Jane was reluctant to wake up, the hard warm body next to her was entirely too comfortable to lean against. It felt like a warm wall and smelled like gun oil and something like tea. She instantly decided that she loved it and she burrowed her face deeper between the body and her pillow.
She felt arms tighten around her and heard a murmur of sleepy pleasure from above her head. It took her a minute to gain her bearings and slowly she remembered asking Tiberius to stay with her last night. She blushed furiously at her own actions, but she couldn't bring herself to regret them; especially not when he was so protectively holding her.
Against her better judgment she started to stroke her hand over his chest and stomach. Much like a human, she saw the plated muscle bunch a bit as she found the soft hide in between his hard plates. She must be a bit of a deviant because she always loved the way the plates felt against her skin – someone so obviously built to be an apex predator tenderly, or not so tenderly, enjoying her body made her skin prickle with excitement.
Her own excitement must have bled over to him because she felt his fingers drag over her skin a second later. She tilted her head up to make eye contact with the no longer sleeping turian.
"Hi," was all she said. She couldn't think of anything else to say that would really encompass what she was feeling other than a simple greeting.
He chuckled at her and squeezed her more firmly against him as he stretched himself out a bit. It felt good waking up to her. He actually couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well. He was uncomfortable in one way, however, and her finger play over his stomach and waist was not helping.
He reluctantly stopped her hand on his waist by covering it with his own, but he didn't remove it.
"If you don't stop that, I refuse to be held responsible for the consequences." He joked lightly, but it was only a half joke. She was driving him wild with her soft little caresses and he was so hard up for her already that it was just adding to the fire.
She blushed a bit and smiled coyly. "Is that so?" she asked as she wiggled her other hand free and used it to tease him further, coaxing a groan through his throat.
"Jane, seriously, you're in no condition…" He tried to reason, but she was having none of it. "Yes I am, I slept it off, I'm fine." She countered as she deftly pushed her body against his and rolled him onto his back with her sitting on his stomach.
He ran his hand over the bandage on her stomach, noting that there was hardly any blood bleeding through. He had forgotten, somehow, that she was mostly unclothed in bed next to him and no amount of will power was going to keep his plates from shifting and his member emerging.
She looked glorious straddling him the way she was, her back arched slightly so that she could rub herself against him in a deliciously maddening way. He dropped his head back against the pillows then, careful of his fringe but his sensibilities were quickly dwindling.
She ran her nails over the flesh on the inside of his cowl and he gripped her waist firmly. "Ooh, Jane." was about all he could manage to say as she leaned over to lick along his jaw. He'd never had someone be so bold with him, her confidence adding fuel to his already outrageous fire.
He was about ready to flip them and pin her to the bed when he saw her scoot back a bit, pull her underwear to the side, and slide over him. His eyes felt like they were bulging out of his skull as he sucked in breath after shocked breath.
Spirits it's so warm and slick! He thought as his hips raised subconsciously to meet hers. Once she was fully seated she moaned and closed her eyes. He felt her muscles grab his member and he nearly came right there.
He'd never been with a human before and now he felt like he had severely missed out. Now he had his own human, and mark his words, she was his. He somehow found the wherewithal to sit himself upright and pull his legs in, mindful of his spurs. In this position she was cradled between his legs, her legs wrapped around his waist, and they were chest to chest.
It was the most intimate sexual position the turians had. He thrust his hips up to meet hers as they set a slow and exploratory pace. He found he was unable to stop touching her, his hands roaming over her body as he worshiped her with his own.
She returned every gesture in kind, their ability to sense the other's wants and desires translating spectacularly from the battlefield to the bedroom.
He couldn't stop touching her, tasting her. His tongue running over her collar bone and neck. Everything about her was so new, so velvety soft. He realized that he probably wouldn't ever be satisfied with just one time with her. He needed to convince her to be his mate with every fiber of his being.
Luckily, they would have countless hours together for him to plead his case.
He felt himself drawing closer to climax and if her moans were any indication as was she. He rotated his hips a bit so the pressure of him would hit her in different ways. Her lust-filled moan told him everything he needed and he continued to set a brutal pace.
When she did finally reach her climax her muscles tensed all around him and he couldn't help following her. He thrust in to her a few more times before moaning her name as he spilled inside of her.
The aftermath was still filled with touching and licking, her mouth exploring his neck and cowl and his finding places behind her ears that made her giggle.
Their euphoric state was quickly replaced by a more playful attitude as he learned what being ticklish meant and took full advantage of it.
He wanted to take her again but saw the way she flinched a bit when she tensed her abdomen too much and distracted himself by offering to make them some food.
Sparatus would be back within the day and he wanted to make sure she did actually relax at some point. Unfortunately for him, she had other plans. Once they had finished their lunch her flirting had started anew and with more vigor.
He was ashamed to say that he could not resist her no matter how much goodwill was in the gesture. They were naked and in bed again within the hour and exhausted again within four.
She was propped up against his chest in a half asleep state when they finally actually talked to one another about something other than bed speak.
"So… I don't want to sound too bold here, but is this going to be one of those things where you go back to your own room after?" She felt bad bringing it up, but it was an important question to her.
He tensed a bit, he had never actually had a long-term and serious relationship before. He always liked to think of himself a little like Blasto… A woman at every port kind of guy. But that just didn't fit with her and what he wanted from her.
He knew she wanted to be serious if they were going to continue, and in truth he wanted it too, but he didn't want to scare her with the intensity of his emotions. Turians didn't really do the whole mate thing halfway.
"No, I think I'll stay in your room. It smells better." He said as if it were the most obvious thing. She stared at him for a minute before huffing out a breath. "Ass, you were planning that from the start."
He laughed and pulled her closer against him, "Nah, not from the very start… Maybe a few days in. Definitely by the time I saw you do that sexy little number up on that beam in the rec room." She turned her head to bite at the unplated skin on his under arm.
"Ow! Hey, watch those things! Spirits, you're a feisty little killer, aren't you?" He said with mock fear as he tried to push her away. Instead of easily agreeing, she clung against him as best she could. She avoided being tossed off for a good three minutes before her stomach cramped and she was dislodged with a groan.
"Jane! Spirits, I'm sorry!" He stated as he fussed over her. Everything Jane needed to know was in the look in his eyes when he made her lie still so he could examine her to make sure he hadn't ripped open her stitches. It was not the first time he had deemed it necessary to do so and each time her heart warmed a little more.
They spent the rest of the morning discussing their respective childhoods. Tiberius had come from a standard colonial family. Jane's initial assumption had been correct and he came from a colony that specialized in civil services, including C-Sec and spectres. His mother had been a police officer and his father was a detective. They were both still alive with his younger brother, Destius.
She relayed her life as it was, not that anyone didn't already know it. She grew up an orphan and was a member of the Tenth Street Reds, a gang in New York on Earth. She had started stripping as a part of the Red's red light specialty troupe "Red's Dolls". She was a particular favorite, even though she was underage for most of her career. That part was left out of all of the history books. She was found by a then Lieutenant Anderson who had convinced her to join the Alliance Navy instead. She had excelled at infiltration and quickly progressed through the ranks and yadda yadda.
He knew most of the story but had enjoyed hearing it out of her mouth, and she was more candid with him than in any other interviews. He could ask the questions he really wanted to and gloss over the stuff that was well-known.
By the time Sparatus had arrived and come to check on them, they had moved to the couch to watch some vids. Tiberius was sitting lazily with one ankle propped up on his knee and Jane curled in to his side. They didn't bother moving to greet Sparatus, choosing this as their "coming out" statement.
Tiberius and Jane both noted that their boss looked entirely too pleased with himself once he got over his initial shock. "Oh good, no more of those sickeningly obvious stares. I can't even see your faces and I knew what you two were doing. Disgusting. Now you can do it in private, like adults." He chuckled at his own joke and waved the subject away.
"Anyways, we have reports of some mercenary activity in the Traverse. We are sending the Valern's two to go after them so Jane, you'll be with Valern," Jane crinkled her nose a bit at this, "and Tiberius you'll be with me."
Sparatus raised a brow plate at Jane but said nothing else on her reaction. It was well known that Valern and Jane had not gotten along, but he knew she'd do her job just as well. Tiberius seemed irritated by a whole different subject. He kept glancing at Jane like she was going to disappear if she wasn't by his side.
So that's how it is, then. Sparatus thought to himself. It appeared that dating Jane Shepard was not something one undertook lightly. Tiberius had "mated" written all over his expression and subvocals. He was in deeper than even Sparatus would have suspected, what with his playboy reputation and all.
"As you both know, the Council doesn't have the pull it once did. Since the attack by the reapers more and more colonies are refusing to follow Council Law and some are even trying to remove the Council all together. One of Valern's guards thinks he may have an idea on where to find the mercenaries that seem to be behind most of the attacks and is going to investigate himself. The other guard is checking out another lead. I need you two to do the work of two people while they're gone. I know I can count on you not to fuck this up."
With the pleasantries out of the way, both guards went to get into their gear before separating for the day. Before they placed their masks they quickly brushed their foreheads together, ready to start the day.
Liara hadn't heard from Garrus since he disconnected their call and she was starting to get worried. Had he figured it out, was "Oya" actually Shepard?
She waited what seemed like a reasonable amount of time before calling him again. He should still be on Palaven since the only transport that had left was one with not public registration – the Councilor's guards according to her sources.
One of them had been injured in the attack and Liara had frantically tried to find out which one. All she could get was that it was the female – so Oya. She had left without much assistance, however, so Liara's worries were quickly satisfied.
But that didn't explain what had happened to Garrus.
Liara tried to vid call him again and got no answer… So, being the good friend she was, she called again.
He answer on the fourth call with a groggy and cranky, "What?"
"Did you confront Oya?" She asked straight away, there was no use trying to be pleasant when he was not going to be. She had worked with him long enough to know that he was going to be a right asshole after being woken up.
"Oya?" He said back to her like he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Yes, Oya. The woman who has birthmarks and scars the same as Shepard. You remember Shepard right? The woman who saved the galaxy, warmed your bed for a few years, supposedly dead? Goddess Garrus, how much did you drink?"
Garrus was quiet for a solid two minutes before speaking again and Liara had to check her omni-tool to make sure she was still connected to him.
"Liara, I don't remember any of this. I remember getting to the party last night and that was it… Are you sure you didn't dream this?" He asked with a tone of concern – for her.
"Garrus, check your omni, the data packet I sent you last night should still be there." The frustration she was feeling was easily heard in her tone, but there was also a hint of concern. Had Garrus started using drugs? She mused to herself and started to multitask by searching his purchase history.
He was silent again as he sifted through his tool to find the packet in question. Liara knew she had him when she heard his breath hitch.
"Is this… Could it be?" He asked, trying to make eye contact with the busy asari over the line.
"The more I think about it the more I think it has to be. Eight spectres had gone missing, some were killed in ways that wouldn't leave a body, the year before the Elite Guard was announced. It's not that much of a stretch to assume that the Council had them fake their deaths or conveniently dropped off the radar just so they can start them again under anonymous names. From what I read on Oya, she has the same tenacity and prowess and is highly regarded even among the Guard. Her partner, Stryder, is much the same, even for a turian biotic."
"Why can't I remember this, Liara? I didn't drink anything last night and I just had my omni run a diagnostic on me and I have no traces of alcohol."
Liara stopped typing and looked at her friend. "Do you take any drugs, Garrus?" She asked, trying to sound bored but knowing he wouldn't react well anyways.
"Spirits, no Liara! I'm not some young pup fresh into the galaxy. The only thing I'm taking is my headache meds."
"Headache meds? When did you start taking those?" Liara asked, never remembering reading anything about that in his files.
"I started getting really bad headaches when I started my Spectre evaluations. Quin had me see her doctor and I was prescribed Yolumetrin – it helps to relieve the neural tension or something." He said matter-of-factly, but with a weird undertone, like he was told to say that.
"Garrus, Yolumetrin isn't a real medication. I can't find any records of it being produced or studied." Liara said concerned, her focus immediately shifting from finding Shepard to figuring out what was going on with Garrus.
"Garrus, can you meet me on the Citadel in a few days?" She asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. If this medicine was causing him to forget about something as big as finding Shepard than she wanted to figure out why he was being administered it.
Quinela was the number one suspect, but it could also just be her doctor was corrupted. She didn't know and wouldn't know until she was able to study him in person.
"I'm going to be on the Citadel in thirteen days. I'll meet you at the Presidium Café around 1200." He said resolutely and she watched as he plugged it in to his omni-tool as well to ensure he didn't forget.
Before she disconnected, he asked her a simple question, "Do you think Jane is really alive?" To which she just nodded.
She was sure, that Jane was safe while Garrus was most definitely not.