The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

As we made our way to the next room, I held onto my two companions, completely unaware of what was about to unfold. The space was just as vast as the previous one, and right in the center stood our throne. Instead of individual benches, it now took the form of a small sofa with three seats, end of an aisle.

The room was well-lit, thanks to the crystal crowns hanging from the high ceiling, and guests were starting to arrive. We approached the altar, and soon the elders entered as well. This time, one of them wore a golden robe, another wore a black robe, and the last one wore a violet robe.

Wulfe still had his black robe on, his expression neutral, and he looked much older than usual. I could almost imagine how handsome he must look as an adult. The velvet rugs beneath my feet muffled my steps, and my high heels kept me at the appropriate height. My left arm throbbed with pain, and my heart raced uncontrollably. Wulfe's grip on my hand was firm, making my palm ache, and I struggled to move my fingers.

I had no clue what this part of the ceremony entailed, and I hadn't been informed by the men either. I didn't plan on asking either. They would surely guide me when the time was right. The elders had brought several scrolls and other items near them, and as the last of the guests arrived, our family took their seats in the front row.

It was time to begin. The elder in the golden robe, with his heavily wrinkled face, bushy white beard, and skeletal hands, took the first scroll and began speaking in the vampire language. The audience seemed to understand, but I was completely lost. If this was meant to be, then so be it.

Damon's calm voice echoed in my mind, explaining, "This elder represents power and might. The black one represents night and death, and the violet one represents lust and emotions. Each of them will speak about their respective powers, not on a personal level, but in the context of our union. And yes, there is a spell that allows the guests to understand, except for you. This is a test for you, to see how you handle the unknown. You have no idea what they're saying, whether it's a speech or an ancient curse. So, my darling, your reactions are being tested as well."

I didn't respond, but instead, I gently squeezed his hand, gazing at the elder as if I understood everything and wasn't the least bit scared. I let my vampire pheromone ooze out properly.

My queen side was pretty on the surface and she made herself known. The elder, dressed in a black robe, looked at me, smiling slightly. Next was the black-robed elder. He didn't look that wrinkly, but I could sense his power as he let it out.

I was being tested. My vampire side let a little of my vampire power ooze out. Not much, but enough to make him feel it. I mixed in a little bit of chaos and my will, so it was all mine again, not a clone from Damon and Wulfe. This made Wulfe squeeze my hand slightly. I wasn't sure if he wanted me or not.

He had pulled his hood up, so his head was shadowed. I could sense Damon's amusement as he noticed the modification of my new power. Well, I was who I was, and I liked to make everything my own.

As the last of the elders spoke, they took out yet another scroll, and he said to Damon, in Romanian, "You, as the vampire king, the head of the Salvatore family, have chosen a queen for yourself. Will you take her as your own, your most important one, your soulmate for all eternity? Will you keep her safe in your heart, share your love and your lust with her, cherish and honor her as is fitting for our queen?"

Oh, this was actually a wedding. Damon's voice was not cold but quite warm and loving as he said, "Mimi will be my life mate. She will be my wife. I will keep her safe. I shall shelter her in my heart. I shall share my heart, my blood, my love, my lust, and my life with the one who is most important to me, now and forever."

The next elder looked at me. "Our queen, you have been chosen by the House of Salvatore. Will you accept?"

I said in a clear voice, "I do accept."

Number two told me what to answer. The elder asked me, "Will you take the head of the house as your own, promise yourself to him forever and ever, love him, share your power, share your heart, share your bed, and share your body with him?"

This was the lust version asking.

So I said, "I take him as my own. I promise myself, my soul, my heart, my powers. He is welcome to my bed, and I shall give my body to him whenever he desires. I shall love him always and forever."

Wulfe told me what to say next. 

Then the black-robed elder approached us, directing his question towards Wulfe. "Ancient one, you have sworn to be the guardian of our queen. Will you ensure her safety and uphold the honor of House Salvatore? Will you care for her when her husband is unable to? Are you willing to dedicate your life and shed your blood for her?"

Wulfe responded calmly, his voice unwavering. "I pledge my soul, my powers, my loyalty, and my company to House Salvatore. I pledge my heart and my blood to our queen. I will remain by her side for as long as I am permitted. I will protect her and ensure that she brings honor to our family. And I will care for her as if she were my own when her husband cannot."

The elder then turned to Damon and inquired, "Will you, our king, accept this pledge? Will you allow Wulfe to be the guardian of your wife?"

Damon nodded, his tone now filled with pride. "I accept his pledge. He is a part of my family, the guardian of my wife, and a companion to all of us. I promise him my protection now and forever, as he is mine."

The elder nodded in approval, and the three of them approached us. They took out a scroll and began chanting. Although the words were not in vampire language, I could feel the magic flowing from Damon, into me, and Wulfe. I could sense the magic enveloping our entire family, including our adult children.

I didn't know what exactly it was doing, but I could feel the pain in my forearm and palm intensify. I was trapped with no hope of escape, and my mind was filled with questions about what being a guardian meant in our everyday lives.

If I understood correctly, Wulfe would be responsible for me whenever Damon was absent, meaning he could be ordered to be by my side even when they traveled to the Azores. I wouldn't be left alone. It was all well and good, just another example of me attracting dominant males who wanted to control me. But that was fine. It was what it was, and only time would reveal what this arrangement would bring.

I could still feel the bond between me and Colin, his leprechaun. He was happy about this development, seeing it as a positive thing, and he knew how to conceal our bond from Damon.

However, I wasn't certain if Wulfe would be possessive. Oh my god, things could get quite heated between us. I wasn't sure how wild things would become with Wulfe, but what we had experienced in the flower room had been a tantalizing form of foreplay and passion. 

Magic swirled around us for several minutes, connecting us. Then I felt it - a hive was forming.

Wulfe spoke to my mind, saying, "Go on, help. Show us how this is done."

I focused and allowed my queen side to start forming a whole new kind of hive. However, she was skilled at this, and I instinctively did a lot without thinking. I could feel Damon and Wulfe piggybacking, studying and soon boosting the hive themselves, testing what worked.

My vampire side had to show them how it was done. The hive was forming, and Derek and the others were becoming part of it. It would be a strong superhive, but that was fine. Surely, we would get it done. The elders were impressed too, as my actions had boosted the hive formation, and the connection to others was steadily growing. I had to keep my expression neutral, as Damon's attempts were irritating. I had to occasionally let him feel what I was aiming for, so he could have the right direction instead of shooting in the dark.

Finally, the hive was ready, and it felt wonderful to have it back, even though it was not solely mine. I could feel Damon and Wulfe adjusting it, being at the very core. They wouldn't let me dismantle it. Somehow, Wulfe had taken that option away from me.

So, it wouldn't be me who could dismantle it, the elders said. "Now we bless your family."

One of them proceeded to bring out the same golden chalice that still held our golden blood. Each of them made a wound and poured their blood into it, mixing it up. The violet-robed elder produced multiple small glasses and poured the golden blood with swirls of black, violet, and different shades of gold into them.

The glasses were placed on a table, and one by one, our pack members came, took a shot glass, drank it, and returned to their seats. With each drink, our hive became stronger and more permanent.

We were the last ones to receive the glasses, and as my hands were tied, Damon brought my version to my lips and made me drink it. Wow, it tasted like pure power. I downed it, but it tingled as it went down, feeling like scotch or raw booze, emitting heat like no other.

After we all had our shots, the elders continued to chant and placed their hands above us, allowing their power to envelop and surround us. Of course, being a siphon, I could feel a tingly sensation all over my body and a slight pressure in my mind as I automatically siphoned it into my tank. Well, Wulfe might steal it if I didn't give it to Mariella. I was just thinking and passing my little thoughts here and there. 

As the elders finally blessed us, the hive, clarified that the hive was here to stay, leading us to our throne. However, this was not the end of it all.

The next step was the coronation ceremony, where the elders and other vampires gathered. To my surprise, Nick, Elias, and Cole walked near us. One of the elders brought Damon's crown and placed it on his head, crowning him as the king of vampires.

Then it was my turn. I was given a crown that I had had earlier, but it was now enchanted and adorned with even more diamonds and precious materials. I was crowned as the queen of vampires. It was a status I had not desired, but Wulfe, who had taken off his hood, became the crown prince of vampires.

This meant that if Damon could not be king, Wulfe would take his place. It seemed that the crown would not pass to Derek or any other Salvatores, but I had no idea what the actual order of succession would be.

I had no clue how this would affect my life. I didn't know what was expected of me, or how I was supposed to act. Was this merely for appearances, or did they expect us to lead the vampires as well? So far, everything had been a huge surprise for me, and it felt like it wouldn't end there.

I had no idea what our wedding night would be like. Would it be just Damon and me, or would Wulfe be a part of it too? How would the rest of the pack react to this in our everyday lives?

I hardly felt like a queen, yet now I held one more title. The heavy crown on my head felt like both a reward for a job well done and a burden of slavery, tied to a status I did not want.

However, I consoled myself with the thought that it was likely I would have little to do as Damon had his spare, but I did not. So, if I wasn't around, it wouldn't be as bad as it seemed. It appeared that I was not expected to do the actual duties of a queen here.

Sure, I had referred to myself as a queen when we took down Annaliese, but that was my own doing. I had not been officially crowned. Did I plant this idea in the elders' minds back then?

There were too many questions and no damn answers. I could only go with the flow and see where it would take me. As the elders crowned us as king and queen, there was once again a blood collection, as we were vampires, after all. This time, the blood was collected from the originals, and each of their mixed blood was combined in one goblet, which was then presented to Damon.

The elder spoke, "Here, my king, we present to you our gift - the blood of your sworn enemies. May their blood bring prosperity and power to you and your kingdom."

Damon nodded, took the goblet, and consumed all the blood himself.

He expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for this offering. I am pleased."

Next, the elder led a procession of five vampire hags in front of Damon. They took some blood from the hags and made Damon drink it - the blood of those who had wronged him. Then, the elder brought a few vampires for Damon. Once again, blood was collected, and Damon drank the blood of those who had betrayed him.

To my surprise, the elder then brought forward some ex-fleas who had left, bitter and angry with me.

The elder, dressed in violet, collected some of their blood into a silver goblet and presented it to me, saying, "Here, my queen. This is the blood of those who have betrayed you."

Damon assisted me in sipping the blood, taking the first sip himself, and then Wulfe finished the rest. I realized I was being protected here, and I was fine with it.

Then, a golden elder brought forward a few government officials who were not connected to Project Omega but held ill will toward me due to their anti-supernatural beliefs. Damon simply gestured for them to move away, and I had no idea what fate awaited them. Of course, we shared their blood too.

Lastly, a black-robed elder led three evil Sarks and three Krychecks in front of us. I could sense the tension in both men, but secretly, I wished for these Sarks and Krychecks to become guests in my little hobby room.

The blood taken from them was the blood of my mortal enemies, and Damon eagerly drank it, allowing me to take a sip before Wulfe finished the remainder.

Damon then gestured, and numbers two, four, Adam, Charles, Derek, and Dylan, stood up. Each of them grabbed one of the enemies and sank their fangs into them, draining their life and killing them. 

The vampires were incredibly impressed by this. They admired a king who showed no mercy, a king who would slay anyone who hurt his queen. Of course, I would have to slay them myself, but I was efficiently tied up.

It was my new reality, being a vampire queen ruled by the two most powerful and dangerous men in the universe, both deeply in love with me. Did I truly deserve this much love? I could feel their love for me, and I allowed my ruby-red love to flow to Wulfe.

Wulfe squeezed my hand and whispered in my mind, "Oh, my unicorn, you are now mine forever and ever. Please save that wonderful love for later. It's not time for a round of love just yet."

I nodded, accepting that it was time to fully embrace my role as queen. And now came the boring part: sitting here, regal and composed, while a never-ending stream of vampires came to pledge their loyalty to me and to us. What else would this day and the days to come hold? Do I even dare ponder the thought?