Chapter 4

• "First things first," Xavier began, his voice low, "we need to convince her not just through scent, but sight as well. It's primal for us. If Celeste can't smell the authenticity of our... encounter, she'll see right through it."
• "Right." I nodded, acutely aware of the thrumming pulse beneath my skin. "We'll need to be close—very close. Lingering touches, the kind that leave trails of heat in their wake. Enough to stir the air."
• "Like this?" I reached out tentatively, tracing the vein along his forearm, feeling the warmth of his skin against the tip of my finger. The action was intimate, yet calculated, and I felt his muscles tense under my touch.