She kept scanning the area, worried someone would see them. Tori led her to the dorms and took the stairs to the second floor. She passed several doors before stopping by the one at the far end of the hall which opened to a balcony. The way the building was made meant there wasn't a room facing hers, just one next to it. It was as close to private as they were going to get.
She pulled out a lanyard with three keys on it and opened the door. She entered first and stood back to let Jade in. Both were nervous, but Jade hid it better than Tori. Jade stalled a little but eventually entered and shut the door behind her. They stood in the short hall a moment and then Tori tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and turned away.
"You want something to drink? Or, um, can you have something to drink?" Tori asked, heading for the small fridge around the corner.
"I'm fine, thank you," Jade declined, crossing her arms. It felt cramped inside, like the time she misbehaved, and her wings had been painfully bound. Tori noticed and carefully approached, resting a hand on her back, attempting to comfort her. Jade tensed further. Tori stepped away.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. Jade shook her head.
"I'm fine. It's just…different, being here," she tried to explain, looking around. Some things were still in boxes. A small couch faced a TV on a dresser and the bed was hastily made in a corner on the other side of the room. Tori took a sip of the water bottle she grabbed, drinking it at a distance in the far corner of the room to give Jade space.
"So…gargoyles," she mentioned, hoping that was enough to get the conversation going. Jade sat down heavily on the couch and started to unbutton her uniform. Tori almost spit out her water. Jade pulled off the issued button up to reveal a tank top underneath. She draped it on the arm of the couch and proceeded to kick off her boots.
"Sorry, but clothes are constricting. I'm usually in as less as possible at home," she said, casual, as if she was talking about the weather. Tori blushed at the thought. Jade didn't take off much, but by the look of her arms alone Tori wagered she was built like a professional kickboxer.
"Um, yeah, make yourself comfortable," she mumbled, taking another sip of water to help with her mouth suddenly going dry. Jade raised an amused brow at her, smirking.
"Would it be wrong to tell you that I can smell human emotion?" Jade remarked just as casually. That time Tori did spit out her water. She rushed for a paper towel to dry herself off. Jade laughed, watching the human struggle to work through her flustered state.
"Have you always been a gay mess?" Jade teased.
"Hey, we're talking about you here," Tori deflected. Jade shrugged but allowed the subject change.
"Sit and I'll explain," she said, gesturing to the spot next to her. Tori did but made sure there was a lot of space between them, and she took her water with her, if only to stay occupied.
"Gargoyles are demons who were summoned to Earth and contractually obligated to serve a family in exchange for remaining earthbound," Jade began seriously. Tori stared at her, wondering what Jade's story was.
"The contract first came to be between demons and witches, but once humans figured out how to do it, they started to keep demons as guardians and servants that remained bound to a family, serving each generation. I only served one family. They were wealthy and well-known. The Oliver family made me do everything, from menial tasks to murder. Whatever they needed. I obeyed and they gave me what I wanted. Souls, violence, flesh, and blood. Everything was within their reach," Jade shared, glancing at Tori to see she had gone pale.
"I thought I was lucky. I thought I was in control of my fate, but I was wrong. They controlled me and I wasn't free. My fascination with humans got me in trouble when they caught me being too friendly with one of my masters' wives. He tightened his control on me, starved me, forced me to do his dirty work, and the family thrived from it. But because of her, I started to see humans differently. I needed them to survive, but they became more than that. Killing innocents was something I couldn't do anymore. I needed to escape. So, I did. I tore myself from the confines of the spells put on the property. I was only supposed to leave when I was ordered to. Never if I wanted to. One spell that I wasn't aware of still haunts me to this day. It hangs over any demon that goes rogue. Every sunrise forces me into stasis, turning me into impenetrable stone. It was a failsafe the witches thought up as a defense should we escape control," Jade continued, eyes on her hands. Hands that should have been scarred along with the rest of her body for everything she had gone through to obtain freedom.
"And your…diet?" Tori questioned.
"I can eat human food, but the only thing of value is meat. A lot of it. Unfortunately, I can only hold off for so long on animals alone," she answered. Tori took a drink of water and cleared her throat, nervous.
"The list you mentioned when we met," she said. Jade nodded.
"Monsters are kept hidden, but of course people still see them occasionally. Enough to make up stories and share them through time. Everything you've heard of, they existed at one point or another," Jade revealed.
"No way. You mean vampires and werewolves exist?" Tori gasped.
"Yes. Werewolves or loup garous, vampires of many races, windigos, goblins and redcaps, gnomes, mermaids and sirens, fey folk like elves, fairies, and huldufolk, zombies and ghouls, fishmen, and of course witches. Most famously Baba Yaga," Jade listed. Tori looked dizzy with the truth.
"Okay, but what about, like, cerberus?" Tori wondered.
"Oh, you mean the famous and legendary creatures. Sadly, they live only in tales now. The hydra, chimera, griffin, phoenix, cyclops, minotaur, centaur, basilisk, dragons and wyverns, leviathan, medusa, lamia, kraken, cerberus, sphinx, giants, harpies, echidnas, banshees, pegasus, manticore, and cockatrice are all extinct. Killed off from a combination of their small number and humans' need to prove themselves worthy of being a warrior or hero. Luckily the teju jagua and namibian flying snake are also extinct. Even I wouldn't want to run into them," Jade replied with a shake of her head.
"And things like loch ness and sasquatch?" Tori ventured, curiosity rising with interest.
"Rumored or possibly endangered along with leprechauns, pixies, trolls, ogres, jinn, imps, kappas, kelpi and hippocampus, sea serpents, the chupacabra, and yeti. They've obviously been spotted but not often enough to be sure they're exist. But hell, if that many have lived at some point then who's to say?" Jade said, shrugging.
"Wow," Tori breathed out, leaning back.
"I personally only met vampires, werewolves, zombies and ghouls, a mermaid, and some kind of huldufolk I'm not quite sure of. I was lost in a forest at the time while on the run. I could sense that she was inhuman and very unhelpful," Jade recounted.
"How could you tell?" Tori questioned.
"I could smell that she wasn't," Jade clarified.
"I see. So, what does all that have to do with the list?" Tori asked.
"Right, the list. Well, the government knows about us. They've tried many times to kill us off, but as you can imagine, it's not easy. So instead, they try to regulate us as a way to live in tentative peace. For those that need to eat more than animals, we can sign up for a license that allows us to hunt humans from a preapproved list of serious criminals. It was working for me until you ended up on that list," Jade explained, turning thoughtful.
"I wonder how the mix-up happened. Or why Trina would even be considered on the list," Tori said, voicing Jade's thoughts.
"She's clearly involved with the wrong people, but who?" Jade replied.
"I don't even want to know. Maybe I can talk to her?" Tori suggested. Jade snarled suddenly, startling Tori when she abruptly stood and faced the door. The scent of blood teased at her nose, hidden by perfume but unmistakably coming from the person approaching the door.
"Jade, what's wrong?" Tori asked, standing up slowly.
"I have to go. Talk to Trina. We'll meet again," Jade muttered through clenched teeth that were quickly sharpening. Before Tori could question her further, she shoved on her boots and darted for the lone window. She pushed it open, jumping out into the fresh air. Perfume, blood, and him. She smelled him. But how? He had to be far away from here. The scent put her on edge. It was him, but different. She caught herself at the bottom and fluidly shifted into a sprint.
She didn't know why he smelled different, but regardless of why, she wasn't going to stick around. Trina was on the other side of that door, but she had been with him recently and they had tortured someone for information. Maybe even killed them for the scent of blood to linger on her. Jade ran home as fast as she could, barging inside. She took a moment to try and relax but she couldn't. With a scream she flipped the coffee table against the wall, cracking it. Her guise began to crumble, gray mottling her pale skin. Black tinged claws sharpened her fingers. She took a few deep breaths and fell to her knees, trying to remain calm.
"He found me. I have to run. But Tori. Tori will be in danger because of Trina. I can't leave her. She's innocent. Not another innocent," she mumbled to herself. There she stayed, crouched on the floor, when the sun appeared. She woke up the next night with stiff joints. She stood from the ground and stretched.
"Tori," she remembered, quick to head back out. Luckily, she had the night off and she didn't have to wait to check on her. She made it to the campus and easily scaled the wall to the balcony outside Tori's dorm room. She glanced around for any sign that something might have happened and scented the air but there was nothing out of the ordinary. She knocked and waited, listening. Footsteps approached and Jade identified them as Tori's. The door opened a moment later to reveal her worried expression. She had been crying. She took one look at Jade and threw herself into her arms. The hot tears burned at Jade's skin where they fell. She maneuvered them inside and shut the door.
"What happened? Was it Trina?" Jade asked, pushing her back to meet her eyes. Tori nodded.
"What did she say?" Jade asked next.
"She said she came to visit, but she was acting weird. Jumpy. She kept looking around, like she was searching for something. I asked her what she was up to, and she got defensive. I didn't know how else to bring it up, so I just said it. I told her I was worried she was getting involved in the wrong crowd and she blew up on me. She said some guy named Beck was the best thing to happen to her. He was rich and well-known where he came from. She said he was only here to find something that was taken from his family, and she accused me of knowing what it was," Tori explained at a fast pace, the words pouring out of her without stopping.
She pushed away from Jade to pace the room while Jade remained rooted to the spot. Beck. Beckett Oliver. He tracked her down. Not his father. That was why he smelled different. He probably had to make the trip because his old man was unable to. Hopefully his deranged grandfather was already dead. His great grandfather was a distant memory.
"Jade, what was she talking about? What's happening?" Tori fretted, stressed. Jade sighed and moved to sit. Her uniform top was still draped on the couch, making her jump back to her feet.
"Did she see this?" she asked, throwing it on but leaving it unbuttoned.
"Yeah. She had fun teasing me about it. How I shouldn't be judging her about the guy she was with when I was messing around with the campus security guard," Tori groaned, sitting down.
"If he's been keeping tabs on me this long, he must know where I've been living. If she mentions this to him, he'll know for sure that you're involved with me," Jade concluded.
"Involved? Hold on. Who is this guy Trina's with? Who's Beck?" Tori questioned. She was surprised when Jade shuddered at the name, physically reeling. She had witnessed Jade tear apart a man and eat him alive, but here she was, afraid of a human.
"He's technically my master," Jade confessed, ashamed by the admittance. It took Tori a moment to understand.
"He's from the family you were bound to. The one you escaped from," she realized.
"I thought I escaped from. It looks like he found me," Jade corrected, running a hand through her hair.
"How long ago did you run away?" Tori wondered.
"When Beck's grandfather was a teenager, learning the horrible ways of his father, I started to feel doubt. His father had summoned and imprisoned me. Used me to gain power. By the time his son grew up, married, and had a child of his own, I couldn't stay anymore. I planned my escape and waited for the right moment. Beck's father pushed me for the final time when I saw the man he became. I met his wife. We talked. She was the only one to treat me like a person. She wasn't spared for her actions. I finally left. Now her son has grown up and is after me. He's probably just as ruthless as his father, grandfather, and great grandfather. It'll never change. I'm sure it runs in the family," Jade spat, hands clenching on her knees. Tori could see them sharpening into claws, tearing into her pants. She crouched down, resting her hands on Jade's tense, cold ones.
"Hey, listen to me. They won't get you. My dad hasn't been able to accept Trina's falling out with our family, but he'll listen if I bring this to him. He'll have to. He can get the police involved and they can look into it. Maybe they could catch Beck and stop Trina from ruining her life," Tori stated, hopeful. Jade laughed at her plan, derisive.
"Vega, he can't do shit. In the eyes of any kind of authority I'm not human. I don't have the same rights as a human. I'm a creature controlled by its hunger and only allowed to roam if I behave. Beck could just mention his right to own me, and they would grant it. I'm property. An enslaved animal bound by years of unbreakable servitude to a family I technically abandoned. Whose side do you think they'll take?" Jade demanded, lashing out in frustration. Tori flinched, eyes sad and tears threatening to spill. Tears for Jade or because Jade hurt her, she wasn't sure. She told herself she didn't care. She stood up and headed for the door.
"Wait. Where are you going?" Tori called after her, afraid she would do something that would get her killed. Jade might have been a monster by nature, but she was a human at heart. Tori could see it, but Jade denied it. She reached the door just as Tori blocked her. Jade slammed her hands on either side of her, claws carving into the wood.
"Vega, I'm warning you. Move," she rasped, voice like gravel that sent a shiver down her spine in fright. An instinctual warning that she was in danger of harm. But she wouldn't back down.
"N-no. I won't let you get yourself killed," she refused. Jade's eyes hardened, draining of color to become a steely gray. Her skin followed and black horns curved from her head. Her huge wings flung open, taking up the small space the hallway provided.
"I don't want to hurt you, but I will," Jade warned her, eyes piercing hers.
"I know, but I can't let you run into a trap. He's baiting you. Can't you see? He used Trina to threaten my safety, maybe even got a Hunter to help by paying him off, and you're running out there half-cocked where he's sure to be prepared and waiting. He'll capture you and drag you back to that hellhole and I won't let you be that stupid!" Tori yelled, a fist striking out to hit Jade's stomach. Again, she pulled back with her hand throbbing.
Jade relaxed slowly, taking in the whining human before her. A nuisance. Annoying. Stupid. She hurt herself again and continues to do so because she cares. For Jade. A monster she just met. She might as well add passionate and sympathetic. She was nothing like the humans Jade met over the years. She was different. Special. There was only one other like her. Jade's growl turned into a sigh, and she let her arms drop to Tori's shoulders, almost dragging her down with the weight of them.
"Nothing short of killing him will stop them from finding me," she commented.
"I know, but that has to be the last possible choice. There has to be some other way," Tori pressed. Jade searched her mind for a solution, coming to one. But it was an impossible endeavor. Tori wouldn't agree to it. She must have been quiet too long because Tori called to her.
"I have to go," Jade told her, taking a step back. Tori stared at her a moment longer before stepping out of her way.
"I'll see you around?" she inquired, wondering but also making sure Jade wouldn't disappear on her. Jade only nodded. Then she was out the door, over the balcony, and in the air. She had to get a hold of herself. She had to come up with a plan. Running away would only get her so far. Beck would keep searching for her. He wouldn't stop. She didn't want Tori to get dragged into things, but her sister already did that. Possibly even planned it with Beck. He most likely bribed or even tricked her. Why else would she turn over her own sister just to please him? Jade returned home, determined to find an answer to her troubles.
A week of anxiety and slight paranoia got her nowhere. Tori kept her mind off it sometimes. The human was relentless and demanded that she take the time to hang out. They often went out for late night coffee. Tori always ordered some sweet beverage and Jade watched her steadily finish it while talking her ear off about mundane, normal topics like how her day was going, her friend Andre, a hard test, a difficult assignment, her life in general. Jade didn't share much, afraid to scare her away, but Tori was an open book. It was a good distraction while it lasted, but once Jade was alone, she was plagued by thoughts of Beck and what he was planning next.
Clearly, he orchestrated the mix up between the Vega sisters. Trina may or may not have been in on it. He was definitely dragging her into trouble, and soon, Tori would be dragged down with her. Jade hated the thought of something happening to her and already decided to protect her. It was the only reason she continued to stick around and agree to spending time with her. Or so Jade told herself. Tori was an annoying human, but somehow, she was also endearing. Charming, like an earnest dog who listens to commands, wants attention, and gets excited over the smallest amount earned. A dog that also took to praise well and had far too much energy for being up late.
Jade sighed loudly, leaving the office after another shift to head for the dorms. She gave up on an escape plan and decided to accept her fate. She knew Beck was waiting for her to give up, and tonight was the night. She had to admit that hiding anywhere was only prolonging the inevitable. She had to confront Beck and one of them wouldn't come out of it alive. Now the only thing left to do would be to tell Tori. They had grown close during the weeks they spent together. Jade was careful to hunt out of town and Tori never brought it up. It helped them to establish a relatively normal relationship. Tori made Jade feel almost human and she would be hard pressed to let that feeling go. After all, it was a feeling Jade had been searching for years to find. She stopped at Tori's door and knocked. Tori called her in. Jade entered to see her sprawled out on the small couch, papers scattered around her.
"Hard night studying?" Jade asked, walking further inside. Tori opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling.
"I gave up on that a while ago. I couldn't stop thinking about the…situation. I don't know what to do," she confessed with a sigh. Jade paused a moment, scowling, and then continued forward. Comforting someone wasn't an ability she excelled at, but she would still try. For Tori.