The hivemind is conquering for me?

”*PFFT* Cough! cough!* Fuck...”

”Samantha? Are you alright dear? What happened?”

Samantha took a few more seconds to compose herself after inhaling half of her drink in shock before replying to her companion.

”I am fine Zorina... Sorry, it just went down the wrong pipe.”

Zorina laughed before turning to the bartender. ”See, I knew she would like it, but not to the point of almost drowning herself. Here you go, go get something to clean this up while you are at it.” Zorina said, giving the man a tip before he walked off.

As he did so, Samantha also stood up. ”Zorina, that near choking event has just jolted my memory, I need to go and take care of something urgently, regarding my business. Forgive me for doing this, I know you have been looking forward to these drinks.”

”Nonsense dear, I know full well that business comes before pleasure in our line of work. You go deal with your issue. Though I presume we are still on for tomorrow? I think it’s about time for you to meet everyone after all, don’t you agree?”

Samantha smiled and was about to reply, but cringed as she watched what was happening through Savitri’s eyes. ”I-I will try, Zorina. I promise. If you don’t hear from me, it means that things will resume as planned, but please, excuse me.”

Samantha hastily left the premises of the golden reef casino before making her way to a private docking pay she had purchased legitimately. Awaiting her there was a driver whom she did not have to interact with verbally.

The duo then made their way deep under the water where light could no longer reach for a short while before arriving at their destination.

Her playground.

Her dedication to the hive and Apollo. Where she had begun to grow her influence at an incredibly accelerated rate. Already she was sinking her fangs into the fat prey above. But slowly, cautiously.

Down here though? She had already devoured every last portion of this black reef. The first few months were bloody and ’rough’ but afterwards things began to snowball. Her power down here was unquestioned. Both figuratively and literally.

She was the apex predator. Nothing could touch her, nothing could kill her and the reefs above couldn’t care less, she knew for a fact, thanks to her favourite target, that the upper reefs had no idea there was any change in the black reef.

And that was by design. Although every single individual under her control, under her thrall were now clean of drugs, except her specialty blend, she was still using that market to sell upstairs, even going as far as cancelling deals at times with excuses of ’gang warfare.’ But she killed every last one of the gangs that once ruled down here.

So as she arrived at her location and hastily left the sub, her underlink was riddled with worry about why a certain someone was here. Now of all times.

Making her way to her fortress, formerly a house of ill repute and narcotics, Samantha made her way through the place with hastened steps before barging the reinforced door of her office wide open to see a small purple haired woman sitting on her throne of skull and bones.

”Sammy! It is so good to see you! Your underlings are so handsy for cultists, honestly, I could smell their fear for me, but they clearly have a mean streak about them. Is this your doing? Were you telling them to be rough because you know I’m a freaky bitch? Why aren’t you saying anything Sammy? Come give me a hug!” Keyla yelled before getting off the throne and running to Samantha at which point she picked her up and began shaking the bio-cult infiltrator like a crying baby.

Samantha, who had been building up a reputation amongst her cultists as ruthless, yet fair, suddenly lost all progress in that regard and replied.

”It’s Samantha. Stop it Keyla. Put me down before I have to get physical with you, this is embarrassing...”

Keyla wasn’t having it. This was her best friend. She was getting hugs. The only thing that would stop her right now was if Apollo was in the room, then she would be on her knees before you could scream ’BLOOD ORGY!’

Feeling her bones come under pressure, shocking Samantha as she was a lot stronger than when she used to be a hybrid, she had enough and commanded.

”Keyla. Put me down, I am your caste superior. Release me before I force you to release me.”

Keyla instantly dropped Samantha and raised her hands up in the air in defeat. ”Whoah! Fuck me in the ass and spank me till I scream more! Pulling that card out of nowhere? What the fuck Sammy? We are besties.”

”It’s Samantha... Stop it-”

”- I mean. Sure mama told me you got in touch with good ol’ Big mamma Jewel, but I’ve also had her everything all up in my being. Heck I bet I was a part of her longer than you have been. Fucker. Now stop acting like a tight ass and give me a hug as it’s been very one sided so far.”

Keyla then raised her arms out each side of her and proceeded to pout at Samantha.

Samantha looked around the room. There were four individuals present beside her and Keyla. Three had already become Hybrids and one was taking a little bit longer to adapt to her poison than expected. Though all knew what was going on. All were in the loop.

All knew that Samantha was the leader. Undisputed. The Chosen saviour of the black reefs. She bowed to nothing or no one and fought any that attempted to challenge her.

Yet those connected to the under-link could feel her thoughts right now, her emotions. She was mentally drained and defeated... It was impossible.

Samantha let out a sigh and dragged her feet across the floor before hugging Keyla.

”With enthusiasm Sammy. I’ve just gone months with no family contact, so I need this.” Keyla commented and Samantha finally broke.

Putting her all into the hug, she picked Keyla up off the floor and squeezed hard. ”It is Samantha. Stop calling me Sammy. Last warning or I break your spine, you little troublemaker. And I have missed you too. So much.”

...

After a few minutes of sweetness, Keyla, now back on the floor, looked around and nodded her head.

”Nice place. When I saw the outside I was like ’Fuuck’ I wish we had a literal fortress.’ Well we kind of do, but it’s all underground, not the same thing. Anyway, I like the indoor vibe more. Especially this decor. Skull and bones? Are you trying to make me wet Sam~mantha? Because it is working.”

Samantha walked over to the throne and took her seat before gesturing to her left to a woman with black shaggy hair wearing a simple black top and jeans. Keyla spotted a tattoo on the woman’s left arm that was beginning to show signs of lightening. Proof that this was a sister as the poison began to fight and change her genome.

”Keyla, this is Beverly. Beverly is one of my Chosen and took to the gift especially quickly, almost beating me for my conversion time, but not quite. It was her idea to create a monument of all my enemies and place them into this throne. To be honest Keyla, she reminds me a lot of you, so I am sure you two will have plenty to talk about.”

Keyla raised her eyebrow hearing that. ’She better not be trying to take my spot as Sammy’s best friend. I’d hate to eat one of our own... Hmm can I even do that?’ Keyla got sidetracked for a moment before suddenly rushing over to Beverly to the point their eyeballs were just moments away from kissing each other.

”Have you feasted yet?” Keyla said cryptically, but to a cultist, they knew what that meant.

Beverly responded with no malice, simply happiness. ”Yes, Sister of another family. I have.”

Keyla nodded. ”Good. And call me Keyla. If you are a ’Chosen of Sammy the anal queen’ you are basically my friend. Anyway, ignore Samantha’s scowl. What’s your favourite part of the body to eat? And yes, there is a wrong answer, and no, it isn’t penis.”

Surprising Keyla, Beverly responded right away. ”I like the liver. It’s so flavourful and delicious, but it depends on the person. I really really love inner thigh meat. Raw of course. I assumed that is what you meant?”

Keyla looked the young woman up and down for a moment before nodding her head. ”Alright, good enough. You ain’t no me, but I suppose in a pinch Samantha had to make do with a pretty decent runner up.”

”Keyla!” Samantha let out a yell that followed with a growl, something she immediately knew she was going to regret by the smirk forming on Keyla’s face. So before the walking calamity could speak further, she asked.

”Keyla... Can you very clearly and very plainly tell me what you are doing here?”