Her expression dropped to false sympathy.

“Oh, an arist’crat like yerself must be so skeered to be alone ’ere!” The sarcasm in her voice made my senses seize and my muscles tense. I clenched my teeth, knowing I couldn’t contain myself much longer. I slowly moved toward her.

“I used to live out here without a home, not even whatever you would call this.” I kept a calm tone, spiced with condescension, using fluid hand movements out of habit. “I know my way around this place. I was cold.” I felt myself becoming more vicious, and at any moment I could have lost control. I tightened my grip on myself and awaited her reply.

“Of course y’ were.” Her voice was still sarcastic, causing me to clamp down harder on instinct, but she must have seen something through the mask because she was growing steadily more fearful. I allowed her to spend her final seconds realizing my hungry smile and my plans far too late.