Been a long time, huh? Sorry about that.
Once again, Jade laid with Tori at her back, her warmth embracing her cool body like a blanket. The wide leaves under them also surrounded them overhead like a crudely made tent to block out the sun. When the guys failed to get it put together, Tori took it upon herself to shape it. She managed to get it up right before the last hours Jade was able to handle. She crawled in a soon as possible and curled up, allowing herself to fall asleep only when she was sure no sun would leak in. She knew she could count on Tori. With the arrival of the next night she woke to her mate at her side again. She had probably been there for some time now. Jade rolled over slowly to face Tori but fell still right after, observing the tan skinned girl. In sleep she looked so normal. Like any other person. No one would ever guess that she was far from it. Jade could guarantee that she looked dead when she slept. She left her human appearance far behind her all those years ago. Jade reached out and ran a finger over Tori's nose, smiling a little when she scrunched it and tried batting Jade's hand away but missed.
"Tryin' t' sleep," she grumbled, eyebrows furrowing.
"Well, it's time to get up. We have to keep going," Jade replied quietly. Tori groaned but carefully stretched out with a yawn.
"How much sleep did you get?" Jade asked her.
"Enough to function. That's all I really need," Tori responded, rubbing at her eyes.
"Let's go wake the others then and get moving," Jade suggested, pushing up to crawl out of the tent of leaves. While Tori took her time getting up, Jade made her rounds, waking up each of the team with a push at their shoulders. She had briefly considered dumping water on them when they didn't want to get up, but changed her mind. She would go easy on them this time. They tried hard to bust her and Tori out of confinement and she had to repay them somehow.
"Time to go already?" Andre complained as he sat up them pushed himself to his feet.
"Yeah. We're close to our goal. We might as well push ourselves the rest of the way," Jade answered.
"How about one more hour of sleep?" Sikowitz spoke up.
"No, Jade's right. We should get going," Beck declined, already moving to gather the last bit of supplies they had left. Andre walked over to help him while Sikowitz pouted from where he sat on the ground. Jade glanced around for Tori and saw her wandering into the foliage. Her eyebrows creased with curiosity before walking towards her.
"Tori?" she questioned. The hybrid froze and glanced back at her before gesturing for her to be quiet. Jade checked to see that the guys were still packing up so she made her way closer to Tori on silent feet. She questioned her again with only a look and Tori answered by pointing ahead of her. Jade looked to where she was pointing to see a strange sight. What looked like a wolf yet lacked key traits was staring back at them. Jade tensed slightly, and Tori, sensing the shift in body language, comforted her with a step closer so that their shoulders brushed. Jade pulled her gaze from the animal to look at Tori, waiting for her to do something. The hybrid was at a loss before deciding on getting closer. She took a step forward, testing to see what the canine would do. It stayed where it was so Tori took another. Jade watched as her lithe frame moved in a distinct manner, her instincts taking over to communicate with the animal she shared a similarity with. She got close enough to hold out a hand to the wolf. It leaned forward just enough to sniff at it then quickly darted away. Without a second thought, Tori took off after it. Jade cursed then looked back at the guys who were clumsily trudging over to her. They must have scared off the wolf.
"Come on!" she ordered, breaking into a run. They pushed themselves to follow, confused but unwilling to be left behind. Jade's nose rose, seeking out Tori's scent on the wind as well as the wolf's musky odor. She dodged obstacles and heard her team stumble behind her but she couldn't stop. She had a feeling that they were getting somewhere. A cry from Sikowitz then Beck and Andre yelping in shock was followed by the sounds of them tripping over each other and crashing into the underbrush. She wanted to help get them on their feet but she couldn't stop now so she resolved to go back and get them once the current objective was reached first. Jade pushed through a wildly growing plant and skid to a sudden stop when she saw the standoff taking place; or what she perceived to be a threat. Tori faced a stranger, the wolf standing next to him. Jade advanced with a growl, ready to fight should he be another raider, but Tori looked back at her with a small smile to placate her. Her warm hand reached out to squeeze hers and Jade dropped her offensive stance. Tori turned back to the man who Jade only then noticed wasn't a threat at all. He had a pistol at his hip but he hadn't moved to arm himself. He stood with something like awe on his face.
"A hybrid and a non-feral vampire. Just what we were hoping for," he said, smiling with relief. Jade looked to Tori who exchanged a curious look with her before stepping forward.
"You aren't a raider?" she checked. He shook his head then gestured to the dog sitting at his side.
"Maya and I patrol around The Dome with a few others. Our job is to keep the perimeter safe, help anyone we find, and capture some vampires here and there. We need as many as we can. You know, to understand how they work and produce a cure from it," he explained. At the sound of the cure both Tori and Jade were immediately interested.
"So you are working on it," Jade spoke up, stepping closer. The man nodded, his light brown eyes appraising her with curiosity. Jade instantly felt like an animal at the zoo being gawked at.
"Yes, but we haven't really gotten anywhere. There's much to tell you but we should get back quickly before actual raiders find us. Oh, and there's more of you," he stated, looking past them. They turned to see the guys appearing, gasping for air.
"What took you so long?" Jade questioned.
"We fell," Beck answered with a frown.
"And you just left us there," Andre accused.
"I couldn't stop to help or I would lose sight of Tori," Jade replied, jabbing a hand at the hybrid. They looked to her then noticed the man.
"Hello. I'm a citizen and watch guard for The Dome. Please, follow me and we'll get you situated," he offered, turning to lead them. Maya stood to follow and the team exchanged relieved smiles that they found someone, and that that someone spoke English for a change, before doing the same.
"We did it…" Beck said through a sigh, relieved.
"Yeah, after all that shit we went through first," Jade commented. Tori bumped her with her shoulder.
"But we still made it. We're here," she said. Jade caught the slight catch to her voice, knowing that she was happy they made it yet still anxious about what would happen from here. Both of them could easily be captured and experimented on without permission. The only person they met seemed nice enough, but for all they knew the people of The Dome could be a more civilized group of people yet be just as inhumane as the raiders. Jade resolved to stay on guard until she was sure. They traipsed through the many plants, crossing a smaller river then turning to head towards a dense part of the jungle. The plants were so clustered that Jade didn't think they could get past it. It wasn't needed anyway, because the man walked up to what looked like a tree but beeped and lit up a square panel when he pushed it. It was the wall of The Dome, hidden by the plants that grew around it.
"The Dome covers the whole of our small yet manageable city with a portion of the jungle as well. It's tricky, trying to get water in and out while dealing with the wildlife as well, but we get by. I'm sure the group of scientist we have working on the cure will be happy to see that a hybrid has found us," he explained while waiting to be admitted. A voice addressed him and he gave some kind of code before the entrance made itself known when a bigger panel slid away. Maya bounded in and he looked to the group before gesturing them inside. Jade hesitated, but when Tori took her by the hand, she allowed herself to be led. They now stood in a medium sized room. The door they entered shut behind them before the one ahead opened. Sikowitz, Beck, and Andre walked out down the hall without any reaction from the posted guards beyond, but as soon as they saw Jade and Tori, the whispers began. Jade fought back the low growl building in her chest and Tori's thumb rubbed anxiously over her hand in her own form of anxiety. They were both waiting for the moment when they would be captured and dragged to some lab.
"Please, follow me to the next room where we'll figure out where we can place you. We'll need you two to come with me to the laboratory. Your rooms will be there so that you'll be on hand should they need you," their guide informed them, looking to the vampire and hybrid.
"Our rooms or our cells?" Jade questioned with an edge to her voice. Her hand tightened on Tori's. She couldn't blame Jade for wanting to know. She was dying to know how they would be treated too. The man chuckled.
"Don't worry. We're nothing like the raiders. We try our best to house everyone comfortably. Even those we need to aid us with the cure. Only the feral vampires are caged since we don't want them biting anyone," he explained. Tori could feel Jade's tense posture relax just a little. Her defenses wouldn't drop any lower though, and neither would Tori's.
"Fine," Jade allowed, turning to her team.
"Go with them and find a place to rest. Do whatever it takes to stay together. We'll see you whenever we can," she informed them. Beck nodded. Andre gave them reassuring smiles. Sikowitz was already talking animatedly with someone behind the processing desk, happy to be back in society. Together, Tori and Jade followed the man past the next door and stepped outside to the city beyond. He led them a ways down a road that curved through the cleared jungle then up to a gate where two more guards stood watch. They allowed him in and they continued. The fake sky above did a good job of tricking them both into believing that it was the real one, but they both knew the technology behind it all. It reminded Jade that she was just as in danger here as she was outside should morning come. The panels would emit sun rays just as efficiently and she would need shelter from it. It was a fairly long walk filled with stares from everyone they passed once they reached the innermost part of the city. It wasn't crowded but it held a fair amount. Jade stayed close to Tori, glad she was fed well enough to ignore the scent of blood so close to her and in such a large quantity. She wasn't as used to it since leaving Sanctuary, but because of living among humans for so long she was able to remain level headed. Maya happily moved from one person to another, stopping to let kids pet her along the way before circling them again. She often stopped to sniff at Jade with interest. The vampire would scowl at the canine who only barked happily, tongue hanging out after licking her hand. Jade wiped the saliva on her pants and rolled her eyes when Tori snickered next to her.
"Shut up," she grumbled. Their guide finally stopped outside a large pristine building and gestured to the door.
"Here we are. Go right in. An assistant will take you to our head scientist once your rooms are set up. If you're hungry they'll attend to that too. Nice meeting you," he stated, calling to Maya before taking his leave. The two watched him go then turned to the door.
"Ready?" Tori questioned, her own voice wavering only slightly. Her warm hand was sweating slightly in Jade's cool one. She could sense Tori's growing unease and wished there was something she could do to calm her. The best she could do was drop a kiss to the hybrid's temple before nodding.
"Yeah, let's go," she replied, leading the way. They walked in and stopped when a man in a lab coat caught sight of them. He looked to be talking to another on their way towards some double doors when he spotted them. He gestured for the other scientist to continue and then walked over. His green eyes held interest in a way that made Jade feel slightly uncomfortable. She knew he was dying to cut into them, or whatever they did when they experimented.
"Hello. My name's Dr. Cross, but you can call me Deidrick," he greeted them. Jade perked at the name and took in the older man's features before realizing that she knew of him.
"I heard of you. Back when I was human. You were one of the many who had a hand in all this," she growled, gaining the attention of a nearby guard. He looked unaffected by her agitation and looked to the guard with a shake of his head.
"I am. I'm truly sorry that it came to this. But I've been trying to fix our mistake. There are only a few of us left who had been working on it from the beginning. We've recruited new minds to attempt to find a way we haven't devised yet, but it's difficult," he replied.
"And now what? You need to experiment on us too?" Jade continued, voice tight. She knew she would have to do all the talking with Tori unable to concentrate much beyond keeping calm. The memories and pain it brought were at the forefront of her mind. The thought of needles administering burning liquid into her body and her pleas falling on deaf ears was almost too much to endure. Never had they been so clear, even in dreams, than they were now. Deidrick sighed but nodded.
"I know you think us cruel for doing so, but I assure you we've taken a new approach. I can agree that how we treated our subjects before was inhumane but we were desperate. We've learned since then. You'll be given a room and proper care while you're with us," he told them, eyes going from Jade to Tori. Jade found it strange that she was holding a conversation like she was any other person. She had been treated with such disdain for so long. But here, as long as she wasn't feral, she was trusted.
"I'll let my guard down only when I see that your words hold true. Not before then," Jade replied. He nodded, understanding.
"Then allow me to show you," he agreed. Jade held Tori's hand firmly and followed the scientist past the double doors in front of them.
"There's a back way you'll take to your rooms once you are assigned one and given a key, but for now you'll be entering the same way as the doctors and scientists," he began. A few twists and turns later they arrived at a long hall with another set of double doors. They traversed past it to the other side which was a connected building. This one was just as sterile as the lab they left but had more of an apartment feel to it. Deidrick led them to the desk in the lobby and spoke to the woman sitting there. She looked to Jade and Tori then back to Deidrick. He secured a key and then turned to them after thanking her.
"Here. The number of the room is engraved on it. One through one hundred is the first floor down that hall and the one opposite where most of the doctors, scientists, assistants, and staff are housed so that they're on hand. The second floor is one hundred through one hundred and fifty up the stairs at the end of either hall where our patients and subjects live. You'll be living there," he informed her. She nodded and took the key to see that it was marked as one hundred and twenty five. She held it out to Tori who took it. She turned it in her fingers to give herself something to do, something to ease her mind. Jade knew this, which was why she gave it to her. She brushed a hand over Tori's back before looking to the doctor who noticed the care Jade gave Tori. He smiled, seeing a connection between them, but decided to bring it up at a later time.
"I'm sure you both would want to eat and rest. The sun won't be up for a few hours more so feel free to explore until then. We'll be in touch again when you're needed," Deidrick said, getting ready to leave them to themselves.
"At least you have the decency not to throw us on the operating table as soon as we got here," Jade snarked, her sharp eyes constantly taking in the bustle around them. Deidrick understood her slight hostility and took no offense.
"As I said, we take care of our patients here. When you've had time to rest I'll call on you and explain everything before we get started. I hope in time you'll come to trust us. We mean you no harm. We only want to right our wrong," he responded. Jade nodded.
"Ok. See you around then, doc," she dismissed, pulling Tori into motion. They walked down the long hall until they reached the stairs. The guys were most likely given a place to live among the citizens removed from them. They would have to find them later. But for now, Jade just wanted time to herself. It was rare when they could relax without the threat of danger hanging over their heads so she wanted to take as much time as she could before having to step foot in a lab. Tori needed it more than she did and she was more concerned with how Tori was doing than herself. They climbed the stairs quickly and walked down the hallway until they were standing in front on their assigned room. Tori stepped up to unlock the door and pushed it open. They walked in to see that it was a snug but livable space for two. A small kitchen area was off to the left of the living room area. A sliding door opened to a small balcony, dark curtains covering it. They wandered down the short hall to the right to find a bathroom and a bedroom across from it. The bedroom was just big enough for a twin sized bed and a drawer. Tori let out a sigh, dropped the key on the top of the drawer, and then fell onto the bed. It was enough room to fit them both exactly but Jade wasn't complaining. She wouldn't want it any other way. She walked over to the drawer and pulled out one to see a small assortment of plain shirts and pants. She pulled out her pick of black and then headed to the bathroom for a proper shower. She spent some time just leaning on the slick wall of the shower stall, almost disbelieving that they made it alive. They were standing in The Dome at that very moment. They made it. When Jade got out, Tori took her turn. Jade explored the kitchen while she was in the shower. She opened the somewhat high tech fridge to see a supply of blood. She happily downed one then laid out on the small couch after pulling the curtain closed in anticipation of the morning. Tori walked out, damp hair curled at her shoulders and dressed in a set of the provided clothes. Jade moved to sit up and give her room but Tori pushed her back down. She climbed over her, straddling her waist. Tori's lips found hers for a quick yet meaningful kiss before she got comfortable. Jade sighed and ran a hand through Tori's hair now that she was settled. Tori let out a content hum.
"Can we really trust these people?" she wondered. Jade shrugged.
"Possibly. It seems so, but they've yet to completely convince me. I'll make a decision once I see how they treat us when they call us in," she responded. The hybrid whined quietly and Jade rubbed at her back.
"I know, but if what they say is the truth we won't have anything to worry about. We'll get through this. Besides, I won't let them hurt you," she stated. Tori nodded.
"I know," she replied, hugging Jade tighter. They fell into silence, and minutes later, Tori's breathing evened out. Jade waited a little longer before gathering her in her arms and standing. She took her to the bed and laid her down. She took a seat next to her, making plans to find the guys as soon as possible, before finally laying down. Tori woke up enough to wrap her in her arms before going back to sleep. Jade smiled and held her in return. She wasted away the hours just enjoying being in Tori's arms until the morning sun began to rise. But with the thick black curtains blocking it out and the bed positioned away from the small window, she felt comfortable enough to let herself fall asleep. Hours later Jade woke up to an empty bed. She sat up quickly and looked around, relaxing when she sensed Tori nearby. She got up and walked out to see her stuffing her face in the kitchen. Jade chuckled and leaned on the wall with her arms crossed. Tori paused when she noticed Jade, swallowed, and then grinned brightly.
"Happy to eat?" the vampire questioned, amused. Tori only nodded and went back to eating. Jade pushed off the wall and walked over to plop on the couch.
"We should try and get in touch with the guys before they call us in for whatever it is they need us for," Jade mentioned. Tori knew Jade cared for her team despite not admitting it outright. She was just as concerned for them. She swallowed and prepared to give an affirmative when a knock sounded on their door. Jade tilted her head, listening for a clue as to who their visitor was. Or visitors. She smiled when she recognized them.
"Looks like they managed to find us," she commented, getting up to open the door. There stood Andre and Beck.
"Where's Sikowitz?" Jade asked them, stepping back to let them in and shut the door once they were inside.
"He took off as soon as he heard that he could live in a boat. I swear, all he knows is boats," Andre answered with a laugh.
"Whatever makes him happy, right?" Beck pointed out.
"Especially after being dragged around with us," Tori joked from her place in the kitchen.
"Tori, hey! So I see you got to eat," Andre observed playfully, walking over to her. She nodded happily.
"Yeah. Did you guys find a place and get something to eat too?" she asked.
"We ate and then found a little place to share not too far from here. We wanted to be as close to you guys as possible," Beck said.
"Unlike you guys with your fancy room service, we had to go get our own food. These people seriously have farms and stuff like that. It's au natural here," Andre explained, holding his hands out for further emphasis. Tori only shrugged.
"We're special," she joked. Andre rolled his eyes but chuckled. Beck took a seat by Jade who stood to open the curtains and relocate out on the balcony after pushing the sliding door open. She took a deep breath, inhaling the smells of the foreign surroundings, then let it all out slowly. A breeze picked up and she closed her eyes, enjoying it.
"So, what's the plan now?" Beck questioned everyone, his tone revealing just a hint of offense when Jade moved to find her own space. Tori noticed and held back a small amused smile. Jade still wasn't comfortable being too close to him and Tori couldn't help the surge of possessiveness she held when it came to the vampire.
"I don't know when, but Tori and I will be called in. So whenever that happens we'll be doing whatever it is they need us to do. In the meantime, you guys are free to check out the place. Look around and check back in with us. You could give us something to talk about when we're allowed to come back here," Jade spoke up, turning away from the faintly lit city below to look back at them.
"Good luck you guys. I'm sure it'll be fine," Andre encouraged them. Tori frowned and leaned on the counter, glad she was done eating before the feeling of unease made her lose her appetite.
"It will," Jade assured him, shutting the sliding door then closing the curtains. She walked over, intent on calming Tori, when there was a knock at the door.
"And there's our cue," she stated, looking to the door. She held Tori's hand and gave it a squeeze. Tori returned it with a nod and a hopeful smile. Jade meant it when she said that things would be fine. If it didn't turn out that way, then they would have to deal with a very protective, very angry, and fully fed vampire.