Chapter Text
Unexpected But Needed Goodbyes
“That fucking twink,” James snarled.
The tall blond withered in pain as Victoria and Laurent did their best to put him back together. His bitching and hissing was starting to grate on Victoria’s nerves and she was close to leaving her companion to do it himself. But she had restrained herself when she noticed the almost pleading look that Laurent was giving her. She took an unnecessary breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
Since they had run into Cullens, it was one thing after another. From James’
obsession,
love for tracking had narrowed down to the rather insignificant brunette. It nearly cost him his life, had the rest of the Cullens had shown up. Victoria hoped in vain, with his brush with death, that he would let Bella and the Cullens go. The little hope that she had diminished once James healed, and she tingled with the urge to leave. At first, she brushed her power off. Laurent had claimed that James didn’t talk about those. . .
yellowed eyed freaks,
having seemingly off to the next big chase. She had wanted to believe that James wouldn’t be so stupid to try his luck again, being the unlikely sort of friends that they were, she thought he would learn from her: Some things weren’t meant to hold grudges on. It was better to move on because nothing ever came from lingering in the past.
But her power grew persistent as the months passed, and soon. . .she could no longer ignore it. Not when James had gathered Laurent and her around to discuss a plan to get back at the Cullens.
“Bloody hell, you can’t be serious,” Victoria said. “I thought we agreed that they weren’t worth our time.”
“You think I would let go of a prey as delicious as that human?” He asked. “That I would walk away knowing that I got bested by a. . .a-”
A growl ripped through his throat, and Victoria stared at him unimpressed. She knew that not many things escaped James. She was one of them, a human turned vampire, and now this human was protected by a coven of vampires.
Laurent turned to Victoria, a similar helpless expression that made her stay months after the incident, was only met with indifference. She looked between her coven mates and then at the sky. Her body hummed and crawled with nerves that urged her to run and leave them behind. Whatever James was planning, would only lead to their demise and Victoria didn’t live this long to die over pettiness.
“James, Luv, think about this.” Victoria started. “There’s seven of them. One of them dismembered several parts of you and if you hadn’t left the way you did, you would’ve died. Coming back for them is not only predictable but so dangerous that your death will be certain. Do you hear what I’m saying? You are guaranteeing our deaths if you seek revenge.”
The quiet that followed was even enough to silent Victoria’s powers, her skin finally at peace. Red eyes stared at similar reds, and for a long moment, Victoria was sure that James was going to change his mind and they could go back before the Cullens. . .when she felt a prickle on the back of her neck.
“I will not be thwarted a third time,” James said coolly. “Either you’re with us or you’re not.”
The ultimatum made Victoria’s body explode as if she was on fire, and she couldn’t help but stare at her oldest friend with sad eyes. She rose from the place that she sat and Laurent’s protests were met with deaf ears. They both knew that when James got like this there was no stopping him.
“Well Laurent,” Victoria said. “Are you staying or going?”
The tall dark man looked in between his mate and friend, a grimace on his face.
“Victoria, I just cannot leave my mate-”
Victoria held up her hand. It was all she needed to hear.
“Then this is where we part ways.”
She did not stay for goodbyes and left before either man could say a word. Her body sizzled at odd places, pushing and pulling her to her new destination. Victoria didn’t know where it would lead, only to her safety and from there her new life.