A/N: Just a little Victoria and James for a change of pace.
-----
She stared down at the charred remains of her mate. Blinking hard, she tried to reconcile the nondescript pile of ash and bone with the beautiful man that had been her entire existence for as long as she could remember.
Closing her eyes, she imagined him standing before her, tall and feral, smiling at her in that dangerous way that made her weak in the knees. Inhaling deeply, she could almost smell his unique scent, the one that drove her mad with desire. She conjured up a picture of the two of them writhing in ecstasy on the forest floor, grunting and growling like animals as their lust peaked.
But when she opened her eyes, there was no him, only an acrid pile of blackened debris. Choking back a sob, she fell to her knees and gently ran her fingers through the remnants of her lover. With a silent goodbye, she rose to her feet, staring at the powdery residue clinging to her fingers. Slowly raising her hands, she smeared the ashes all over her face, pressing hard, hoping they would permeate her skin and he would become a part of her forever.
Once her ritual was complete, she turned and walked away. She would find the person responsible and she would reciprocate. She would locate, stalk, torture and kill the mate of whoever did this… and she would make him or her watch.
Determination was in her eyes, purpose in her step. There would be no rest until she had her revenge.