Sally and Jessica: A Fraught Reunion

[Author's Note: Sally and Jessica go on separate paths starting in this chapter. In this branch, Sally and Jessica reunite. To see Sally's story arc after she parted ways with Jessica, you should read the branch starting here here. To see Jessica's arc after parting ways with Sally, you should read the branch starting here]

Linda looks back at Jessica, confused, and then turns to Sally.

“Can we help you?” Linda asks uncertainly.

Sally looks past Linda, at a speechless Jessica.

“Well, are you going to introduce us, Jessica?” Sally asks, cocking her head to the side. Jessica is astonished by Sally’s transformation. Her figure is fuller, hair thicker and more lustrous, and she seems to have grown a few inches. Not to mention her new paleness. Sally was always attractive in her own way, but now she is stunning. A mental image of herself and Sally drinking from Linda’s neck together flashes in Jessica’s mind, but she quickly dismisses it.

“Sally...please, come in!” Jessica says, jumping off her chair to embrace the vampiress. Sally pulls Jessica into a kiss, and Jessica looks out of the side of her eyes at Linda, who silently fumes. Jessica breaks the kiss, turning to a glaring Linda.

“Linda, this is Sally! I told you about Sally, right?” Jessica asks.

“I don’t think so…” Linda says.

“Oh…” Jessica says, realizing she never had discussed Sally with Linda. “Linda was my human companion when I fled from Elizabeth. I...turned her...before I went back to Elizabeth...to save her” Jessica explains. Linda is silent. Jessica can sense that she is unsure how to react to any of this. Jessica and Linda had resettled into a predictable if imperfect life together. Jessica knows that everything has just changed.

Jessica’s mind is racing with questions. She picks the most pressing ones.

“How did you find us?” Jessica asks.

“Unhappy to see me?” Sally says, laughing.

“No, just...I left you thousands of miles away. How did you find my apartment?” Jessica asks again. Linda’s confused expression has turned into a fearful one.

“Look, you didn’t exactly cover your tracks that well, Jessica. All I had to do was some digging on news reports. Bizarre ‘animal’ bites, victims drained of blood, etc etc. It led me right to this town. You’ve been thirsty, Jessica” Sally says, winking. “Luckily, I spotted Linda’s fangs tattoo peeking out above her bra. I followed her here. Of course, I couldn’t be sure that it was you here, could have been any vampire. I didn’t come in until I saw you in the window.”

Linda begins to cry. Jessica isn’t sure why: the reappearance of an old lover, Sally’s highlighting of Jessica’s feedings, the creepiness of being stalked by a vampiress, or all of the above.

“You should be more discreet, Jessica, Elizabeth found us once” Sally says.

“Elizabeth is dead” Jessica says curtly.

“Are you sure about that?” Sally asks, eyebrow raised, sending a chill down Jessica’s spine. I’m not sure Jessica thinks, but how could she survive that? Jessica shakes her head: I’ll worry about that another time. Jessica moves to hold the tearful Linda.

“Linda...it’s okay...Sally is an old friend, she helped me when I was turned. She helped me escape from Elizabeth the first time.” Jessica looks at Sally, whose entire face dropped when Jessica categorized her as an “old friend”.

“Jessica. Why didn’t you ever look for me. After you escaped?” Sally asks, bitterness dripping from every word. A wave of guilt washes over Jessica. She racks her brain but finds no compelling answer.

“Sally...I’m sorry...I….” Jessica begins.

“Do you know how hard it was, rising, completely alone, abandoned?” Sally asks. “It was one thing when I thought that you were being held by Elizabeth. But you’ve been independent for what, months, and you never tried to find me?”

Jessica looks at the floor. She has no answer. Sally is right. Jessica takes small comfort in the fact that she is still capable of shame. She is not yet totally devoid of human sentiment.

Sally’s anger fades, and she smiles. “Jessica...you did save me from Elizabeth. Twice. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve missed you so much” Sally says. Sally glides across the floor, embracing Linda and Jessica both.

“Linda, it’s so nice to meet you” Sally says, kissing Linda’s cheek. Linda flinches at first, but let’s it happen. Sally turns and kissing Jessica’s lips more forcefully. Jessica closes her eyes, realizing how much she missed Sally, her mind agog at the idea of hunting with a second vampiress. Linda is far more taciturn about this turn of events.

“Ladies, should we go out to celebrate? I’m starving” Sally asks jovially. Linda frowns, but Jessica finds herself becoming highly aroused. Fantasies of draining humans with Sally fill her mind. But, Linda...