To The End

The Start

Victoria waited patiently, but tonight was the night. She planned everything carefully. She waited until her father returned from perimeter check and met him in the living room when he got home. She convinced him she was having trouble sleeping and got him to read to her like he used to back when she was a child. It was a cheap shot, but she knew it would soften him so that once she feigned sleep, he would go to bed peaceful and she could slip out easier.

Their small town was without criminals, except for the odd stolen food items here and there when things got hard. But everyone knew each other. No one was a stranger, and everyone could be trusted. The one exception being the one Victoria was going to sneak out to go see. The one who could actually harm her. But she had to get to the bottom of things. She couldn't allow rumors to sway her decisions anymore. Jade could be dangerous, or she could simply be alone and shunned for false accusations. Victoria would never know unless she found out for herself.

So here she was, standing outside the forbidden cottage. She hadn't been even close since that fateful day a week ago. She stared through the dark at the door, staying rooted to the spot at the end of the cobblestone pathway. She hadn't quite thought this far. She honestly believed she would have been caught by now. She paced back and forth, not looking away. There were no lights on inside so she must be asleep. But if the rumors were true, she wasn't. Did that mean she was out there now? A chill settled on her and she shivered.

"What are you doing here?" a gruff voice spoke close to her, a cold hand gripping her upper arm. She yelped, jumping a foot in the air, but her feet wouldn't respond so she couldn't run. This would be how she perished. But then there was a light chuckle and her arm was released. Jade stepped into her line of sight, smirk in place.

"I scared you," she stated, amused.

"Of course you scared me, sneaking around like that!" Victoria retorted. Jade canted her head.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're the one sneaking around. I was out on my evening stroll through the woods."

Victoria glanced at the surrounding trees then looked Jade over the best she could in the dim lighting. Jade noticed her studious gaze and crossed her arms.

"You'll find no blood on me, if that's what you're looking for," she remarked. She said it so casually and without accusation, but Victoria still flinched.

"I-I wasn't..." she muttered uselessly. Jade waved a dismissive hand.

"I don't care. I'm more interested in what you're doing snooping around my house. I don't take kindly to nosey trespassers," she subtly warned. Victoria thought she heard a small growl hidden within the words. Jade's instincts were on high alert. She had smelled the girl miles away and ran back home. She wanted to keep her guard up, but she was truly curious why the young woman had turned up. A trap.

No, Jade would believe it if it was anyone else. But not Victoria. She let out a breath and fixed an unwavering gaze on the fidgeting human standing before her, wringing her hands nervously.

"I just wanted to talk. I wanted to get to know you."

The confession was not what Jade expected to hear and Victoria was a bit surprised herself that she managed to get the words out at all. But Jade's wide eyes quickly narrowed in suspicion.

"Why now? Why do you even care?" she snapped.

"Because no one else does. I'm sick of them treating you like a monster. Like you aren't someone with a personality. With likes, dislikes, and feelings."

Victoria wore an expression of righteous fury. She meant what she said. Jade was almost left speechless.

"Why are you so sure they're wrong? I'm not as innocent as you believe me to be," Jade told her, taking a step closer. Victoria refused to be cowed. In fact, she forced herself not to react.

"I'm here for no other reason than my own curiosity and desire to befriend you," Victoria admitted. Now Jade was confused. Leave. Not safe.

She studied Victoria's guileless features. She smiled so honestly Jade took a step back. This had never happened before to anyone of her kind. Not even when the witches were helping the humans has there ever been one that genuinely wanted to be friends. It was a concept that didn't exist between the two. She didn't know what to do. Victoria seemed to see the confusion and conflict on Jade's face because she slowly advanced to touch Jade's arm. The gentle contact yanked all Jade's focus back on the human. The warmth. So close.

She swallowed and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down then pulled away.

"Don't touch me," she cautioned, only just managing not to growl that time.

"I'm sorry," Victoria murmured, fists clenched.

"I get it. Had I needed comfort it could have helped. But I don't. Especially from you."

The harsh truth cut at Victoria, but she hid it and merely nodded.

"It's getting late. Shouldn't you be at home, safe in bed?" Jade taunted, turning to walk away.

"No, wait! I was serious! I want to talk!" Victoria called out. In her haste she grabbed at Jade's wrist. In a flash, her own wrist was grabbed and held tightly in a vice grip. Jade's eyes locked with hers and stole her next breath. They glowed a haunting green, like her very soul writhed within the depths of her irises.

"Don't touch me," she snarled, a glimpse of pointed fangs glinting in the minimal light. Victoria trembled, frozen in place. Jade took the opportunity to leave before she did something she would regret. Get rid of her. Threat.

Jade slammed the door when she reached the cottage, putting a barrier between them. Kill her.

"No!" she growled, falling against the door and sliding down to sit on the floor. She felt her control slip, teeth sharpening and nails becoming claws. Her gaze created a soft glow in the dark space. Run.

That, she could agree with. She pushed off the floor and ran to the back door, throwing it open. She focused her attention on a roving bear, miles out into the woods. She reached it in minutes, barreling into the beast straight on. She ignored its howl of rage and barely felt its blows, claws racking at her pale flesh. Her powerful jaws found its throat and tore clean through the fur, fat, muscle, and flesh.

The beast bellowed in agony before dropping to the ground with her on top. With a roar she let out her frustration and hunger on the animal. Trying hard not to think about tearing into Victoria the same way. She could have if she hadn't gotten herself away in time. She could have been a smear on the ground in seconds. Jade slowed down, her mind starting to come back into focus. The bear was mostly bone now, torn apart from the inside out. And yet her beast wanted more. It wasn't enough.

If the hunting party hadn't interrupted her then she would have already sated her hunger by now. She wouldn't have lost control like she did. She sat down heavily in a clean patch of grass, wiping blood from her chin. It was just another day for her, sitting in the middle of nowhere after decimating one of nature's strongest land animals. Then she had to go and let her mind wander back to Victoria.

That was odd, because humans never interested her past being a meal. She didn't care for them. But Victoria seemed to care for her. And in turn Jade kept sparing her. She cursed out loud and rested her head in her hands. The human was proving to be a problem. Because she didn't want to kill her, and she couldn't get rid of her mentally either. Maybe it would be worth it, to give it a try.

Victoria wasn't just any human, after all. She was different. She could be the only one Jade could trust. She bravely made a choice her ancestors never did, and Jade respected that. The least she could do was try to return the favor. It wouldn't be easy, but she supposed it wouldn't be worth it if it was.