Chapitre 157: 37. Viva La Vida.
I sat in the limo, lost in my own thoughts, preparing for what was to come. My black lace dress exuded seduction with its gold embellishments, including a large S-shaped design on the back of the dress, symbolizing Salvatore. Damon had gifted me with more jewels, pieces that he had never given to Annaliese, which would surely make her even angrier. My white hair was adorned with blood-red stripes, colored by Damon's blood in a traditional vampire fashion. I had shared with him some books on vampire customs, and our hive had found inspiration for our grand finale. This would be the last appearance of our hive, at least for now, but what an impact it would make!
I stumbled upon Damon's old fucking phone, and I called a number of his former flings, revealing to them how they were just one of many, mere creatures of lust. I was getting Damon's victims ready for him. To my knowledge, he had never done this in front of Mariella or discussed it much with her, so it would be a first for her as well. As a vampire, I now truly appreciated his little ritual. And with the presence of dragons, elders, and even the originals at this extravagant party, he would have a large audience.
I was prepared to confront Harrison, or someone else would likely kill him. But I knew he would most likely come after me. It would be satisfying to witness Annaliese's expression as our hive made its grand entrance. We were all dressed to the nines in black and gold, even Elena and Katherine. Our hair had been styled, thanks to Wulfe's efforts, despite Elena and Katherine's initial resistance to letting boys do things for them. Being part of the hive had taught them a few things.
Of course, since Damon had dressed us, we were not all in one color, creating a beautiful rainbow effect. Our makeup was as dramatic as ever. I truly felt like a queen, wearing my crown, while Damon had his own. The girls wore tiaras, and Elena and Katherine had diamond-studded hairbands.
I had a pair of stunning white heels; they were beautifully designed shoes. They matched perfectly with my partially white hair. However, my electric blue nails clashed terribly with the shoes. I had to focus on not hiding my nails and making a fist. Damon and number four were tuning something, and as usual, he looked killer and ready.
He and Wulfe had spent over 12 hours in the potion lab preparing a dagger. I had stepped back to take care of some work stuff that had piled up, while Mariella took care of unloading the salvatores the day before.
The limo glided silently, making it hard to believe that I had actually pulled this off. It wasn't just me this time, but I couldn't deny that I had given my all and felt it in my skin, more than once. Normally, I would overthink things in my mind and convince myself that what I had done wasn't a big deal. But now, I have a reason to be proud and feel accomplished. I kept my thoughts to myself, already letting my mind wander to future work tasks, as there was so much to do.
It's funny. I remembered how it felt when I first went to Portugal, the sights, sounds, and my plan. I wondered if it was fate that led me to find the man who was being sought. And then meeting Brutus, making plans, and learning as I went. I did tell Damon something back then, but not everything. Maybe someday I could take a trip down memory lane and show them where it all began. Fuck, I guess I was getting old or something, but was that so bad?
Mariella was sitting next to Damon. She needed him. It would be a relief for them to get their relationship back on track, and it would make it easier for me to dismantle that hive. They could have each other without feeling my presence every second. I was happy about the memories, a rare occasion. As horrible as it had been at times, it gave me an incredible feeling of connection to Damon. A connection that felt so freaking wonderful, and I didn't shy away from it or deny it. But now it was just time to end it, after everything.
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. There is always another woman for him. Perhaps it was meant for him to never be true to me, so that I would have the tools to deal with it when Mariella came into the picture. Maybe Damon was not meant for me alone. Maybe I should seek someone else who would stay with me until the bitter end, so to speak.
Whatever it may have been, Wulfe was watching out of the window, unaware of my gaze upon him. He was the one who grounded me, the one who understood and loved me. There was no denying that fact. And God, I loved him too. I wasn't sure what this all-encompassing love was all about, even.
As for my feelings for Damon, those damn things I hid deep within myself, I didn't even want to go there as it would hurt me and dismantle the hive, losing the connection to him and others. But I had to do it anyway. Once again, my happiness and the threat I might become were on the line here. So it was an easy choice, so to speak, though a small part of me was terrified of losing Damon and what we had. The perfect connection, the feeling that we were living in each other's souls. Maybe one day we will get something like that back.
But then again, my neurotic side was starting to work things over, convincing me more or less that Damon didn't want me, not after the hive was dismantled and he had time to be with Mariella. I would just have to move on, focus on my work, get my life back on track, and then, only then, see where we stood when both of us had some time of our own. To see which of those feelings was valid and which were not. To see what Damon would have the guts to admit to himself, and what part he would deny.
I had played many roles over the years, and being the hive queen was just one of them. There had been so many, and I couldn't say if any of them were wrong or right. They were all a part of me, in different ways. Maybe, just maybe, that feeling of hollowness during that spell had been one part of me. Maybe my pretender side had realized that I was nothing but a fake, hollow, and empty.
I was lost in my thoughts when Wulfe's voice abruptly interrupted, saying in my mind, "Unicorn, stop that train of thought right now or else I will make you stop. I've already told you to forget about what happened during that spell and move on. Don't start overanalyzing."
I let out a sigh. It was frustrating to have guys monitoring my thoughts, but having Wulfe as the only one grounding me, and preventing me from getting too tangled up, was something I was incredibly grateful for.
I wasn't even considering being an agent of the NSA or how Wulfe might feel about it, let alone Damon. I knew he had been working with the NSA, but being the leader of a whole new division, he might not even care. Perhaps he had left that kind of work behind when his contacts became corrupted.
I was contemplating whether I could use my status in the NSA to move Project Omega to where it truly belonged, in the past. And maybe I could get rid of it altogether, so no one would come after me, attempting to kill me over it. And then, who knows, maybe I would have one more chance at true happiness or a decent breeding season.
I started envisioning a breeding season with Wulfe, Magnum, and possibly Colin. I wasn't sure if Damon would be around. Our three-month sex vacation, which meant actual breeding and heat. Oh, I would love to see Wulfe's expression if he ended up in the middle of a full-blown mood heat and had to make love to Mariella or help emotional wolves.
As for me, being in one of my moods during heat would probably push Salvatores to the edge, as I knew exactly how to do it. It had been a long time since I experienced heat, so it would definitely be enjoyable. Of course, then there would be pregnancy and raising cubs, maybe even babies.
I thought that if I were to feel that nesting instinct, I could create a secret lair for myself, just like at the beginning. Who would dare to mess with me then? Would Mariella take Damons and the wolves take four to be their side? But if Wulfe were around, would Damon let him be around the cubs? Although Wulfe wasn't a hybrid, Damon might accept him. But the million dollar question was, What was my feline side's stance for Wulfe, Vampire? Would she let him anywhere near me? When it came to Magnum, Damon's jealousy might get in the way, but Colin was one to be jealous, too.
Wulfe's amused voice interrupted my daydreams once again. "You can be sure that, first and foremost, during the heat, I might share a few tips and tricks on how to keep you in check, not let you run wild. Yeah, I'm all for passion, but having cubs in your own den? That's not going to happen. I'm not easily distracted, and I have a few spells up my sleeve to neutralize your pheromones and keep Damon in control. So, unless you want me to share this broadcast with him, you better cool it off."
I let out a sigh and started thinking about recipes and upcoming missions. Goddamn spoilsport, not letting me make any nice plans for the future.
Of course, my vampire side had added its own twist to things. I imagined a few new scenarios for the heat, like turning males into love slaves or having someone literally lick my feet. So yeah, Wulfe had been a bit too sharp for me, maybe because of that.
It was all well and good to dismantle the hive, but I could feel my vampire side resisting. She wanted to keep her powers, and I realized I was getting dangerously close to the point where I might not even consider dismantling the hive. But I still had my wits about me.
I was preparing for my role as queen, unsure if it would be a passionate affair or a dramatic and brutal display of power. We needed to do this in a way that showcased our strength, but at the same time, we didn't want to declare ourselves the new rulers of the vampires. I had no desire to become a true queen and get involved in vampire politics so much.
Perhaps the Salvatores would have to step in and save the day, as they had done before. Damon had always been good at delegating, and he had a lot of vampires under his command. Plus, Alaric, being a vampire himself, could help with many problems. But I was determined to make sure that I wouldn't end up in the spotlight as the queen or leader of the vampires. My life was already full enough.
In the dimness of the limo, it felt good to reflect and ponder the future. I was preparing to do one more thing before moving on. I missed driving, not always being a passenger, but feeling the steering wheel in my hands. My road rage made everything feel so much more alive. Soon enough, I would have the chance to drive on both good and bad roads.
The scent of expensive leather, men's colognes, our perfumes, and our pheromones filled the air, connecting us as a group. It was a truly incredible feeling. As the car began to slow down, I knew we were approaching our destination. They say that sometimes it's not the destination that matters, but the journey that gets you there.
I wasn't sure if anyone else had doubts or speculations about the future, but I could sense that the hive was preparing to eliminate the enemy. This would be a grand finale for our hive. As the limo came to a stop, we were ready to make our grand entrance and show everyone what this night was all about. It would be our last night together as a hive, and it could either be a thrilling battle or a disappointing anticlimax. I had no way of knowing what the future held.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone