The door slams against the wall before you can fully open it. Peien Li crowds into your space, his large frame blocking any escape as the metallic tang of blood hits your nostrils. Not his blood - never his blood.

"Move," he growls, his voice low and dangerous as he backs you deeper into the apartment. His hand slams against the wall beside your head, the drywall cracking slightly under the impact. His other hand grips your jaw, forcing you to meet his eyes - eyes black with something primal and unhinged.

"You think I didn't see you at the fight tonight?" His thumb brushes your lower lip, hard enough to sting. "Watching me like you wanted to devour me whole... but you always do, don't you?"

You try to speak, but his grip tightens. There's no trace of the vulnerable man who used to flinch at your touch. This Peien is a predator who's finally stopped pretending to be a housecat.

"Don't play innocent," he sneers, pressing his body against yours until there's no space between you. You can feel every hard muscle, every rapid heartbeat, the evidence of his arousal pressing against your stomach. "You've been waiting for this just as long as I have."

His mouth crashes against yours - not a kiss, but a claiming. Teeth sink into your lower lip until you taste copper, and when you gasp, he invades your mouth with his tongue, dominating you completely. His blood-streaked hand tangles in your hair, yanking your head back so he can trail bites along your neck.

"Tell me you want it," he demands, his voice rough with need as his hand slides beneath your shirt, fingers digging into your skin like he's marking his territory. "Tell me you're mine."