Chapter 239: 39. Self Control.
I was still sitting in my chair when Mariella, wearing her tight violet leather dress with her breasts almost spilling out, stood up and went to the karaoke machine. She chose a song, locked eyes with number one, and said, "To you, my love."
She started singing Shania Twain's "You're Still the One," which was the ultimate love song that used to play at our weddings. Fine, I guess. Of course, number one stood up and went to sing with her. Oh, it was such a sappy duet that I wanted to make a face.
But then Wulfe, who was wearing a sophisticated light blue silk shirt and loose white pants, perched on my armrest and let one of his vampire claws trace my vein in my arm, distracting me.
He whispered to me as those two were dueting, "I see number one has made your heart flutter. Let's see where this will lead."
I said to Wulfe, "I'm not sure if telling him about my feelings is such a wise idea. Though he is greedy, I'm not sure if he feels anything to me."
Wulfe whispered back, "If he doesn't want you, then guess what, Mimi? You shall be my baby. My very own baby..."
Oh my god, there was an edge in his voice that made my power come out even more. I sipped my drink, trying to control myself.
As Damon and Mariella finished singing, Wulfe took my arm and said, "Let's go, it's our turn."
I wasn't sure what song it would be, but as Bryan Adams' "Heaven" started to play, Wulfe took me in his arms and we danced and sang. I could feel the piercing gaze of several Salvatores on my back. Even though it was such a sappy love song, Wulfe's tuning made it more of a seduction than a declaration of love. My voice was not unsure at all, but much darker and almost deeper, too, as my power reacted to Wulfe's aura in such a powerful way.
After my duet, numbers two and four took the stage and sang "Everything I Do, I Do It For You" to Mariella.
I sat in my chair with Wulfe by my side. Unless the wolves took him to sing with them. He had such a captivating voice that every female in the room noticed, including Mariella, but number one didn't let her go. Salvatores, more or less in pairs, sang sappy love songs to Mariella. Songs like "Mariella" by Bobby Summer and "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glen Medeiros filled the air. It was a night filled with sentimental ballads.
I saw my chance and decided to amp up the energy. I chose "Viva Forever" by the Spice Girls and started singing, not looking at anyone at first. I moved seductively and slowly made my way toward number one, singing with a tone that hinted at saying goodbye or reminiscing about our good times, knowing that they had come to an end. I looked deep into his eyes, searching for something but finding nothing, after my performance.
Mariella stood up and sang "Wish You Were Here" by Rednex to Wulfe. He joined her on stage and gave her a few sharp and cruel thrusts with his dagger, clarifying that he was not hers to have. Mariella was in pain, not aroused by those thrusts, and Wulfe knew what he was doing. He was angry because of me, sensing my emotions all too well.
Charles and Adam were up next, performing "Queen of Rain" by Roxette. Oh my god, what a performance it was. They both had deep, powerful voices and hit every note perfectly. There was a dangerous glint in their eyes that froze me in place. If I had moved, they would have driven me over the edge without hesitation.
I sat on the sofa, in Charles's lap, sipping on a tangy and sweet drink. I had lost count of how many glasses I had consumed. The night had grown late, and many songs had been sung, although not as many by me since everyone had to take turns, often going in pairs. Now, I found myself sitting on the sofa, with Charles thrusting his dagger into my belly, twisting it, and drinking my blood at the same time. The threshold was so close, I could almost feel it.
And then the singing stopped once again. I heard Number One rise and approach us.
He said to me, "Come on, baby, let's sing."
I didn't even have time to pick up my glass and take a sip of my drink. I was almost at the threshold, but Damon didn't mind. He looked at me with a beastly gaze and took me onto the stage.
He said to me, "You choose, what song do you want to sing right now?"
I was trying so hard to control myself. There was a certain tension in the air, and almost everyone seemed to sense my state, but not quite yet. Fine. I went to the karaoke machine, trying to find a suitable song. I settled on Roxette's "Never Be Same Again." Damon had unbuttoned his shirt slightly, revealing some of his tattoos and his magic symbol where stone chips were embedded, his way of getting as much power out of me as possible.
And as I began to sing my part, Damon pulled me close, pressing me against him. Oh, I could feel his hot, hard cock pressing against me. I could feel my power almost seeping into those tattoos on his chest. And then came the sharp pain in my belly as he hit me with his dagger, coated in that damn herb mix.
The pain exploded, and my power erupted. The threshold was crossed, there was no turning back, and this was it. I could feel power flooding inside me. In my veins. Making everything so damn sharp. He kept on singing, pulling his dagger out while keeping me close, absorbing the power that was already seeping out of me.
After the song ended, I went to sit down, but I could still feel my power seeping out. Charles sat next to me, sucking up whatever he could. Mariella, feeling jealous, started to sing Enrique Iglesias and Whitney Houston's duet. "Can I Have This Kiss?" She meant it for Number Two, but Wulfe went to her, and they sang together. But he was also working on Mariella.
I wasn't sure what he was drawing out from here, but I could see him irritating her as well. Was there some power inside her, too? I continued sipping my drink. It helped to keep me from attacking the first man I saw.
I was a little unsure of what was going on, but Magnum whispered to me, "Relax, we have a plan. We don't want to share you with the Salvatores, so Wulfe is preparing them to be victims of their own actions. Mariella's power is such that it takes a lot of roughing up, and they might become less loving towards her once her little pheromone play becomes clear. Wulfe is making sure of it. He's fed up with her manipulation and he's making the Salvatores give her a good, hard lesson. Let's see if they have time to join us, but you are getting pretty ready."
I nodded and said, "Number one pushed me over the threshold, so I am constantly seeping power. Drinking helps, but you can feel it when you touch me. Be careful, it is strong and can overwhelm you."
Magnum said, "No touching yet. Wulfe's got this. Trust him. We will empty you out."
I nodded and continued to watch this duet. It was a powerful performance, but then again, Wulfe's aura was something else. As Adam and Charles belted out Alice Cooper's "Poison" to number one, I couldn't help but smirk. Charles had told me that Adam had originally asked him to join our pack even back then, but Bran, being who he was, had stopped him.
Damon's expression was somewhat beastly, as he could now sense the power inside Mariella, as well as her pheromone trap. I could see how tightly he gripped her arm, showing his displeasure.
I was feeling extremely edgy. Wulfe had returned to sit by my side, and my power seeped into my skin just by casually touching me. But there was a tension in him all the time. I wasn't sure what kind of unloading this would be, but the main point was that this damn power would be less inside me. The pressure would be easier and not all-consuming all the time.
I couldn't really think or even visualize what my state would be or how long it would take. Would it go according to our original plan, or was Wulfe's involvement changing this process somewhat? But then, and only then, might I get some idea of what to do next. How to continue with pack life and what Mariella's unloading would entail? Would she still want to go to the Azores or do something else? Everything was open and anything was possible.
It was once again my turn, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to tease number one. He was just in the right frame of mind for be my victim. He had pushed me to my limits, so I had the perfect song in mind: Rednex's "Hold Me For A While." I performed it with all the sappiness I could muster, sitting on his lap and singing softly. I let him feel my power without giving in to his desires. He retaliated with a sharp thrust of his dagger into my stomach, a cruel smile on his face.
In my mind, he whispered, "Remember, little girl. You'll get burned if you play with fire."
I replied confidently, "Nope, I am a phoenix. I will rise again even if I burn out."
With that, I ended my song and walked away, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts.
As I walked away, I couldn't help but think of my next plan. My alpha side was itching to mess with Damon as much as possible. This new plan would be perfect. I wanted to create a heat, just like Wulfe and the others had wanted, but I didn't want to involve the Salvatores. I wasn't even sure if I would include the wolves, or which men would be a part of it.
While I was deep in thought, number two started singing "Stop" by the Spice Girls. He came towards me and took me on stage. I wasn't sure if he had caught on to my heat plan or if this was simply his way of telling me to stop teasing. I had no clue.
He sang the song perfectly, as always. It was amusing to hear his deep baritone voice sing such a bubbly girl band song, but it worked. While I was on stage, number four took his turn. He chose the perfect song: "All Good Things" by Nelly Furtado. His expression revealed regret, self-hatred, and a desperate plea for understanding. But I wasn't in the mood to be merciful. I was focused on unloading my teasing, and no amount of remorse would save him this time.
It was quite entertaining to see Taylor and Tim loosen up, too. The two of them sang "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion to the wolves. Magnum, on the other hand, sang Roxette's "Almost Unreal" to me, which only added to Damon's sour expression. However, when Mariella eagerly sang ABBA's version of "I've Been Waiting for You" to Alaric, Damon made sure she wouldn't leave his side.
I sat lazily, listening and analyzing every song, wondering if they were just playful banter among the pack or if there was a hidden meaning. And if there was, did the recipient understand it? I got Elena and Katherine sang all the Salvatores, Roxette's "Salvation".
Oh my god, the expressions on the Salvatores' faces. I kept mine neutral, but damn, I had fun. As power flooded my veins, all reason and sense flew out of the window. I was driven by this power, and it made me wild. Of course, Wulfe was sitting next to me, occasionally grabbing my head, kissing me, and groping me. He eagerly took my power, making Adam and Charles react in the same way, which only made Mariella's sour expression become even more sour. Perfect.
Alaric then sang Enrique Iglesias's "Hero" to Elena and Katherine, and he sang it well. Murdock's higher voice worked perfectly as he and Dexter sang "All for Love", with Colin joining in. And then, as my five sang "USA for Africa", it was pretty damn nice. The Salvatores had to win or at least try to win, so they went and sang Gregorian's "Masters of Chant", showcasing their magic as they spun intricate decorations on the walls. They were still a little dull, but after those golden swirls and patterns adorned the room, the atmosphere was elevated.
I had to sing to Colin, Scorpions' "Send Me an Angel". He responded by singing "Maria Magdalena" by Sandra, with Wulfe. They had a sense of humor, and I have to admit, I felt a bit like that song. I was getting more and more ready. The drink didn't really stop the flood of power, and I felt like I was about to explode.
It was time to wrap up tonight and see what would come next. Mariella was tuned in too, and she had ten extremely angry Salvatores around her, greedy for that power. I guessed that each of us in our pack had it, but not as much as me. They hadn't suppressed themselves as long as I had.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone