The sun was already dipping below the horizon when Bo and Tamsin returned with firewood. To their surprise, Jane and Maura had already fashioned a make-shift shelter, complete with grass bedding. "I see you've been busy," Bo smiled flirtatiously at Maura.
"As a matter of fact, we have," Maura smiled back. Jane took notice and felt a wave of jealousy weave a knot in her stomach.
Tamsin began fashioning a fire pit, ensuring it wasn't too close for the embers to make it to the beds. "We're going to need to find food in the morning," Bo said as she sat on a nearby rock.
"Why do we have to do it?" Tamsin grumbled.
"Well the only weapon they have is a gun. You really think anything will be left after they shoot something?"
Tamsin thought for a minute before conceding, "Yeah, I guess you're right, but if we kill it, they'd better cook it."
"I'd be more than happy to," Maura replied as she walked up.
Jane followed behind her and found a log to sit on as Tamsin lit the fire. "Where'd you learn how to do that?" Jane asked.
"A long time ago, I used to practically live outdoors. It was either freeze to death or learn how to start a fire," she smiled at the memory. "There were a few nights I thought I would freeze before I finally figured it out."
"Thankfully you did!" Maura's tone suddenly became serious, "Hypothermia is a terrible way to die. First your limbs lose their circulation, and then your internal organs begin to shut down. If you're lucky, you'll fall asleep before it gets too painful. Once you fall asleep, you never wake up."
"Thanks for that, 'Talking Google'," Jane remarked sarcastically.
Tamsin laughed, "'Talking Google'?"
"Trust me," Jane replied, "she lives up to the name."
"I bet she does," Bo commented, suggestively raising an eyebrow.
"Tone it down there 'Wonder Boobs'," Tamsin shot sarcastically at Bo.
"'Wonder Boobs'? Really?" Bo retorted condescendingly.
Tamsin's face shifted to imply that her comment was justified, "Yeah." She smiled at the brunette before backing away from the fire and sitting next to Jane on the log. "So, you're a cop, huh?"
Jane turned her head slightly, barely making eye contact with her interrogator, "A homicide detective, yes."
"I'm somewhat of a detective where we're from too; so I guess we have something in common."
"What do you mean by 'somewhat'," she asked suspiciously.
"Well, my partner and I investigate all kinds of stuff. We just don't have official titles there."
"That's interesting," Jane began to ease up a bit. She turned towards Bo, "What do you do?"
"I, uh," she hesitated for a moment, "I run a Private Investigative business with my bestie."
"That also sounds like it would be very interesting."
"That's an understatement!" Bo laughed, "I've seen things you'd never believe."
"It's kinda complicated," Tamsin interjected. "We live in a different world."
"What do you mean by that?" Maura asked curiously.
"Let's just say, if you think this place is odd, our reality would blow your mind."
"Well, we're already stuck in this parallel universe; why not just tell us about your world?" Maura encouraged.
Tamsin looked at Bo to get her input. After a few seconds, Bo finally agreed, "Sure, what's the harm?"
"We are a species called the Fae. We live among humans, but we're very different."
"Different how," Maura was clearly eager to learn about this new species.
"That depends on what type of Fae you are," Tamsin replied. "For example, I'm a Valkyrie, and I have had many lives. In this life, I can use my abilities to render people unconscious."
"I thought Valkyries were supposed to ferry the dead to Oden," Maura noted.
"In several of my past lives I did. Let's just say, I'm not your typical Valkyrie."
"Uh huh," Jane was unconvinced. "What about you?"
"Me?" Bo's eyebrows flew up.
"Yes you."
"I'm a succubus."
"That would explain a lot," Jane laughed.
"But I thought that a succubus sucked the life out of men who were interested in her sexually." Maura was shaking her head lightly, confusion painted on her face.
"Maura," Jane said offensively.
"What?" Maura replied innocently.
"Well not just men," she smiled. "But I don't kill anymore, now that I know what I am. My girlfr-", she hesitated, "my ex-girlfriend helped me control my hunger."
"So you're a murderer," Jane stated sternly.
"No." Bo said defensively, "Before I knew what I was, people died just from being intimate with me."
"At least they died with a smile on their face," Tamsin laughed.
Maura's face lit up, "Hmmm." She got up, her lips pursed.
"Not to mention, she can make people fall for her, simply by touching them."
Maura's eyes widened, "Really?"
Bo nodded, a small smile bashfully curled at the edges of her lips.
"Can you show me?"
Jane's eyes darted to Maura, "No! No she can't show you!"
"She's right," Bo chimed in, "when we got here we lost all of our gifts. We're just like humans here."
"Yeah and it's disgusting!" Tamsin retorted.
"Excuse me?" Jane glared at her.
"I hate all these gushy human emotions!"
"Gushy human emotions. Really?" Bo looked at her sarcastically.
"You can't tell me you don't feel them."
"The only difference I notice is that I don't have the urge to feed."
"The urge to feed?" Jane looked at Bo, her eyes showing her anger. "Is that all we are to you? Kibble?"
"Of course not," Bo assured her. "You're looking at this the wrong way. When I say feed, I mean that I need intimacy."
"Ok, so we're your little sex puppets."
"Jane," Maura's face told Jane it was time to let it go.
"What? I…" Jane stopped her protest when Maura's eyebrow rose.
By now, the wilderness surrounding them had gone completely dark. All the creatures began to sound from all directions. "I think it's time to crawl into that cave and call it a night. This fire will fizzle out in the next half hour or so, so we won't draw any attention from any unexpected guests." Bo explained.
Everyone got up from the warmth of the fire and climbed onto the grassy padding.
Jane pulled her holster from her belt and rolled to her right. She rested the gun, still in holster, next to her face, behind Maura, and left her hand resting on the grip just in case. Neither Bo nor Tamsin removed their weapons; they were more comfortable with them right where they were.
Jane awoke sometime in the night to Maura shivering by her side. Not wanting to wake her, she gently scooted herself closer and wrapped her left arm around Maura's waist, ensuring that the gun remained between them.
Maura's hand instinctually found Jane's and grasped it firmly as she allowed her body to sink into her. Jane's heart pounded in her head with this feeling of closeness. After a moment of tension, Jane finally allowed her body to relax and she fell soundly back to sleep.
On the other side of the overhang, Tamsin had already curled up against Bo's back for warmth. Ordinarily Bo would tell her to find her own warmth, but here, in this strange place, the contact felt comforting. She caught herself wondering what Lauren would think, but then she remembered the gut-wrenching break up. Not wanting to get herself worked up, she shook the thought from her mind and attempted to get some sleep.
