Choices...

I looked down when he said my whole name, maybe I was being silly. Maybe I was overthinking things....but I couldn't help but think he felt the same...in some sort of way. "I sacrifice nothing. You are all I need. I think I know what you are getting at..I was a warrior far too long...do I really seem like the 'white picket fence' type?" I looked up and smiled at his impish grin. "Well, no but...I just." I closed my eyes and sighed. "You deserve so much more, far more than I could give you and I don't want you to miss out on anything because of me. I....love you too much to see that happen."

"You deserve so much more, far more than I could give you and I don't want you to miss out on anything because of me. I....love you too much to see that happen."

Quinn pulled her to her feet and looked directly in her eyes, no more than a foot away...

"Jessica...here this clearly and remember it. You are my happiness. You give me a job I have never known. You give me a freedom that I never expected to have. With anyone else, I have to spend so much energy making sure to be gentle..."

He smiled at her...

"...you complete me..."

"...you complete me..."

It was how I felt about him. He was the other piece to the puzzle I for so long searched for to feel whole. Quinn made me the woman I was because of his love, his faith, his everything. I said nothing just wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into me kissing him hard and deep. I had no words really, only that I felt the same way. If only he understood in my kiss, when my words just failed me.

As she crushed her lips to mine, he smiled inwardly...

She was comforted, and had forgotten about what she had sensed when she came in...

After a while I pulled back and looked up at him, studying his eyes, his face. I felt something but wasn't sure what. I replayed my first sight of him only minutes before, the look on his face as he sat at his desk. Something was troubling him but he acted as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. He was hard to read, poker face...he had one. I traced the curve of his jaw as I looked into his eyes, as if I'd see the answers there. "Are you really....okay?"

"Yes, Jessica....maybe a bit tired is all..."

I couldn't help but feel he was holding back something but I couldn't continue to push at him if he wasn't ready to talk. "Would you like me to draw you a bath? Or let you sleep? Anything?"

"Well...I had thought of something..."

He ran his nails over vein in her arm, looking at her suggestively...

"As much of a difference it made before..."

His eyes closed as he remembered the taste, the feeling...

"I can just imagine what it could do when I am not dying..."

He leaned close to her neck, inhaling deeply of her scent...

My eyes shot to my arm as his nails softly traced the blue veins under my skin. I licked my lips nervously as his touch was electric. His suggestion was not something I was waiting for, or even prepared for. As he leaned closer to my neck, I heard him inhale as my eyes widened. WHAT did I say to THAT!? I mean lets review the facts here shall we, 1) He was adamant about it only being to heal him only because it was the only solution. 2) He told me stories of his pack once getting addicted and frenzied. 3) What could or would that do to us. So many thoughts ran through my mind at such fast speeds I blinked fast and tried to comprehend what he was asking me. Could a deeper bond cloud the love we had for one another or just make it stronger? I already knew I loved him without the blood bond, as did he...so would that be the difference we needed? "Quinn I...." I didn't know what to say, part of me wanted him to drink from me while I drank from him. Oh Gods...the thought....oh focus. Part of me feared the repercussions. "Do you think...I mean are you sure? Is that what you really want?"

"Do you think...I mean are you sure? Is that what you really want?"


Hearing her words gave him pause...what was he thinking...should he risk it? He remembered the taste...the power...the pleasure her blood brought...but...the price was a dangerous game...

"I'm not sure...I leave it in your hands.."

I felt him pause and contemplate his own suggestion, sensing a bit of hesitation. I knew there was a serious risk to what we were doing, but so far the blood he had from me, which was quite enough didn't register much of a bond. He was after all a tiger. Maybe if he only had a little. The only way to know if this was what he wanted was to bare all. So I did just that. Walking over to his desk as I grabbed the pointed letter opener and turning to face him as I dropped my silk robe to the floor, letting it pool at my feet. I drug the sharp edge across my right breast flinching slightly as the small amount of pain as blood began to pearl up in droplets from the cut. My eyes meeting his....

Quinn walked toward her, ripping his jacket and shirt away as if they were paper...



He stepped close, looking in her eyes...his nose flaring as the scent of her blood filled his mind...

He smiled and took the letter opener from her, creasing his own skin enough to draw beads of blood to the surface...

He looked in her eyes and growled low...

"Are you sure we should?"

I watched him rip away his shirt and jacket, they fell to the floor as he stepped closer to me taking the letter opener and slicing his skin where I usually fed from on his chest. His low growl followed by his question made me stop for just a moment.

"Are you sure we should?"

"Honestly? I'll never be truly sure. But I love you...that I do know. A bond couldn't change that. Nothing could. You've always been a part of me, ever since the first time you kissed me." I stepped closer as the smell of his blood entered my nose, running my tongue slowly across his cut and swallowing before looking back up into his eyes. "I'm giving myself to you completely."

"I'm giving myself to you completely."

As she licked the blood away, he smiled. When she lifted, he ran his finger along the cut in her skin, bringing the blood to his nose, smelling the rich scent, before lowering his hand and running his fingers along his pant leg...

"You were willing...that in itself is enough...thank you..."

He leaned back, tightening his chest, forcing more blood to surface. He smiled and beckoned her close with a look...

I watched him run his finger along my cut and bring it to his nose. What he did next confused me. He wiped my blood away on his pants leg. "You were willing...that in itself is enough...thank you..." Was he testing me? The cut across my chest began to heal slowly and soon would cease to exist. I had no idea how to react to what had just happened. I felt somewhat embarrassed and confused. I grabbed the robe at my feet and put it back on, tying it on the side as I watched him tighten his chest so more blood came to the surface. His smile made me bite my lip in confusion. The look he gave me made me want to go closer but I hesitated. "Quinn...I don't understand." Was it all just a test? Was my blood not good enough? My brows came together in confusion as I stepped one step closer to him waiting for his explanation.

"Yes, my sweet Jessica...it was a test.."

He stepped close once again, feeling the blood trickle down his skin...

"..a test for Me."

He smiled...

"I needed to know if I could turn it down...and you were willing to allow it so I was able to know. That was the one great fear I had in what we did in the hospital."

It all made sense, everything. How foolish I'd been to expect or fear the worst. Of course it wasn't me it was the struggle within himself. The blood dripping down his skin was definitely a distraction. "Oh..." Was all I could say. I felt somewhat relieved that he'd been able to refrain from it, that just made me more confident that things between us were the same. I approached him and kissed the cut in his chest, keeping eye contact with him. My lips stained red from his blood as I licked them slowly. His blood smelled so good and the taste...it was definitely some of the best blood I had. Continuing to keep eye contact with him as I ran my tongue across his cut again, cleaning him of blood.

"I'm sorry if I confused you, Jessica....but I had to know..before we..um...before..."

He looked hesitant to finish his statement...

"...I do love you. The test was mine...not yours..."

"Before we what?" I asked with a small grin as my licking seemed to distract him, or maybe something else entirely. I licked more of his blood then stood up straight still holding his gaze. "It's pretty deep. Would you like a bandage?"

He chuckled...

"It's not important...and no...it'll heal. "

I cocked a brow and smirked, watching him as I backed up to lean against his desk, folding my arms across my chest. "I'm glad you passed your test." I said as I kept eye contact with him. Tilting my head to the side as I took in all of him. The taste of his blood lingering on my lips. A smile tugged at my lips as I watched him.

He smiled at her, his fingers tapping on something in his pocket...

"As am I, Jessica...one less concern..."

I giggled and shook my head. "What are you hiding John Quinn....you're up to something I just know it." I smiled and pulled my bottom lip between my teeth wondering what it was he was thinking with that look on his face.

He led Jessica back to the lounge and had her sit while he spoke...

"Jessica.....recent events had given me a lot of reason to think..."

He started to walk back and forth in front of her as he spoke, his voice in rhythm with his steps...

"..I have come to realize a good number of things...chiefly among which would be how much you mean to me...

He turned and walked back in front of her...

"...and I love you, and know that you love me..."

He looked to her, as if for reassurance before continuing...

I gaped at him slightly and blinked hard as he continued to pace as he spoke. My head moved as my eyes followed his pacing, meeting his eyes as he turned and walked back to me.

"...and I love you, and know that you love me..."

I nodded. "Yeah...but wha--" I wasn't understanding what he was getting at really. I shook my head after stopping mid sentence. "Of course I love you Quinn..." I let my words trail off as I watched him, my mind racing at what he was doing. What he was thinking.