"You are most welcome... I was right- hmm. Introduce me sometime- you also need to show me around the city one day too." She giggled; all was right with the world. For the moment, at least. She was accepting of everything he was, his odd wants and desires. As a child he lost so much- memories, childhood, health, happiness, a family that cared and more. Allowing him to fall so easily in love with Wonderland, a chance to lose himself in the horrors of what the world offered, he took it. But it created a divide...
A solution had come at last; light and dark, individual fires longing to be stoked, yearning to never go out, both needy. Together they would nourish and feed the other- his dark half to feed her own dark soul, the lighter side mostly for Alice. She wanted to explore, experience what he held. Perhaps the souls living within. Perhaps he could set her up with meeting some of his friends, if she was interested in such a thing. Be careful what you wish for, the saying would go; mostly humour, but it held truth
Vendetta smirked. "I know exactly what I'm wishing for. You show me yours... I'll show you mine." Somehow, a shard of her own darkness shifted surface-side, revealing an inner twisted beauty and madness... Not unlike Jervis and his other half... The laughter was dark, low... melodic. Gods, she was absolutely ravishing. Icy lips brushed the delicate, warm neck of his skin with her darkness- moaning gently at the scent, and feel of blood thudding through his form... Time and again, her lips stroked his skin, tempting, wicked...
Dangerous, she was playing with fire... When her lips pressed his neck, it gave rise- in more places then one- forcing him to swallow hard, lips and throat dry, he couldn't hang on. A split; very suddenly something else seemed to surface, that 'Other' he spoke of. Taking the place of the former gent, a reaction to the ladies' darkness, getting exactly what the doctor ordered.
"-Good Gods..." the voice came, relaxing, as if he'd just experienced the best ride of his life, voice dipping into a purr as he loosened his cravat. Thin pale lips twisting into a devious, almost famished smile, wicked, those dark grey eyes falling upon her- just as Vendetta decided to finally behave, settling back to enjoy Wonderland. "-I'm content him and I finally agree on something. He'd be a damn fool to throw you away." Speaking as if he felt her kiss, her touch...
Vendetta noticed his reactions to her sensuous, sinful lips on his delicate neck- but took the ladylike route, pointedly keeping her thoughts to herself. Vendetta smiled, a sinfully delicious smile of shadow. Those dark lips, so perfect, even in this light... They spoke many volumes. But it was her eyes; vivid jewels, seeing him recline. Definitely he'd changed, and the next words proved it.
The tone of voice shifted- darker, harder… more evident, the manner in which he carried himself. Confident, predatory- a dark Casanova, opposed to the eccentric nervousness that seemed to fill his former counterpart. Balancing in the chair as he tipped back, weight perfectly sustained on two legs "-You, my darling Vendetta, are a masterpiece. A work of art. How on Earth did he manage to persuade you?" He questioned, snapping his fingers. Cheshire finally emerged from the shadows- at beck and call, sitting herself beside him, allowing the Hatter to stroke the top her head.
"-Even more, to be so open to our- shall we say, circumstance?" Clicking his tongue, sipping from the tea she poured for 'them', he continued- demeanour never changing from that silken predator he seemed to be. "-I'm loathe to admit I need Jervis, much as he needs me. I give him strength, ruthlessness, charm, confidence... He gives me love, compassion, manners... That being the case, we harbour different interests." He stated, casually dusting a bit of plaster moulding off the sleeve of his coat "-He pursues his paramour, and me... I pursue mine... but we are both one in the same, do you understand?"
Vendetta's own voice was a soft purr, amber and poison mixed into silky softness. "When you've been around long as I, you realize certain things. Such as pointlessness of jealousy. It's not my first time sharing… Of course I understand."
This other self was everything extreme and dark within. This version was like playing with fire. Where the other, 'Jervis' lacked drive, and finesse for his wicked desires, 'Tetch' focused the intensity of the dark; making them more acute, more deadly, and never sloppy. Despite all his cunning and strengths, he suffered his own fall backs; this was where Jervis came in.
Nodding to her words, he sipped at his tea, while she replied affirmatively. "-Exactly," he purred, thin lips pulling tight across a mouth filled with what appeared to be too many teeth '-It's not my first time sharing... Of course I understand.'
"-Ah, the patience of an immortal, the beauty of Aphrodite and Lilith rolled into one; is there anything you can't do?" He may have said saint, but somehow didn't think that applied. After all, Saints were a terrible bore- she was anything but. Reaching for a biscotti, he snapped the delicate cookie in half, breaking bone... Munching delicately, pausing only to speak when his mouth was clear.
"-I'm not entirely sure how it works. All I know is that Jervis and I live in some manner of symbiosis. He needs me, I need him... There are moments when I come to pay a visit, when we are aroused." He admitted, without a shred of shame or modesty, thick black lashes drooping to rest over slate eyes. "-And when he's plotting to murder. You see, killing brings him shame; I imagine its a defensive mechanism, allowing me to take over... Blaming me for what he must do." Perhaps there really wasn't a second being within. Perhaps Jervis was insane; perhaps he used 'Tetch' as a security blanket. Perhaps not; maybe it really was that way.
"Does it matter, in the long run? Mortals always want to know why- the sooner they learn to accept things as they are, the better. Some things just aren't worth questioning." Vendetta sipped her blood, scene of absolute chaos and insanity- a place she felt right at home in.
Curious way of thinking she had, it wasn't often he had heard such words spoken- from a Lady, no less! He was tickled. Good show, Jervis he cooed quietly to himself. Fussing about the table, dipping from his thoughts- continuously breaking free from a prison that could only open and close with his word. The key had once again been found when she spoke again, tone casual and sensuous, mingled with sarcastic tones.
Without warning, a twisted smirk played across those luscious lips of hers. She eyed him. "Shame; now you have to kill me- I know your little secret. I promise I won't make it too hard on you." She joked. She knew his secret. With another sip, Vendetta tried not to laugh, but the smile on her lips gave her away.
"-Hard? Heavens, Dearest. Don't you know that's what makes the game fun? Do put up a struggle... It's so much more enjoyable" He replied, shred of humour locked into his devious tone, instantly reminding someone of Jack the Ripper. Suave, gentlemanly- a monster. She was everything he wanted, and more. Best of all, she wasn't greedy; she didn't mind Jervis had a love to pour his half of the heart over. All went well, all according to plan.
Vendetta merely smiled. "The game is fun and all, but if we ever did... You'd last longer than many." She wasn't bragging. Vendetta stated unspoken truth: She was inhuman. There was a lot he hadn't seen of her yet... It was best that way, for now.
For a time he seemed lost, captured perhaps by her beauty, or something else? Smirking, Hatter's eyes glittered wickedly- lost in distant thoughts, gaze set upon her... 'Famished' The predator with his prey; though he knew the Lady was anything but. More like a jet black Panther on the prowl. Perhaps closer would be something he'd account for in the future. Right now 'that' was mere distraction. Delightful, yes... nevertheless distraction, for another time. For now, something else gave him drive, something more bloody, intense...
Rocking back and forth once more in his chair, he finally settled forward. Slender hands reached from behind his waistcoat, brandishing from their sheaths, two cruel looking daggers. One pure white, fashioned from Ivory or bone. The second she familiar with. Both highly intricate, delicate designs crafted into the hilt. Dropping them along the top of the table, he grinned, that same lurid look appearing, proudly displaying his madness. "-Finish your tea Darling, there's work to be done. The Queens are thirsty for something more..." He hissed, sipping down the rest and sliding back from the table, offering a gloved hand out to her once she finished.
It seemed their night had just begun...