Chapter 305: 24. I'do Anything For Love, But I Won't Do That.
Throughout the entire drive, Damon was fixated on the rhythmic thumping of the heartbeat. He could feel his own pulse growing slightly stronger, as if intertwining with Mimi's, creating an unbreakable connection between them. Focused on using his telepathy, Damon concentrated on strengthening the delicate bond they shared, unsure if he was amplifying it or simply granting Mimi more resilience through their connection.
Unbeknownst to Damon, he had been driving recklessly for three hours, erasing the memory of his speeding from the minds of several passing police patrols. But now, he had arrived. He parked the car in front of the imposing gates, input the code, and watched as Samuel emerged. The gates swung open, allowing Damon to drive the car into the driveway where Samuel awaited.
Damon exited the vehicle and instructed Samuel, "Wait a moment, put your ear and cheek there, and listen."
The thump of a heartbeat and a gentle breath reached Samuel's senses. He stood up and nodded, captivated by this extraordinary experience. However, Mimi's condition was dire, her desiccated state making everything seem unfamiliar and new.
" I will bring her inside; this will require time," Damon said softly.
He cradled the withered mummy in his arms, carrying Mimi with utmost care as he stepped inside. Descending the stairs to the basement floor, Damon walked down a pristine white hallway, Samuel leading the way and pushing open the doors. Samuel had already prepared a makeshift bath for Mimi, hoping that her parched skin would absorb the liquid it contained. The fluid swirled around, carrying with it a medley of other ingredients, all aimed at reviving Mimi's vitality.
Samuel said, his voice tinged with anticipation, "This may be crude, but I have to start with the brain. I need to wake them up first."
The sound of his words echoed through the sterile room." And I have to open up Mimi's head." Samuel continued.
Damon nodded, his hands trembling slightly as he carefully lowered Mimi onto the cold examination table. The men stripped the mummy of her clothes, the fabric rustling as it fell to the floor. Damon picked up the ring, its smooth metal cool against his fingertips, ensuring it wouldn't get lost, and went to change. The scent of disinfectant lingered in the air as Samuel prepared himself for what was to come. He had never seen Mimi hibernate, and curiosity danced in his eyes.
Samuel's gloved hand grasped the saw, its sharp teeth glinting under the bright overhead lights. With precise movements, he worked. The sound of metal meeting bone filled the room, accompanied by the faint hum of machinery in the background.
Samuel worked efficiently, his steady hands guiding the saw as Mimi's skull was delicately removed, revealing the shriveled, brownish brain beneath. The sight was both fascinating and unsettling.
With careful precision, Samuel drew a thick liquid into a syringe, the sound of the plunger being depressed filling the silence. A single drop of the nutrient solution glistened on the surface of the exposed brain. This was the culmination of his team's efforts, a solution they had developed and were now ready to experiment with. The room was filled with a sense of anticipation as Samuel observed, waiting for the first signs of progress.
At first, nothing happened. The drop remained still, a small shimmering pool on the surface of the brain. But then, slowly, it was absorbed. The second drop followed suit, disappearing more quickly into the thirsty tissue. After what felt like an eternity but was only 10 minutes, the brain had an obvious difference.
Damon entered the room, his own hands now encased in sterile gloves. He cannulated himself, the sound of the needle piercing his skin barely audible over the hum of the machines. Blood flowed into bags, the rhythmic drip filling the room with a steady beat.
Samuel watched Damon's actions with keen interest, his eyes never leaving the sight of blood being collected.
Damon spoke, his voice slightly muffled, "I guess my plasma helps quite a lot, too."
Samuel nodded, acknowledging the contribution. The drop of nutrient solution had already moistened the brain, causing it to swell and change before their eyes. Damon took 35 liters of his own blood, the sound of the centrifuge whirring as he prepared the first batch.
Warm plasma was brought in, its comforting heat palpable in the sterile room. Samuel carefully drew it into a syringe, the sensation of the liquid flowing through the narrow tube sending a shiver down his spine. He dripped it onto the brain, the absorption now happening at a faster pace.
Excitement filled the room as Samuel mixed Damon's plasma with the nutrient solution, their collaboration now yielding promising results. Each of them took their own sections of the brain, the texture slightly moist under their gloved fingertips. They worked in tandem, their movements synchronized, as they meticulously moistened each spot.
Time seemed to slow as they observed the gradual change taking place, their focus so intense that they hadn't even noticed Adam watching from the corner of the room. When Adam finally heard what was going on, he sank into a nearby chair and sighed, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon him.
Four months ago, a large, supposedly abandoned facility had burned in Missouri. But when firefighters arrived at the scene, they discovered it was a pharmaceutical facility, and now it was under investigation.
Three days later, Samuel and Damon were filled with satisfaction as they surveyed their progress. Mimi's brain was now almost normal size, the nutrient solution having been absorbed remarkably well. Her skin appeared slightly more moist, a subtle change in texture. And now, Mimi's breaths came once every five minutes, the sound of each inhale and exhale a small reminder of life. Her heart beat once a minute, the rhythmic thump echoing through the room, a testament to their success.
Mimi was immersed in a bath filled with an unusual concoction—the water mixed with Damon's bumps and plasma, creating a unique scent that filled the air. The bath also contained glycerol and other substances, adding a moistening effect to Mimi's tissues.
With Damon's help, Mimi was eased out of the fetal position, and the metallic smell in the room intensified. Adam reached out to Colin for help, while Magnum, Higgins, and others were aware of the situation. Meanwhile, the relentless fleas focused their attention on chasing Sark, while Damon and Samuel took a break to eat, rest, and shower.
Colin arrived to continue working with Adam, their primary goal being to establish a vein connection and revive Mimi's heart. With precision, Colin opened Mimi's chest, moistening the heart as Adam assisted with her lungs. Their efforts were tireless as they gradually restored the heartbeat and started the flow of nutrient fluids.
Colin carefully inserted a cannula into Mimi's heart, continuously dripping fluid into it. As the fluid was absorbed into the aorta, other veins regained their function, pumping fluid further into Mimi's body, awakening her dormant tissues. Damon and Samuel joined in the effort, cannulating Mimi's femoral arteries and bringing life back to her limbs.
Slowly, Mimi's body emerged from its hibernation state. The men barely slept, consuming whatever sustenance they could find and taking quick showers or naps, only to return to their task. It took a grueling eight weeks to reverse the hibernation completely.
The wizards arrived to aid in the removal of the metals, and Samuel administered a sedative to Damon as he drifted off to sleep. Damon's teeth, under stress, produced several liters of anti-hibernation fluid, although only a small amount was needed. Samuel observed Damon's reaction and remarked on the stress his teeth were experiencing. Damon felt a deep sense of protectiveness towards Mimi, especially when he saw her body writhe in discomfort as Dresden extracted the metals.
He was lashing out, so Samuel put him to sleep. Damon took three days of deep sleep, during which the wizards worked diligently. Samuel conducted a scan on Mimi, revealing the need for surgery. He discovered remnants of a previous abortion still present in her body. Damon joined the surgical team, momentarily experiencing strange images of Mimi in her wolf form, with a cannula in her womb and sperm dripping inside her.
However, he quickly pushed those thoughts aside, focusing solely on the operation. He didn't want to know if he had any involvement in Mimi's hibernation. The operation proceeded smoothly, with Mimi's frail body weighing a mere 28 kilos. Once the procedure was complete, Mimi developed a fever, showing that the infection still lingered within her.
Mimi's infection was also activated, and they could treat it. For some specific reason, they kept Mimi under anesthesia, although Damon would have liked to see Mimi open her eyes. Damon's teeth were still a mess, and he made velvet mostly, or almost again, a love potion as if to tie Mimi to himself.
Samuel sighed. This had been a bloody hard time for all of them, and it had been three months since Damon had brought Mimi to Chicago, two months to reverse the hibernation. They had been fighting this infection and feeding for five weeks now, but Mimi was okay, at least physically, and the mental side remained to be seen.
Mimosa walked over to Samuel, put her muzzle on his lap, and sighed. Mimosa had jumped free seven weeks ago when Mimi's slumber had turned enough. Samuel had kept the wolf under anesthesia for a few weeks and fed her.
Mimosa said, "Mimi will wake up soon. It's been very hard on the whole fucking pack, and we'll get through this."
Samuel said, "Yes, Mimi is now 38 kilos. She's ready to wake up, and Damon was already carrying her downstairs to the bedroom. He wants Mimi to wake up safe in her own nest even though he could have taken her upstairs, so he thinks of her first."
Mimosa sighed and said, "Oh, I hope for brighter times ahead. It's been years of rough times for Mimi, and you know Bran ordered Mimi to rescue the men from there."
Samuel was silent and said, " What else can you expect from Bran?"
Samuel had been ruthless and got Bran to help take care of Mimi, too. Let Bran see a completely mummified Mimi and then had Bran moisten her too, though Bran had left from Chicago quickly after a few days. Samuel sighed. His father was far from perfect, and there was no way he was going to change that.
I woke up in my bedroom downstairs in Chicago. The last thing I remembered was finding the cave and going to sleep. Somehow, I knew it had been months. I was safe; how I had ended up here, I couldn't remember. I knew I had been to the Rainbow Islands, talking to relatives and telling them all the things I had been through, but I couldn't remember the details.
Now I was back in my life, and I should deal with the whole damn thing. I sighed and sat up. I didn't feel overmedicated, so I was pretty much back to normal, and now I felt really dirty. I remembered all the matings, the miscarriages, the tests, every death.
I felt my teeth were leaking something, and I drained a jar from the bedside table drawer. I don't know what I was leaking; I had ready 18 pcs 500 ml jars, and there was a truckload of stuff. Probably poisons.
Now I had to take a shower. My hair was vaguely colored, dirty, greasy, not red and not blond, but almost brownish grey.
I went to the bathroom, stripped naked, and got under the shower. I started scrubbing myself, and it became some kind of stressful reaction that I couldn't stop washing myself. My skin was already bleeding, and everything was just pouring out on me.
The way my spine was destroyed came back to me as I was washing my back, or all the murders, every one of them flashing in my head, the horrible drug that made me feel so damn confused and helpless. I felt like I was back there in the institution, trapped, in between transformations, being mated, or how that sperm dripped into my uterus.
I collapsed on the floor of the shower and started crying uncontrollably. I felt someone touch me, and I lifted my head. Mimosa.
She sat beside me and said, "I know, Mimi, it was awful. Go ahead. No one can hear you."
But I wouldn't have minded if someone had heard.
Mimosa looked at Mimi, who was crying at the bottom of the shower, scratching at her skin, rocking herself.
Mimosa walked into the living room and said, " Mimi is awake."
Damon lifted his head from the magazine he had been reading, and so did Adam.
Mimosa continued, "She is crying in the shower. All the memories are flooding back, and she has scrubbed her skin raw. She's a mess right now."
Damon said softly, " Adam, go put on some bump to warm up the skin temperature and then come into Mimi's bedroom; it will help her skin. I'll get her out of the shower already. While you're at it, bring the cocktail ready. She needs to sleep safely."
Samuel got up with Adam and said, "I'll get the cocktail ready, and Adam will bring it then."
Damon nodded, his footsteps echoing softly as he made his way toward Mimi's bedroom. With a heavy heart, he pushed open the door; the hinges creaking in protest. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he was met with the sound of Mimi's tear-filled cries, piercing the air like a wounded bird's song.
Gently, he tiptoed into the dimly lit bathroom stall, the cool tiled floor meeting his soles. The pungent scent of tears and despair lingered in the air, mingling with the steam rising from the shower. His eyes caught sight of Mimi, slumped against the shower floor, her body adorned with long, raw scratches. She frantically scratched and clawed at her own skin, a desperate attempt to escape the torment within.
Damon, his heartbreaking, glimpsed the depths of Mimi's suffering. He knew that mending her wounded soul would require patience and effort. Without hesitation, he extended his hand, ready to offer solace and support to his beloved.
Then I felt someone gently pull the water out of the drain, the sound of it echoing through the room. They helped me to stand, my trembling legs struggling to support me. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision as I frantically rubbed my hands all over myself, feeling the wetness and stickiness of blood.
Determined hands gripped my arms, their touch providing a sense of stability amidst the chaos. Damon enveloped me in his embrace, his touch soothing and comforting despite my drenched, bloody, and hysterical state. He guided me towards the bed, where he dried me off tenderly, the soft fabric of the towel against my skin, offering a sense of warmth and safety.
Adam stood nearby, his presence a calming presence. Damon held me close, his powerful arms providing a sense of security, while Adam carefully spread to the bump on my raw skin, his gentle touch easing the pain. With their support, I was guided into my nightgown, the soft fabric sliding over my skin, bringing a sense of familiarity and comfort.
The three of us moved together towards the bed, my sobs still uncontrollable, the sound echoing in the room. I could feel the lingering sting in my arm of an injection that Adam had given me, a reminder of the ordeal I had endured, as exhaustion finally overcame me. With my eyes wet and heavy, I drifted into a restless sleep, Damon's presence a steady presence against me, while Adam continued to stroke my back, his touch a lullaby amid my turmoil.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone