A/N: As always, thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows. If you ever wanna know the status of where I am in updates, I usually post something on tumblr. :}
Anyways! Here we go.
Chapter 4
With her eyes closed, Bo took a deep breath and stretched her arms languidly as she awoke from her slumber. For the first time in two weeks, she felt energized and ready to begin her day. Wait. Bo stopped mid-stretch, feeling around the mattress in search of the very reason she felt good this morning. Tamsin? Her eyes shot open, scanning the entire room. So much for not leaving me.
Just then, she heard the floorboards of the cabin creak under the weight of someone. Bo swiftly wrapped the blanket around her body as make-shift clothing, and her hand darted out to grab the dagger still in its sheath. She pulled it out, moved silently to where the door would swing, and waited, hoping to gain the element of surprise this way. Her eyes watched as the door handle slowly turned, as if the person turning it knew there was someone in the room.
Bo could hear her heart thumping in her chest, eager to burst from the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Her hands became clammy with how tight her hand was around the hilt of her dagger, and just as soon as the door was open wide enough, she slashed at the intruder. Before she could spill blood, a hand grabbed the arm holding the dagger, and Bo found herself being flipped onto the mattress. As she landed, she lost grip of her dagger, and the air was knocked out of her. Her vision was slightly blurred as she looked up at her attacker.
"Damn, succubus, do you always attack the people you've had sex with from the night before?" came a voice, and though Bo's vision hadn't cleared yet, she knew that sarcastic voice came with an adorable nose scrunch.
Bo threw her head back onto the mattress and closed her eyes, realizing how ridiculous she looked at the moment.
"Also.. I adore your choice of outfit for today, but you might not want to spread your legs like that. I can see a lot of what I pleasured last night," interrupted Tamsin, a cocky smirk on her face.
"Go away, Tamsin," groaned Bo, legs closing and hands reaching up to cover her own scarlet face.
"As you wish, succubus," sounded Tamsin, her voice practically a caress. Bo shuddered slightly, her mind wandering back to last night when Tamsin uttered those four words and gave her what she wanted. She almost allowed herself to be turned on, but she knew the valkyrie was only teasing her.
Tamsin, satisfied she had bugged the succubus a sufficient amount, turned on her heel and walked away from the room, heading towards the front door. She sat outside with her back to the front of the cabin as she took a swig of alcohol. Never too early to get buzzed. She closed her eyes and savored the familiar burn that slid down her throat.
"Really? You're drinking when the sun's only been up for like two hours?" Bo criticized, a hint of disapproval in her voice.
"Well, you'd think the whole zombie apocalypse thing would fuck over social norms," Tamsin shot back.
"You are ridiculous," Bo sighed. "Shouldn't you be more aware just in case our undead friends come to visit?"
Tamsin snorted. "While you were out and snoring like a baby bear, I was clearing the area within a mile radius."
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
"You sleep like the dead.. or rather, how they used to.. they don't really tend to stay down these days," Tamsin remarked, her nose scrunched; the lie came easily to her. As if I would tell her the bruises under her eyes stopped me from waking her..
"Thank you, then.. for letting me sleep in and for clearing the area," Bo replied with genuine honesty.
Tamsin pursed her lips, put off by her kindness once more. "Yeah. Next time, it's your turn."
"Oh? So does that mean there's an encore of last night in the future?" Bo raised her eyebrows, edging closer to the blonde.
"Typical. Already begging for a next time. You can't escape your nature, huh?" Tamsin put away her stash of booze, standing up and brushing herself off afterwards. "Keep it in your pants, woman, we've got a way to go."
"Does that mean you've found a place to start searching?"
"Yeah. I ran into a road when I was out. There was a sign saying there was a town called Oakville. It said 20 miles until destination."
"Oh!" Bo exclaimed as they started walking. "I think that's where I was heading with Dyson and Kenzi before we got chased off by that horde.."
Tamsin furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "They'd be long gone by now.. Do you think they'd search for you or keep moving to other towns?"
"I.. think they'd search for me, but it's also been over two weeks. They've probably lost hope." Bo's voice lowered significantly, a sudden vulnerability evident. She stopped walking, thinking about where her only two friends were.
Tamsin watched Bo's emotions with detail before lowering her voice to a gentle tone. "C'mon, succubus, we've gotta keep walking."
The valkyrie reached out her hand for Bo to grab, waiting patiently. In return, Bo met Tamsin's eyes and slowly reached out to grab the offered hand. They linked fingers, beginning to walk again. Bo started swinging their hands absentmindedly, enjoying the gentler side of Tamsin.
"Keep swinging our hands, and I'll leave you in these woods," came Tamsin's voice, laced with fake annoyance. Secretly, though she'd never say it out loud, she enjoyed how Bo's hand fit in hers.
"You're such a killjoy, Tam-Tam," Bo teased, though she stopped swinging their hands.
Without a word, Tamsin dropped Bo's hand and marched ahead of her without looking back.
"Hey! I definitely stopped swinging our hands." Bo pouted in response.
"Yeah, but you also definitely called me 'Tam-Tam,' and that is a no-go for me, succulette. Besides, why would you want to hold hands with me?"
Bo pursed her lips, thinking as she walked. She finally spoke after a few minutes, well past the point where Tamsin was expecting an answer. And when she spoke, she did so in a murmur.
"I'm not sure, but I like it. Your hand just feels strong and reassuring, like I would be perfectly safe and content for the rest of my life if I spent it near you."
"You've known me all of two days. How can you be so sure that I won't backstab you?" Tamsin asked, hoping to get off such an intimate subject.
"See, that's what I'm unsure about. How can being with you make me feel this way when I barely know you? Like, for example, I don't even know your last name!"
"Winters," Tamsin replied quietly.
Bo stared at her in slight disbelief. Did she just tell me about herself without any complaints? She quickly recovered, stating her own last name, "Dennis."
A long silence ensued afterwards, and Bo tried to behave herself as they walked, but curiosity got the best of her. Hoping Tamsin was still in an amiable mood, she started asking questions.
"So, what's your favorite color?"
Tamsin rolled her eyes. "Blue."
"Name one band you listen to."
"Maroon 5. We're talkin' Songs About Jane era, none of that new shit."
"If it makes you feel better, they definitely won't be making any of that 'new shit' in this apocalypse.."
The corners of Tamsin's mouth turned up for a split second.
"Hah! Made you smile."
Ignoring her statement, the valkyrie posed a question. "Why are you asking me questions anyways?"
"I want to get to know you. Is that a crime?"
"Not a crime, just bothersome."
"I'd just like to get to know you mentally as well as I know you physically at this point."
Tamsin huffed out a breath as if to say "yeah right" and just before she could make a witty comeback, she stopped in her tracks. In turn, Bo nearly ran into her.
"Hey! What's the big—?" Bo began, but Tamsin's hand on her mouth stopped her.
"Shut up, succubus, and listen," Tamsin breathed out quietly.
Bo grumbled but did as she was told and began listening. Just as she was about give up and say she heard nothing, she heard the faint noises of undead moaning and shuffling through the forest. Her eyes widened automatically, and she looked at Tamsin, her heart racing. But Tamsin's eyes were not hers to meet as she followed the blonde's line of sight and saw what distracted her.
Far off in the distance, a line of walkers shuffled aimlessly through the forest in search of their next meal. Luckily, the traveling pair were downwind and easily hidden by the foliage of the forest. Tamsin, having immediately switched into killing mode, counted how many there were and realized they had no chance against 10+ of them. I could manage it alone, but not with Bo here.. I am not putting her in danger.
Tamsin quickly scanned their surrounding area, her mind in overdrive as she came up with alternate solutions. All she could see were trees, trees, and more trees. Shit, shit, shit. If we run, we risk getting off-course and getting spotted. If we're spotted, we are royally screwed because they won't give up if they sense we're potential dinner.
Bo watched Tamsin think, and she swore she could see the cogs turning in her head. She wanted to reach out and hold her in an attempt to calm her, but she knew she would only be pushed away. Instead, she focused on coming up with her own plan. In a few seconds, she had it. She tapped on Tamsin's shoulder patiently, and in return, Tamsin's green eyes bore into hers.
"I think we should go up," Bo whispered. Even though they were downwind, she still felt the need to be cautious.
"Bo, if we climb up and they notice us, we will be sitting ducks."
"Then let's not get noticed. Some of these trees are so tall and sturdy, I don't think any of them will manage to crane their heads to look.. unless they want to risk their rotting necks snapping."
Tamsin bit her lip, her forehead creased in thought. "Fine," she consented. "You're climbing ahead of me, though, just in case."
"So I can test branches, huh?"
"You know damn well that's not why."
"Okay, okay," Bo relented. "I'm sorry for teasing."
Tamsin sighed. "Don't worry about it.. now climb."
Bo tried her best to hoist her body up onto the branch that was about three feet above her head but in the end, she could only hop and down. Tamsin shook her head in disapproval before offering a boost to the succubus. As soon as Bo was on the branch, Tamsin jumped, pushing off the tree trunk and launching herself up so she could grab onto the same branch. She swung her body onto the branch, straddling it as Bo stared at her in disbelief.
"Seriously?"
"Sorry, valkyries are superior to succubi. Now get your cute little ass up this tree."
Bo risked a glance towards where their undead friends were and saw the outline of them clearer. This prompted her to begin climbing with speed but a certain caution because she knew if she fell, she'd meet a certain end. Tamsin watched Bo climb for a moment, allowing her to get ahead while also allowing her to stare at the succubus's glorious backside.
After a few moments, Tamsin followed suit, catching up to the winded succubus in mere seconds. However, the valkyrie made no move to make fun of her, and she waited patiently for the brunette to keep climbing. As soon as Bo found the highest sturdy branch, she stopped, scooting out farther along the branch so Tamsin could join her.
Tamsin shook her head once she was on the same branch, motioning for Bo to come closer. The brunette scooted as close as she possible while her legs still straddled the branch. Even then, Tamsin shook her head as she reached down to grip Bo's thighs and only then did Bo understand. She linked her arms around the valkyrie's neck, waiting as she was tugged incredibly close to the blonde while her thighs rested on top of the other woman's.
Bo leaned in, speaking directly into Tamsin's ear. "Someone really wanted me close, huh?"
"Please," Tamsin whispered sarcastically, shivering at Bo's warm breath in her ear. "As if I needed to climb a tree to get you close to me."
"Mm, very true, valkyrie."
"We're in a tree, hiding from zombies, and you can't turn off your succu-boner. Typical."
"I can't help my nature."
"Shhh, they're coming."
"I know a better way to keep quiet," Bo whispered seductively as she leaned in to softly kiss Tamsin.
Tamsin convinced herself that it was no use fighting the succubus in their current situation and instead focused on kissing Bo's soft, supple lips. Their kisses were lazy in nature, and Tamsin savored every single one. Despite the relaxed atmosphere of their make-out session, Bo couldn't stop herself from getting turned on, and Tamsin knew this because she could feel Bo's hips wiggling in her lap in search of friction.
Bo pulled away, her breathing heavy. She gripped the tree trunk with one hand, trying to stop herself from doing anything bold. But, this was difficult as Tamsin decided a certain spot on her neck would be the perfect spot to suck on. She gripped the tree even tighter as her mind ended up focusing on Tamsin's tongue flickering against her neck. Without her notice, she ripped off the bark of the tree trunk, sending it flying towards the earth.
Tamsin stopped what she was doing, her eyes wide as she realized what Bo just did. The two made eye contact, risking a glance at the ground. They watched as the chunk of bark descended and landed on top of a lagging walker's head. Neither of them breathed as they watched the walker stop in confusion. It glanced up, grunting as it struggled to find the cause. After what seemed like forever, the walker gave up, shuffling forward to catch up with the rest of the horde. They both breathed a sigh of relief, and Bo smacked Tamsin's arm.
"Don't ever do that again!"
"Do what? Pleasure you? Because as it stands, you can't resist me."
"You almost got us killed, Tamsin."
"I couldn't help that the creamy white skin of your neck was calling for me to mark it with my mouth.."
Before Tamsin could tease her more, she gazed into Bo's eyes, witnessing the tears that pooled there. The valkyrie's gaze softened as she leaned forward, pressing the most gentle of kisses on her forehead.
"I'm sorry, really."
"It's okay," Bo sniffled in response.
The two of them descended quietly after making sure the horde was long out of range, and they returned to their journey of finding Oakville. They walked together in perfect silence for hours, and as the sun began to set, they found themselves on the outskirts of Oakville where the rural houses stood. Tamsin and Bo approached one of the homes that looked intact but had its windows and doors boarded up. They scoped the place out, looking for signs of habitation, but found none.
Tamsin noticed one window that bore no planks of wood, and she took special note of the fact that a tree branch extended towards it. She made eye contact with Bo, and she knew that Bo understood what they were about to do. Tamsin hoisted herself up into the tree first before extending an arm and easily lifting Bo onto the branch. She withdrew her sword, using it as a levy to pry open the window. Once the window was open, she listened for signs of movement.
Hearing none, the valkyrie cautiously made her way into the house, scanning the bedroom she found herself in. She glanced at the door and noticed it was boarded shut, and she figured that they would be safe for the night. Tamsin moved back towards the window, motioning for Bo to come in. For safe measure, she even extended her arms for her to hold as she entered through the window. Once Bo was safely inside, she drew the curtains close and settled onto the bed, noticing the huge cloud of dust that emerged.
The pair took off their gear in silence, and Tamsin knew that Bo was still hung up over what had happened earlier. She watched as Bo settled onto the bed, facing away from her. Tamsin let out a frustrated sigh, knowing she was about to ignore what her instincts told her. She lay down behind Bo before wrapping her arms about her and pulling her flush against her own body. The blonde felt the other woman's body tense, and she thought it wise to explain herself quickly.
"Listen, Bo, what I did was less than smart, but know this, I will never let anything hurt you. My whole life I've been taught self-preservation, but for you, I would gladly take any harm. Do you understand me? I'm going to get you to your friends in one piece. That is a promise."
Tamsin felt Bo's body relax, and the brunette twisted her body around so she faced her.
"I would hate myself if anything happened to you, Tamsin, so don't go playing hero."
The valkyrie smiled. "Again, we've only known each other for three days now."
"Says you, vowing to let no harm come to me."
"Touché, succubus."
"But Tamsin?"
"Yes?"
"I honestly don't give a shit," Bo murmured, snuggling as close as possible to Tamsin's body, drowsy from the day's activities. Her eyes fluttered shut involuntarily, and within seconds, she drifted off to sleep.
A small smile graced Tamsin's faced as she listened to Bo's breathing deepen. The heart wants what it wants - or else it does not care, Tamsin quoted in her head, finding herself lulled to sleep by Bo's warmth. Too true, Emily Dickinson, she thought to herself before slipping into a blissful rest.
A/N #2: Woooo, tree action, woooo. Haha, hope you all enjoyed, and I'm sorry I already suck at updating. ;{ Check out my other story if you want!