Being underground made waking up at the right time hard. It didn't matter that morning because Beck returned to wake her up bright and early. She put up a fight of course. She was never a morning person. Beck made a joke about being like Jade and something about getting her an alarm clock before leaving the room. When she finally found the will to sit up she saw that he had brought her a change of clothes that were less threadbare and sturdier than her own. She got dressed and left the room to walk right into Beck the minute she stepped out the door.
"Morning sleepy head. I thought that maybe while we wait for the sun to set we can get you situated. Afterwards, I've got an important job for you," he greeted.
"Already?" she replied, curious but nervous.
"Yep. Believe me, if you can do this then you can do anything," he informed her. Now Tori had a flurry of butterflies in her stomach, and they weren't the good kind. Thus began a very busy day, opening with some breakfast, getting a tour of the HQ, and then starting on some basics with each member, only stopping for some breaks. She learned weapon safety with Andre, how to work the many gadgets with Robbie, and some combat moves with Beck. She even learned some handy tips concerning injuries with Cat. She was just about done reiterating what Cat told her about burns when Beck got her attention. She thanked Cat and waited for him to say something but he remained silent. Instead, he motioned for her to follow him and her stomach dropped when he stopped to push open Jade's door. Tori didn't even know when she tried to run but Beck caught her by the wrist and dragged her in before she could get away.
"Jade hates 'mornings' for obvious reasons but she makes us wake her up a little earlier than usual anyway so that she can get more done. Plus, it kinda rearranges her sleep schedule so that she can stay up longer into the day than other vampires," he explained, continuing to drag Tori further into the room. It looked normal enough except for the dark color scheme and the skulls of various animals decorating the shelves. She had a lot of books and music scattered everywhere too. Beck stopped them at the bed draped in black and burgundy. Jade was sleeping stiffly on her back. In sleep her face lost all that anger and coldness she usually carried, smoothing out into features that were so peaceful Tori would have thought she was an angel.
"Ok, wake her up," Beck commanded, pushing her so that she stumbled over to Jade's bedside.
"Are you kidding me?" she whispered in mild fright now that she was closer to the deadly being.
"You don't have to whisper. She literally sleeps like the dead. Now go on and wake her up. We have things to do," he ordered again before the sound of arguing alerted him to something going on in the living room. Without saying anything he left Tori alone in the room so that he could see what was going on. She opened her mouth to protest once more but figured it was futile and sagged under the responsibility she had been given so soon. She took a deep breath and then looked at the slumbering vampire.
"Ok, here we go. I can do this. Just nice and slow," she coached herself. She reached out a shaking hand but pulled back at the last minute.
"Oh man, I can't do this. What if she mauls me out of reflex? I mean, I used to give anyone who tried to wake me up some mean right hooks. Geez, ok, one more time," she babbled. She reached out again and got closer but chickened out at the last minute.
"No, no, no. I really don't want to do this. Ok, maybe if I go fast, like a band aid. Just get it done and-" Tori rambled, her words cut off with a shriek when Jade's eyes suddenly snapped open and she sat up to glare at the rookie.
"Can you shut the fuck up?" she growled, her voice raspy from sleep.
"I-I'm sorry. I was told to wake you up except I didn't know how so I was trying to just…you know?" Tori responded lamely. Jade raised a pierced brow before shaking her head and then letting out a yawn that put her fangs on display. Tori's eyes landed on them, reminding her how dangerous Jade was despite how alluring she looked.
"Well congratulations, you are officially the most annoying alarm I've ever heard," Jade commented in an overly peppy voice like that of a game show host. Her scowl was back in place a moment later.
"I'm sor-" Tori tried to apologize again, but Jade just slid out of bed to slap a hand over her mouth while simultaneously positioning herself behind Tori. Messing with the newbie sounded like a good idea for getting back at her so Jade carefully tilted her head to the side so that she could get a good look at her throat. Tori gulped and the action made Jade's eyes focus on the blood pulsing right under her skin. She could smell it calling to her, feel her fangs lengthen, but she resisted.
"Don't bother. It's your job to play wake-me-up-and-die. It isn't your fault," she whispered in Tori's ear. She shuddered involuntarily, making Jade smirk. She leaned in close, tilting Tori's head up further. Her other hand pulled Tori's body against her. Jade inhaled, trying to memorize her scent. She may not want the girl around but the others did so she had to familiarize herself. Her scent was nothing like Jade had the pleasure of enjoying before. She made a big show out of scaring Tori, going so far as to scrape her neck with her teeth just enough that she would feel it but not enough to draw any blood.
"I look forward to next time, Vega," she continued. She let Tori go and the poor dazed human almost fell to the floor. She shook her head to try and clear it then shot Jade a glare that wilted under the vampire's superior gaze.
"Mind if I change in private or do you want to stick around for the show?" Jade questioned, finding the shirt she was looking for. She set it on the bed and then yanked off the shirt she wore. Tori blushed heavily at the newly exposed expanse of porcelain skin before running from the room. She heard Jade chuckle on the way out and knew the vampire had been messing with her. When she left Jade's room Beck found her and brought her into the workshop. Everyone looked ready to go, so while they waited for Jade to get ready, they each gave Tori a rundown on the mission they would undertake. By the time Jade walked in Beck was showing Tori a move that was useful in quickly keeping an opponent away. He was standing right next to her, rearranging her arms and stance with instructions as well as moving them into place himself. Jade took one look at them and narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Ok, you guys ready?" she announced, walking over to sit on a table next to Andre. Robbie picked up his pack and Andre armed himself. Beck holstered his pistol and handed Tori her own. It was well taken care of compared to her backpack full of mediocre weapons. She holstered it and looked at Jade who returned her gaze before hopping off the table and walking out.
"She doesn't need any weapons. Her physical attacks alone can break bone and she isn't afraid to use her…natural weapons," Beck explained to Tori under his voice. She shivered unpleasantly at the thought. They followed their unspoken leader out to the garage and piled in the car. Beck drove with Jade in the passenger seat while Tori sat between Andre and Robbie in the back. They headed out into the heart of the city, through to the vampire infested side, and continued on up a dirt path to park at the top of a high hill overlooking the city. It was the perfect place to be 'alone' and out in the open, vulnerable easy pickings to a vampire, or a group of them.
"Ok, so, we need bait," Jade began, shifting so that most of them were in her view.
"Don't you mean the hook?" Robbie corrected. Jade bristled and shot a look at him.
"Thank you for volunteering, Shapiro," she mocked with a chilling smirk. Everyone gave him pitying frowns but said nothing. Robbie slumped in his seat, obviously worried.
"Beck, Andre, you'll be the line. You guys know what to do," she commanded.
"For those who don't, explain," Beck butt in. Jade clenched her teeth and glared at him for interrupting her, but it had no affect on him. He winked at Tori who paled slightly, knowing he meant her. She really didn't want to be on Jade's bad side. Actually, as much as it scared her, she would like to be the vampire's friend. Beck was making that hard for her. Or was he making it easier? She really didn't know.
"She'll see and learn once it happens," Jade countered.
"Oh come on, Jade. Don't be a gank," Beck teased. Jade growled but rolled her eyes and forced away a smirk. Beck was the only one who wasn't afraid of her at all. His smart ass comments paired with a friendly disposition never failed to make her feel accepted. She might act like she didn't give a shit whether anyone liked her or not, but she did, and Beck understood that without having to say anything or make it obvious. She also admired his spunk and bravery.
"Fine. Listen up Vega, because when I explain I'll only explain it once. Basically, Robbie will lure the vampires here. Andre and Beck will draw them blindly to them, leaving them open for you and I to take them down," she began. Tori's eyes widened at the mention of what she would do and Jade saw her expression.
"We'll be the sinker. The last thing they see before we send them to hell. I hope you're ready because we're moving out," Jade continued, motioning to Robbie to get going. He hesitantly ran off while Jade got out to yank Tori from the back seat. She took off immediately, leaving Tori to run in order to catch up. She headed higher up the hills and took cover behind a large bush. Tori eyed the small space beside her but eventually squeezed in next to her. It was odd, feeling no heat from the person beside her. She took in Jade's otherworldly but incredibly attractive features. They were enhanced by the moon behind them. Jade's sharp gaze stayed transfixed on the car below but she still sensed Tori's staring.
"Keep your eyes on the car, Vega," she advised sternly. Tori instantly blushed at being caught and hastily averted her eyes to do as she was told. Despite his anxiety, Robbie did a good job of getting some vampires' attention because soon three showed up. Two were guys in leather jackets and tight jeans while the platinum blonde woman wore a black dress that clung to her. They all had the unnatural white irises of vampires that fed frequently. They snarled and stalked towards the car at a leisurely pace, attention now on multiple prey instead of just one. The woman and one of the guys jumped on the hood to growl at Andre and Beck who sat inside waiting for back up.
"And here is when we come in," Jade muttered before dashing from cover. She prepared to leap at the vampires who were attacking the car, shattering the windows to get at the tasty humans inside, but she was forcefully tackled to the ground by the third vampire who hadn't partaken in trashing the car. His duty was as lookout and he successfully intervened. His nails clawed at her and his teeth snapped at her neck. She hissed back at him and rolled them over so that she held him down. Tori slid down the dusty hill clumsily just as Jade was thrown off and he was back on top. Tori pulled out her pistol and fired into his back, trying to aim in the general vicinity of his heart. She missed because he wasn't a pile of ashes. Instead, it only seemed to severely piss him off.
He snarled and reflexively released Jade who took advantage to get the upper hand again. Beck and Andre showed up on the scene by that point, Beck throwing a silver net over the other guy. Andre squared off with the woman. No one saw the unexpected fourth vampire until it was too late. She slammed into Tori and bared her teeth. In the collision Tori lost her grip on her gun, leaving her unarmed and vulnerable. The woman laughed and dived down to bite her but Jade suddenly appeared, strangling her in a headlock. She flailed and tried to get loose but she couldn't. Jade dragged her off Tori and then proceeded to behead her in a clinical manner, expression uninterested, with the use of sharp nails. She dropped the body which burst into ashes when it hit the ground, meeting the same fate as her previous opponent. She then stomped over to Tori.
"You call yourself a hunter?" she inquired, unimpressed. She scoffed and then walked away with a shake of her head. Beck and Andre had killed their opponents already and Robbie was getting out of the car where he had taken shelter. They all stared in sympathy at Tori after watching Jade push past them to disappear into the night. Tori sat up but hung her head. She failed. She sighed heavily but looked up when Beck stood over her with his hand out to help her up. She took it and he tugged her to her feet. Andre gave her back her gun.
"Hey, whether she had to save you or not, you survived. And you didn't look scared pulling the trigger. Most can't even do that," he told her, brushing away Jade's hostility.
"My, um, my dad was a cop," Tori mumbled, feeling the pain coil within her at the mention of her family. Andre patted her back comfortingly and then they all got in the car to head out. They were supportive but even that didn't erase the concern Tori felt.
"What about Jade?" she asked them.
"She'll come home eventually. She's probably just letting off steam," Andre answered. Tori hated to think what that implied. Jade wasn't the type to sit down with a book. She was most likely tearing vampires a new one.
"Jade wanted us to scout out a small piece of that vampire neighborhood. She thinks The Gents showed up there," Beck spoke as he drove back into town but took a different route. Tori took interest in that.
"Who are they?" she questioned.
"They're the top vampire clan. Jade has a personal tiff with them," Robbie answered next to her.
"Tiff? Man, who uses that word anymore?" Andre said with a raised brow directed at Robbie. He opened his mouth to argue when Beck cut in, not wanting to hear it.
"Jade has history with them. A vendetta. If you want to know more I suggest you ask her," he advised.
"But she hates me," Tori pointed out.
"She hates everyone. She only tolerates at best," Robbie said in a 'join the club' tone. She didn't plan to.
"We were all treated the same way but we earned her trust and friendship by proving what we could do and standing up to her. Only then did she accept us. She likes when we can prove we have a backbone as well as skills that are worth her time," Beck explained. Tori mentally took notes, vowing that she would train hard to show Jade what she could do. The prospect scared her but she was determined. Beck turned onto a wide street and slowed down a little.
"Ok, look out for anyone in fancy suits complete with bowler hats," he informed them. They nodded and looked around. When they reached the end of the neighborhood they decided that they should head back as there was no sign of The Gents anywhere. They parked the car in their garage when then returned home and went inside to see Jade laying upside down on the couch with Hemingway on her stomach again. To Tori she looked so human and…cute.
"Took you long enough. Were they there?" she asked them, but really directed the question to Beck. Andre and Robbie excused themselves while Beck walked over to the fridge to grab something to drink. He looked at Jade and shook his head before continuing with what he was doing. Jade sighed, poked the big cat until he moved aside, and then sat up. Tori caught her eye and she cocked her head curiously. Tori's eyes met hers while she roamed the room. The vampire's eyes glowed briefly, upsetting Tori enough to jump when Beck put a hand on her shoulder. Jade chuckled along with Beck and Tori couldn't help but realize how nice Jade's laugh sounded, making her forget to retaliate. The laughter tapered off and Jade stood.
"Get some sleep. Maybe with enough of it you can react better than you did," Jade addressed Tori. She nodded, exchanged a look with Beck, and then left to her room. Jade watched her go before taking a seat on the couch again. Hemingway made a sound to get her attention so she picked him up and set him on her lap where he curled up and purred. Jade silently kept to herself and just watched her fellow hunters as they finished last minute things before going to bed. When they had all left and she was alone she shut off all the lights and retreated to her own room. She stopped on the way, pausing in front of Tori's door. She touched the wood and then let her hand slide down and back to her side. She figured the newbie to be a clumsy dork, but she also felt that she really must have some potential if she survived this long.
She sighed heavily in exasperation but made a mental note to sit her down for a one on one conversation. It was necessary if she wanted Tori to trust her. She frowned at the 'bonding' they would have to do. Beck would probably find some way for it to happen anyway so it was best if she took the initiative. He already sent Tori to wake her and Tori was paired up with her when they went out. She knew him enough to know that he was already trying to create situations where they could rely on and help each other. She didn't want to accept his pushy plan but at the same time she didn't think Tori was that…horrible. She shook her head at her thoughts and continued to her room. She stripped down to change and then slipped into bed. She didn't let herself fall asleep until she was positive that the sun was officially up. Now that her daily practice of defying her instincts was complete she allowed herself to drift off.