Emily was still having a hard time adjusting to everything. It had only been a year and yet she was still having trouble being around the people at Firenze Academy. But she didn't know them very well, which was a good thing. It was why she had moved there last year, after all. She didn't want to know them. She didn't want to grow attached. What if something happened? Well, she wouldn't let it happen, but there still was the possibility that it might.

Emily didn't like this thought very much. That was why she liked to keep to herself most times. Learn what she could from this foreign country and get out. Well, that wasn't all that Firenze was good for. The forest provided good... nutrients. There weren't many dangerous creatures in it like at Hogwarts. Pretty much just small creatures that would sustain Emily long enough. She refused to drink human blood. She didn't want to hurt anyone and she definitely didn't want to become a murderer. Just because she was cursed with this didn't mean she was about to go around killing people. It just wasn't right.

As she wandered around outside, she found herself near the pond. It was small and not many people usually were around there this time of year. It was the beginning of the school year and everyone was busy missing their friends and getting settled into their dorms and all their new classes. Emily didn't have trouble getting back into the swing of things when it came to her classes and she definitely didn't have many friends to catch up with. The one person she got along with well was Anna and they had already caught up as much as they could. Emily figured Anna was probably off socializing with a bunch of people, but that just wasn't for her. The least amount of people around her, the better.

Unfortunately, though, there was someone near her. There was a boy [well, he looked a few years older than she did] sitting at the edge of a pond. His back was turned to her, so she couldn't see what he was doing. But whatever it was, it didn't matter. All that mattered was Emily needing to go elsewhere. Obviously that spot was taken. But as she moved, she oddly took a clumsy step and stepped on a branch, which was crushed underneath her foot. As he looked up at her, she froze and looked back at him. She didn't freeze because he saw her, but because of what he was doing. She didn't know exactly what it was, but she knew that he was bleeding.

Emily wanted to turn and run. It would be easy. She doubted he'd be able to catch her if she did. But at the moment, she was frozen in her place. Part of her wanted to run the other way because how could she stand being by a bleeding human if she couldn't even stand to be near them on a daily basis when they weren't bleeding all over the place? But another part of her wanted to go towards him and bite deeper into the cut, drinking all the blood that would flow. But it was wrong to think of such things. No. She had to keep her restraint. She had to have some self control.

When he offered his hand out to her, Emily took a couple of steps back, stumbling a little. She shook her head and her hands in front of her. "No, no, no... I don't have any. Sorry." The urge was too strong, but she had to back away. Couldn't he ask someone else for a bandage? Well, granted there was no one else around, she supposed that he couldn't, but her thoughts weren't being as logical as they were most of the time. Her primitive instincts were starting to get the better of her, but it was a fight that Emily was sure to win. She, after all, was a human once and she still believed that she had some self control if she had anything to say about it.

The look in Emily's eyes most likely told Jonas that she did want some. But she still cringed at the image of him licking his own blood, him doing exactly what she wanted to do. It was jealousy now that raged silently inside of her, an odd feeling for anyone to be having who was watching someone do what Jonas was doing. Well, an odd thought for anyone who wasn't Emily.

All this thinking was bad for Emily. It gave Jonas the advantage -- the element of surprise. She didn't even notice he was right beside her with his warm hand in her's until it was too late. She couldn't turn away now and she couldn't run. All she could do was feel his warm blood in his hand, him squeezing it into her as if to share it with her own.

Emily gave a disgusted look, cringing as she could feel the luscious warmth in her palm. She didn't want this. She didn't want this. She wanted this. When he took his hand away, Emily merely looked down at her own hand, not wanting to see it. But there it was, his blood on her hand...

He was teasing her. It was like he was doing a strip tease for a sex addict. She craved his blood now more than she ever thought she could. When humans were at a distance (or even just by her, but with their blood only inside them), it was hard enough. Jonas was testing the greatest self-control Emily could muster. But she knew that he wasn't trying to test her to see how good she could be. He wanted her to be bad. After all, she knew that he wasn't the good guy who wanted her to win. He wanted her to lose. Because when she lost, he won. Emily didn't exactly know how he'd win because he'd probably be dead, but then again, she didn't know him at all.

Emily merely stared at him. The blood on his chin tempted her as well, as did the blood still on his own hand. Her eyes stared at the blood on him and his own eyes. They were hard to read, but she wasn't thinking about reading his thoughts right now. God knew how messed up they were. Did he know? Well, of course he did. How could he not know that she was a vampire? Unless he asked everyone if they wanted his blood. But that was crazy, even for him.

Her eyes were hungry, but her body was stiff. She didn't want to move. If she did, she might just taste the blood somehow... and once the first drop was in her mouth, there would be no stopping her from having some more.

"I... I don't want any," she lied finally, struggling with every word.

Emily narrowed her eyes quizzically at Jonas when he said he would keep her secret for her. As far as she was concerned, he knew nothing. She hadn't told him anything. But then again, it was probably very obvious to him now. But him? Nice? There was something more to it. She was sure of it. How could Jonas just suddenly grow a heart and want to keep Emily's 'secret' with nothing in return? There had to be a catch.

She froze when he stepped towards her again and wiped some of his blood on her lower lip. Her eyes widened in horror for a moment, but then went back to their normal state. She licked her lips, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to resist anymore. He had won.

The taste of his blood was better than any little rodent or creature she had ever tasted before. It was more pure and a lot stronger tasting. And with one lick of her lips, there was no more self restraint for Emily. "Yes," she said simply to Jonas. There was nothing else she could say and nothing else she wanted to say. She just wanted more.