His stomach growled. A hollow, pathetic sound.

He screamed instead.

He stumbled into a back alley, clutching a lamppost, dry-heaving. That’s when the scent hit him. A coppery, sweet, intoxicating perfume. He followed it like a sleepwalker.

He blushed. He thought she was flirting.

And the only sound was a wet, rhythmic chewing—and a single, choked sob.