Queen's Awakening

Into The Underground

Tom's POV

Damn sometimes I forget how much some of the women have a hate on for Nicole. It's not her fault that their mates join her mating runs. She doesn't get a choice of which pack or the men who join. There have only been a few times that she has called a male to join. It didn't mean that male would catch her. I have been a guardian at her heats several times to keep the males from getting to rough, it's not all passion and definitely no romance for her. She often ran even if it wasn't to end in a pregnancy. I guess she figured it would keep her from having an attachment to anyone male. Often those males had been without a female for awhile. She's been hurt. Her life isn't peaches and cream like some of those women think. I've had to knock several heads together to keep her safe from being mauled. I sigh.

Nikki looks like he has several burs in his tail by the look on his face. He's pulled in several directions. I should have insisted he stay with her instead of coming to look after my ass. The thought of that woman being in our home with Nicole worries me. I'm glad Courtney and Yennefer stayed behind. Her mother and grandmother are there too. I need to stop worrying she will be fine. What I need to be thinking of is going into a vampire hive alone with Shamus Chasen.

We reach the hunter base. I pull as close to the hole as I can safely get, don't want to disturb the little fuckers before we have to. Jason joins us as we unload the jeep. Shamus is old school no hightech shit just some good old dynamite and a simple detonator. Careful is the order of the day you don't want to drop this shit. It does cross my mind that Shamus if it crossed his crazy ass mind could take out all three of Nicole's mates right now by simply igniting the dynamite in his hands. I wish Nikki and Jason would get lost. They seem very determined to stick by my side.

We enter the hive slowly. We both scent the air and allow our eyes to adjust to the darkness.

"There is somethings off with this hive." I think out loud.

"What could be more wrong with it than it's being full of the first strain of vampires?" He asks sarcastically.

"For one there should have been guardians at the mouth, the second this hive is new. I say no more than fifty five years." I whisper in answer.

"What does that mean and how do you know so much?" Shamus asks.

"This is what my line does, we hunt vampires when necessary. As for what it means is we've had a recent infestation. I have no immediate answer for why none of the critters were keeping watch." I answer his question as we continue hunched over deeper into the hive.

"Your know how would have been appreciated before we climbed down this hole." He grouches. I chuckle. It doesn't take long to reach the queen's chamber. I'm surprised there are usually a lot tunnels leading off the main passage to smaller sleeping chambers. They are missing. Their pantry is also missing. They can keep their victims alive for some time just snacking on them. This is just all wrong. I'm glad we decided to run the fuse as we entered. I just have a bad feeling in my gut. We had just finished placing the dynamite I've been taking in my surroundings. The cells where her young continue to grow are empty. I take a longer look at the queen. She very old. Then it hits me she's dying. Not soon, she's dying now.

"Run Shamus. They are going to suicide." I warn. I push him ahead me. I get frustrated with his speed when I hear the vampires earsplitting screech. They will mow us down in their desperate race to join their queen in death. I shift to wolfman and pick up a struggling Shamus and run on three legs. I haul ass as I head for the entrance. The critters are right behind us as I make a dive for daylight. They take flight only to have their volatile blood cause them to burst into flames and burn to dust. The hive empties quickly the vampires dying in the sun. Their dust slowly settles.