Ash

The Black Queen

Chapter 1: The Black Queen

Present:05/31/2023

My narrowed eyes met the frightened, emerald green eyes of the man before me. "Why are you here?" I demanded, my strong voice echoing in the room.
         "M-my L-l-lady, I-I-I have br-brought n-news from th-the p-p-p-pack," the man stuttered out, his eyes darted this way and that way, unable to hold my gaze.
         Silently, carefully, I rose from my seat and glided down the three steps to stand over the small man. My tone dangerously low, I asked "And what news," my mouth twisted at the word, "does the pack wish to share?"
         "Th-the Alpha-Omega is b-b-back," he squeaked.
         "How nice," I whispered. "Why would I care?"
         "H-h-he is de-demanding an audience w-w-w-with y-y-you"
         Smirking, I lowered my lips to the trembling man's ear, "Tell Derek I shall grant his request. Tomorrow night." I straightened. "Leave now." With that, the man scurried away as quickly as his clumsy feet allowed. I turned away as my second scoffed lightly behind me. I raised a brow, "Have something to say, Esmera?"
         The blonde-haired vampire standing to the right of my seat smiled and skipped lightly down the steps. "Oh Ash, always so serious. You need to lighten up, unclench those muscles."
         "My muscles are not clenched," I responded with a slight frown.
         Her full laugh echoed off the walls as she threw her arm around my shoulders, "Come on!," she exclaimed. "I can't believe you agreed to meet with that mutt," her nose wrinkling as she steered me out of the sitting room.
         I shrugged, "If he's suddenly decided to take up residency here again then I have no choice but to meet with him. This is my territory and he needs to know to stay out."
         Laughing, Esmera winked and dropped her arm, "You're right of course." She waggled her eyebrows at me, "Feel up to visiting the club?"
         "When aren't I up for that?" Smirking, I looked down at myself, "I'll need to change first."
         "See you in a few!"
         Upstairs, I turned to my closet to decide on what to wear. After going through a few options I decided on a short black skirt, with semi-opaque tights, black corset, and mid-calf boots. Perfect for attracting my prey. With a quick stop by the bathroom to brush out the knots in my midnight-black hair I was ready. A small, cruel smile twisted my lips as I glimpsed the bright silver eyes in my reflection, a mark of my changed nature. Before my eyes once shone a deep ocean blue with streaks of silver, back when I was weak and foolish. I rolled my eyes and turned my thoughts in a new direction. I'd gotten very good at avoiding thinking about before in the past four years, though I knew that was all going to be moot tomorrow when I faced the very, nauseating, thing my before revolved around. Suddenly feeling itchy, I turned from the mirror and flitted downstairs. "Esmera?" I called, as I reached the front door. I heard her distinctive steps as she climbed up the stairs from the basement.
         "Ready," she sang. I didn't bat an eye at her outfit, I was used to her "slut-chic" as she called. The ultra-short mini dress that clung to her like a second skin with a plunging neckline was nothing out of the normal for her. Besides, the more revealing our clothes the less effort it takes to charm our meals.
         I gave her a short nod and then strode out the door, knowing she'll follow. The vampires in the yard snapped to attention as I passed, immediately stopping their conversations and activities. I held my head high as I passed and folded myself gracefully into the drivers seat of my car. When I was down the street the vampires unfroze and continued about their business.

***

         I stepped lightly out of the car, dropping the keys for the valet, "Be careful. I'll be very disappointed if there's so much as a scratch when I get it back," I growled.
         "Yes, ma'am," he responded, a small tremor in his voice. The staff knew that my satisfaction was of topmost priority, if they wanted to keep breathing at least. I turned away, disinterested. Esmera bounded to my side, almost visible excitement radiating from her. I strode through the dimly lit doorway into the chaotic, pulsing club. Esmera quickly faded into the wiggling, sweating, swinging human bodies, a huge smile on her too-pale face. She prefers to catch her food. I prefer to have mine seek me out. Edging my way around the room, I found myself a seat at the bar. And with my back to the bar, sipping a glass of red wine, I watched the feeble humans parade around like a bunch of monkeys.
         It was almost comical the way the males fawned over the young females in tight skirts, lust glinting their dull eyes and quickening their pulses. The females themselves weren't much better, toying with the males only to pull away and giggle with their girlfriends, all of whom seemed have both affectionate and competitive edges to their interactions with each other. I could see Esmera dancing, if you can call dry humping to the beat dancing, with an attractive human male. It would only be a matter of time before they were ensconced in a dark corner, from where only she would emerge.
A slight smile adorned my lips as I looked away from them, humans really were so very gullible. My smile grew as a dark haired, dark skinned male stepped up to the bar next to me, "Hey, whatcha drinking, beautiful?"
         You, soon, I thought and smiled wider, showing the tips of my fangs. "Merlot."
         He smiled, "Mind if I buy you another glass?"
         "I would love that," I purred, placing my hand on his arm. I could feel the heat of his blood and the pounding of his heart, my mouth flooded with saliva. Well venom actually, but technicalities. He motioned the to bartender, who nodded in return. "Since you're buying me a drink, I suppose I should know your name?"
         "It's Darren," he paused to thank the bartender and pay for the drinks. "And yours, beautiful?"
         I took my time before answering, finishing off my first drink and then taking a small sip of the new one. I turned back to him, "I'm Ash." He was leaning over me now, he arm resting on the bar behind me. "It's nice to meet you, Ash." I reached up and grazed my fingers along his neck, his strong, steady pulse pushing against the skin there, "I'm very happy to have met you, Darren."
         He smiled showing straight, white, dull teeth, and took a step closer to me. He reached down to stroke my cheek with his thumb, "Care for a dance?"
         I laughed, "Can any one really dance to this?" I saw surprise flash across his face and then he was laughing too. "I guess not, though, with a woman as pretty as you I wouldn't mind mimicking some of the people out there". We both looked out on the dance floor where it seemed almost everyone was grinding up against someone, males on males, females on females, and, of course, males on females. I caught his eye again, "Mmm, I can see what you mean. Why don't we go somewhere more private for that instead?"
         A big smile broke out across his face. "Whatcha got in mind?" He asked as he wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close to his chest.
         I stretched up, placing my lips a breath away from his ear, "Upstairs." I could his body shudder in response to my breath against his ear.
         "Upstairs is the VIP area," he questioned, with a raised brow.
         "Yes, it is." I picked up my wine glass and started walking away, towards the stairs partially hidden in the back of the club. He followed close to my heels, as expected. The guard standing over the stairway barely glanced at me before stepping aside and upstairs you could hardly hear the booming music, though the floor hummed with the beats. It was a relief to be able to hear your self think and be away from hot, sweaty bodies all over the floor downstairs. I pulled Darren into a private booth in the back and closed the semi-opaque curtains. I could hear the muted conversations and occasional moan from the nearby booths.
         Darren slid his hand up my thigh and squeezed, "This is nice."
         "Mmmhm," I purred, turning onto my knees and straddling his waist. "Very nice," I whispered back. His hands slid up the back of my thighs, squeezing lightly on my ass before continuing up my back to entangle in my hair. He pulled my face down and pressed his lips lightly to mine. I could taste the wine on his breath and a small moan worked its way up my throat. I allowed one of my hands to stroke his chest and the other to curl into the hair at the nape of his neck. I stared into his dull grey eyes, darkened further by lust, and closed my mouth over his again, allowing his lips to open mine, his tongue seeking mine. The taste of wine exploded on my tongue, along with the warm, sweet taste of man. I groaned, closing my eyes and pulling him closer, tightening my grip on his hair. His hands were everywhere, stroking my back, fisting in my hair, squeezing my ass, cupping my breasts, and sliding up my thighs in a dizzying rhythm that had me panting against his lips.
         With his hand back in my hair, he pulled me off his lips and tilted my head back. His mouth seeking my throat, nipping and sucking on the sensitive skin there. A shudder worked down my spine and I pulled away, taking the control back. I wasn't going to allow my food to control me. His hands reached for me and I pinned them to his sides. "A-a-ah. That would be a bad boy and you don't want to be a bad boy," I crooned.
         He smirked and stared pointedly at my exposed cleavage, "I think I do want to be bad, very bad."
         My smile stretched wider. Like taking candy from a baby, I thought. Humans always thought they wanted to be bad, until they it actually comes down to it. How many humans can look another human in the eye and kill them? Sure a few, but the vast majority couldn't do it. And many of the few who do, would be racked with guilt for the rest of their lives. For such eager creatures, you'd think they'd be tougher. That's what thousands of years thinking you're the top of the food chain gets you, I suppose; a self-inflated image of superiority and soft instincts.
         It's different for us, vampires I mean, our instincts are more involved. In a lot of ways we are more like wild animals than human. Our bloodlust and natural desires have a tighter hold on us and our predatory instincts are finely tuned, when your prey is as intelligent as humans are you have to adapt to be smarter, faster, stronger, and read the atmosphere very well to keep yourself safe. Plus we also have a predator, the Omega pack. Werewolves were a strain of humans that mutated to protect them from early vampires. As we evolved and became better predators, the werewolves evolved as well. Eventually, coming out with the Omega pack that is stronger and faster than your average vampire, with lethal venom injected with every bite. But the evolutionary changes haven't stopped. Each generation of vampires are getting stronger and stronger, slowly closing the gap between Omegas and vampires. The witches are getting more powerful with more capacity to siphon magic from the natural world. The greatest evolutionary species would be the Hybrids, well the Vampire/Witch hybrids that is. Immune to Omega venom, ability to perform magic internally (rather than elemental magic), stronger and faster than both Omegas and vampires. The problem Hybrids face is that most don't make it past infancy, as once King Kiel gets wind of it the hybrid, parents, and anyone else involved is murdered.
         Shaking my head, I dispelled those thoughts and refocused on Darren. He was looking at me in confusion for my prolonged silence. I allowed a teasing glint to veil my eye as I said, "I don't think you know what you're in for. I'm an awful lot to handle." I nipped his lip with my teeth, following it with a quick swipe of my tongue.
         He grinned up at me. "I think I can handle it." Then he caught my mouth with his again and I sunk down in to the kiss. I guess we'll find out, I thought. Every brush of his lips stoked the heat inside me higher, I let myself fall into the sensation and let his delicious human scent and taste wash over me. After a few minutes I pulled away from his mouth, closing my lips and teeth cover the sensitive skin under his jaw. Licking the spot where his pulse beat against the skin, I felt my fangs lower slightly, nipping my lower lip. I didn't feed there though, I continued down, my hands undoing his belt and lowering his zipper. Deftly, I pulled his jeans and boxers down to his ankles, freeing his dick and, most important to me, opening his inner thighs where the thick femoral artery was. I let my tongue lick lazily up his length, as my fingers brushed over the sensitive skin of his thighs. His hands knotted in my hair, not controlling, just holding on. I took him into my mouth, keeping my fangs retracted, and used my tongue press, lick, and tease the sensitive underside while I sucked him in and out of my mouth. Sliding one hand up his thigh, I gently stroked his balls. His hands tightened in my hair as I kept up my merciless rhythm, driving him closer and closer to the edge.
         When he was seconds from exploding, I pulled away with a wet plop as he left my mouth, stroking him with my hand instead. I allowed my fangs to slide free, he was beyond noticing at this point with his eyes closed and head back as he neared orgasm. With practiced skill, I sliced through the skin on his thigh, fangs sliding home into the femoral artery.
         Blood, hot and thick burst into my mouth just as he found his orgasm. His hips jerked forward, the pleasure he felt masking any pain my fangs would have caused. His groan masked my own as I swallowed the blood pulsing into my mouth. The taste thick with arousal, my favorite flavor, hot and earthy. I could feel his semen coating my fingers as I continued stroking him, teasing his orgasm out as long as possible, until he was too sensitive and started softening. I felt his hands stroke my hair for half a second before freezing. "Babe, w-what are you doing?" His voice was alarmed as he tried to pry me off his leg. Clamped down hard, sucking faster at the hot blood, now running thick with fear. He hands got weaker and weaker as the blood drained his system, his body shutting down. Within second his heart beat out its final irregular beats and then was silent.
         Standing up, I left his body in the booth and strode over to the small bathroom, quickly cleaning my hands and straightening my clothes. I licked a small smudge of blood from the corner of my mouth, smiling at my reflection. I could see the blood warming my skin and brightening my silver eyes, making them look almost like small pools of liquid silver.
         I went back to the booth to grab my wine glass, flicking the curtain out of my way. I spied one of the human custodians in the back corner and I turned away, wine glass in hand. "You," I snapped and he startled to attention. "Clean this up," I motioned to Darren, now still and grey with death, unseeing eyes flat and grey open to room.
         The custodian nodded rapidly, "Yes, ma'am, right away, ma'am." I could taste his fear in the air, but left him be. It was so hard to find good help these days, didn't want to eat them all. I continued back downstairs, reclaiming my seat at the bar. I sipped my wine, a pale cheap imitation to the real thing still warming my veins. As I stared out at the dancing humans, I noticed Esmera dancing with a new man, her skin warmed and eyes bright with her latest feeding. Smirking, I lounged against the bar and waited.
         It didn't take long. Before I had even finished the rest of my wine, another man stepped up next to me. "Care to dance?"
         I smiled up at him, letting just a bit of my fangs to drop, "I would love to. Let's go upstairs though." I stood, leaning into him, kissing him on the mouth. "I prefer a more intimate kind of dance." His eyes immediately darkened with lust as he nodded his consent. I lead the way back up stairs, leaving my wine this time. I wasn't going to need it.

***

         It was almost evening by the time I made it downstairs the next day, having slept until early afternoon and spent the rest of the day playing with my breakfast. I nodded to the maid, who slipped into my room to dispose of the body that was laying nude and cold on my bed, tiny trickle of dark blood visible on his thigh from the two puncture wounds. The staff were well used to my morning routine by now, even if some of the coven still whispered about it behind my back. I felt full and sated as I joined the Coven Counsel in the sitting room. Derek was to arrive at dusk. I checked the sky from the tall, two story windows and saw the sun was just now touching the edge of the horizon.
"Good evening, my Queen," Chris spoke with a slight sneer to his lips. He was one of the most outspoken coven members against my feeding habits.
         I raised a brow, my voice cool as I responded, "Good evening, Chris." I greeted the other members of the counsel; Aura, Nathaniel, Elijah, Esmera, and Rea. I settled into my chair, facing the room, catching a glimpse of the front door in the hall through the open double doors. I heard a rustling to my left and saw Chris shifting around annoyed. "Just say whatever you want to say, Chris. I don't have time to deal with your attitude."
         He walked stiffly down the short stairs to stand in front of me. "I want to know why we are meeting with the Alpha-Omega. We were under the impression you two weren't a..thing anymore." His tone packed full of disgust on the word 'thing'.
         I narrowed my eyes at him. "We aren't. Obviously." He opened his mouth to speak, his eyes trained on the ring still adorning my left hand, but I cut him off with a hiss. "Do not interrupt me!" I stood, my long black dress rippling around me as I leaped down the steps. "I am the leader of this coven and you will address me with respect." I growled, hands curled. "Or you will join those who opposed me." I watched as his eyes flickered to the mantel above the fireplace, where several dozen pairs of fangs were displayed, dried blood still visible at the root where they were ripped out. He shuddered and looked away. I saw his jaw work as he calmed himself.
         "I apologize, my Queen."
         I nodded coldly and returned to my seat. "In answer to your question, we are meeting with the Alpha-Omega to ensure he is aware that LA, including the forest they used to reside in, is now my territory and they are not welcome."
         "And what will you do if they don't leave? My Queen," he added at my hardened expression. "Will you kill your husband?" He raised a defiant brow. "Can you kill him?"
         I struggled to control my rage, but then thought, why? I was tired of this little pricks attitude. It was time to stop it. In one fluid move, I reached back, freed my sword from its sheath, and leaped from my chair to sweep the blade, cleanly and smoothly, through Chris's knees. Chris dropped to the floor, screaming with pain, blood running over the tiled floor like thick water. Standing over him, the tip of the blood-covered blade pressing into the skin of his chest. His legs toppled to the ground, no longer attached to his body. "Never question me again. Do you understand?" I pressed the blade further into his skin, just millimeters from his heart now.
         "Yes, yes," he gasped, still keening with pain.
         "Your legs will grow back. Be thankful it wasn't your fangs. Next time it will be." With that, I pulled the blade free from his chest and returned, once again to my seat. No one made the slightest twitch to help him, they waited for my permission. I gave none. His blubbering and keening filled the room, echoing into the hall as well. Flecks of blood covered my face, while streaks marked the walls and rest of the counsel. The floor beneath Chris featured a steadily growing puddle of blood, filling the room with it's clean, sharp vampiric sent.
         It was then that the front gate guards announced the arrival of the pack delegation.