It didn't take long for Tori to explain Sasha's plan. When it was all out Jade had to give the Aussie some credit for eventually siding with them. Their team watched Sasha from aboard the boat as she drove off. They had helped her load up the bike and then gave her the directions. Jade felt that she needed to thank her somehow and offered for them to stay. Just as the two couldn't dispute their boat being taken because of their sleeping state then they also couldn't dispute being out at sea for the same reason, but Sasha turned the offer down. This was their home, and if their wish was to stay, then she would stay with them. They respected her decision and let her go. As soon as they lost sight of her Sikowitz began tinkering at the wheel. It was slightly different than his own, but he knew enough about boats and sailing to figure it out. He had to coax it into starting up and tweaked a few things but then they were moving away from shore and out to sea. Jade took the time to learn the new controls with Sikowitz so that she could take the wheel. He and the others began taking note of the rations and minor supplies Sasha had left them with. She hadn't taken it all and had even been generous with the food as well as weapons.
"Damn, now I can't hate her as much as I want to either," Jade complained, making Tori laugh. She leaned against her with her head resting on her shoulder. She had been a little touchy feely again, although nothing major, and showed her affection openly no matter who was around. Jade was caught between enjoying it and telling her to stop. She was a distraction that was hard enough to ignore while they were with the others but even harder when they were alone. The new boat had been designed with living quarters in mind far more than the other one. It was slightly bigger to accommodate the two rooms and storage space below deck. Jade and Tori had taken one, Andre and Beck had taken the other, and Sikowitz willingly slept among the supplies in the storage room. It seemed that he could easily find sleep anywhere.
The second night aboard the new boat he had been found hugging Andre's shotgun in his sleep like a teddy bear. But now they were going on a week. Jade was happy to see that their maps had made it through salvage, travel, and were ultimately left on the boat. Most likely another generous gift from Sasha. Jade reworked the old plans she made and drew out the route to their new location. She pushed off the small table in the corner of the control room then walked back over to Tori who had stayed up with her this time. She held the wheel steady so that Jade could look at the maps. Now that she knew where they were headed she allowed herself to take a small break, wrapping her arms around Tori's waist. It wasn't expected and the hybrid jumped a little. She was slightly lost in her own musings so that Jade caught her off guard.
"What's got you thinking so hard?" Jade asked her where she was nuzzling at Tori's neck. She swallowed, fighting the pulsing desire that raced through her, before answering.
"With everything that happened after we were shipwrecked the…urges, took a back seat," she explained. Jade ran her nose up the hybrid's neck to brush at her jaw.
"And now?" she inquired. Tori's eyes fluttered shut when Jade briefly kissed a spot behind her ear. She nipped at her ear and pressed into her, arms tightening around her middle.
"N-now they're b-back, obviously," Tori stammered, her breathing picking up. Jade smirked and moved to push her away from the wheel with left hand to Tori's right shoulder. She grabbed the wheel with her right hand just as Tori pulled her into a kiss with her now free right hand that hooked around her neck. Their lips met and Tori's tongue instantly traced Jade's lip until she was granted access to her mouth. She groaned and pressed up against Jade, her left hand sliding under Jade's shirt to drift up and then stroke down Jade's back. It was her turn to groan. She tightened her grip on the wheel to make sure she hadn't let go, but her other hand was free to wander. She too snuck under Tori's shirt but trailed her touch along the expanse of the heated skin that was Tori's stomach. The only difference was that she let her hand wander higher than ever before, almost but not really breaching Tori's chest area. She disconnected from their frenzied kiss to moan.
The sound was such a turn on that Jade abandoned the wheel to trap Tori against the counter of the console. However, she didn't stay there long because she quickly flipped them so that Jade's back hit the wall next to it. Tori's lips found hers again and her hot hands held her by the hips. Jade nudged Tori's legs apart to slide her leg between them. Tori reciprocated and moved on to do what Jade hadn't, which was to press into her. The vampire gasped and her back arched off the wall, breaking their kiss. Tori grinned then rocked her own hips so that Jade's leg provided friction. The sensation of their bodies picking up a rhythm they seemed to find by instinct alone drove a guttural groan from Tori. She buried her face in Jade's neck to kiss at pale skin, but the longer they went, the more the kisses turned into nips. Jade's hand grabbed at her rear and helped mold their bodies together. Her head fell back against the wall with a quiet moan.
"Jade," Tori panted, her voice rough and her sharp nails starting to sink into Jade's hips. She clenched her teeth and growled when Tori nicked her neck with her sharp teeth. Her hand came up to cup a little roughly at Jade's jaw then Tori was kissing her heatedly. Jade's fangs managed to cut Tori's lip, trigging a tighter grip on the vampire. Suddenly, she felt suffocated, like she was being held down. It wasn't a give and take. It was only take. And when she nudged Tori back it was to see the intense gold irises staring into her with the intention of claiming. It couldn't be like this.
"We should stop," Jade advised, watching as Tori took a moment to digest her words. She shook her head, like she was clearing it, and then her grip began to loosen. She had to force herself to step away, but when she did, she also moved herself to the other side of the room. Jade quickly grabbed at the wheel, glad that it had been smooth sailing for some time. They had only fallen off course slightly, but with a tilt of the wheel, they were back on track.
"I think I'm going to lay down," Tori finally spoke up. Jade nodded.
"Maybe that's for the best," she replied. Tori had to agree, but she needed one more kiss, so on her way out she reached out to turn Jade's face to her. She captured her lips hungrily and Jade let her take it deeper for a few seconds before pulling away.
"Get some sleep, and try not to have any erotic dreams about me," she teased, their eyes locking to share in a loving stare. Tori's smirk almost had Jade reconsidering, but she held strong.
"I'll try not to. But if I can't have the real thing then I should get a consolation prize, shouldn't I?" she responded, her voice husky. Jade pecked her on the lips, too quick for her to return it, and then further pushed her back with a smile.
"I guess so. But then you'll be all hot and bothered. After that you'll want the real thing," Jade remarked.
"If we'll only end up back at square one can't we just resolve it now?" Tori practically whined, trying one last time to get Jade to give in. The vampire just smiled and returned her attention to steering the boat.
"Sleep," she commanded, short and to the point. She had to be firm or she knew Tori could easily persuade her to change her mind. The worked up hybrid sighed but left to take the stairs down to the room. Only when Jade was certain that she was gone did she let the somewhat disappointed groan of frustration pass her lips. Now was not the time to give in to their base needs. She knew that. But she also knew that it was hell to beat them down. Now she wondered how Tori felt if this was how she felt now. For a moment there she had wanted Tori to disobey her. She hoped that the instincts that controlled Tori would override her control. She could only imagine how it would be when that time finally came. It was a distraction from the mission, but maybe it was better to get it out of the way. Then they could concentrate fully on the task at hand. She shivered at the thought but shook it off in order to clear her mind. She had a boat to steer.
The rest of the night passed her by with Tori tossing and turning in their bed. She barely got any sleep, and when she did, it mostly involved Jade and herself intimately enjoying each other. Her groans fell from her lips no matter if she was asleep or awake. She inhaled Jade's scent from the pillow she clutched and had no choice but to let the need run its course. The surges of arousal spanned several hours and stopped on their own if she found no relief. But the more days that had passed the longer she spent struggling through them. They wore on her, turning her into a short tempered and impatient version of herself that Jade was all too aware of. She wondered if it would be a risk to take the hybrid with her on scouting missions now that they had pulled closer to land in search of supplies. She sat out on the edge of the boat, looking out at another unknown yet just as ruined city as the rest of them. They were anchored as close to shore as possible but they would have to do a little swimming to reach land. It was better than getting too close and risking vampires finding them.
"Are you just as overrun as I am by Tori's behavior?" Andre questioned as he took a seat next to her. She heard his footsteps and recognized the way he walked. Because it was Andre, she didn't bother moving. She didn't know how he did it, but he radiated honesty and trust so that anyone who knew him or not felt comfortable talking to him. Even she had to admire that. Jade simply nodded her reply but kept her gaze on the city before them.
"Not to, um, overstep boundaries or anything, but I don't need any special senses to see that the poor girl is seriously in need of some alone time," he mentioned. Jade chuckled and turned to look at him.
"You mean she needs to get laid," Jade corrected him, enjoying his embarrassment.
"In a manner of speaking. Look, don't turn this into a way to mess with me. I just wanted to tell you that whatever's going on with Tori, you should help her through it," he advised, valiantly fighting through his embarrassment concerning the subject.
"Are you suggesting that I finally do the honors?" Jade playfully questioned. He looked at her like it was obvious.
"Well it's not like you'd let anyone else," he responded.
"You would have wanted to?" she inquired, not at all mad, but truly curious. He hesitated, gauging her expression before saying anything. When he detected no anger he continued.
"Yeah, but I think every male in Sanctuary felt the same way. Except, that window of opportunity lessened considerably every day that she lived with you. Soon it was an unspoken agreement that she was clearly interested in someone and wouldn't settle for anyone else. She chose her mate, whether that decision was a subconscious or conscious one, and that was you, Jade. None of us even had a chance," he told her, looking out at the city beyond. Jade took her eyes off it to glance at him then down at the gently rippling water below.
"You think so?" she mumbled.
"Mhm. I know Tori. She loves you. I can see it plain as day," he insisted.
"I know," she acknowledged with a nod.
"So then, why hold back?" he asked.
"I…I'm scared," she confessed, actually looking the part.
"Of what? She won't hurt you, or at least mean to hurt you," he pointed out. She shook her head.
"It's not that," she dismissed.
"Then what?" he wondered. She didn't have to say anything for him to know, because the look on her face was tortured. It was the depressed look she got when she thought of her brother.
"You're scared of giving her all of you and then losing her," he stated.
"Yes," she responded, almost too quiet to hear.
"We all lost someone. Just because we have to feel the pain of that loss it shouldn't stop you from making new bonds. It just means you make stronger ones, because together, we can get through this," he said with as much encouragement as he could. He rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed to further his point. A smile curled at her lips, lessening the confliction.
"Maybe you should be a therapist when this is all over Harris and give that shotgun of yours a rest," she joked. He laughed.
"Maybe," he agreed with a shrug, taking back his hand. She sighed and then stood to jump down on deck.
"By the way, sorry about Sasha. You guys looked like you got along," she said, tone amiable in a way Andre rarely heard from her. He smiled.
"Thanks, but it's alright. I have you guys to take care of. I shouldn't get distracted," he responded. Jade laughed and nodded.
"True. We can get into a shit load of trouble. We need a voice of reason," she admitted, playing along. She didn't know why she never spent more time with Andre, but she resolved to do so more often. He was a nice and stress free person to chat with.
"Well, I'm going to get Tori and then we'll head out. Grab a bag and be ready," she told him, striding off. When she met back up with him Tori was with her. She kept shifting from foot to foot. It was subtle but reminded her of the slight problem at hand. Andre took her aside, which was easy to do, and slung the bag over his shoulder.
"We'll take this scouting mission while you and Tori stay here. She doesn't look up to it, and like I said, only you can help her. Now I have to get going because Beck and Sikowitz are already waiting for me on shore," Andre stated, his voice stern and leaving no room for argument.
"You're kidding me, right?" she replied, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"Did we not just have a heart to heart, or am I missing something?" he questioned with playful incredulity that she had to shake her head at.
"Take care of her. I expect to see her back to her old cheerful self by the time we return," he told her, hopping over the edge of the boat. There was a splash and then the sounds of sloshing as he treaded water. The abrupt sound caught Tori's attention. She looked over the edge to see Andre almost to land. She then lifted her gaze to see everyone else standing around the shore.
"I thought we were the ones scouting?" she wondered, perplexed. Jade took her by the hand and headed for the cabin of the control room, walking through the hall to the stairs that would take them down.
"They volunteered," Jade responded simply, having a hard time controlling the apprehension running rampant through her. Her body was already ahead of her mind, reacting to the energy Tori exuded. While her mind lagged with incomprehension, her body was ready. She pushed open the door to their room and pulled Tori in. She left her at the door to sit on the bed. Tori stood there, still lost.
"Don't just stand there. Get over here," Jade commanded. It was enough to clear away any doubt Tori had. She walked over just as the vampire began kicking off her shoes. Tori did the same, expecting to cuddle with her, but then she crossed her arms to pull off her shirt. Tori froze, eyes suddenly smoldering as they raked over smooth pale skin, briefly stopping on a large but faint scar that marked her torso. She was seconds from jumping Jade but halted when she held up a hand.
"Your turn," she said, gesturing to Tori's shirt. She hastily pulled it off then leaned over Jade to kiss her hard, giving her no time to get a good look at her. A growl worked its way out. She pushed Jade back on the bed, their legs tangling. Her left hand braced against the bed but her right rested against Jade's neck, her thumb stroking her jaw as their kiss deepened with passion. The fingers of Jade's left hand dug into Tori's lower back while her right hand slid up her stomach to grope and knead. Tori moaned into Jade's mouth, pulling away to press herself into Jade's hand. Her hips moved ever so slightly, searching for relief, and Jade was happy to provide it. She flipped them over and slid her leg in between Tori's which already pressed back. She sat up, running her hands down Tori's torso. She only had to brush her inner thighs for her to relax. Jade then pressed their bodies together, her lips targeting Tori's erratic pulse. For the first time, that desire to bite surfaced with Tori. It was her instincts, heightened with the thrill of something other than the hunt, but it was just as satisfying.
She began slow, grinding their lower halves together. Tori whined and clung to Jade, lifting her hips for more. She shifted so that she found better contact with Tori then began to thrust, loving the sound of Tori's moans. One hand was pressed into the bed but the other grabbed a handful of Tori's rear, curving along until she was gripping at the outside of her thigh to hitch it higher on her hip. Several more thrusts at a new and highly effective angle had Tori tensing in ecstasy, her body arching off the bed with her climax. She clenched her teeth and her nails bit into Jade's skin. Her body shook and then slowly fell limp, panting heavily. Jade had been so close to her own high, but she still felt satisfaction in getting Tori there. She inhaled her scent with her nose at her neck then kissed the slightly sweaty tanned skin. Tori shivered, her hands running up Jade's back then pushed at her shoulders. Their eyes met, warm brown and solid black ringed with white irises, then Tori's lips were on hers once more. It was slow with occasional brushes of their tongues. Tori savored it until it came to a natural end. Jade stroked her cheek and smiled.
"I promise you much more than that the next time you need it," Jade whispered.
"And I promise that you'll get to feel just as great," Tori replied.
"I look forward to it," Jade said, kissing Tori once more. She got up and found her shirt, tossing Tori her own. She barely pulled it on when Tori was wrapping her in her arms. She was nosing at the spot right under her strong jaw and grinning.
"You've never smelt this good before," she commented.
"Gee, thanks. A lady loves to hear that," Jade playfully teased, tilting her head so that Tori could kiss down her neck. Truthfully, the hybrid smelled just as good to the vampire.
"You're ready to go again?" she complained in jest. Tori stopped to look at her.
"It's not as urgent as before but it's still there," she answered.
"Then the next time I'll be sure to run you ragged. I can't get tired, remember?" Jade purred in her ear. Tori groaned longingly at the thought but Jade just chuckled and slipped from her hold.
"Let's get you something to eat. I think I'm in a good enough mood to demand a small donation from the guys," Jade commented absently as she left the room to take the stairs back up. Tori followed along, putting aside the molten and churning desire, to smile at the level of acceptance Jade was showing towards her own bodily needs. Jade and Tori waited for the team to return. It was a few hours until the sun would be up but Jade wasn't going anywhere until she got to eat. Tori was already scarfing down food like there was no tomorrow. She hoped they brought back more or they would have to go hunting to slow down the hybrid's intake. She would need the energy to properly wear herself out anyway. Jade had been so worried about her own feelings should she cross the line of no return with Tori that she didn't take into account what Tori was feeling. She glanced at the temporarily satisfied hybrid and caught her eye. She smiled and Jade returned it.
"I think I owe you an apology," Jade began, clasping her hands and resting her forearms on her crossed legs. They had chosen to sit out on deck so that they could keep an eye out for their team as well as stargaze a little. Tori tilted her head in that endearing way that highlighted her canine tendencies even more.
"What do you mean?" she asked, like her memories of the past few days hadn't been filled with high levels of frustration in which she ranted and bit everyone's head off. Figuratively, of course.
"I was talking to Andre…" Jade began. Tori looked surprised but pleased.
"You? Talking and sharing feelings?" she gasped dramatically. Jade leaned over to shove at her arm. Tori laughed.
"Anyway, I was talking to him and he made me confront the real reason I was hesitating to let things go further between us," she began again.
"You mean you weren't trying to be a gentlewoman?" Tori joked, this time gaining a smirk from the vampire.
"I'm no gentlewoman. Had I not worried over internalized issues I would have no problem making you mine," Jade replied, voice low. She saw Tori swallow and then clear her throat, looking away with a light blush to her cheeks. Jade laughed and crawled closer to wrap an arm around her, lightly resting her forehead on the side of Tori's head.
"I was scared," she admitted, the words brushing against Tori's neck.
"Of what?" she whispered.
"Losing you. I already felt so much for you. I knew that if I fully opened myself to you, loved you with everything I had, it would kill me to lose you. It wouldn't just hurt me, and that realization kept me away," she explained.
"So what made you change your mind?" Tori wondered. Jade lifted her head and took Tori by the chin with gentle fingers so that their noses brushed and their lips were centimeters away.
"He pointed out that you love me just as much as I love you, and together, we can get through this. There'll never be a moment when I don't have you there," she mumbled. Tori nodded.
"I'll always be there for you, Jade. I'm not going anywhere," she assured the vampire. A smile tugged at Jade's lips before Tori pressed her own against them. The kiss was slow as they took their time, enjoying the moment. Tori pulled away when the sound of voices approached followed by water splashing.
"Looks like they're back," she commented. Jade glanced over in the direction of the sounds then shrugged.
"They'll have to wait," she said, her hand falling to brush along Tori's neck just as she kissed her again. Tori held Jade's face in her hands and leaned in further, losing herself, so that when their team finally climbed aboard it was to see the two happily wrapped up in each other. Jade purposely prolonged the kiss when she sensed their return, making Tori break it by laughing. The joy filled sound made Jade chuckle and the others smile. Jade pulled Tori with her to her feet and held her hand when she walked over to get a report on what they found. For the first time in what felt like forever, the atmosphere was light and felt good. It was like their problems had been solved for the moment, like they were simply a group of friends on vacation in a world free from the virus. For them, it was a glimpse into the possible future should they succeed. It was the incentive they needed to set sail once more and continue to carry out their mission.