Luciano pulled a chair for Eloise to sit, the gesture smooth, utterly natural, and deeply unsettling given the context of her forced captivity. Once she was seated, he sat in his own chair, taking his place at the head of the long, gleaming oak table. The polished surface reflected the warm, flickering candlelight and the gleam of the silver cutlery, illuminating the intimate, dangerous setting.
The fox hopped gracefully onto a velvet cushion positioned at Luciano's right side—apparently its designated dining seat. A small, delicate gold dish was placed instantly in front of the creature by a silent server.
Eloise blinked when the server then placed something within the dish: perfectly sliced, raw, crimson meat. A predator's elegant, tailored feast. The fox lowered its head and began eating with eerily precise, polite movements, like a tiny monarch taking its supper.
