CHAPTER 25

Victoria received a text message just as she and Francesca were talking after Vera had left for her room, and Jordan went to apologize to Beverly.

"Who's that? Is it Damon? Are he and Christian almost here?" Francesca asked enthusiastically, mainly because she and Christian were becoming a thing.

Victoria smiled and quickly texted back. "No, it's not Damon."

"Then who?" Francesca pressed.

"Listen, I'll be back in a bit," Victoria said abruptly, darting past Francesca in a hurry.

"What's up with the Fitzgerald twins today? Gosh," Francesca muttered as she watched Victoria run out.

Victoria's heart raced with anticipation as she made her way to the woods behind their house. Elias had texted that he had a surprise birthday gift for her, and she couldn't wait to see him again. She moved quickly, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. Once she was sure she was alone, she ran into the woods and found Elias waiting for her. Without a word, she threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

Elias grinned and pulled her deeper into the woods. "For you," he said, revealing a large piece of meat, dripping with blood.

"It's fresh. Touch it, it's still warm," Elias added, his voice low and enticing.

Victoria approached the meat carefully, her eyes glowing with a wild hunger. Her werewolf canine teeth emerged, and she tore into the meat with savage delight, making sure to avoid staining her dress with blood. The taste of the fresh prey sent a shiver of ecstasy through her body.

"Happy birthday," Elias whispered, watching her with a mix of amusement and admiration.

Victoria savored every bite, feeling the power and vitality of the fresh kill course through her veins. She had never felt so alive, so in tune with her primal instincts. Once she had finished, she licked the blood from her lips and looked up at Elias with a fierce, satisfied grin.

"I have to get back before anyone notices I'm gone," she said reluctantly, wiping her hands clean.

Elias nodded. "I'll be around if you need me. Just text."

Victoria gave him one last lingering kiss before hurrying back to the house. As she ran, her thoughts were a chaotic mix of excitement and confusion. The thrill of the hunt and the taste of fresh blood had awakened something inside her, something wild and uncontrollable. She couldn't quite understand it, but she knew she wanted more.

She slipped back into the house unnoticed and rejoined the party, her heart still pounding with adrenaline. She spotted Francesca and quickly made her way over.

"Where did you run off to?" Francesca asked, curious.

"Just had to take care of something," Victoria replied with a smile, her eyes still gleaming with a feral light.

"Okay," Francesca said, raising an eyebrow but letting it go. "Damon and Christian should be here soon."

Victoria nodded, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside her. She needed to focus on the party, on her friends, and on Damon. But as she mingled with the guests and accepted their birthday wishes, her mind kept drifting back to Elias and the taste of that fresh, warm meat. She felt a dangerous excitement bubbling under the surface, one that she wasn't sure she could keep contained for much longer.

Just then, Damon arrived with Christian. Francesca rushed to Christian and he kissed her, his hands resting comfortably on her waist. Damon made his way over to Victoria, his smile wide and affectionate. He leaned in to kiss her, but Victoria turned her head slightly, causing him to land a peck on the side of her lips.

"You okay?" Damon asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Uhmm, yeah," Victoria replied, trying to compose herself. Her body was still buzzing from the euphoric sensation of devouring the prey animal Elias had given her moments ago.

"Okkk...well, I brought a birthday gift for you," Damon said, handing her a wrapped box.

"Uh, thank you, babe," Victoria said, hugging him quickly before pulling away.

"Where's Vera? I have something fo—" Damon began to say, but Victoria cut him off by rushing to drop the gift among the others.

"What's with her? She seems so hyperactive," Christian remarked, stepping closer with his arm around Francesca.

"I don't know," Damon replied, his eyes following Victoria as she placed the gift down with an unusual energy.

Francesca watched Victoria intently, her curiosity piqued. Something was definitely off about her friend. Victoria was usually the picture of calm confidence, especially during her own birthday party, but today she was different—edgy, almost frantic.

Victoria returned to the group, her smile forced as she tried to regain some semblance of normalcy. "Sorry, I just had to put that down. What were you saying, Damon?"

"I was asking about Vera. I have something for her too," Damon said, his concern deepening.

"Oh, she's around somewhere," Victoria said dismissively, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape route. "But it's my birthday, right? Let's focus on that."

"Of course, of course," Damon said, though he still looked puzzled.

The group resumed their mingling, but Francesca kept a close eye on Victoria. The way she moved, the slight tremor in her hands, and the occasional faraway look in her eyes—all pointed to something unusual. Francesca decided she needed to talk to her friend alone later.

As the party continued, Victoria found herself struggling to maintain her composure. The taste of the prey's blood still lingered on her tongue, and she felt a primal hunger gnawing at her insides. She glanced at her phone, half-expecting another message from Elias. Part of her wanted to run back to him, to feel that thrill again, but she knew she had to stay and play her part.

Damon, sensing her discomfort, pulled her aside. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem...different."

Victoria forced a smile. "I'm fine, really. Just a bit overwhelmed, I guess."

Damon studied her face, his worry evident. "If something's wrong, you can tell me."

"Nothing's wrong," she insisted, though her eyes betrayed her.

Before Damon could press further, Francesca walked over, offering a distraction. "Hey, Victoria, let's get some pictures! We need to document this fabulous party."

"Sure, let's do it," Victoria agreed, eager for any excuse to shift the focus away from herself.

As they posed for photos, Victoria tried to push away the turmoil inside her. She needed to stay in control, to keep the two worlds she was living in from colliding. But as she smiled for the camera, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was slipping through her grasp.

Victoria continued to navigate the social whirl of her party, but her mind was elsewhere. The taste of blood and the thrill of the hunt had awakened something in her that she couldn't ignore. She knew she had to see Elias again, to explore this new, dangerous part of herself.

As the night wore on, she found herself looking for any opportunity to slip away. She needed to get back to the woods, to feel that primal power coursing through her veins once more. The party, the gifts, the friends—all of it seemed trivial compared to the raw, exhilarating freedom she had tasted with Elias.