Seduction of the Damned

Belonging

Fast Forward a Week

Victoria's POV:

The air in the Sanctuary felt different now. The world outside of these gates remained the same but here, there was something that seemed to have shifted. I could feel it every time I walked past the cages, the center circle, every time I saw a punishment carried out. I didn't flinch anymore. I didn't cower when Negan would walk by. The girl who had somehow stumbled her way into this world, terrified, confused, trying everything she could to just fit in and stay out of the spotlight; was gone. And in her place stood a girl who didn't shy away from the violence or the control that kept us alive.

I watched the other Saviors walk by, their heads down, busying themselves with their current tasks. They didn't look at me the way they used to. There was no more pitty, no questioning glances wondering if I could hold my own in this place. They knew now that I belonged here. I had earned my place.

Standing by Negan's side, I saw things that not many people could stomach. The blood, the punishment, the killing - it was part of life now. It was the new normal that we had to get used to, or else we wouldn't survive. Somehow, that didn't scare me anymore. Not like it used to. I was starting to understand why it was necessary. Weak people didn't survive, especially if you were a leader like Negan. You had to have that rough exterior, that tough skin that made people fear and respect you. The world outside had fallen apart, and here? Here, you had to be strong. Or meet death with open arms. 

I felt a strange, overwhelming sense of satisfaction knowing that I wasn't just surviving anymore. I was living this life, the way it had to be lived. I was living it like I was born into it. And I wasn't doing it alone. I had Negan. He noticed the change in me, I could see it in the way his eyes flickered over me. There was something different in them: a sense of approval and pride that I hadn't noticed before.

I turned, hearing footsteps behind me. Negan was walking toward me, that familiar smirk playing on his lips, Lucille slung over his shoulder like always. There was something lighter in his steps today like he was already having a good time before the day even started.

"Vikki" he drawled, stopping in front of me, his eyes raking over me in that way that always sent a shiver down my spine and butterflies in my stomach. I loved how he had chosen to call me Vikki instead of Victoria like he used to. 

"You're starting to look comfortable around here lately. Starting to enjoy the view, huh?"

I smiled softly, letting the words settle on me. 
"Guess I've gotten used to it."

Negan cocked an eyebrow, his smirk deepening, a playful glint in his eyes. "Used to it?" he echoed, his voice dripping with that dark, teasing edge. "Sweetheart, you're doing more than getting used to it. I'd say you're thriving. Hell, you might even be starting to like it."

I felt my chest tighten with pride. He was right. The blood, the violence, the order - it didn't rattle me anymore. I craved it. I was part of it. And Negan had noticed.

He stepped closer to me, the smell of leather and a hint of pine greeting me. He smelled of safety, a smell I couldn't ever get enough of. Lucille swung lazily from his shoulder, his gaze was sharp but filled with that amused glint he always had when he was teasing. "You've come a long way from that quiet little thing we picked up. Hell, I think I'm starting to like this version of you."

His words wrapped around me, both seductive and dangerous. I couldn't help but notice how incredibly turned-on I was becoming. I blushed slightly and the pride swelled in my chest. This wasn't just about surviving anymore. I was no longer standing on the sidelines, watching everything happen around me. I was in this. Right where I wanted to be.

Negan's smirk softened just a touch, though his eyes never lost that dangerous glint. "We're headed out today," he said, his tone casual, like he was inviting me to something for a walk in the park instead of something far more dangerous. "Got a little mission. Thought you might want to tag along, see if you've got what it takes to play with the big boys."

My heart raced at the challenge in his voice, the dark playfulness that always pulled me in. He never invited women out for scavenges or missions. He was always worried they'd just get in the way. He held a high respect for the females in the Sanctuary, but he never acknowledged them. Before I had joined the Saviors, I was told he had wives. He had them dismissed shortly before I arrived, growing tired of the titles and how they'd bothered him day in and day out. 

I usually stayed behind, taking inventory and working in the warehouse, sorting the goods they'd brought in and handing the tasks off to the other workers. I was used to being behind the scenes. But this was different. This was personal.

"You want me to come with you?" I asked, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice, and utterly failing causing the heat in my cheeks to burn. Way to go Vikki I mentally scolded myself.

Negan chuckled, stepping even closer, his hand reaching up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear that had previously fallen in my face. His fingers lingered just long enough to send a spark through me. "Oh sweetheart," he murmured, his voice low and dripping with that familiar mix of seduction and sarcasm. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you were ready. And trust me, you're ready. Hell, I've been waiting for this."

He paused, his gaze lingering on my lips as his hand traveled down to my jaw, his thumb brushing my bottom lip. His smirk turned to something darker. "You've been standing by my side, watching for long enough. Now it's time to show me what you've got."

My pulse quickened at his words. He was testing me, and I wanted to prove myself - not just to him, but to me. I wanted to show him I could be more than just the quiet woman at his side. I wanted to set myself apart from all the previous wives he had discarded of when he got bored.

I nodded, my voice steady. "I'm ready."

Negan's grin widened, that wicked gleam returning in his eyes. "Good. This is gonna be fun."