"You...?" His voice trailed off and he was quiet for several seconds before starting again. "Jenni...are you asking me to infect you with Lycanthropy?" His voice sounded slightly incredulous.

She nodded seriously, still gripping his hand tightly. "Yes. I want to be a Lycanthrope. I want to...I want to be a cat, Daniel. Like you. Like Riley."

"Can I ask why?"

She was quiet for a long time, thinking furiously as she stared at their hands. Finally she stood up and started pacing, her hands folded together in front of her, wringing back and forth as she paced. "It's hard to explain. I've been furniture for my entire life. Easily overlooked, not important, quiet, shy, meek. Powerless."

"And you feel that becoming a Lycan would change that." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. Absolutely." She was so certain.

He nodded slightly. "You're probably right, at least in part. There's a couple of things you should think about first, though." She nodded and returned to her chair, perched on the edge of it, staring earnestly at him, literally waiting with bated breath for his words. "First, and possibly most important, you would be an Omega Lycan. Do you understand what that would mean?"

"I'd have no control over the Beast," she said. "I'd have to change every full moon." She frowned then, trying to remember everything he'd told her over the past month.

He nodded. "That's right. No control at all. You would only change at the full moon, and you would always change then. And you would be an animal, for all intents and purposes. Omegas don't keep their minds when Shifted."

"But you'd be with me," she said. "You'd keep me safe."

"What if I wasn't, one day? And it's not just keeping you safe. Omegas are dangerous, Jenni. They can't control the Beast, which means they hunt and they kill, like any animal. You could kill people. You could eat people."

"Riley then. She went through it. She started out as an Omega, right? She made it through without killing anyone." Or so Jenni assumed. She didn't actually know for certain.

"She did start out Omega," he agreed. "She was lucky to have other Lycans around to keep her safe, and others safe from her. I'm not saying it isn't possible, Jenni. Just that it's dangerous, and a single night's inattention could result in disaster. "

"I understand that," she said softly. "But I want this, Daniel. I'll be safe, you and Riley both will be with me. I trust you both."

He nodded, letting that line of thought drop. "Another thing to consider: You won't just be yourself, only stronger and faster and tougher. You'll be a different person. Your personality will change."

She gave him a tiny smile. "That's sorta what I'm counting on."

"You might not like the new you," he warned. "And there's no going back. Lycanthropy is incurable, as far as I or any other Lycan has found."

"I appreciate that you're trying to make sure that I know what I'm getting into, Daniel. But I've been thinking about this for weeks now and... It's something I really want."

He nodded again, but didn't speak right away. He seemed to be trying to figure out how to say something, and having some trouble with it. She sat quietly, afraid that he'd tell her no. "I'd like you to talk to Riley about this," he said finally. It wasn't what he'd been thinking about saying, though he tried to keep that from his voice. "I can't give you all of the information about what it's like to be made a Lycan, instead of being born one. It's very different."

"Okay. I'll do that," she said eagerly. He hadn't said no, so there was still hope that he'd do this for her.

"Promise me you'll listen carefully to what she tells you," he said. "Even if she tells you you're crazy."

"I promise," she said sincerely, knowing that he would smell that on her. "Would you...would you ask her for me?"

He shook his head. "No. This is something you need to do, Jenni. If I go to her, she'll think I'm somehow pushing you into it."

She nodded, a little less enthused now, but still strong in her decision. "Tomorrow at lunch, then."

"I don't know how she'll react," he continued. "She probably will call you crazy. I know that she's still not entirely reconciled the Beast and the Woman, even after all these years. She's more comfortable now than even a year ago, but there are still...clashes. And it's been over a decade."

"Daniel," she said softly. "My mind is made up. I appreciate that you're trying to make sure I have all the facts and everything... But I know what I want."

He wasn't entirely sure about that, though he didn't say it. He didn't know how to tell her that he wasn't sure it was what he wanted, either. If she changed, became someone else, would he still be fascinated by her? "It's...not just for you," he said, very quietly. "This would have a strong effect on me, too."

"I know it would. I've thought about that, too. I think it would bring us closer together." She was probably being a little naive and romantic about everything.

She'd thought about it, at least. That gave him a small sense of relief, if nothing else. He didn't want to tell her that in his experience, Lycan-Lycan relationships didn't usually end up working out. Not for Cats, at least. The Wolves were all for it, but they were pack animals, after all. "All right," he said. "Tomorrow."

She smiled softly and leaned across the table to kiss his cheek softly. "Tomorrow," she said again before standing and taking his hand to lead him into the bedroom.

The train from Old Temple stopped at the curb directly in front of the Red Dragon, and Riley and Jenni alighted from it. "Despite what Daniel might tell you, I really only excel at making one thing. And that's Grilled Cheese O'Rourke," Riley was saying to Jenni as they crossed the street and headed up the porch steps. "O'Rourke was my maiden name, by the way."

"What's that? Besides grilled cheese?" She held the door for Riley, giving a friendly smile to everyone else on the porch.

"Well, ideally, it's fresh mozzarella that's been marinated in herbs and olive oil, with slices of tomato, prosciutto, and chiffonade basil. But that's only when everything's available."

"That sounds wonderful," Jenni said softly. "I wouldn't mind that if you're up for making it. Where shall we sit?"

"Grab a booth, but make sure it has a curtain. Some people have no scruples." She pointed to the one furthest from the door before heading into the kitchen to have a rummage in the fridge and pantry.

Jenni nodded and set her bag down on the booth's table before going to the bar to find something for them to drink. Hm. Iced tea, maybe? Jenni took the pitcher and two glasses full of ice to the table and perched on the edge of the booth's seat. She glanced down at her hands. They were shaking. God, why was she so nervous?

Riley tracked down all the ingredients for Grilled Cheese O'Rourke and started making them. Luckily, they didn't take very long. Just long enough for the cheese to get all melty and creamy and yumtastic. A few moments later, Riley backed out of the kitchen, plates loaded down with sammies and she'd even found some pretty lettuce and stuff for small salads. She stole a beignet and a cherry turnover from the box of sweets Katt had left on the bar, settling them on the plates, and headed for Jenni's booth once more.

Jenni stuck her hands under her thighs as Riley came closer, hoping to hide their shaking from her. "Oh, wow," she said softly. "Those look great. Thank you." She glanced out at Katt for a moment. "Who's that?"

Riley set the plates down on the table and then dropped onto the banquette across from the girl. "Huh? Oh, Katt? That's Katt. She's Baker Of Awesomeness." Not standing on ceremony, she picked up a sandwich and dug in.

Jenni smiled gratefully at Katt for the treats and then delicately picked up on half of a Grilled Cheese O'Rourke and nibbled at it. "Wow. This is wonderful. Tastes like a Pizza Margherita. Thank you."

Mouth full of sandwich, Riley could only nod. Then she leaned forward a bit and yanked closed the booth's curtain, effectively cutting her and Jenni off from the rest of the room. Jenni had mentioned that she had something delicate to discuss with Riley. She just hoped it wasn't about her and Danny's sex life, 'cos...awkward.

Jenni blinked at the curtain coming closed and then nodded. She understood the need for privacy. After she finished exactly half of the sandwich and had picked over the salad, eating the veg and leaving the lettuce, she looked at Riley. "I asked Daniel to make me what you are. The both of you." Jenni figured Riley would appreciate not beating around the bush.

Excuse Riley for choking to death on sandwich. "You did WHAT?!?" Yes, folks, that last word was shouted loudly enough that it could no doubt be heard out on the porch.

Jenni's head rocked back from the explosive question and the blood drained from her face, leaving her eyes even more startlingly blue. She didn't move, instead she just glanced out of the corner of her eyes for a place to hide.

Riley carefully put her sandwich down on the plate, took a loooooooooong drink of iced tea and then stared at Jenni for an equally loooooooooong moment, her nostrils quivering. "You're serious. You're not f*cking kidding." The Ex-Minister Cat is dumb-founded.

She shook her head carefully. "No," she said in a soft voice. "I'm not kidding. I want it." She lowered her eyes to the plate in front of her and squashed down the notice to get up and run away. It would only make Riley chase her and she didn't relish that thought.

"Why?!" Riley's voice squeaked; it was almost a whine. "I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It's...it's horrible."

Jenni's gaze snapped up and met Riley's. "That's easy for you to say. Look at everything you have because of it. You're beautiful and confident and you've got friends and David loves you more than he loves breathing and you're successful and..." She trailed off and shook her head. "I want all of that and it's not something I'll ever have unless I'm like you," she added quietly.

Riley snorted and for once, her appetite fled. She pushed her plate away angrily. "So get a f*cking therapist. You can have all of that without getting furry and homicidal once a month. Did Daniel explain to you how it works? How you'll have absolutely no control over your Cat for like...ten years? How you'll Change into this mindless eating machine every time the moon's full? Oh, and that's not even touching on how f*cking painful and...and just gross the Change itself if."

"He told me," she said softly. "He warned me about everything. What being an Omega would be like. How I'd have no control. How'd I'd really be an animal and not keep any of my humanity. He told me to talk to you, though, because you were Made and he was Born."

"It's seriously awful, Jenni," she said in a softer tone, less angry and more gentle. "I'm so not kidding when I say the Change is painful. Every bone in your body breaks. Your tendons and ligaments stretch so far they tear. Everything gets loud and overwhelming. Then scents are like...a hundred times more powerful. And you're not you anymore. You have no sense of self. You forget your name. You forget that there's anything but this...hunger..."

"But that only lasts for a little while, right? Eventually you become stronger, right?"

Riley shook her head and snorted again. "Yeah, if you can live for ten years, you get to move up to a Beta status. But really the only difference then is that you get to look like something out of the Underworld movies. You're still an animal. You're still mindless and prone to extremely nasty bouts of anger. Don't do this, Jenni." The Cat was begging now. There might even be pleading at some point.

"I want it," she said stubbornly. She wasn't going to change her mind.

Riley switched tactics. "Is this because of Danny? Do you think that if you're not a Cat, he won't like you as much?" There was a tiny shrug of petulant shoulders. Jenni was acting like a two year old who had been told no. Spoiled little rich girl. "Lelah was human," she pointed out. "Danny doesn't care if you're a person or...or...a Cat or hell, even an elf or a Faerie. He likes you for you. Besides, relationships between Cat Shifters don't last long. One or the other always get bored and moves on to someone else. Always."

Riley's words were just going in one ear and out the other. Jenni had made up her mind and she was going to have what she wanted. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was past one now. Daniel would be annoyed if she were late back to work. "Thanks for lunch," she said and parted the curtains to climb out of the booth. "I'll tell Daniel I spoke to you." Without saying good-bye or even looking around she headed for the door and left.

"Inject.? Like with a needle?? A blood transfusion kind of thing?"

"Yes, exactly."? He tilted his head, looking at her.? "You're not phobic about needles, are you?"

She shook her head.? "No, not really.? They're not my favorite things, but they don't scare me like they do some people."

He smiled.? "Okay, good.? I wish there was an even easier way, but that's about as painless as it gets.? Otherwise, the world would be overrun by Lycans."

She was nodding in understand.? "When?? And when will we know?"

"As soon as you're ready.? We won't know until the next full moon, however."

She let go of him and landed on the floor.? "Okay.? Well.? I guess...I guess we could do it now, right?"

"Yes, if you like."?

She nodded.? "Yeah.? Now."? Then she went and sat down on the couch across from the huge hearth in his living room, perching on the edge of it and clasping her hands tightly together in her lap.

He nodded back.? "All right."? He'd stopped and picked up a hypodermic needle before going back to the hotel--it wasn't like he had them laying around the house.? He took it out and pulled off the protective wrapping, then sat down next to her.? "Are you ready?"

She nodded once more, not quite trusting her voice.? She watched him and then giggled nervously.? "Aren't they always telling you not to share needles with people?"

"They're right, too, generally."? He grinned.? "But you don't have to worry in this case.? Lycanthropy is a jealous disease--it allows no others a foothold in your body.? If this works, you'll never have to fear other diseases again."

"Really?? Even like, colds and stuff?"

"Even those.? You'll never see a stuffed-up Lycan."? He chuckled softly.

"That'd been so cool," she said with a grin.

"It's rather handy," he agreed.? He uncapped the needle and stuck it casually into his arm, drawing out a single cc of blood.? Then he pulled the needle out and held it up.? "This is it," he said.? "There's no going back after this.? Assuming it works.? Remember that some people--a lot, actually--are immune to it."

"And we'll know in two weeks?? At the full moon?" she asked as she extended her arm to him.

He nodded.? "If it works, you will Shift for the first time at the full moon."? He paused, holding the needle over her arm.? "I'm not exactly a doctor...I'm sorry if this hurts."

She closed her eyes and turned her head, trying hard not to tense her muscles or jerk away when he stuck her.? "It's okay," she said softly.

He reached out with his free hand and clasped hers in it.? "Relax," he murmured.? "It'll be quick."? He carefully poked the needle into her arm, pushed down the plunger and quickly pulled it out.? The whole thing took less than a second.

She winced when he did stick the needle in, but it was over in the blink of an eye and she peeked back at her arm out of one eye.? There was a tiny drop of blood but no other marks.? "That's it?" she said, feeling a little like there had been a big deal over nothing.

He smiled. "That's it."? He leaned down and kissed her arm where the needle went in, cleaning the blood away with his slightly rough tongue.? "We'll know in a couple weeks."

"It's gonna be like torture, waiting that long," she remarked softly, doing an inventory of herself.? She certainly didn't feel any differently and wondered if she should.

"Well...perhaps I can make the time pass a little more pleasantly," he said softly, lifting his head from her arm and pressing his lips against hers.

She smiled against his mouth and kissed him back firmly.? "Yeah," she whispered when they surfaced.? "I think this is an excellent way to wait."

"Best one I can think of," he said in agreement, slipping his arms around her back and pulling her body up against his.?