~Jade~
I thought I really died for a moment there. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave Tori on her own in pain and misery. I couldn't do that to her, so I fought the darkness until I felt like I was actually going to wake up. I did wake up, but I wasn't really in control. I was hungry, starving more like it. I wanted blood and I wanted it now. Tori was right there, warm and welcoming. Our Bond beckoned me closer, practically begging for me to take from her. Her sweet blood flowed over my tongue, the best thing I ever tasted. I was lost in it, only vaguely aware of a presence I didn't want anywhere near me or my mate. She was mine and I didn't share. I might have growled at one point but I wasn't sure. It hadn't felt like anything dangerous anyway. I was right. It just turned out to be the Vega clan hanging back and witnessing my moment with my mate that was supposed to be private. Really, why the hell couldn't they have left? When our second kiss naturally ended I pulled away from Tori to see them smiling back with raised brows. That was when I rounded on her. She smiled sheepishly and pushed back her hair. Suddenly, I registered that the gesture was so fucking cute. Like, really adorable. Maker, I couldn't be mad at her. I loved her to death. I was sure not even Magic could part us now.
"Thanks for the audience, pup. I actually needed more practice for kissing scenes. How did you know?" I teased, leaning in to brush my lips against her nose softly. She giggled, her hands finding mine.
"I know you too well," she replied sweetly. I heard Trina groan and her father laugh. Her mother reprimanded Trina. It felt good to fall so easily into the family dynamic again and be a part of it like I always belonged there the whole time. There were voices in the hall and then a group of vampires clad in white coats barged in. I put space between me and Tori but held her hand, unwilling to part completely from her just yet.
"Oh good, you came. I'll only need a few of you. I'm sure we have everything under control but I want to make sure there are no complications," Mrs. Vega stated, her voice automatically kicking into head doctor mode.
"I'll wait outside. Tori?" Mr. Vega spoke up, looking over to gesture for Tori to follow. She shifted uneasily and glanced at me before looking back at her father.
"Do I have to?" she whined.
"Yes. I think it's best if we stay out of the way. You'll see her again soon," he replied with a smile. Tori deflated sadly but nodded. She kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand before letting go. Immediately I felt alone even though she wouldn't be far.
"I'll be right outside," she whispered. I nodded and she turned to follow her father out. I watched her go before a vampire I recognized took my elbow carefully to lead me to the bed I was laying on before. I took a seat and she maneuvered me into a laying position. It was then I knew who she was. It was the nurse I had seen when I brought Tori in not too long ago.
"Now relax. We just need to make sure everything is in working order," she told me. I nodded and glanced away, seeing Trina lying in the other bed with her mother and a few other vampires gathered around her. I let my mind wander as they poked and prodded and talked amongst themselves. I only came back into the present when I heard someone call me.
"What?" I asked, opening my eyes to see Mrs. Vega.
"You can go now. Tori is waiting for you just outside," she repeated, a simple smile on her face. I nodded and sat up, throwing my legs over the bed so I could hop down.
"And you?" I asked her.
"Oh, I'm getting a check-up too. David and I both. Wait for us outside so we can all return home together," she requested. I nodded and left, finding Tori leaning against the wall of the hall the minute I stepped out of the room. Her father leaned against the wall next to her. They were both staring at the floor and looking utterly similar in every way. I grinned and made my way over.
"Hey, looks like I'm all patched up and working at a hundred percent capacity," I told her jokingly as I approached them. She looked up swiftly and pushed off the wall to hug me.
"Hey, aren't you getting a check-up?" I teased her.
"They already looked at me while I was waiting. I'm ok except for a little blood loss," she replied with a shrug.
"Yep, it's my turn now," Mr. Vega spoke up, stretching out and then walking past us.
"Stay out of trouble you two," he told us lightly, clapping a hand on each of our shoulders.
"Can do," I replied with a nod.
"Promise?" he inquired with a smile.
"Promise," I answered. He nodded and patted our shoulders once before walking away. Tori led me down the hall and into a waiting area. She sat down and pulled me onto her lap. Her arms wound around me snugly. She didn't want to let me go. I was glad because I didn't want to let her go either. We stayed like that, quietly enjoying the moment, until the rest of the Vegas showed up. Tori perked up at their appearance and stood, sliding me off her lap so that I stood next to her. She looked at me with a bright smile before walking over and meeting her family halfway. They group hugged, the warmth and love tangible just looking at them. I smiled, half sad and half happy. They were a great family. Suddenly, the weight of my phone presented itself. I pulled it out of my pocket and gave another update to my parents before putting it away again. I ignored the replies.
"Jade, get over here kiddo. You're a part of this family too," Mr. Vega called to me. He held out a strong arm, Mrs. Vega smiling at me with the same expression she often beamed at her daughters. I couldn't keep my own smile off my face as I moved forward and was quickly embraced, Mr. Vega on one side and Tori on the other. She laughed and kissed my cheek before holding me tighter. Mr. Vega chuckled, his happiness heard loud and clear. Our group hug lasted a few more seconds before we parted. A short trip out, with a few stops to exchange information along the way, and we were back in the elevator taking it up to the entrance. We stepped out into the hall that would take us into the manor above.
We came out into a lush, spacious, and comfortably arranged lobby room. Various vampires and wolves wandered about talking or just kicking back on one of the many elegant couches and chairs scattered around. A grand staircase led up to a second floor where I was sure held bedrooms. We walked right for the door, eyes following us curiously but respectfully. It gave me the feeling that they wanted to know what was going on but had the decency to give us space and not pry. A few of the patrol members and officers passed by occasionally, their ever sharp gaze scanning constantly. My guess was, they were still keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. I caught the bright rays of sunshine behind the curtains on the tall windows. Oh great, the sun. No wonder everyone was up and on the move now.
"I had someone bring around a car right outside so that we could make the trip through the sun fast," Mr. Vega mentioned as he pulled open the double doors. I sighed in relief and Tori squeezed my hand. I looked outside to see the car parked, literally, right outside the door. Including the overhang of the patio, the trip through the sun would only last no more than a second. I gave Mr. Vega an appreciative smile and he nodded. We got in and the driver began the trip out. We were heading straight to the Vega household. As soon as we pulled up I noticed the signs of a fight. Blood stains and damaged walls of the house stood out like a sore thumb against the white paint. Workers were busy patching it up. What the hell did the neighbors think?
"They were sent away last night. Quickly too. My father has specific orders in place regarding fights in a human heavy area. No one can start a fight until all humans have vacated the premises. They are told they need to leave due to an outbreak of pests in the area and they need to fumigate the houses or something along those lines," Tori answered, sensing the confusion I was feeling. We all headed for the door, Mr. Vega getting updates along the way. They would be done by the end of the day. They kept their word too. We had all crashed the moment we got in the house and settled. Or, at least they did. They had eaten a quick meal and then just knocked out in their respective rooms, too tired and worn out to do anything else. I followed Tori into her room and lied next to her, staring at the ceiling with her half draped across me. Her hold on me was unyielding even in sleep. I knew at this rate they would be sleeping through the day. Tomorrow would be another day to just unwind and relax before we would return to school. How normal that would be, but actually, welcome at the same time.
I could see why Tori preferred not to miss it. I sighed and gripped her, holding onto her like I hadn't seen her in forever. A contented hum was her response. I smiled, glancing down at her. Victoria Vega, my werewolf. And I was her vampire mate. It was some weird Twilight Zone shit, but I liked it. In a short amount of time I had experienced more than I had in my whole life combined. I never knew how special a life Tori had and now I was a part of it. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was hard, but it was a challenge; something I was always willing to partake in. Not to mention how Tori made me feel. How her family made me feel. It was the best thing to ever happen to me. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh, allowing my thoughts to wander as they skimmed through everything that had happened, just waiting idly for my pup to wake up. As soon as it got dark Tori began to stir. She yawned and stretched out, several cracks and pops resounding as she moved. Her expressive brown eyes, still half hidden by heavy lids, stared up at me with love and affection.
"Good night," I whispered teasingly. She laughed and laid her head back down, her body relaxing.
"I wouldn't mind just going back to sleep, but I'm getting cramped. I need to get up," she stated yet making no move to do so.
"Come on then," I told her, shifting enough to get my hands under her so that I could push her until she was sitting up. She groaned and complained but didn't resist. I laughed and leaned in closer so that my mouth was by her ear. Almost instantly she was more alert.
"You know, I always wanted to take a shower with you. If you get up, we can try it out. What do you say?" I proposed quietly. She nodded, a shy smile working its way onto her lips.
"Good. Let's go," I said, slipping out of her arms and getting up. She followed me without question. We gathered some clean clothes and then left for the bathroom. We set our clothes aside and then began to strip. It was odd, getting undressed here with Tori. Not because it was her, but because we had been all over each other the past few days but now we bared our bodies to each other like it was the most normal and ordinary thing in the world. I wasn't complaining at all, because I still checked out Tori's lean frame unabashedly, but it was still odd that it triggered nothing but admiration. I was mostly glad for it though, because now I could appreciate Tori without getting distracted by the things I wanted to do to her. She glanced over with a smile, her eyes flicking over me from top to bottom before meeting my eyes again. I smirked and sauntered past her to get in the shower. I gestured for her to follow and she stepped in after me.
I let Tori choose the water temperature as it really didn't affect me either way and then we went about cleansing ourselves of the grime we had accumulated. It was a refreshing and new feeling, like we were getting rid of all the problems brought on by that bastard St. Claire. I had to admit, I felt kind of bad for the dude, but really, he handled it all wrong. Now that I understood and had a pretty good grasp on what kind of man Tori's father was, I knew a simple conversation would have gone a lot smoother and cause less of a hassle. He might not have gotten what he wanted anyway, but fuck, who ever got what they wanted? I was lost in my musing which caused me to freeze like a statue and catch Tori's attention. She gripped my arm, thumb sliding over skin, to break me from my thoughts. I blinked once and shook my head slowly to tell her I was fine. Her brows creased and slanted up, her eyes questioning.
"You ok?" she finally asked when I showed no signs of answering her earlier plea.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied. She nodded and bit her lip, turning away to run her hand under the jet of water absentmindedly. She still held onto my arm with her other hand.
"Jade?" she questioned uncertainly. I looked over at her to see she wanted to say more but she was having trouble. I gripped her wrist and removed her hand from my arm so that I could tug her closer. I wrapped my arms around her waist so that our slick bodies were now pressed flush against each other.
"What is it, Tor? Just spit it out. Don't worry, I won't make fun of you if that's what's keeping you from talking," I told her playfully. Her hands ran up my back before coasting down to rest loosely around my waist. I closed my eyes and relaxed further into her.
"I'm not worrying over anything. I just wanted to ask you something. I know it's stupid but, I'm still unsure what you'll say and I guess I'm just nervous," she clarified. I opened my eyes to look into hers. My brows creased in a mixture of curiosity and confusion.
"Nothing is stupid when it comes to you, Tori. Whatever you have to say, I'm sure it's important. Don't be nervous," I responded, my left hand sliding up to caress her cheek, tracing over the perfect structure of her face. She grinned and leaned into my touch.
"Ok," she said with a nod. I let my hand rest against her cheek and waited for her to start but she still looked conflicted.
"You aren't trying to propose are you?" I teased her, wondering if she really was. Her eyes flew open at the question.
"Jade, what we have goes further and deeper than marriage. You have everything I could ever give you, every part of me, as I have every part of you. We're connected in a way no contract or ring or any tangible material thing could ever connect two people," she responded, voice strong and unyielding, truthful down to the very last word she stated. I sighed and reached up to cup her face in both of my hands, my thumbs gently brushing over her face.
"Then what are you buggin' about?" I questioned, my voice soft from the sheer emotion I felt at her words and her own flowing to me through the Bond.
"Move in with us, Jade. Live here, with me, where you belong," she answered, pleading and hopeful. I stared into her eyes, shocked by her statement but finding that it sounded like something I would very much want to do. When I didn't say anything, Tori started to babble unnecessarily.
"You-you don't have to of course, it just made sense, you know? I mean, you'll be eighteen in like, a few months, so I thought we could, you know, take that last step. We've kind of been living together for these past few days and it was great then so I thought hey, maybe we could really do that and-" she rambled on and on. I cut her off with a passionate kiss, our lips sliding heatedly over each other's. I pressed into her, her hands gripping me more firmly. A groan slid from her mouth and I smirked against her lips. Oh Maker, this was just going to trigger that need again, which would distract us, and that wasn't really helpful right now; especially since I kind of wanted to stay on track. It was so hard ending the kiss but I managed it.
"Tori. Hey, Tor. Slow down. Hold on. I want to say something," I whispered against her lips. She pulled away just enough so that we could see each other.
"Yes?" she asked, panting slightly. I pushed back a wet lock of her hair from her face and then let my fingers trail down her neck before answering.
"I would love to move in with you," I told her sincerely. Her eyes seemed to spark with happiness, a bright grin spreading across her face. I laughed at her eager expression before she silenced me with another kiss. It was fast and hard, ending quickly. She held me in a tight embrace after, resting her chin on my shoulder, her face tucked in the crook of my neck. I held her in a similar fashion.
"I love you so much, Jade," she stated warmly, voice muffled against my skin. I could detect the slightly warmer water running over my skin and knew she was crying.
"I love you more than anything, Tori," I replied, my own voice close to cracking from the amount of emotion running rampant through me. She made me so vulnerable and I fucking loved it. It felt so good loving and being loved in return so unconditionally. It gave me a different kind of strength. We held each other a few moments more before pulling away. She traced a finger under my jaw and leaned in to place one last kiss on my lips. Then she released me completely and returned to the water.
I sighed contentedly and leaned against the wall until she was done. We switched and I took my turn under the jet of water. When we were done we got out, got dressed, and returned to Tori's room. I looked around as we entered and wondered if it would change at all should I move in with her. Would I see a few of my things strewn around or would I even have as prominent a presence as her? I didn't want to change her look or intrude. What the hell? I didn't want to intrude? I laughed at myself for that. Damn, she really was making me a big softy. Tori looked over at me at that moment to see the smile curling my lips.
"'Sup?" she asked me curiously. I raised a brow at her before shaking my head.
"Nothin' just wondering what your room would look like when I move in," I commented, looking around again, a finger on my chin thoughtfully. She laughed and backtracked over to me to hold my hands in hers.
"When not if, right?" she asked, to make sure. I grinned and pulled her into my arms. My nose brushed hers, my eyes seeking out her beautiful browns.
"Yes, when I move in," I clarified resolutely. She smiled, her lips finding mine. When we parted she lead me back into her bed where she wasted no time curling herself around me. I was usually the one to tuck her into my arms, but this time, she held me. I felt safe and secure, perfectly content and complete. She breathed in deeply and let it out in a sigh that sounded exactly how I felt. Tori fell back into restoring sleep and I was left again to my thoughts. I couldn't believe she asked me to move in with her. I was excited and anxious, definitely looking forward to that. It couldn't get any better than it was already.