Ok guys, here's an early update. In just a few more chapters it'll reach the end. I feel that I did better with this than One of A Kind and yet despite that it has less reviews. Granted, everyone in this fandom up and disappeared and there aren't as much chapters this time around, but still. I don't ask for much, so I was hoping to get this to at least 200 reviews before it ends. Thanks in advance to anyone who helps out.
With a gentle tug to get Tori moving, Jade walked to the door. Beck stood to join them, along with Andre. Jade opened the door to see another new face. It looked like they were needed. The young man offered a hesitant smile and looked to each of them. He cleared his throat before speaking in a calm manner despite his obvious interest in the vampire and hybrid standing in front of him.
"Dr. Cross sent me to get you," he informed them. Beck and Andre each patted them on the back on their way out while Tori and Jade followed the assistant. He led them back through the long hall that connected to the laboratory wing of the building then down a hall they hadn't been through yet. The longer they walked, the tighter Tori's hold on Jade was. She glanced at the anxious hybrid and soothed her with a thumb brushing across her hand. Tori looked to her with a weak but grateful smile. They eventually came to a door with a window fitted into the top. The weight of the door was apparent the minute the assistant began to pull it open. Jade reached out and gave him a hand, pushing it open with ease. She hadn't felt so strong, so healthy, in so long she marveled at how effortless movement in general was. She could only imagine the damage she could do once she fought.
"Thanks. Um, Dr. Cross will explain everything. Walk down three doors. His office is on the right," the young man told them. Jade nodded and allowed Tori to enter first. The assistant exited while she still held the door. She let it go, took Tori by the hand, and then began forward again. Jade stopped at the door to Dr. Deidrick Cross' office and looked to Tori, trying to gauge how she was feeling.
"I'm fine," she whispered, although her eyebrows creased slightly. Jade paused to give her a few seconds more to compose herself before opening the door. Dr. Cross looked up when they entered and smiled.
"Punctual. Take a seat and I'll explain exactly what I need from you," he said, setting aside a stack of papers and shifting in his chair. Jade and Tori took a seat in the two chairs in front of his desk. He seemed to be waiting for them to start slinging questions at him, but when they stoically remained silent he sighed and bowed his head.
"I feel like I owe it to you to explain a few things. Like the extent of what you are and how that factors into what I need from you," he began.
"Explain then," Jade answered, sliding down in her chair without any concern. She wasn't at all afraid of what they would do to her. As long as they needed her, they wouldn't kill her. That was all that mattered. She knew Tori held a different view. She experienced what it was like to be used and abused. The nightmares did nothing but worsen the idea of more experimentations being done on her.
"You seem to be comfortable with what you are," he observed, looking to Jade who shrugged.
"I am. I had no choice but to embrace my instincts and train myself so that I wouldn't hurt anyone. For that I had to keep a close eye on what I was feeling and how I reacted to certain situations," she responded. He nodded.
"Very true. So you're already familiar with the strengths as well as limitations," he stated.
"Yes," Jade confirmed.
"Good. And you. Do you know everything about yourself? Do you want to know?" he inquired, turning to look at Tori. She thought back to that time when all she wanted was Jade. They had likened it to when animals went into heat. She hadn't known she was capable of it and so she didn't know how to properly control it. Now was her chance to understand anything else that might arise.
"No one knew exactly what I was or the extent of what I could and couldn't do. There were even times when I…felt things I wasn't familiar with or could put a name to. I want to know everything about what I am. Whatever you can tell me will probably be more than I know right now," Tori replied, determined.
"Very well. From what we've recovered over the years we found that it has been hard to keep track of where all the wolf hybrids disappeared to. We have people on the outside still sending information back to us, but so far we found more dead than alive with a small percentage unknown. They could still be frozen and undiscovered," Deidrick began. Tori winced at the grim news but was ready to hear more.
"Some are still alive, though they seem to suffer from memory loss. None remember how they came to be with only a few who even remember who they are or where they came from. Most of them are living among the survivors and helping where they can. I'm sure you've come across at least one in your travels," he continued. Both Tori and Jade responded with a nod and a positive reply. They were lucky to come across two, one more amiable than the other.
"They have a strong disposition, and although they can be aggressive, territorial, possessive, dominating, and protective; they also have a tendency to side with whoever they feel loyal to. They might show submission and even an acute form of desire for those they are devoted to. Wolves mate for life, you know," he explained. Jade smirked, glancing at Tori whose tan skin tinted a light rosy red.
"The ones who were at an older age when we tested on them seemed to freeze at that age while the younger ones grew to the age of twenty five before growing no older. We believe it has to do with the unstable formula which caused an error in their DNA. Because they don't age we're certain they could live forever as long as they aren't killed," he went on. Tori looked to Jade with wide eyes, both thinking the same thing. Jade already knew she was pretty much cursed to wander forever as she was unless she decided to give up and starve to death or kill herself. She wasn't looking forward to being alone if she outlived Tori. But now that she knew Tori would always be there, they were on the same page. It gave her even more of a reason to make sure she lived. Tori felt the same way.
"I trust you're already familiar with the heightened abilities you gain when you allow the transformation to take over," he said, clasping his hands together and resting them on the desk as he appraised Tori. She could hear the hidden interest in his tone and it made her uneasy yet she nodded stiffly.
"There's a troublesome rage side effect. Can you control it or does it take over you?" he questioned.
"I can control it. I had some help learning how to keep my temper down," she replied, briefly glancing at Jade.
"Yes. Anger seems to trigger it the most, but any drastic spike in emotion would do the same," he acknowledged. Tori thought back to the fear she felt mixed with rage when she saw Jade beaten, broken, and bloody. She wanted nothing more than to protect her and she was hell bent on killing the one who reduced her to such a condition. Her hands tightened on the armrest of her chair, drawing both Deidrick's attention as well as Jade's. Without hesitation she reached over and rested her hand over Tori's own. Instantly she relaxed and shot a small smile at the vampire. Deidrick watched their interaction with rising interest.
"I see. So you've chosen her. It's odd how two opposite beings made to oppose each other can work so well together," he remarked, curious. Jade looked to him.
"Do you have a fancy hypothesis for it? Or can it be that we've simply looked past what's on the outside and see each other for the people we were before all this?" Jade stated. He smiled.
"I don't know how that could have happen based on our research, since nothing I've learned so far could account for the phenomena, but that could very well be it," he readily agreed.
"What is it that you want from us exactly?" Jade finally asked, needing to know.
"We've been trying to create a cure, yet everything we tried failed. At best we've come up with a form of vaccine yet the affect doesn't hold for long. If we can't create a cure just yet I would like for a more effective and long lasting vaccine to be made in its place. That way if anyone does get bit the infection won't spread. We could send out more soldiers to combat those who already succumbed and save those that are still fighting to survive," he answered.
"So what can we do to help?" Tori inquired next.
"I'll need blood as well as tissue samples," he replied. When Tori bit at her lip with hesitation and uncertainty he offered her a kind smile.
"Nothing too painful or damaging. I promise. We just need new samples to work with. We have far too many vampires to study and only one other hybrid. Gaining new information from another hybrid could help us. Everyone reacts differently to viruses and this is no different. Each vampire has a slight difference so now I want to see if it holds true for hybrids," he elucidated.
"Wait, so there's another hybrid here?" Tori asked, focusing on that more than all the other information.
"Yes. He's a bit too carefree to bring in as often as I would like but he's all we have so I make sure to extend the utmost patience with him," Deidrick explained.
"I want to meet him," Tori requested.
"And you will at some point. He likes to wander and he's rarely at home or around here. He's probably seen every corner of the city for how adventurous he is," Deidrick told her thoughtfully. For the first time since arriving, Tori looked excited to be there. Jade hadn't thought about it much, but even though Tori was glad to have the people she had by her side, it didn't mean she wasn't hoping for someone who shared her condition. She wore the same expression when they ran into Sasha and even got along with her quickly. Garrett hated everyone, but she had hoped to gain an alley in him up until he was a danger to Jade. That was where she drew the line.
"Will you need us today or are we free to get acclimated to the city?" Jade asked.
"All I require right now is a blood sample. I want to run a few tests just to see if there are any major differences in you two compared to the sources we already have," he replied. At the sound of needing blood, Tori's mind went to the method in which it was obtained. She whimpered and went rigid in her seat.
"So you'll be using n-needles?" she gasped out. Deidrick understood her fear. Knowing the lengths and procedures used during the experimentation. There was a reason most hybrids who survived had no memory of the event. It was truly traumatizing.
"Yes. But they won't be big and will only hurt for a second. It won't be anything like you experienced before," he assured her. She relaxed only slightly but still sat stiffly. He stood and walked to the door.
"Follow me. We might as well get it done as soon as possible so that you can be on your way. I heard that you arrived with friends," he commented, trying to move the conversation forward. He opened the door and Jade took Tori by the hand to follow him out.
"More family than friends. We've been through a lot together," Jade responded as they walked further down the hall and turned.
"I'm sure you have," he agreed. He pushed open the door ahead to enter a room similar to that of a hospital room.
"Whoever wants to go first, please take a seat and hold out your arm," he said with his back turned to them where he stood at the counter. Jade looked to Tori then moved to sit down. She held out her pale arm so that it rested on the small connected table and waited. Tori began pacing slightly and refused to even look in their direction when Deidrick took a seat on the nearby stool, needle in hand which was connected to a vial. Jade watched as he methodically ran a hand down her forearm to grip at her wrist firmly.
"No need for force, doc. I won't struggle," she told him, voice calm. He glanced at her.
"You never know. Sometimes animals are calm until pain is inflicted," he pointed out. Jade chuckled without humor and leveled her monochrome gaze on him.
"I'm not an animal, so don't treat me like one," she stated, her tone now edged with offense.
"Noted," he responded before slipping the needle into the crook of her arm. She watched it slide in with practiced ease and then her blood began draining through the attached tube to the vial. When he had as much as he needed he withdrew the needle and moved to press a square of gauze but she evaded it and brought her arm up to lick away the blood. It healed seconds later. He sat in slightly stunned silence but forced a smile and stood to store the vial.
"I forgot what I'm dealing with. You're so…" he tried to say, but his words failed him. He turned around once the vial was properly capped and labeled. He looked at her with furrowed brows and a searching gaze.
"Human?" she supplied.
"Yes. You're nothing like any vampire I've seen or interacted with. Not even the ones who retain the capacity to talk are as docile as you," he observed.
"Docile," she repeated, rolling the word in her mouth with distaste. He paused to give her a questioning look.
"Like an animal. Keep comparing me to a mindless monster and maybe I'll show you how dangerous I can be," she warned him. A growl tinged her words but she held it back. Regardless, Tori zeroed in on the buried but slowly rising hostility and stopped pacing to calm the vampire.
"Jade's been different since the first day we met. Even longer than that. She's gone through a lot and it made her the strong person she is today. I don't think you'll ever find another vampire like her," she explained, looking from Jade to Deidrick.
"Which is Tori's sappy yet appreciated way of saying stop categorizing me like a damn animal and treat me like the person I am. It's a constant fight to be this level headed and I'm proud to say that I've achieved what no one like me has, so respect that and treat me as you would any human. Go back to forgetting what you're dealing with. I promise I won't take advantage of your lowered guard," Jade sneered, standing to walk over and lean against the door. Now that the chair was clear and Deidrick was thoroughly reprimanded for his views, it was Tori's turn. She sat down slowly and reluctantly held out her arm. Deidrick obtained a new needle and vial then sat back down. He held her arm the same way he held Jade's, noting that she quivered slightly under his fingers. Jade could sense her growing unease and strode over, pulling another stool with her so that she was seated next to the nervous hybrid.
"It'll be fine, Tor. Don't think about it. It goes by fast. You won't feel a thing," she reassured her.
"Yeah, says you," she retorted. Jade smiled and reached out to caress her cheek lovingly, gaining her attention, then rested her hand at her jaw and leaned in.
"Believe me. You didn't feel it because it's already done," Jade told her, giving her nose a quick kiss before leaning away.
"Huh?" Tori muttered, turning her head to see that Deidrick was already gone to cap and label the vial of extracted blood while Jade pressed the gauze to Tori's arm. She wiped away the blood and removed it to see that it was already healed. She tossed it in the trash then stood up and offered Tori her hand. She took it, still amazed that Jade distracted her enough that she didn't even notice.
"I'll let you know what I find when I call you back for the tissue samples," Deidrick said with a friendly smile.
"And we'll be waiting with bated breath. Won't we?" Jade quipped, her tolerance thin as she glanced at Tori who recognized her impatience to leave and squeezed her hand.
"We can find our way back," she added. Deidrick nodded and gestured for them to go first. Jade burst out of the door and practically dragged Tori all the way back to their provided home. She opened the door and entered, stomping to the couch and falling on it with a sigh.
"Sometimes, having a horde of rabid vampires to mow down is exactly what I need," Jade grumbled, closing her eyes in frustration.
"So now that we have some time to ourselves you want to fight?" Tori questioned as she walked over to stand by Jade with her arms crossed.
"You have to admit that it's a little too quiet here. We haven't lived anywhere this peaceful since we were toddlers. What do you expect from someone who only knows fighting and constant survival?" Jade responded sharply, sitting up to glare at her.
"I'm not expecting anything, Jade. Look, I understand that there's nothing to do at the moment and we're restless and everything we've learned isn't helping, but maybe we should take this time to not give a damn about what's happening out there and just relax for once," Tori suggested, her own voice stern.
"Forget what's happening out there? Sanctuary is still out there! Our home. Our friends. Or did you forget that too? We can't rest until they're just as safe as we are," Jade growled, rising to stand at her full height, toe to toe with the hybrid.
"No, I didn't forget. We're here for them as much as we're here for us. I understand that. It hasn't slipped my mind. But we can't help them unless we first tend to ourselves. Now, I know you don't need rest as much as I do, but I'm exhausted. Eating isn't going to cure that like it does for you, so excuse me if I want to sit around doing something that only benefits me for a change, which is nothing what-so-fucking-ever!" Tori snarled in return, getting in Jade's face. They stood there in tense silence, motionless. Both of them wondered how they got to the point they were at as well as wondering how fast the tension had escalated. Tori huffed out a breath and Jade relaxed the hold she had on the collar of Tori's shirt. She hadn't even known she grabbed her in the first place.
"You're ridiculously irresistible when you swear," Jade whispered, eyes intense and voice dipping low. Tori slowly hooked her thumbs in the waistband of Jade's pants to pull her closer.
"You think so?" she questioned with a smirk. Jade only hummed an affirmative before their lips met hungrily. Jade shoved her backwards until Tori hit the wall, Jade's body pressing into her. Tori's hot mouth traveled down to nip then suck at her neck and she sighed.
"For the record, you didn't win the argument," Jade husked.
"I think I did," Tori countered, sliding her hand down and around to grip at Jade's ass. She growled and her fangs scraped Tori's neck, her cool breath breezing over heated skin.
"You didn't," Jade denied, fighting the urge to bite.
"You gave in," Tori pointed out, gasping when Jade's leg slipped between her own. She moaned.
"It doesn't look like that from where I'm standing," Jade remarked, leaning away enough to watch Tori squirm when she applied just enough friction. Tori's head fell back to rest on the wall, her throat exposed. Jade's eyes were riveted to the pulse at her neck, truly contemplating sinking her fangs in the delicate slope of tanned flesh. Maybe she could bite her for the thrill and just make sure she didn't swallow any blood. Tori looked her in the eyes at that moment, gold sparkling with need. Jade kissed her hard then rocked her hips into the hybrid, causing Tori's grip on the vampire's back to tighten and her breath to hitch, breaking the heated kiss.
Jade's mouth teasingly brushed over Tori's cheek, under her jaw, and then stopped at her neck. She licked over her pulse slowly then bared her teeth, ready to fulfill her need, when there was a loud knock at the door. She pulled away quickly, using that as an excuse to move far away from Tori. Now that they were no longer touching her mind was able to clear. Tori remained leaning on the wall for a while, trying to catch her breath, then pushed off the wall to answer the door after composing herself. Jade stood nearby as the door opened to reveal another new face. She was just glad Andre or Beck hadn't been the ones to interrupt or she would have had some very choice words for them.
"Hey. So you're Jade and Tori. Welcome to the neighborhood. I hope I didn't arrive at a bad time," the young man greeted, only slightly concerned that he could have. Both Jade and Tori knew that he was well aware of what he interrupted because they both sensed that he was a hybrid. Because of that they caught on to the subtle way he scented the air. Despite the information he was gleaning from the situation, the infernal knowing yet casual smile still stayed on his face. Jade already wanted to punch it off his face.
"Well, you did. Now kindly come back at a later time when I'm less likely to tear your head off for showing up," she stated tersely.
"From what I hear that's a pretty hard thing to do. Aren't you always irritated at something or other anyway?" he responded, unconcerned with angering the vampire further. Tori fought a smile and held a completely blank face when Jade shot a look at her.
"Yeah? And where did you hear that?" the vampire questioned him.
"I met this eccentric hippie down by the water. We talked a little. He said he just came into town recently and that he traveled with two other humans, a hybrid, and a vampire so I decided to welcome the newcomers," he explained. Jade rolled her eyes.
"So you already met the two other humans, right?" she guessed.
"Found them at the market," he confirmed.
"And now you're here to annoy us," she groused, turning away to sit on the couch. Tori smiled in a way that she hoped made up for Jade's rudeness.
"Nice to meet you…" she began, holding out her hand.
"Tyrell," he supplied, taking her hand in his to shake.
"Nice to see you leave, Tyrell," Jade spoke up from where she was lounging on the couch. Tori shook her head and sighed.
"Ignore her," she grumbled. She was just as disappointed that they were interrupted, but she liked meeting new people. Especially a friendly hybrid.
"No problem. I like a challenge. So anyway, I thought I would swing by for a chat. As much as I wanted to meet a vampire who acted more human than most humans, I also wanted to share some history between us," he explained. Tori's interest piqued at that.
"History?" Jade questioned, sitting up to look at them.
"Relax. History as in the shared experimentation experience. It was of the painful variety. Not pleasurable at all. I swear we weren't involved in any other way than that," he teased. Jade frowned but Tori stood back to allow him in with an amused smile at Jade's agitation.
"Make yourself at home," Tori offered, shutting the door behind him.
"Don't mind if I do," he replied. Like an upset house cat when a guest entered its home, she got up to perch on the kitchen counter away from the new dog. She had no idea how Tori's scent could stop bothering her only for any other hybrid to annoy her just as much as hers had in the past. It was irritating, but as she did before, she reeled in how she felt and resolved to listen to what the new hybrid had to say. After all, Jade was just as interested in Tori's past as she was.