tongue twister • paul lahote

iii

T H E  J U N K Y A R D was filled with screaming bodies and fire. Victoria kept to the sidelines, where nobody could see her. Riley was in charge. Nobody could see that she was the ringleader. It would give her away too easily. She wafted away the discontent she had with the havoc wreaking newborns. She kept Santana by her side. She spoke little to her, leaving her in the dark. She had not produced enough trust with the woman to tell her anything. Santana had become irritable with the lack of information. 

"You turn me into this, keep me by your side, but you do not trust me enough to simply tell me what we're fighting for?" Santana grumbled, kicking away a few old car parts in her way as they patrolled.

"Your thoughts aren't safe. Nobody's are. If I tell you, we may be ruined." The redhead spoke dully. She kept her voice quiet, not wanting another to hear. Santana sniffed in discontent. She looked up at her creator. Their red eyes connected for a brief second.

A feeling of love and connection washed over Victoria. It sickened her at first, but the more the looked at the girl the more adoration washed over her. She trusted her with all of her being. It was involuntary, and she hated it. She didn't know what was happening to her. "Tell me." Santana pried. The love in Victoria's dark heart overcame her and she broke.

"Revenge. They killed my love. Their family is a nuisance and they have to be destroyed. They're too powerful; they will continue to destroy people like James. They will continue to hurt. They believe they are the better of our kind. They're no more than the dirt on the bottom of my shoes." She spat.

"Who?" Santana inquired, still holding her gaze.

"The Cullens." The name rang in Santana's ears. Her eyes twitched. Familiar, she thought.

The gaze broke. The love didn't leave Victoria's body until Santana chose for it to. The redhead was appalled.

"How did you do that?" She pressed. Although angry at what the newborn had forced her to do, she was amazed. Nobody was as strong willed as Victoria. She knew that she wouldn't have given information up that easily unless manipulated by a higher power.

"Do what?" Santana played ignorant.

"Relationship manipulation." Was all Victoria said. She was speaking more to herself, and laughed when she thought of it. "relationship manipulation!" She said louder, more giddily than before. " I knew you would be of use to me." She grabbed her by the hand. As they walked, the ginger shouted Riley's name. He came running when subject to her call.

She placed Santana aside. A plan was brewing in her mind. "Riley, do you love me?" Victoria said as the Forks originated boy stared at her.

"Of course I do, how could I not?" He grabbed her hands, leaning in to kiss her. She turned her head away, looking at her new asset.

"Make him hate me." Santana was confused. She had no idea what the girl was talking about.

"I could never hate you-" Riley was cut off.

"Do it, Santana. I know you can." Santana stared at Riley. If Victoria believed she could do something, then she must try at least. She owed it to her for her kindness to her. She focused in his head. She felt his obsession with the older vampire. she could feel it in her fingertips. Though, it did not make Santana feel the same way, she could see Victoria through Riley's eyes. She could see how he saw her. Beautiful, ethereal, perfect. She focused her energy on these thoughts, thinking foul things. Disgusting, hateful, putrid thoughts.

Riley's expression slacked into a scowl. He didn't know what became him, but he saw the same woman before him. He was appalled at her. He was sick just looking at her. His hands snapped out of hers and he didn't know what was happening to him. He hated the woman. Every movement, expression, and thought, he despised. He couldn't stand to be in her company.

"Riley, do you love me?" Victoria repeated. He cackled.

"You? How could someone love you?" He spat. He felt his anger burning in his toes that's how much he resented her. He didn't know why, or how. He remembered loving her; now that he looked at her before him he was repulsed. "You're a disgusting woman—I hate everything about you."

Santana snapped her focus away, bringing back his previous thoughts about her. Love, adoration. His scowl wasted away. He remembered what he had said. No feelings of resentment were present anymore. He was back in love. "I... I don't know why I said that. It wasn't me! I swear, I love you, Victoria. I am yours. I'll do whatever you want." He pleaded. He was on his knees begging her.

All Victoria could do was laugh. It was evil sounding, putrid. But she loved it. Santana could manipulate relationships. She could create or destroy any feelings she wanted at the blink of an eye. "Did that hurt you? Do you feel okay?" Her attention turned to the powerful young girl.

"I feel... fine? I don't feel any different. I don't know how I did that." She said, honestly. Victoria grinned. Her sharp teeth illuminated by the moonlight.

"Make him love you." She was using Riley as a rag doll to test her theories. He didn't care, he was so in love with her he couldn't see it at all.

Santana refocused her attention on the boy on his knees. His brown hair was ruffled. He was pulling at it as he begged Victoria to love him. She visualized his feelings once again. She saw his emotions towards the ringleader of this whole operation. She relaxed her muscles and replaced Victoria's face with her own. Riley went crosseyed as he stumbled trying to get up again. He staggered as he moved towards the short, brown haired girl. He involuntarily grabbed her face, admiring it in the nights dim light. He had hearts dancing in his eyes, once for the redhead, now for Santana. He leaned down to kiss her, not wanting to be anywhere but with her.

He held on to her like Paul would have, though she did not know that. She barely remembered him. Though she did know what Riley was doing didn't feel right. Somebody else should have been in his place, she just didn't know who. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, and her neck. He cradled her in his arms like she was a diamond. He adored her. Riley, yet again had no idea what he was doing or why. Santana started to catch on. She realized just how much power she had in the palm of her hand. She hated it, but loved it all the same. She was bored with him paying her so much attention.  She again replaced his vision of her with Victoria. He pulled away from her, disgusted at his actions.

Victoria continued to smile. Santana caught on to her emotion quickly. She knew what Victoria was thinking. She was her new hidden weapon. Santana listened as Victoria threatened Riley. She mad him promise to keep what had happened a secret: she didn't want anyone to know but her. If the newborn could manipulate Riley, could she do it to more than one person at a time? Could she manipulate everyone around Isabella to isolate her? If so, winning this war would be much easier than she previously believed.