The two companions watched the woman with interest from the shadows. Isabella had been watching her for the last few nights. It had taken her some time to track the brunette down again after she'd run off.
She had intended to make herself known to Victoria but that was before.
For now, she was content to observe with her long time friend as the brunette pulled the man into a passionate embrace.
'You can't expect me to believe that's really her.' Henry said.
'It is.' Isabella told him with certainty.
'She's changed.'
Isabella arched an eyebrow and looked at the man curiously. 'Has she? I'd say she's more herself than ever. This is who she always was.'
'No. She was different. She wore her heart on her sleeve and would have given her life to save another.'
'I'm sure she still would, for the right person. As for her heart, as I recall keeping it on her sleeve led only to it being shattered.' Though she said it casually, Henry flinched anyway.
A muffled sound drew their attention back to the couple, where the woman was now being pressed against the wall by the eager man.
Henry felt his nails dig into his palms hard enough to draw blood as he watched.
'She always did like to give them the illusion of control, didn't she?' Isabella asked idly. She smiled when she saw Henry shaking with anger. 'You're not jealous, are you?'
He shook himself. 'Of what? His hands on her, the way they cling to each other like starving animals? It's disgusting.' He couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice and much as he hated it, he also could not tear his eyes away from the scene before him.
His eyes stayed glued to the pair and he watched as the man fisted her dress in his hands and tried to tear it from her body. Henry breathed a small sigh of relief as Victorias' hand grabbed her companions wrist.
'No.' she chided gently. 'Patience Charles.'
The man growled something that would be too low for most people to catch but it made Henry stiffen in anger.
Charles roughly pulled up her skirts while shoving her back against the wall. In less time than it took to blink, Victoria whirled leaving the man stunned to find that he was now pressed to the cool brick instead with nowhere to go.
'I think you need to understand what it means when a lady says no.' Victoria told him in a low dangerous voice.
The man began to struggle and fight to get away but his ineffectual blows did nothing to help him as Victoria grabbed him by the hair and tilted his head to the side.
'Exquisite, isn't she?' Isabella asked Henry quietly as the two watched the life go out of the man Victoria had chosen as her victim.
'Mesmerizing.' Henry responded only half listening.
Victoria raised her head and wiped her mouth as she dropped the lifeless body to the ground and walked to the end of the alley, putting more distance between herself and her audience.
She turned once more and scanned the shadows.
'Did you enjoy the show? I know how much Henry does but I never took you for a spectator Isabella.'
With that, Victoria rounded the corner and was gone.
