his lips. Then he begins kissing my neck with such intensity that it feels like he might devour me. And then everything goes black.

I wake up in an unfamiliar bed, quickly realizing it must be Carlos' room. My head throbs, and my neck aches. The last thing I remember is the passionate kiss on the beach. I look down and see that I'm wearing an oversized t-shirt that barely covers me due to my petite size. As I prepare to start my day, I wash my hair and tie it up into a messy bun. When I glance at the mirror to brush my teeth, I notice a bright red mark on my neck with distinct teeth marks. How on earth did that get there? I decide to ignore it for now and continue with my day, with a nagging feeling that something strange is happening with Carlos.