petrichor [rosalie hale] ✔

xxix. campsite

On the outskirts of Seattle, the two vampires stood as they witnessed their newborn army fighting amongst themself from a distance. Riley sneered a little as he looked at them all, knowing that they were disposable and would be gone as soon as they had served their purpose. In less than 24 hours, he'd be free of the burden that they had became and he'd be with his love, freely and finally.

He felt a mixture of exhilaration and unease as he brushed tightly against the red-head on the secluded catwalk, away from the prying eyes of their newborn army. The dim light of the setting sun cast an eerie glow on their figures, creating a dark, discomfiting mirror image of the peaceful scenes that had unfolded earlier in the night. 

"You're not coming with us?" Riley asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"It will be a last-minute decision. I told you how it works," Victoria replied, her tone calm but assertive. She knew that he was an easy target but she was beginning to get annoyed by his constant clinginess. The one thing that had drawn her to him as the perfect mouldable newborn was beginning to drive her crazy.

"Right, the Cullens have powers," Riley mumbled, his eyes glancing around nervously.

Victoria almost pulled away slightly, hiding the hint of irritation that came close to flickering across her features as she lowered her voice to a gentle purr and pressed herself against the younger vampire. "Don't underestimate them, Riley. You'll have the numbers, but they'll be able to anticipate your every move."

Riley shrugged, trying to hide his skepticism. "According to your dead friend."

The change in her expression was subtle but noticeable. Victoria pulled back a little from him, eyeing him intensely. Riley didn't know that James was her mate, but rather that Laurent had once been her close friend. He didn't know that this was all just one large revenge scheme, in the name of love and not friendship. 

"Yes, my dead friend. Laurent found out about the things they could do, and they killed him. But not before he told me."

"Maybe he was wrong," Riley suggested, trying to make sense of the situation. "I mean, this is supposed to be Cullen territory. But we've been tearing it up, and I've never even seen them here."

Fury flared in Victoria's eyes, and suddenly, she was standing several feet away from him, her posture defensive. "You don't trust me," she accused.

Riley hurriedly tried to backtrack, realizing that he might have offended the redhead. "No, no, it's not that. I trust you with my life. I'm just saying that..."

Victoria cut him off, her voice firm and resolute. "I'm doing this for us. So that we can feed without their retaliation. I can't live in fear anymore, waiting for them to attack. Waiting for her to attack, that ex of yours..."

In an instant, Riley found himself next to her, his arms wrapping around her protectively. "I won't let them," he vowed. "I'm going to end the Cullen clan. I swear. And Kiara Black too - I can't even remember any feelings for her, and even if I did I wouldn't hesitate. Not when it comes to you."

Victoria looked into his eyes, and a false hint of vulnerability softened her expression. She kissed him fiercely, as if trying to convey the depth of her emotions through that one passionate act. Everything was falling into place, and the Cullens were going to pay for the hell that they had put her through.

"I love you. So much," she whispered, her voice catching with unspoken emotions.

As the night deepened, they stood on the catwalk, lost in each other's embrace, oblivious to the dark forces gathering in the shadows. Unbeknownst to them, the Cullens had been planning, waiting for the right moment to confront the relentless army that Victoria had assembled.