As more time and alcohol passed, the mortals became more bold. Maybe that was not the right term. They became more truthful in many ways. To me, that meant an opportune time to understand what was really driving this outspoken and confident mortal that now spoke to my coworkers like they were long lost friends.

Quinn pushed her long dark hair past her shoulder and leant an elbow on the booth table we sat around. She sat beside Will, while I remained opposite with Jamie. Her piercing green eyes lit up in humour as she replied to the Irish.

"I'm not sure which women had the pains of dating you–but I earned my reputation as you put it–through actual skill at my job."

Jamie choked on his sixth pint of Guinness with a snort. "Forgive me love, but the way you look–any job would be a winner."

I cut a glare at him and kicked him harshly under the table. He yelped and Will smirked over the table. Quinn merely acted like it was all part of a normal evening. Who was I to know what her evenings were made of...

"Quinn." I said steadily, making her eyes flash up to meet my own over a fourth gin and tonic. "What made you want to become a lawyer?"

She raised an eyebrow at me with a smirk. Then set her glass down and set her arms upon the stained wood. "Why do I feel like I'm in trial whenever you ask me something?"

"Trust me you're not the only one." Will drawled beside her.

I waited for her answer as she considered this. "If you think I'm about to start a speech about doing the right thing I think I'm going to disappoint you." She warned.

Jamie and Will laughed loudly while I continued watching. She seemed to be deflecting.

"I already gathered you were not a walking cliché, Miss Adams." I responded flatly as I turned the ice cubes in my glass.

Her heartbeat spiked at her name despite her cool expression. But before she could give me a straight answer Jamie supplied for her. "Forget this interrogator–" He jutted a thumb at me. "–Will and I can keep the conversation interesting."

"How are you going to do that?" She asked with a laugh. It made me watch the details of her lips. The edge of her jaw. The scent of her blood overpowering me, its rich, sweet scent made everything want and crave–I felt my teeth grow into points without even registering what was happening.

I stood abruptly. "I'll be right back."

Will cut me a sharp look despite the booze. A look that assumed this would be a repeat of the number of times I would vanish from a social night.

"Everything good, Fletch?" He asked as I made to step away from the booth.

"I forgot to arrange an appointment." I responded simply before turning from the booth and feeling their eyes upon my back.

My thoughts were clouding into hunger and need the longer I sat across that chair from the mortal. I had never come across such sudden drive. A lack of control I had mastered a long time ago. Now it felt like year one all over again.

I dodged the last of the crowds and almost threw myself through the doors to hit the cool night air of London. I took a deep breath in through my nose. Then I tilted my head up and let it go through my mouth. There were few on the streets at this time in winter other than to smoke or jump into cabs.

I took this moment to lean against the stone wall of the bar and watch a few mortals drunkenly stumble into a traffic cone. I let out another breath and turned my eyes to the half moon above. The ghostly shine wrapped in a mist of cloud. The one thing I hated about the city centre–you could never make out the stars.

"I've seen panic attacks but that was different."

I flinched out of my skin. I was totally wrapped in my thoughts I did not even notice the reason for my hunger standing beside me now. I turned slowly to Quinn Adams to see a look of concern over her features. I took another small breath, careful to avoid her scent in the air. The cold helped.

"Why are you out here?"

"Because I know what anxiety looks like. A crowd of people makes it worse but one person with the right words can help." She answered in seriousness.

I crossed my arms and glanced sidelong at her. Her intentions were touching, despite the fact that she assumed my pained expression was human psyche related and not a craving to drain the life out of her. 

"Well, if you're willing to come out here to help, I think you will need something warmer than that." I stated, eyeing her white shirt and skirt.

But to my surprise she smirked and leant against the wall with me. "I can handle the cold."

"Can you handle my ever worsening condition." I drawled in irony.

She rolled her eyes and watched the same drunken couple I had eyed seconds before. "You can deny it through humour all you like. As long as you're acknowledging the issue."

I resisted the urge to grin. If I acknowledged the issue, she'd have no more blood in her veins. 

"Does it happen a lot?" She broke my thoughts of sinking teeth into her neck.

"You could say that." I said quietly. She tilted her head at me.

"You know you're quite weird right?"

I scoffed and shook my head at the building in front of us. "You're not much of a supportive speaker are you?"

She grinned and turned back to the road. "You're right. I actually don't tend to run after people having a meltdown."

"I was not having a meltdown, Quinn Adams." I stated flatly.

"Detective Fletcher, I should start doing your job because it seems like I pick up on a lot more." She retorted easily.

This made me smile. The sheer audacity of this mortal. "You know, I think you're not as frustrating as I initially thought." She smiled at me. "You're much worse." I finished, watching the smile disappear and she pushed my crossed arms, brushing my hand.

She flinched under the contact. "You're freezing–you should come inside."

I internally cursed myself for allowing the contact at all. Thankfully easy to explain in the middle of winter.

"I just needed to get a clear head out here." I responded, turning to her. "I appreciate you coming out here. You don't know me at all but made the effort."

I felt rather than heard her pulse skip and tint her cheeks. It made me focus too much on the details of her. Like the dark strands kissing her face. The small parting between her lips and those infuriatingly striking irises. She cleared her throat and took a quick breath.

"Like I said. I don't make a habit of running after crazy people."

"Now I'm crazy? I thought I was just weird." I retorted, watching those eyes grow more amused by the second and finding myself smile. 

"You're alright, detective. And if you ever need the law to be worked around..." She smirked off innocently. "Here's the card of a good lawyer I know." She said placing a black card with silver thin print into the crease of my arm.

I plucked it out and scanned it.

"This is your card–"

She was already walking back inside.

* * * * *

Quinn excused herself shortly after that strange meeting.

I turned her card around in my fingers still picking up on the scent left behind. Those thin and elegant printed silver words. Then that number and email just waiting to be used as a gateway to the woman herself. 

No. Infatuations with mortals always ended the same way. The line we stood on and the line they did led to the same outcome. One I would not test again. One that would drive you to insanity and beyond.

"Fletch, what did you think?" Will enquired over his beer.

My eyes flicked back to his. I tucked the card into my jacket and cleared my throat.

"She's a good pool player."

The men glanced at each other before laughing heartedly. "We meant about the social location." Jamie snorted.

My blood spiked a little colder. "Yes–well, wonderful." I finished the rest of the gin.

Jamie kept grinned while Will rolled his eyes. "Well lads, I need to call it. I'm joining the firearms team tomorrow morning for drills." The Irish said as he raised out from the booth.

Will nodded turning to me. "We should head out too. Chief wasn't in the ironic mood on our case."

I half smiled with my attention on other places but the criminal underworld for once.

When we hit the brisk air and divided into various cabs, I lingered on the threshold of the dark interior of the car. I turned to the driver and leant in.

"Sorry. I think I'll walk instead." I passed him a note for the trouble and he waved me off.

I shut the door and walked near to the wall I had been at not long before with the mortal. The same scent still lingered on the stone as it did on her card. I took a deeper breath and felt it move down the street. I eyed it for a moment. Considering what the hell I was doing instead of returning to my flat in the west end.

"Screw it." I muttered, following the scent of it.

Curious that she too, hadn't stepped into a cab at the edge of the pavement and the scent would have gone cold. But she walked. I kept this up, following for a few minutes into the familiar business district. The moon was still cloaked in thick cloud but the many lights of the glass buildings were beacons.

A few moments more and I was stood before her pristine law firm.

With the number of drinks we had she can't have seriously gone back for work reasons. I trailed towards the other side of the road and kept an eye on the deserted main foyer through the glass. A coffee shop and various other restaurants held the ground floor of a large stone building.

I ducked in and ordered something I wouldn't drink just so I could sit near the front window.

Time passed and I began to feel more foolish by the second. If I told myself I was trying to learn more of this mortal just to protect my own identity, I was failing. After twenty minutes I stood to return home. My private driver picked me up this time as I had no interest in talking.

But when he finally made to pull away in the slick, black business car I held up a hand. Quinn Adams moved gracefully through the building's stone floor past the tall glass. She smiled at the woman behind the long desk in the foyer and swiftly made her way to the revolving doors. My driver kept the car running on the opposite side of the road.

"You see that silver Mercedes outside Henley & Bloom?" I asked.

"Yes, Miss Fletcher." His answer was calm and measured. As was the well kept appearance and flawless suit he wore daily. 

"Follow it." I answered just as calmly.