Chapter 4: Vengeance Under the Pale Moonlight

Note: Victoria is quite depraved and violent, but while a lot is said about harm coming to Bella, nothing truly awful happens to her. I just wanted to make that clear for anyone who might be squeamish. I know I never liked reading any of the Victoria torture stories. Beyond being scared, a busted leg is the worst that happens to her, and that pretty much fixes itself by the end of her transformation. Vampire Bella will not be traumatized by anything that happens to her here. If anything, it only pisses her off. Now let's see crazy Vicky in action.

Ruby eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she watched the young lovers kissing. Their open display of affection sickened her as she stood partially hidden in the shadows near the oblivious couple.

Seeing the man grope haphazardly at the girl's body, making her moan wantonly, was almost too much for their unnoticed spectator to bear. The girl's back arched in response to his touch, her head tilting back as a sigh escaped her lips. The man's hands moved eagerly but clumsily over her form, his desperation and lust for her evident in his every move.

Victoria's ruby eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer as she watched the spectacle. Her sharp senses picked up every detail—the way the girl's breath quickened, the slight tremor in the man's hands, and the mingled scents of their excitement. Hearing the girl ask the man to take her back to his place was just what Victoria wanted to hear. Her predatory instincts flared, a cruel smile playing on her lips as she anticipated what was to come.

Once they were out of public notice, she could make her move. The man offered his hand, which the girl took, both of them smiling like drunken fools. Their laughter echoed softly in the night, unaware of the predator lurking in the shadows. Victoria would enjoy this. As they began walking, she followed at a distance, stalking her prey with the silent grace of a seasoned hunter.

She wondered who she would kill first. Often, she would kill the man while the woman screamed and cried, but this time she thought she would torment the man, playing with his lady love while he could only watch helplessly. The corners of her lips curled upwards in a sinister grin.

Inflicting pain and suffering had become her only true way to get off anymore. The misery of others was the ultimate aphrodisiac, a craving she needed that nothing else could match. The anticipation of what she would do to them, the fear she would instill, and the screams she would elicit were already making her tingle with excitement.

She was following the couple, crossing a street near a movie theater when she smelled him. The scent was unmistakable, a mix of pine and that distinctly masculine aroma she would never forget. Shock filtered across her face as her steps faltered. She could not believe it. James… Her mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions—anger, confusion, and an unexpected flicker of excitement.

The young lovers crossed another street, rounding the corner and disappearing from sight. Their laughter faded into the background, but Victoria had forgotten about them completely. They would never know how close they had come to death that night.

"James…" she hissed, the word percolating in her throat until she finally released it. As she stood there, frozen to the world in thought, some teenagers, laughing as they exited the movie theater, bumped into her. She, of course, didn't budge, but one of them—a rather large teen—almost fell over before giving her a weird look. As they continued on, she realized she must really be in shock—she never would have let a slight like that slide. Instead, her thoughts turned to the last two years. She had had no idea if James was alive or if he had truly met his maker.

Her mind drifted back to the last time she had been with James. A smile spread across her lips as she thought of that beach house in California. After she and James had entertained themselves by draining its owners, they had relished living in the lap of luxury, kicking back, enjoying the water under the moonlight, and indulging in rough, passionate sex pretty much anywhere they could think of. As her smile remained, she realized it was maybe the first real smile she had had since those days.

Everything had seemed perfect until one night when James had said he was going out to grab them a fresh meal and bring it back alive so they could play with it before sharing the feast together. He had flashed her that devilish grin she loved so much, kissed her roughly, and disappeared into the night.

That was the last she had heard from him. She had always wondered if he had run afoul of another vampire who had finally ended his long existence or if he had simply abandoned her. Now she knew.

She had looked for him but lost his trail when he had ventured into the LA subway system. These past two years, she had been all alone. Of course, she had still been fucking countless men and women before having a nice meal, but she had had no true vampire companions.

The smile on her lips grew as she thought of all the times they had shared over the centuries. She almost laughed, thinking about their first contentious meeting all the way back when James still regarded himself as a Viking warrior. She remembered the fierce determination in his eyes. Their clash that night had been epic, both of them unwilling to back down. Over the centuries, their battles had continued, all intense, but their passion had been even more so, and eventually, they had found a bond neither had been expecting.

Her thoughts drifted to the centuries they spent together in England, where they both assumed new names and identities. Those were the days... the lavish balls, the opulent feasts, the dark alleys... They had done so much together, and their names had become legends, whispered and feared. Horror stories were still told to little children regarding some of their more notable exploits.

It was time for them to continue their fun, and she changed course, following James's scent. He must have passed this way only a few hours ago, so she had no doubt she would be able to find him. As she walked, her mind raced with thoughts of their reunion. Would she forgive him quickly for his abandonment, or would she put him through the ringer as punishment? The possibilities danced in her mind, each one more tantalizing than the last. She determined it would all depend on how remorseful he was and if she believed whatever bullshit he spouted off.

The thought of being fucked by a real man again was getting her further aroused. Human men were okay, but they just weren't violent enough for her tastes. She needed to be manhandled, dominated, and they just couldn't do it. Their futile struggles... the fear in their eyes when they realized they were in over their heads. The thrill of overpowering them was enjoyable, but it lacked the intensity she craved of having a true vampire companion.

Her steps quickened as his scent grew stronger, the anticipation building with every moment. She could almost feel his hands on her, rough and demanding, just the way she liked it. The thought sent a shiver of excitement through her, her body responding to his imagined touch.

And then, all of a sudden, there he was. Victoria froze, seeing James walking toward her far in the distance. He was with a woman, obviously his meal, and she smiled. Maybe they could share, just like old times. But her smile started to falter as she saw James and this woman talking and laughing. They were both smiling, and her vampire eyes could clearly make out James's face—that smile was not fake.

What was happening? Her mind struggled to comprehend the scene before her. Then, to her horror, she saw James lean in and kiss the woman, who responded energetically, wrapping her arms around his neck. The intimate embrace was more than she could bear. Venom started to drip from her mouth. He was a dead man. He had left her and was now what... shacking up with human trash? Her thoughts spiraled into a dark vortex of rage and vengeance. Victoria's mind raced, thinking of what to do to him.

First and foremost, she had to mark her territory, and that meant getting rid of the woman. The rage boiling within her was too intense for this to be a simple kill. No, she needed to make it a lesson for James, a brutal reminder that there was only her and no one else. She had taught him this lesson more than once over the centuries, but it seemed he needed another reminder.

Victoria grinned malevolently, her lips curling into a sinister smile as she envisioned the torment she would inflict on the poor woman. She watched them kissing, her keen vampire eyes taking in every detail—the way the woman's body pressed eagerly against James's, the slight tilt of her head as she deepened the kiss. The woman looked rather young and was probably very happy right now, completely oblivious to the eternity of agony that awaited her.

James had not noticed her presence yet, as the little wind there was blew towards her. She would correct that. Putting on a burst of speed, she moved closer until there was no way he wouldn't pick up her scent. She saw him stiffen as he sensed her presence. She stood in the shadows, watching to see what he would do.

His performance was beyond pitiful. He actually tried to get the girl to leave. Victoria's lips curled into a sneer of contempt, as if she would ever allow that to happen. She zoomed to stand behind the girl. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Her eyes made contact with James for the first time in two years, and she saw fear flicker across his face. What a fucking disappointment. The girl, who up close was barely a woman at all, started to turn, but her time would come.

Victoria rushed past the girl, tapping her on the head as she passed, to stand in front of James. She heard the girl collapse to the ground behind her.

"James…" Victoria said in a cold voice devoid of any emotion, her eyes narrowing as she spoke his name.

"Vicky… honey. It's been a while. How are you?" James replied, trying to project happiness, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of unease.

"Well honey… I'm a little peeved. I didn't realize it would take you two years to find a suitable meal?" She tapped her foot on the pavement, the sound echoing ominously in the still night, waiting to hear the lies that would flow from his mouth.

The streetlights above them cast a harsh glow on the scene, illuminating James's features. He straightened up, trying to project confidence, though the effort was almost laughable. "You know how it is for vampires, Vicky," he began, "We've been together for so long, I thought we could both use a little time apart. In the grand scheme of eternity, a few years here and there don't matter. Remember, you took off for the entire 1870s, shacking up with that Russian vampire," James added defensively.

Victoria smiled, a glint of dark amusement in her eyes. "Yes, and I remember what you did to that Russian vampire when you found us together. You never did tell me where you buried Alexi's head." She couldn't help but giggle, thinking about that night.

The memory played vividly in her mind. It had been quite amusing when James had found them mid-fuck. The luxurious room, draped in rich crimson and gold, had been lit only by the flickering light of the roaring fireplace as Alexi had brought her to countless orgasms on his white bearskin rug.

James had burst in, his eyes blazing with fury. With a swift, brutal motion, he had ripped off Alexi's head. The sound of his head being pulled from his body still echoed in her mind. She had been drenched in his venom as their bodies were still connected in the most intimate of ways. Without hesitation, James had pulled the headless body out of her as she watched, enthralled by his fury.

After some choice words, he had ripped off Alexi's still engorged cock and thrown it into the fire. The flames had roared higher as they consumed Alexi's best attribute.

Before leaving with Alexi's head, James had made it clear the rest of the body better be gone by the time he returned. His voice had been icy, and the room had felt charged with his anger and dominance, a palpable force that had made Victoria realize how much she had missed him.

She hummed, smiling at the memory. James had been magnificent that day, his rage and power on full display. She wondered if he still had that killer instinct inside him, if he could still be the ruthless vampire she had fallen for all those centuries ago.

James though smiled, a flicker of amusement crossing his face as he remembered that incident. He wondered idly how Alexi's head was doing. The last time he had unearthed it to torment him was in the 1950s. It had not been a pretty sight when he uncovered the head, finding it overrun by a colony of ants. Seeing Victoria again and thinking of that night stirred those same possessive feelings he had felt when he had seen her with another.

"No one touches what's mine," he said, his voice a low growl. "Come, let's go back to my hotel. Even thinking about that night makes me want to claim you all over again." He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her with him, his grip firm and commanding, but she didn't budge.

Victoria held her ground, her eyes flashing with defiance. "Aren't you forgetting something, James?"

"What?" James's gaze followed her line of sight to the unconscious form of Bella lying on the ground. "Her? She was nothing. A simple plaything to pass the time. I was just about to drain her when you showed up. Now that I see you again, I just can't wait. I need you, Vicky. Let's get back to the hotel. I'll pound you so hard and for so long that you won't even know what day it is afterward."

Victoria shook her head, a sinister smile playing on her lips. "No, James. A lesson needs to be taught. I think I'll do the same thing I did to that sweet young thing in Louisiana in the 1970s. I wonder how she's doing." This was actually the first time she'd thought of that little tramp since she'd chucked her newly turned vampire head into the bayou.

James felt repulsed even thinking of that night. It was a memory he had never wanted to dwell on and had tried to excise it altogether from his consciousness. "I really don't think that's necessary, Vicky. The girl was truly nothing. Quite annoying, in fact. If you must, just snap her neck and be done with it. Drain her if it pleases you, but I need you so badly. Let's get to that hotel so we can have our fun. We really don't need to make a big production out of the girl; I never even got her name."

Victoria grew enraged, though she showed no outward change in her demeanor. James was lying to her. She had heard him refer to the bitch as Bella before she had made her presence known. He must have actual feelings for the blood bag.

"No," she said coldly, "I really have to do this, James. And you will watch every second of it and remember, from now until the end of time, that you are mine." Her words were icy, dripping with venom. "Now, follow me as I take my new friend here somewhere more private. I plan to savor every moment of this, so you better not do a thing to lessen my joy, or you will regret it. Come."

Victoria glanced down at the girl on the ground, her expression a mix of disdain and anger. What had James even seen in her? She was barely pretty, with her soft features and innocent face. The unconscious girl's hair was splayed out around her, her breathing shallow and steady. Victoria's fingers twitched with the urge to cause pain, but she controlled herself. She needed to do this right. The girl would have no easy exits from this life.

Victoria picked the girl up and tossed her over her shoulder, her limp arms dangling loosely in front of her. "Try to keep up, James. I know how much slower you are than me," she teased, winking at him with a sly smirk before taking off.

Speeding through the city, she moved with such incredible speed that she was confident no one would see her. The buildings blurred past, the city lights streaking like shooting stars in her peripheral vision. Soon, Boston was left behind, and they were traveling west, the urban landscape giving way to quieter, darker stretches of road and countryside.

As she ran, a strange buzzing noise caught her attention. At first, she wondered what it could be, but then she realized it was coming from the girl. With a smile, she recognized it as one of those damnable phones. Infernal contraptions. She had never wanted one. Who would she want to speak with anyway? If she did have someone she wanted to talk to, it certainly wouldn't be a pleasant conversation, and she wouldn't want to tip them off that she was coming for them.

With a swift motion, she tore the girl's jacket from her body, discarding the remnants after grabbing hold of her phone. Glancing at the display, she saw it said "Mom." Victoria cackled, the sound echoing through the still night air. "Sorry, little girl, no more talks with Mommy for you." She crushed the phone in her hand, the pieces crumbling under her grip, and dropped the fragments without once slowing her pace.

Soon they entered a dense forest that seemed far removed from any small towns or larger cities. The air was thick with the earthy scent of moss and leaves, and the only sounds were the rustling of the forest and the occasional call of a nocturnal bird. Victoria could only guess that this was some sort of protected land, which would be perfect for what she planned to do to the girl.

"We're here, James," she announced, coming to an abrupt stop. She tossed the girl into a heap on the ground without a care, her body landing with a dull thud against the forest floor. Victoria was a little surprised the girl hadn't woken up yet. She hoped she hadn't done any real damage; she wanted to hear some screams or begging, preferably both, before her teeth ripped into her neck.

The sight of the girl, seemingly dead to the world on the ground, wouldn't do. Victoria needed the girl awake. She crouched down in front of her, and gently, at least for a vampire, slapped the girl's face. "Girl!" she said angrily, her voice slicing through the silence of the forest. She slapped her again, a bit harder this time. "Girl! Wake up!" she yelled, her tone dripping with irritation. She was about to slap her a third time when she heard the girl moan softly. Victoria stepped back, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes, and winked at James, who was deliberately avoiding looking at either of them.

"Pussy," she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing. She would have to do something about that. It was clear he hadn't been acting as he should for these past two years.

She focused her attention back on the girl as she slowly regained consciousness. The girl moaned softly, her movements sluggish and uncoordinated as she struggled to get onto her hands and knees. "What happened? Where am I?" she mumbled, her voice trembling with confusion and fear.

Victoria had to laugh, a cold, mirthless sound that echoed through the dark forest. Humans were so pitiful. She marveled at their fragility, their ignorance, and yet, somehow, they had managed to advance so much since the time she had been one of them. Shaking her head, she tried to dislodge any lingering thoughts of those dark days, refocusing on making the girl's final moments as traumatic as possible.

The moon was full, casting a silvery glow over the forest, and it was close to midnight as Victoria beheld her soon-to-be victim. The eerie light filtered through the trees, creating a haunting, almost ethereal atmosphere. The air was thick with tension, the stillness of the night broken only by the girl's labored breathing.

"Over here, girl," Victoria called out, her voice cutting through the darkness. She watched as the girl struggled to stand, her legs wobbly and unsteady. Finally, the girl lifted her head, her eyes focusing on Victoria. As soon as she did, Victoria gave a little wave before disappearing, at least to human eyes. She zipped behind the girl and screamed at the top of her lungs.

The sudden, piercing scream startled the girl so badly that she jumped and screamed herself, her body convulsing with fear. Victoria was thankful the girl didn't have a heart attack—such a quick end would have put a crimp in her fun.

Victoria moved around again to be in front of the now hyperventilating girl with inhuman speed. She glanced at James, who still had his head down, avoiding the scene. "Take a look, James, at what your actions have wrought," she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt.

She swung her hand around to point at the girl, but for a second, she thought her finger had hit an invisible object as it was deflected away. She turned to the girl, whose gaze was now directed at James with what looked like... was that hope in her eyes?

Victoria swung her hand several times in front of her, but there was nothing there. She must have imagined it. Refocusing on the girl, she smiled, a wicked grin that revealed her sharp, predatory teeth. "Do you have any last words before the real fun begins?"

The girl looked utterly terrified, tears were streaming down her face, glistening in the moonlight. Her body shook uncontrollably, every muscle tense with fear. Victoria drank it all in, relishing the sight of such raw, unfiltered terror. The girl's lips quivered as she finally muttered in a small, desperate voice, "James… Please help me."

Victoria threw her head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the forest, chilling the air. "He's not going to help you, little girl," she sneered, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "You don't even understand who you've involved yourself with."

She took a step closer, her predatory gaze locked onto the girl's tear-streaked face. "I'll do you a favor and tell you how this is all going to play out. I'm going to put you through the most pain you have ever imagined. You will wish for death, you will beg me to kill you, but that salvation will never come." Victoria's voice was a cruel whisper, each word laced with malice.

"You will burn in the fires of hell, seemingly forever, but I assure you, the pain will stop eventually. And as soon as it does, I'm going to rip off your head." She mimicked the motion, her fingers curling as if tearing something apart. "Then I'm going to throw your severed head into a pit I'm going to have James dig for me. After we bury your head deep within the earth, you will spend eternity slowly going insane."

Victoria's grin widened, her eyes dark filled with pleasure at the thought. "This is just a little something I like to do to girls who catch James's eye. Just a little reminder to him that he's mine! Don't worry, I'm sure you won't be the last girl I give this special honor to. In a century or two, there will be a new girl who turns his head away from me momentarily."

She leaned in closer, her face inches from the girl's, her breath cold against the girl's skin. "Now, let's hear that scream."

Victoria looked at the girl, who seemed utterly petrified, her eyes wide with terror and her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she cried uncontrollably. The sound was pitiful, a high-pitched wail that grated on Victoria's nerves. She zipped around the girl, her movement a blur, and kicked her leg hard from behind, a sickening snap echoing through the silent forest. The girl's scream was so loud it probably would have woken the dead. Victoria glanced down, satisfied to see the girl's fibula protruding gruesomely through her pants. Even Victoria had to admit that had to hurt.

The girl continued to scream in agony, clutching at her shattered leg. Victoria seized the moment, pulling the girl's head aside to expose her neck. Without hesitation, she bit down hard, her sharp teeth piercing the tender flesh. As the warm, rich blood invaded her mouth, she smiled, savoring the taste. The girl's blood was exquisite, a tantalizing mix of fear and innocence. It was a shame she could only have a taste and not drain her completely.

Victoria started injecting as much venom as she could, knowing that overloading a human's system with venom increased the pain tremendously. Finally feeling she had injected enough venom, she detached her teeth, giving one long lick up the girl's neck, cleaning up what blood remained. All the while, she locked eyes with James, who was watching her intently.

"None for you, sweetie," she taunted, pushing the girl away. The girl fell face-first onto the forest floor with a satisfying crunch, her screams continuing unabated. "And don't you dare think about ending her before the change is done. This punishment is more for you than for this blood bag."

Victoria's voice was cold and commanding, each word dripping with malice. "Remember, you were the one who caused this to be her fate. And as the decades turn into centuries, whenever you think about her, remember that her head is going to be right here, never sleeping, never dying, one constant stream of madness for eternity." She gestured to the ground in front of where the girl lay writhing in pain. "Now, start digging."

Well, what did you think about Vicky and James? Was it too dark? My other stories had almost no drama in them, and I wanted to try something a little different. This story is grittier in places and isn't all sunshine and rainbows. But don't worry, the story is quite long, and the great majority of it is fun and positive after Bella gets her new life sorted out. I would really like to hear your thoughts on the chapter.