The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

Mariella let out a heavy sigh, her body weary from the exhausting ordeal. Finally, she had those troublesome women under control. As she placed her hand on her swollen, pregnant belly, she could feel the weight of her unborn children and cubs. The scent of anticipation filled the air as she contemplated whether or not to return to work during this breeding season. Perhaps it was best to take some time off and not be consumed by work constantly.

However, the burning question remained: where in the world was Mimi and what had she done? Mimi was always peculiar, and even Wulfe couldn't guarantee that the spell had completely lifted from her. It was possible that she was out there, living her own life. Mariella and Damon had caught glimpses of her deceitful hints, but Wulfe had to create a special spell to decipher them, as they were fueled by a different energy. This process would take time.

What surprised Mariella the most was that it was her and Damon's love that had ultimately broken the spell. It made her feel incredibly loved, but it also brought to light the question of whether Mimi and Damon's once powerful love still existed. Mimi had always been slightly different, and according to Wulfe, she had been the source of the spell, which meant that aspects of her personality were likely embedded in their new lives.

Mariella couldn't help but recall the rage she had felt, a rage that had originated from Mimi. But if Mimi had given them pieces of herself, did this mean they were starting to understand her better? And was Mimi herself pregnant? Damon had impregnated her, but Mariella knew Mimi was a powerful creature who could potentially put her unborn babies to rest. It seemed typical that the three of them would breed while Missy would return to work in a different setting, allowing her to have her own office while keeping Damon at home as the father of their children.

And what about those men? Angelus, Spike, and Cole. Most likely, they were free now, having given everything and nearly lost their lives during the breeding process. The Salvatores had discarded them in the forest, but they were no longer there. So many unanswered questions lingered in the air, while Mimi's hints ensured no one could sense her presence, hear her voice, or even think of her. Only Wulfe was tirelessly working on unraveling the mystery.

Meanwhile, Damon was content, as were all the Salvatores, eagerly awaiting the upcoming breeding season. This time, they would operate as a unified pack, not just demanding Mariella to be a wife and mother, but truly functioning as a family. Magnum, who had experienced a dark period when he remembered how he had killed Mimi, had found some solace. It took some clever persuasion, leading him into the bedroom and showing how he drained Mariella of her life force for his twisted pleasure. Magnum had repeated this act several times, his guilt slowly subsiding. 

Mariella was well taken care of, with someone always ensuring she ate, rested, and had plenty of bedroom activities. Life couldn't be better. However, deep down, Mariella longed to bring Mimi into the mix. Damon remembered installing a state-of-the-art, fully biological flank organ, larger and more efficient than before. And collar as well. He also recalled giving Mimi gene therapy, infusing his own genes into her veins to enhance compatibility. But he couldn't shake the thought that Mimi had the remotes hidden in the sheet where her body lay. It was a matter to address in due time.

As Mariella and the wolves excitedly prepared their nurseries with the help of organized folders, Damon ordered new clothes for everyone except Mimi. He still felt uncertain about her, and Mariella suspected those hints were a reason why. Nevertheless, it would take time for Wulfe's spell to erase them, as it had been incredibly powerful.

Sitting in a room, lost in thought, Damon was interrupted by Mariella waddling over to sit beside him.

Concerned, she asked, "What's wrong? What's bothering you?"

Damon responded, "It's nothing too significant, just remnants of that spell. Pieces of Mimi's presence linger in my mind—feelings, sensations that aren't mine. I've telepathically scanned everyone, using a trick Wulfe taught me, but no one matches. They belong to Mimi."

Mariella admitted, "I, too, have some memories from Mimi, from that ship with the 21 men and Rob."

Damon's predatory gaze sharpened, and suddenly, Mariella felt the information being extracted from her mind as if Damon had helped her remove it.

Perplexed, she asked, "What pieces of Mimi are you referring to?"

Damon responded, "Loneliness. I mean, I often feel lonely in my own time, but this is a profound, deep loneliness. The knowledge that she's the only one, always unique, always alone. She's perpetually the strongest, always on top, and it's an incredibly lonely existence. During that spell, it didn't feel like this, as it heightened my own perversions. But now, I've isolated it, and the truth is, there's absolutely nothing I can say or do to alleviate her pain."

Mariella nodded, the sound of agreement filling the room. "That's true, but we can show her so much more," she said. The soft rustle of fabric accompanied her words. "We can keep her busy, so she doesn't feel lonely. And as for her power, her being the strongest, wouldn't it be time to carve that symbol back into her? You have Wulfe now, and he wants the best for Mimi. It's not good for her to be too full of her powers. He might give you a few updates on that magic symbol, too."

Damon nodded in understanding.

Mariella continued to explain, her voice low and steady. "Yes, and then, we do it cunningly. We take her to sleep with us, next to you. So, it's just natural that your symbols are against each other the whole night. That way, we have time to let her powers seep steadily. She gets a sleep power down, and our pack gets a little more oomph. I have a little inkling that Wulfe will give you even more pointers or spells once he gets a hold of her powers. They are quite addictive."

The room fell silent for a moment, the air heavy with anticipation.

Damon's voice broke the stillness. "Good idea. It might work, and it will take time for me to get her powers down. But my upgrade will help with that. However, she needs a good dose of discipline. Now is not the time for a romantic hero. No, I will bring her back to earth, and she will remember who I am. Don't worry, I'm not going to stab her three weeks in one go. A little stabbing might be necessary at some point, but not yet. We need to first find her, see what she's up to, what the spell did to her, and go from there. Again, it's useless to plan, as we have no idea what she has been through. I will not fuck her right away. She might have issues with that, too."

Mariella's voice filled the room once more, filled with concern. "She might have, or she might not. But Damon, I'm not trying to be the bearer of bad news, but Magnum. He might set his sights on her unless you stake your claim on her. And whatever crisis she might go through, if we have these big problems with her neurosis, she must be knotted in her mind fully."

Damon's head bobbed in agreement, the weight of the situation sinking in. It had been so long since he held her in his arms, and felt the warmth of her against his chest. Since she had slept on top of him. But now, in reality, he had to let her feel his love once more. Was there even love left within him for her, or was it just a wispy remnant from the past haunting his memory? He hoped that they would have a good time ahead, but he knew himself. He needed to assert his authority, put her in her place, so to speak. And knowing her, she was not easy to put in place. Not easy to tame. Impossible to tame. 

He sat in the worn-out chair, his mind consumed by thoughts of the future. Once, he had been certain about what lay ahead, foolishly believing that his ability to see into the future would grant him knowledge of its course. But that arrogance had cost him their love. He had failed to see the entirety of the Damien situation, succumbing to his inner demons and treating Mimi poorly. And the aftermath was a mess of regret and "what ifs."

As he emerged from his reverie, a fragment of Mimi lingered in his mind, tormenting him. These recurring memories were both familiar and vexing, not truly his own. Yet he slipped into them, dwelling on past mistakes. Maybe he shouldn't be so cold and unforgiving about the past. Damon shook his head, realizing that tying his mind into knots over nothing would benefit no one.

Now was the time to be practical, to prepare for the arrival of their cubs and teach Wulfe and Magnum how things were done in their pack, not just with Mimi.

Mariella remained by his side, urging him to share his thoughts. "Something is bothering you. Come on, tell me. You know it helps," she said.

Damon sighed, finally opening up. "Damn, I've killed so many and it never felt like anything. But now, as I remember them, it hits me, you know? Or maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about. Mimi may have spared you from that kind of experience, my darling."

"Why don't you tell me what you remember?" Mariella encouraged.

"Fine," Damon relented. "There was this one girl. She was tiny, defiant, and probably a vampire. Brunette. I just had to have her. So, I drugged her and took her virginity. But she was dry, so I used lubricant meant to excite me. And, oh yeah, it worked. I even gave her another dose of drugs, strong sedatives, right before I fucked her. She was tight, perfect. The lube made it so perfect, you know how passionate it can be when you use those things. When I climaxed, I simply rolled to her side without even checking on her. She rolled onto her side and didn't move. I dressed myself and went off to have more fun. Well, in the morning, number two told me what had happened. I found out that the girl had died. Internal injuries and overdose. I just told them to dump her body in the forest and forget about her. She was a good fuck, but the world is full of good fucks. No need to lose a good night's sleep over some pussy."

Mariella sat in silence, her lips finally parting to speak. "Nothing will bring her back," she said, her voice filled with a mix of sorrow and anger. "The spell affected all of us, including you. Yes, you were a heartless bastard, but you were also a vampire. This spell has messed with everything. I'm not even sure if any of us can claim control over our actions. It's ironic how we now have concrete proof of Mimi's influence on us."

Damon let out a humorless chuckle, his eyes fixated on the cold, unforgiving wall. There was no redemption, no chance to undo the things he had done in the past. This entire situation brought back memories of his days as a cruel scientist, conducting tests and taking countless lives. It all came crashing back, and it would take time for him to find a way to move forward, bury his past, and embrace a new life.

Despite his best efforts to forget, he couldn't escape the memories. Each and every meal he had ever consumed remained etched in his mind. Frustration welled up within him, and he cursed under his breath. Somehow, he had shared Mimi's memory. He now possessed a photographic memory, and he wasn't sure if he could rid himself of this burden. It wasn't a good thing, especially considering his age and the cruelty he had witnessed. But on the other hand, it would strengthen him, and he wouldn't be alone in carrying this weight. He would be there to share it with Mimi. 

Damon leaned in close to Mariella, his voice filled with excitement. "It seems I've acquired her memory. I have a photographic memory too, Mariella. I can feel and remember everything. It'll take some time to control, but I want to keep this ability. I want to experience it fully and let her know. It's time for her to stop being so unique. I know I have a lot of shitty thoughts in my mind, but I can handle them, especially with you by my side. You've helped me a lot, my love."

Mariella pursed her lips, the memories flooding her mind, both good and bad. Only time would reveal where they would lead and whether they would disappear once the spell fully unraveled. As the pieces that didn't belong to them faded away, Mariella remembered those memories.

She turned to Damon and spoke, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I have quite a lot of very shitty memories, especially those involving Mimi. One of them is what happened to Rob. Goddamn, that was nasty."

Before Mariella could react, Damon reached into her mind, plucking the memories out and casting a spell that transferred them to his own mind. She couldn't resist or find a reason not to let him do it. After all, those memories weren't hers to keep, and Damon's protectiveness gave her hope that he would keep her safe. Maybe even Mimi, too. With those memories now in Damon's possession, they might uncover the truth hidden in Mimi's mind, where she had buried them.

Mariella spoke, gratitude lacing her words. "Well, thank you. Mimi has been through some serious shit, but be careful when you delve into those memories. You might get more than you bargained for."

Damon smirked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I thrive on raw, undiluted emotions. They give me a tremendous boost. Once I extract that emotional power, I'll be able to explore them fully. The spell is already in motion."

Mariella smiled, knowing Damon's greed wasn't a flaw but a driving force. She was prepared to embrace the pack life, to start anew once Wulfe's spell revealed Mimi's presence in their pack bond, allowing them to sense her. Finally, after a long time, everything might just be fine.