15. Take me to your heart.

 The party was coming to an end, and we already had two Salvatores in the hive. Number five and number three had just arrived, and their entry felt strange and somewhat painful. I had been bothered by a dull ache for a few hours before they arrived, but once they were in, the pain stopped. I realized it might not be enjoyable if multiple Salvatores were constantly joining my hive, but a little pain was worth it when you had a job to do.

I was sitting on my throne, with number five almost next to me and number three close by. Annaliese glared at us, while Damon looked at me with a mix of pain and hope in his eyes. It was unclear if either of them knew what I had done, but it was obvious that Damon didn't want to be with Annaliese. I also knew him well enough to predict that Mariella would receive some harsh lessons, and I wasn't sure if those humans would survive.

However, one thing was certain: Colin was as reliable as ever. Now that there were two Salvatores, they might try to limit my power, but Mariella still clung to number three. He kept his arm around her, whispering something to her. Of course, she would end up with the more level-headed Salvatore, while I would be stuck with the psychopath.

Wulfe was even more drugged, and Nick was still furious. I had managed to isolate six of his closest allies, or vampires, who tolerated him. The next weekend, for the Valentine's Day party, even more would unfold. I had to continue growing stronger and ensuring that my hive became stronger, too. At the same time, I needed to maintain my leadership and not let the Salvatores disrupt my plans, at least not yet.

I wasn't sure how many Salvatores I could control before one of them attempted to challenge my leadership position. Not that I was even sure it was possible, but what good would I be as a leader if one of them used cunning tactics to drug me the same state as Wulfe currently was? 

I wasn't sure what the outcome of all this would be, or who would be strong enough to defeat me if it ever came to that. The idea was terrifying - to be the strongest. Now, without Wulfe by my side, I did not have someone who could halt me in my tracks. But would he actually do it after everything? Regardless, I had to proceed. This was just one more sacrifice, and by God, I had made plenty of those in my life, even the difficult ones. I had lost something so precious along the way, something I could never regain. But perhaps I could find something new.

I had to give the Salvatores some hope, and the fact that I had managed to secure two of them from under Annaliese's control was a minor comfort. I knew she would tighten her grip on those who still remained with her. And as for getting more of them out, it would only get harder. But I had to try. Everything depended on me and my hive. Maybe, just maybe, I was meant to be this type of vampire. Who knows if I would have to do this again in the future - defending my hive, keeping them safe, and being the strongest.

I sat there, and Five said to me, "You may be the queen, but don't think for a minute that you can order me around once we're out of here. Don't abuse the power you have over us, or I'll show you a few tricks that would make Number One's lessons seem like child's play."

He was still very tense. I reassured him, saying, "I wouldn't dream of abusing my position. This is just the beginning, and I'll explain more once we get back to my mansion. But for God's sake, focus on Mariella. She's usually hysterical and not used to being divorced and dumped. I have my own tasks to attend to."

He nodded, moved closer to Mariella, whispered something to her, and managed to calm her down a bit. It was better that way.

Murdock approached me and remarked, "You're quite cunning. You diverted the Salvatores' attention to Mariella instead of your leadership."

I nodded and replied, "It's a good start, but we'll have to see what the next week brings. It's safe to assume that Annaliese will step up her game, so things might get even more interesting."

He grunted and said, "If you need a distraction, butterfly, I'm ready."

I smiled at him. He had changed so much. Sometimes it felt like I was now the more dangerous one between us - the soulless killer - while he was growing as a person. I wasn't sure where he would end up or who he would become. Sometimes, the journey is more important than reaching the destination.

As people started to file out, we knew it was time for us to leave as well. I wasn't sure if Adam or Charles would be free, or if any boys would be, but I had to try to attract someone to come after me. However, it was then time for the next party, where I hoped to gain more in my hive.

I could see that Annaliese was angry, though I wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because she lost two Salvatores or because of my stunt, but I did know that she had no status or name for herself, like most of these vampire hussies. In the past, names and status were popular among males and their mates, but not among these hussies. Some might try to call themselves princesses, but the elders, who had no offspring, didn't recognize any official princess.

My titles were among the highest, given Damon's high-ranking status as a vampire. In our male-driven vampire society, females couldn't be stronger than males, and rarely did single females have any titles.

In the coming week, I would have to focus on pumping my breasts and making my hive drink my milk. That's what I would have to do next week or so. I didn't have time to do any work. First, I needed to drink a strong mix of bloods as much as possible and knock myself out for about 72 hours. After that, I would continue to drink as strongly as I could while also empowering my hive.

I needed to ensure that our plan for the next party, which involved getting the Salvatores fully on board, was going as it should. As I slowly walked near the exit, people were still stopping and chatting, and my group was popular. I was just about to pass by one of the alcoves when suddenly, number one slammed me into it.

He said to me, "Bite me right now. Give me a way in. I know it will be slow, but once I get through, she can't stop me."

I sank my fangs into his neck, pulling him as hard as I could. I could feel Annaliese gripping onto him. This would take some effort, but I used a lot of strength to pull him as much as I could, and then I let him go. I could feel him slowly oozing into my hive.

Damon turned to me and pleaded, "Please, try to make Mariella understand. I know she hates me. I was weak and didn't bother to ask her if it was safe for us to go to that meeting."

I reassured him, saying, "Mariella doesn't hate you. She misses you so much that she was about to return to heaven and merge herself back with God. She needs you that much."

Number one cursed, saying, "Damn, I messed up. But I'll find a way into the hive. I'll come back for her and try to make her feel it."

I suggested, "She is a part of the hive. Maybe you can sense her presence in there."

He looked at me and asked, "Can you give me a boost?"

I replied, "If you manage to get in by Valentine's Day, I'll try to bring you some of my milk."

Without hesitation, he cast a quick spell, causing my upper body to be exposed. He latched onto my breast and started drinking my milk as fast and hard as he could. It was painful, but he eagerly consumed every drop, even biting my nipples to get my blood at the same time. In less than ten minutes, he had drained me dry. He then cast another spell, and my dress was back on. He walked away, leaving me unsure if that would give him enough of a boost.

I decided not to say anything to Mariella until he was well on his way to the hive, as I didn't want to give her false hope. I knew Annaliese had a firm grip on him, but maybe, just maybe, he could find a way in. This would be an interesting turn of events, as we were no longer a pack but a hive, with me as the leader. Would he be willing to make us a pack again? With others in the hive, like Tim, Taylor, and then our little game, with Colin, I wasn't quite sure what this would entail.

Damon nodded and walked away before Annaliese could notice what he was doing. I stood there for a few minutes before returning to my group, feeling a headache starting to set in. This was going to be one hell of a week. I wasn't sure how long it would take him to get in, but I wasn't going to mix things up. However, I allowed him to enter as quickly as he could.

Now it was difficult, as I was the hive queen. I felt him so intensely - his desperation, his longing to be near Mariella, his self-hatred for being weak, his homicidal intentions towards Annaliese. I had to keep myself together, focus on my hive, and not let them feel him just yet. He was barely there, and Mariella's hysteria wouldn't help. If she tried to pull him in, I wasn't sure how it would even happen. I wasn't willing to risk him losing his grip on the hive.

Despite my earlier self-assurance, I was questioning almost every decision. Now, with Wulfe not next to me, grounding me and telling me I was doing just fine, I felt less certain about my plan. But I had to do it anyway. It felt like everyone was in my heart, not just in my mind. I felt them so intensely. And for me, a creature who used to feel so little, it was an incredibly intense experience.

I would learn to feel more like others did, and it was nothing to be afraid of. But it would take time, and I would probably end up being a neurotic mess quite a few times as well. I could almost hear Number One whispering in my mind, urging me to let him in my heart. But then again, Mariella needed him, she deserved him. And if I allowed myself to fully feel what I felt for him, would it crush me to see him with Mariella? How difficult would it be to try and bring Charles in next? So I would have someone too, someone who would feel for me, keep me near him and let me feel him too.

However, I had spent a long time in the pack, and it had been a good time. I had not been married to any of them, and maybe, just maybe, it was time for a fresh start for all of us. I would help Mariella get Salvatores back, but I had no idea where it would lead. However, I had Colin, my mate, in case things didn't go as well as I expected. I needed someone by my side.

When I thought about this, I felt a rising pressure in my mind, and the pain became more severe. It was as if Damon could hear my thoughts and was trying to prevent me from being with Colin. Or maybe he had sensed Mariella and wanted to go after her. It was pointless for me to entertain any semi-romantic ideas about Damon trying to come to me when Mariella was the one meant for him.

Christmas had been perfect, but now a crisis was looming, and it would take a lot out of me. I might not even be in the mood for Wulfe's interference, and he might go hunting, so who knows what we would end up doing. I still had a lot of work to do as a leader, even after this. There was a long list of things for me to take care of, so there would be no rest for the wicked.

And once I felt Damon oozing in a little more, I could tell Mariella unless she hadn't felt him yet coming into our hive. But we would have a few other ones in our hive for Valentine's Day as well. I had a plan. Mariella would be doing some of the work, but it would be up to me to efficiently and quickly bite them into the hive. Then it would be a big hit at the Valentine's Day ball.

 The upcoming week would reveal how quickly number one could ooze in. Perhaps Charles, Adam, or the boys would be suitable targets for us next time. It all depends on how much power Annaliese has over them. The more people I can free from her influence, the harder she will bind the rest of them to herself. So, choices must be made. We need to determine who would aid us the most and who we could possibly lure away. Our little plan would once again surprise Annaliese, but not in a good way. Let's see who will be the next victim.

We walked towards our limo, with Mariella tightly sandwiched between the two Salvatores. Colin was right next to me, and Murdock, Dexter, Tim, and Taylor were close to the wolves. It was time to go home and get stronger, and for me, the first thing on the agenda was to drink myself blood drunk. I needed to imbue as much power into myself as possible, while giving Mariella some time to be with the Salvatores. After that, I would start boosting the others again. Throughout this, I had a chronic headache as number one oozed as fast as he could into our hive, while Annaliese tried to keep him to herself. But hey, a little bit of pain was nothing new to me. It was just my state of being.

I wasn't thinking about the future, at least not beyond a few hours. It was possible that this would be our state of being for a long time. I had no idea what it would take for Damon to kill Annaliese or what needed to be done for him to get over Lilah's tragic fate at her hands. Past had sometimes too strong a grip on us. Damon might be hesitant to attack her right away if it meant protecting Mariella. He might choose to go away and be with her instead. He did not want Annaliese to hurt Mariella. I just couldn't predict.

Rest of the pack, I would have to try to pull them into my hive, to strengthen them. Once again, so much depended on me. It wasn't anything new, but still, this would require some serious effort on my part. I would do my utmost best to ensure the end result was as perfect as possible, even if sacrifices had to be made along the way. As usual, I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness and even my health for others. Nothing was too much. I felt like I had taken them into my heart, quite literally.