"-Game time" he chimed, snagging the 10/6 circuit board card off of the man's Hat, right as Vendetta’s dark arcana broke. Leaning against the wall, the Lady felt faint- she couldn't hold it for too long. With the broken links, the man appeared cognitive, and terribly confused. Even beyond the fog of alcohol, he could see something was wrong. The unnaturally pale Lady and strange Hatted man certainly disturbed him- but if they weren't enough... the man reacted in pure terror at the sight of a full grown, heavily-dyed Tiger lying but a few feet away.
Wetting his lips, Jervis moved to a small block in the corner that appeared a simple alcove. Pressing a small button, a panel would unfold- and from it appeared a box of glittering tools, pristine surgical instruments. Instruments of torture, in this context. Before he began to decide on which to use first, he calmly removed his brown leather jacket, and rolled up the sleeves of his white cotton undershirt, as if worried he might get it dirty. As The Hatter pulled out the instruments of fun, Vendetta took a cursory glance- taking one of the chairs for herself, off to one side. Cold, unforgiving, metal- she approved.
"-I suppose you're wondering why you've been brought here? There's no need to speak, you need only listen..." He drolled, voice monotone while he admired each tool, finally selecting on one with a flat tip that fattened out towards the peak before flattening back out to the grip. Turning on his heel, he smiled, advancing toward the man who struggled helplessly. "-You abuse women, get some kind of sick hard-on for beating them... I and my Lady do not approve of this behaviour; so we've decided... why not make you feel what all your victims have felt? Poetic Justice if you ask me."
Kneeling down beside the man, appearing as if he might propose... he smiled once more something calm, but terribly sinister... "-It's been awhile since I've tortured someone, so please... scream if I am doing this right." And then shoved that flattened tip under the first fingernail, pushing upwards, while the man fought to release a scream. The pain was already too much. "-Nothing? How about this..." Continuing further and further- until finally the nail split open, dangling by a thread of skin...
"-Oh dear, I've broken you..." Did this hatted gentleman, his tormentor, have any sentiments? The man thought so until "-Let's continue, nine more piggies left to go..." And his eyes widened once more in pure terror, while the Hatter continued his assault on the poor man's fingers...
As she watched him work his tools under the man's nail, and enjoyed the inevitable screaming, Vendetta simply procured a wine glass full of blood from… somewhere. More curious illusions. A hand idly went to petting Cheshire, she content to watch- the hatred in his eyes, focused on her, not him... she smiled. Soft, silken to the Hatter- harsh, abrasive to their victim. It gave him pause.
"…You should be so lucky. If I deigned to get my hands on you, it'd be much worse. Hell hath no fury, like a Lady vengeful. And if you don't stop glaring at me, you will find what he does will be pure heaven.. compared to the Hell I will to send you to." The man could see, beneath that ice, she held such a darkness and malevolence that pierced so thoroughly he trembled before her. Never before had a woman terrified him- she was glad to see herself the first. Satisfied, her attention fixated on her companion.
"Now, darling- he has a fear of drowning, hates the sight of blood... Oh yes, and he's keeping his body tense, a trick many people do to escape their bonds. Make him relax, and make sure they're tight." Satisfied, the Lady reclined, and took a fresh sip of the blood in her glass. Her eyes never left their victim, but she smiled once more.
It was clear beyond the pain, the man was terrified, eyes locked on both what the Hatter was doing (currently re-affixing the bonds), and to the icy stare the woman gave. There was something so off, so unnatural about them both- that tiger didn't help either. Trying to keep from the pain, even after that hatted fuck had removed every one of his fingernails, he was glaring at the woman, that bitch... Pain sharpened his senses, anger and hatred rising fast. She sat there, just...fucking watching like it was a show, enjoying herself. Even while he glowered, her stare unrelentingly icy... when she finally spoke, the quiet tone froze the blood in his veins.
"-Isn't she a peach? Now THAT is a real woman. Christ, I'd worship the ground she walks on... anything for her. We have this interesting thing... I've never been lucky, and then she comes walking into my life. I've never felt more alive! She brings this, the best, out of me, turns my chaos into art..."
Internally delighted, Vendetta realized even as it glowered, it was rightly afraid. Good. Served it right. Leaning back, she listened to Hatter's wonderful words. Smoother than silk, Vendetta composed a reply in the darkness- one only the Hatter could hear. "One of these days, I just might make you prove it~" She smirked, and it could feel the twisted amusement in the air- then Hatter went on, distracting it. Vendetta only teased, of course- but it was still amusing to say.
The idea whispered to him, and him alone, was an alarming one- yet he couldn’t help but smirk. They were words- while he meant them, he was assured his ego wouldn’t be pleased with servitude of any sort. He'd never allow himself to be subservient- even to a creature as magnificent as she. At least, that’s what he told himself… The beast, now nearly drowning in the blood-laden water, would get a sick hard-on over the thought of what they would share in the future. Lashing him upward, as he gasped for air, no sooner would he begin trying to scream once more. This time not by his own doing, the Hatter glanced back at the Lady, to his victim, and back at her.
"-Hold still," he barked, suddenly straddling his lap, while he reached for another instrument, pincers... and.. what was that... Oh dear god, what is he...
"-Please no," the man wailed, gory stubs where nails had once been wiggling to try and free the bonds around his wrists.
"-Hush, hush; keep bickering and you'll make me snip something vital..." As far as the man was concerned, ALL of it was vital. Clipping the pincers along his left ear, a quick and simple swipe and he would suddenly feel red hot pain, doubled by the gush of warmth as blood gushed down the side of his neck, poisoning the air with iron and disease. "-Hee..." Wiggling his ear in front of him. The scream pierced shrill, but it only channelled the rage.
While that sicko yammered on, he looked past the man, toward the wall.. A black and white printed paper taped onto the wall, wrinkled as if it had seen too many pockets. But what mattered was the reward for capture, a hot line number for America's Most Wanted, and that man's face, the printed words: Jervis James Tetch, aka The Mad Hatter...
She caught where his glance went- and followed it. Jervis was rather known to law enforcement. This displeased Vendetta- and would be dealt with later. As they both looked, the man decided to lash out with his words.
"-Fuck you, you fuckin' skinny faggot fuck!! When I get the fuck out of this, I'll beat your fuckin' face in, and then I'll wipe the look off that bitches' fucking face!! When I'm done that, I'll-"
"-That's quite enough out of you." Hatter glared, stuffing a rough, blood-matted rag into his mouth to keep him silent, "-Sting me with words prick, but dare not drag my darling Lady into this... THAT..." he hissed, reaching for the White Queen and slammed her point down hard into the arm of the chair, narrowly missing his appendage "-will NOT be tolerated."
Such a sweetheart, he was- every bit charming, too. As if on cue, Vendetta moved her hand gently- and delighted in the scream that emanated, as it felt trapped in an illusion of ice shards piercing most every part of its skin, dissolving to alkaline cruelty. This wound up amplified, as the victim's toenails wound up ripped off simultaneously. Delicious- and of course, Hatter wouldn't know what was going on. It would seem, to him, that his torture worked especially well. Even better. Vendetta spoke up again.
"If I may interrupt again... May I advise you to take it slow, darling? I've found something... rather delightful out. Our friend here is rather vengeful, and thinks he'll leave us yet. You may wish to draw this out. If you knew what it wanted to do to us, you would not be pleased at all. Of course, should your curiosity be piqued, I could allow such vileness to be shared." Vendetta smirked, watching the man blanch before her. How the fuck did she know? Despite the gag, he began to protest once more. It gave Vendetta a headache, his grating insults.
It was after another moment however, he would have thought of another funny... Hatter straddled the victim- internally, she bit her lip. If the person in its place was someone else, Vendetta would have found it… arousing, or desirable to see more of. Removing that rag and taking those pincers, he suddenly snatched that wiggling writhing tongue, "-Like a maggot..." then sliced through the meat, feeling blood spray up onto his chest and neck. Unfortunately, it sprayed quite fair- Vendetta getting a faceful, and wickedly disgusting taste of the dark sludge form its veins. She repressed a desire to retch. Launching the organ behind him, it bounced in front of Cheshire, and the Hatter couldn't help but smile, twisted, depraved.
"-There now ol' boy, Cat's got your tongue," Howling with laughter at his own sick joke, the madman swung his leg off, and rose onto his feet. She smirked, sipping once more as the victim's tongue came out. Excellent- Vendetta always liked mutilation. While that chubby fuck started to whimper and cry, snot slipping down from his nose into his gory red mouth, he'd hear the Lady speak- this time offering insightful advice, that sinister smile fitting his face.
"-Oh, what would I do without you?" he cooed, moving in, lowering his head and kissing her deeply, its blood on her tongue. Somehow, Tetch didn't mind the taste. "-Then that's how we'll kill him when we're done... some slow Chinese water torture perhaps?" he suggested, grey eyes flitting towards the pudgy man... watching as his face lit up in horror "-As for what he'd do? Oh ho, don't worry- we won't allow that to happen... anyone dares to lay a finger on anything I love, will face my wrath... now... shall we move on?" This time moving towards a place beside the wall, a bucket large enough to stick a head in, and began to fill it with water... what a nightmare, the Hatter was content...
Vendetta smiled at that a moment, then once he had his laugh, mock-pouted. "Aww. Now how am I supposed to get some pleasure out of this? You took away its tongue- the only good part. Shame." The smirk in her words, however, told the twisted Hatter she was merely teasing again. '-Oh, what would I do without you?'
"Of course we can. But, you're covered in disgusting venereal diseases- I would know, I ingested them. Right disgusting sludge, by the way." That would give Tetch pause, especially as he noted the blood on her face- could she be infected?.. "Now, darling... I’ll take over- while you clean up? You might get sick."
Snatching the Queen from her perch on the chair arm, cleaning the hilt to ward off gore, he slipped it into the sheath behind his back. First a suggestion of Chinese Water torture, followed by her suggestion that she take over while he washed up. This Lady proved to be easily able to handle his sadistic delights. Idly, she tossed over a vial of blue liquid. "Pour that in the water- get anything you've exposed its blood to. That means the clothes, the Queens, the sheath."
”-I hope you won;t get sick yourself, dear Lady." Tetch relaxed at the shake of her head. "Very true, very well…” Turning his attentions towards the chubby man he gently clapped his hand against his cheek and smiled.
”—Now, play time for me is over… the Lady will take over, show her some respect, yes? Or I’ll cut your nose off…” Another wicked smirk, and he’d head towards the sink, beginning to fill a basin, considering a shower (considering the locale, it was out of the question) remaining within sight and earshot.
’Its blood’ He found that funny, referring to the man as if an object; and certainly true… It was quite fitting, considering he was an insult to the Hatters’ gender. Handing him the vial in passing he would nod, ”—Then I’m off to rinse with my girls…” he joked, moving towards the back room to wash up.
Stripping all non-essentials, content he had decided to remove his lovely coat, poured the liquid in and began to cleanse himself of anything that found its way on him. Washing himself and anything that might have come in contact with the oafish man, humming while their victim was continuously being tortured to death. And while he didn’t watch completely, he’d peek around the corner, every so often. He knew she wouldn’t need his help- after all, she was a powerful vampire facing off against a drunken lout, there was no competition- but still, it seemed the chivalrous thing.
Watching Tetch leave, Vendetta turned to their victim- bleeding profusely, incapacitated. She stopped the bleeding- no need for things to end quite yet. Settling before it, she smiled gently- and it spat blood all over her. In that distraction, the thing managed to spit out its gag. The second time in as many minutes she ingested its blood- despite the macabre beauty in being splattered, she made a noise of disgust. Venereal diseases lacked appeal to the palette- especially one attuned to sanguine.
Reflexively, she delivered a slap- nails releasing virulent toxins, making it thrash and more blood spraying upon her. She poured the bucket out over its head, liquid converted to vinegar, seeping into all those cuts. Striding over to a nearby sink, she re-filled the bucket, strode back and set it down. Then surprisingly, cut their victim loose.
Vendetta glared down at the pitiful excuse for a man. She could feel the spike in Hatter's adrenaline- what was she thinking?! It lunged- but she was much more agile, one well-placed blow forcing him to collapse in pain. Coldly observing him fall, she shifted the bucket so he’d fall face-first in it. With a well-placed foot, she set into a pattern of torture and release like Hatter before her, until it was nearly dead.
Before long he would have cleaned himself up, trashing his undershirt, reaching for a spotless one cleverly tucked away in one of the hidden compartments for occasions such as these. Yanking on his pants over his thin legs, pairing it finally with the vest and jacket combo… the Hat never once leaving his head for longer than the time it took to slip his head through the top of his tunic.
Conjuring
the last of the body’s adrenaline, Vendetta mis-timed the man's
attempt. He just didn’t learn, did he?… But this time he pinned her to
the wall, one hand on her throat. The other holding her hands above her-
not like how she did to Jervis... Immediately Tetch moved to step in
but there was no need. With a look of malice, the darkness bent, suspending it from the ceiling- vulnerable to her well and truly now.
The look on her face told Hatter not to dare come closer. Even if he hadn't seen her expression, the way the darkness gathered about her gave him pause. "I warned you- Hell hath no fury like a Lady vengeful. I told you what he's done will be Heaven compared to the Hell I send you to. Now I'm going to prove it."
Vendetta looked deep into its eyes- and set something forth. A serpent, to be exact. Vendetta dug deep into the subconscious- and found a gem, a childhood fear unbeknownst even to him, of serpentines. Now she weaved it, twisting it to follow her will. Not that Tetch could see anything, besides Vendetta reach out, her hand on his face, almost a lover’s embrace- save for the malice… But they knew better. The fear it gave off was off the charts- Hatter set him on the edge of the Abyss, but Vendetta pushed it over. Forever. Darkness whipped wildly, a moment of high tension- before all fell still. The body fell to the floor. She herself fell back, sliding down against the wall.Even in the violet-washed twilight of Wonderland, Hatter could, in that instant, see a shard of Vendetta's power- her dark influence- but even that was enough to keep him silent. After a minute, she settled as the body crumpled to the floor- exhaustion took the Lady, she falling against the wall. Tetch ran over, catching her in his arms- not minding one bit the blood. Brushing her raved locks aside, her amethyst glance looked up to him- soft, apologetic.
"…I'm sorry. But when I looked, and saw what was to be done to me- to you... I fulfilled my promise."
"Are you alright, Vendetta? That must have been painful."
"Yes... I will be fine. Just a bit... worn out. Been some time since I last..." Trailing off, she sighed gently.
"Vendetta?" For once, Tetch's voice held... unease. "Exactly... what-?"
"One day... You will know. I swear to you, Tetch. Just... Not now. Please..."
Nodding gently, Tetch gently left her to rest while he began to clean the room. When she regained enough strength, Vendetta herself went to wash up- getting as much of the blood out of her clothes as she could. Eventually Tetch finished- and while he was out of the room disposing of the body, Vendetta conjured some magickal energy- cleaning the rest Tetch missed. Using the water they used to clean themselves, it twisted out of its basin- washing the place down. Soon, the room was clean- cleaner perhaps, than it had been in some time.
When Tetch returned he noticed the cleanliness- and the Lady sitting in a chair, looking down at the floor. Fascinating- she gave off the appearance of one having been chastened for doing a naughty thing. She stood, walking over- stopping just short of him, giving a strange yet elegant bow. "Please, forgive me... I did not mean to interfere. I can only hope I did not offend you..."
Her soft, apologetic tone amused- the Hatter merely shaking his head with a smirk while he towel dried his raven hair, once again replacing his Hat, ”—Are you kidding me? I was tickled when you decided to get involved in his demise, not many fancy a good torture session…”
The two of them certainly had an interesting first date. It left quite an impression on both of them- delight for Tetch, emotional chaos for Vendetta.