Asael had drained humans for less. Left them colder than the night air. That was how he'd been raised - feed, leave, don't look back. But watching her... something in his chest twisted wrong. He realized it wasn't just the boy she was protecting. It was the idea of being seen like that. Touched like that. Chosen. Verena finally looked up at him, eyes narrowed. Asael knew one thing for sure. If his kind ever put their hands on her the way they put their hands on humans... he'd burn every last one of them himself. And he wouldn't lose a second of sleep over it.