Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nonexistent heartbeat, mood swings, constant thirst, craving her best friend.

Just some of the symptoms she’s noticed since being attacked by a freak three nights ago.

She was determined to go on as normal. Like all was fine. Tonight, she’d even agreed to go to a party. Shauna’s only condition was that she could get ready by herself. Now all she had to do was pick Jackie up. Hopefully, she didn’t notice anything off—she’d been sending Shauna worried glances the last couple of days. But Jackie was the last person she wanted to know. Shauna didn’t want to even imagine how she’d react.

She adjusted her already-perfect rearview mirror, catching the dark circles under her eyes and the washed-out skin. She somehow looked even worse than yesterday.

Her thoughts broke when Jackie climbed into the passenger seat with a grin, eyes instantly fixing on Shauna.

Shauna tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Spit gathered in her mouth. Images flickered in her mind.

Licking Jackie, sucking on Jackie, devouring Jackie, fucking Jackie.

No one else was giving her as much trouble. Of course it’d be Jackie making her life more difficult without trying.

“Y’know, usually you use the car to go places, not just sit around?” Jackie said, smirking.

The leather of the steering wheel crinkled under her fingertips. She heard a small cracking noise from the plastic fracturing underneath.

“Shipman?” Jackie murmured, her voice softening. Her hand caught Shauna’s forearm. “Jesus, you’re freezing.” She raised her palm to Shauna’s forehead. “Do you not feel well? You look terrible.”

Shauna’s shoulders relaxed. She smiled affectionately. “No,” she muttered, “I’m fine. Just… lost in thought. Sorry, Jax.”

Jackie slid her hand to Shauna’s cheek, turning her head to examine her face before letting it fall away. “If you’re sure.”

Shauna nodded, shifting the car out of park, and not acknowledging Jackie’s lingering stare.

Five minutes down, way too many more to go.

The living room stank like sweat, cheap deodorant, and cheaper cologne. (And something delicious beneath it that made her salivate.) She could hear someone three houses over complaining about the party. Down the hall, someone slurped beer so loudly it sounded like a gunshot with every pull of liquid. But it was the blood pumping in partygoers’ veins that distracted her more than anything.

The sun gave her horrific sunburn without long sleeves, some foods smelled so overpowering they made her nose burn, passing through doorways into homes made her want to vomit, and yet it was this craving that was hardest to deal with.

It was getting worse by the day. Yesterday she thought she could ignore it, could just eat normal food, but no amount of it helped, and now she kept imagining tearing through the house to get to those sounds. Those smells.

She’d suspected the solution, but having to admit to herself that it was her only option felt like putting a match out on her tongue.

She sank deeper into the couch, stuffing her face into her cup of beer like that would help protect her sanity. Now it just smelled like the most amazing thing on earth and Bud Lite.

“Shipman?” Jackie murmured from the cushion next to her, hand rubbing her shoulder.

She’d been gentle since getting picked up, treating Shauna like fine china. So far, Shauna couldn’t decide if she wanted to snap at her to stop treating her like a baby, or to lean in and let Jackie do whatever she wanted to her.

Not much different from usual, admittedly.

“Do you want to go home?” Jackie asked. “I’ll even drive this time.”

“You’re gonna leave a party early?” Shauna muttered. The more she focused on Jackie, the more the other noises and smells drained away. Now she only got the best of the best to yearn for.

“There will always be more parties,” Jackie scoffed.

Shauna finally lifted her head out of her beer, looking at her with wide eyes. “You’re serious?”

“Well, yeah,” Jackie said, the duh in her tone obvious. “If you really needed me, I think everyone here could live without me for the night.”

Shauna smiled, her cheeks flushing. “Oh,” she breathed.

Jackie stared for a moment before shaking her head with a swallow. “So, uh, you up for it, or—”

“Hey babe.” Jeff leaned over the back of the couch to kiss Jackie’s cheek, and Shauna turned away, rolling her eyes.

Now that Jeff was here, Jackie wouldn’t be paying her any mind.

Everything roared back at once, her senses getting blasted from all sides. Shauna winced.

“Hey, Jeff,” Jackie said distractedly. “Shauna? Ditch?”

Shauna shook her head, clamping her jaw shut. Why did the smell get worse when she got upset? Shouldn’t her feelings distract her?

“…heard Jackie cried last time Jeff tried to bang her.”

Shauna whipped her head up, searching for the source of the voice.

“At least she sucks his dick,” another voice responded.

She zeroed in on the source—two guys from the baseball team on the other side of the living room. One was tall and blonde; the other average with a buzz cut.

“She any good?”

“Jeff says she is, but what the fuck does he know?” The blonde chortled.

“I’d push her to her knees either way.” Buzz cut smirked, rotating his hips with his hand floating in the air.

She flew to her feet, her vision turning red, chest feeling like it was vibrating.

“Shauna,” Jackie said, squeezing her forearm.

Shauna jerked, turning her head to look at her.

“You’re making a really weird noise,” Jackie whispered, furrowing her brow.

Shauna paused, collecting herself, realizing that the people around them were staring, and that the vibrations weren’t imaginary—a loud rumbling noise was tearing out of her throat.

She forced herself to stop—but then almost started again when she noticed the two guys were gone.

Ignoring the questions getting thrown at her, she tugged her arm out of Jackie’s grip. Then she walked toward where she last saw them, and raised her head, sniffing the air for that sweet savory smell.

“Shauna!” Jackie snapped, hurrying over to yank her back by the arm again. She looked around at the people still watching and faltered, clearing her throat. “C’mon,” she said, much quieter.

Jackie dragged Shauna away from Buzz Cut’s scent, and Shauna growled even lower in her chest, barely resisting the urge to cause a scene as Jackie led her to a bathroom upstairs.

The door slammed closed behind them, and Jackie was so frazzled, she ran her fingers through her hair, making it wild. “Okay, enough,” she snapped. “What is going on with you?”

Shauna stared at her for a moment, her eyes lingering on her disheveled honey blonde hair, unable to stop glancing between it and the blood pooling under her flushed cheeks.

“…did you see that Shauna girl freaking out…” she heard from downstairs.

“…poor Jackie. What a weirdo…”

Shauna clenched her jaw, wanting to go back out there and tear them apart.

“Y-you’re making that noise again,” Jackie squeaked, leaning away.

Shauna needed to calm the fuck down, but everything was agitating her now. The whispers about her, how everyone smelled, the lights in the bathroom, the way Jackie looked terrified.

Shauna stepped forward, and Jackie stepped back. Shauna focused on the pulse racing in her neck, driving Jackie back until she stumbled into the bathroom wall with a gasp.

“Sh-Shauna?” Jackie whimpered, trembling.

The whites of Jackie’s eyes were showing with how wide they were. Her lips kept shaking with each fast breath in and out. She was curling in on herself, trying to make herself look smaller.

Shauna raised her hand. When Jackie flinched, she slowed, then ghosted her fingers across Jackie’s thin neck. She lingered, staring, feeling, wanting.

Jackie shuddered, and Shauna forced her fingers to move, lifting them higher. She ran them through Jackie’s hair repeatedly, sinking into the familiar softness, not stopping even after combing it back into place.

Maybe it was the repetitive motions, or the ability to complete a minor task, or the fact she was touching Jackie—whichever it was, she calmed down. The buzzing stopped. The noise quieted.

Jackie slowly straightened. Relief was on her face, but her shoulders were still too tense.

“Sorry,” Shauna muttered. “I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

“What was that?” Jackie asked with a quiver in her voice.

“What was what?” Shauna asked.

Jackie pinched her lips together, eyes narrowing into that annoying judgmental stare she loved doing.

Shauna sighed, lowering the hand on Jackie’s head to her shoulder. She rested her wrist there and kept playing with Jackie’s hair, hoping to distract them both.

Jackie flicked her eyes to Shauna’s arm and away, her breath hitching. “T-the uh, noise and l-look on your face.”

“I’m not sure. I can’t see my face.” Shauna shrugged, avoiding her eyes.

Jackie scoffed, already back to normal. “Don’t treat me like an idiot, Shipman.”

“I’m not,” Shauna mumbled, twirling a lock of Jackie’s silky hair around her finger, letting it fall free, then restarting.

Jackie huffed, glancing at her arm again. “Why are you doing that?” she snapped.

“It’s making me feel better,” Shauna muttered. She stilled, realizing she’d admitted that aloud. The stress really was getting to her.

Jackie’s lips parted, then after a beat they pressed closed, and she swallowed hard, throat bobbing up and down. “You can keep doing it then.”

Shauna was going to keep doing it so she didn’t start ripping off limbs regardless, but it was always nice to get permission.

Suddenly, Jackie looked thoughtful, her game face on. “If we leave now, we can get back before X-Files starts.”

Rolling her eyes, Shauna tugged on Jackie’s hair, annoyed with her inability to let anything go. A startled squeak flew from Jackie’s lips.

Shauna froze. Something about the noise got to her. She didn’t know why. It just sounded like… prey. She wanted Jackie to let her try catching her, but that would mean letting go, and Shauna refused.

She noticed Jackie’s blood pumping faster again and couldn’t resist inching closer. “I’m not going home,” she murmured, mesmerized. She was fine. She just needed… something…

“Shipman?” Jackie whispered, pressing further back into the wall.

Shauna leaned her head down and felt something pop in her mouth. She parted her lips, wanting to give whatever that was more room, but that might’ve been a bad idea—now she could taste Jackie on the air. She was citrusy, like oranges. A sweet taste that hid sourness at the end.

It was too much.

She closed the distance, widened her mouth, and sank her teeth into Jackie’s throat.

A loud, startled moan rang out. Shauna couldn’t tell who it came from—her, Jackie, both. It wasn’t important. Only the ambrosia filling her mouth mattered.

It hit her tongue and—

Relief, decadence, ownership, Jackie.

The body in her arms—Jackie, this was Jackie—leaned her head further to the side. Shauna made a pleased noise, rubbing her back with slow, soothing strokes, rewarding her for submitting.

She sucked and sucked and sucked. The best thing she’d ever tasted on her tongue. The greatest smell in her nose. The most amazing body against her own.

Nothing could ever compare to this feeling. This moment. This experience. Anyone who argued would get their heads ripped off for disrespecting it.

She wasn’t sure how long it took before she came back to herself, but it was a slow process. Her first register was that the moans came from Jackie, and that they were painfully desperate. The second was that Jackie’s arms clutched her close—one wrapping around her head and the other her back. Then the rest came back all at once, but the only thing she cared about was how much Jackie tried to squirm closer.

“Shauna?” Jackie whimpered repeatedly between her moans.

Shauna groaned, needing Jackie to only say her name like that from now on. She bit down a little harder, clutched her a little closer, drank a little faster.

She realized there was a last thing she missed. Shauna was making that noise again. The growl. It rolled out of her lips like a red carpet welcoming Jackie’s redder blood.

She slid her hand down to Jackie’s ass, hoping to push her forward so she could stop squirming and start grinding.

A loud BANG slammed against the bathroom door. Shauna ripped herself backward, wide eyes locking on the wood. Images of Jeff tearing Jackie away flashed through her mind. She pulled her lips back from her teeth, growling louder, ready to eviscerate anyone who got between them.

Whimpering echoed in the bathroom, and she whipped her head back to Jackie. She was clutching her neck, tears dripping down her face. She stared at Shauna with wide, pleading eyes, her body trembling. Another sharp cry rang out, and Shauna lunged forward. She wrapped Jackie in her arms, shushing her, rocking her back and forth, relief washing through her when Jackie instantly clung back.

“Oh!” a drunk guy chuckled on the other side of the door. “My bad, dude. I’ll find another.”

Shauna snarled, arms loosening to go fucking kill him for interrupting them, but Jackie held her tighter.

“Shauna, it really hurts,” Jackie whined. “It didn’t hurt when you were doing it. Why does it hurt?”

It didn’t hurt when…

She darted her head down, forcing Jackie back, mouth over the wound, keeping her teeth hidden.

Jackie cried out, then instantly slumped, sighing in relief. Shauna pressed her against the wall and was aware enough to enjoy Jackie’s moans this time. She made small, encouraging sounds as she fed—sucking lightly, keeping her tongue slow and steady. Jackie’s fists tightened in the back of her flannel with every quiet murmur, her own soft sighs falling from her lips. Finally, Shauna closed her eyes, feeling comfortable for the first time in three days.

Was Shauna just going to live the next couple of weeks with her lips over Jackie’s neck until it healed?

…at least Jackie would always be close. Unable to escape.

Her thoughts cut off as she noticed the blood flow decrease, and decrease until it finally stopped entirely. She furrowed her brow, and considered tearing Jackie open again, but stopped herself, knowing instinctively any more would be too much. Instead, she licked away the last of the blood, eyes widening at feeling soft, smooth skin.

No marks? She groaned, stealing a few more seconds against Jackie before forcing herself to pull away.

But then she paused, realizing it didn’t matter that she hadn’t stamped herself on Jackie’s skin. She still had part of Jackie inside. It was hers, hers, hers. No one else’s. Not even Jackie anymore. Only Shauna’s. And even if she could, she wouldn’t give it back.

“What was that?” Jackie whispered, slumping into her, sounding exhausted.

Shauna pulled back, examining her face. She looked barely there. Eyes half-lidded, lips parted, body waving back and forth like a white flag trying to surrender.

She glanced at Jackie’s neck—clean of everything but Shauna’s spit.

Cradling her cheek, Shauna whispered, “You drank too much and got sick. I came in here to do best-friend duty and hold back your hair.”

Jackie’s eyes looked blearier than ever. “Oh… okay,” she said, leaning into her palm. “Thanks, Shipman.”

Shauna smiled, draping Jackie’s arm over her shoulder and helping her out of the bathroom. She didn’t look for Jeff to tell him they were leaving, only carried Jackie to her car, and carefully put her inside. Then she crouched in the open passenger doorway, tucking Jackie’s hair behind her ear and giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead—more soft affection for Jackie than ever blooming in her chest.

Jackie didn’t need to know what Shauna had become. Didn’t need to know how fucked up her urges were getting—what urges she gave into. Especially since Shauna knew she wouldn’t ever be able to wash the taste of her away. Even now she wanted more. She wanted to drown in it.

But that’d mean losing Jackie.

Shauna glanced back at the house, studying the various moving bodies in the windows. Not half as good as Jackie, but necessary.

She’d drive Jackie home, tuck her in, and come back. Afterward, she’d hopefully be full so they could cuddle.

Only Jackie made her this feral—but somewhere around the second or third pull of her blood, Shauna realized she could never part from her now.

Jackie was hers, after all.

She even had a piece of her inside to prove it.

Chapter Text

No one ever asked the right questions about death. It was always: what happens next? Will it hurt? Am I going to hell?

Those mean nothing. Here are the questions that really matter: 

“Will I be hungry?”

“How will I feel?”

“How high does the SPF of your sunscreen need to be?”

Well, after a month of being undead, Shauna could answer those easily:

Constantly. Hungry. 100 SPF.

Shauna nipped Jackie’s lip, sucking the blood spilling out with a groan.

Jackie’s breath hitched. She lay back on her bed, squeezing Shauna’s hips tighter, but then faltered, drawing her head away. “J-Jeff doesn’t bite, Shipman. Th-this isn’t helpful for, um, practice.”

Shauna sneered, raising herself up on her arms, ignoring Jackie’s whine.

Every day, she considered just cornering Jeff and draining him dry. It wouldn’t be hard to get him alone. One promise of another quick fuck and he’d come running. 

But she didn’t need him anymore. Didn’t need to throw herself to such low depths. She was better now. More evolved. And with that evolution, she had more options on how to handle Jackie and her fucking bullshit.

She stared down at her for a moment. Jackie lay below her, flushed, lips red and shiny with spit and a drop of blood. Her eyes were half closed, the lust in them getting more obvious by the day—especially with Shauna’s new tricks. 

“Do you like it when I bite you, Jackie?” Shauna whispered, stroking her cheek. “Be honest.”

Jackie’s eyes glazed over. “I’m not sure…”

Shauna swallowed, making herself not just demand Jackie do it already. This was her compromise with herself. She’d ask Jackie what she wanted, force her to be honest, but not force her to do what she didn’t actually want. That was okay, right? 

(Why did it even matter? Shauna should be able to do whatever she wants. This was all beneath her now.)

Shaking her head roughly, she forced out those thoughts and continued getting Jackie to stop being an annoying brat. 

She used her thumb to rub the apple of Jackie’s cheek, smiling when Jackie leaned into her hand. “You can remember all the other bites to help you decide if you want another.”

Shauna thought over them too. In the backseat of her car with Jackie in her lap. Between periods behind the gym. In the empty locker room after school. In both their bedrooms. 

A low whine fell from Jackie’s lips, pulling her out of her thoughts. She watched her face redden further while her eyes became even more glazed over. “Yes, yes, please bite me again, Shauna,” she begged, nodding rapidly.

Shauna grinned toothily, that now familiar popping sensation happening when her new razor-sharp canines seemed to magically appear. 

Jackie groaned, giving her the same look she always did when Shauna’s fangs popped—like she wanted Shauna to consume her whole.

Well, who was Shauna to deny her?

She leaned in, sinking her teeth into Jackie’s throat, both of them moaning together.

She sucked, eyes rolling back at her favorite tangy taste. But she needed to be careful and not get too crazy. Jackie was just the snack she couldn’t live without—she’d need to go elsewhere to actually get full.

Jackie began squirming under her, and she maneuvered her thigh between Jackie’s, lowering it for her to rut against as much as she wanted. 

The only person her spit affected this way was Jackie. Everyone else she bit would just stay calm and quiet. But Jackie was also the only one she didn’t leave drained and dead—too impatient to be careful.

The moans in the room got louder, and Shauna forced herself to focus on what was more important—Jackie jerking her hips against her leg. 

Shauna sunk into it all—humming at the sound, the taste, the feeling. She unlatched her teeth, licking up the side of Jackie’s neck, then planted a hard kiss against her mouth, uncaring how much blood was getting smeared against her lips.

Only a beat passed before she bent lower again, reattaching her mouth before the bite could hurt her. She wove her fingers through strands of Jackie’s hair, just wanting to feel it, to touch it—loving its texture and the knowledge it was Jackie’s.

Not long afterward, the instinct telling her she was going to take too much soon made her unlatch her teeth. She circled her tongue around the leaking bite, happily licking up the last of the blood as she waited for it to heal. 

She noticed Jackie’s moans get louder, sharper, more broken. Shauna smirked. Jackie was close. 

She pressed her thigh down, matching Jackie’s thrusts, rubbing back and forth. Jackie whimpered. Her moans turned breathier, shifting into choked gasps. Then she arched, whining, clenching her fists tight in Shauna’s shirt before slumping to the bed with quiet pants.

The wound on her neck finally closed, and Shauna gave her neck a last reverent lick before raising her head, looking down at Jackie’s wrecked face.

Her cheeks had somehow gotten redder. A drop of drool had dragged down to her chin. Her eyes were barely open. 

Beautiful.

Shauna leaned down and licked the drop of drool away, making a pleased noise at how sweetly it went with her blood. 

Jackie mumbled, “Shauna,” sounding half-asleep.

“Can’t sleep yet, Jax,” Shauna whispered, cupping her cheek. “Eyes up.”

Jackie blinked a few times, but then finally met Shauna’s gaze. 

“You can remember grinding on me, but you’re gonna forget about me drinking your blood, okay?” Shauna said gently.

Jackie blinked a few times, her face shifting, that same bit of confusion as always hitting her when she remembered she got off on Shauna without the effect of the bite breaking through her thin veneer of control.

Shauna smiled down at her, as if she didn’t notice how lost Jackie looked. Before this, their practice kisses were as far as they went. It used to hurt for reasons she didn’t understand—kissing Jackie and then watching her be with Jeff the next day like it was nothing. 

She got it now, though. Jackie was hers. Shauna never saw it before, but now that she was more, she understood the world so much better and wasn’t afraid of taking what she wanted. Nothing Jackie could do to her would ever matter again, not when she could do so much worse in return.

Besides, this wasn’t the first time Jackie had come against her thigh, and she’d make sure it wasn’t the last. She still hadn’t gone that far herself, though. It felt… wrong in a way that the opposite didn’t.

Jackie swallowed, eyes darting frantically around Shauna’s face, and Shauna shoved her thoughts away to calm her down.

“Jackie, can you be honest and tell me how long you’ve wanted to do that with me again?” Shauna murmured soothingly, even as she was tense, needing to hear it too. 

“Years,” Jackie breathed.

Shauna’s chest loosened, the small pockets of guilt vanishing. She always needed to be reminded that Jackie had wanted this for years. That it wasn’t the bite making her do it—it was just making her bold enough not to hold back.

Why couldn’t Jackie do it without the bite giving her an extra push, though?

Shauna gritted her teeth, shoving away the thought, getting herself back on track. 

“We’re just doing what you’ve always wanted and besides…” Shauna hesitated, not wanting to say it. Not wanting to concede. But Jackie kept looking up at her with big watery eyes, so she gave in, like always. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

Jackie frowned, glancing away, her body loosening even as she looked unhappy for some reason.

Shauna was telling her exactly what she wanted to hear, and Jackie still fucking pouted about it.

Sighing, Shauna rolled her eyes, and finally got off of the bed. She was still hungry. She could probably wait, but Jackie had aggravated her again, so she wanted to go bite someone a lot more meanly.

“Where are you going?” Jackie asked with a slight whine in her voice.

Shauna spun back around to see Jackie’s face smooshed into her pillows, looking up at her with a pout. 

“I… uh.” Shauna scratched the back of her head. “You seem upset. I figured you’d want space.”

Jackie blinked rapidly, trying to stave off sleep. She was always exhausted after Shauna fed from her. She hoped Jackie remembered to take the iron supplements Shauna shoved in her hands a few weeks ago.

“No, I-I’m fine, Shipman.” Jackie swallowed, then lifted the blanket. “Come cuddle.”

Shauna stared at the space Jackie wanted her to occupy. Jackie was really just going to pretend nothing happened and move on? She scowled, irritation flaring at how typical that was. Why was Jackie always so difficult?

Well, it didn’t matter anyway. Fuck her. She wasn’t doing this with her today.

“I want you to hold me, Shipman,” Jackie said sharply, then spun around, putting her back to Shauna. “Now.”

Shauna glowered at the back of her head, urging herself to leave like she planned, to fight her on this. 

Growling under her breath, Shauna stomped over to the bed and slammed herself down next to Jackie. She pulled Jackie close, holding her too tight, an inhuman snarl rumbling in her chest. She hoped it freaked Jackie out. Made it impossible to sleep from fear.

Jackie scooted back into Shauna, sinking into her. 

The growl shifted without her permission, becoming a rolling purr, and Jackie sighed happily, gripping Shauna’s arms tighter.

Goddammit.

At school the next day, Shauna leaned against the locker next to Jackie’s, staring at her unabashedly while she ranted about… something.

“—then, Mrs. Hartman said we were all going to fail if one more person didn’t do their homework.” Jackie painted her lip gloss on in the mirror and popped her lips. “Can you believe that, Shipman? That can’t be allowed, right?”

Shauna zeroed in on her lips, studying the way they shone and stood out even more with the strawberry lip gloss covering them. 

They twitched up into a smirk mid-stare. “You listening, Shipman?” Jackie asked. “You seem distracted by something.”

Shauna blinked, forcing herself to stop looking. “I doubt Mrs. Hartman can do that, but if she does, just let me know and I’ll fix it.”

Jackie paused, furrowing her brow. “Fix it? What do you mean?”

“I’ll kill her for you, obviously.” Shauna smiled, shrugging.

The declaration landed awkwardly between them. Jackie’s eyes flicked over her face. Shauna made her smile widen, forcing it to convey innocence and fun.

Swallowing, Jackie stowed her gloss back into her locker. “Right,” she said, laughing uncomfortably. “Weird joke, Shauna.”

With a shrug, Shauna glanced along the hall, studying the people nearby. Maybe she should go visit Mrs. Hartman anyway. She could just tell her to stop being a bitch and do her job better instead.

“…I swear Jackie never shuts the fuck up. She’s so annoying.”

Shauna looked down the hall, watching Liz whine to her friend. 

“I don’t know, she’s not too bad,” her friend muttered, putting some books into her locker. 

“Did you know she spent all of last period talking about Shauna? She doesn’t even mention Jeff half as much.”

“Okay…” her friend said, her hands slowing.

“And I’m not just saying this because Jeff’s the hottest guy at school!” Liz said. “But also because like, what if Jackie really was—” Liz’s voice lowered to a whisper “—a dyke?”

Her friend flinched. “Jesus, Liz. You can’t just say stuff like that.”

Shauna straightened, already feeling the vibrations in her chest from her growl. She stepped toward Liz, but didn’t make it far before Jackie caught her hand. 

“Where are you going?” Jackie asked, frowning. 

She flicked her eyes to Shauna’s rumbling chest, then glanced at the people turning to stare nearby. Jackie hesitated, then lifted her hand, putting her palm over Shauna’s sternum.

“I-I still don’t understand what that is,” Jackie whispered, “but people don’t like it, can you please stop…”

Shauna blinked, her growl cutting off. Jackie had been getting less afraid of her noises, but this was definitely new.

“Jesus, Carla, just look at them,” Liz hissed. “I had gym with Jackie in sophomore year. Do you think she peeked in the locker room?”

Carla sighed.

Shauna squeezed Jackie’s hand, smiling, catching her eyes. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Jackie breathed, dazed.

Shauna spun around, stomping down the hall. Carla caught her eye over Liz’s shoulder, and panic etched onto her face. 

“The least she could do is dump poor Jeff if she wanted to go be a lesbo with her best friend so bad,” Liz scoffed.

Shauna stopped beside them. Carla stared at her warily, while Liz froze, looking like she’d swallowed a lemon.

“Oh…” Liz trailed off. “Um, hey, Shauna.” She picked at her shirt, shifting back and forth on her feet.

Grinning, Shauna caught Carla’s eye. “Forget everything Liz said, go to class, and make sure you have a good day, okay?”

Carla blinked rapidly, then her face calmed, and she nodded. “Okay, see you later, Shauna.”

“C-Carla?” Liz croaked, stepping forward like she was going to follow. 

Shauna caught her wrist, careful not to squeeze too hard—she could tear her apart like tissue paper if she forgot herself.

The tremor running through Liz’s arm made her grin widen.

This was so much fun. 

In the locker room that afternoon, everyone was more subdued than usual. Well, almost everyone. 

Shauna hummed to herself, pulling her hair up, and checking that the stupid long sleeves under her practice shirt and the leggings under her shorts were covering her all the way.

“Jax,” Shauna asked, grabbing her sunscreen. “Can you get my face?”

Jackie raised her brow, staring at the sunscreen for a moment, but then shrugged and took it from her. “Sure,” she muttered. “I’m not sure why you’re suddenly so obsessed with it though.”

“Skin cancer is dangerous, Jackie.” When Jackie still looked dubious, Shauna sighed and added, “I read it would help prevent wrinkles when we got older.”

Jackie paused, staring down at the bottle thoughtfully. “Can I—”

“Yes, you can use some. Will you hurry up?” Shauna groaned.

“Bossy,” Jackie mumbled, squirting some on her fingers before bringing her hand to Shauna’s face. 

Jackie’s face smoothed out, looking like she was in a trance as she ran her fingertips down Shauna’s cheek. She moved over to her other cheek, then her forehead and nose—every touch electric and slow and sweet. 

Shauna didn’t pretend she wasn’t gazing at Jackie the whole time, but Jackie didn’t comment, only gently rubbed the sunblock into her skin.

“I can’t believe we’re all just gonna go on like everything is normal,” Tai scoffed, watching them with furrowed brows.

Jackie snapped her hand down. She cleared her throat, then looked into her locker. “What is canceling practice gonna do, Tai—make Liz suddenly not crazy?”

“I’m surprised they didn’t just cancel the school day entirely,” Van said thoughtfully.

“Who cares if Liz had a breakdown?” Jackie said, waving her hand in the air—but she couldn’t quite hide the way it shook, or how she glanced at Shauna before looking into her locker again.

Shauna tilted her head, staring for a beat before letting it go.

“Jackie, she took her shoes off and started walking in circles in the quad until her feet started bleeding,” Natalie said, slamming the door of her locker closed. “That’s not a breakdown, that’s fucking insane.”

“Which is what a breakdown is,” Jackie muttered irritably, closing her locker.

Shauna avoided everyone’s eyes, trying not to laugh. She’d told Liz to keep walking until her feet were worn down to the bone, but a teacher finally worked up the nerve to grab her and carry her away when they saw the blood. Unfortunate, but still hilarious, so it’d have to do.

“I think we should pray for Liz,” Laura Lee said.

Jackie stayed silent, still frowning at nothing, but the others glanced at each other, actually seeming to consider the suggestion for once. Liz’s punishment must have really gotten to them if they were considering prayer.

“I think Liz was a cunt who got what she deserved,” Shauna snarled, canines aching to pop.

That hit the locker room like a bomb, all of them staring, shell-shocked. 

Fuck. Too much. She really needed to learn some self-control.

…actually, why should she? They were all looking at her anyway. No use being careful when it was so easy to make right.

“Forget I said that.” She rolled her eyes. “But we’re not fucking praying for her.”

The other Yellowjackets blinked, then shook their heads.

“I don’t know if prayer is the best idea right now, Laura Lee,” Van said flatly. 

The other girls nodded instantly, and Laura Lee frowned, but followed their lead, agreeing with a sigh.

Shauna glanced at Jackie to see her watching her thoughtfully. 

“What’s wrong?”

Jackie came out of her thoughts. She smiled, but it looked a little awkward, a little off. “Yeah, sorry, just…”

“Just?” Shauna echoed, worry spiking in her gut. 

“Just a weird feeling.” Jackie’s smile became more real. “Don’t worry about it.” She shoved the bottle of sunscreen at Shauna. “Now do me.”

Van snorted from her locker across from theirs. She nudged Tai, who rolled her eyes, but looked just as amused. 

Glowering, Shauna stepped toward them, about to tell them both to go run into a wall headfirst. 

Jackie gripped her chin tight, jerking her head away from Tai and Van so she was looking back at her. She gave Shauna a look. It was just like the ones she’d give Shauna when she got too aggressive on the field. 

It said: be good.

Shauna was so confused, she didn’t even get upset when Jackie pointedly looked at the bottle again, silently demanding Shauna do what she wanted. She mechanically opened it and brought a dollop to Jackie’s face, trying to understand where Jackie’s head was at, but for once, Jackie wasn’t giving anything away. She only quietly looked back, face set in stone.

But when Shauna’s fingers drifted down to rub sunscreen into her neck, Jackie stilled. Her eyes went half-lidded, tongue darting out to lick her bottom lip. Then she blinked, brow furrowing as she glanced around in confusion.

Shauna pressed harder, curious to see what she’d do. “You sure you’re alright, Jax?”

“Mhm,” Jackie hummed, the noise just shy of inappropriate as she leaned into Shauna’s fingers. “I think I’m just tired. I haven’t been sleeping very well.”

“Oh.” Shauna frowned, thinking back to their sleepovers. Jackie had always passed out and slept through the night fine. Had she somehow missed something?

Whatever. It didn’t matter. She’d salvage it. 

“You’re gonna have good dreams tonight and wake up feeling refreshed.”

Jackie nodded and asked, “Can you get my ears too?”

“You think your ears are going to wrinkle?” Shauna snorted.

“No.” Jackie pouted. “You know they burn, and if I’m going to wear sunblock anyway…”

Shauna sighed, gripping Jackie’s chin and pulling her closer. “Yeah, I’ll get your ears, Jax.”

“What the hell are they doing now?” Natalie whispered.

Shauna glanced up, watching her and Van walking toward the exit together.

“They’re putting sunscreen on each other,” Van said, her voice pitched up and overly sweet.

“Jesus Christ,” Natalie groaned.

“Aw, I’m sure Misty would love to come help you put some on if you wanted,” Van said, making kissing noises. 

“Ugh, will you shut up?” Natalie sighed.

Shauna tuned them out, turning her attention back to Jackie, caressing the side of her ear more than necessary while she rubbed the lotion in.

A soft sigh escaped Jackie’s lips, and Shauna slowed. She glanced at the last few stragglers—Lottie and Laura Lee. 

“Hey, guys,” she said. They both looked at her. “Leave.”

Their lockers slammed closed. They marched toward the exit.

“What?” Jackie mumbled, staring at them. “Why are they—”

“They left a few minutes ago.”

“Oh.” Jackie nodded, her face clearing. “That makes sense.”

Without hesitation, Shauna tugged her in, kissing her like she’d been thinking about. 

Jackie flinched and made a questioning noise against her lips. But her confusion didn’t last long. She quickly relaxed, leaning into her too, easily following her rhythm with a drawn-out moan.

Shauna waited until Jackie’s heartbeat was sufficiently fast before pulling away. 

“Thanks,” she said, studying her. It was only one kiss, but already Jackie looked dazed.

Shauna linked their hands, pulling Jackie toward the exit, her lips splitting into a grin. 

Jackie kissed her back at school without Shauna using compulsion to force her or a bite. She would’ve danced if she wasn’t worried about Jackie making fun of her.

Whatever good mood she’d been in had vanished.

Shauna jogged next to Lottie on the track, scowling at Jackie running next to Natalie. Coach wanted a mile out of them, and Shauna had to be careful not to lap people with her new speed. It was easier just to match someone else’s pace. 

Usually that’d be Jackie, but for some reason, she’d moved away from her to speak with Natalie instead.

“Hey, um, Natalie,” Jackie said. “Can I ask you something?”

“What?” Natalie asked suspiciously.

“It’s just, I don’t really know anyone else who has, uh, experience with guys, and who I know will keep it to themselves.” Jackie paused, then sputtered, “Y’know what, I can figure it out! Never mind!”

Jackie began to slow, so she fell behind Natalie, and Natalie caught her wrist with an annoyed huff.

A rumble started in Shauna’s throat. Natalie had better let go before she lost that damn hand.

She noticed Lottie tilt her head down, looking at her quiet and steady—that stare of hers that always seemed to say she knew something you didn’t. Shauna waited, but Lottie only stayed silent, so she looked away with a furrowed brow, letting it go.

Luckily for Natalie’s left hand, she had let go by the time Shauna turned back to them.

“Jesus, what, Jackie? Just ask already.”

“Do you know why Jeff won’t touch me?” Jackie blurted out.

Natalie stumbled, and she would’ve fallen if Jackie hadn’t caught her arm. 

Shauna clenched her fists. Should’ve just let Natalie fucking fall.

“You could’ve warned me before making me picture you and Sadecki in the bedroom,” Natalie hissed after she straightened again.

“No,” Jackie groaned. “Not in the bedroom. Anywhere. He won’t hug me. He won’t kiss me. He won’t touch me at all. It’s like he thinks I’m infected.”

“Oh,” Natalie said, sounding curious for the first time.

“I mean, it’s not the worst thing, I guess. He’s not nearly as good a kisser as—uh, other people. And he always squeezes too hard during hugs.” Jackie hummed thoughtfully. Shauna’s lips quirked up, knowing who Jackie meant by other people. “Now that I think about it, he kinda smells sometimes, too. But I feel like all the boys do. I wonder what that’s about—”

“Jackie,” Natalie snapped.

Shauna narrowed her eyes at them both. Jackie should only ramble to Shauna, and Natalie should shut the hell up and let Jackie ramble if she wanted to.

“Do you have any idea why? I guess I just wanna know if you think I could’ve done something? Do guys just do this sometimes?” Jackie asked, voice hitching up.

They do when Shauna tells them they’re not allowed to touch Jackie anymore.

“Uh, no,” Natalie said, sounding a little lost.

“I grabbed his arm the other day, and he ran to a trash can to throw up,” Jackie sighed.

Oh yeah, Shauna had forgotten she told him to vomit if he somehow still touched Jackie.

“He what?” Natalie asked, bewildered.

“Yeah,” Jackie muttered. “So, any ideas?”

“No,” Natalie scoffed. “Maybe he’s sick. I don’t know. This just sounds weird.”

Jackie sighed, slowing her jog. “Right, thanks, Natalie.”

Natalie looked over her shoulder at Jackie, frowning. She shook her head and then glanced forward again.

Jackie stopped next to Shauna, matching her pace.

“Nice talking to you,” Lottie said before speeding up to run with Laura Lee instead.

They hadn’t said a word to each other…

“What was that?” Jackie asked, inching closer, glaring at Lottie’s back. 

“What was you and Natalie?” Shauna shot back.

Jackie’s glare faltered. “Um, just…needed some advice about the Jeff thing I told you about.”

“Yeah,” Shauna asked, stifling a smirk. “Did you get any?”

“No, I still don’t understand,” Jackie sighed. “I even tried asking him directly, but he had no clue what I was talking about.” She hesitated, biting her lip. “Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”

Shauna darted her hand out, catching Jackie’s, forcing her to slow to stop. 

Van cursed, dodging around them, barely saving herself from slamming into Shauna.“Who just stops like that?!” she snapped, continuing to run.

A few other stragglers weaved around them, giving them curious looks. Jackie glanced at them all worriedly, then over at Coach Ben, who was turned away, speaking with Misty.

Shauna brought their linked hands up to her eyes, pretending to examine Jackie’s skin. “Nope, seems like a him problem.” She cupped Jackie’s cheek, nudging her head back and forth, making a thoughtful noise. “Still perfect here too.”

Jackie’s cheeks went bright red, and a large smile played on her lips.

Shauna shifted on her feet, mustering all her confidence. “Do you want me to touch anywhere else?” 

Jackie giggled, then shook her head, tugging her forward into a run. “Maybe later.”

Shauna’s grin widened, then fell. Ugh. She needed to go into the city after this to find someone to eat if she was going to feed on Jackie again. She couldn’t take much so soon; she had to make sure she could control herself first.

Why’d they have to live in such a small town? She couldn’t just kill a bunch of people like she wanted—it’d be too noticeable—so now she had to take even more time away from Jackie to do this. So inconvenient.

She supposed she could just eat less from more people and not kill anyone…

No, she liked that part.

Sighing, she glanced at Jackie. “I need to do something for my mom, but I’ll come over after that.”

Jackie pouted, staring at nothing for a moment. Then she sighed, “Fine, but only because it’s for your mom.”

“I wasn’t asking for permission.” Shauna rolled her eyes.

“And yet I gave it anyway,” Jackie said, nodding her head sagely. 

Shauna couldn’t tamp down her affectionate grin, keeping it even as they finished their mile.

They walked over to one of the benches, and Shauna grabbed her bottle before turning toward Jackie. “I’ll be right back. Don’t worry, okay?”

Jackie nodded and drank her water, humming something under her breath. 

Still smiling, Shauna strolled over to the other bench and stopped next to Natalie. 

“Roll your ankle during the scrimmage today.” Shauna tilted her head thoughtfully, then added, “Make sure it hurts.”

“Sure,” Natalie said calmly, taking a sip of water.

Shauna gently slapped her on the shoulder and trekked back to Jackie. Their next game wasn’t for a week, so it should be fine. 

When she made it back, Shauna adjusted her sleeve, scowling at the sky. “It’s really sunny today, huh?” 

“Yeah, it’s a nice day,” Jackie said.

Shauna pursed her lips, but still pressed their shoulders together, wanting to touch Jackie as much as possible before having to go later.

Watch Natalie hurt herself for touching Jackie, eat someone in the city, kiss Jackie and cuddle. 

Except for the commute, it should be a pretty nice rest of the day.

Chapter Text

The sky hung dark and starless above where Shauna stood on a street corner in Newark. Flickering from a dying street lamp nearby kept distracting her, but she forced herself not to draw attention instead of going to smash the bulb like she wanted.

She’d been wandering the area for a few hours already, lucky she couldn’t freeze. But she knew the wait would be worth it. She just needed the right one.

Drunken giggling echoed from down the street, and she straightened, spotting a woman stumbling out of a bar alone.

Shauna stepped closer and got a better view. She was slight, average height, with honey-blonde hair.

If Shauna squinted, she looked just like…

She finally peeled her eyes away, pursing her lips at the way no one followed her out. Who knew what could happen to her if she were left alone like this?

Shauna walked behind her, stalking her stumbling footsteps. The woman continued for a few blocks, and Shauna tensed whenever anyone got near her.

This tableau continued until the woman tripped, her heel breaking in front of an alleyway.

Shauna jerked forward, running to her side before anyone else could, kneeling beside her. Soft cries echoed from drunken lips. Shauna reached up, cradling the woman’s face, wiping away the tears.

“I got you,” she murmured. “Come on. I’ll keep you safe.”

The woman grinned, accepting her hand up.

“Let’s go this way,” Shauna said, smiling softly. She led her down the two-way alley nearby, wanting to get her away from the people who kept getting too close.

“My friends suck,” the woman slurred.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, they j-just ditched me! Can you believe it?” She stumbled, and Shauna tightened her grip so she wouldn’t fall. “You don’t suck, though.” 

Shauna paused, taking her in. Ruined mascara dragged down her face. Pathetic blue eyes stared at Shauna like she was her savior. Lipstick smudged the side of her mouth, wiped off either from the edge of a glass or a sloppy kiss she shared with someone.

Shauna reached up, combing the woman’s hair back from her sticky face, fingers lingering in the soft strands.

“You’re so sweet,” the woman mumbled, drifting toward her.

Close enough.

Shauna grinned, her canines popping into view.

“I’m really not.”

She lunged, covering the woman’s mouth before she could scream.

An hour later, Shauna stood in front of Jackie’s window, knocking lightly on the glass.

Jackie’s face appeared, and she rolled her eyes, opening the window to let Shauna in.

“What’d you have to do for your mom that it took until almost midnight to come here?” Jackie asked, pursing her lips, trailing her eyes over Shauna.

Shauna’s jaw twitched. She could’ve gone home to sleep, but she still came because Jackie asked. The least she could do was act happy to see her.

“Sorry,” Shauna sighed, then she relaxed, images of her pleasant night flicking behind her eyes. She caught a lock of Jackie’s hair in her fingers. “It was hard to find what I needed.”

Jackie squinted, studying her. “But what were you—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shauna stepped closer, tucking the hair between her fingers behind Jackie’s ear. “I’m here now, right?”

Jackie’s face stilled, then she nodded, grinning. “Right.” She glanced back at the clock, practically bouncing on her toes. “I can’t believe you really drove here and climbed up to my window even though it’s so late.”

So Jackie was excited to see her and had just been worried about what was taking so long?

Shauna softened, stepping forward to tug Jackie into a hug. A surprised noise fell from Jackie’s lips, but she didn’t hesitate to hug Shauna back.

“Do you wanna do something?” Shauna murmured, rubbing her back. “I’ll watch a movie or something, if you want.”

Jackie sank even deeper into her. “Can we just sleep? I’m always so tired lately.”

Frowning, Shauna stilled. “Have you been taking the iron supplements I gave you?”

“Yes,” Jackie groaned. “Though I don’t know why I have to take them.”

“Can you just do it for me, please?” Shauna asked, rolling her eyes.

She was really trying not to force Jackie to do everything—especially small things—but sometimes she made it so hard.

“Fine,” Jackie grumbled. “I’ll keep taking them.”

Shauna pulled back, cupping Jackie’s cheeks and examining the shadows under her eyes. Jackie really did look so tired. Shauna closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the air, coveting her favorite citrusy scent. She’d been planning to take some more tonight, but…

She reopened her eyes, watching as Jackie could barely keep her own from drifting shut. Leaning forward, Shauna kissed Jackie’s forehead. Then she bent down, picking Jackie up from under the thighs.

“Shauna!” Jackie sputtered, gripping her shoulders.

“You look like you’re about to fall over.”

Jackie groaned before glancing down at her curiously. “Have you been working out?”

Shauna snorted, carefully placing Jackie down on the bed. “I’m gonna change. I’ll be right back.”

“Fine, don’t tell me,” Jackie said, dramatically flopping onto her back. “I’ll wait for you to get back, I guess.”

A few minutes later, Shauna pulled an out-cold Jackie back into her chest, burying her face in her hair.

The next morning, they walked into the dining room to the sight of Jackie’s parents already sitting at the table, breakfast ready and stacked on top. 

“Oh, hello, Shauna,” Marilyn Taylor, Jackie’s mother, said. “I didn’t realize you were having a sleepover last night.” Her tone was airy and dismissive, as if she were already finished with the conversation midway through.

Shauna smiled thinly, sitting down next to Jackie. She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. Jackie looked tense, her movements jerky and stiff, her chin lower than it ever was outside of her house.

The sight made her jaw tighten. Made her skin feel stretched and blazing, like her aggravation was trying to escape her body to attack everyone making Jackie feel this way. 

“Shauna got here kind of late. I didn’t want to wake you,” Jackie said, pushing the fork on her napkin back and forth between her fingers. 

“You know I wouldn’t have minded if it were Shauna,” Richard Taylor said, smiling from over his newspaper like a seasoned politician with low approval ratings.

Jackie nodded, glancing at Shauna before rolling her eyes. “Of course, dad. I’ll keep that in mind for next time…”

They both knew if Jackie woke her parents up for Shauna, she’d get the scolding of a lifetime.

Shauna squeezed Jackie’s knee, then reached forward to fill her plate with some eggs and bacon while Jackie did the same.

“Bacon, Jackie?” Marilyn asked, lowering her spoon filled with grapefruit. “Do you really think you need that?” She raised her brow, pointed.

Jackie sighed, her shoulders slumping. She began putting the bacon back onto the serving tray, but Shauna caught her wrist. Jackie looked up at her in surprise.

“Stay calm and eat your bacon, Jax,” Shauna said, making her voice gentle even though it wouldn’t matter either way.

Jackie paused, staring at her. It lasted a beat longer than usual, that one second before the command usually took hold becoming two instead. But then she smiled—soft and shy—and happily took a bite of her bacon.

Richard glanced up with a large frown.

“Go upstairs. Forget this.” Shauna said, putting an arm around Jackie’s seat and playing idly with her hair.

His chair rattled the table as he tucked it in.

“Richard, where are you going?” Marilyn asked, darting her eyes around in confusion. “Shauna, who exactly do you think you are?!”

Shauna raised a finger to her lips. “Shh.”

Marilyn’s mouth snapped shut.

“Jackie,” Shauna said, tugging playfully on her ear, “do you want any more bacon?”

“Hm.” Jackie frowned thoughtfully, then nodded and took another piece.

Smiling, Shauna kissed her cheek and lingered, nuzzling the skin with a soft, content sigh. Then she looked back at a still-mute Marilyn.

“Eat everything on the table. Don’t stop until you vomit.”

Marilyn took a handful of scrambled eggs. Some of the yellow mush squeezed out between her fingers, falling to the table. She stuffed what was left into her mouth. Before she could even chew, her other hand pushed in a fistful of sausage. A choking sound escaped her—Marilyn was having trouble getting so much down at once. 

Shauna smiled, tilting her head, wondering if Marilyn would die like this—taken out by the thing she was always such a bitch about. Would the EMT who came cringe with disgust when they saw her? Would Marilyn get embarrassed by it even while burning in hell?

Unfortunately, Marilyn got the food down a moment later. 

Shauna pouted. She really thought that would be it for her.

Marilyn reached for more food, continuing under Shauna’s amused eye, food and grease already all over her face and clothes, looking more toddler than woman.

“Um.” Jackie stiffened. “Wait, d-don’t do that!” She flicked her eyes around, landing on Marilyn eating like a glutton before turning her head away, squeezing her eyes shut. “Shauna, what—I don’t understand—”

Didn’t Shauna tell her to keep calm? Maybe seeing something happen to her mom was too much for her compulsion to handle? Or was it too vague?

Jackie clutched Shauna’s arm, digging her nails in. “Help her. Please, I-I’m scared,” she said, her eyes getting large and teary.

Shauna opened her mouth, the command for Jackie to go watch Beaches and relax on her tongue. A tear fell from Jackie’s eye, dripping down her cheek.

“Alright, stop,” Shauna sighed, putting her hand up. Marilyn let go of a fistful of toast, sitting frozen. “Forget this happened and go clean yourself up.” Marilyn rose from her chair robotically. “And tell Jackie everything you love about her later,” she snapped, aggravated that she couldn’t punish her for real.

“I don’t understand,” Jackie sobbed. “Why did she listen? Wh-what’s happening?”

Shauna raised her hand, ignoring Jackie’s flinch to caress her cheek. “Relax,” she whispered. Jackie slumped, her loud heartbeat calming. “Breakfast was fine. No one talked, and you were happy when your mother didn’t say anything about you eating your bacon.”

“Oh…” Jackie nodded. “That makes sense.”

Shauna lingered on the tears drying on Jackie’s cheeks. “Do you want to watch Beaches? I’ll even hold you.”

Jackie smiled, standing from her seat. “Yeah, okay,” she muttered.

Shauna stood up and grabbed Jackie’s hand, leading her to the living room. She made a mental note as they went: Jackie’s parents were off-limits. Too risky.

The rest of their Saturday passed without incident. Jackie’s parents left them alone, and Shauna didn’t even complain when Jackie fell asleep on her chest ten minutes into Beaches. Even Jackie waking up a few hours later and pouting her way into Shauna agreeing to a party didn’t upset her—too happy to see how much more energy Jackie had after her nap.

Now, they were at Lottie’s and Jackie opened the door to her house—mansion, really—the music blasting inside getting even louder. The house was already full, and only a few of the people inside were ones Shauna recognized. 

So many people packed up tight, all of them smelling like a meal that Shauna wished to sink her teeth into. Instead, she scowled and caught Jackie’s hand, inching closer to her so she could be her barrier. 

Jackie glanced back, giving her a curious glance. Whatever she saw had her shifting her hand in Shauna’s grip, linking their fingers more tightly, and tugging her closer. 

“I think we both could use a drink,” Jackie said, leading Shauna to the kitchen before she could say if she even wanted one. 

They maneuvered around the sweating, mouthwatering blood bags—humans, people, students, whatever—easily getting to the kitchen, knowing where it was from past visits. 

“Hey, guys.” Jackie grinned, squeezing into the room, hand still linked tight with Shauna’s.

They made their way over to Tai, Van, and Lottie, who were chatting at the counter.

“Hey,” Van said, and glanced behind them, nudging Tai. “No Jeff?”

Lottie stayed silent, but took a sip of beer, raising her brow over the top.

Jackie stilled, then smiled, but it frayed at the edges. “Mm, I’m not sure if he’s coming, actually. I… forgot to ask.”

“Wow!” Van said, grinning, a shit stirrer as always. “Are you sure you’re still even dating?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jackie asked tightly, unconsciously gripping Shauna’s hand even tighter.

“It means,” Tai interrupted, “Van has had too many and is being annoying.” She tugged Van’s arm. “Let’s go sit down, c’mon.”

Shauna watched them leave, frowning.

As soon as they passed the threshold, she heard Tai hiss, “Stop doing that.”

“What?” Van snickered. “It’s not like Jackie would ever let anything happen between them, anyway.”

Tai sighed, and Shauna tuned them out again.

“…no, but have you seen their spring collection?” Lottie asked excitedly.

Jackie’s eyes widened. “Yes,” she gasped. “I loved the colors. I’m so sick of pastels for spring.”

“I know!” Lottie nodded rapidly.

Shauna smiled tightly at them both, grazing across Jackie’s back with her fingers. “I’m gonna go find…” she hesitated, trying to think of someone so she could get away from this discussion. “Natalie… to, um, ask about her ankle. You have fun.”

“Oh, do you want me to come with?” Jackie asked, leaning toward Shauna like there were forgotten magnets in their pockets.

“No.” Shauna rubbed her back soothingly again. “Stay with Lottie and keep talking about, uh, clothes.”

Jackie bit her lip, but finally nodded, and Shauna made her escape. She’d been so bored, she couldn’t even muster up the energy to be jealous that Jackie was talking to someone else. 

Glancing around, she tried to figure out what to do. She really didn’t have many people to talk to outside of Jackie. Sure, she could probably find a Yellowjacket, but Natalie was still on her shit list, Van was being annoying, so Tai was also out, Lottie was busy, and she couldn’t think of anyone else worth stomaching right now.

She weaved around a group speaking loudly in the hall and turned into the living room. A body slammed into hers, stumbling back, yelping, and spilling their beer on themself.

Looking up, she eyed the pink hat, then glanced down at the girl staring back with panic on her face.

“Oh my god!” the girl sputtered, reaching out. “I-I’m so sorry, Shauna. Did I get any beer on you?” She gripped Shauna’s shirt, leaning down to study the fabric. “I can get it uh—dry cleaned! That’s what you do, right? I can do that!”

Still bent at a ninety-degree angle, the girl looked up at her with wide, frightened blue eyes.

This was… so weird. What the hell?

Someone snatched the shirt from the girl’s grip and curled into Shauna’s side, wrapping their arms around her waist.

“Hey, Shipman,” Jackie whispered into her ear, chin digging into her shoulder. She glanced at the girl, tightening her grip around Shauna. “Melissa, what are you doing?”

Melissa jerked upward, waving her hands around. “I-I thought I spilled beer on Shauna. I didn’t mean to—uh.”

Jackie pursed her lips, dragging her hand back and forth on Shauna’s shirt over her stomach. “Seems dry to me. Don’t worry about it.”

Melissa watched Jackie’s hand closely, her cheeks turning bright red. “R-right. S-sorry, Jackie.” She spun around, escaping without another word.

Shauna stared at the space Melissa had vacated, frowning. “Who was that? She looked kinda familiar.”

“She should,” Jackie snorted, her arms loosening. “That’s Melissa. She’s on JV.”

“Like, our JV?” Shauna blinked, trying to remember her, but it wasn’t coming to her.

“Yes,” Jackie snickered, “our JV.”

After a few moments of Shauna furrowing her brows in thought, Jackie shook her head. She let go of Shauna’s waist and grabbed her hand, leading her toward the over-packed living room. 

Jackie frowned as they walked into the room. “How are all the couches taken?”

Without hesitation, Shauna nudged a couple making out on a couch nearby with her foot. They looked up, glaring.

“Move.”

They sprang up, marching away.

“Um…” Jackie mumbled, hesitant.

“What?” Shauna asked, collapsing onto the couch and tugging her down next to her.

“We could’ve sat somewhere else,” Jackie said, frowning in the direction the couple left.

“Why?” Shauna shrugged. “If we wanna sit, we should sit.”

“I mean.” Jackie chuckled, the laugh thin and awkward. “If there’s someone there, we should probably just let it go.”

Jackie wanted to sit. Shauna got her a seat. Why were they still discussing this?

“Since when were you not an entitled brat?” Shauna spat.

Jackie flinched, gaping. Then she snapped her mouth shut and glowered. “The only one acting entitled right now is you.” She shook her head. “You’ve been so weird lately.”

Shauna rolled her eyes. Jesus, enough. 

Gripping Jackie’s chin, Shauna caught her eye. “The couch was empty when we got here. I said you looked pretty tonight.” She examined her, softening. “Which is true. You look beautiful, Jax.”

Jackie blushed, glancing down with a tiny grin. “Thanks, Shipman.”

They sat talking on the couch for a while, talking about people they saw, and Jackie was delighted at Shauna’s ability to tell her things she’d been able to overhear.

Shauna was in the middle of telling a giggling Jackie about the hemorrhoid cream she could smell in Ryan’s pocket when a smash rang out, followed by yelling.

They turned toward the middle of the room and saw two drunken idiots rolling around on the floor with pieces of a shattered vase strewn on the floor a couple of feet away.

Lottie sprinted from around the corner, stopping in the doorway. “Goddammit, Randy!”

She stepped forward, but then leapt back when one of their legs flung out, almost hitting her.

Lottie glared at them, then glanced around, her eyes stopping on Shauna. “Shauna, can you grab him? Please!”

“So they can kick her instead?” Jackie snapped, planting her hand on Shauna’s thigh.

Sighing, Shauna ignored their bickering and stood, letting Jackie’s hand slide away. She easily snatched Randy up by his bicep and threw him to the side with an annoyed huff. The other idiot tried to get up, so Shauna stepped on his chest, only needing to do it for a second before he gave up. Lottie was lucky she found their fighting irritating.

Lottie walked up to her, relief on her face. “Thanks. I knew I should’ve kicked him out when I saw him earlier.” She glared at Randy. “He always breaks something.”

Shauna nodded in acknowledgment. She turned back to the couch only to see Jackie looking up at her with dark eyes, her lips parted, the bottom one shining even brighter after swiping her tongue across it.

Jackie flew to her feet, gripping Shauna’s hand tight. “Okay! Enough excitement for the night,” she said, words streaming out of her mouth quicker than ever.

She marched toward the door, tugging Shauna along. Shauna glanced back at Lottie as if she could help explain what was happening, but all she got was an amused glance and a wave goodbye.

Jackie stared at her the entire way back to Shauna’s house, her eyes flicking over her thoughtfully. Shauna didn’t pretend she couldn’t see it. Instead, she periodically looked back, wanting to see what she’d do. It didn’t change anything, though. Jackie would just tilt her head each time and keep up her obvious stare, a challenge in her eyes. 

The slam of the front door was still ringing out when Jackie stopped and spun around to examine Shauna slowly. “You picked Randy up with one arm.”

Shauna stiffened, staying silent, waiting to see where this was going before she began rewriting Jackie’s thoughts.

Jackie stepped closer, and Shauna let her back hit the door like she knew Jackie wanted. Jackie pressed their bodies together, sandwiching Shauna between herself and the wood.

“You carried me last night, too,” Jackie whispered, a tinge of vodka and cranberries on her breath.

Shauna nodded, leaning her face closer to Jackie’s, staring at her lips.

“Could you carry me to your room now?” Jackie tilted her head, her tone taunting. “Or would the steps be too much for you?”

Growling, Shauna gripped her thighs, yanking her up to wrap her legs around her waist. Jackie giggled, hugging her around the shoulders.

“I’ve decided I like that weird noise you make,” Jackie said, nuzzling into her neck as Shauna started up the steps.

“Yeah?”

“Yep,” Jackie said. “It’s hmm… soothing.” She nodded. “Yeah. Soothing.”

Shauna almost lost her footing and fell down the steps. Her growl was soothing?

“I think you’ve finally lost it, Jax,” she snorted, opening the door to her room, having easily carried Jackie up to the attic.

Jackie pulled back, hands linking behind Shauna’s neck, studying her. “Something weird has been going on lately.”

Shauna blinked, needing a moment to shift to the new topic. “Uh. What?”

“I don’t know what it is. I just know I…” Jackie trailed off, furrowing her brow.

Shauna swallowed, oddly nervous. “You?”

“…I just know I never kept my promise last night,” Jackie said, her tone brightening—but it sounded artificial even as her smile looked completely real.

“Your promise?” Shauna asked, furrowing her brows, having trouble keeping up with Jackie’s thoughts.

Jackie’s eyes crinkled, playfulness shining out. “You wanted to touch somewhere else,” she said teasingly. “I wasn’t sure before, but I think it’s worth it if you tell me how perfect I am some more.”

Shauna laughed, slight disbelief running through her at the pure audacity. She walked forward, Jackie clinging tighter at the movement—as if Shauna would ever drop her. She stopped by the side of her bed, raising her brow challengingly, and Jackie smirked.

With a huff, Shauna climbed onto her bed, continuing even as Jackie wouldn’t let go, hanging onto her like a stubborn monkey. When Jackie’s head hung over her pillows, she lowered them both, draping herself over Jackie’s body, so they shared the same breath.

Before Shauna could do anything, Jackie leaned up, connecting their lips. The noises she made were desperate, and the fingers in Shauna’s hair were harsh, keeping her close. 

Her other hand gripped the edge of Shauna’s flannel, tugging it. “Take this off.”

Without hesitation, Shauna peeled her flannel off and threw it away. Jackie’s hands slid up, caressing her biceps, greedier than ever.

“C-can you do that thing?” Jackie whimpered against her lips, nails digging into her skin.

“What thing?” Shauna mumbled between kisses.

The air stilled, and Jackie slowed, pulling back. “I’m not…” she blinked, looking a little dazed. “I don’t know. I-I can’t remember. I just know I like it.”

Shauna studied her.

…was Jackie talking about her bite? Did Jackie like her bite?

Swallowing, Shauna cradled her cheek. “You can remember all the other bites.” Jackie gasped, panting, squeezing Shauna’s shirt in her fists. “Is that what you mean?” she breathed. “Is that what you want, Jax?”

“Yes,” Jackie whimpered.

Shauna got lucky. Jackie must’ve been too horny to think of the implications of having forgotten in the first place.

She grinned fiendishly, canines popping, and fell forward, chomping into Jackie’s neck. The effect was immediate—Jackie moaned, nails digging into the back of Shauna’s neck, rolling her hips. Shauna lowered her leg to help her, and Jackie ground faster, her hitched breaths getting louder. Shauna took a deeper pull of her blood, sucking faster than she could swallow, getting sticky ichor all over her face. 

Jackie tasted even better while getting off.

After a few minutes, Jackie’s hips got more frantic, more crazed. “Sh-Shauna,” she gasped.

Shauna groaned louder, loving that tone for her name.

“Shauna,” she repeated, tugging her hair.

Jesus, she wasn’t usually this aggressive.

“Shauna!” she yanked her hair so hard her head jerked back.

“Wh-what?” A drop of blood fell onto Jackie’s shirt. “Couldn’t this wait?”

Instead of answering, Jackie glanced over all of Shauna’s face, lingering on her mouth.

Blushing, Shauna raised her arm to wipe off her mouth, embarrassed she drank blood like a messy idiot.

Jackie caught her wrist. “Don’t,” she whispered. “You look…” she licked her lips. “Don’t.”

“Is that what you wanted to tell me?” Shauna muttered.

“No, I uh…” Jackie glanced away, lowering her voice. “Can you touch me more? I-it’s not enough this time.”

Shauna gaped down at her. Does the bite mess with her head that much? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Shauna should say no, right?

Yes. No.

Wait. Duh.

“How long have you wanted me to touch you like that?” Shauna rasped, desperate for the timeframe not to be biting-related.

“Years,” Jackie breathed.

Shauna swallowed, unable to stop herself from asking more. “W-what else have you wanted me to do to you for years?”

“Everything,” Jackie groaned. “I always talk about wanting Jeff, but you’re the only one that I can get off to when I touch myself.”

Shauna stared down at her blankly. All her thoughts had left her head. All her feelings had vacated her body. She’d shut down.

“Shauna?” Jackie murmured hesitantly.

Her brain came screaming back to life like a banshee.

She growled, tearing Jackie’s shorts into pieces.

“Hey! I liked those!”

Shauna latched onto Jackie’s throat, sucking harder than ever. Jackie shouted out a curse, and Shauna scraped her nails down Jackie’s stomach, then easily ripped away her underwear.

“Stop ripping my clothes,” Jackie whined, tilting her hips up, silently begging.

Shauna bit harder, wanting to shake her by the nape like a dog so she’d. Stop. Talking.

But there were better ways to make her stop.

She rolled her thumb over Jackie’s clit. Soft cries sounded from Jackie’s throat, and Shauna gathered more wetness, speeding up, wanting more.

“Shauna,” Jackie gasped, widening her legs. “C-can you—I-I need—”

Shauna slid two fingers into Jackie with a squelch she felt down to her bones. Her cunt was so soft and tight—gripping Shauna’s fingers like it knew that was where she belonged.

Jackie’s blood even tasted better now. All the notes that used to linger popping to the surface—the sweetness, the tang, the sourness—no longer hints but a full flavor profile. Shauna wanted it. She wanted everything, and Jackie said she wanted everything too—so Shauna would snatch her up and guard her religiously. She would drink Jackie’s blood and fuck her into oblivion for eternity.

Jackie gripped Shauna‘s hair, squeezing her ass with the other hand. Her hips meeting Shauna’s thrusts as she sobbed incoherently, muttering nonsense between every “please,” “god,” and “Shauna.”

Shauna sped up, thumbing Jackie’s clit while her fingers spread in a V, pressing against her walls. She got a little squeeze.

Not enough. 

She tried again, hooking her fingers, pressing against a soft, squishy spot on Jackie’s front wall.

“Uhhngh,” Jackie mewled, tightening around her fingers, dripping.

Shauna smirked and kept working that spot. Jackie’s sounds turned high-pitched, broken, each one more wrecked than the last.

“Bite me harder, baby,” Jackie whined, still clutching Shauna close with those needy hands.

Shauna growled so loud it made the windows vibrate, then obeyed, clenching her jaw down harder.

The room quieted, and she froze—worried for a second she’d torn out Jackie’s throat. 

Then she realized—Jackie was clenching tighter than ever, wetness dripping down to her wrist. Shauna tilted her head, watching as Jackie threw her head back, her mouth gaping open, breaking with a silent scream.

Shauna slowed her hand, relaxing her jaw to let go. Leaning up, the sight of Jackie’s skin made her grimace. Good thing she couldn’t leave marks—Jackie’s neck looked like a half-gaping wound. If not for whatever Shauna’s saliva did, she would’ve been close to dead.

She gentled, stroking Jackie’s neck with her tongue, cleaning her while slowly pulling out of her.

“Shauna,” Jackie breathed, hugging her close.

Shauna shushed her, forcing out a noise that was sharper than a purr but softer than a growl to see if Jackie really found it soothing. She got her answer when Jackie sighed and pressed her hand to Shauna’s chest, tilting her ear closer. 

It took a little longer than usual, but finally the wounds on Jackie’s neck closed, and the thread of worry Shauna had been ignoring vanished. She left a lingering peck against the newly unbroken skin and raised herself on her arms, gazing down at Jackie.

“Ks,” Jackie mumbled, barely conscious.

“What?” Shauna asked, leaning closer.

“I want… kiss.”

“Like the band?” Shauna asked teasingly. “The chocolate?”

“Shauna,” Jackie whined.

“Oh.” Shauna nodded and leaned down, pressing a slow kiss against her lips.

Pulling back, she stroked Jackie’s hair and hesitated, wondering if she should just leave it alone… no. What if Jackie changed her mind when she realized why she couldn’t remember before, or it ended up being the vodka talking? Jackie could have her odd suspicions, but she couldn’t actually know what Shauna was.

…she would never forgive Shauna for the things she’s done.

“Remember everything but the blood, okay?”

“Okay,” Jackie whispered. “Are we cuddling now?”

“Yeah.” Shauna paused, then said, “Let me get you some pants first.”

“Yeah,” Jackie mumbled. “I don’t need to Donald Duck it tonight.”

Shauna snorted and got up to grab Jackie some underwear and shorts to wear. She went back to the bed and rolled her eyes at how out of it Jackie was. She didn’t even try to hand the clothes to her. It was easier just to dress Jackie herself.

“I’m gonna make fun of you so bad for that tomorrow,” Shauna muttered, pulling Jackie into her arms when she finished.

“Noooo,” Jackie whined, scrunching her hands into Shauna’s shirt.

Shauna smiled, charmed, and kissed Jackie’s forehead.

Could Jackie ever accept all of her someday? The bites, the blood, the killing?

…probably not.

Maybe this in-between would just have to be enough.

Shauna nuzzled Jackie’s hair, sniffing her, knowing she was more Shauna’s now than ever.

Chapter Text

Someone shifting in Shauna’s arms woke her up the next morning. She cracked her eyes open to the sight of Jackie squirming, trying to escape her hold. Was Jackie just going to sneak away and not say anything after last night—just pretend nothing happened?

“Go back to sleep,” Shauna snapped, clutching Jackie tighter to her chest, wishing she could just shove Jackie in there and be done with it. 

“Shauna, I need to pee,” Jackie mumbled, tugging her fingers. 

Shauna hesitated, then finally huffed and let go. “You better come back.”

“Where else am I going?” Jackie muttered drowsily, climbing out of bed.

Shauna threw her face back into her pillow, glaring at nothing while Jackie’s soft footsteps drifted further from her. There were plenty of places Jackie could go. And all of them were away. Which was bad. Because she was Shauna’s, and Shauna had always been good at keeping track of her things. And Jackie was her human, so that included her now too.

No. Wait. That wasn’t right. Jackie was her… best friend. Yeah. Not the other thing…

(But why not? Wasn’t she just a human? They’re all disposable and breakable and nothing.)

She curled into a tight ball, clutching her hands over her ears like that’d make it stop. 

“Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!”

The blanket lifted off her, and she felt Jackie climb into bed behind her, wrapping her arms around her tight.

“Shhh, what’s wrong?” Jackie whispered, rubbing Shauna’s arms with her thumbs. 

How the hell was she meant to explain? Shauna just wanted to keep enjoying her fun and spend all of forever with Jackie—but some voice in her head kept trying to make it seem like Jackie wasn’t worth it. Which was wrong.

Jackie was the worst, but Shauna loved her more than anything, so that made her more important than anything.

She twisted around to see Jackie giving her a worried look. 

“You took too long in the bathroom.”

Jackie blinked slowly. “You were having a breakdown because I took too long in the bathroom?”

Shauna considered it for a moment. It’d probably distract Jackie for longer than just telling her to forget it would. 

“Sure.”

Jackie’s lips slowly curved into a grin. She wrapped her arms around Shauna’s waist, pulling her down as she rolled onto her back and wiggled like an excited worm. 

“What are you doing?” Shauna asked against Jackie’s neck.

“I just didn’t know you needed me so much,” Jackie breathed, wonder in her voice. 

Shauna groaned. She should’ve realized Jackie would love thinking she had that kind of power over her. Jackie combed her fingers through her hair, and Shauna slumped, too tired to care anymore.

“Go back to sleep, baby,” Jackie murmured, then stiffened. “Uh, I-I mean.”

Shauna rolled her eyes, but would concede the nickname. Not because it made her chest feel warm and her stomach buzz. Because… just because, dammit!

“Stop talking so I can sleep, Jax,” Shauna grumbled.

Jackie sighed, going back to stroking her hair. 

Shauna closed her eyes, but then paused, an idea occurring. Tilting her head, she opened her mouth and used her canine to make a small cut on Jackie’s skin.

“Ahh!” Jackie jerked.

Shauna hummed. “Sorry, Jax. Caught you with my teeth on a yawn.”

“Am I bleeding?” Jackie muttered, hand reaching up like she’d touch it before hesitantly dropping it again.

“How sharp do you think my teeth are?” Shauna scoffed.

“Uh, right.”

“I’ll kiss it better,” Shauna mumbled and attached her lips to Jackie’s throat, sucking.

Jackie whimpered, shifting beneath her, squeezing her in. 

Was it Shauna’s saliva that affected her and not the bite? 

Whatever. Either way, the cut would heal soon, and Shauna wanted to fall asleep with her mouth full of Jackie.

Closing her eyes, Shauna let herself drift off, tangerines on her tongue and a warm body beneath her. 

She woke up a few hours later with her head on Jackie’s chest. Looking around blearily, she took in how Jackie had her arms wrapped around Shauna while she read a magazine held by her hip. She couldn’t help but snuggle even closer to Jackie when she realized she was still in her arms.

Jackie glanced down at her. “Hey, Shipman.” She smiled, but it seemed weaker than usual, cracking at the edges.

“Thought it was baby now?” Shauna teased.

Jackie’s cheeks pinked. “Uh, yeah,” she mumbled, “it just slipped out.” 

So that really was how they were playing it? Just go on like nothing changed? Shauna had learned patience in one thing, and that was a hunt. She’d bide her time, let Jackie think as she wanted for now.

Shauna smiled at her calmly, and Jackie flicked her eyes away, blurting out, “A-are you hungry? Do you want to make lunch?”

Shauna was always hungry, and her snack before her nap had made it even worse—like she had teased herself with a nibble when she wanted to chomp. But she could hear Jackie’s stomach grumbling, so she’d make sure Jackie ate first and just deal with that later. 

Shauna climbed off her, standing beside the bed. “You coming or not?”

Jackie studied her for a moment, then her lips pulled into an exaggerated pout. “You’re so big and strong, Shauna.” She reached her arms out. “Carry me?”

Shauna’s expression was unamused, but Jackie only pouted even harder. 

Then, an idea formed, and Shauna smirked. “Fine.”

She leaned down, hauled Jackie up, and slung her over her shoulder, carrying her upside down like a sack.

“Shauna!” Jackie gasped, flailing before holding the back of Shauna’s thigh so tight her nails dug in. “This isn’t what I meant!”

“But I’m carrying you like you wanted, Jax,” Shauna said, easily holding her weight as she walked toward her bedroom door.

“You’re not funny!”

“I’m not trying to be funny, Jax,” Shauna said, tightening her grip on Jackie as she neared the steps. “I’m just doing what you asked me to.”

“Shauna, d-don’t carry me down the stairs like this!” Jackie shouted, a quiver in her voice. “Just put me down. I’ll walk!”

Shauna stilled at the top of the landing, considering it, thinking about how much more panicked and scared Jackie would get, how good Jackie would smell with her heart racing even faster—how hilarious it’d be.

“Shauna,” Jackie said, and this time she sounded teary. “Please don’t.”

Shauna squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to stop. She shifted her grip, lifting Jackie off her shoulder and turning her in her arms until she was cradling her instead—one arm under her knees, the other supporting her back. Already, Jackie felt more secure in the hold.

Jackie sniffled, avoiding her eyes, wiping her face.

“Sorry,” Shauna mumbled, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Jackie nodded, but didn’t seem to believe her.

Frowning, Shauna leaned down and kissed away the tears. “I’m sorry, Jax,” she whispered.

Jackie relaxed, looking less like she thought Shauna was about to throw her down the stairs.

“Put your arms around my neck, Jax. Tight as you want.”

Jackie calmed further, wrapping her arms around her and curling closer. Only after she settled did Shauna start down the steps.

“Do you wanna watch Beaches after lunch?”

“You can’t just offer to watch Beaches with me every time I’m upset,” Jackie sighed, breath washing over Shauna’s neck.

“Why not?” Shauna frowned. “It’s your favorite movie. It always makes you happy when we watch it together.”

“You’re so dumb, Shipman,” Jackie said, sounding fond.

Shauna’s frown deepened, but she stayed quiet, carrying Jackie all the way into the kitchen. She was as careful as possible when she put Jackie on the counter, steadying her before letting go. 

Jackie shifted to get comfortable, and Shauna’s gaze immediately caught on the way her shorts rode up. Without hesitation, she placed her hands on Jackie’s thighs, enamored with the tan skin and the surprising amount of muscle.

“You want anything in particular?” Shauna muttered, absently watching her fingers trace up and down Jackie’s skin.

When the kitchen stayed silent for too long, she looked up to see Jackie staring at her. Jackie licked her lips, breath going so fast her chest heaved.

The air felt molten. Every silent second passing with their gazes locked only made it get warmer and more tense. 

Shauna’s fingers drifted higher, brushing against the bottom of her shorts, and Jackie’s breath stalled.

“Do you want me to make the obvious joke about eating in the kitchen, or do you want me to just get on my knees?” Shauna murmured, forcing Jackie to tell the truth. 

“I…” Jackie’s dazed expression cracked, some real emotion coming through as a twinge of nervousness filtered onto her face. “I don’t think I want to do that right now.”

Shauna straightened, taken aback—and admittedly a little offended. “With me?” she asked, needing to understand.

“With anyone,” Jackie said shyly, her face turning pink. Every letter seemed to shift her more out of her daze—something Shauna would worry about later. 

Shauna sighed, very disappointed, but let it go.

“Spaghetti?” Shauna asked, changing the subject. 

Jackie grinned, leaning back on her hands, much more relaxed. “Wowza, Shipman. Who told you that was my favorite?”

“I guessed.” Shauna rolled her eyes. She leaned forward and kissed Jackie’s forehead before turning to get the pasta from the cabinet. “Meatballs?”

“Meat sauce,” Jackie said absently. 

Shauna twisted around to see Jackie idly kicking her feet and looking through some magazines that her mom had left on the counter.

Jackie scrunched up her nose. “Why is your mom subscribed to Better Homes and Gardens?”

Shauna shrugged, grabbing a pot from the cabinet. “I think she just likes the pictures.” She reached behind her for a magazine on the other counter and handed that to Jackie instead. 

“Ooh,” Jackie said, dropping Better Homes and Gardens to the side like it was trash. “People. Now we’re talking, Shipman.”

Shauna let her read in peace while she got lunch ready. Luckily, there was already some ground beef defrosted, or it would have been a very long wait to eat.

She periodically glanced at Jackie, noticing her doing the same. Images from last night kept flickering through her mind, and the memories made her bolder, made her eyes linger on Jackie’s thighs and breasts and clavicle and any uncovered skin she could find as she imagined biting and licking there too.

“You’re um, staring a lot, Shipman,” Jackie mumbled, her cheeks red.

Shauna set the timer for the pasta to cook and sauntered back over to Jackie with a shrug. 

“Have you always had freckles here?” Shauna asked, ghosting her fingers over her thigh.

Jackie narrowed her eyes and put her magazine to the side. “You already know the answer to that, Shauna.”

Shauna shrugged again, moving between the freckles with her fingers like she thought a picture would appear if she connected the dots. Jackie’s heartbeat sped up and Shauna smirked, stepping into the cradle of her thighs.

“I, uh,” Jackie stuttered, her hands clenching the edge of the counter.

“I’m still so hungry,” Shauna muttered. Would she be able to feel the vein? She definitely wouldn’t mind having to keep touching Jackie to find it.

Jackie glanced over at the boiling water and swallowed. “Well, um, spaghetti should be done soon.”

“Not what I meant.” Shauna planted her hands on Jackie’s thighs and leaned in. “Is what you said last night true? Do you really like that thing I do, but you can’t remember?” 

“I…” Jackie’s eyes glazed. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I do.”

Shauna’s mouth watered. Burning impatience filled her being. Why had she even considered waiting in the first place?

“I’m gonna do it again.” She let her fangs pop. “You’ll feel really good.”

Jackie blinked, her face regaining some awareness. “D-do what? And what’s wrong with your mouth?”

“My fangs are normal. Don’t worry about them,” Shauna muttered, tired of hiding them around Jackie all the time. Sometimes she just wanted to let them pop without worrying about it. Was that such a bad thing?

After she got a nod from Jackie, she leaned over. She pulled Jackie closer, her face drifting toward Jackie’s thighs. 

“I said I wasn’t comfortable with that yet, Shauna,” Jackie said, her voice growing sharp, upset.

Shauna paused and couldn’t stop herself from taking a long sniff of the air. The fear really made Jackie smell even better. 

“I know.” 

Shauna clenched her hand around Jackie’s frozen leg before turning her head and biting into the meat of her thigh.

They both groaned together, and Jackie’s fingers instantly darted to Shauna’s hair. She tightened her hold on the strands, not yanking Shauna away, but also not being gentle. Shauna slid her hand down to Jackie’s calf and threw it over her shoulder, instantly gripping Jackie’s thigh again when she was done. 

“Ar—are you biting me?” Jackie asked in a whine.

Shauna’s eyes fluttered shut as she sucked deeper. The alarm, the confusion—every emotion Jackie felt made her blood taste sharper. It wasn’t the same as when Jackie was aroused, but the hint of fear was worth it for a new twist on Shauna’s favorite flavor. Shauna took a longer pull, fingers digging deeper into her skin.

“Oh, fuck!”

A loud thump. Jackie had fallen back against the cabinets—panting, eyes squeezed shut. 

“Oh god,” Jackie whined, her hand stalling over her twitching hips, trembling. 

Shauna gripped her wrist, shoving Jackie’s hand closer to her shorts. 

“You d-don’t mind?” Jackie said, her voice breaking. “It’s not weird?”

Shauna pressed incessantly.  When Jackie finally shoved her hand into her shorts, Shauna gripped her forearm, unwilling to let go. 

Jackie’s arm jerked, and a relieved cry rang out just as her taste got even better.
“Shauna,” she whimpered repeatedly, her right hand moving faster as her left gripped Shauna’s hair harder. 

The noises, the taste, the smell, the feeling she always got from drinking from Jackie—for once, it became too much to handle.

She lifted her head and swiped three fingers over the bite, gathering Jackie’s tacky blood before darting her lips back down, already missing the taste. Then she shoved her hand into her own shorts, instantly pushing into herself. 

Shauna groaned at the feeling, at the knowledge Jackie was inside her like this, and Jackie gasped so loud and so high, Shauna worried she’d asphyxiate for a moment.

As soon as Jackie could breathe again, she began working herself over faster, and Shauna forced herself to match her pace. She curled her fingers against her front wall and practically beat her clit with her palm. Wetness dripped down her fingers—she hoped it didn’t wash all of Jackie away. 

Eventually, Shauna had to unclamp her jaw from Jackie’s thigh.

“Wait,” Jackie cried. “D-don’t stop. Please, baby. Please don’t stop.”

Shauna groaned, tightening around her fingers as more slick leaked, making a fucking mess. Then she leaned back in, switching to licking and sucking Jackie’s skin as much as she could, unwilling to ignore her instincts about biting. 

Not that Jackie seemed to mind. Her hand picked up speed, her hitched breaths filling the kitchen again. She gasped both “Shauna” and “baby,” and Shauna sucked harder every time at the latter, liking it from Jackie’s lips more than she’d ever admit. Each sound blended with the pornographic squelch coming from both their drenched cunts. The whole thing pushed Shauna to the brink of going feral.

Shauna wasn’t sure how long she existed in this perfect moment before she noticed Jackie’s arm stuttering, her hips jerking faster, that look on her face that Shauna knew as close. 

She had been ready to explode for ages, only holding herself back so she could come with Jackie, so she was as wild and impatient as ever as she watched. 

Then—Jackie’s hips flew upward, and Shauna let herself go too, cutting through the tightly wound string she’d forced around herself. She gushed, making an inhuman noise against Jackie’s thigh, as Jackie cried out with a cracking and whiny, “Shauna!”

She swore Jackie had made her ears ring with how loudly she’d called for her in the end. 

Slowly, she removed her fingers, still licking over Jackie’s skin. It got easier when she reminded herself she didn’t really need to breathe, and could stop her wild panting. Jackie was still human, though, and Shauna was happy to listen to her heavy breathing while she came down, especially when Jackie began petting her hair too.

They sat like that for a few minutes, this calm moment after such a whirlwind, and it was oddly comforting, soft—different in a way she’d never experienced with Jeff. She could probably fall asleep nestled between Jackie’s thighs, even with the way she had to hunch over to do it—if not for that annoying ringing in her ears at least. 

The hand in her hair stilled, and then Jackie tiredly said, “Shauna, the alarm is going off.”

Shit. That ringing noise wasn’t imaginary. 

Shauna jolted away, scrambling over to the pot bubbling water over the sides. She groaned as she took it off the burner. Then grimaced at her hands, rushing over to the sink before she touched anything else. As she scrubbed her fingers, she couldn’t help but glance over at Jackie. 

She was still leaning on the cabinet, but she’d turned her head so her temple rested against the wood to stare at Shauna. Sweat dripped on her forehead that Shauna wanted to lick away. Her breathing had finally slowed. Her expression was unreadable, but Shauna didn’t think it looked bad. If anything, she seemed thoughtful, and maybe confused.

“Why’d you bite me like that?” Jackie asked hesitantly. “And you were sucking. I could feel it… That’s not—” She paused, frowning. “People don’t do that. That’s not normal, Shauna.” 

Shauna stiffened, realizing her mistake. She’d usually have erased it from Jackie’s mind by now. 

Jackie’s arms came up, hugging herself tight. Her frown deepened, face creasing in worry. Then the emotion Shauna had been waiting for appeared: fear.

It didn’t sit as comfortably in her stomach when she wasn’t sucking it from Jackie’s thigh.

She slowly turned off the sink and dried her hands. Then she stepped toward Jackie. Jackie flinched, and Shauna pursed her lips, fists clenching tight.

“What are you?” Jackie whispered.

Shauna stared for a moment, then smiled and leaned on the counter. “I didn’t bite you. I just sucked on your thighs and licked a lot. You must be really sensitive because you got yourself off as I did it.”

“Oh,” Jackie breathed, her body relaxing. She paused, tilting her head. “Are you sure? I could’ve sworn…”

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Did Shauna need to be more forceful with these commands soon? She usually tried to go for a lighter touch with Jackie than everyone else, but she might need to change that if this kept up.

Sighing, she stepped closer and slowly reached her hand out toward Jackie’s thigh, curious to see what she would do. Jackie watched for a moment, hesitating, before widening her legs. Shauna had to stop herself from falling to her knees right then and there at the sight.

Instead of making herself look stupid, she planted her hand on Jackie’s thigh, caressing the unmarred skin. “Does it look like I could’ve bitten you, Jax?”

Jackie finally tore her eyes away from Shauna’s face and looked down at her hand. Her shoulders slumped, the last bit of tenseness in them falling away. “Right,” she sighed. “I don’t know what I was even trying to imply, Shauna. Sorry.”

Smiling, Shauna used her thumb to stroke Jackie’s skin. “Don’t worry about it, Jax. I’ll try to make the rest of lunch fast. I think we have leftover sauce in the fridge that I can reheat. I didn’t mean to get so distracted. You’re just so—” she cleared her throat, turning toward the fridge.

A stilted silence filled the room as she searched for the sauce from dinner two nights ago.

The crinkles of a magazine from behind her broke the quiet before Shauna had to decide if she should just force Jackie to forget what she said.

“Don’t worry about it, Shipman,” Jackie muttered tiredly. “I’m only a little hungry anyway.”

Which meant she was starving but didn’t want to admit it. 

Shauna glanced over her shoulder, only watching Jackie pretend to read for a second before turning back toward the fridge. Hopefully, she could actually make lunch this time instead of getting distracted by Jackie again.

After lunch, when Jackie looked dead on her feet and snapped at Shauna for telling her to drink a second bottle of Gatorade, Shauna had considered squeezing her jaw open and pouring it down her throat. The book she read said electrolytes would help with blood loss, so Jackie was going to drink it whether she liked it or not. 

Fortunately for Jackie, Shauna decided that’d be too much work, so instead she just compelled her to do it.

They lounged around all day, cuddling, watching movies, and continuing to ignore the multiple elephants in the room. But as the seconds ticked by for Jackie’s dad to pick her up on his way home from golfing, Shauna grew more antsy.

Would Jackie really just go home like nothing happened? Shauna had her fingers inside her yesterday, and they both did… whatever that was in the kitchen. There’s no way Jackie could just ignore all this, right?

As they sat next to each other on the couch, a commercial came on for a new restaurant a town over, and Jackie “oooh’d.”

“That place looks so romantic,” Jackie gushed. “I’m forcing Jeff to take me there on our next date.”

Shauna stilled, then slowly turned her head to stare at her.

A few moments passed before Jackie finally noticed the look and raised her brow. “What?”

“No.” 

“No?” Jackie echoed, frowning.

“Break up with him. You’re mine. You want me. We’re together. Now shut up about Jeff.”

“Wh-Shauna!” Jackie sputtered, trying to get to her feet. 

Shauna growled, shoving her to lie down on the couch, holding her in place at the shoulders, and letting her fangs pop. She wasn’t a goddamn doormat anymore, and Jackie wasn’t getting her way this time.

“Do you want to fuck me?”

Jackie slackened in her grip. “Yes.”

“Do you want to be with me?”

Jackie’s face shifted, more yearning than Shauna had ever seen before etched onto it. “Yes.”

The answer made the air shift, a lot of the tension melting away into something soft and sweet.

Shauna leaned down, leaving a slow, gentle kiss on Jackie’s lips, and Jackie pressed back after only a beat of hesitation.

“Then we’re together,” Shauna whispered. She began pushing away, then stopped. “So break up with Jeff.”

Jackie had 24 hours, or Shauna was telling Jeff to steal a baseball bat at the end of his next practice, go to Jackie’s house, and bash his own head in on her front lawn.

A pretty generous time frame, but she was terrible at not indulging Jackie.

Jackie shook her head, coming out of her stupor. “Shauna, what will our parents say?” she asked, her forehead creasing. “Or the rest of town for that matter?”

Shauna sighed out of her nose. Their parents would be easy. But unless Shauna was going to go door to door and tell the residents to mind their own business, she didn’t think that would be as simple. 

Indulgence after indulgence. 

“Fine, we’ll be together in secret or whatever—like Tai and Van.”

Jackie’s eyes widened. “Tai and Van are together?”

Shauna paused, realization washing over her. Was that not common knowledge? Had she known that before or after accidentally overhearing them a few times? 

Well, not her problem. 

“Yeah,” Shauna said, shrugging, “we’ll hide it better.”

Jackie studied her for a moment, then glanced away. “So we wouldn’t have to tell anyone…”

“No,” Shauna sighed, not giving a shit either way. The only thing she cared about now was Jackie. Other people and their opinions meant nothing to her.

“I guess… it will be easier when we go to Rutgers together next fall,” Jackie said, a small smile playing on her lips. 

Oh. Shit. 

“Fuck!” Shauna snapped. 

Jackie flinched back, wide-eyed.

Shauna forced herself to calm down, trying again. “I just remembered that I have to fix something.”

Frowning, Shauna looked to the side in thought, trying to figure out how to get out of that. Early decision was binding. She’d have to go to the admissions office and find someone to change the records or something.

God, this was so annoying. Could Jackie get less dumb and go to Brown with her instead? 

…yeah. No chance of that. Guess Shauna just had to slum it at Rutgers.

“Fix what?” Jackie asked, eyes flicking across her face.

Shauna glanced down at her. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay,” Jackie said, face clearing instantly. 

At least Rutgers would be more fun if she and Jackie were a thing. They could have sex all day and night, and Shauna could drink from her all the time. 

Maybe it’d even be easier to find women who looked like Jackie at Rutgers. Draining them dry, seeing the life leave their eyes—it’d really become one of her greatest pleasures in death. They always looked so pretty as corpses too, like perfect, silent dolls for her to have to force herself not to play with.

Shauna glanced at Jackie, studying her face. Jackie’s corpse would be even prettier. Shauna would definitely be unable to let her go. She’d probably spend her days cuddling with her while getting annoyed that Jackie wasn’t annoying her.

Should she do something about that, just in case? Should she chan—

“Shauna!” Jackie said, grimacing. “Please stop giving me that look. It’s freaking me out.”

Shauna forced the thought away for another time and lowered herself further onto Jackie without another word. 

She focused her eyes on Jackie’s lips, wanting her to say it by herself so it’d have to be true. “Say you’re mine.”

Jackie sighed. “I said it’d be easier at Rutgers, didn’t I?”

“I’m not a fucking idiot,” Shauna snarled. “I know that means you’re trying to make me wait, and I’m not doing that.”

Jackie groaned, then went silent, thinking to herself.

Waiting, Shauna tried to be patient and let Jackie collect her thoughts, but Shauna was two seconds from meeting her eyes to tell her to stop being a bitch.

“I’ll break up with Jeff,” Jackie sighed.

Shauna dropped her forehead to rest on Jackie’s shoulder. “Now say the other thing,” she mumbled.

Jackie groaned, trying to push Shauna’s head up, but she refused to budge. “Seriously?”

“Yes,” Shauna said, sliding her hands under Jackie’s back, hugging her close. “Say it.”

Jackie sighed, lifting her arms, finally hugging Shauna back. 

“Fine. I’m yours.”

All the tension left Shauna’s body in a snap. She slumped, fully molding herself to Jackie, trusting her to handle her weight so Shauna could just enjoy being close to her for a moment. Jackie rubbed her spine, turning to the side to leave a lingering kiss on her cheek. 

“Do I get to demand things or just you?” Jackie asked, an annoying little grin on her lips pressing into Shauna’s skin.

“What do you want?” Shauna asked, already regretting asking—especially as she knew she’d probably do it. 

“Hmm,” Jackie hummed, the sound manufactured and exaggerated. “Let’s see… how about you say: Jackie is the best person ever.”

Rolling her eyes, Shauna lifted her head, expression deadpan. While hovering over Jackie, she studied her. But Jackie kept avoiding her stare, so she wasn’t able to read much. 

Ugh, fine. It’d be easier to just say it rather than argue or get Jackie to look at her.

“Of course you’re the best person ever,” Shauna scoffed. “No one else is good enough to be mine.”

She was also the worst person ever, but Jackie didn’t need to know that. She wouldn’t understand that it was just as important a title.

Jackie gasped and pulled Shauna back down into a tight hug. “I’d totally kiss you right now, but I can’t stop smiling.”

“I’ll imagine it,” Shauna snorted. She nuzzled into Jackie’s shoulder, then froze as she sniffed the air.

Holy shit. Did that make Jackie wet?

Her grin twisted into a smirk, smug that she could affect Jackie so much with just a sentence. 

“Um,” Jackie said, shifting in place. “Can you tell me more things you like about me or that I do well, or, uh, or whatever…”

Of course, Jackie would get off on hearing how great she was. 

…she was lucky Shauna could think of plenty of things to tell her. 

She was considering which one would get her in Jackie’s pants the quickest when a car horn blew from outside.

Jackie groaned, and Shauna was considering murder. 

“My dad always has the best timing,” Jackie muttered sarcastically, trying to nudge Shauna off of her. 

Shauna stared for a moment, ignoring the prodding, and leaned down, connecting their lips. Jackie jerked, then instantly kissed her back, gripping the back of her neck. 

“Say it again, or I’m not moving,” Shauna murmured against her lips.

“I’m yours,” Jackie whispered, not hesitating this time. 

The car outside honked again, and Shauna stuck her tongue in Jackie’s mouth. Jackie’s nails dug into her skin, and she stayed pliant, letting Shauna do whatever she wanted to her.

Shauna flicked her tongue over Jackie’s canine, hard enough to bleed, wanting to give Jackie some of her own for once. It’d be her own way of making it official.

Jackie made a disgusted noise, pulling back. “Ew, was that your blood?”

“Yeah,” Shauna said, finally sitting up and straddling her waist. “Your canines are sharper than I thought.”

“Oh!” Jackie darted up, cupping Shauna’s cheeks. “Shit, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Shauna said softly. She grabbed Jackie’s hand, kissing her palm before finally getting off of her. 

Richard was in the car, grumbling to himself about how he was two minutes away from making Jackie walk home, so she couldn’t linger like she wanted.

“Okay, if you’re sure,” Jackie said, hopping to her feet. Then she grinned and practically bounced to the door with an odd new pep in her step.

Furrowing her brow, Shauna trailed after her, watching her act like an Energizer Bunny. 

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow morning!” Jackie exclaimed, her cheeks a much more natural pink. Shauna hadn’t even noticed how pale they’d gotten until it was suddenly gone. 

Jackie gripped her in a tight hug and ran out of the house, leaping into her father’s car. Richard didn’t acknowledge Shauna, but Jackie waved as he pulled out of the driveway and rolled away. Shauna stared at the taillights of his BMW, then slowly closed the front door. 

She sat on the couch and grabbed Jackie’s half-finished third Gatorade. It was the red one, which Shauna bought because she knew it was the only one Jackie liked. 

She took a sip, then paused, realizing she could still taste Jackie on the mouth of the bottle. Without hesitation, she carefully licked around the edge, groaning at the undertones of Jackie she could taste hidden behind the fruit punch. Squeezing her eyes shut, she slid her hand into her underwear, desperate for some more relief.

She’d think about everything later. She was busy now.

Chapter Text

There were whispers around school of a curse hitting the town. Almost every day brought something new. People were looking over their shoulders, afraid to walk alone at night, worried they’d be next.

No one would shut up about it, so the occurrences would’ve burned into Shauna’s brain no matter what:

Liz walked in circles until her feet bled.

Ryan jumped off the top of a school bus.

Benji played in traffic and got hit by an SUV.

Greta threw herself through a second-story glass window.

The newest incident had everyone especially on edge though:

Matt blinded himself with a pencil during class.

That one occurred not even a week after Jackie and Shauna became something more than just best friends, and it had Jackie practically begging Shauna to sneak into her room at night, scared to sleep alone.

Shauna knew there wasn’t a curse, of course. Really, she thought it was all a bit dramatic. None of them were even dead, but small-town legends were common for a reason.

“Why does it matter that they’re all alive?” Jackie sputtered.

They were currently in Jackie’s bed with Jackie on her back and Shauna lying beside her, looking down at her with her head propped on her fist.

“Why wouldn’t it matter?” Shauna shrugged. “Not a very scary curse if no one has died yet.”

“What about Greg?” Jackie asked, her face screwed up with frustration.

“Who?” Shauna asked, bewildered.

“Greg. He died last month!” Jackie scoffed. “He was on the baseball team. Had a shitty buzz cut.”

“Oh!” Shauna nodded thoughtfully.

His name was Greg. She hadn’t cared to ask before draining him dry for talking about Jackie like he did. Maybe she should’ve. It was her first kill, after all.

“Yeah, oh,” Jackie huffed.

Shauna rolled her eyes. “Greg was an asshole.”

“Well, yeah,” Jackie muttered. “Doesn’t mean he deserved to die though.”

Shauna shrugged and reached up to play with Jackie’s heart pendant.

Jackie glanced at her fingers. “I don’t know how literal murder doesn’t bother you—”

“They still aren’t sure what did it, Jax.”

“Because he what—took out all his blood himself?” Jackie asked, rolling her eyes.

Shauna stayed silent, not caring enough to argue. She focused on making sure her fingers ghosted Jackie’s skin while she fiddled with her necklace instead.

Jackie darted her eyes towards her hand again and reached out to play with the bottom of Shauna’s shirt.

“The Matt one has gotta bother you at least, Shipman,” Jackie shuddered. “He stabbed his eyes with a pen in the middle of fifth period…”

“It was a pencil.”

“Whatever,” Jackie said. “I’m just glad I wasn’t there for that.”

Shauna paused, frowning. “I’d never make you see something like that.”

Jackie gave her an odd look.

Sighing, Shauna caught her eye. “I said I’m glad you didn’t see something like that.”

Jackie’s face cleared into a small smile. She pulled Shauna down into a hug. “I’m glad you didn’t see it either, baby. I just wish whatever the hell was going on would stop.”

Shauna pulled Jackie in tighter. Maybe Matt shouldn’t have looked up Jackie’s skirt if he wanted to still have his eyes. That wasn’t his to see.

“Let’s stop talking about this,” Shauna murmured, shifting over and pressing her lips to Jackie’s.

Jackie kissed her back, a soft sound leaving her throat. She weaved her arms around Shauna, clutching her close, like she wanted to remind herself Shauna was still there—something to hold on to if she needed her.

She pressed her hand against Shauna’s chest, and Shauna followed the silent cue, rolling onto her back so Jackie could climb on top. Jackie’s smaller frame covered her own, and for a moment, it felt like Jackie was trying to protect her from all the monsters in the world.

Shauna forced down a laugh, keeping her kiss soft and lingering. The notion was oddly sweet in its delusion.

Jackie raised her head, studying Shauna’s face as if trying to memorize it. “Can I?”

Shauna nodded and felt Jackie’s tentative fingers slide into her underwear a moment later. Jackie couldn’t seem to hold Shauna’s gaze, her cheeks pinked, and a very slight furrow formed on her brow.

It’d been the same expression each of the three times Jackie touched her, and Shauna wanted to take a picture and keep it in her pocket to look at when away from Jackie.

Jackie grazed her fingers over her clit, still having to psych herself up to the firmer presses Shauna told her she liked. Even with the light touch, Shauna sighed—throaty and long, always worked up when she was lying in bed with Jackie. Jackie’s eyes brightened at the sound. She cupped Shauna’s cheek, lowering herself back down to her lips.

A much better way to spend the night than discussing people who didn’t matter.

The next day at school, Shauna and Jackie ate lunch together at a picnic table. There was a nice breeze. It was overcast, which Shauna preferred. Chatter rang out around them. 

But most things faded into background noise—her attention fixed on Jackie, and how the sun somehow still managed to shine on her. Because of course it did. It lit up her tan skin and freckles, turning her into something almost otherworldly.

Shauna snapped out of her daze when Jackie’s hand landed on her thigh.

“You’re staring,” Jackie whispered, a teasing lilt in her voice.

Shauna blushed, playing with her fork. “Hard not to,” she muttered.

Jackie’s smile turned pleased, and she glanced away, as if Shauna’s steady gaze was too much. Even not looking, her thumb stroked the side of Shauna’s thigh. The touch was innocent, sweet. A small connection for Jackie to get lost in.

“Well, there was another one,” Van said, plopping down in the seat across from Jackie.

Jackie yanked her hand back to her lap, squeezing it around her other fist. The sight had Shauna stifling a laugh. She was so dramatic.

Tai sat down next to Van and nodded hello to them both. 

They didn’t use to sit with them, but after Jackie’s breakup with Jeff, Jackie had complained about how weird her other friends were being about it, and how she didn’t want to sit with them anymore.

During the next practice, Shauna forced the Yellowjackets who didn’t get on her nerves to ask Jackie if they could eat lunch with her. Jackie loved the new team camaraderie—and the attention—so Shauna only got mildly annoyed that she had to share her during lunch.

Jackie leaned toward Van, her eyes big and curious, like Van was reading one of her gossip magazines aloud to her. “Another what?”

“The curse struck again,” Van said, her voice getting theatrical and ominous.

“You guys can’t seriously think there’s a curse,” Tai groaned.

“I do,” Lottie said calmly as she sat down next to Shauna.

Tai scowled, turning toward Jackie and Shauna for their answers. 

“No,” Shauna snorted without hesitation.

Relief washed over Tai’s face. She nodded at Shauna, then faced Jackie again, her brow raised. 

Jackie pursed her lips, taking a moment to think about it. “I think… saying there’s a curse is stupid, but there is something weird going on, and it’s freaking me out.”

“Fine,” Tai sighed. “I guess I can agree with that at least.”

“What was it anyway, Van?” Jackie asked. “The new thing that happened.”

“Oh, yeah. Whitney, uh…” The grin on Van’s face slipped away, the topic seeming to catch up to her. “She, um, stapled her mouth shut in the Yearbook club room.” 

Jackie dropped her fork, staring at her in horror. Lottie had a troubled look on her face. Even Tai looked queasy.

Shauna pressed her lips together, staring down at her plate.

She’d been trying to make a funny face with her mashed potatoes, but it was a pain in the ass because of the lumps. She carefully forced the face’s mouth to open in a terrified scream.

“Wh-when did that happen?” Jackie asked shakily. 

She reached out for Shauna’s hand, squeezing it. Sighing, Shauna grabbed her fork with her other hand to continue playing with her food. She ignored the way Lottie glanced down at her with a frown. 

“Right before lunch,” Van said. “She was there during her free period to fix something.”

“Jesus,” Tai muttered.

“Shauna, isn’t your third period right by there?” Jackie asked, clutching her hand tighter. “Did you hear anything?”

Shauna paused, looking up from her plate to see all four of them staring at her. She ignored Tai’s grimace as she caught sight of Shauna’s artwork and hummed, pretending to think. 

Did she hear anything? Well, she had heard Whitney telling someone in the yearbook room that Jackie had dumped Jeff because Randy had given her seven different STDs. It’d be funny how stupid it was if it hadn’t pissed her off so much.

She’d actually considered just stapling Whitney’s mouth shut herself, but there was something powerful in watching someone do it to themselves instead. After being controlled for so long, getting that power back was like a drug. If anything, Jackie should be blamed for how much of a thrill it gave her.

Jackie squeezed her hand, and Shauna realized she’d gotten lost in thought, leaving the question unanswered.

“Nope.” Shauna shrugged. “Didn’t hear a thing.”

Now Shauna had both Lottie and Jackie frowning at her. 

“All that time waiting for nothing,” Van mumbled under her breath.

Tai rolled her eyes, nudging her arm.

Shauna caught everyone’s eye but Jackie’s, unable to see both her and Lottie at once. “Change the subject.”

Jackie scoffed, ripping her hand away from Shauna’s. “Jesus, Shauna, what—”

“Are you guys ready for the game tomorrow?” Van interrupted. 

“I think so,” Lottie hummed.

“Yeah, shouldn’t be a problem.” Tai nodded.

“W-what?” Jackie stuttered, darting her eyes around.

Shauna took a deep breath, having waited so she could smell Jackie get afraid first. When she had her fill, she caught her gaze.

“Change the subject, Jax,” Shauna whispered, tucking Jackie’s hair behind her ear.

Jackie glanced at her hand from the corner of her eye, then blinked and turned toward the rest of the table with a grin. “Ridgewood sucks, guys. It should be an easy game.”

Shauna smiled, accepting Jackie’s hand when she grabbed hers again.

The game the next day started just as Jackie said. Easy. 

They were dominating. Shauna didn’t mind showing off and not letting anything get past her side of the field, and even without being non-human, Tai was easily defending her area too.

So far, it was 4–0, and the Ridgewood Bulldogs were not getting any better.

Number six from Ridgewood barreled toward her, eyes narrowed, ball in perfect control. 

Smirking, Shauna moved so fast Six didn’t even have time to blink. She kicked the ball back between Six’s legs, weaved around her, then passed it over to Natalie.

“Fuck!” Six spat.

“Ooh, tough break,” Shauna taunted, grinning. 

Six spun back around and got in her face. “Enough with your bullshit! You’ve been doing this shit the whole game!”

Shauna widened her grin. “What, now I can’t talk to people?”

The whistle blew on the sidelines, stopping the game.

“You don’t have to say something every time!” Six snapped.

Jackie appeared, getting in between them. “Whoa, relax. What’s happening?”

“Your friend’s a fucking asshole!” Six shouted, stepping into Jackie like she was about to bowl her over to get to Shauna.

“Hey!” Shauna growled. “Back the fuck away from her!”

Six flinched, her face paling, and Shauna stepped toward her, chest still rumbling.

Without a word, Jackie spun around, giving her the be good and calm the fuck down look.

The whistle blew again nearby, the lazy ass refs finally making their way over to them. 

“You‘re all getting a yellow if you don’t stop!” the ref snapped.

Glancing behind Jackie, Shauna noticed Six had escaped while she’d been distracted. 

“Shauna,” Jackie hissed. “I don’t know what your problem is, but knock it off.”

The command only made her jaw tighten, only made her more aggravated. Now she wanted to make it worse.

When Shauna still didn’t stop growling, Jackie glanced around, then steeled herself and stepped closer.

She pressed her hand against Shauna’s vibrating sternum. “Baby, stop making the noise. Please, just relax,” she whispered, lips brushing her ear.

Her snarl tapered off, and she swallowed, turning her head away. 

“Thank you,” Jackie sighed, stepping back. She turned to go back to her position but stopped, glaring. “And stop antagonizing everyone!”

Shauna rolled her eyes, and the ref nearby finally came out of whatever fear response he was in to shakily blow his whistle for the game to restart.

She heard someone make a whipping noise with their mouth and turned to glower at a smirking Mari. 

Shauna was going to tell her to get the ugliest fucking haircut possible. 

As soon as Shauna’s bedroom door closed behind them, Jackie started. 

“What the hell was that?” Jackie snapped, crossing her arms.

“Well, that’s a door.” Shauna gestured behind Jackie. “Um, there was the sound of it closing too, if that’s what you mean.”

“Stop playing dumb.” Jackie narrowed her eyes. “What was that at the game earlier?”

“She started it,” Shauna said, meeting her eyes, over this already.

Jackie’s face cleared, sympathy peaking through, but then her expression tightened again. “No, she didn’t, Shauna. Don’t try to lie.”

Shauna stared at her blankly. 

When a few moments passed in silence, Jackie stomped closer. “Are you seriously just going to stand there?”

“Um.” Shauna darted her eyes around like that would explain what was happening. 

“Shauna…” Jackie said hesitantly. “I really want to yell at you right now, but you’re kind of scaring me.”

Shauna shoved away her confusion and met her eyes. She was much firmer this time when she said, “She started it.”

Jackie’s body relaxed. “I… that doesn’t sound right…” she muttered tonelessly. “But…”

Shauna stepped closer, gripping her chin, bringing Jackie’s face to hers. “She. Started. It.”

Jackie’s lashes fluttered. “Oh.” She frowned, flicking her eyes over Shauna’s body. “Did she hurt you? Are you okay?”

Shauna sighed, relieved. She gripped Jackie’s hips, pulling her in. “No, Jax. She was just being a bitch. Don’t worry about it.”

Jackie nodded, wrapping her arms around the back of Shauna’s neck. “Want me to make you feel better?” she asked coyly. 

Shauna widened her grin, her fangs popping. She picked Jackie up at the waist, carrying her over to her bed. 

Jackie giggled, her eyes stuck to her mouth. “What are these from again?” She ran her finger over a canine, and Shauna moaned, never having realized how sensitive they were.

“Th-they’re from—”

She groaned as Jackie stroked it again, smirking. The smirk finally got to her, and she growled, tackling Jackie onto her bed. Before Jackie could pull away, she nipped her finger, closing her lips around it and sucking.

Jackie gasped, then smirked wider, still trying to touch her canine like a brat. Shauna snarled, but Jackie only giggled, poking her cheek with her other hand.

“You can’t scare me, Shauna.” 

Why did she love someone so fucking annoying?

She pulled Jackie’s hand out of her mouth and leaned down, connecting their lips, deciding to try something else to wash that stupid smirk away. 

“You played so well today,” Shauna murmured. “I love watching you score a goal. You make it look easy.”

Jackie squeaked. 

“And you always look so hot running around in our uniform. The way you move those pretty, tan legs of yours when you kick a goal makes me crazy.” 

“N-not fair,” Jackie whined, wrapping said legs around Shauna’s hips.

“Everyone would be so jealous if they knew I got to touch you. Especially if they knew you’re just as pretty everywhere else too.” Shauna nipped her lip, but didn’t break the skin. 

Jackie’s whimper sounded strangled, torn out without her permission. 

“All mine,” Shauna mumbled to herself. She kissed her way over to Jackie’s neck while they worked together to get Jackie’s jeans down. 

“Yes,” Jackie moaned.

Shauna slid her hand into Jackie’s pants, not hesitating to gather Jackie’s wetness and circle her clit. She waited for Jackie to tilt her head to the side—a new unconscious motion Shauna loved—then she finally bit, increasing her speed on Jackie’s clit at the same time.

A constant gasp spilled out of Jackie’s lips as she twitched her hips up into Shauna’s hand. Shauna sighed at such a beautiful sound. She tangled her fingers in Jackie’s hair and closed her eyes—finally content.

Later, Shauna lay down against the pillows and watched Jackie drowsily try to readjust her head on Shauna’s naked chest to get more comfortable.

“Can’t sleep yet, Jax,” Shauna whispered, rubbing her back.

“But I’m tired,” Jackie whined, nuzzling the top of Shauna’s breast. She’d taken a liking to resting her head there, always mumbling, “soft” as if she really wanted Shauna to be aware.

Rolling her eyes, Shauna let her be and raised her palm to her mouth. With her canine, she drew a deep line through her skin and watched crimson drip out.

Softly, Shauna tugged on Jackie’s ear to wake her from her dozing. “Lick this, Jax. You’ll like it.”

“Wha?” Jackie lifted her head, and Shauna didn’t hesitate to cover her mouth with her bleeding hand. 

Jackie flinched and released a muffled cry into her palm. The sound of her heartbeat increased along with the now familiar scent of fear. Jackie looked at her with wide, wet eyes.

“Shhh,” Shauna shushed, using her thumb to stroke her cheek. “Just lick my palm, and you’ll feel better.”

Jackie calmed, sticking her tongue out and licking along Shauna’s skin. Shauna watched the color return to Jackie’s cheeks as her blood kick-started her body’s regeneration of the blood Shauna took from her.

When Jackie looked pink and healthy again, Shauna removed her hand. She glanced at her healed skin, nothing left on it but Jackie’s saliva.

“You feel better?” Shauna asked, stroking Jackie’s soft hair. 

“Yeah,” Jackie mumbled, staring at her blearily. “What‘d you give me?”

“Just some juice, Jax.” She wrapped her arms around her, pulling her naked body as close to her own as possible. “Let’s sleep, okay?”

“Mm, okay.” Jackie nuzzled her head back into her chest. 

She must’ve still been tired from the five orgasms. Shauna smirked at the thought. Maybe the bite made it a little unfair, but Jackie didn’t seem to care that Shauna kept score, always trying to top herself.

“Shauna, stop grabbing my ass and go to sleep,” Jackie grumbled, tilting her head up to scowl at her.

Shauna’s hand darted away from her. She cleared her throat. “Sorry.”

“Pervert,” Jackie mumbled, already half asleep again.

Shauna huffed at the accusation, but finally closed her eyes, unable to deny it.

It was only a little true, anyway.

The next morning at school, Jackie stopped mid-ramble at her locker and gaped at something over Shauna’s shoulder. 

Turning, Shauna grinned at what greeted her.

Mari was walking stiffly down the hall while other students stared and laughed. It wasn’t hard to see why. Her hair had been cut much shorter, with her bangs brushing her eyebrows, and the sides stopping halfway down her ears. It was the same even length all the way around to the back of her head, making her look like she was wearing a permanent helmet.

“Did Mari get a bowl cut?” Jackie asked, her voice rising in pitch.

“Looks like it,” Shauna snickered, twisting back around, leaning on the locker again. “It suits her.” 

Jackie glanced at her dubiously before looking back into her locker. “If you say so…”

“Van asked if I wanted to see a movie later, by the way,” Shauna said, searching through her bag.

When Jackie stayed quiet, Shauna looked up to see that she was staring at her with a tight jaw.

Shauna rolled her eyes. “I told her I’d ask you if you wanted to go before I decided.”

“Oh,” Jackie breathed, her shoulders relaxing.

“Tai said she’d rather eat paint chips than see whatever it was, but Nat’s going.”

Jackie laughed, smoothing her hair in her locker mirror. “You haven’t even told me the movie yet, Shipman.”

“Uh, From Dusk till Dawn or something.”

“I have no clue what that is. Are you sure that’s what it’s called?”

“I don’t know,” Shauna sighed. “Do you wanna go or not?” 

“Hmm, maybe…” Jackie trailed off, her nose scrunching up cutely. “We should go to a movie alone soon.”

“Why?” Shauna asked, her voice softening at the expression Jackie was making.

Jackie glanced around, then leaned closer. “I wouldn’t mind making out in the dark with you.”

Shauna forced herself not to laugh. Jackie talked big, but she’d definitely chicken out before kissing Shauna in public like that.

“Just name the time and place, Jax. We can defile every seat.”

Jackie whacked her shoulder, grimacing. “Don’t be gross, jesus.”

“Do you think I could make you sq—” 

Jackie planted her hand over Shauna’s mouth, her cheeks bright red. “Enough.”

Shauna licked her hand, and Jackie didn’t even blink before lowering it to wipe on Shauna’s flannel. 

“Yes, I’ll go to the movies with you tonight.” Jackie pointed at her. “But you are buying me popcorn and a drink.” She paused, then added, “And candy.”

Shauna pushed Jackie’s arm down, sighing. “And why am I doing all of that?”

Jackie leaned close again, grinning shyly. “I was joking before, but this really could be like we’re on a real date,” she whispered. “No one will even question it since we’ll be in a group.”

Shauna softened, having to resist pulling Jackie in for a kiss. “I’ll buy you whatever you want, Jax. I’ll even make Van and Nat get dinner after with us. It’ll be the best non-date ever.”

Jackie bit her lip, excitement shining in her eyes. She shut her locker, turning toward her first period, but then paused. “Dress nicely, Shipman.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’d dress you myself, but then you’d see what I’m wearing before we go.”

She was being a giant pain in the ass right now, but Shauna would let her get away with it, just this once. 

“Am I picking you up?” Shauna sighed.

“Obviously,” Jackie replied, her tone implying how ridiculous she found the question. 

Jackie smiled again—tiny and shy—somehow managing to look adorable after being a brat for the past few minutes, and hurried off to class.

Shauna shook her head, walking in the opposite direction toward her own class. She needed to remember to ask Van what the movie was about before tonight. Hopefully, something Jackie will actually like. 

Chapter Text

It was just after sunset that Shauna knocked on the Taylor’s front door. She’d considered waiting in her car like usual, but she knew Jackie really wanted this to be as real as possible.

Marilyn answered the door, her face flickering with surprise. “Oh. Hello, Shauna.”

“Hey, Mrs. Taylor. I’m just picking Jackie up for a movie.”

Marilyn examined her, eyes tracing down her blouse, jean jacket, and the skirt she wore specifically for Jackie, knowing how much she always loved dressing her in them. Shauna didn’t mind wearing them as much when she wasn’t being forced to. 

Marilyn finished her examination, and her face went through a few different expressions before it settled into something tight and sharp. “Just you two?”

“No, we’re gonna meet Van and Natalie there,” Shauna replied with an easy shrug.

Marilyn’s face cleared. “Oh, that sounds nice.” She turned and raised her voice. “Jackie, Shauna’s here for you.” Her smile even looked genuine when she turned back. “I hope you girls have fun.”

Shauna heard Jackie stumble in her room, followed by quick curses under her breath. She smiled back thinly at Marilyn. “Tell Jackie how pretty she looks and how much you love her when she comes down, and never question our relationship like that again.”

Marilyn blinked rapidly, then nodded. 

Shauna heard Jackie rushing down the stairs and added, “Also give her $20 for gas.”

She needed to fill her tank later, and this way she really could buy Jackie whatever she wanted at the movies.

Jackie slid into the room, out of breath, already beaming. At the sight of Shauna, she paused, smile growing even wider, practically bouncing as she began walking toward her again.

“Shauna,” she breathed.

Shauna grinned back, taking in her light blue dress that ended just above the knee, cream jacket, and her perfectly coiffed, fluffy hair. 

“Jackie,” Marilyn said brightly, “you look so pretty tonight, honey.”

Jackie faltered, giving her mother a bewildered glance. “Oh.” She looked down at herself. “Um, thanks, mom. Y-you really think so?”

“Definitely! I love you so much, Jackie. I’m so lucky to have you as my daughter,” Marilyn said, gripping Jackie’s chin and giving it an affectionate squeeze. “Don’t go yet, girls. I want to give you some gas money.”

Jackie watched her walk off with wide eyes. She twisted her head back toward Shauna, looking at her like she’d be able to explain. 

“Must be in a good mood.” Shauna shrugged.

“Yeah, or she took too many mood stabilizers,” Jackie muttered, stepping closer to Shauna and squeezing her hand in hello.

“I think if that were why, she’d be on the floor, Jax.”

Jackie laughed, but their conversation was interrupted as Marilyn came flouncing back in, a $20 in her palm. 

She gripped Jackie’s hand and placed the bill inside, still smiling wide. “Have fun tonight with your friends, girls!”

Jackie gave Marilyn one last confused glance before Shauna finally tugged her outside to the car. 

They pulled away from Jackie’s house, but didn’t get far down the road before Jackie leaned over the center console and gave her a long kiss on the cheek. “You look soooo pretty.” She grinned. “I can’t believe you actually managed to dress so well by yourself!”

Shauna rolled her eyes. “Thanks,” she said dryly. 

Jackie stroked her thigh, and Shauna jerked, the car jolting forward before she regained control.

“Don’t pout.” Jackie smirked, not even reacting to almost killing them both. 

“I’m not pouting,” Shauna grumbled. She grabbed Jackie’s wandering hand, linking their fingers together so she wouldn’t end up crashing the car. 

“Fine,” Jackie sighed dramatically, pulling their hands to rest on her thigh instead.

Shauna drove with one hand, trying not to make it too obvious that she was constantly glancing at Jackie.

Jackie played with Shauna’s fingers as she hummed along to the radio. She’d crossed her ankles, knees tilted to the side, looking somehow demure and delectable at once. But what kept pulling Shauna’s attention more than anything was her scent. It smelled odd. Stronger than usual, and like it had been put in a metal container and served fresh. 

“You’re staring,” Jackie said with a tiny, pleased smile.

Shauna blinked and darted her eyes back to the road. “I just realized I never told you that you looked pretty too.”

Jackie straightened in her seat, clutching Shauna’s hand tighter. “Really?”

“You know you look great, Jackie,” Shauna scoffed.

The car stayed silent afterward, a tension filling the air Shauna didn’t understand the origin of. She flicked her eyes toward Jackie and saw her lips had dropped into a small frown. 

“But, um, I guess if you somehow didn’t know, then yeah, you look beautiful,” Shauna said, words coming out in a stumble.

Jackie’s smile grew back, and she rolled her eyes. “Well, um,” she said, mimicking her hesitant tone, “if you somehow didn’t know, you look beautiful, too.”

“Haha, very funny,” Shauna said dryly.

“I’m just teasing you,” Jackie giggled, kissing her cheek again. “But thank you. I forgot how sweet you could be.”

Shauna flushed, smiling.

Thankfully, the rest of the drive went better, as they rode in a comfortable quiet along with the music.

When they parked, Shauna patted down her jacket pockets obviously. “Oh, yeah! I put my wallet in the glove box. Can you get it for me?”

Jackie gave her an odd glance, but nodded, opening the compartment. Then she dropped her hand, staring inside.

“Shauna…”

“I thought you’d like them, um, for our not-date…” Shauna shifted in her seat, avoiding her eyes. 

Jackie reached inside and brought out a small bouquet of pink poppies. She caressed one of the petals, careful enough you’d think she was handling glass.

“I was gonna get some green ones for you too, but they didn’t have any, so I just asked for a different shade of pink. I figured the stems were green, so that was kinda pink and green. But I can see if anyone’s open later and get you some green ones if you want too. I-I wouldn’t min—”

Jackie tugged her closer, connecting their lips. She was gentle, treating Shauna even more gently than she did the poppy petal, each twitch of her lips done with slow, soft purpose. 

After a few more moments, Jackie drifted back and nudged their noses together. “They’re perfect. I love them.”

Shauna swallowed, still too stunned to think of anything to say. Jackie pecked her nose and climbed out of the car before reaching back to place the poppies carefully on the seat. 

The slam of the door finally woke Shauna from her daze, and she jolted, stumbling out of the car.

“Eager, Shipman?” Jackie raised her brow, teasing in her eyes.

“Um, no.” 

Why are you being so pathetic? Get it together, Shauna.

Jackie gave her another loaded glance, then turned, tugging Shauna’s arm to walk toward the theatre where Van and Natalie waited outside. Jackie’s hand fell away, but it still bumped into hers with every step.

“Did you ever find out what this movie was even about?” Jackie said.

“Oh, no. Forgot to ask. Sorry.”

Jackie sighed, but didn’t say anything. 

It’d probably be fine.

Jackie didn’t mind holding hands in the dark, which was good, because without her soft fingers in hers, Shauna might’ve killed Van.

Why the fuck did she want to see a vampire movie? And it was so stupid. These people were changing with one bite. They were vampires, not zombies!

She glanced over at Van and Nat to see the two idiots completely invested in the movie, but at least Jackie didn’t seem to be enjoying it. She was tilting her head, frowning. 

Shauna nodded to herself, glad it wasn’t just her who thought this was ridiculous. The humans in this movie would’ve been dead if there had been even one vampire, and she was supposed to believe they’d survive dozens?

She huffed out of her nose, and Jackie raised a brow. She studied Shauna for a moment, then darted her eyes around. Before Shauna could ask what was wrong, Jackie’s head fell against her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck. 

“Never let Van pick a movie again. This is stupid,” Jackie whispered, tilting her head to peck her jaw.

Shauna squeezed her hand in agreement. Then she glared at Van, who was too enraptured to notice.

Shauna crossed her arms and practically stomped out of the theatre when it was done. 

“Why is Shauna pouting?” Van snorted.

They killed all the vampires. This was fucking ridiculous. If she were there, she would’ve killed the humans herself—or, better yet, told them to kill each other.

“I don’t know,” Jackie muttered, irritation in her tone.

Shauna squeezed her eyes shut, calming herself down. She was supposed to make this a good night for Jackie. She slowed her steps so she matched Jackie’s stride, and Jackie watched her curiously, the frustration on her face melting away.

“Did you end up liking the movie, Jax?” Shauna asked, softening her voice.

“No,” Jackie scoffed.

Shauna’s smile widened. She inched closer so that their shoulders brushed more deliberately.

“Not that you seem to give a shit,” Natalie said wryly, “but I liked it.”

“Me too.” Van grinned.

“Awesome. Good for you,” Shauna said, her tone as bland as possible.

Jackie bit her lip, trying to keep back the giggle Shauna could hear rising in her throat.

They were almost out the doors when Shauna leaned over to Jackie’s ear and whispered, “Did you want any more candy before we go?”

Jackie smiled softly as she held up her full bag of M&M’s and unopened Twizzlers. “I couldn’t even finish what you got me, Shipman.”

“Oh.” Shauna blushed as they walked through the exit. She’d forgotten she had already grabbed all of Jackie’s favorite candy. At least they finished the Sno-Caps since Jackie had been such a pain and dumped them in the popcorn. 

Jackie stopped her on the sidewalk outside. “I know you said we’d go out to eat, but I was thinking maybe we could cook something at your house instead?” she asked, avoiding Shauna’s eyes like that’d disguise the hope in her tone. She lowered her voice. “I never thought about how hard it’d be not touching you as much as I wanted in public.”

Shauna studied her for a moment, taking in how much she was tracing her eyes over Shauna, especially her legs. 

She smirked. Wearing the skirt had been more than worth it.

“Yeah. ‘Course. Just give me one sec, okay,” Shauna said, stepping over to where Van and Natalie were talking, catching their eyes. “We’re leaving. If you saw anything weird between us tonight. Forget it.”

Natalie nodded. “Okay. See you at school.”

She walked back to Jackie and gestured toward the car so they could start making their trek.

“We good to go?” Jackie asked. 

Shauna nodded.

Jackie grinned, hugging Shauna’s arm to herself as they walked, a bounce in her every step.

When they reached the car, Shauna opened the passenger-side door for her. The sound boomed in the quiet, and Jackie flinched, her hands flying off Shauna like she’d forgotten herself. Then she climbed in, setting the poppies gently in her lap. Nothing could’ve stopped Shauna from staring at her for a beat longer before shutting the door.

Shauna went around and sat in the driver’s seat, starting the car. But she paused before going anywhere, turning toward Jackie again, sniffing the air once—then again, closer this time.

“Um,” Jackie muttered, stiffening. “What are you doing?”

Shauna’s nose skimmed Jackie’s chest. There was a smell. That same one from earlier, but more somehow. 

“Shauna!” Jackie put her hand on her head, trying to push her away. “What the fuck?”

Shauna went lower, past Jackie’s belly, to between her thighs, where she planted her face and inhaled.

Jackie squeaked and Shauna finally realized what it was. 

“Are you on your period?” she groaned, her face shoved completely into Jackie’s crotch.

“Yeah,” Jackie babbled, “I know the timing sucks since it’s our first, uh, non-date, but I guess we’ll just have to wait until the next one for you to touch me too.”

“Nooooo,” Shauna whined, nuzzling her face closer.

“Shauna!” Jackie flinched, tugging her hair. “Knock it off!”

The idea of just popping up and making Jackie do what she wanted kept flying through her head. Jackie would enjoy it. Shauna would enjoy it. What was the big deal—

No!

Stop it. No.

She kept her head in place, unable to tear herself away from such a delicious smell and unwilling to risk herself forcing Jackie.

“Jackie, I really, really want to touch you.”

“I—Shauna—” Jackie stuttered. “Are you not listening? I have my peri—”

“I don’t care,” Shauna groaned. “Please, it makes me want you more knowing that you have it, okay? I know i-it’s weird, but I do.”

“You do…?” Jackie asked, her tone more curious than anything. “It’s not um, gross?”

“Jackie…” Shauna hesitated, but finally admitted, “I wanna shove my tongue inside you and lick it out.”

A whimper tore out of Jackie’s throat. “What?”

“Please, I am not above begging here.” 

“You want our first time trying that to be—”

“Yes,” Shauna mewled, on the brink of losing it.

Jackie thought for a few moments, and Shauna had to stop herself from trying to lick Jackie through her skirt as she waited. 

“Fine,” Jackie mumbled, so low Shauna wouldn’t have heard if she were human. 

Shauna’s head shot up, and her hand scrambled for Jackie’s skirt. 

“I am not doing this in the movie theatre parking lot,” Jackie snapped, slapping her hand away. Shauna stiffly pulled back, and Jackie crossed her arms. “You better take me to your house if you wanna do this so bad.”

Shauna gritted her teeth. She grabbed the steering wheel and went to shift the car out of park, but paused. She just… she needed something before she lost her mind.

Leaning over, she yanked Jackie in and crashed their lips together. Jackie didn’t even hesitate, mouth just as frantic as hers, and Shauna finally realized that under the scent of iron, she could smell Jackie’s sharp arousal.

“You want it almost as bad as I do,” she growled. “Stop pretending you don’t.”

Jackie groaned. “Would you just drive? I’m still not letting you eat me out in front of an AMC theatre.”

Huffing, Shauna turned back to the steering wheel and pulled out of the spot.

As soon as the front door closed behind them, she heaved Jackie up so her legs wrapped around her waist. Their mouths slammed into each other, and Shauna easily walked up to her room with their lips sealed together.

“You are so strong,” Jackie muttered to herself.

“Praise is more your thing, Jax,” Shauna teased.

“Shut up,” Jackie groaned. They walked down the hall, but Jackie tugged her hair, stopping her halfway. Without breaking their lips, she reached into the hallway closet and grabbed a towel.

They continued again, locked together, until Jackie pulled back, halfway up the last staircase, gasping, “Wait! My poppies!”

“I brought them inside,” Shauna groaned. “Can we please get back to this now?”

“You remembered,” Jackie mumbled, sounding touched. 

Rolling her eyes, Shauna kissed her again. A few steps later, she kicked her bedroom door shut behind her. Jackie threw the towel on the bed and reached up, tearing her shirt off. Shauna dropped Jackie to her feet, and the rest of their clothes came off with just as much eagerness.

“What’s the towel for?” Shauna muttered when the only article of clothing left between them was Jackie’s underwear.

Jackie’s cheeks went bright red. “So I don’t stain your sheets,” she whispered.

“Oh.” Shauna’s eyes widened. “Right. Good thinking.”

Jackie sighed and glanced at her bed. “And you’re sure you—”

Shauna tackled her onto the bed, hands instantly gripping her underwear. She went to yank, but then stopped, some small bit of humanity leaking through her need to consume Jackie whole.

“Can I take these off, Jax?”

Jackie’s face softened. She reached up, tucking some of Shauna’s hanging hair behind her ear. “You can.”

Shauna pulled them down Jackie’s legs, moving with them so she didn’t make a mess before walking over to toss them in her bathroom.

She came back to see Jackie’s arms covering her eyes with a blush running all the way down to her chest. She looked tense, but still as pretty as ever, her lean form splayed out—all for Shauna to touch and kiss and devour. The towel was already serving its purpose, a dash of red staining the white fabric.

“Please don’t just stand there staring like that, Shauna,” Jackie whined, still unable to look at her.

“Sorry, you’re just…” Shauna sighed, climbing back up the bed. “You’re so beautiful.”

Jackie made a small noise in her throat, her arms loosening from over her face. “Really?” she whispered. “Even now.”

“Yeah,” Shauna murmured. 

She slowed her ascent on the bed when she reached Jackie’s knee and leaned forward, kissing the skin. Another kiss got placed above that, and another, and on and on. Slow, lazy kisses against the skin, her tongue peeking out to lick whenever she felt like it. Each press of her lips made Jackie relax, until finally she lay loose and panting, just as Shauna made it to her upper thigh.

“You ready, Jax?” Shauna whispered, rubbing her skin. 

She kept her breath shallow and her focus on Jackie’s legs. Jackie was already terrified without Shauna’s help, so she got her fix. Shauna knew that if she pushed too hard, Jackie would call this off. But maybe she wanted to make this nice for her, too.

“Yeah,” Jackie said shakily. “I-I’m ready.”

Finally.

Shauna threw Jackie’s legs over her shoulders, her focus solely on her cunt.

It was pretty and pink and as well-maintained as the rest of Jackie. She was already dripping, but for once, it wasn’t her wetness that had Shauna’s attention. It was the red mixing with it. The smell of her favorite scent just slightly overripe. 

It was making her brain skip and stumble, and she couldn’t wait anymore. 

Everything snapped. Only hunger remained. 

Shauna darted forward, plunging her tongue into Jackie, pressing where the most heavenly scent possible was coming from. 

Jackie’s slick and blood all in one place. All a meal. All for Shauna.

The taste hit her. Tangy oranges and the sharper flavor accompanying them she’d spent many times licking from her fingers. 

She moaned, and it was so loud it drowned out Jackie’s. It echoed and bounced and made it clear she was experiencing something divine.

She licked into Jackie’s cunt as deep as she could, drinking her down as literally as possible, practically trying to suck out the blood from her pussy. She could feel her face getting covered in blood and slick. Her nose bumped into Jackie’s clit, but Shauna didn’t even care if she pressed into it.

All she wanted was here. 

She flicked her tongue in and out, wiggling it around when she got it in, no rhythm, no thoughts, just her own search for what she wanted.

Out. In. Swirl. Stroke. Taste. Push through the squeezing. Drink down the gush she got as a reward. Repeat.

A noise had her slightly aware again. It came from her. Not a growl, or a moan, but a rolling purr. Her entire body vibrated with it. 

For the two seconds she could focus outside of Jackie’s cunt, she heard Jackie sobbing beneath her, and knew Jackie felt it too.

She purred louder, continuing to drink Jackie down. She wasn’t sure how many times Jackie had clenched down on her, but Shauna was like a machine, like a thirsty woman who found an oasis, like a recovering alcoholic who’d wandered into a bar.

At some point, Jackie’s legs tried to close, but Shauna snarled, clenching her fingers into her thighs and keeping them wide apart, away from interrupting her meal. 

Out. In. Curl. Lick. Lick. Lick. Purr. Gush. 

Two more hit her tongue before the fingers in her hair that had been holding on since she’d discovered this bliss yanked so hard she would’ve lost a chunk if she didn’t lift her head.

Panting, she trailed glazed eyes up Jackie’s body. She looked over Jackie’s pretty cunt that she wanted back in her mouth, to her quivering stomach, up further to her flushed, heaving chest, then finally to Jackie’s face. 

Jackie looked on the brink of passing out, tears covered her skin, still dripping down her cheeks. There was drool drying from where it’d spilled from her lips. Her hair was a mess, frizzy and going in all directions. 

“Enough,” Jackie rasped, her voice hoarse from overuse. “I-I can’t anymore. Stop. Fuck.”

Shauna stared up at her, her brain warring with itself, one side wanting to ignore her and eat her out for the entire length of her period, the other knowing how insane that was and how gone Jackie looked.

“Shauna,” Jackie whispered, her eyes blinking rapidly to stay open. “Can I have a hug? Please? I-I need you.” 

Shauna shook away her dark thoughts roughly. She scrambled up Jackie’s body and lay on top of her, having a feeling that was what Jackie wanted. She was proven right when Jackie wrapped her arms around her back and yanked Shauna in so she practically crushed her. Jackie’s face pressed into her neck, and quiet sniffles leaked out not long after. 

“I got you, baby,” Shauna murmured, kissing the side of her head. She grimaced at the sight of whatever mess was on her face transferring to Jackie, but she’d deal with it later.

“You called me baby…” Jackie mumbled, already almost asleep.

Shauna swallowed at the slip, but bulldozed past it. “Jackie, we can’t go to sleep like this. There’s gonna be a mess,” she whispered, stroking her hair.

“Mm’kay.” Jackie nuzzled into her neck. “I love you, Shauna.”

Shauna stilled, listening to her breathing wind down into soft snores. She slowly shifted her head so it lay beside Jackie’s on her pillow, staring at her profile.

That’d been the first time Jackie had said she’d loved Shauna in years…

A grin bloomed on her blood-crusted cheeks. This might actually be the greatest night of her life.

Chapter Text

Her eyes fluttered open to the sight of Jackie staring at her. They were nose to nose, still in the same position they had fallen asleep in.

“I’m sorry,” Jackie said, combing her fingers through Shauna’s hair.

“For what?” Shauna mumbled.

Jackie huffed out an embarrassed laugh, her cheeks blooming bright red. “I didn’t listen and… uh, yeah, I made a mess.”

Shauna blinked, shifting around and instantly understanding what she meant. 

“Do I still have blood on my face?”

“Mhm,” Jackie squeaked.

“We’re both gross then,” Shauna sighed.

Jackie slapped her shoulder, pouting. “Don’t call me gross.”

Shauna grinned and stood from the bed, not hesitating to reach down and grab Jackie in her arms, cradling her to her chest.

Squeaking, Jackie clutched her shoulders tight. 

“We need to shower, Jax.”

“Oh,” Jackie breathed, her eyes brightening. 

“And I need to brush my teeth,” Shauna muttered to herself.

“Yes, please do.” Jackie grimaced.

Shauna narrowed her eyes, pausing within the bathroom doorway. “It’s from you.”

“And it’s still gross.”

Shauna grinned, inching her head closer. Jackie tried to lean back, but Shauna darted forward, pecking kisses across her face as Jackie screeched.

They ended up taking a long shower because she nudged Jackie against the wall and got on her knees midway through. But after they were finally clean, she changed the bedding—not even thinking about getting upset with how embarrassed Jackie looked about it—and they cuddled in bed, gossiping and whispering nonsense, taking frequent breaks to make out. It was a perfect, cozy day, but Shauna still couldn’t help herself, needing to know. 

“Do you remember last night?” she hedged, glancing down at Jackie cuddling into her chest. 

“Do I remember the best orgasms of my life where I thought I was going to die from how many times you were making me come?” Jackie whispered, her cheeks bright red. “Yeah, I remember that.”

“Right…” Shauna trailed off, fingers caressing Jackie’s back. “I meant after.”

“After…” 

“W-what you said as you fell asleep.”

“Shauna, I could barely remember my own name yesterday. I’m sure whatever it was isn’t as big a deal as you’re making it.”

Shauna’s jaw stiffened. Her hand on Jackie’s back slowed. 

Hunger pangs flared in her stomach. For some reason, she suddenly felt starving. Shauna pulled away, climbing out of bed, and walked over to her dresser.

“What are you doing?” Jackie asked, sitting up with a frown. “I thought you were going to cuddle with me today…” 

Shauna clenched her fists around a t-shirt. “I will later.”

“Later?” Jackie asked, her voice turning sharp. “Where are you even going?”

Shauna twisted around and stomped back to the bed, pinching Jackie’s cheeks. “I’m going to Newark to find women who look like you so I can tear them to fucking pieces!”

“Wh-what?” Jackie gasped, trying to escape Shauna’s tight grip.

Shauna stared at her blankly. Her eyes caught the tears dripping, the shaky lips that had gasps tearing out, the tremble going through her whole body. 

Shauna took a slow, deep breath, already feeling much better at the sight. She had the power here, not Jackie. She had the fear, and the violence, and the strength. 

All Jackie had was her refusal to love her. 

With her free hand, Shauna gripped her nightstand, the wood crunching. It was either she break that or Jackie’s jaw. Not that Jackie seemed to give a shit about her restraint, going by her soft cries.

She took a deep breath. She needed to wait. She’d take out this anger soon. Jackie couldn’t handle it.

The hand on Jackie’s face gentled, nudging her head up, so they locked eyes. “I said I need to go to Newark to pick up something for my mom again.” She smiled as Jackie’s body relaxed. “I’ll be back and we can cuddle as much as you want, okay?”

“O-okay…” Jackie said, her expression still troubled.

“What’s wrong, Jax?” Shauna murmured and kneeled on the bed, caressing her cheek.

“I feel like you’re upset,” Jackie whispered, lost in thought. “Didn’t you say something else before?”

Shauna’s lips tightened. “No. You’re imagining it.” She kissed Jackie’s forehead. “I’ll come back quick.” She stared at Jackie, eyes darting over her face. “I love you.”

Jackie didn’t reply, still staring into space, and Shauna shoved herself away from the bed, snarling under her breath.

The entire time she got dressed, Jackie just stayed lost in her head. It was probably for the best. Shauna would’ve snapped if any words out of her mouth weren’t “I love you, too.”

Shauna opened her bedroom door, then paused, glancing back at Jackie’s dazed expression. Sighing, she walked back over and cupped Jackie’s cheeks, stroking the skin with her thumbs. 

“Sleep.”

Jackie’s eyes drifted shut. She would’ve dropped to the bed if Shauna hadn’t been holding her. Gently, she placed Jackie onto the mattress and tucked her in before walking out the door again without another glance back.

Shauna lay on a rooftop in Newark, groaning and clutching her stomach. Somehow, she’d given herself a stomachache. She didn’t even know that was possible.

Footsteps sounded from nearby, crunching over the gravel of the rooftop, before boots appeared near her head.

“Are you the fool who has been killing blonde women?”

Shauna tilted her head back, squinting. 

A tall, older, dark-haired man stood over her, staring down at her with an unimpressed expression. He looked to be in his mid-40s, with stern features, and a thick jacket.

“No. Must’ve been someone else.” She shrugged.

He glanced beside her, and she followed his gaze to the blonde corpse she was cuddling like a giant teddy bear. This one was the only one with freckles, so Shauna had wanted to keep her close. 

Shauna looked away before she started tracing her skin again. “She did that to herself.”

He nudged the blonde with his boot, and her head tipped back, revealing how someone had chewed through her throat, with only the back of her neck still connected by the last strings of viscera. 

He raised his brow and then gestured to the three other corpses with similar wounds nearby. “Did they also do it to themselves?”

“Maybe,” Shauna muttered, avoiding his eyes. 

She sat up and gently laid the woman in her arms down. She pulled her head back into place so the woman looked less grotesque, and fixed her blonde hair before standing.

The man scowled, looking at her like she was a runaway toddler. “Who the hell left a fledgling all alone?”

Shauna shrugged and turned back to the three other corpses nearby to make sure he hadn’t messed with them while she’d been distracted.

“You realize we are supposed to hide our existence, yes?” he sighed.

“Never thought about it,” Shauna mumbled, barely paying him any mind. She adjusted the skirt of one of their dresses so it covered her better, not liking how the wind blew it so high. 

“My name is Will. I was passing through on my way to New York, but stopped when I saw how you were practically butchering through the entire female population of Newark.”

“I’m pretty selective, actually,” Shauna snapped, glaring at him over her shoulder.

“Fine, the entire blonde female population of Newark.”

“Dark blonde,” she muttered peevishly.

He scoffed under his breath and shook his head. “I had assumed it was a whole group of us. Not one little girl doing all this.”

“What are you gonna tell the…” she frowned. “Do we have vampire police?”

“No.” Will pursed his lips. “I would just kill you myself if I thought you were a problem.”

Shauna tensed, but Will only waved her off. “You need to begin hunting in more cities. The next person who comes across you and sees this foolishness may not be as kind.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “Was that all you stopped for?”

“Yes, I suppose it was,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Shauna stared down at her corpses and then called out before he could leave, “Do other vampires not do this stuff?”

Will studied her, his eyes lingering on her blood-covered face, then he turned toward the four women she’d killed that day and kept around to hang out with. 

“Not exactly… but I have met plenty of others with eccentric hobbies,” Will said, but his tone was off—mechanical when before he’d sounded smooth and easy. “I would not worry about it too much.”

He gave her a smile that looked more like a grimace, running off before she could glean anything else.

Frowning, she petted one of her corpses’ heads before standing. It was probably time to tear off their limbs and burn them, anyway. Hopefully, she didn’t smell like a bonfire when she got back to Jackie.

By the time she returned home, it was already dark. Her mother’s car was in the driveway, and Shauna could hear her soft, even breathing coming from her room, signaling she was asleep.

But Jackie’s breathing didn’t have that same sleepy quality to it, so Shauna was hesitant as she opened her bedroom door. Going by the way Jackie sat up in bed and narrowed her eyes, she’d been right to feel that way.

“Where were you?” Jackie hissed.

“Newark. I told you I needed to go get something for my mom,” Shauna sighed.

“I asked your mom, she didn’t know what I was talking about!” Jackie snapped, darting up from the bed.

“She forgot.” Shauna shrugged, turning toward her closet to put away her jacket.

“I think you’re lying.” Jackie caught her shoulder, spinning her back around with a glare.

“And I think you’re acting crazy,” Shauna muttered, sidestepping her and opening her dresser drawer.

“What are you doing?” 

“Getting my pajamas out.” Shauna turned to her with a tired expression. “Is that okay with you?”

“No!” Jackie snapped, wedging herself between Shauna and her dresser.

Shauna paused, staring at her. Jackie was trembling, and her eyes were wet. Something raw and painful flickered there before she looked away.

What insane scenario had Jackie come up with to be acting this way?

“So I’m not allowed to wear pajamas now?” Shauna asked. 

“Not until you tell me where you really were.”

Shauna stared at her for a moment, then turned toward her bed and unzipped her jeans, sliding them down her legs. She continued toward the bed and then threw her shirt to the floor, followed by her bra and underwear.

“Have fun guarding the dresser all night, I guess,” Shauna said as she climbed into bed, wrapping the comforter around herself.

She closed her eyes, pretending to go to sleep, and didn’t hear anything for a few seconds. 

Then a muttered curse rang out, followed by the sound of stomping feet and falling fabric. Cool air hit Shauna’s skin as Jackie lifted the blanket away before her soft curves molded to Shauna’s back.

“You suck,” Jackie murmured, reaching over to clutch Shauna close.

“Are you still cramping?” Shauna asked, her voice gentle.

“Yes,” Jackie answered petulantly.

“Do you want me to be big spoon and rub your stomach for you?”

The room stayed quiet for a moment before she felt Jackie turn away.

Shauna twisted around, tugging her in close before she began pressing firmly on Jackie’s lower stomach.

“Better?” she whispered.

“Yes,” Jackie said, sounding much calmer. “Can you…” she trailed off, and Shauna waited patiently, nuzzling into her neck, inhaling her scent. None of them ever smelled right. “Can you call me baby again…” she breathed.

Shauna stilled. “I thought you didn’t remember much of last night.”

“I remember some of it.”

“Like what?” Shauna asked, clenching her fists so she wouldn’t squeeze Jackie so hard she popped.

“Like you calling me baby,” Jackie whispered, sounding like she wanted to giggle.

Shauna’s fists loosened. “Anything else?” she sighed.

“What do you want, like a transcript of everything I remember being said?” Jackie snorted.

“Yes,” Shauna said, sharp.

“Okay…” Jackie mumbled. “Uh, you called me baby, and told me not to sleep, but I was so tired. Uh…” she trailed off. “Then I think I said I love you and finally passed out.”

Shauna stared at the back of her head. “You…” She cleared her throat. “You remember saying I love you?”

“Yeah. Why?” 

“Um…” Shauna swallowed. “I’ll call you baby if you tell me you love me.”

“Why are we bartering?” Jackie scoffed. “Should I ask for a goat next?” 

When Jackie tried to turn to face her, Shauna pinched her hip. Jackie yelped, staying in place. 

“You’re a very mean negotiator,” Jackie muttered, rubbing where Shauna had pinched her skin.

“Yes, I am…” Shauna hesitated, and she could feel herself flush. “…baby,” she mumbled.

How the hell did Jackie say that so casually all the time?

Jackie giggled. 

It stayed silent, and Shauna shifted, a large weight pushing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

“I love you,” Jackie said. Shauna exhaled, her breath all rushing out at once, and Jackie twisted her head around, kissing her jaw. “I expect my goat by Monday.”

“What the hell would you do with a goat?” Shauna asked, smiling. 

“We’d raise it together as our kid, Shipman,” Jackie snickered, laughing at her own joke. “Get it, ’cause—”

“Yes, I get the joke, Jackie,” Shauna said, shaking her head, unable to hide the fondness in her voice. She shifted to the side and kissed Jackie’s temple. “Goodnight, Jax.”

“Nope.”

Shauna sighed, long and dramatic. “Goodnight… baby,” she said, still needing to mumble it.

“Goodnight. I love you,” Jackie replied giddily.

Shauna smiled shyly into her hair, feeling fuller now than she did after draining four women dry. 

“Shauna,” Jackie moaned, her voice muffled by the pillow she was holding to her face.

It was the only way Jackie agreed to do it with her mom here, terrified of her overhearing.

Not that Shauna cared. She was ready to tell her mom to go sit on the sidewalk if it got her between Jackie’s thighs again.

She was slightly less feral this time, able to actually try to think about what she was doing. 

She stuck her tongue into Jackie, humming at the taste. She pressed it in every direction possible and dragged out what she could before swallowing down her favorite new cocktail with a loud purr. Then she licked up Jackie’s folds, slightly less selfish now as she found her clit. Wrapping her lips around it, she sucked, body vibrating with her inhuman noises. 

Jackie’s hips jumped, and she shrieked, the pillow barely muffling the sound. Shauna darted back down to catch as much of the gush she could, using her thumb to roll Jackie’s clit while she rode it out.

A few moments later, Jackie slumped, panting. 

Shauna pulled back, licking her lips. She looked up Jackie’s body. The sight of her heaving, flushed chest was distracting, but it couldn’t hold her attention long, considering how silly she looked right now with the pillow held to herself.

She caressed Jackie’s thighs and tilted her head in thought.

She could get a few more out of her.

Shauna turned her head, and bit into Jackie’s thigh. Jackie groaned, throaty and long. Shauna sucked harder, and rubbed Jackie’s clit in slow, firm circles.

The effect was instant as Jackie sobbed, her body shaking.

What a perfect weekend.

The next morning, Shauna checked the clock and saw they had ten minutes before they needed to go to school. She walked over to her closet to grab a flannel. Before she could, Jackie darted out of it first. 

“This one.” Jackie shoved a green flannel into her arms.

Hesitantly, Shauna grabbed it while giving her a bewildered glance. 

“The green almost matches my blouse,” Jackie said, grinning. “It’ll be like we coordinated. Now, no one will be able to think of one of us without the other.”

Shauna pursed her lips, darting her eyes between the green on the flannel and the green Jackie wore. They were pretty similar. She didn’t really care if people thought of them as one. Really, it’d be better if they thought of Jackie as hers.

…that would be nice—the entire school knowing Jackie was her human. Then they’d all know Shauna was above her too. Above all of them, really. What if she started flashing her fangs at people and pretending nothing happened? People would think they were losing it. Or maybe she’d—

Jackie waved her hand in front of her face. “Hello, earth to Shauna.”

Shauna blinked out of her thoughts and pushed the flannel back at Jackie, suddenly not in the mood. “I think I’ll wear red,” she muttered.

Frowning, Jackie crossed her arms. “But I want you to wear that one.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to wear it, Jackie,” Shauna snapped.

Jackie’s eyes narrowed. She studied Shauna for a moment, then twisted around to put the flannel back. “Fine.” She looked over her shoulder. “I just like how soft this one is. It’s always nice to cuddle you when you wear it.”

Shauna growled under her breath. She stomped forward and snatched the flannel back, putting it on with jerky movements. Why couldn’t Jackie have started with that instead? 

“And you look so pretty in that color, too. It’s perfect.” Jackie beamed, her good mood returning now that she got her way. She bounced into Shauna, holding her in a tight hug. 

Shauna hugged her back, then nuzzled her neck. “You’re doing something for me, though.”

“Wha—”

Shauna tore into her neck, being a little meaner than usual, and Jackie cried out, gripping her shoulders, her nails digging in.

“Sh-Shauna?” she whined. 

Shauna planted her hand over Jackie’s mouth and then sucked deeper—hungry and wanting to get back at her for being such a brat so early in the morning. 

She gave herself a few more moments, crushing Jackie into her, ignoring her squirming. Then she let go, licking her lips. 

Tears stained Jackie’s face, even as her arousal lingered in the air. Smiling, Shauna used her fang to tear her own lip open and tugged Jackie into a kiss, forcing the blood into her mouth. 

Jackie’s cry was loud even as it got muffled by Shauna’s lips. It didn’t last long, though, as Shauna only lingered until Jackie wasn’t at risk of passing out at school.

Leaning back, Shauna caught her glistening eyes. “We had a great morning.” She tucked some hair behind Jackie’s ear. “I even wore the flannel you wanted me to wear so bad.”

Jackie blinked, her face clearing. “You did?” she breathed, her smile growing. 

“Mhm,” Shauna murmured, kissing her forehead. “I love you.”

Jackie leaned back. She glanced at Shauna’s lips and her expression faltered, but it only lasted a moment before she squeezed Shauna into a tight hug. 

“I love you too,” she mumbled into her neck. “Now say your part right.”

Sighing, Shauna rubbed her back. “I love you… baby.”

Jackie giggled and backed away, gripping Shauna’s hand to tug her to the door. But then she glanced at the clock and her smile fell away. “We’re gonna be late. How the hell did you lose track of time so badly, Shipman?”

“Am I the only one here who knows how to read a clock?” Shauna huffed, allowing Jackie to drag her out the door and hurry them to the car.

Inevitably, they were late to school, but the rest of the day passed without issue at least. 

Jackie spent all of lunch playing with Shauna’s flannel sleeve, proving she really had meant it when she said she liked how soft it was.

Abigail in sixth period said she thought Jackie was getting fat, so Shauna made her carve off a piece of her thigh and eat it. The good thing about that was Mr. Jacobson was being a real dick that day, so it also got Shauna out of class early, which was nice. 

Seventh period, there was some kind of assembly about safety or something? Shauna wasn’t sure, since she’d convinced Jackie to go make out with her under the bleachers while everyone was distracted. 

Now they were walking out onto the field for practice, and Jackie kept purposefully bumping into her with her hip. 

“Shauna,” Jackie cajoled, grinning. 

“Yes, Jax,” Shauna asked, glancing at her from the corner of her eye as they walked past Misty finishing her cones setup. 

“Did I tell you that you looked pretty today?”

“Yes.” Shauna smiled fondly. “Did you set a timer for yourself to do it once an hour?”

“I haven’t told you while you were wearing your clothes for practice yet.” Jackie smiled, bouncing back and forth on her feet—too much energy and nowhere to put it. 

She gripped the bottom of Shauna’s shirt and tugged her closer. 

“Hey, guys!” Misty beamed, popping up next to them.

Jackie flinched, tripping away from Shauna. 

Rolling her eyes, Shauna turned to Misty. “Hey.”

“I have really important information to share today!” Misty said. “Coach Ben already said I could, but I know since you’re the captain, it’d only be polite to ask you too, Jackie.”

“Uh,” Jackie mumbled, looking dazed at the full force of all things Misty Quigley. “Well, if Coach said it was fine, then I guess that’s okay…”

“Awesome!” Misty cheered, scampering away to a binder lying on the bench. 

Shauna and Jackie gave each other a bewildered glance, but let it go, sitting down to stretch an appropriate distance from each other.

The rest of the team filed out and sat down to stretch, too, and a few minutes later, Shauna finally got her answer about what was in Misty’s binder.

Coach Ben sighed, waving Misty forward. “Go ahead, just don’t take too long.”

Misty nodded rapidly and began handing out pieces of paper from her binder. 

“Hi, um, obviously you know me, and, uh, you probably already got some of this information at the assembly today.”

Shauna looked down at the page in her hand, and her brow furrowed deeply. It was a list of missing persons along with small pictures of them. She squinted, trying to see one of the black and white photos better. 

The page crumpled in her grasp. The images all became clearer as she imagined them pale and lifeless beneath her. She could even remember some of their voices croaking out a final, forced, “I love you” right before their last breaths.

“There’ve been a lot of women abducted in Newark lately.” Misty pushed her glasses up her nose. “And as part of the local Citizens on Watch group, I thought it was my duty to give you all more information than what the assembly today did, so everyone stays safe.”

They all gave each other wary glances, and she noticed Coach looked even more tired from his place behind Misty.

Misty cleared her throat and stood taller, an odd authority taking over her features. “Victims range from late teens to early twenties. All white women with blonde hair.” She huffed and shook her head. “Though, as I’ve pointed out to the sheriff multiple times, they specifically have dark blonde hair.” She gestured toward Melissa. “So, you should be fine.”

Melissa looked up, alarmed, eyes flicking around like she was afraid someone was about to jump out and attack her.

“Misty,” Coach Ben groaned.

“Right.” Misty cleared her throat. “Sorry. Anyway, the victims that have been found have all been drained of blood, torn apart, and burned by what the police consider an amateur.”

Shauna glowered at her hands, wrapping them around each other tight. She was not an amateur. Those cops were just assholes.

“Misty!” Coach Ben hissed. “I said no details!”

“How else am I going to make them understand how serious this is?” Misty asked, gaping.

“The list of sixteen women being killed in a month did that just fine,” Natalie said, waving the paper in her hand back and forth.

Misty sighed and raised her own copy up, moving it back and forth in the air so it passed in front of them all. “Well, the victim’s description at least is important.” She squinted and looked them all over. “Really, the only one who needs to be worried right now is Jackie. I’d stay out of Newark to be safe if I were you.”

Jackie stared down at the paper in her hands, and Shauna finally noticed the way her heart was beating wildly. Jackie pulled the list closer to herself and paused, eyes flicking from face to face. With each look, her hands trembled harder.

Shauna didn’t even hesitate—she slid closer until her hip pressed against Jackie’s, curling an arm around her, tight. Her cheek sank into Jackie’s hair as she glowered at Misty.

“Okay!” Coach Ben said, practically dragging Misty away. “I think they get it. Thank you, Misty.”

“Actually, now that I’m looking!” Misty called over her shoulder. “Melissa, your hair probably looks darker at night. I’d be careful just in case!”

“Jesus,” Natalie muttered under her breath. 

“What the hell is the Citizens on Watch?” Van mumbled.

Shauna glanced to her right and saw Lottie frowning at her and Jackie. She stared only for a moment before looking away and whispering to a tense Laura Lee.

Shauna shook the look off and stroked Jackie’s back. “Jackie, you never even go to Newark,” Shauna whispered into her ear. “Relax.”

Jackie tilted her head back and stared. She opened her mouth, as if she were going to say something, then shut it again, and nodded shakily.

All this bullshit for something that wasn’t even happening in town. She was going to make Misty eat her fucking glasses next time she saw her.

Chapter Text

It’d been a few hours since Misty’s useless PSA before practice, and they were currently sitting across from each other in the local diner. 

The lighting inside always felt too low, like they were trying to make their shitty menu harder to read. Outside, the neon sign that said Wiskayok Diner reflected off the wet pavement, shining red and blue everywhere as if the place was cooler than it actually was. The contrast used to give Shauna a headache. 

But the waitresses were always polite. And all the shitty songs on the jukebox got stolen in seventh grade, so it was still a nice place to go when you were hungry and didn’t care about the food being too greasy.

“You alright, Jax?” Shauna asked, playing with her fry, twirling it in her ketchup.

Jackie looked up and glanced around as if she’d forgotten where she was.

Ever since Misty opened her big, stupid mouth, Jackie had looked like she was on another planet.

“Yeah.” Jackie frowned, using her fork to nudge her over-easy eggs back and forth on her plate. “I’ve just been thinking…”

“Okay…”

“Didn’t you say you were going to Newark for your mom the other day?” Jackie asked.

Shauna’s hand stilled. “Yeah.” 

She glanced up, studying Jackie more closely. Her expression was pinched, with a furrowed brow and downturned lips, but Shauna didn’t think she looked suspicious, just thoughtful.

“Why?” Shauna asked after Jackie stayed quiet.

“I just—” Jackie sighed, slumping in her seat. “I was thinking about what Misty said, that I should stay out of Newark because all those girls look like me. I don’t know. I guess it’s just um… weirding me out.”

“Well,” Shauna chuckled, “I’m not blonde, so I don’t think I was in any danger there if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Jackie stared at her for a moment. Something about her gaze felt piercing, like Jackie was willing to cut Shauna open and put her under a microscope to find what she wanted. 

“Right,” Jackie murmured. “Of course, you wouldn’t be in any danger.”

Shauna swallowed, shifting in her seat. Jackie barely blinked as she cut Shauna with her stare. 

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. “Forget it,” Shauna snapped. “Just let it go.”

Jackie’s lashes fluttered, then she looked down at her plate. “I don’t think I can.” She swallowed and added, quieter, “I wish I could.”

Shauna gritted her teeth. She wanted to throw her food, and smash her plate, and scream listen, listen, listen until Jackie’s ears bled.

She glared at Jackie, daring her to pick up her head so she could try again. 

“Can I get you two anything else or would you like the check?” Janet, their waitress, asked them as she stopped beside their table.

“The check, please,” Jackie said with a wan smile.

Janet walked away, and Shauna drummed her fingers on her thigh, waiting for Jackie to look again. 

“You were done, right?” Jackie asked, lifting her head. 

“Forget about Newark.” 

Jackie stared at her, then hesitantly asked, “Like, forget the city exists…”

“No,” Shauna groaned. “Forget what Misty said about it. Just let it go. You don’t care about it.”

“I’m not just going to stop caring about this. What the fuck, Shauna?” Jackie spat, sliding out of the booth. “I was going to pay, but you can get it now.” She snatched Shauna’s keys off the table. “I’ll wait in the car.”

The door slammed behind her, and a new song switched on the jukebox. Shauna scrunched up her nose. It was terrible—slow, boring, and something she knew seventh-grade Natalie would’ve definitely stolen with the rest.

Sighing, she dropped a twenty on the table and waved to Janet on her way out, knowing it’d be plenty. The terrible song grew muffled as the doors closed. She caught Jackie’s eye from the windshield and got a testy glare in return. 

The ride home was tense. Silent. Aggravating.

When Shauna was younger, she was afraid of the dark. She used to sleep with every light on possible—the one in her bedroom, the bathroom, even the hallway.

Even if she hadn’t grown out of that years ago, it’d only be hypocritical now to be afraid of monsters.

With the lights off, the only glow in her room that night came from the silver moonlight streaming in through her curtains. It brightened her small space, weaving onto the ceiling and highlighting how tense Jackie’s back looked while lying so far away from her in bed.

“Why did you insist on staying over if you won’t even talk to me?” Shauna sighed.

Jackie looked over her shoulder, the same glare she’d had all night getting shot at Shauna again.

“Do you wanna watch Beaches?” Shauna asked, studying her closely. 

Jackie rolled her eyes.

“Do you… want me to eat you out?” Shauna smirked. “You always feel better after that.”

With a glower, Jackie turned over again, and Shauna pouted up at the ceiling.

“You aren’t just going to make me do it?” Jackie asked, sharp.

Shauna stiffened, snapping her head to stare at Jackie’s back.

“What?”

Jackie stayed silent. 

Sweat gathered on her brow. Lucky she was already dead, or she’d be mid-stroke right now.

“You just… seemed to want to tell me what to do so bad at the diner. That’s all I meant,” Jackie said, unnaturally slow and careful.

“Well, whatever you meant. I’d never make you do something like that. Even if I could.”

She watched Jackie’s back loosen.

“What about…” Jackie hesitated, trailing off.

“About?”

“What about other people?” Jackie asked. The sentence sounded jagged and misshapen, as if she had torn it from her throat. “Would you ever make other people do something like that?”

“Jackie, what the fuck?” Shauna sat up, gaping at her. “What are you even asking me right now?”

Jackie finally rolled over, her movements stiff and slow. 

“Why do you have a shoebox with dark blonde hair in your closet?”

Shauna’s brain short-circuited. Nothing made sense anymore.

“I found it when you were in Newark. Why do you have sixteen locks of hair?” Jackie asked shakily, speaking faster. “Why do I keep remembering myself doing two different things?” She darted up, glaring. “Why aren’t you saying anything?!”

Shauna flew forward, slamming Jackie down onto the bed. “Forget you saw that shoebox, Jackie!”

“No!” Jackie shoved against her chest, trying to push her off. 

“Forget. It,” Shauna growled, lowering her face closer to Jackie’s.

Jackie’s expression blanked, her lashes fluttered. Then it hardened, a dark glare appearing. 

“No,” Jackie gritted out, her breath washing over Shauna’s skin.

Shauna clenched her fists in the sheets. A tearing sound rang out.

“What the fuck have you been doing to me, Shauna?” Jackie gasped, her eyes getting wet. “Have you been using me? How much have I done…” Realization swept onto her face. “You’re the reason people have been hurting themselves, aren’t you!?”

Shauna gritted her teeth, breath heaving in and out, unable to think of what to say.

“You-You’re sick, Shauna.” Jackie swallowed, squeezing her hands in Shauna’s shirt. “All the things you’ve done. How am I ever supposed to look at you again?”

Rage. Burning and fierce and uncontrollable. It was Jackie’s fault she was even like this! If Shauna hadn’t been so controlled by her before, she wouldn’t be addicted to having it now.

“You think I’m sick?” Shauna snarled. “You don’t know anything.”

“What could you possibly say to fix this?” Jackie scoffed, tears running down her face.

Shauna didn’t want to fix it. She wanted to make it worse.

Shauna leaned in, connecting their foreheads. “I think it’s fun making you afraid. I like to watch the panic in people’s eyes.” Her voice was quiet, hypnotic, like she wanted to pull Jackie into the truth so she could tear her apart for it afterward. “Whenever I’m done using you for a snack, I go out to the city, search for the closest-looking woman to you I can find—and drain her fucking dry. Then sometimes I hold her for hours and imagine it’s you. That I finally won.”

Jackie was trembling, sobbing, a complete mess.

“You’re a monster,” Jackie said, the words sounding like condemnation. Like an oath, like a promise.

It sounded like Jackie finally hated her—just as Shauna wanted.

Shauna’s chest rumbled deeper. Beneath the sound, she could make out Jackie’s blood pumping rabbit-quick.

She jerked forward, teeth tearing into Jackie’s throat with a snarl.

A sharp scream echoed out. Jackie’s hands scrambled against her chest. Terror covered the entire room.

The blood flowed into her mouth faster than ever, but Shauna didn’t enjoy a drop. It tasted like ash.

‌(She was always just a human. Nothing more)

“Sh…auna…” Jackie gurgled, her shove weakening before falling still. 

Shauna’s head shot backward, her rage subsiding, what she’d done catching up to her. 

Blood dripped onto the bed from her face—and from Jackie’s gaping neck. Each drop hit with a booming drip, drip.

Shauna stared at her throat, waiting for it to heal, for Jackie to pop back up and slap her for being an asshole.

The seconds oozed by. Jackie stayed unmoving. Her neck stayed gaping and bloody.

“J-Jackie…” Shauna whispered.

She lost her ability to hover, her arms shaking before she fell, lying on top of her—just as she had done the last time Jackie had been scared and overwhelmed. 

“Jackie!” Shauna tried again, sliding her arms between her and the mattress, hugging her tight.

“Jackie, wake up!”

Chapter Text

She wouldn’t wake up.

She wouldn’t wake up.

She wouldn’t wake up.

The blood she shoved into her mouth did nothing.

The flesh she chewed off her own arm and pressed to her neck did nothing.

Crying like a baby did nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Then—

A loud GASP!

The body in her arms jerked.

Eyes snapped open.

Something flew toward her face.

Pain.

The ceiling spun above her.

Glass shattered.

Falling.

Falling.

Dirt flew up.

Shauna blinked up at the night sky. Somehow, getting punched out of a window had given her back the ability to think.

She heard a large thump, then a growl, before a weight slammed on top of her, hands wrapping around her neck and squeezing.

The moonlight lit up her face. Tan, freckled skin. A smooth neck streaked with blood. Murderous hazel eyes.

“You fucking asshole!”

“Jackie!” Shauna cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Jackie faltered, staring down at her sobbing face, and Shauna used her hesitation to her advantage, lunging and rolling them over so she lay on top of Jackie instead.

“I thought I killed you,” she sobbed, locking her arms and legs around her.

“You did!” Jackie snapped, wiggling around in her hold. “I’m a freak just like you now!”

“It had to be my blood. Dying with it still inside saved you,” Shauna babbled, squeezing her. “Just like when I bit that guy who attacked me.”

Jackie scoffed and tried squirming again, but Shauna didn’t let up, needing to hold her now more than ever.

“Aren’t I supposed to be super strong?” Jackie growled.

“Guess I’m still stronger,” Shauna said, relieved.

Jackie groaned, throwing her head back to the ground. “I can’t believe you killed me, Shauna!”

“I’m sorry,” Shauna mumbled. “I was upset. I didn’t mean to.”

Shauna nuzzled into Jackie’s neck, sniffing her. She smelled just as delicious as ever, but it was less debilitating now—more subdued and comforting instead of burning. Shauna shook, so she clutched her tighter than she ever would’ve when Jackie was human and dragged her tongue over smooth skin, crying harder at feeling it perfect again.

Jackie twitched, but didn’t say anything, lost in her thoughts, a million miles away.

The only sounds beyond them were the shaking leaves and chirping of nearby insects. The small wooded area Jackie had punched her to was shaded—soft in a way that made the isolation feel gentle instead of lonely.

“…how long did you cry for?” Jackie asked, curiosity poorly hidden in her tone.

“The entire time,” Shauna answered, raising her head. “I tried to give you my blood. I-I even tore off pieces of skin from my arm and put it on your neck, but it didn’t work.”

The scowl on Jackie’s lips fluttered into something kinder before hardening again, like she was fighting the instinct to soften.“You did?”

“Yeah, I’m just so glad you’re okay.”

A tear dripped from Shauna’s chin onto Jackie’s lips. Jackie didn’t react—she just sneered, as if Shauna were deranged. “That’s one way to put it.”

“I-I know you’re upset, but it’s so much better like this, Jackie,” Shauna said. “Being a vampire…”

Jackie’s eyes widened, and Shauna realized that was the first time she’d even told Jackie what they were.

“It’s amazing,” Shauna breathed. “All this power. And I know you’re probably feeling so many emotions right now, but they’ll go away soon. Only the good ones stay.”

Jackie stopped struggling and studied her. The confusion and worry that had hovered at the edges of her expression for weeks seemed to melt away. Shauna thought she could see the pieces clicking into place behind Jackie’s eyes.

Hesitantly, Shauna unwrapped her limbs, placing her hands beside Jackie’s head. Jackie paused, staring, then slowly reached up, hand gentle in Shauna’s hair. Shauna leaned in, her eyes half-closed, the scratching on her scalp leaving her completely malleable.

Without warning, Jackie yanked her hair. Shauna cried out. Jackie shoved her, rolling them over and slamming her to the ground.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?! You think I’m just upset? Let’s go through everything you’ve done. You’ve been keeping this from me for weeks!” Jackie snapped. “And you’ve…” She went quiet, getting lost in thought, emotions flying over her face. Finally, it settled.

Rage.

Jackie’s hands went around her neck again.

“You’ve been manipulating me this whole time and biting me like I was your fucking chew toy!”

“Jackie,” she croaked.

The hands around her throat tightened, squeezing until Shauna felt on the verge of popping. Then Jackie smashed her head into the dirt, new vampire strength powering the blow. Shauna could hear the way her skull cracked, and whimpered as the bone instantly began shifting back together again.

Jackie snarled, fangs fully on display, looking ready to tear her head off. “And then you told me you’ve been killing women who look like me like a freak!”

“I’m sorry,” Shauna choked out.

“You better be sorry, you psycho!” Tears gathered in Jackie’s eyes, her voice cracking with all the anger and pain she’d been forced to bottle up for weeks. “I can’t believe you hate me this much!”

“No!” Shauna rasped, sliding her hand up to Jackie’s on her neck, caressing her skin, sweet like this was just a romance novel Jackie was a few pages behind on. “I was killing them because I love you too much!”

Jackie loosened her grip. She glanced at Shauna’s hand, her face twitching, then looked up, narrowing her eyes. “Explain.”

“I killed them whenever I was upset with you because I didn’t want to hurt you. But no one tastes as good as you do,” Shauna groaned, just thinking about her favorite flavor. “They were always nothing but poor substitutes.”

Jackie’s cheeks heated, and Shauna reached up, wanting to feel them, wanting her to know how serious she was, but Jackie didn’t hesitate to slap her hand away.

“And…” Shauna paused, but one sharp glare from Jackie had her continuing, “Sometimes I’d make them say they loved me because you wouldn’t.”

Jackie studied her, tracing every inch of Shauna’s face like a particularly irritating math problem. Shauna wished she could understand what was going through her head.

Finally, Jackie broke the silence. “So you’re… obsessed with me?” she said, smirking, her voice sharp, deliberately cruel. “Me denying you my love made you insane? I made you crazy?”

Shauna clenched her jaw and stared back, dead-eyed. She couldn’t do this with her right now. Wasn’t it tiring enough without this bullshit?

Jackie’s smirk faltered almost immediately. Her eyes squeezed shut as she sat up, planting her hands on her thighs while straddling Shauna. “No, that’s not—” She cut herself off with a low growl, shaking her head, the cruel edge fading into exhaustion as her shoulders slumped.

Shauna blinked, confused by the sudden whiplash. 

“I don’t like that you did that because of me,” Jackie muttered to herself, almost lost in thought. “I don’t.” She shifted on top of Shauna, shuddering.

Shauna brightened, finally understanding, but forced herself to stay quiet. She didn’t voice how much fun they could have hunting humans together—how Jackie would just have to point and Shauna would get them, how they could shove the useless human aside afterward and fuck, blood-drunk and high from the kill.

“I-I really wish you weren’t killing so many people because I upset you so much,” Jackie said, nodding, like she needed to bookend the sentence. A familiar, mouthwatering scent rose from where Jackie sat against Shauna, betraying her despite her efforts to deny it.

“They’re just humans,” Shauna said, watching her reaction closely. “They don’t matter.”

Jackie frowned, looking away with a harsh swallow.

Shauna gave her a moment, reaching up to pick leaves out of her hair. Jackie shook off her lingering thoughts, her eyes gentling when Shauna tossed away another leaf.

“I don’t feel the same way about humans as you do,” Jackie said, slow and forceful. But Shauna still felt like it wasn’t really her that Jackie was speaking to.

“You will. Just give it time.”

Jackie couldn’t lie to herself forever, and her body couldn’t lie to Shauna.

Jackie pursed her lips, her expression troubled, but then something seemed to occur to her, and she rolled her eyes.

“Is that why you were torturing people at school? Because they don’t matter?”

Shauna blushed, glancing away, oddly shy about admitting this. “No… they were all people who said mean stuff about you.”

Jackie cupped her cheek, tilting her face back. “You did that for me?” she asked softly.

Shauna nodded, and Jackie stroked her cheek with her thumb. The worried look on her face had fully vanished by then, something calmer taking over the longer she touched Shauna.

“What are you thinking about?” Shauna whispered.

“How angry I am.” Jackie slowed, getting lost in thought. “How hard it is to care about anything outside of you.”

“You’ll get used to that with time, too.”

Shauna stayed quiet for a moment, then looked up, staring at Jackie framed against the glowing moonlight. She was so much looser now than she had been just hours ago in Shauna’s bed. Already, Shauna could see a comfort in her own skin that hadn’t been there before.

Jackie had power again, but maybe it’d be okay now—especially since Shauna was still stronger.

Jackie studied her for a moment. Whatever expression Shauna had must’ve been good, because Jackie flushed, clearing her throat. She climbed to her feet, and like a magnet held them together, Shauna followed, walking closely behind as Jackie trekked back to her house.

“Sorry about your window,” Jackie said, looking up at it.

“It’s fine,” Shauna murmured, staring at her. She’d been too afraid to look away this whole time. The sight of her dead body would haunt her.

When Jackie went to step toward her house again, Shauna finally snapped out of her daze. She shot forward, gripping Jackie’s waist, and then she leapt up, easily soaring through her window, landing in her bedroom with a thump.

Jackie gaped at her, her head swiveling around. “You have got to teach me how to do that.”

“I’ll teach you anything you want,” Shauna whispered, caressing her cheek.

Jackie let her touch linger for a beat, then swallowed, brushing her hand away. “I still haven’t forgiven you.”

“I know.” Shauna nodded, slumping.

“I’m really scared,” Jackie choked out. “And I don’t think I can even trust you anymore after everything you did, but you’re the only one who can teach me…” She roughly shook her head, her eyes wet.

“I wouldn’t trust me either,” Shauna muttered. “And I-I know it doesn’t mean much, but I swear I’ll try to help make this easier for you.”

“How do you deal with this hunger all the time?” Jackie asked, pressing against her own stomach.

Shauna brushed her fingers over Jackie, stroking her hand as she went, her voice clear and assured.

“You eat.”

Jackie tightened her fist, squeezing the fabric of her t-shirt. “I don’t know if I can kill people, Shauna…”

“You’ll have to eventually,” Shauna said, pulling her hand away. She thought for a moment, an idea coming to mind she was unsure if she should voice.

Jackie groaned, shifting in place.

“Bite me.” Shauna stepped closer.

Jackie snapped her head up, wide-eyed. “C-can we even do that? Would that work?”

“I don’t know.” Shauna shrugged. “Worst thing that happens is you spit it out.”

Jackie’s eyes drifted to her neck. “I guess it would only be fair…”

Shauna backed up onto her bed, scooting to the middle. “Come here.”

Swallowing, Jackie stepped closer, then finally crawled onto her lap, her legs wrapping around Shauna’s waist.

“So just…”

“Bite.” Shauna nodded. “It’s all instinct. You’ll be fine.”

Jackie gripped her shoulders, gazing at her neck where her stolen blood sat unmoving with no heartbeat.

Jackie parted her lips, and her fangs popped down. Shauna had to stop herself from moving forward and licking her teeth. How did Jackie look even hotter with them?

Finally, Jackie leaned in, her breath ghosting Shauna’s neck. She pressed her lips to her first, giving the skin a soft kiss.

A sharp pain shot through Shauna. Then—ecstasy.

She moaned louder than ever, clutching the back of Jackie’s head, holding her in place.

It was like she had skipped to the end of a long buildup. Like constant pleasure and worship, and like she’d never recover from not feeling this all the time.

She darted her hand down, trying to get inside her pants—overcome with a need so fierce she thought she might die if she didn’t come—but Jackie’s iron grip wrenched her wrist away. A loud growl ripped from Jackie’s throat, then she forced Shauna onto her back, shoving her hand into her underwear, two fingers pushing into Shauna, biting down harder.

Shauna lay pliant, whining, clenching around her. Jackie wasn’t nearly as sweet as usual—rough on her clit, rough with her fingers, rough with her teeth. It felt less like instinct and more like an outlet for her lingering fury.

Shauna clutched her shoulders, letting Jackie use her as she wished. The pain felt good anyway. Like punishment. Like making amends.

Jackie let go of her neck, then bit down again even harder, and Shauna came with a sharp cry, her hips jerking, slick dripping out of her. She needed a moment, just a second, but Jackie was in no mood to give her one, and Shauna wasn’t going to ask. So instead, she sobbed and held Jackie tighter, using her as a small comfort, even as Jackie stayed rough and fast, rubbing her walls and smacking her clit straight through the first orgasm and into another.

She wasn’t sure how long it lasted after that, only that the pleasure mixed more and more with pain as it went, and the tears on her face had long since dried and been refreshed.

Finally, though, Jackie stiffened. She darted her head back, snatched her hand away. Now, the only noises in the room were Shauna’s soft cries and Jackie’s panting.

“Fuck,” Jackie said shakily. “Shauna, why didn’t you tell me to stop?”

Her hand hovered over Shauna’s face, trembling.

Shauna brushed it aside and yanked her close, squeezing her arms around Jackie’s rigid back. She turned her head, nuzzling into Jackie’s hair, inhaling that semi-new comforting smell.

“I’m sorry, Jackie,” Shauna sobbed. “I love you. I’m sorry I keep hurting you so much.”

“What? I—okay.” Jackie sighed. “Calm down,” she murmured, shushing her, voice softer than it’d been all night. “You didn’t even do anything wrong this time…”

Shauna slid her hands under Jackie’s shirt, feeling her slightly cooler skin and each unnecessary breath she took while pressing into the divots of her back. When that still wasn’t enough, she wrapped her legs around her hips too.

“I guess we’re sleeping like this,” Jackie mumbled to herself.

Shauna nodded and finally tilted her head back, needing to see her again and remind herself that Jackie wasn’t a lifeless corpse. She stared at her, not reacting when Jackie wiped away her tears. 

Jackie’s brow furrowed, her face pinched. Even with the expression, she still looked beautiful. Tousled and flushed and freckled and perfect.

“I think you got even prettier,” Shauna sniffled.

“Sure I did.” Jackie rolled her eyes but kept stroking Shauna’s cheeks, though her tears had already dried.

Shauna glanced at her gentle, wandering fingers and added, “You’ll live forever, and be even prettier while doing it.”

Jackie blushed, unable to hide her pleased grin or the way her body softened so she practically melted over Shauna.

“You’ll be super fast and strong. Your senses are improved,” Shauna whispered. “Nationals will be an easy win.”

Jackie paused, her smile growing, excitement flashing in her eyes.

“You’ll be the best player out there along with me. We’ll dominate on the field.”

“Alright,” Jackie said, glancing away, grin still in place. “Don’t overdo it.”

Shauna paused, finally realizing what she could say to make it all a little better.

“We can really be together forever now.”

Jackie froze, then slowly looked back. The softness in her eyes, the longing in her expression, the way her face held so much want—it all made Shauna’s breath hitch and her chest tight.

Jackie leaned down and pressed her lips against Shauna’s. It was tender and sweet—her kindness seeping through the anger with how much more carefully she was handling Shauna. Shauna swore her heart started beating again.

“I’m still so mad at you,” Jackie whispered, pulling back, nudging their noses together. “But that did help.”

“I’m sorry, Jax.” Shauna stroked over the smooth skin of her back, wishing she could imprint her hands in her. “For everything.”

“Well, at least you’ll have plenty of time to make it up to me.” Jackie pressed their foreheads together and sighed softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Say it right.”

“I love you too, baby,” Shauna said.

It came out steady, clear—like a promise she intended to keep.

Chapter Text

It was a cloudy Saturday afternoon in mid-October 2021 when Shauna got home to the apartment she shared with Jackie. Their place was a modest two-bedroom, one-bath in Colorado. Jackie had insisted on the second bedroom to store all the little keepsakes and junk she’d collected over the years. She still couldn’t explain why she needed a snow globe from every place they traveled, but Shauna always made sure to point them out when she saw one.

As for the room itself, Shauna hadn’t cared either way—they had plenty of money saved, especially when food bills were practically nonexistent and getting what they needed was never a problem.

She strolled through their apartment, stepping over the dog toys in the hall and around the laundry basket Jackie had probably started folding before getting distracted—until she reached the living room. Then she paused, taking in Jackie in her thin pajamas and messy hair, makeup-less and beautiful as she curled up on the couch, playing on her phone with their chocolate Labrador, Callie, pressed against her side.

“There’s my favorite girl!” Shauna said, grinning.

Jackie looked up, her face brightening instantly as Shauna walked over to the couch. “Oh, hey, ba—”

Shauna leaned over and scratched Callie’s head, cooing. She glanced at Jackie out of the corner of her eye, watching her scowl and cross her arms with a huff.

Snickering, Shauna gave Callie one last scratch and turned to Jackie, kissing the scowl off her lips. 

“Dick,” Jackie mumbled, nipping her bottom lip and licking away the drop of blood with a hum.

Shauna moaned, leaning closer, but Jackie put her hand to her chest. 

“I’ve been waiting all day for you to get back from your stupid office to talk to you about something,” Jackie huffed. “I still don’t know why you can’t just write at home, especially on a Saturday.”

Shauna raised her brow. “I’m gonna go get something to drink in the kitchen.”

Jackie leaped up, wrapping her arms and legs around Shauna, hanging on her like a monkey, their strength making the weight easily manageable. “Okay! I’ll come with you.”

“This is why I don’t have a home office.” Shauna rolled her eyes, but also slid her hands under Jackie’s shirt, pressing her closer. 

Jackie tsked. “Whatever.” She nuzzled into Shauna’s neck. “Are you going to get your drink and listen to me now?”

“I wasn’t actually thirsty,” she grumbled, but still went to the kitchen. 

“So I was on the Wiskayok High Facebook page—”

She froze. “Why?” she snarled, clenching her fingers into Jackie’s back.

“Ah!” Jackie jerked, then yanked Shauna’s hair. “Knock it off!”

Shauna’s fingers slowly unlatched. She growled under her breath and continued walking to the kitchen. “I told you not to go on there anymore, Jackie.”

“I’m following it from an anonymous account. What does it matter?” 

“Because you have no self-control and always want to talk to someone. Last time I caught you midway through typing a message to Van asking for movie recommendations!”

“I’m just curious,” Jackie whined, planting her chin on Shauna’s shoulder. “It’s so much harder to make friends now.”

Shauna turned into the kitchen and carefully placed Jackie on the counter. She kissed her forehead, then paused to untangle Jackie’s heart necklace before turning to the fridge. “We could try meeting more vampires. Then you could have friends for as long as you wanted. Whatever happened to Lana?”

“Uh…” Jackie trailed off, and Shauna frowned, looking over her shoulder. There was a grimace on Jackie’s lips, and her nose had scrunched up.

“What?” Shauna stiffened, stomping back over to her. “Did she upset you? Was she rude?” She snarled. “Did she make a pass at you?”

“No!” Jackie groaned, running her hands over Shauna’s shoulders. “She and her husband, Gary…” She winced. “They said you made them uncomfortable.”

Shauna gaped. She went over every interaction with them she had and couldn’t think of why the hell they’d be uncomfortable.

“If I remember correctly, um, it was your hunts that concerned them.” Jackie pursed her lips, avoiding her eyes. “The posing the bodies afterward and, uh, sitting with them sometimes.”

Shauna’s shoulders hunched. Everyone had hobbies. Why was hers so bad? She didn’t do anything to her corpses—she just liked having them around to keep her company. It was why she didn’t care about finding more friends like Jackie did. She could always go find one whenever she wanted.

“But you don’t mind when I do it,” Shauna mumbled. 

Jackie combed her fingers through Shauna’s hair. “I’ve come to accept it… and it’s still flattering when you go for ones that look like me.” Her lips curled up. “Plus I know you, and how sweet you are, too.”

Shauna’s cheeks heated, and she shifted on her feet. 

“I really wish you’d stop doing the other thing, though.”

Huffing, Shauna pulled away with rolled eyes, going back to the fridge.

Instantly, she knew what Jackie had meant. It was something Shauna liked to do to spice up their sex life sometimes.

They’d tried other things over the years. Jackie pecked someone on the lips once to get a reaction out of Shauna. Shauna murdered the woman, and then all twenty-three of the people on the floor of her apartment building. Jackie didn’t care much about humans—but even she’d been quiet after, knowing not to test Shauna like that again.

Besides, a few days later, when Shauna trailed her hand up a man’s leg to really hammer home how pissed she was, Jackie had gotten so upset she’d almost fucked Shauna into a coma afterward. Which was fun, but Jackie also looked like she wanted to throw up and cry, so it just wasn’t worth it.

Then, about a decade ago, Shauna tried something new. She called it ‘bringing someone home.’ Jackie had been very against it at first, but now she just sighed, tolerating it.  

It wasn’t big a deal. Sometimes, after they drained a woman—because Shauna would never make Jackie uncomfortable with a man—Shauna took the corpse home, propped her in the corner, and forced her to watch them fuck. Jackie would forget about her pretty quickly anyway, especially when the act made Shauna press harder, do a little more—show off, as if someone were watching whom she wanted to impress.

So after twenty-five years, they had a very happy sex life, even if Jackie pretended she didn’t love how much effort Shauna put into getting her to come when they ‘brought someone home.’

“Whatever,” Shauna muttered, shaking away her thoughts. “Anyway, what did you want to tell me about Facebook so badly?” she asked, pouring a glass of lemonade.

Jackie gave her a look that said she knew exactly what Shauna was doing. Then her face relaxed, and she smiled excitedly. “Right. Okay, so get this, Shipman—the twenty-five-year reunion is in two weeks!”

Shauna stepped between Jackie’s legs, placing her cup down on the counter. “Okay, good for them.” 

“We should go.” Jackie’s grin turned cheeky as she wrapped her legs around Shauna, locking her ankles against her back so she couldn’t escape.

Shauna exhaled through her nose. “Oh, yeah, we’ll just go to our twenty-five-year high school reunion still looking eighteen—that’s a great idea, Jax.” She rolled her eyes. “Or what—were you planning on making us wear old-people makeup or something?”

Jackie’s eyes lit up. “Shipman! That’s such a good idea, I didn’t even think of that!”

“No—”

“It’d be so much fun,” Jackie chattered, gripping Shauna’s cheeks. “And oh my god, you’d probably look really hot old too. Do you think I’d look hot?”

“Jackie—”

“Actually, don’t tell me. I don’t wanna know.” Jackie put a hand to her chin. “Y’know, I think I still have a friend from LA who was a makeup artist and wouldn’t question my age yet. She could probably set us up.” 

“I really don’t—”

“But how would I explain it? And how would we redo it each day we’re in town?” Jackie frowned and sighed. “Shauna, the more I think about it, the less your idea makes sense. It was good in theory, though, baby.” She shrugged. “We’ll just compel everyone to think we look forty.”

“Are you done?” Shauna sighed heavily, rolling her eyes.

“Hmm.” Jackie blinked out of her thoughts. “What?”

“We’re not doing any of that.” Shauna rubbed her forehead. “We’re not going to the reunion. Enough.”

Jackie stared at her for a moment, then gripped the lemonade beside her and took a sip without looking away. Shauna glanced between it and Jackie, suddenly wary. 

Pulling the glass away, Jackie licked her lips and held the juice out to Shauna. “Okay, baby. Whatever you say.”

Hesitantly, Shauna grabbed it and stepped back. “I’m going to another room now…”

Jackie leaned back on her hands, kicking her feet. She smiled, tilting her head without saying anything.

It was terrifying. 

Shauna nodded—the action jerkier than usual—and hurried out of the kitchen without looking back.

The next few days technically passed without incident. Jackie didn’t do anything—but she kept giving Shauna these looks, like she was a clown for Jackie’s entertainment.

It had her fists clenching, her teeth grinding. She hadn’t been this aggravated with Jackie in years, and she was two seconds away from doing something drastic if she didn’t stop.

It was when she found a single plane ticket to Newark, New Jersey, lying on the coffee table that she blew.

“What is this?” she snarled, walking into their bedroom with the ticket clenched in her fist. 

Jackie looked up from the stupid matching game she was addicted to playing on her phone and smiled. “My plane ticket for the reunion next week.”

Shauna’s fist squeezed around it harder. “Don’t you have work?”

“I talked to Jonathan, and he said it’d be fine even though it was last-minute.” She brushed her hair away from her shoulders, practically patting herself on the back. “Apparently, I’m ahead on all my tasks.”

“Of course you are,” Shauna said, rolling her eyes.

Her tone was much more fond than it would’ve been in high school, a lot of the resentment fading over time. It also helped that she’d rather go stand outside without sunscreen than do all the market bullshit Jackie did as a buyer.

Jackie stood, sauntering up to her. One arm went around Shauna’s shoulders. The other took the ticket out of her hand. “Let me know soon if you’d like to join me so I can buy you a ticket too.”

“You are not fucking going!” Shauna spat.

Jackie’s body stilled. She stared at Shauna. Then she leaned in, her voice low. 

“Do not tell me what to do, Shauna.”

Their gazes stayed locked. A silent battle of wills. 

Shauna glanced away, clenching her jaw. “Sorry,” she gritted out.

A sore spot. One for Shauna, too, if Jackie ever got too pushy. Maybe one day they’d bond over it.

Jackie sighed, her body relaxing, and she slid her other arm behind Shauna’s neck, too. “I don’t want to fight,” she murmured, kissing her nose. “I’d just really like you to go with me.”

“I’m still working on my next book,” Shauna mumbled, playing with the carpet under her foot. 

“You told me you were way ahead of schedule just the other day,” Jackie said dryly. 

“I need to come up with a new pseudonym,” Shauna said, blurting out the first thing she could think of.

“What’s wrong with Taylor Quinn?” Jackie frowned, looking hurt. 

Shauna’s shoulders slumped. “Nothing. I still like it.”

Sure, in 2005, it’d been aggravating when Jackie had practically begged her to use a name all about her. And Shauna still had no idea where the hell she got Quinn from Jacqueline. But it had been hard to say no when Jackie whispered that it’d be a way for Shauna to finally take her name. 

So… okay, yeah, she couldn’t even pretend to be looking for a new name to get out of this. 

Jackie still had a small, pained frown on her lips, and Shauna squeezed her eyes shut, knowing she had brought this one on herself.

“Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll go to the stupid reunion.”

Jackie’s expression shifted so fast her face practically blurred, a grin splitting her lips. She leapt forward, wrapping herself around Shauna so she was hanging off her again. “Thank you! We’re gonna have so much fun, and we’ll get to hear about what they’ve all been up to, and I can finally catch up on some good gossip.”

“You don’t even care about humans,” Shauna grumbled, gripping her thighs. 

“Ugh,” Jackie groaned. “Stop saying that! I don’t mind them. And besides, I’m bored, and we can’t go on that long trip to Rome until next quarter.”

“Fine,” Shauna said, dragging her hands up to grip her ass. “But you’re gonna make this all up to me.”

“Oh?” Jackie said coyly. 

“Mhm.” Shauna slid her hand inside the back of Jackie’s shorts, squeezing again, now skin to skin.

Jackie’s breath hitched. She licked her lips. “That sounds fair.”

Smiling, Shauna stepped toward the bed. She pushed her down onto the mattress, kissing her as they went.

Later, Shauna lay over Jackie’s back, lips against the side of her neck, slowly pumping her hips.

“Uh,” Jackie breathed, clenching her fingers into the sheets.

The sound of the strap gliding in and out of Jackie was the only noise above their panting. It always made Shauna wetter knowing the silicone hit deep enough that Jackie would feel her for hours afterward.

Shauna dragged her hand up Jackie’s side, the slide of their sweaty skin making it seem as if they could melt and fuse. She was wearing Jackie’s necklace that day, and the way it hung between them was like another tie pulling them together. Years ago, she’d pretended she didn’t get the appeal of being tethered to her, but now she’d do anything to be that close.

“Shauna,” Jackie whined, trying and failing to push back into her, still not strong enough to force Shauna away and give herself room to move. “Faster.”

“I’m so glad we still sweat,” Shauna whispered into her ear, ignoring her pleas. She sniffed, scenting her tangy skin and sharp arousal. “I love how you smell—how I get even more of you.” Shauna leaned down, licking the moisture from her neck. “I love how you taste. Like something salty and sweet.”

Giggling breathily, Jackie gripped the hand Shauna had planted near her head. “Shut up.”

Shauna kissed her cheek. She molded herself even closer, gliding their bodies together, humming low in her throat. “I love how you feel against me. How perfect your body is, how pretty.”

Jackie mewled, her fingers clenching tighter around hers. “Please go faster,” she begged. “Please.”

“Not yet,” she murmured. “You still need to make it up to me.”

She bit down on Jackie’s neck. Jackie squealed, tilting her head and submitting beautifully while Shauna took all the pulls she wanted. Blood spilled down her chin—still a messy eater, even now.

Soft cries echoed through the room as Shauna released her, licking Jackie’s throat until the skin healed.

“Are you gonna be good from now on?” Shauna asked, nuzzling Jackie’s tear-stained cheek. “Are you gonna listen and stop going behind my back? Not argue with me when we get into town?”

Jackie nodded frantically. “I’ll be good! I’ll be good!” she sobbed.

Shauna pushed herself up, dragging Jackie onto her knees. She snapped her hips forward, hard enough to make Jackie squeal.

When Jackie caught her breath, she pushed back just as rough, a broken sound tearing out of her as the harness ground against Shauna’s clit. Shauna grunted, and Jackie looked over her shoulder with a shaky smirk. 

“Fucking brat,” Shauna hissed, gripping her hips to pull her back faster and thrust deeper, trying to work that one spot that always made Jackie lose it.

Jackie’s head fell forward, nodding frantically. “Yes,” she whimpered. 

“Yes, you’re a brat?”

“Y-yeah,” Jackie panted. “Are you gonna do something about it or not, Shipman?”

Shauna scowled, widening her knees, then she began driving into Jackie at a pace that was almost a blur, pulling her back at the same speed. Jackie screamed, her arms collapsing, falling onto her face. Shauna held her hips up with one hand and used the other to rub Jackie’s clit just as fast. 

Heavy sobs ripped out of Jackie. She squirmed until Shauna shoved a pillow under her hips and pressed a hand to her spine to hold her still. A loud “Ungh!” rang out, and Jackie arched, hips tilting higher as she gushed, squirting over the strap and their thighs, leaving an even bigger mess on the pillow below.

When the flood stopped, Jackie slumped, boneless, only her ass sticking up as she whimpered, thighs trembling. Shauna slowed, rubbing her back, whispering praise while working her through it.

She took the time to study the little freckles and moles on her arched back, her perfect, smooth skin hiding deceptively powerful muscles. Shauna had to force herself not to tug and nuzzle the dark blonde hair stuck to her shoulder blades, wild and shaking with her loud gasps.

“My pretty girl,” Shauna murmured, leaning forward to kiss her back. The movement made Shauna drive in deeper, and Jackie squeaked, twitching away. Chuckling, Shauna kissed her again. “Squirm all you want, Jax. I’m not finished with you yet.”

The cry Jackie let out was whiny and needy and pleading. For her to stop or keep going wasn’t Shauna’s problem anymore. Besides, Jackie would have caved Shauna’s head in by now if she really wanted her off—Shauna had learned that plenty of times when she teased too much.

“Let’s see how many more you’ve got for me today, baby.”

Next Thursday night, they stood on a dimly lit rooftop in Denver, looking over the small crowds lingering near some bars and restaurants in the city. 

“Just a quick hunt and then we can get on the plane in a few hours.” Shauna scratched her chin, studying the people below. “Don’t want any accidents again with how small the space is,” she muttered to herself.

“You were the one who told that guy to slice his arm open on the last flight, Shauna,” Jackie snapped. “Of course I got hungry.”

“He brushed your ass with it.” Shauna scowled. “What the fuck did you expect me to do?”

Jackie’s eyes softened, and she wound her arms around Shauna’s shoulders. “I’m sorry. You’re right,” she giggled. “This is what I mean when I say people don’t know how sweet you are.”

Blushing, Shauna leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “Thanks, but you still need to pick, Jax.” 

Jackie thought for a moment, then frowned. “Last Tuesday,” she said, “our waiter at dinner checked out your cleavage a few times. I meant to ask you to do something later, but forgot.”

“Do you want me to go get him?” Shauna asked, rubbing her back.

“No,” Jackie chuckled. “We don’t have time for that. Can you just get…” She narrowed her eyes, studying the people below until her face lit up. “That one looks similar.” She pointed, and Shauna followed her finger.

A man with long blonde hair stood smoking a cigarette on the patio of a bar, leaning on the railing near a table with an umbrella.

Without hesitation, Shauna winked and ran off. 

It took only a few minutes from there. She leaned on the railing next to him. He also glanced at her tits, and Jackie growled from across the street. After one ‘Follow me,’ he was on the rooftop with her and a pissed-off Jackie. 

Jackie crossed her arms tightly, narrowing her eyes at him as he looked between them in confusion.

“Any requests?” Shauna asked, yawning, having had a long day before this. She’d need to nap on the plane. Why Jackie booked a nighttime flight was beyond her.

“Just the eyes since he wants to be so rude,” Jackie grumbled, leaning against the door that gave people roof access.

“Your wish, etc.” Shauna waved her hand lazily in the air.

“Uh,” the guy said, “what’s happening…”

“Gouge your own eyes out, lock your jaw closed when you scream, and don’t move,” Shauna said, strolling over to Jackie and leaning into her chest. “Did you remember to leave your number for the vet to call us if anything happened with Callie?”

A quiet pop pop squish went out in front of them, followed by a muffled screech. 

Jackie nuzzled her face into Shauna’s neck. “They have it on file, baby,” she said fondly.

Shauna relaxed, kissing Jackie’s cheek before tugging her closer to the soft cries coming from a few feet away.

They stopped in front of the man. Jackie grimaced, but Shauna leaned in, examining the dark, empty sockets and the blood oozing down curiously. 

“Preference?”

“Left, I guess,” Jackie sighed, hands on her hips. 

As one, they moved, Jackie gripping his left wrist, biting down without fanfare, and Shauna following on the right side of his neck. She didn’t usually have as much ritual with men. They were idiots, easy to get power or control over—not like women—so what would even be the point?

Still, she groaned at the taste, something savory and smoked. She glanced at Jackie, wanting to check on her. Even now, she looked stiff, her nose scrunched up. Every time she got pissed and chose a man, Jackie somehow forgot she wasn’t comfortable being so intimately close to them anymore.

That wasn’t Shauna’s issue with them. She still found men plenty attractive, just for different reasons than women—even while thinking most of them were useless morons.

The man in her arms became deadweight, and she stepped back, letting him fall while wiping her mouth with the back of her arm.

She glanced at him. A pale, lifeless corpse sprawled on the ground. She barely had time to admire their work before Jackie sped into her and tackled her to the ground. Jackie kissed her roughly, hands scrabbling for the zipper of Shauna’s jeans.

“Eager,” Shauna laughed.

Jackie bit her lip, hard.

“Ow!”

Jackie pulled back, and Shauna finally got a good look at her—dark, furious eyes, lips in a snarl, nostrils flaring. “I still don’t like how he looked at you.”

Shauna’s grin sharpened. “Then you better prove I’m yours again, baby.” She yanked Jackie back down. 

They didn’t have time to clean the rooftop after, but it didn’t matter. They lived in Colorado Springs, not Denver, and they’d be long gone by the time someone found him.

The sun was just peeking out when they walked out of the Newark airport hours later. 

“Did you tell your parents we were coming?” Shauna grumbled, not attempting to hide the dislike in her voice.

“Yes.” Jackie rolled her eyes. “And my mom actually sounded excited to see you. So I don’t know why you’re being mean.”

“She’s excited because last time she visited us, I told her she had to make you as happy as possible and that means being nice to me.”

Jackie paused, then her eyes softened, looking at Shauna like she’d stolen every star in the sky for her to wear at night instead. “You’re so sweet,” she murmured.

Blushing, Shauna stared down at her feet. “Yeah, well, you know I always make sure she’s good to you,” she mumbled. 

Jackie gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek and began walking, tugging her toward the Hertz car rental. Shauna opened her mouth, but Jackie shushed her before she could say anything. “I am not running all the way to town. So don’t even start. I like these shoes.”

Shauna glanced at her heels and rolled her eyes. “You could have worn sneakers instead.”

“But then how would I use my shoes as an excuse not to run to Wiskayok?” Jackie asked, tilting her head and batting her lashes innocently.

With a sigh, Shauna shook her head, but allowed Jackie to drag her over to rent a car.

The drive to town wasn’t bad, at least. The radio buzzed low, Jackie hummed pleasantly, and her fingers were gentle while playing with Shauna’s in her lap.

“Jackie! Shauna!” Marilyn Taylor exclaimed, tweaking their cheeks as if they were seven as they walked into the Taylor household. “You both look wonderful! So good for two women in their forties.” She shook her head and looked at her husband standing nearby. “Don’t they look good, Richard?”

Richard smiled and stepped forward to give Jackie a tight hug. “Of course she does. Jackie’s always been beautiful.”

“Thanks, dad,” Jackie mumbled, blushing, pleased with the praise.

Shauna wasn’t sure which part of this was real. The number of commands she’d given Jackie’s parents over the years had blurred. Jackie knew some, but not the true extent, and she never would, considering how happy she always looked from it.

Richard turned to Shauna and gave her a much shorter but still warm hug. “It’s always good to see you, too, Shauna.”

Marilyn gripped Jackie’s hand tight and led her away. “How’s married life treating you, sweetie?”

“Shauna and I are as happy as ever, mom,” Jackie said, and Shauna forced herself to stop listening, not finding it interesting anymore.

It was always the same questions, anyway. Shauna couldn’t even tell if they’d really be okay with her and Jackie being together or not. She had known any sort of negativity would’ve upset Jackie, so Shauna had forced it without giving them the chance to choose either way.

She glanced at Richard, waiting patiently nearby. “Any new coins?” she asked blandly.

Richard lit up, the same pride he showed about Jackie flickering across his face. Shauna followed him down the hall, pretending to care, knowing it always made Jackie happy when she got along with her parents.

The next night, Jackie smoothed out her dress, shifting from side to side in the mirror of her old bedroom.

“How do I look?” 

The dress she wore was cream and went to mid-calf, fitting her like a glove. She had pulled up her hair, revealing her defined neck, which Shauna had to force herself not to bite. The question was silly, and if she were still a teenager, she’d think Jackie was just fishing for compliments, but she knew better now. 

“Like there’s a reason I call you my pretty girl.” Shauna smiled at her in the mirror, tilting her head.

Jackie flushed, a pleased expression on her face as she smoothed down her dress one more time before turning and kissing Shauna.

“You look great too, baby.” Jackie’s lips twisted wryly. “Even if it is boring.”

Shauna glanced down at the tight all-black suit cinched at the waist. Jackie had tried to force her into a tie but gave up after enough snarling. Besides, now her heart necklace hung in the open collar, and she knew Jackie liked seeing it on her. She’d worn a dress to the last annoying event Jackie dragged her to, so this time she’d switched it up—not really in the mood today.

Shauna stood and caught Jackie’s hand. “C’mon, let’s go to the stupid reunion. You’re gonna have to help me compel, you know?”

“I’m going to get the worst migraine,” Jackie groaned. “I don’t know how you always do it so much without a headache.”

“Probably because yours works better,” Shauna muttered as they went down the steps, keeping a close eye on Jackie to make sure she didn’t somehow trip. “Strong-willed people always wanna fight me.”

When they got to the bottom of the steps, Shauna gestured to Jackie, rolling her eyes. “Exhibit A.”

Jackie giggled, squeezing her hand. It was the only part of what happened that she ever looked happy about, and Shauna graciously let her have it. Shauna could compel constantly, but there was a limit to how well people listened. Realizing that after she started using it more on adults was fucking awful, and realizing Jackie never had that issue only made it worse. 

But it also answered some questions, made Jackie feel really good, and at least Shauna could always make herself feel better by physically holding Jackie down. Luckily, vampires couldn’t compel each other—or they’d probably never have made this work.

Jackie tugged her out of the front door, breaking her from her thoughts, and Shauna hopped into the driver’s seat. 

“Who do you think is going to be there, Shipman?” Jackie asked, reaching over to settle her hand on Shauna’s thigh.

“You’re the one stalking people on Facebook.” She rolled her eyes, pulling out of the driveway. “You tell me.”

“Well…” Jackie’s other fist raised and rested against her chin. “Natalie and Misty will definitely be there.”

When the car stayed silent, she glanced over and saw Jackie waiting expectantly.

“Why, Jax?” Shauna sighed.

Jackie smiled like she had won a game only she knew the rules for. “Misty works as a nurse in town. Natalie’s hung around here too—mostly doing odd jobs.”

“Uh huh.”

“And… hm,” Jackie hummed thoughtfully. “Let’s see, Tai and Van might—if Tai’s not too busy, at least. I think she’s running for reelection. Should be easy though—New Jersey loves her. Though I’m pretty sure they have a son, so they might still have too much going on,” she muttered to herself. 

Shauna nodded, trying to pay attention for Jackie’s sake, but she really wasn’t that interested in her high school soccer teammates. Sure, they’d bonded plenty when they became National Champions, but honestly, the only interesting thing that ever happened between them was when Jackie noticed the private plane they almost took to Seattle was making a weird noise. Shauna had to kick something when no one was looking to make the problem more obvious.

“Oh!” Jackie suddenly chirped, forcing Shauna to stop zoning out. “Lottie might be there. I think she’s staying nearby with her dad right now since he’s sick.”

“Didn’t you buy something stupid from her online store once?”

Jackie shrugged. “All her stuff is pretty stupid, but feel lucky I only bought her vampire repellent that warded off bad energy.” She pulled down her mirror, fixing her already perfect lip gloss with a smirk. “I could’ve bought the candle that apparently smells like her vagina.”

“What?” Shauna snapped her head to the side, staring at her, grimacing.

“I guess that’s what she considers a wellness and lifestyle product.”

Shauna shook her head, then rested it on her fist, continuing to drive without asking anything else—no longer willing to pretend to care after that one.

When they pulled up to the school, it was already busy—the lot almost filled, people making their way inside with wide and uncomfortable grins, music from the 90s streaming out of the gym. 

“You ready?” Shauna asked tiredly, turning to open the door.

Jackie stopped her by tugging her sleeve. Looking back, Shauna raised her brow.

Jackie cupped her cheek and pulled her closer. “We don’t have to stay too long, okay?” she murmured. “Just long enough to satisfy my curiosity. Then we can do anything you want.”

“Yeah?” She smiled, her shoulders relaxing. Jackie nodded, stroking her cheek. “Okay… let me think of something, then.”

Jackie narrowed her eyes in warning. “Nothing too weird! We’re staying with my parents.”

Shauna opened the door, climbing out of the car. “We could always get a hotel,” she teased.

“Ugh,” Jackie growled under her breath. “Fine, if you really want to, we can.”

Shauna snorted, remembering how it was oddly easier as a teenager. Her mother worked such long hours, Shauna had practically lived alone, but she sold the house in 2006 after her mother’s car accident, so that wasn’t an option anymore.

She rounded the car and gripped Jackie’s hand, making their way inside. There were odd looks on their way in, but a few “we’re 43” ended that quickly.

“Think you can manage hopping up on the stage and giving a command, Jax?” 

Shauna tried not to let her annoyance show over the fact that Jackie didn’t need to look into people’s eyes to compel them. She soothed herself by thinking about how much faster she moved. Even now, she could lap Jackie if she really tried. Stronger, faster, and vampires couldn’t be compelled by other vampires. Who cared if Jackie was better at messing with humans’ heads? Her shoulders relaxed, and she squeezed Jackie’s hand, getting a gentle one in return.

They had to toss out a few more compulsions before reaching the badge table, surprised to find Allie manning it.

“Oh,” Jackie said, smiling politely. “Allie, how are you?”

Allie gaped for a moment. “Y-you guys look—”

“We’re 43.”

“—so cute together!” Allie grinned. “I heard you two got hitched a few years back. Good for you, not being afraid to be who you are.”

“Yeah, I’d say they should throw us a parade, but we already get so many in June.” Jackie shrugged.

“Huh?”

A chuckle behind them made both of them turn to see who Shauna immediately recognized as Tai and Van strolling forward.

“We’re 43,” Jackie sighed before they could even say anything. 

Tai came up and gave Shauna a friendly pat on the back. “Stop torturing Allie, guys.”

“Yeah,” Van said, stopping at her side with a grin. “Though we had also heard you guys got married since your mom is uh… very supportive, Jackie.”

Jackie smiled—a real one, Shauna could tell, genuinely excited to see them.

“Will you all stop blocking the damn table?” someone snapped.

Shauna looked around Tai to see a grumpy Natalie with Misty trailing close behind. 

“Oh, how long have you two been together?” Jackie asked after fixing the age issue again. 

“We’re not,” Natalie scoffed.

“Six months and counting!” Misty exclaimed at the same time. 

Natalie groaned, shouldering her way past everyone to grab her name tag. She went to turn, then hesitated and grabbed Misty’s, too. Misty grinned so wide you’d think Natalie had just got down on one knee. 

Rolling her eyes, Natalie grumbled under her breath and stomped to the doors of the gym. 

“Nat, can we dance?” Misty asked, following closely behind her. 

Natalie made an aggravated noise. “Fine, but no talking…” 

The door slammed behind them, and Shauna and Jackie shared an amused glance.

Van snickered, grabbed her name tag, then handed Tai hers. Linking arms, they headed inside, Jackie and Shauna following behind.

When they passed through the doors, they glanced around at the strobe lights, numerous tables, and their mingling classmates. Jackie with interest. Shauna with creeping tiredness.

A few people turned, then did double takes, watching them closely.

“Uhh,” Van mumbled, “why are people staring?”

“Obviously, they’re taken in by Shauna’s beauty,” Jackie teased, kissing Shauna’s cheek before hurrying off to the stage.

Tai and Van both snorted. “Yeah, that’s why,” Van muttered.

Tai nudged Van’s arm, and for a moment it felt like being back in the locker room again, on the field, at lunch—just another day when Van said something annoying and Tai smacked her for it.

Shauna couldn’t help but smile a little.

The mic squeaked for a moment as Jackie grabbed it on stage. Already, she was getting confused looks again. Then everything—even the music—silenced as the stunned guests registered that an 18-year-old Jackie Taylor was standing on stage.

“We’re 43,” Jackie huffed. She didn’t hesitate to stomp away, and the room’s chatter returned as if nothing had happened.

“So what have you two been up to?” Van asked. 

“I write and—”

“I buy,” Jackie interrupted, clutching Shauna’s hand with one of her own, and gripping her bicep with the other.

“Buy?” Tai asked, looking more interested in the conversation. 

“I’m a buyer.” Jackie grinned.

“She’s annoyingly good at it,” Shauna said, pretending it didn’t make her proud. 

“Jerk,” Jackie said, the smirk on her lips showing she knew Shauna was only teasing.

Shauna opened her mouth to reply, but a sharp yank to her arm had her glancing at a wide-eyed Jackie, who was staring over Van’s shoulder. Shauna followed her gaze and almost choked.

It was Mari, and for some reason, she was still sporting a perfectly symmetrical bowl cut. Shauna hadn’t told her to keep doing it, so she had no clue why the hell Mari stuck with it—but she didn’t seem to care how she looked, and the hot guy on her arm didn’t either.

Shauna saw Jackie’s face redden with suppressed laughter and quickly excused them both before she lost it.

“Why does she still have that?” Jackie giggled. 

Shauna shrugged, smirking. “I told you it suited her.”

“It really doesn’t,” Jackie snickered, shaking her head.

Their laughter faded, replaced by a comfortable silence—the kind only a couple who’d known each other for decades could share.

It didn’t take long for Shauna to notice Jackie repeatedly glance at the dance floor, longing in her expression.

“One dance,” Shauna said wearily. 

Jackie grinned, tugging Shauna toward the other dancing couples. She wrapped her arms around Shauna’s waist while Shauna linked hers around Jackie’s neck. It was lucky that the song was slow and all Shauna had to do was sway, because even as a vampire, she still wasn’t the best dancer.

“I really appreciate you agreeing to come,” Jackie murmured. 

With a sigh, she sank into Jackie, nuzzling her nose into her neck. The natural smell of tangerines was hidden beneath her vanilla perfume, but Shauna could still find it if she tilted her nose up under her jaw. “Don’t expect me to go to the next one,” Shauna whispered, closing her eyes, letting herself be held while Jackie led.

“I think once was enough to satisfy my curiosity anyway,” Jackie said, pressing her face to Shauna’s hair and stroking her back.

“Let’s just… go play fetch with Callie next time or something.”

“Ooh, how special,” Jackie laughed.

“I’ll bring you poppies,” Shauna continued, ignoring her. “All different shades of pink.”

It went quiet for a few moments, like they were in a bubble—the rest of the world dark and unimportant.

Finally, Jackie clutched her waist tighter and choked out, “The stems will be green—so it’ll be perfect.”

Shauna hummed and didn’t even say anything when a new song started, letting Jackie have a few more dances.

After the third, she gently kissed Jackie’s neck and straightened. Grabbing Jackie’s hand, she kissed the back of that too, knowing how much she’d love it. Jackie’s breath hitched, and Shauna couldn’t stop a smirk from lingering on the corner of her lips.

They stepped apart, and the world came back into focus. Nothing had changed—everyone was still enjoying the reunion, going about their night without a care.

Shauna linked their hands and walked off the dance floor, glancing around for Tai and Van. She found them sitting at a table, studying her and Jackie, and focused her hearing, curious.

“…why are they adorable?” Van asked. “It’s Jackie and Shauna. They should not be adorable.”

Tai nudged her, smiling. “They’ve always been kind of adorable.”

“I feel like you’re gaslighting yourself, babe, but okay…”

Shauna tuned them out, rolling her eyes. But she was so focused on that she almost walked right into someone.

“Oh! Uh, wow!” the man she almost ran over said. “I-I never expected you two to be here.”

They both stiffened and looked up to find Jeff Sadecki standing there. 

Jackie’s grip on her hand tightened to the point she broke bones, and Shauna had to grit her teeth, both at the pain, and at this idiot.

“Jeff,” Jackie hissed, her jaw tight. “Did you need something?”

She’d been a little… upset when she found out Shauna had sex with him in high school, barely a year into their relationship. He was just lucky they were nowhere near town at the time, or he’d probably be in pieces. Shauna had been—she’d had to reattach her left arm after Jackie tore it off and attempted to beat her with it.

“I heard you two got married!” Jeff said, grinning. “Congrats. I, uh, me too.” He lifted his hand, showing off a wedding ring.

The grip on her hand relaxed a bit, but it was still painful, and she could hear a very quiet growl fighting its way up Jackie’s throat.

“Obviously, you know my wife, um.” Jeff glanced around, looking for his wife, like they gave a shit who he married. His face dropped in relief, a smile breaking out. “Allie! Come here, honey!”

“That weirdly makes sense,” Shauna whispered.

Jackie grunted in what Shauna thought meant agreement. 

Allie breezed over, beaming. “Hi again! And I see you’ve bumped into my wonderful husband, Jeff.”

“Um…” Shauna glanced at Jackie’s stormy face, then back to Allie. “Yep.”

“I hope it’s not too weird.” Allie winced. “Y’know, since you’ve both… been with him.”

Jackie tensed, clenching her fingers harder, and Jeff choked on his own spit. 

“H-Honey!” Jeff sputtered. “Let’s not bring up the past!” He looked between them repeatedly and finally seemed to realize the twin death stares as he dragged Allie away with a mumbled goodbye.

Jackie turned her head slowly, watching them go, looking like a hunter tracking her prey. 

Sighing, Shauna tugged her toward the exit. “I think that’s enough reuniting,” she mumbled.

Jackie followed willingly, but she didn’t break her stare until the door to the gym closed behind them.

Shauna stopped in the hall, muffled 90s music echoing out from behind them. She rubbed her forehead, hating it when anyone else pissed Jackie off. It was only fun when she did it. She studied Jackie for a moment, an idea coming to mind on how to calm her down. “I think I know what I want.” She nodded to herself.

That got Jackie to come out of her head, giving her a bewildered glance. 

“Yeah,” Shauna muttered. “This will work.” She gripped Jackie’s hand and led her toward the exit—not the one to the parking lot, but the one leading to the athletic fields.

The heavy door slammed behind them, and the noise from the reunion finally faded away. She sighed, enjoying the biting cold in her lungs. Being in there felt like stepping back into high school again. The icy silence out here was a balm after that hell.

After a few seconds of standing still, Jackie spoke up, confusion in her tone. “Where are we going?”

“Your favorite place,” Shauna said, letting go of her to take her jacket off and drape it over Jackie. Jackie always hated the cold—even if it barely affected her anymore. 

Jackie glanced at the jacket, but didn’t protest, only snuggled closer. “My favorite place? We’re going in between your legs?” She giggled, bumping Shauna with her hip.

Shauna paused, studying her flushed cheeks and mussed hair for a moment—then she grinned. “Yep.”

She zoomed off, hitting the soccer field within seconds, and stopping in the middle. Jackie caught up a few moments later with the same annoyed expression she always got when it took her so long to catch up to Shauna. Then she blinked, looking around in confusion. 

“Why are we on the soccer field?” Jackie furrowed her brow. “You wanted to… play soccer?”

Shauna threw her head back, laughing. “Fuck no,” she said when she finally calmed down. “Always had a fantasy we’d have sex here.”

Jackie’s face turned deadpan. “That’s what you want?”

“I’m a simple woman,” Shauna flirted, gripping Jackie’s waist, pulling her in tight. “With simple tastes.”

“Sure you are,” Jackie chuckled, studying her, getting lost in thought. After a beat, she smirked, sharp and a little sinister. “I’m going to make you scream so loud everyone in that shitty gym can hear it.”

“Oh?” Shauna pushed her jacket off Jackie’s shoulders so it landed on the ground. “You better keep your word, baby. There’s only enough room for one liar in this relationship.”

Rolling her eyes, Jackie shoved Shauna to the grass and straddled her. “God, you’re annoying.”

Shauna glanced at her watch. “Get me to scream in fifteen minutes, and we can go drain Jeff together after this,” she grinned, fangs fully on display.

Jackie unbuttoned Shauna’s pants, looking up at her through her lashes. “Maybe I’ll just do it by myself.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Jackie smiled—the soft one Shauna loved—all the tension melting out of her. She tugged Shauna’s dress shirt out of her pants and bent down, pressing a gentle kiss to the skin of her belly.

“I’ll do it in ten,” she murmured, tracing her tongue up from Shauna’s waistband. 

Shauna whimpered, believing her.