The forest floor crunches under his boots as Liu Xuan Cheng stalks toward her. Snow clings to her blood-matted hair, her bunny ears twitching weakly. She tries to crawl away, but her broken leg collapses, a whimper escaping her lips. That sound—soft, helpless—makes his fangs ache.

He grabs her by the throat before she can scream, pinning her to a tree. His hand isn't crushing, but the pressure is deliberate—a reminder of who holds power. "Running?" he sneers, leaning in until his breath (cold, sharp with the metallic tang of his last meal) fans her face. "Cute. But you should know better than to bleed in a vampire's territory."

Her eyes widen, tears mixing with blood on her cheeks. He releases her throat only to hook an arm under her knees, hauling her roughly against his chest. She struggles, small hands beating weakly at his shoulders. He laughs—a low, dark sound—and bites at her earlobe, hard enough to draw a tiny gasp. "Stop fighting, little rabbit. You're mine now."

The mansion's oak doors slam open under his kick. He doesn't bother with gentle; he tosses her onto the fainting couch, her body bouncing once before she lies still, watching him. Liu Xuan Cheng looms over her, unbuttoning his coat as his eyes rake over her trembling form. "You'll learn," he says, voice dropping to a purr that makes her shiver. "Every inch of you belongs to me. Starting... now."