Chapter ten
"This really doesn't seem like a good idea…" Emma frowned as her eyes fell across the rows of vodka. "Why exactly do we need to know our tolerance again?"
Talia quirked an eyebrow at her friend as she finished placing the final bottle in the row. When she and Emma had agreed to try this, she had found it surprisingly easy to find a person who would sell her twenty bottles of vodka. He had clearly thought that there was no way that any human would be able to drink that much in one sitting, plus it probably helped that most people in the area assumed that those who were part of the clan worked for the club in some capacity.
"You're the one who said that you wanted to start finding out more about being a vampire…this is just the scientific test that you wanted, Swan," the brunette laughed, finally taking a seat on the other side of Emma with the rows of alcohol between them.
When they had finally joined (which was far easier than she would have thought possible) they had been given a room to share and it was so nicer than anything she could have imagined. From the stories that her parents had told her and Damon, vampires were supposed to live like savages and they only used establishments such as the club to fund nefarious plans. From what she could tell, however, most of the profit that they made must have gone to simply paying for accommodation for all of the immortal beings under their protection. In fact, the only thing that she had encountered that could be considered morally wrong was the slaughter house that they kept across town, but it certainly wasn't the human blood farms that she had believed existed for so long. Apparently, this was not that kind of clan and the leader found those kinds of vampires to be completely repulsive, but that didn't stop the Hunters from hunting them down as if they had done something wrong.
"Can't we just ask Rowan?" Emma sighed as she picked up one of the bottles. She had never really been one for alcohol in the first place and she was sure that the only reason that she had ever actually been drunk was because human Emma had a very low tolerance.
Talia rolled her eyes and picked up her own bottle. It wasn't that she was jealous of Rowan, at least not in any capacity that she was willing to admit to herself. She and Emma had been on their own for long that Talia had become used to the blonde relying on her for everything. Now she had this beautiful, and experienced, vampire who had far more information and resources than she could ever hope to have; plus, there was the fact that the pair was more than friends. If Talia had a clearer perspective, she was sure that she would have realised that she actually had nothing against Rowan in the slightest. The woman had allowed a former hunter to join the clan and so far it seemed as though she had not told a single person about her past just as she had promised. Luckily, she had yet to interact with any vampire who might have recognised her and there appeared to be only one person capable of mind reading. However, when Talia was in the grips of bitterness about Emma choosing to spend time with Rowan instead of her, all she could think about was the fact that Rowan was irritating. Of course, the young vampire would then realise that she was being completely irrational and brush those feelings apart.
"This is something that we need to find out on our own," Talia replied with a clenched jaw.
Emma frowned at the other woman who was starting to take the caps off of all of the bottles. At times, she was sure that Talia had started to act very weirdly since they had joined the clan, but she had consistently chalked it up to the fact that she was used to just interacting with the woman in a tiny apartment while they were both stressed about money and the possibility of having to run again. Now that they had a stable home and not much to worry about with the protection of the clan, she was sure that there was bound to be an adjustment period. After all, this could very well be their lives for the rest of eternity.
"Okay…" Emma said slowly, not quite willing to question her friend just yet about why she was acting so strangely. "So…how are we going to do this?"
Talia took a moment to inspect the liquid in the bottle in her hand and frowned. Alcohol had never really been something she was too interested in, especially since she had spent most of her human hours training with her brother. Sure, she'd had a few drinks in her life, but she couldn't really say that she liked the taste all that much so she wasn't exactly sure why she had chosen vodka for this.
"Well, breathing reflexes won't really be a problem, so we could just down the bottles as quickly as possible…"
"We could have at least asked Rowan if it's possible for a vampire to get alcohol poisoning," Emma frowned, while picking up one of her own bottles and inspecting the label.
"We're immortal…" the brunette replied, though she didn't sound too sure of herself.
"But if someone chopped our head off, I'm pretty sure that we would be dead," Emma shot back, to which Talia rolled her eyes deeply.
"Never took you for a coward, Swan."
The blonde opened her mouth to say that she was fine with being a coward, but then she remembered that she had been the one to suggest that they should start finding out more about vampirism. Plus, there was the fact that in all of the stories of epic vampires, no one had ever tried to kill the creature of the night with a bottle of vodka.
"Fine," Emma sighed as she brought a bottle towards herself, "so we can race."
Talia quirked an eyebrow at the blonde and laughed at her sudden bravery, "you think you're faster than me, Swan?"
[Nine hours Later]
Light streamed in through the open curtains and Emma felt herself hiss at the uninvited sunlight. Her eyes remained closed and she turned over, wondering whether this would be the first and only time she would have this kind of aversion to light in her immortal life, there was absolutely no way that she would be drinking that much vodka again. She just about remembered the burning sensation of the eighth bottle creeping down her throat and then not much after that.
However, the moment her face collided with another person's bare shoulder, it all started coming back to her. Emma's eyes flew open and she pushed herself up by her hands.
The movement seemed to cut through the sleeping mind of her bed-mate, who slowly opened her eyes and furrowed her brow at the sight before.
In her shock, Emma hadn't registered that her chest was completely bare.
"Emma…" Talia grumbled, still sounding very much confused and still very much tired, "why are you in my bed?"
Emma simply sighed and waited for the brunette's mind to catch up. The blonde was remembering more of what happened with each passing moment and she had no doubt that her friend would begin remembering soon enough.
As if on command, Talia's eyes widened and she sat up, quickly bringing up the blanket to cover her own chest, which prompted Emma to do the same. She was sure that if she were human, her cheeks would be burning crimson right about now.
"We didn't…" Talia breathed, looking around the room as if the sight would help her to piece together exactly what had happened. Instantly, her eyes fell on an overturned half bottle of vodka that was currently slowly leaking onto the carpet. Talia closed her eyes and a fuzzy memory of Emma knocking over the bottle so that their lips could meet in a desperate kiss began playing in her mind. She couldn't remember what had led to it happening but she was sure that their drunk minds had the perfect excuse at the time.
The brunette finally opened her eyes and looked absolutely mortified. "Well I guess we know what happens when a vampire gets drunk," she laughed nervously, hoping that she could lighten the mood.
Emma frowned when she realised that Talia had just made a joke. She had been certain that there was no way that this could be anything but awkward. In fact, she had been sure that there was no way that the two of them would be able to go back to normal. However, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she looked over to the smirking brunette.
"Well we shouldn't really be that surprised, I guess," Emma chuckled as she allowed her head to fall back down to the pillow. "Rowan is going to be pissed though…" she frowned. It wasn't exactly like she and Rowan were exclusive, but Emma was never one for being with more than one person at time, especially when they had yet to actually define the parameters of their relationship. There was also the worrying matter that the woman could quite literally read her mind.
Talia grimaced at the mention of Rowan, but her frown deepened when she also felt her stomach drop at the same time. She could no longer deny that what she felt was jealousy and it was more intense than anything she had felt before. She had known that she had some kind of feelings for her friend, but the anger that churned in her in that moment actually unsettled her.
However, Emma didn't seem to notice as she was too busy contemplating what was going to happen the next time that Rowan read her mind.
[Present day]
"What exactly are you arresting me for, Swan?" Talia asked as she pushed her arms through the bars of the holding cell.
Emma looked up from her father's computer and narrowed her eyes at the brunette. The woman was technically right that she had nothing to hold her on in Storybrooke, but she probably didn't quite understand that laws were not as closely followed as perhaps they should be in this town. There was also the fact that Emma had no idea just how much her former best friend knew about this town, so she decided that she could at least play the part of the 'real' sheriff.
"I have the right to hold you for twenty-four hours," Emma deadpanned, deciding that she could deal with the end of that period when the time came. She didn't exactly want to have to write a report for Regina to read as to why she had arrested Talia. As far as her family knew, her and Talia had simply drifted apart. She had told them a lot about her past at this point, but she wasn't prepared to tell them what had happened with Talia and why she had ended up living alone away from the clan.
"Are you going to tell your girlfriend what your probable cause is when these twenty-four hours end?" Talia sneered.
Emma's eyes glowed red again and she stood from the deputy's chair. She was a split second from baring her fangs at the woman, but the action was interrupted by the clicking of heels. The saviour felt her throat constrict but her supernatural speed didn't kick in as Regina had already round the corner with a frown on her face.
She had been in the middle of a meeting when she had received an S.O.S message from Snow. The sheriff baring her fangs at a random woman and then proofing them to the station was something that the mayor should certainly put at the top of her priority list, especially when said sheriff was also her girlfriend.
"Are you okay? Your mother called me…"
Regina cut herself off when she noticed that Emma closed her eyes in frustration and her eyes were drawn over to the woman in the cell. She knew instantly that she was Talia. A moment later, it occurred to the mayor how much of an idiot she was since the brunette had undoubtedly known Emma as an orphan and the man and woman she had seen in the diner hardly looked old enough to be her long lost parents.
Emma obviously had the same thought; however, when she opened her eyes, she saw no hint of shock on Talia's face and she narrowed her eyes at the smirking brunette. Even if she clearly knew more than most about Storybrooke, Emma still had no idea how much she knew or how she knew anything at all and that worried the Saviour more than she would have thought possible.
"You must be Regina," Talia grinned, her eyes roaming over the fitted blue dress that the mayor had chosen to wear since she was supposed to have a meeting with Emma in about twenty minutes.
The blonde's eyes glowed red again as Regina's name passed Talia's lips and the mayor furrowed her brow at the sheer anger playing across her girlfriend's expression.
The former Evil Queen walked forward and placed her hand on the vampire's shoulder. As soon as her skin made contact with Emma's jacket, her eyes returned to their usual emerald.
"Oh, how romantic," Talia sighed, pushing herself away from the bars to take a seat upon the cot.
Emma growled in response and Regina decided instantly that the blonde shouldn't be this close to Talia and she pulled her towards the sheriff's office.
Once they were out of view of the holding cell, she pushed the Saviour down into a seating position.
"Hey, it's okay," she reassured as she sat down next to her.
Emma clenched and unclenched her fists a few times, willing the sudden urge to attack away. She took in a deep breath through her nose and allowed the scent of spiced apples to overtake her anger and finally, she let out an unnecessary breath as if she were physically exhaling her rage.
When she decided that the vampire had sufficiently calmed down, she asked, "what's going on?"
Emma closed her eyes. A fews lies popped into her mind, but she swiftly decided there would be no point in lying. She would be telling Regina exactly what had happened eventually, but she was determined that it wouldn't be today.
"Talia being in town means that something really bad is about to happen and I can't let her ruin my life...again…"
Somehow, she knew that she wasn't referring to turning her into a vampire, but she also knew that she most likely wouldn't want to talk about what had happened right now. Plus there was the fact that if Talia was the beckoning of another crisis, they should be focusing on that right now.
"What exactly do you think she's here for?" Regina asked as she stared at Emma's tightened facial muscles. Even if she had absolutely no idea what could have happened between the pair, she trusted her girlfriend if she decided that the woman couldn't be trusted.
Emma bit the inside of her cheek, there was no way that she would be able to tell Regina what she thought Talia was here without giving away what had happened between her and the woman who had turned her all of those years ago.
When Emma didn't reply, Regina tilted her head and shifted closer to her, hoping that the action would pull the blonde out of her trip down memory lane.
"What do we need to do to protect ourselves?" she asked, hoping that Emma would understand that she didn't need to know what had happened.
Emma smiled at her gratefully as she replied, "just stay away from her until I figure out exactly what she wants."
Regina nodded and was about to stand to leave, but her action was stopped as Emma pulled her forward by her wrist. Their lips collided the next moment and the brunette returned the kiss once her surprise had lifted.
Once the Saviour reluctantly moved away, she asked in an almost whisper, "promise me that you'll stay safe?"
The older woman frowned as her mind tried to figure out what could have happened to make her girlfriend so anxious. However, she quickly decided that she could wait as long as Emma wanted her to (even if that meant never finding out) since there was plenty of things from her past that she hadn't even considered revealing.
"I promise," she replied.
-Two hours later-
Regina ran her hand over her face as she made her way back towards the station. It wasn't until she had gotten back to her office that she had realised that she didn't have her keys in her pocket, which could only mean that they had somehow fallen out during the commotion with Talia earlier.
Since she had spoken to her girlfriend, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about that pained look she had seen on her face as she had clearly been thinking about what Talia could be planning on doing. But Regina just couldn't bring herself to actually be afraid of the vampire in any real way. She had no doubt that they had faced a lot worse since the curse had broken. The woman just couldn't match up to Peter Pan or her mother, in fact, she couldn't really picture Talia winning a battle with the Evil Queen. As much as Regina wished to move away from that persona, she had no problem slipping back into it to protect her family.
As soon as she pushed the door open, she frowned when she couldn't hear anything at all. Usually, she would at least hear some typing or the sound of Emma frantically trying to write out the paperwork that she'd had a month to complete. But this time, she could tell that there was no Sheriff here, she had the distinct feeling that there was only one other person in the building with her.
"Emma said something about chasing a 'stupid Dalmatian'."
Regina clenched her jaw and looked over to the brunette who was still very much trapped in the holding cell and for a split second, the mayor hoped that there was no one who would come looking for the vampire any time soon.
She was about to open her mouth to reply, but she quickly realised that there was no reason for her to talk to the woman who made her girlfriend so anxious. In fact, she was fairly certain that the Saviour would have poofed herself here if she knew that she was here alone with Talia. She just wished that she knew what it was about her that made Emma think Regina Mills would need to be protected!
With her jaw still clenched, she walked over to the Sheriff's office and instantly saw that Emma must have found her keys and placed them on the desk. Regina blew out a breath of relief and swiped the keys before making her way towards the door. She would have gotten out too if Talia hadn't said:
"I guess that Emma has a type."
The older brunette stopped in her tracks and turned on her heels to finally look at the woman in the cell with narrowed eyes. Talia was currently lounging on the cot with her hands behind her head as if it were no big deal that she was locked away.
"What does that mean?" she asked lowly, hoping that it didn't mean what she thought it meant. After all, the resemblance between her and Emma was undeniable.
"I thought that you was supposed to be intelligent, Your Majesty," Talia laughed as she pushed herself from the cot to come and stand by the bars, once again bearing that insufferable smirk of hers.
Regina shook her head for a moment, hoping that there was no way that Emma would have been with someone who she claimed to be so evil. She was so preoccupied that she hadn't registered the title that the younger woman shouldn't have been aware of.
"I'm guessing that she finds the good girls too boring, didn't think that she would have moved on to the Evil Queen though. I don't know about Emma, but the whole step-grandmother is a turnoff for me," Talia continued without even giving Regina a moment to reply.
"Former step-grandmother," she shot back instantly, not even thinking about the fact that she knew far more than someone who had just wandered into town should ever know. She certainly didn't want a repeat of the Greg and Tamara situation, but then again, a vampire would hardly be in any position to condemn magic.
"Oh yeah because that makes it so much better," she replied as she rolled her eyes.
Regina clenched her fist at her side and took a few calming breaths. Her mind had finally caught up to the fact that Talia was fully aware of the nature of Storybrooke.
"Do you think that Emma actually realises that you're technically sixty-years-old?" Talia asked, frowning as if she were actually considering this. "And have you told Henry all of the things you did in the Enchanted Forest?"
Regina's eyes widened at the mention of her son's name, but she quickly narrowed her eyes. Why would a woman who appeared to be Emma's ex care about Henry? And what could she possibly be planning?
What was worse, she seemed to be picking up on every single one of her insecurities. Since she and Emma had gotten together, she hadn't had many doubts, but she had inevitably had moments when she had thought about exactly what Talia was saying and these things coming out of Talia's mouth somehow pissed Regina off more.
"She isn't nearly as revolted by my presence as she is by yours," Regina replied and Talia's eyebrows shot up with an amused grin.
"So she's never put you in this holding cell then?"
Regina frowned at the memory after the curse had broken. It felt like a lifetime ago and it was certainly not something that someone who hadn't been living in town at the time should be aware of.
"It may have been years, but do you really think that she has completely separated you from the woman who 'accidentally' poisoned her son?" Talia continued. "She may hate me, but don't you think that growing resentment is worse for a relationship?"
The mayor clenched her other fist and took another deep breaths. She didn't know why she was allowing this woman to get to her, but she seemed to know all of the things that bothered her. She hadn't told anyone about these doubts, since the best way to ignore them was simply to be with her family. When she was around them (even Snow and Charming) she could tell that they cared about her and that none of her worries mattered. However, in this moment, she didn't have Emma or Henry around to tell her to ignore the brunette and she could feel a growing rage the more that she talked about things that she should have no idea about.
Finally, she unclenched both hands and flames ignited above both of them as she shot daggers towards Talia.
Instead of being afraid, the brunette just continued to smirk at her.
"Your Evil Queen is showing, dear," she laughed, as if she shouldn't be afraid of the shearing flames could come hurtling towards her at any moment.
"Regina!" someone shouted and the former queen blinked.
With a frown, she looked down at her hands almost as if she had no idea that she had ever created the flames. The rage left her system and she felt as if her mind was finally free of some kind of outside force acting upon it. She closed her fists around the mini-infernos and looked over to Emma standing at the entrance.
The Saviour was staring at her girlfriend in complete shock. She hadn't seen that side of Regina in a long time and she was honestly surprised to discover that it still existed.
"Emma...I..don't…" the Mayor began, not quite able to explain what had just happened. She honestly had no idea.
The blonde seemed to shake off her shock as she looked over to the over brunette in the room and she narrowed her eyes at her.
Talia smirked at Emma, "I forgot how easy that is on humans."
The younger vampire clenched her fist and counted to five. She had a strong urge to beat the shit out of Talia for messing with Regina's mind, but she also had a very confused girlfriend on her hands and she should probably be offering some explanations after what had just happened.
She walked over to Regina and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, before a white smoke engulfed both of them. As she poofed them home, Emma was already planning just how much she was ready to tell Regina.
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