The Saltwater Express

"Married to your work, as usual," she eventually said, frowning, her eyes locked on the outside ocean.

Zo sighed, and took off her glasses, rubbing her eyes. A lock of her long black hair fell before her face, and she brushed it away with slender, delicate fingers. "If you had gotten engaged to yours, maybe you would've won last year's Amethal Prize, Tam."

Tam huffed, and shot her a look, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes piercing. "Why did you even ask me to come here if all you wanted to do was ignore me?"

"Is that what you think it is?" Zo asked, resting her cheek on her fist and staring into Tam's eyes. For a moment, Tam's hazel locked with Zo's sparkling blue, Tam felt a strange feeling flush through her, that almost made her blush. "If you must know, I'm doing edit work for my thesis, a thesis that, mind you, I intend to present to the council at the convention. It's important to ensure that your work is properly edited and formatted if you intend to be taken seriously. Which is why I am."

The blush finally rose in Tam's cheek, turning her a lively rosey color. She blinked, and sputtered for a moment, before sneering and saying, "At least I have a personality that isn't dependent on my work ethic. You work too hard, it sucks the soul out of anything you do."

Zo's eyes widened at that, and in that instant, Tam felt a pang of shame flood her veins. For her part, Zo took it in stride, raising her chin and looking down at Tam, despite them being eye level. It made Tam want to shrink, but she fought the urge, and sat up straighter. Zo, seemingly taking it as a challenge, stood now, and looked down at Tam.

"Tamatha, your inability to focus and your lacking work ethic are only compensated by your wit, and in the end, that too shall fail you, for if you wish to proceed and succeed in this world, you will need both grit and perseverance, both of which you lack. When you couldn't find the answer to the Machlen Equation and gave up, do you remember that?"

Struggling to conceal her shaking, Tam, eyes wide, gulped and nodded.

Zo continued, "Your notes helped me solve the equation. So all those years that you've resented me for solving the Machlen Equation, basically for you, you should've been angry with yourself. Because you lack grit and the toughness required to make it in this field. And unless you develop a willingness to get serious, you're going to fail. It is your destiny. To fail, while I succeed. Pardon me for not injecting 'soul' into my work, but I find it is unnecessary, while it is the only thing keeping you afloat."

She nodded, and stared down at Tam expectantly. Holy shit, Tam thought. It was... devastating, to hear that. She felt like her soul had been stomped on by a muddy leather boot. Trampled, disgraced, debased. She stared out the window, eyes wide and empty, as she retreated further and further into herself. Zo watched her coldly.

"You... used my notes?" she muttered, broken.

"I did," Zo said, seemingly about to launch into another tirade. But, something within her caught it, and, looking down at Tam, seeing her eyes start to water, most likely in spite of herself, Zo sighed and quieted herself.

Tam felt a tear trickle down her cheek, creeping down to her chin, where it fell like a raindrop to her lap. "You're cruel."

Zo walked up to her, and hesitated for a moment, before running a hand through Tam's short blonde hair. "Tam," she said, softly, her eyes softening. "I am cruel."

Then, she grabbed a handful of Tam's hair and yanked it, forcing their eyes to meet. "You've been a thorn in my side ever since you entered my life. And now I'm supposed to call you my competition? I've never heard of anything so absurd in my fifteen years as a scientist."

Another tear trickled down Tam's face as the girl's lips quivered. She stared up to Zo in defeat.

"It's a shame," Zo said, locking eyes with her and staring into her very soul. "I was hoping you'd be worth my time."

"I..."

"Shut up."

Zo pushed Tam back on the bed, and Tam fell with grace. Laying there, staring at the ceiling, she did, in fact, shut up. Zo stood over her, examining her thoughtfully, a hand on her chin. Then, she removed her long labcoat-esque overcoat, throwing it over the back of her chair. This left her in a black tank top and black pants. Tam stared up at her.

Then, Zo began to crawl over Tam, an animalistic tension building in the air. Tam swallowed, beginning to shake again. Hand over hand Zo crept her way up Tam, until she was hovering over her, staring directly into her eyes. Zo's eyes were cold, hard, and dominant. Tam thought she might break under the gaze, wither into nothing.

"Wh... What are you doing?" Tam breathed.

Zo grunted. "Something I've wanted to do for a long time."

Tam felt Zo's knee slide up between her thighs, before coming to rest on her groin. Zo gave a little pressure, and Tam gasped, warmth shooting up her belly. She wasn't sure whether or not she should feel fear, excitement, or both, and her stomach was aflutter with butterflies. She swallowed dryly, and looked around, anywhere but Zo's eyes.

"Which is?" Tam asked.

Zo growled and lowered herself, her lips inches away from Tam's ear. "Putting you in your place."

Then, Zo leaned in and nipped at Tam's earlobe, making her gasp. Tam felt tingles run down her spine, and they weren't entirely unwelcome, though they were disconcerting. A piece of her was afraid. Another piece, aroused. Very aroused. And some piece of her, deep down, welcomed this.

"You'll have to try better than that," she forced out, suddenly lunging up.

But, before she could even really move, Zo grabbed her thin wrists and slammed her back onto the bed with a grunt. "Shut up," she growled, locking eyes with Tam.

Then, she said, "Submit."

"What? No fuckin' way, I'm-"

Zo pressed her knee against Tam's groin once more, making her gasp as more heat filled Tam's loins. Zo looked down at Tam and sneered, obvious derision in her glare. "I said, shut up. This isn't a game. I'm not playing. Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth."

Her grip grew tighter around Tam's wrists. Tam swallowed, looking up at her, wide eyed. Then, she quietly nodded. "Okay."

Zo's grip loosened, and she leaned down and whispered into Tam's ear, "Okay. Good girl."

For some reason, that made Tam melt. Like Zo had magically snapped her fingers, something within Tam shattered, and she gave in. The fight, gone, the sass, depleted, she truly gave in. Zo, sensing this, eyed her hungrily and went in for the kill.

She pressed her lips to Tam's in a forceful kiss, invading her mouth with her tongue, swirling it, tasting the girl, feeling her. Then, still kissing, Zo slipped her hands down the length of Tam's arms, before letting her grip rest on Tam's breasts, concealed by a white t-shirt. She gave them a squeeze, and Tam shivered beneath her.

Pulling away from the kiss, Zo looked down, finding that Tam's erect nipples poked through the thin fabric of her shirt. Perfect. Zo squeezed them between her forefingers and thumbs, pinching, twisting, playing, eyes locked with Tam, who stared upward helplessly. Zo gave her right nipple a serious squeeze, making Tam huff and produce a cute little squeak as she suffered pleasantly.

"Take off your shirt," Zo commanded, pushing herself up and standing over Tam once again. She watched her for a moment, and for a second, Tam hesitated. Zo glared at her. "Now."

Shakily, Tam reached down, and grabbed her shirt, pulling it up and exposing her freckled belly, then her cute, small, supple breasts, and finally, she pulled it over her head, rustling her hair, and threw it aside. Zo watched approvingly, before ripping off her own tanktop and exposing her sizeable, soft breasts that bounced gently. Her pale skin glowed in the orange light. She stood, hands on her hips, watching Tam for a moment. It was as though she was inspecting her. Evaluating her. Tam felt small before her, like an insect being approached by a spider, caught in an inescapable web.

"I'm going to fuck you," Zo said, crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto one leg. "I'm going to make you cry my name. I'm going to own you tonight. And you're going to take it. Do you understand?"

For a moment, Tam wanted to fight, to struggle, to be sassy, but the serious, hard glint in Zo's eyes quashed that before it could really flourish. She nodded. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

Tam gave her a pleading look. Then, quietly, she said, "Yes Ma'am."

Zo grinned. "Good girl."

Then, she reached down, and hooked her fingers into the waistline of Tam's pants, and ripped them down to her ankles, and then off of her, throwing them in the corner, leaving Tam in nothing but a pair of pink panties. Zo looked her over, enjoying her slender body like a wolf would enjoy its prey. Tam gasped, and tried to cover herself instinctively, but Zo cleared her throat, and raised an eyebrow. The look in her eye, it was... overpowering, and it quieted Tam. She took a deep, shaky breath, and let her arms rest at her side.

Seemingly pleased, Zo took off her own pants, leaving her in a pair of blue panties. Her skin was gooseflesh. She then crawled back on top of Tam, and pressed their bodies together, mixing their heat. Zo leaned in and kissed Tam on the neck, as Tam stared up at the ceiling, confused, aroused. Continuing down, Zo kissed Tam's shoulder, then her chest, and finally, her breasts. When she got to the nipple, she took it in her mouth, and began to suckle, and nibble, and bite. Tam's breathing hastened, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession as Zo played with her sensitive nipple.

"Z-Zo..." she gasped.

Zo looked up at her expectantly, before plopping off her nipple and raising herself over Tam defiantly. "That's 'Miss' and 'Ma'am' to you. I thought that was clear."

Tam opened her mouth to protest, but despite herself, what came out was, "Yes Ma'am."

Cracking a smile, a wicked, powerful smile, Zo said, "Good."

They locked eyes for a moment, and for a moment, Tam thought she could see something behind Zo's cold steel eyes. Some sort of sympathy. A pity, maybe. Whatever it was, she didn't think Zo would hurt her.

As they stared into each others' eyes, Tam felt Zo's fingers trace down her belly, down and down and down, until... until they got there. She gasped; it was like fire in her loins, flickering out in warm tendrils. Zo started drawing circles over her clitoral hood, idly, slowly, teasingly. Tam flushed red, and squirmed ever so slightly beneath Zo's touch. It was gentle, and comforting, if teasing. Tam felt little tingles spread up her body. She took a deep breath in, and let it out.

"Gods," she muttered.

Zo gave her a kiss on the cheek. "My sweet, stupid rival. After tonight, you'll know who is the dominant between us. Maybe it'll keep your mouth in check."

Then, she slid her hand into Tam's panties, and then slipped a finger into Tam. Tam gasped, feeling Zo's middle finger slide into her pussy, deeper and deeper. She moaned softly, but sharply, Zo's finger spreading her walls pleasurably. Deep inside of her, she felt humbled, and willing, and the pleasure spread through her like a wildfire. Zo hummed to herself, and said, "Wet, are we?"

Tam's red cheeks grew ever more scarlet. "Yes, Miss."

Zo smiled. "Good."

Then, she slipped another finger into Tam, who stifled a cry. Tam was soft, warm, inviting even, and both Tam and Zo knew that her body wanted this. Warmth spread through Tam's legs as she moaned. Two fingers in the girl beneath her, Zo then hooked them up and felt around for a moment, before finding the wrinkles she was searching for. She pressed on them, and slid in and out of Tam, gently at first, warming her up.

Tam whined, gripping the duvet in a white knuckle grasp. Every time Zo slid into her, she twitched with pleasure, and she could feel herself leaking fluids onto the bed.

Zo chuckled. "Whine for me, whore."

Attempting to take a deep breath, Tam let out a small yelp when a third finger slipped into her, lighting her body up. She panted heavily, her breaths warm and shaky. Zo ran her free hand through Tam's hair as if to soothe her, and Tam found that it did, her breathing evening out, her heartbeat calming a bit. Then, with her thumb, she stroked Tam's forehead.

"Shh," she said, "Shh. Be good."

Zo leaned in and kissed Tam again, passionately, fiercely, quickening her pace with her fingers. Tam moaned into her mouth, before Zo let her break free for air. She gasped, and Zo mockingly gasped with her as she fingered her quickly. The heat in the air was palpable, the surrender, apparent, the domination, everything.

Tam spread her legs wide, as if she couldn't help but give in, and thrust her hips up to meet Zo's motion, enjoying every sensation, the fullness, the heat. Moaning, she looked Zo in the eye with a soft gaze and said, "Please."

"Please what, you insolent slut?"

Her lips quivered, her body shook, and she gasped, "More. Please."

Zo's expression lightened, and she looked down at Tam softly, going in as if to meet her lips once more, but pulling away at the last second. "Good. More it is."

She went faster, harder, and with her free hand, placed her hand around Tam's neck, giving it a little squeeze with her thumb and forefinger. Tam cried out, the walls of her vagina clenching, and she sucked in a deep breath and moaned out, "Please."

Taking Tam's lips once more, Zo kissed her invasively, harshly, domineeringly, before letting go of her throat, and reaching up to gather a ball of Tam's hair in her fist. She yanked her head back, and bit her throat, suckling on it, pulling at it, chewing. She'd leave a mark, they both knew. Tam felt the pain, felt the relief as Zo licked her, and once she was done, Zo gave the fresh bruise a little kiss. Tam shuddered.

Then, at once, she yanked all of her fingers out of Tam, whipping her hand up to Tam's mouth and shoving them in. Tam protested a bit, but Zo said, "Shh, shh, let me in, open, open, there you go."

Tam opened her mouth helplessly as Zo made her taste herself. She had to admit, Tam thought as her tongue swirled around Zo's fingers, it was... arousing. The taste of her in her mouth, the sweet juices, it was incredible. Some piece of her felt like she belonged here, being used and pushed around. Maybe, even, this is what she was after this whole time.

Slowly, Zo retracted her fingers from Tam's mouth, and Tam licked her lips slowly, sensually. Nodding in approval, Zo stood back up and kicked her panties off, exposing her pussy to the warm air of the car. In the lambent light, she looked like a sexual goddess, Tam thought. Zo then climbed back on the bed and swung her hips and leg over Tam, so that her hips were above Tam's face, her pussy sparkling in the light, almost dripping tauntingly above her.

"Lick."

With that, she slowly lowered herself onto Tam's face, before nestling the folds of her vagina over Tam's mouth. Tam, hesitant, slowly stuck her tongue out and began to lick Zo's glistening labia, carefully at first, and then, with more passion, more fire, more heat. She soon found herself engrossed in the activity, suckling on Zo, flicking her clit with her tongue, drenching herself in Zo's juices.

Zo moaned out, pleased, feeling the girl's tongue trace her folds, feeling Tam drink Zo's nectar, and she sighed contentedly. "Good, just like that. Keep going until I say stop, understand?"

Muffled, Tam said, "Mm-hmm." Then, she continued.

Her breath was heavy, slow, and Zo knew she was in total control at this point. Anything she wanted was hers, and Tam would give it to her. She grinded on the girl's face for a while, before slipping off her pink panties, throwing them aside, and reinserting a finger into her red, wanting folds.

Tam moaned. Her hips bucked as Zo slid another finger in, and another, and with three fingers inside Tam, began to play with her clit with her free hand. A sharp gasp came from Tam. She thrust her hips up, as if welcoming in Zo's actions, letting her have her way with not just favor, but with glee.

This was it, for Zo. She had finally won, and shut Tam up. Whatever happened beyond this point, they both knew who belonged to who, who was who's bitch, so to speak, if Zo deigned to use such crude words. Tam didn't just surrender - she submit. And it would stay that way, Zo decided, as she grinded on Tam's face, reaping pleasure from her, arching her back and forcing her hips down onto the helpless girl. She fingered Tam, rough and hard, taking what she wanted, owning the girl. Tonight was hers.

This went on for nearly twenty. By the end of the near half-hour, Tam could feel herself giving out. She'd given all she had to Zo by the end of it, and her legs were shaking something fierce, her body ached, and her jaw yearned for release. When it finally came, though, when Zo finally got off of her and pulled her fingers out, she felt empty and cold, despite the warm air.

Zo crawled off the bed, and stood over her once more, examining what she'd just done. Tam's pussy had leaked so bad there was a giant wet spot beneath her, and her lips were glossy and glistening with Zo's juices. All in all, a job well done. Tam lay there, panting, staring up at her with a soft, pleading, submissive gaze, and Zo returned a gentle, understanding stare. She'd done a number on the girl, and Tam probably needed rest.

Something within Zo softened. She'd made her point, after all. And from the looks of it, Tam wouldn't be forgetting it anytime soon. Zo placed her hands on her hips, and taking in a deep breath, and slowly releasing it, said, "Good. I think we understand each other a little better now."

Tam nodded weakly.

Zo sighed, and leaned in, grabbing Tam's hands and pulling her up to a sitting position, her legs hanging off the bed. She seemed a little disoriented, and very, very tired, her hair somewhat frazzled and her eyes a little empty. The lights were shutting off, Zo could see.

So, she said, "Here. Do as I say. Understand?"

Tam once again nodded feebly.

"Good," Zo said, stroking the girl's hair. "Lay down, head on the pillow, okay?"

Slowly, guided by Zo's hands, one on her back the other on her cheek, Tam laid down in the bed, and stared upward, exhausted. Carefully, Zo pulled the duvet down beneath her, and then covered her in it, up to her shoulders. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she then began to stroke Tam's hair, her expression soft, if expectant.

After a minute, she said, "Go to sleep."

"Yes Ma'am."

Zo smiled. "Good."

With that, she stood, and walked back over to her desk, where she sat at her chair, and opened her laptop once more. Tam watched for a moment, but it was all she could do to keep awake, and eventually, the blackness overcame her and she drifted into a somewhat peaceful slumber. Zo watched from the corner of her eye, before turning back to her work.

She was a professional, after all.

~Fourteen Hours Later~

When Tam awoke, it was as though she was rising from the dead. Calm light filtered through the curtained windows, illuminating the motes of dust slowly flitting around the room. She felt sore. Groaning, she stretched out her legs, and bunched up some of the duvet she was wrapped in, and cuddled it up. She didn't really remember what had happened last night - it was too early, and her mind wasn't yet online. Taking in a long, deep breath, hints of lavender tickling her senses, and then slowly sighing it out, she started thinking.

Where was she? Oh, right, she thought. The Saltwater Express. She was headed to Morgwana to show her thesis to the committee, and take home the Royal Morgwanan Sciences Association's Prize for Outstanding Science. Just so long as, she thought with a yawn, Zo didn't get it. Her thoughts drifted to Zo, and she grunted, huddling in on herself. Eyes still closed, she thought about Zo for a moment. Her cold demeanor, her disapproving tone, her curvy body, her supple breasts, her... oh.