28. A Train To Nowhere.

I was mingling, searching for an opportunity to find some Salvatore in the hive, or perhaps something Damon had taken Mariella, his next victim, to be publicly fucked and called his little whore and slut. This seemed to trigger Mariella, of course, as he had also impregnated her.

As I walked with Wulfe, he was slightly amused by the distinct scent of sex and arousal that clung to me. I couldn't help but think that this dress needed to be washed, but I had no idea if Damon wanted to keep it as a memento or something.

Wulfe then said to me, "Oh, we're pregnant! How wonderful! Four months of pregnancy, which means we can wrap this up and move on. By the time it's time to have babies, we'll all be pretty healed."

I looked at him and replied, "I'm not sure if now is the best time, but alright, I'll go with the flow. There's no need for me to overthink things. But by god, I will be powerful. I have no idea what I'll end up being, or if I'll remain in my human form for much longer."

Wulfe reassured me, saying, "Yes, you're powerful, but it's all about balance. This just means that your vampire side is on par with your shifter side. It might cause some identity confusion, as now both sides hold equal importance. But don't worry, I'll be there. Damon will be there. We'll help you stay in control and offer support. We can dial down your power if necessary."

I wasn't particularly eager for power down because I found it addicting. The power I had gained was mighty, and the possibilities were endless. I had already noticed that my substances had become three times more potent and complex. It even enhanced my dental work, although I wasn't desperate for it. It just felt good to have more ability to create things.

As we walked and talked, the dragons explained to me why I was growing a second set of scales, all thanks to Damon. He had sacrificed a lot of his life force and lifeblood to save me, and the dragon scales recognized him as my mate. Dragons even informed Damon about it. He was as smug as ever, but I wasn't sure where he would put his scales or if he would eventually grow new ones for Mariella. Would the entire pack end up having scales? It was yet another uncertain aspect of the future that I had no clue about.

While walking with Wulfe, Harrison unexpectedly approached us. He looked at me and said, "God, I can't believe you're immortal. It was satisfying to try and kill you a few times, but maybe in the future, there will be new ways to snuff you out. Those drugs... oh, there's a whole new world of ways to take you down. Sure, you might be immortal, but being in a coma for a few years will give the world time to heal from your corrupting influence. All those you've enslaved to do your dirty work will finally get to experience real life, instead of fighting shadows."

Wulfe responded calmly, "You're weak. Laughably weak. I don't even bother doing anything to you because you're powerless against us. As for the drugs, we have our ways of counteracting them. And when it comes to our cause, everyone is a volunteer, as you very well know."

I noticed Magnum walking over to Harrison, with two overly voluptuous women in his arms. He didn't even look at me, but called Harrison to meet Cindy and Mandy. They were giggling and quite curvaceous.

Wulfe looked at them and remarked, "What's with every man's obsession with having a fat woman in their bed? I mean, even I can see that."

I explained to Wulfe, "Most men want a woman who's dumb, has big boobs, a huge ass, and is willing to suck them off. Those bimbos see them as easy targets for an easy life. They're nymphos and usually drugged to some extent."

Wulfe shook his head, clearly not understanding. 

We strolled and engaged in various discussions. I would use my observational skills to point out things I noticed, while Wulfe would use his telepathy to verify my observations. Most of the time, I was correct, and it was quite enjoyable. I shared with him our little game involving Damon's public love confession, which I considered a small victory over me. It would require some effort on my part to outdo him, but I enjoyed these types of games. Wulfe had come up with a game specifically for the two of us, which was also based on songs. Now, however, we had to observe people and find a song that accurately described them.

Wulfe had a rather wicked sense of humor. He looked at Annaliese and said, "For her, I would choose 'Seasons in the Sun,' as her time is running out."

I smirked and replied, "Fine, for you, it would be the Rembrandts' 'I'll Be There for You,' because you are always there for me, even when my life is in shambles, sometimes more and sometimes less."

He looked at me, visibly moved, and responded, "For you, it is Roxette's 'Almost Unreal,' because your touch has healed me."

I smiled back at him and said, "Oh, here we go again, getting all sentimental. But it's all good."

We continued playing our little game.

There was a couple we noticed. The man was engaging in conversations with other females and males, while the woman watched him with a longing gaze. She attempted to talk to other women and a few men, but her attention remained fixated on him. It was evident that they were no longer together, but they once were. For them, I chose Westlife's "My Love," a song about a love that seems distant.

Then there was another couple. The man seemed agitated, in a bad mood, while the woman kept pestering him with her constant simpering.

Wulfe looked at them and remarked, "That's a fairytale gone bad. 'Bye Bye Bye' or 'Sail Away,' take your pick."

He was quite skilled at this game. We also noticed some young couples, including a shy-looking one.

I said to Wulfe, "Step by step," and he burst into laughter, attracting the attention of Mariella and Damon.

They had previously engaged in public sexual acts, fucking wildly right in front of Annaliese, and Damon had impregnated Mariella. Mariella whispered something to Damon, who appeared irritated.

I gazed at them and said to Wulfe, "Those two are a tough case. Let's see... Mariella wants Damon to be with her, while Damon wants me to be close to him. He's jealous of us and wants to keep his ladies close. However, I am not Mariella, so it will not happen. He knows I am the hive queen, and he can control me to some extent, but not completely. So, he has to let me do my thing, even if it annoys him. At the same time, he needs to be prepared to act if we can get the next Salvatore pulled into the hive, if possible."

Wulfe took a moment to think before saying, "Well, I would choose Aqua's 'Candyman'."

His sense of humor was so spot on that I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

I responded, "You're impossible, but fine, let him be the Candyman. Personally, I would have gone with 'Bed of Roses' or 'Cool'."

Wulfe replied, "Don't be boring, let's make it fun. Find songs that fit, but not too easily. 'Cool' would be a suitable but dull choice."

I challenged Wulfe, saying, "Alright, let's add a twist. I'll give you a song, and you find a suitable couple or individual for it."

Wulfe smiled and said, "I thought this would be a dull evening, but nope! We should do this in public sometime, like a shop or somewhere. But alright, hit me with the first song, Unicorn."

I looked around, searching for a song that wasn't too easy.

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina," I calmly said.

Wulfe grunted and soon pointed to a male vampire who had recently been upgraded but was still inexperienced. We continued our little game, and Charles and Adam joined in, each having their own ideas. It took a lot of effort for me not to giggle all the time, especially when Charles could pinpoint the perfect victims. I gave him the Spice Girls' "Mama," and he chose Katherine for it, knowing her reluctance for breeding. The song just felt right. Sometimes it didn't have to go by the lyrics alone, the title could hit hard as well.

We were in one part of the dance hall when Damon and Mariella approached me, saying, "Let's go, number eight is free. Let's see if we can recruit him into the hive. And why the hell are you laughing?"

I responded, "Nothing, just having fun. We have our little game where I give them songs, and they find suitable subjects. Sometimes these guys can nail it perfectly."

Mariella looked at us and said, "What do you mean? Give us an example."

The music was playing, and several vampires were dancing to a waltz or something.

I said to Mariella, "Well, let me give you one. You have to find a suitable victim for 'Sunrise Avenue - I Don't Dance'."

She looked at the people on the dance floor and then confidently said, "Annaliese."

Once again, I burst out laughing, and Damon smirked, too. Mariella maintained her smug expression, knowing she had found a good match. 

We were strolling near number eight. He was thin, pale, and seemed to be barely hanging on. We didn't have the luxury of the genesis protocol, but we needed to get him inside quickly, so we psyched ourselves up. I had consumed several meals from dragons and their blood was indescribable - pure power and emotions all in one.

It had been an incredibly intense experience, with Damon taking chunks of that power from my arm or neck, deepening our bond. He then offered his arm to Drake, allowing him to take some of his blood and completing the blood link. If it hadn't been Damon, it would have been Wulfe, but regardless, the experience was incredibly intense and we were as pumped up as we could be.

Mariella went to distract Annaliese with number four, skillfully getting her to blurt out whatever she could, making number four even more furious and fueling his hatred. Once Mariella gave us the go-ahead, we would take number eight, with Wulfe, Damon, and I leading the charge. The wolves were also waiting nearby.

Mariella approached Annaliese and said, "You must be feeling lonely, like you don't belong anymore and everything has changed so much. You can't bring back the good old times, and all that's left for you is to try and adapt, which isn't easy, right? I mean, I've lived with a creature who hates change on and off for over a century. She's not easy to live with."

Annaliese looked at Mariella dismissively, considering her too kind and weak. She haughtily replied, "In this world, might make right. The strong ones are the ones who rule, and it has nothing to do with gender, only power. Men are weak and easily distracted, but us females, we can keep our eye on the ball. Your so-called hive queen friend is wasting her talents. Once upon a time, I would have taken her as one of my own and taught her to use her talents as vampires should, instead of being arm candy for males."

Mariella responded, "Oh Mimi, she's not an easy one to teach, and she has her morals. Besides, you don't want her. She's not a full vampire, and I've heard enough of your purity talk - how only pure vampires, turned by bite, are the right ones. You see, Damons, as they are hybrids, are just as weak in your eyes."

Annaliese soon began ranting about how pure vampires were the only ones in the right, and how Mimi and Damon were scum. Annaliese didn't even notice until Mimi and Hive had pulled the number eight over halfway in. She screamed, losing her nerve completely, and tried to get the elders or other vampires to defend her claim on the Salvatores. She accused them of theft, but ultimately, it was everyone's choice to get involved with Hive. Annaliese just didn't have a firm grasp on the Salvatores; they were too strong. But there was nothing she could do except lose face with her tantrum and screaming.

By the time we had almost gotten number eight all the way in, I was leaning on Damon, feeling nauseous but continuing to push forward, pulling him as fast as I could. The pain was unbearable, and it took a lot of my powers to keep going. I didn't feel like I could take on the world.

Damon kept his arm around me and murmured, "Come on, baby, let me help. Take it easy. We can assist you."

I replied, "Nope, despite you being a part of this, this is my hive. That means I am the strongest one to do this. I'll be fine. Let's just keep going."

The others were still biting number eight, while Damon and I stood a little further away, pulling him in. It would take some time to recover, but at least one more Salvatore would be saved. I was just angry that I wasn't strong enough to pull in all of them now, but it was what it was. I was so frustrated with the fact that I had to leave three of them at the mercy of Annaliese for the next few weeks.

Damon said to me, "We're almost there. You're doing great. It pisses me off too, but we have to be patient. We'll get them." He continued to support me.

It took another 30 minutes, but finally, number eight was in. He hugged Mariella as tightly as he could.

Wulfe came next to me, looking pale and sweaty, and said, "God damn, that was hard, but you are one damn strong creature."

I could barely stand, but I had to maintain my role. "I don't feel so damn strong right now," I admitted.

Wulfe helped me sit on my throne.

Damon went to check on Mariella, ensuring she was okay after she had provoked Annaliese to scream and lose her temper in public. Annaliese, now walking and talking to as many people as possible, was trying to share her side of the story, but it was too late. She had lost another one of her important accomplishments, the ones she had boasted about to showcase her strength in gaining power over the entire Salvatore pack. However, things had changed. There were now stronger, younger, and more ruthless individuals, including myself.

Number two was standing nearby, looking tired but observant. I suggested to him, "Damon, go and publicly dominate Annaliese. No kissing, but invading her personal space and pushing her back. Let's give the other males a glimpse of her not being as asexual as she claims. There are plenty of strong vampire men who may see this as an opportunity to make her their plaything. At the very least, it will disturb her."

Number two asked, "How far do you want me to go?"

I replied, "As far as you can handle. Humiliate her. She represents a relic from a time when public indecency was rare, and sex was mostly considered taboo. Let's show her how times have changed."

He nodded and approached Annaliese. I could see her losing her balance as number two stood right in front of her. Annaliese was conversing with older male vampires, attempting to fit in and be seen as their equal. She didn't see herself primarily as a female, but rather as a powerful being with the right to take whatever she desired. In the past, she had used her body to entice males into her trap, but she was no longer driven by lust. Now, she sought the power that came with controlling everyone else's lives.

Suddenly, one of the Salvatores, who was no longer under her influence, approached her closely, invading her personal space. This caught the attention of other males, sparking their interest. This Salvatore was not the original one but one of the clones, or whatever they were. Nevertheless, his proximity compelled Annaliese to take a few steps back, throwing her off balance.

Damon's voice was soft but dangerous as he purred to her, "Now, now, pet, let's remember the good old times... when we used to have fun. You've become quite boring, so we don't really want to be with you. However, I'm willing to give you a chance. Just one chance to prove that you're still willing to have some fun."

Annaliese swallowed nervously. It was true that they had a lot of sex in the past, but she wasn't as interested in it anymore. Damon's betrayal and centuries of sleeping had changed her. But if she could entice Damon back...

She was nervous, but her voice was quiet as she asked, "What do you mean? What do you want me to do?"

Damon stepped closer, leaning in, and suddenly forced her against the wall. He was dominating her in a way that he had never used in the past. He had been almost sweet back then, not this dominant but seductive, making her almost want to please him.

He trapped her between his body and the wall, saying, "Prove yourself. Can you see that times have changed? Can you adapt? Can you be a modern woman, ready to show off your skills? This is your chance to impress me and all the male vampires here."

She was still clueless about what Damon was talking about, but something in his proximity, his power, made her incredibly nervous. What would she have to do to impress everyone? Damon took a step back, took her hand, and led her to a podium in the middle of the space. There had been live singers performing all night.

He pressed her down to her knees, purring, "Good girl. Now, show them that you can do more than just scream with your wicked mouth." Annaliese paled.

Surely not in public. She didn't quite understand why she was kneeling in front of him when it should have been the other way around. She just could not get herself to act, or move.

As Damon unzipped his pants and took out his cock, Annaliese's fear was confirmed. It was huge. Damon in the past had not been this large. Annaliese was even more nervous.

Damon slapped a huge hard hot cock against her face and lips, saying, in a low dangerous voice, "Come on, open up. Show them you can be good at something else, too. Men like women who aren't afraid to make them feel good, so they can return the favor."

I was observing as number two worked his magic, utilizing his seductive energy and pheromones to bring Annaliese up onto the podium. He fed his cock to her. Her lack of skill was evident as she struggled with his advances. The sound of her gagging filled the room.

Despite the limited space in my seat, Wulfe managed to fit beside me. He shook his head and smirked at Annaliese's plight as number two filled her mouth with his cum. It spilled out, staining her dress, and she was helpless to stop it. Number two had a firm grip on her hair, keeping her close to him as he thrust his cock deep into her throat. He shamelessly fucked her face in public, and she had no choice but to endure it.

I turned to Wulfe and commented, "Quite a show. I wonder how many other males will attempt the same with her as the party continues."

Wulfe replied, "She's not very skilled. She needs practice, but with only a few weeks left, at least she's gaining new experiences."

Mariella and Damon were also watching. Mariella shouted suggestions on how to improve, and several other vampire women offered advice on how to relax the throat and fully swallow. Annaliese realized that this was nothing new for the others, and she felt like an outsider. It was no wonder that most of the vampire women didn't speak to her.

She could hear many of them wanting to prove themselves better than her by doing the same to the Salvatores. Only the oldest and greediest had joined her cause, but she was losing them. She still had three salvatores left, and maybe they could teach her. Perhaps it was time for her to learn some tricks of her own.

When number two finally released Annaliese, she was covered in his cum and her own spit. Her hair was a mess. Number two simply tucked himself back in after wiping his cock on her face and walked away. He had shown every male in the room just how skilled they were at getting what they wanted. That he would always get what he wanted when he wanted it, and how he wanted it.

This party had been more or less successful, though I longed to go home and sleep for a few days. However, I knew I couldn't afford that luxury just yet. There were still Salvatores to save, and other tasks to attend to. Besides, I was also pregnant, and unsure of how I felt about it. I wasn't ready to have a litter of babies, as wonderful as they might be. I wasn't sure if it was due to my newfound powers or if I simply desired some free time, some "me" time, before becoming a mother and starting a happy family.