"Kiss of a Succubus"

Rating: M

Series: 'Demons'

Summary: From PCA to Yerba and back, both Jade and Liam have endured a lot since reuniting with one another. However, their journey has a set of new challenges and hurdles once they arrive back home. From their budding feelings to a secret admirer and even a family secret, it'll take the full strength of their bond to keep them sane. Are they prepared for life back home?

Pairing: Liam/?

Disclaimer: I do not own the Victorious series. Also, this is a direct sequel to 'Tears of a Fallen Angel' and I suggest checking that story out in order to be up to speed on what's happening.

Chapter 2: A Decision

After being medically cleared from the hospital, Liam wasted little time in getting settled into his home away from home. The rest of the week was spent getting details and unpacking boxes within his new room. As luck would have it, he was granted access to a singles room which afforded him the privacy he enjoyed. Somehow, he managed to keep his and Jade's return a secret thanks in part to the latter's plot to only go out at night.

Aside from Tori, no one else from the standard group had found out that the two were back. It was a simple realization that brought a sense of relief and concern internally. On one hand, he, Jade, and Tori got to enjoy some time to themselves without being bombarded with questions about that war-torn country; he wasn't looking forward to that inevitable conversation. However, there was the unclear nature of his and Jade's bond and it could be attributed to one person:

Beck Oliver.

Sure, he knew Jade's feelings toward the guy after he practically left her to be captured back in Yerba but, there was still the case of his friend actually going through with breaking up with him. Without much contact, there wasn't any way for him to know the status of the two's relationship officially. This left him emotionally conflicted as he was forced to restrict himself from going overboard with his displays of affection.

Even now, he wanted nothing more than to show her just how important she was to him. His mind shifted to thoughts that would no doubt have him at the alter come Sunday morning.

"NO! No, Liam..." he muttered. "Now's not the time to be thinking about her."

Lamenting, he sought to push past those ideas by making his bed and later, decorating his room. Whatever distracted him from the disappointing reality, he was more than receptive to it. Three sharp taps against his door did the trick. Without much of a plan, he went to the door, a wave of cautiousness coursing down his spine.

Slowly turning the lock, he opened the door, finding himself staring at a pair of warm chocolate eyes.

Tori Vega stood at the door with a sweet smile on her face.

"Hey..." she waved awkwardly.

"Hey, Tori. What are you doing here?" he sighed in relief only to find a pointer being jabbed in his chest.

"I would think it obvious. I'm here to see you, of course!"

Liam just stared back at the girl, feeling an all too familiar warmth rushing to his face. He did his best to play it off by stepping to the side, allowing her entrance to his dorm room.

"Sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone."

He watched as Tori turned around to face him with an 'are you serious' face.

"Really? I was actually expecting to run into Jade on my way here."

Liam rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He was truly just in isolation mode right now before Tori showed up and now, here he was mere inches away from another attractive girl who randomly decided to check on him. He wasn't used to that still, even if his relationship with his childhood friend had improved dramatically.

"Nah. She said she would be by later on after she took care of some personal business."

Unsure of what to make of that statement, Tori Vega decided to not pry into those affairs; Jade was an enigma that required an entire investigation all of its own. Instead, she opted to focus on the person looking back at her, not that she was complaining. If given the choice between being around a cute guy or dealing with Jade's attitude, the answer would be obvious.

"Well, while she handles that, would you mind hanging out with me if you're not too busy?"

Liam took only a few moments to weigh his options. Stay cooped up in isolation or go out with a beautiful girl?

"That sounds good to me!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Beck groaned softly, his head pounding.

Though his vision was blurry, he could make out that there was someone in his bed next to him. He also realized that while he usually slept with no shirt on, he could feel the feather touch of his covers on his bare skin below the waist.

"Open the damn door, Oliver!" he rubbed his temples lightly, fruitlessly trying to soothe the skull-cracking pain.

"Oh, shit...!"

The sound of none other than Jade West rang throughout the neighborhood as she pounded her fist against the metal door of Beck's RV like a woman possessed. Not one to be kept waiting, she surprisingly ceased her knocking as she heard her soon-to-be former boyfriend shuffling within his makeshift home. A few more minutes passed before the door finally swung open, revealing a nervous and out of breath Beck Oliver.

Seeing the look of terror and shock in his eyes did give Jade a bit of amusement, but not enough to wipe away the deep scowl on her face. The fury in her eyes flickered dangerously as he carefully put on the t-shirt he'd grabbed on his way out. Out of all of the people that he could've run into, Jade West was the last one he'd expected to find at his doorstep.

"J-Jade?" he stammered, wide eyes never leaving the unusually calm girl.

"In the flesh..."

"When did you get back? How did you escape Yerba? I have so many questions!"

"That's interesting. I only have one..." she narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"What?"

"Why did you leave me behind?"

He watched as she crossed her arms under her breasts, a temporary sign of safety; at least her hands weren't near her trusty scissors. This did little to help Beck though as he just stared at her as if he was looking at a ghost. He tried to come up with any idea that would justify what he was observing. Jade was back and she was pissed despite her demeanor showing otherwise.

"Jade, just let me explain..."

"I'm listening."

He took a few seconds to try and get a read on the girl, but, she showed no noticeable signs for him to detect. She was a blank slate as far as he could tell and that only added to the increasing levels of fear tightening around his heart.

"I um... I'm sorry about-"

"I agreed to an explanation, not your current state of being, Oliver. Tell me why you left me on that runway to be captured?"

"Jade..." he lowered his gaze to hide his shame.

"What was your reason for not coming back for me? What compelled you to just keep running after you felt my hand leave yours? What kind of coward leaves the woman he claims he loves to save his own skin?!"

By this point, hot drops of pain and turmoil began to pool up along the corners of her eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to blink away the blurring image of the boy she had once considered to be her future. Surprisingly, she managed to make out his expression, darkness cast over his features as he looked back at her, envisioning that very moment in his mind. In truth, this was a question he asked himself ever since the plane's cargo door slammed shut, separating him from his girlfriend.

But, why?

"You wouldn't understand..."

At that moment, all ideas of self-control disappeared from Jade. Her eyes grew larger at curiosity gave way to pure hatred. She felt her pulse in her stomach as her blood boiled.

"Don't you dare patronize me! You know damn well why you did what you did!"

"I don't have to explain myself..." he replied defiantly, shedding the shock and awe he felt earlier. "For all you know, it was an accident and nothing more."

Jade wanted nothing more than to grab one of her hidden pairs of scissors and give Beck a personal makeover, but, there was something holding her back. She was a different person now. Sure she was ready to snap, and rightfully so, but she just couldn't let herself open the gate to hell. Was it the possibility of him pressing charges? Perhaps it was that she wouldn't get her answer if his throat was sliced open.

Interestingly, it was one image. A visual flashed in her mind of a young man's broken smile while lying in the flatbed of the getaway truck back in Yerba. She remembered how much blood fell from his body as he fought off a psychopathic soldier just to protect her. She recalled him getting shot in the shoulder twice by poisoned arrows just to ensure her safety. She remembered how he was tortured just to protect her from whatever horrors the Yerba guards had cooked up for her.

Liam, the friend who turned out to be a better man than Beck could ever hope to be.

Jade took a couple of deep breaths and counted backward. Slowly, the anger began to flow out of her as she focused her mind on anything other than the scene unfolding before her. She didn't care whether Beck saw her like this as more tears began to fall down her cheek; black streaks marking her skin for the boy to see. Clenching her eyes shut, Jade didn't notice Beck approaching her.

"I'm sorry I left you behind. I wasn't thinking..." he started. "It was one of the biggest mistakes I could've ever made."

"Yet, you made it without hesitation. You made a conscious decision and that's all that matters. Whether or not you meant to break my heart that night, you still did."

"Jade I-"

"No Beck. Enough is enough." her unusually composed tone unnerved the boy. "I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, but, I know that I deserve better. Ever since we got back together, I've always felt this odd feeling, as if I was out of place in this relationship and now I know why. We aren't meant to be together, not anymore."

Beck Oliver knew where she was going with this, and he didn't like it.

"Jade, think about what you're about to do..." he warned.

"I have... I had nearly two weeks to think about this and you know what? I'm confident in my decision..." she looked up, meeting his dark eyes with her shimmering orbs. "Goodbye, Beck."

"Jade..."

She said nothing else, opting instead to turn to her truck.

"Jade!"

Again, she refused to acknowledge his cry.

Beck was forced to watch as his now ex-girlfriend hopped into the vehicle and put it in reverse. Without another word, he just stood there helplessly as she pulled out of his driveway and drove off without even so much of a glance in his direction. Each second passing weighed heavier than the last as the truth of the situation began to haunt his mind.

It was truly over this time...

He lost Jade.

At the Vega homestead, Tori and Liam sat on the couch laughing at reruns of Living Single. It had been a few hours since the pair had left the dorms and from there it was nothing short of fun and enjoyment. From taking a walk through the park and feeding ducks of all things, the two took the time to really get to know one another and now, they were just enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.

"I can't believe I haven't seen this show before!" Tori snickered.

"Ha ha! Even the brightest jewels can go unnoticed if we aren't told of their existence," he smirked.

His quip earned him a playful push from the girl.

"Whatever, oh wise one! Still, I have to thank you for the recommendation. I definitely have to binge watch the show now."

"No problem. I'm glad that you like it."

Peering at him, she raised a questionable eyebrow.

"Like? I think I love this show!" she corrected. "From Khadijah's quirks and Overton & Sinclair's relationship to Kyle and Maxine's banter, what's not to love?"

She watched as Liam playfully scratched his chin as if he was seriously considering her inquiry.

"You make a good point, Ms. Vega. Although, I'm willing to bet that your sister is Regine."

This earned him a grimace from Tori who realized the similarities of the two. It was uncanny how much in common her older sister had with the arrogant and status-obsessed character.

"Let's move on..." she shuddered at the imagery. "Are you ready for school on Monday?"

"Of course! I'll take homework and musicals over crappy food and warfare."

Though it was meant as a joke, Tori couldn't help but pick up the subtle traces of anger laced within. Cutting her gaze, she noticed the bitter smile on his face. He was still stinging after Yerba and it didn't seem that things were going to be resolved anytime soon. His eyes reflected just a sample of what he and Jade endured and that brought back a sudden reality.

"Oh man! Aren't you supposed to meet Jade later?"

"Yeah. We've been having so much fun together that I nearly forgot."

Liam stood up from his spot on the couch with Tori following suit. She escorted him to the front door, an air of awkwardness floating above them.

"I guess I'll see you at school then..." she opened the door, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah. Something to look forward to."

"Liam?" He stopped short of the threshold to face the olive-skin cutie next to him. "If you ever need to just talk or hang out, um... away from everyone else, don't hesitate to call, okay?"

The timidity in her voice was absolutely adorable to him. The way her chocolate eyes looked at him with innocence and genuine concern, the faintest traces of pink that appeared on her perfect cheeks, it was all enough to make him think twice about a lot of things. It was just like that day at the PCA beach party when she came out of nowhere and spent time with him just because.

"Tori, I promise that I'll keep in close contact. If nothing else, we can set up movie nights."

She smiled brightly, adding to her natural beauty. He had to admit that he loved the way that she smiled. Sure, he was interested in Jade, but he would be lying if he told anyone that he wasn't attracted to the Latina. She was sweet and kind, full of optimism, and just the right amount of playfulness without it becoming overbearing. What's not to like about her?

Beep Beep! Beep Beep!

The two broke their gaze to pay attention to the device going off in Liam's pocket. Reaching into it, he pulled out his phone to find a message from a certain goth. Silently reading the contents, he found that things weren't so good as evident when he let out an audible sigh.

"Sorry, Tori..." he smiled sadly. "I really have to-"

Surprisingly, he found her slim arms rest around his torso before feeling her lips press against his cheek.

"It's alright. Go take care of business..."

Liam nodded and made his way past the threshold, stopping just short to spare a quick glance before seeing her disappear behind the door. However, as he jogged down the street, a thought began to gnaw at his brain.

Tori winked at him.

Jade had been in a foul mood ever since leaving the Oliver residence. After practically crying her eyes out, she managed to make it back home and fix herself up; she still had a reputation to keep. By now, she was sure that Beck had told the rest of the gang about her appearance and she rather look her best just in case she ran into the others.

For now, all she could think about was one person.

"Jade?" The voice which she recognized all to well sent a slight chill through her body.

She turned around to find Liam. An unreadable expression on his face clashed with the conflicting expression on hers. The two just stood there wondering what the other one was thinking. Jade did know what he was doing though. He was taking in the features of her face; something she'd find to be annoying and yet, equally entrancing about him. Liam knew that she was trying to read him, though unsuccessfully as per usual. Amusement welled up inside but his expression never changed. The breeze brushed their bodies, pulling them back into the grasp of reality. As the two stood under a lone street light, it would be Jade West who would shatter the wall of silence.

"Took you long enough... I thought you were already here."

Raising an eyebrow at her edgy tone, Liam exhaled softly. "Nice to see you too," he responded with a touch of playful sarcasm. "I could say the same about you. I hadn't heard from you all day, so I assumed you were busy."

"Well, I took care of what needed to be done." Once again, Liam felt the coldness behind her response and studied the girl more earnestly. "Where have you been anyway?"

"Me? I just got back from hanging out, that's all..." he shrugged.

"With?"

"Does it matter?" he crossed his arms.

"It certainly does. Now, who were you with?"

"Fine. I was just hanging out with Tori, that's all."

Jade's frown deepened at the mention of her rival's name.

"You were with Vega?" she raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What were you two doing?"

Instead of fearing her, Liam merely smirked at her antics. It was common knowledge that she and Tori didn't always see eye to eye, but, in this case, he didn't view their interactions as a bad thing.

"Relax. All we did was go to the park and watch tv. She even reminded me to come to meet you so I wouldn't be late."

"She did that?"

He nodded his head, careful to leave out the last few details.

"Yep. But, what happened today that's got you all bent out of shape?"

Relief washed over Jade but was quickly replaced with shame as she looked away instantly. "Th-that's none of your business..!" She crossed her arms but left enough slack to show that she wasn't committed to her attempt at shutting him out. "But if you must know, Things are finally resolved between me and Beck." Her eyes returned their gaze towards him to see that, naturally, he was detecting much more was afoot.

They each held their gazes though Jade's was a bit glazed. It was as if every fiber of her being was cowering under his unrelenting stare. "There's something you're not telling me isn't there?"

"There's nothing else to t-tell, okay?" She tried to yell back but both could hear that her tone lacked the conviction behind it. Her teal orbs glistened as she bit her lip. She couldn't understand why things were complicated between them. She clearly liked him and, judging by his actions, it was clear that the feeling was mutual. He was one of the few (and I mean very few.) people who didn't run away or treat her like an annoying pest. He respected and cared for her without an ulterior motive. Despite all of this, Jade felt so afraid, to be honest with him... "I- I mean.."

Jade would then find herself wrapped in the warmth of Liam's arms. It was enough for her to finally recognize that she was shivering. Once her body was pressed against his, she released the dam of tears that she'd tried so hard to hold back. He stroked her raven hair as she sobbed freely; wet crystals staining his shirt. He didn't mind at all though. He could feel her clutch at his shirt intensely but it didn't matter. Her make-up would stain her face but he didn't care. His lips curled into a soft smile, relief settled along with his features as they stood there under the watchful gazes of the appearing stars above.

Not noticing (nor caring about) how long they'd been in that one spot, Jade finally began to shift under his embrace while wiping her eyes of the mascara that had trailed her face. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"There's no need to be." he laughed softly. "Why don't you come back to my place tonight?"

"But, weren't we supposed to do something tonight?"

"Rain check?"

Before Jade could respond, a loud rumble was heard in the distance followed by a flash of lightning. She wanted to protest the invitation but found it futile at this point, nodding instead. Even though she felt defeated, for now, Liam detected a ghost of a grin, a sign that she was consenting and happy to go with him. They soon found themselves moving towards the Hollywood Arts residence hall.

It didn't take very long for them to arrive at his room, both of them grateful that many of the hallways weren't occupied due to the break. She watched as he unlocked his door before being ushered inside by the boy. Crossing the threshold, she was impressed by how clean and pristine his bedroom was. From the posters to the organization altogether.

The room wasn't huge but it wasn't small either as it appeared just right for about two or three people to take up residency in. How he scored this room was a mystery to the girl. Comics. Video games. Journal... Jade doubled back at the last item. Journal?

On the top bunk was a leather-bound book that appeared to have been shoved under the mattress. Curiosity began to grip her, mind, body, and soul as soon, she would find her hand being drawn to the treasure that lied before her. It wouldn't be right for her to just invade someone's privacy and yet, she felt herself desiring to know of the contents inside more with each passing moment. It was as if time stood still while her palms began to sweat. She was mere inches away... Her fingertips would graze the material binding the pages together. Finding that he was distracted with the view he had, she snuck over to the journal, reaching out while making sure that he wouldn't turn around.

"I wouldn't if I were you..."

"Speak of the devil." She giggled again though this time due to her being caught. "Sorry..."

To her surprise, he simply laughed at her nearly jumping out of her skin. It was safe to say that she wasn't amused at his response though as she huffed at him.

"It's alright, Jade." She seemed content now once he assured her that no harm was done. "Besides, that journal is empty anyways..."

This, of course, earned him a slap in the arm for his troubles. He attempted to apologize but was instead interrupted by her wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"You know what I mean..." she whispered. "I'm sorry for not telling you what happened all this time."

His response was predictable yet desired as he placed a finger on her full lips before returning the hug. The feeling of warmth soothed her very essence. Being held by someone who cared for her felt like all her troubles didn't exist anymore. A sigh of contentment passed her lips before gazing up at Liam. Incidentally, her pools wound up locked with his emerald gems. The two felt themselves slowly gravitating towards the other. Inch by inch, seconds overlapped. Distance became a non-factor as Jade found herself lost in another world far beyond reality. Electricity flowed between them as their lips were but a millimeter apart.

Then, contact was made...

It was gentle and yet, that was the part that concerned Liam. He could feel her true feelings resonating through their embrace. Her worry. Fear. Uncertainty. He could sense every aspect of those traits coursing throughout his body. Left with no other options, he broke their kiss though retained his hold on her curvy frame.

"We don't have to do this tonight..." he pressed his forehead onto hers. "We can wait."

Jade couldn't help but feel her heart flutter at his words. He understood that she wasn't 100 percent and wouldn't push her into anything, this was the Liam that she grew up with and became steadily enamored with. However, remembering the ultimatum that was given to her back in that dreadful country, Jade felt a new wave of determination flow from her soul.

She knew she wanted this. It was her motivation during their journey to escape and she wasn't going to let her nerves ruin all that they'd built up thus far. Gripping his collar, she stared into his Emerald eyes and pulled him down to her level.

"What in the MMMmmmph!" his words found no exit once Jade slammed her lips against his. This was something she'd wanted to do for so long and there couldn't have been a better time to reveal everything. Butterflies danced from his core as he returned the kiss with equal intensity. Both were free from their respective bonds, at least internally. They were free to explore a side of themselves that seemed to have remained dormant. Her hands found a home on his chest and bruised cheek. His hands settled along the nape of her neck and small of her back allowing them to deepen the kiss. This was something both had been lacking for what seemed like an eternity. As their bodies pressed against one another's, Jade let a moan slip out that didn't go unnoticed by Liam. He groaned sensually when he felt her teeth clamp down on his bottom lip. Limbs were becoming entangled but one thing brought a feeling of accomplishment to Jade. Her lower body rubbed against his crotch, giving her some access to his growing endowment. Tongues wrestled for dominance and soon, the two had intertwined their fingers. Nothing would stop them...

Nothing, except for the lack of oxygen.

Reluctantly, they forced themselves to pull apart from each other, both showing their displeasure. Jade continued to lie on top of him, her pants of desire only served to fan the flames of lust growing between them as her hair cascaded all around him shielding his features from the eyes of the world. Both struggled to comprehend what had transpired but one thing was clear: They both loved every second of it.

"You're not a bad kisser." she managed to get out through haggard breaths.

He simply let his signature grin settle on his lips. "I could say the same about you."

She smiled, not grin, not smirked, but legitimately smiled at his words. "I'll take that for now."

"So, where do we go from here?"