Greatwater Lake maun

He tastes her blood. Like the blood of anyone else. His stomach clenches at the metallic flavor, the warmth, ready to receive it as it has done a hundred, a thousand times before.

His body reacts in the usual way, first the dilation of every vessel, of every vein and artery. With it, the thunderclap beat of his heart.

She lunges to the ground, with his head tucked under her chin. He fails to extricate himself in time, ends up with his face pressed between her shoulder and the dirt.

Still, he thrashes like a serpent possessed, gouging out great handfuls of grass.