Your Princess is in Another Castle

Chapter Seven: Blood, Lust, and Dreams

A/N: A different chapter was supposed to go up, but I decided additional content was needed between this chapter and the next, so here this is.

This takes place in between the time of the fever and before the wolves take Bella away. I didn't add Victoria's thoughts on the scenes in this chapter in her POV prior because I didn't want to spoil the plot.

I'm going to try and update this fic the first of every month.

Bella was beginning to lose count of how many months she had resided in James' castle by now. Was it two months? Or three? Or perhaps even more? With nothing to do, time crawled, making Bella's imprisonment feel longer than it was.

Talking to Victoria was all well and good but the vampryess was heavily reticent no matter how friendly Bella made herself. And then there was the manner of the mysterious feelings the red head brought out in her. They confounded Bella and she would be left staring at the vase that held the rose Victoria had given her when her thoughts on the vampryess got to be too much. It was a sweet and almost romantic gesture and Bella's heart throbbed each time she thought of it. She must be feeling this way because it reminded her of Edward. Of him and his romantic gestures. But fooling herself was a hard task and it was working less and less often.

The more time Bella spent with the red headed vampryess, the more she wished to know about her, the more she wished to do with her. Now that their antagonistic methods had more or less waned, Bella would seek out Victoria's presence, simply sitting next to her and reading a book, or trying to engage her in idle chatter to dig in deeper and draw more out about her past life.

It was the simple sitting next to, that drove Victoria on edge and Bella could notice the woman stiffening or warily looking on at her when she would approach. It was almost amusing and endearing the way Victoria would react. Like she did not know what to do with a placid princess who was for once not on the run. She would look at Bella from her spot, neither leaving or drawing closer. Bella knew the woman was watching her even if when she looked back, her eyes would be elsewhere, taking in the drapes, or the cool outside.

And Bella would take great relish from this. Great comfort in Victoria's discomfort. It was a petty revenge in a way for all the times Victoria's predatory nature had raised the hairs on Bella's neck. Now Bella found her visage soothing, pleasant to look at, and be around. It made her feel silly, her desire to be around Victoria.

She supposed it had to do with how lonely she was in this castle, and how entertaining it was to spark fires between her and the vampryess. And it had a lot to do with her beauty as well. Bella had always been drawn to it; who could not be, when it was so outstanding.

Looking at her, Bella could understand artists and their need to paint the world around them, of their habit of having muses. She too wished she could paint, so she could immortalize Victoria's features for herself.

The older woman had a classical beauty around her. A strong Roman nose, high cheekbones, a harsh and unforgiving jawline, and brows placed perfectly upon her face. Her lips were not too full and not too thin, and Bella could all too well remember how they felt to be kissed with. The thought made her skin heat and she quickly dispatched the idea.

Victoria's eyes were the strongest indicator behind her inhumane beauty. They were a red color, but a dull red. Like dried blood. Bella recalled that Victoria had said only those who killed had red eyes and Victoria had those. Given what little Bella knew of the other woman's past, Victoria had mistakenly taken lives and though she was on a changed path now, it seemed those past mistakes could not be erased from her soul.

That was a moral dilemma Bella felt would be most intriguing to get into but she feared the conversation would not be welcome.

Her eyes continued to take in Victoria's figure where it was leaning against the window and peering outside in contemplation. Her hair was a bright red, like a splash of fire, and in the light it looked even brighter, almost other worldly, like an inner magic gave it life and kept it so bright. It complimented her greatly.

"Are you going to stare much longer?" a displeased voice startled Bella out of her thoughts. She had been staring for so long and so indiscreetly that her book was forgotten on her lap and her head was craned all the way towards Victoria. "A lady should not gander so; it is unbecoming."

Bella felt her cheeks flush at the reprimand and at her indiscretion being discovered so easily. "I could not help it. You are the most interesting things in this castle."

Honesty, she figured, would be a good course of action. Mayperhaps it would get Victoria to open up. The most she had ever imparted had been during Bella's trying time of being ill with fever. Bella did not know why she had shared a story of her past then, but perhaps it had to do with how Victoria felt Bella was more vulnerable and incapacitated by fever and thus would not pick up on the truths hidden. But Bella was clever, more than anyone gave her credit for. Unfortunately not clever enough, it seemed, to escape yet.

The response threw Victoria off, given the ways her eyes widened a minute before relaxing to her normal brooding and narrowed suspicious state. "Shall I take that as a compliment or an insult?"

"Most favorably as a compliment."

"Books can be interesting. A place, can be interesting. But when a human is so, then that most certainly means they are peculiar," Victoria clarified, now turning her body in to face Bella.

And egad, her body! That was another work of mastery. Anything she wore fell naturally on her and Bella, before drifting off into the slumbers of sleep, would have fleeting thoughts on what muscles and curves she was hiding underneath.

"I would call you a great many other things rather than just interesting," Bella said, standing up and approaching Victoria like one might to a startled cat. The woman looked ready to bolt, as always due to the blood incident between them, but something held her still, like it did most of the time.

"Let me hazard a guess. Murderer, kidnapper, destroyer of happy marriages, beast of the night," Victoria rattled off, the cruel names slipping off of her tongue and sounding wrong in her otherwise sweet crystal tones.

"Majestic," Bella interrupted. "Intelligent, strong, swift, and indeed something peculiar," here she quirked her lip up as added this in but only in good nature, "yet, in only the best manner that makes you thyself. I doubt there are many Victoria's like you out there."

They were standing a mere few inches away and Bella could see the way Victoria's face softened while her body stiffened at Bella's proximity. Yet, she stayed put. "You do not mean that," she said at last, unsure how to answer to Bella's sweet words.

"I would not, not when we first met but...but as I said before, I do not think you so bad. I know the situation you and your kind are in is not well, and I do wish to help them. I was stubborn at first because being held captive is not an ideal or a healthy situation. But the more I think about it, the more I realize, perhaps this might be for the best. I was blind and naive before, to the true ways of this world. I had no idea that my husband to be was so skilled at the art of death." Here Bella shook her head. Stuck in this castle, she had so much time to think, and once her ardor for escape had vanished due to multiple failed attempts, she cooled her heels and truly thought about the predicament she was in. It was not ideal, but if she was here, than perhaps this was her calling. Her duty, and the path God had chosen for her. Maybe she could be the curator to stopping this bloody war between the Cullens and the vampryes. Maybe she could do good. After all, everything on this planet was His creation, so why one species and the other not be saved?

"I do want to do good, I just wish you would trust me more."

Victoria guffawed at this. "Trust you more? When you spent nearly all your time here running!"

"Because things can be done another way. I know if I told Edward, if I spoke with him, showed him all your good, than he would listen. He has to, for I am his betrothed!" she stressed.

Victoria shook her head here. "I had believed for a second that you changed your mind and would give up your fool's errand of escaping." There was disgust and something else- some hurt- on her face.

"And I have," Bella said, reaching out to grab the woman's hands before she could leave. The touch stopped her, surprised her as it did Bella. She had not meant to reach out but she had and those cold hands in hers felt lovely. She could not help from twining their fingers together. "I know I cannot escape. You prove me wrong every time I try. And the last attempt. God! I had almost died. I would be more than a fool to try that again. Thus, I am asking you, to have some faith in me. When James returns with news of Edward and the current political climate, I will work with you and not against you. I too am for peace."

Bella's chest heaved with the exertion and passion of this speech and she waited upon Victoria's response, dull red eyes navigating her face for her authenticity.

"Do you really embark upon such a thing?"

"I may have disliked you at first," Bella admitted, not ashamed to say this. "But after all our quarrels, you are only trying to live life right and by God. Who am I to get in the way of that? I forgive you and James for stealing me away for I realize you were in desperate measures."

"Where is this enlightenment coming from? All this forgiveness?" Victoria was confused and for good reason. Bella might have thought this before but never spoke on it openly.

"Ever since we got along, I began to change my views. I prayed and read from the Bible and my thoughts became clearer on this subject. Let us be partners. Let me help in my own manner. After all, if you and James tote that indeed you wish humans and vampryes to get along, to work together, should I not be part of that? Should I not function in a similar capacity?"

Victoria hesitated, out of her depth on this matter. "I shall speak to James on this and we will decide upon your offer then when he returns."

"And when does he return?" Bella may be stuck here, but she would not be a passive princess. She would prove her worth to the vampryes, help them, alleviate the bad blood between her family and theirs, and then be on her way, to a happy secure future with Edward.

"His letters were brief, but when the first spring blossom blooms, he shall be back with news about Prince Edward."

So, quite a bit of time then until he came. That news was not uplifting. Would Bella spend a whole year in this place? She dreaded the thought, though she did not mind Victoria's presence as much as she had before.

"Good, let us be friends then, to further our future goals."

"If it makes you feel better, I do not dislike you as ardently as I did when you first stepped foot onto our lands. You are a tolerable, yet brilliant, individual," Victoria admitted and those begrudgingly given words of praise did more to Bella's stomach than Edward's grandest romantic gestures. She flushed and could do nothing to hide her reddened cheeks. Victoria's pupils dilated at the rushing blood but she did nothing yet clamp her lips more tightly together.

Bella could feel that invisible tugging between them, pulsating more strongly than ever before at their mutual understanding, and it nearly took her breath away. It made her lean more towards Victoria who seemed to be doing the same. The red head took a deep shuddering breath before jerking free of Bella's touch and turning to the window, inhaling deep gulps of fresh air like a fish out of water.

"Are you quite right?" Bella asked in concern, wanting to reach out to reassure the woman but fearing it might feed more into her reaction and make it more devastating.

"Your scent...is strong," Victoria admitted, hands turning white as she gripped the windowsill, so far out the window it looked like she would fall out. "I need a moment."

Bella nodded her head and stepped back. She recalled Victoria telling her how powerful her scent was but she could not understand how. She raised her wrist to her nose and inhaled but she didn't smell anything. All she smelt like was skin, not like a garden of flowers more sweet than a rose. "I will be in my room if you need me," she backed away, not sure why she had said that. Victoria never really needed her except as a bargaining piece. Bella left to her room and stayed there. Victoria did not come visit, like Bella predicted, for why should she?

They also did not touch upon Bella's open expression of wanting to help the vampryes. Without James, they could not reach a debate on it and so Bella would wait as she always did in this castle. Every single day, every single hour and minute.

The wait was not as horrendous as it used to be, for she had new methods of entertainment and that included tormenting Victoria with her appearance. The woman was jumpy around her, and uncertain in manners she had never been before the time she peppered kisses up and down Bella's neck with no shame or restraint. Bella enjoyed bothering her, making her discomfited. It became the new game they played as opposed to the old one of cat and mouse. That one had been blatant, this one was more subtle.

Bella got bolder, going in closer to Victoria's space. If Victoria was in a chair reading a book, then Bella sat in the chair next to her, reading her own books. If she was gardening, Bella would be there to offer her a helping hand. Each time, close enough to touch, but too far to be intimate.

Surprisingly, Victoria did not run, even if panic was clear as day in her eyes. It was like something held her next to Bella, the same force that drew Bella to her. And Bella knew for a fact that Victoria could easily avoid her or entirely disappear because she had done it time before. But she was not now, which had to mean something.

"Would you care to join me on a stroll to town?" Victoria asked one day out of nowhere. It filled Bella's body with hope. With a taste of freedom. Perhaps Victoria was trusting her more. "I need some fresh air," she clarified and no doubt that had to do largely with Bella's thick scent permeating the air and clouding it. "And I figured you could use the walk."

"I would be delighted to." Bella did not mention how long ago it had been since she'd stepped foot out and she dared not bring it up again in fears that she would be prevented from leaving.

She bundled up in furs and they rode in the carriage to town. Victoria did not bother to dress warmly for she could not feel the cold either ways.

"What other ability do vampryes posses that I do not know of?" Bella asked, entranced by the species' strengths.

"Many upon many, but they vary from person to person," Victoria said. "Some even have additional abilities, like the ability to see into the future, or the ability to be extremely enticing."

"Do you have an ability like that?" Bella leaned in out of curiosity.

Victoria mirrored her pose, unable to resist the urge to get closer.

"My ability is the one to survive. No matter the odds, I do so."

"Are you confident on that? How do you know it is a real ability and not just something out of sheer luck that has happened thus far?"

"Because these abilities are only amplified by our transformation. They do not randomly appear, but have to have been in us as humans already. That is why not everyone has a special power. As a child I was always a survivor. I had the right combination of luck and skills to make it through most situations that other's could not. And this sensation in my innards that would tell me when a situation could be safe or unsafe. Another sense, if you will. And I know this wasn't simply being at the right time and place- I just knew it. I just have this feeling that I was a bit special in that regard. And when I transformed, that power stayed with me."

"That is all very fascinating. Is there research on this?"

"Yes. The Cullens made sure to document everything on us. There is not one detail of our kind that remains private." Victoria sneered at this. "That remains free of judgement."

"I am certain things will get better," Bella assured.

"Let us hope so," Victoria said and looked out the window, moody for the rest of the ride.

"Can vampryes not walk during the day?" Bella asked as they departed the carriage. It was dusk outside and getting chilly.

"Not all, but my kind can. However, it is not favorable to do so," Victoria admitted.

"How so?"

"We shine, like a luxurious diamond. That tends to stand out in human towns," Victoria chuckled.

Bella furrowed her brow here. "I have seen you in the light of day and you do not shine."

"Only when the full power of the sun is on us, does this phenomena occur. Cloudy days or days during the winter are most safe for us. The summer, is most dangerous."

They passed through the town, people casting a look at Bella. They had only seen her once before and with James. They wondered who she was and why the vampryes were treating her greatly.

"Victoria!" a voice called out and it paused the two women as they waited for the stranger to approach. It was a blonde tall man with many scars."How nice to see you in town. I had feared you would turn to rot in the castle."

"There is much important business that needs to be held there. I had to attend to it," she replied with, clasping hands with this man.

"And this human is part of that business, I assume?" he raised a brow at her.

"Princess Isabella of the house of Swan," she curtsied, picking up her skirts.

He bowed his head to her. "I was not aware I was in the presence of royalty. Forgive my manners."

"You are forgiven," she said with a grin.

"You would do best to not assume too much into James' business," Victoria reminded sharply.

"I only ask because the time of the Blood Feast comes close and no word has come out about when it shall be held or with what décor and I need to know so I may prepare the stock."

Victoria nodded her head at this. "I am aware, Jasper. It has been a bit hectic at the castle lately," at this cast Bella a knowing glance about her escape attempts. "But the feast will commence in it's orderly manner. James will be back soon and he will finalize everything."

"Do not keep us waiting then. It brings us great joy to attend it," he said and left them be.

"The Blood Feast? What is that? It sounds ominous."

"We celebrate the arrival of spring with it. It is called Blood Feast because blood is life, and in a way it represents the rebirth of nature from the hold of winter. There is dance, wine, and entertainment in song and story. And then we sacrifice lambs so that our land may be bountiful. It is almost like topsy turvy, but less wild."

Bella had heard of those kinds of festivals and they seemed wild. She had never been to one because her father forbid it, worried she would get too much taste of the wild nature of humanity and indulge in her vices by running away with a gypsy.

"Can I attend?"

"I suppose. If you can handle it," Victoria tossed in playfully, fangs poking out in a toothy smile.

"I can. If I can handle being flushed down the latrine, than I can handle anything thrown my way," Bella said, throwing her chin out in confidence.

At this, a genuine laugh was drawn out of Victoria's chest, and it made Bella melt to hear it. "I will never forget that. It was so amusing. You are something else, Isabella."

This was the first time Victoria had ever called Bella by her name and it made her feel things she could not describe. "Call me me Bella, please," she corrected before she could stop herself. "I prefer that name."

Victoria blinked at that, but did as asked. "Bella, then. It does suit you more," she contemplated the last part and Bella had to temper down the pure joy at having the vampryess call her by her nickname. She felt closer to her than ever before.

They arrived at the shop Victoria was heading towards and she dropped Bella's arm. Somehow unconsciously Bella had linked her arm into the crook of Victoria's and they had walked that way. Both of them did not know how it had happened and a smidgen of awkwardness fell over them.

"I am here to fetch some seeds for the garden. Do wait up," she announced, clearing her throat and leaving Bella unattended outside. This was a great show of trust and Bella was not going to break it. Running would do no good anyways.

The vampryess arrived back outside in seconds, patting her pocket where she had secured the seeds. "Back home?" she asked and Bella had never dared to call the castle home, but in a way, it was her home now.

"Can we walk through the woods a bit? I want to stretch my legs out more."

Victoria nodded her head in acceptance of this indulgence and they went off the beaten path to walk by the edge of the woods.

The snow was beginning to recede and it was not quite as chilly as before. Soon the bare branches would be full of life. Green foliage, nesting birds, and insects chirping into the night of warm air and fragrance of flowers.

"Tell me about your home," Victoria said, surprising Bella with this request for information. Victoria has never really asked before and it pleases Bella. She clamps her lips shut to prevent the grin.

"I lived in a fairly small kingdom with only my father. My mother had died when I was young and so I never really got to know her. Thus, father raised me and I grew to like boyish sport because of him. We would go hunting or fishing or trekking through the woods together. But naturally, this was not a way a lady should conduct herself and so I was given a governess who trained me into being a proper lady. I did not want to be one and I rebelled but soon gave up when I didn't have much choice. Still, I am wild at heart. I enjoy nature and being free. Even getting dirty does not bother me.

"In my free time around the castle I would spend it outdoors, or on keeping fit and strong. I much prefer trousers to dresses but if I wanted to marry, I had to act accordingly. And there were many suitors. I was lauded as being beautiful and fair of skin. Almost like the fictional fairy tale of Snow White. Yet, I picked Edward because he was kind to me. And he was so learned from all his travels around the world." She let out a sad sigh. "Now I know why."

"You intend to go back to him, after all you know of him and his legacy?"

"Does he not deserve love because of that one fact? Why not give him a chance. That is what I am going to do."

There was irritation on Victoria's face at this. She clearly disagreed but would not vocalize why. The rest of the walk was spent in silence and they returned back to the castle in the carriage that had brought them here.

"Do you really love him?" Victoria asked just as they had gotten off, her hand extended to help Bella down.

"Why do you ask?" Bella blinked at Victoria, wondering where this question came from.

"Because oftentimes, we are blinded by the false facade a person puts on. And you should make certain he is the right one for you. There are so many others who are worth your time, why waste it on him?"

Bella was tired of the open derision of Edward by the vampryes but she suffered that down and with only mild impatience said, "while it is true I do not know much of him, there is time yet for me to get to know him. And he may surprise us both. Do not assume the worst of a Cullen."

"And do not assume the best of one either," Victoria cut in and they parted for the night on that foreboding note.

A gut feeling told Bella that Victoria was upset about Edward for an entirely different reason, not just the fact he was a Cullen, but she could not fathom it.

The days trudged by and gradually Victoria relaxed her control on Bella, allowing her to go outside but only when she was around. They walked the grounds of the castle, in either amicable silence or in light discussion of the weather, or a book they were reading, or eventually if pursued long enough, a fact about themselves. One time Victoria even took her horseback riding, on the same horse of course. She hoisted Bella up first and then saddled up behind her.

Though Victoria's body was cold and the air chilly around them as well, the way her body was pressed against Bella's back, and how her arms were curled around her to get to the reins, it ignited the princess unlike Edward's touches ever had. She leaned back, aching to feel more and Victoria instinctively rested her head on Bella's shoulder. This close her wonderful scent wafted up and entranced Bella.

This all made her feel guilty and she steered her thoughts to safer grounds but it was still a while before her body could calm down. The ride was gentle and lovely and Bella thanked Victoria for taking her out on one.

"It was my pleasure, Bella," Victoria had responded and Bella could not stop lighting up on every utterance of her nickname from Victoria's lips. It never got dull, no matter how many times it was delivered.

Despite their growing friendship, Bella began to grow worrisome and fearsome. She was having impure thoughts about Victoria that erupted one night out of nowhere. It might have had to do with how she had caught Victoria bathing.

There was a bathhouse indoors that Bella liked to frequent in order to relax and soothe her thoughts. Whenever she went there would be hot water there already, as if by magic. She did not know how that could occur but she did not question it.

With her thin robe on, she took a towel and headed in that direction, eyes glancing at the moon hanging heavily in the sky on her way past. She headed inside and found that steam had already fogged up the place from the hot water. But someone was there, floating like a corpse in the low cut out stone bath. The red haired vampryess who was floating in the water on her back, gone to the world. Her eyes were closed, her arms and legs out while her hair was fanned around her like blood spilling.

Her chest was still and exposed and Bella had never seen another woman's body before. It was pale, pale as the moon light, with toned muscle and feminine curves. And her breasts were perfect globes that had Bella wondering at their softness.

She would have stayed there a while if not for Victoria getting up, standing in the water, one arm crossed over her chest. Her hair hung heavy and her face was shocked. "I apologize. I did not hear you in my trance like state. I will be on my way."

Bella could barely hear those words; it was all swimming in her head. The water did little to hide the curve of Victoria's hips and the place of her womanhood, clinging to her like a flimsy sheet.

"Bella, are you all right?" Victoria asked and Bella knew she should respond, that it was rude to stare like this, but she could not gather her wits about her.

"I, um, should leave you be," she stammered out, her heart beating in her chest like the pounding of a wave on the shore. Her hands were shaking so much she nearly dropped her towel. She felt wet between her thighs and wondered where that had come from. Was it sweat?

The vampryess made to take a step forwards to where her towel lay on the rim of the bath only to stop, eyes centering on Bella with hawklike precision.

Victoria sharply inhaled at this, and released a shaking breath. "Actually, I think it would be a good idea. You should leave now." There was a growl to her words, a menace and Bella heeded it, slipping out of the room on quivering legs.

No matter what, she could not get the image out of her head and she forced herself into sleep in the hopes she would forget it. But there, it only worsened.

Her dreams were tainted. She saw Victoria in them, nude as the day she was born and dripping with water. "Come join me," she enticed, crooking a finger at Bella and beckoning her to join the bath with her.

Bella did, discarding her clothes on the way and even dropping off her cross. The water was hot, scalding almost, and Victoria body was so cool. "Touch me," she goaded. "Taste me."

Bella moaned at this, at being able to fulfill her desires. Her hands reached out and cupped the globes of her pale breasts, squeezing tightly so that Victoria would throw back her head. "Harder, princess. I know you have the strength for it. And I will not break like that pathetic Edward."

Bella wanted to protect Edward but her mouth was already on Victoria's breast, sucking in her nipple and grinding it between her teeth.

The vampryess moaned loudly at this and encouraged Bella by tugging her head closer with one hand while her other went down to between Bella's thighs. "I bet you are ready for me. Spread your legs so I may take your virtue from you."

The hand crawled downwards and just before it could reach down, Bella awoke to someone shaking her awake.

It took a moment for her disoriented brain to make sense but there was no mistaking the red hair even in the dead of night.

"I thought you were hurt. You were moaning in your sleep," Victoria clarified, sitting back from Bella when she smelled something on her again. "But I see you are fine. I shall leave you now."

"Wait-" Bella raised a hand to stop her but only air awaited her. She shifted in bed, sighing heavily and shifting when wetness greeted her between her thighs once more. Why did she feel this way? What was happening?

Was it...was it desire?

But she was only supposed to feel that for Edward and not for some woman. Fear took her and she dropped to her knees to pray for forgiveness for forgetting her husband to be and for desiring a woman. She prayed and prayed until the arousal went away, until the morning rose, but she did not feel any less guilty.

Neither the guilt or the arousal fully went away. Night after night Bella would have dreams about the vampryess in one state of undress or the other and they left Bella sweaty and unfulfilled. Dreams of touching Victoria, of Victoria touching her. But never able to reach a point of fruition, always stopping before Bella got too far.

Feeling trapped, she tried to stay awake by praying until she got tired but that only resulted in Bella dreaming of Victoria as a nun, casting her habit to the side before she sinned with Bella.

It got to the point that Bella began to avoid the red haired woman because she felt constantly on edge and the dreams from night began to plague her thoughts at day. She caught herself reading a book and replacing the romance and the characters with Victoria and herself.

Or if she was eating, she imagined Victoria feeding grapes to Bella off of her ample bosom.

Bella felt dirty and disgusting, more so than that time she had dropped down the latrine. And prayer did not help her. She did not know what to do to remedy this.

Victoria thankfully gave her space at first, but when it became too long, she came to check up on her-coming at the wrong moment unfortunately.

Bella's body, tense with arousal and unable to spend it freely, was aching to an almost maddening degree. She needed to do something about it, but to touch herself like this was looked down upon. It was said a man should take care of her pleasure and that her pleasure was his.

Edward was not here, so he could not do it. Bella would pray for God to forgive her for this later, for surely it would be best to work this obsession out of her system and be done with it, rather than to hold onto it further.

It was not a conscious decision at first. She had not intended for it to happen this way. She had been looking through the library when her eyes had fallen on a book with Erotic Romance writ down the side. Her wrought upon body took it and opened the book, feeding the flames of desire and want inside her that she should be discouraging.

She could not help it. Lust was a great sin to battle. Her eyes absorbed the words inside and she began to imagine it was her and Victoria in the compromising situations described. Heat grew inside her and the insides of her thighs grew wet like so many times before when thinking of the vampryess.

Her free hand came down to her chest and squeezed hard over the dress material, and she moaned in relief. It felt good but not enough. She squeezed harder and her thighs rubbed together to increase the friction.

"Victoria," she whispered out, eyes slipping closed.

"You called me," was the answer and it was a testament to how enthralled in her own bodily wants Bella was that she did not startle, only sighed happily. There was no panic in her mind at getting caught. Victoria was here and she would help her. She knew it.

Her body was pinned against Bella's, strong hands on the book case and boxing Bella in, trapping her in between both hard objects. "I need you to touch me," Bella hissed, tired of sleepiness nights and corrupted thoughts. She was not in the right state of mind but maybe she had never been ever since she had been trapped in this castle.

"I thought you did not want to be defiled by me, princess," Victoria said dryly, though she did sound out of breath. "You are after all, to be married."

Bella could not care less if she was engaged. All she knew was she needed this fire inside her quenched so she could have her peace of mind back.

"This is all your fault," she admitted with hissed breath. It might not have been such a good idea to say this out loud but she could not control her mouth any more than she could control the need throbbing down below.

"My fault?" the shock was palpable in the woman's voice. "How so?"

"You've poisoned my mind and my flesh and I cannot have peace until you take it out of me. Do something because I do not know what." Desperation colored Bella's tone.

She could hear and feel Victoria's shuddering breath behind her as it ghosted over her earlobe. "Do be careful what you wish for. My control has never been strong around you." A pale hand traveled to one of Bella's breasts, squeezing experimentally on it. Bella let out a happy groan and let her head roll back onto Victoria's shoulder. She dragged Victoria's other hand to hover on the space between her thighs. "It hurts the most there," she said.

Without more prompting, Victoria pressed down hard, rubbing back and forth hard over the dress material. Bella's hips wiggled back and forth and ground into Victoria's hips, which were grinding rhythmically as well. Her other hand slipped under the top of Bella's dress and pinched a nipple there, making Bella inhale sharply in pleasure.

Victoria's motions were stilted as if she was controlling them firmly, holding them back. Bella was more uncontrolled, never having given into her body in such a way. Lips found a place on the back of her neck, kissing erotically in a way that made tingles go up and down her spine.

To finally have relief, to be touched this way- it did not take long before Bella felt a tightening in her stomach that snapped like a leather whip and came undone with a loud cry from her.

It felt amazing. It felt as if she had floated up, to heaven, and then come slowly down. As her breath regulated and she could feel her limbs again she turned in Victoria's hold. The woman's eyes were pitch black and there was a hungry expression on her face, one Bella wanted to kiss away. So she did, cupping the porcelain cheeks in her warm hands and pressing her lips to cold ones.

The kiss was another piece of heaven she could savor. Their tongues battled together and Victoria's hand dragged through brown hair. They parted, both breathing hard and brushing noses together. The air was rife with the scent of their passions and Bella's thighs were sticky down to her knees from how she had exploded for the first time ever in pleasure.

Staring like that, regaining her air, it brought Bella back to her senses. Senses she had lost entirely.

"Oh God!" Bella gasped out when she realized what she had done. Her hand came up to her mouth and her skin paled.

"Bella," Victoria said softly, reaching out for her.

Bella did not want her touch. She slapped the hand away and ran, ran as far as she could in this castle, but she could never get far enough to escape the reality of what they had just done.