Eyes Wide Open...

Quinn woke quietly, taking the sheet around Jessica protectively. He slipped from the bed and walked his way to his office, stopping to grab some clothing from the master bedroom. His ribs still pinched a bit as he got dressed, but he was determined to carry on and not let her see that anything was wrong. Vincent brought in his evening coffee and asked if there was anything else he was going to need. Quinn told him he needed to comfortable chairs put in the living room facing each other with no other distractions around them.

He closed the door slip in the light feel and open to the bay window to watch the sun in its decline. He did not really miss it very much, but on occasion like to see the sun, usually just as is set. They had put it off long enough, he knew his time that they needed to talk about what happened with her Maker. She might not like it, but it was time.

He knew that she usually woke about a half-hour before sunset, so he closed the bay window again and walked into the dorm area they had for the donors. He handpicked a donor and brought him back into the living room, having the young man kneel next to the bed to await Jessica. Quinn walked back into the master bedroom, and retrieved a long silk robe from a hook behind the door. She always looked so incredible in blue, he did not hear have to guess at which one to grab.

As he headed back out to the living area, he saw the first beginning signs that she would wake soon. He nodded to the donor who rose to his feet and held his arms out from his body. Quinn draped the robe over the donor’s arms and walked back over to lean against the wall. He always loved watching her wake up…

I was at the point of feeling my body come alive when the dreams slammed against me. My arm fell into the empty spot on the bed as I opened my eyes and sat up looking for him, worried. His spot was empty and I feared the worse. After the events of last night unfolding like they did, I couldn't shake this feeling. My eyes met his as he leaned against the wall, smiling. Cup of coffee in his hand, dressed up in a suit that fit him oh so well. I smiled and let out a breath I'd been holding, feeling relieved. The donor held a blue robe, so I took it and slipped into it before standing and looking at his wrists. He spoiled me so much, always having the best tasting donors ready and waiting. Something felt off, I couldn't place it but I knew with the look on his face it might not be good. Or it was important. Had he had a change of heart since last night and realized it was only because he was practically unconscious. Did he remember anything? My eyes went down as I had all these thoughts in my mind. Licking my lips and letting my fangs fall, taking the donors wrist and bringing it to my mouth, sinking my fangs through his flesh as he flinched. After six long pulls, I was satisfied and let his arm fall after healing his wounds. "Thank you." He nodded and turned to leave the room as I folded my arms across my chest and avoided his eyes, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Quinn smiled, seeing the concern in her eyes.

"Relax, Jessica..we just need to talk a few things out...and before you even ask, I do not regret telling you what I did last night."

He walked over to one of the newly placed chairs and waited for her...

I swallowed a lump and closed my eyes when he said he didn't regret it. Good, because neither did I. My heart felt like it would have been pounding in my chest echoing in my ears if it could and did beat. He made me feel so....human. I took a seat across from him and looked into his eyes, giving him a small smile. "What do you want to talk about?"

Quinn leaned forward, looking in her eyes...

"Jessica, I love you and having you here with me has made me happier than you could possibly imagine. Even with that, we do need to talk about what brought you here. I need to know what happened with Bill. You mentioned brief details but I need to know what happened...."

I sighed and knew where this was going, I already missed Bill more than I could describe and talking to Kiara about it only made me realize I should cherish what I had in Bill. Sure, we may fight. We may not agree, but he was the only maker I had and more like my father in so many ways. "It just got out of hand. I...He found out about my little dance at Fangtasia and....he wouldn't listen to me. He didn't care that I loved you, all he cared about was calling me a hooker. I couldn't take it so I left. But I talked....talked to a friend and they made me realize some things. I want...no I need to talk to him. I'm supposed to meet up with him tonight, but I'm scared to face him. I disappointed him." It was only then after I began rambling I realized I said I loved him, and knew it long before I knew it. Before I was sure of what to call those feelings, deep down I always knew.

Quinn chuckled...

"You are a redhead through and through, my love. Your temper is quick, but brief....You do need to sit down with him, and control that temper. You need to fix things with him, or there will always be a pain in your heart that I cannot heal. I love you, and I don't want that pain to remain there."

He moved over to sit on the arm of her chair, and leaned in, kissing her slowly as he stroked gentle fingers through her hair...

I smiled when he said it was because I was a red head. His words made sense, Bill and I both had a temper so no matter how mad he made me I had to keep my cool. Practicing the last few weeks controlling my urges and impulses around Quinn, I think I was ready to do it. I was ready to talk to him and stay calm. Watching him move to the arm of the chair I sat at and leaned in to kiss me, I closed my eyes and smiled against his lips. "I better go get ready. Give me twenty minutes."

Kissing his lips once more before I took off to the bathroom and showered in record time, brushed my teeth and straight ironed my hair. It always made me smile at how fast I was at getting ready and it looked like I took hours. I wanted to show Bill I was more mature than he thought, so I grabbed the dress that hung in the bathroom closet and slid it over my body. It came down to a few inches above my knee but seemed elegant and grown up. I wanted to show him the woman I'd become because of the man Quinn was and how he loved me. I took a last look in the mirror before emerging and smiling. "Think you can zip the back?"

Quinn walked over, stepping behind her, and kissed at the small of her back, and then kissed his way up her back, pulling the zipper up as he went. He walked around in front of her, opening his shirt and pulling one arm out of it, exposing his pectoral muscle.

"I thought you might want a little taste to give you a bit more of an edge..."

Carefully, so he did not muss her hair, he guided her lips to his chest...

His lips on my bare back were like heaven as I closed my eyes and bit my bottom lip. Licking my lips and opening my eyes when he finished zipping the dress. I watched as he unbuttoned his shirt and slid an arm out to expose his pectoral muscle. He carefully pulled me into him, I kissed his chest and let my fangs drop. Kissing my way up his chest and neck until I met his lips with mine. The way his tongue felt against my fangs made me grab his shirt and clutch it to keep control. Breaking the kiss as I looked into his eyes and nodded. Kissing his chest again before I sank my fangs into his chest and pulled twice. Immediately feeling calmer and even slightly more strong and confident. I licked my lips and pricked my finger to seal his wounds, before looking back up at him and pulling my fangs back.

Quinn felt the pleasure wash over him as she fed...

"Feeling better, princess?"

As she finished, he stepped back and looked her over. He looked in her eyes, seeing the fire in them. He was impressed by her new control. His little trick with licking the fangs was a trick from his past, and one that most vampires could not keep control after...

"You are stronger than you give yourself credit for, Jessica. Remember that when you are talking with him. You can also use this" ~he touched his fingers to the pendant around her neck~ "as a focus if you need it. The touch of your fingers to it might help if you are feeling stressed."

He pulled her close, crushing her lips with his own, his arms coiled around her waist...

I smiled and nodded, licking my lips once more. I giggled when he stepped back to look me up and down, my eyes moving to the side shyly, then returning back to his gaze. Now that I wore heels I was somewhat as tall as he was.

"You are stronger than you give yourself credit for, Jessica. Remember that when you are talking with him. You can also use this as a focus if you need it. The touch of your fingers to it might help if you are feeling stressed."

He said as he touched the pendant around my neck, I nodded. "I owe it all to you, for helping me become who I was meant to be." I reached up to touch the pendant again when he pulled me close, I wrapped my arms around his neck feeling his arms snake around my waist. His lips crushing to mine again left me feeling a bit breathless. I never wanted this kiss to end. One of my hands stayed around his neck as the other touched his cheek. It seemed like we stood there kissing for an hour when I pulled back slightly, with his bottom lip between my teeth.

As the kiss ended, he looked in her eyes once again...the tugging on his lip sending little sparks to his mind...

"The strength was already there, my precious Jessica. All I did was help you see it."

He thought for a moment, and whispered...

"You should probably finish getting ready, Jessica. The talk might take a while. Just send me a text if you decide to stay there for the day."

I smiled and nodded, pressing my forehead to his shoulder and taking a calming breath. "You should probably finish getting ready, Jessica. The talk might take a while. Just send me a text if you decide to stay there for the day." I looked up into his eyes and kissed him again, pulling away slowly with a smile as I whispered, "I love you."