Bab 324: 3. Live and Let Die.
We walked into the spacious kitchen, the aroma of a freshly cooked meal filling the air. As I sat down, frustration gnawed at me for my past carelessness, leaving me with regret. My mind swirled with thoughts of my previous mistakes, memories of the warnings from Damon, Samuel, and Colin echoing in my head. I had used my past experiences as an excuse to act recklessly, and now I was facing the consequences.
With his piercing gaze, Magnum locked eyes with me for a moment and sarcastically remarked, "Oh, do you feel wise now?"
I shook my head, my expression conveying my acknowledgment of my foolishness. "No, I don't feel wise," I admitted. "I feel like I've become a living example of actions and consequences. I gave myself permission to be foolish, driven by my fear of nightmares and the dark. And now, I bear the weight of my poor choices, both physically and mentally."
Magnum's concerned expression showed his understanding of my predicament. He remained silent, allowing the weight of the situation to linger in the air.
Colin, joining the conversation, gently advised me, "Young lady, you need to sleep. It's not healthy to stay awake for months, regardless of your supernatural nature. And it's crucial that you have access to the medicines on the medbay."
I let out a weary sigh, acknowledging the truth in Colin's words. "I know," I replied. "But the nightmares... they're unbearable. As for the meds, I don't have control over them. Samuel and Damon bring them here. I can only hope they sort it out soon. In the meantime, I have my trusty stash of dental supplies."
Colin nodded understandingly and ate with enthusiasm. Despite being a human, Magnum, too, indulged in generous portions, and his enhanced abilities allowed him to burn calories effortlessly. His consumption of my blood over the years had transformed him into something almost superhuman.
As the scene unfolded, the sights of the well-stocked cupboard and the delicious meal before us added a touch of normalcy to our conversation. The sounds of cutlery clinking and the occasional murmurs filled the kitchen, creating a sense of companionship. The smell of the home-cooked meal permeated the room, inviting us to savor its flavors. And in the midst of it all, I couldn't help but feel the weight of my actions and the consequences they had brought upon me.
I released Mimosa, and she gracefully leaped through my gaze, escaping the confines of my thoughts. Like a mystical creature, she transformed into a wolf, her fur shimmering with enchantment, and headed towards her meal.
Colin observed for a moment and spoke, "Mimosa, my lady. After your feast, we have a rendezvous at the medbay. I will thoroughly examine you, mapping out our next steps."
Mimosa let out an exasperated sigh but dutifully resumed her devouring. I added another kangaroo flank to her food, knowing her fondness for the bones. Though the meat would soon be gone, Mimosa would be content, leaving behind her signature bone-filled droppings.
Colin studied Mimosa's bone-chewing and declared, "Rest assured, miss wolf, I will conduct careful scans to shed off excess mass from your form."
Mimosa scowled and continued her bone destruction. Magnum, with a wide grin, seemed to share a special bond with Mimosa. As they interacted, I had eaten my fill, satisfying multiple empty stomachs.
Magnum inquired, "Have you discovered the tunnel, or the hidden passages yet?"
I shook my head, confessing my lack of focus on the matter at hand, as it was not a pressing concern at that moment. If Colin wished to examine Mimosa, I had no objections. Outside, several trees still needed to be felled, calling me back to my chainsaw work.
Magnum asked, "What will you do now? Colin lacks the necessary medicine, and we must wait for the pack to provide you with the opportunity before they sedate you again."
I smiled and replied, "Actually, I plan to fell a few more trees, and perhaps decide later whether to chop them up."
Magnum gazed at me intently and suggested, "Let me join in too. It's been a while since I last wielded a saw, and your powerful one seems quite impressive."
I let out a sigh as Colin coldly interrupted Mimosa's bone feast and escorted her to the medbay. With a dramatic eye roll, my wolf followed obediently. Magnum patiently waited while I loaded the dishes into the machine, and together we ventured outside.
I entered the shed, the creaking door echoing in my ears, and immediately reached for my chainsaw. The scent of oil and wood filled the air as I scanned the surroundings. Dressed in denim jeans and a soft cotton tee shirt, I neglected to put on any protective gear, confident in my skills.
"Look at those towering conifers," I said to Magnum, my voice filled with concern. "They're lifeless, ravaged by disease. I've examined them with my drone."
I displayed the drone's image on my phone, and Magnum nodded in understanding. He was well aware of the tree disease slowly decaying the trees, making them a potential hazard.
Furrowing his brow, Magnum observed the trees I had pointed out. They stood tall, reaching heights of over 10 meters, perhaps even closer to 15 meters. Despite their diseased state, they offered ideal spots to cut them down. However, the thought of me taking down such a colossal tree amused him. He chuckled softly.
Magnum picked up the chainsaw, its weight conveying its immense power. He cradled it in his hand, ready to tackle the task at hand. It would require considerable strength to maneuver the formidable saw and ensure the tree fell precisely where intended. Magnum suspected that my previous experience of felling over 30 trees had not always gone as planned, triggering my replication enzyme.
The saw came to life with a mighty roar, vibrating fiercely in Magnum's grip. He could feel the raw power coursing through the tool as he embarked on his mission. He had retrieved his work clothes from the car, which were not official lumberjack attire but could still provide protection.
With his powerful swing, Magnum felled all six towering trees, their trunks crashing to the ground. The echoing thud reverberated through the air, accompanied by the sharp crack of splitting wood as he chopped them up. As I approached with a wheelbarrow, the scent of freshly cut logs filled my nostrils, a blend of earthiness and pine. I carefully loaded the heavy logs onto the wheelbarrow, feeling the rough texture of the bark against my hands.
With a determined stride, I maneuvered the wheelbarrow towards the clapper, the rhythmic clinks of metal against wood filling the air. The sun beat down on me, warming my skin as I worked, creating a sense of urgency to complete the task before the rain clouds rolled in. Luckily, rain was a rare occurrence in this part of the world.
Lost in my thoughts, my concentration flitted about like a butterfly, never settling on one thing for long. I found myself easily distracted, constantly shifting from one job to another. The ranch, a patchwork of unfinished tasks, reflected my scattered focus.
I had recently gained a branch shredder, its mechanical hum punctuating the air as it devoured twigs and branches. The resulting pile of shredded material served as both cover and nourishment for the chickens, who eagerly pecked and scratched, always finding something to eat.
As I cleared out one of the outdoor storage areas, I simultaneously fed branches into the shredder. Curious about my activities, Colin approached to see what I was up to. Emerging from the storage area, I carried an appliance engine of unknown purpose, its weight straining my muscles. Opening the door to the storage room, I caught Magnum's gaze fixed upon the contents within.
Returning to the branch pile, I handpicked a stack of thick eucalyptus branches, their fragrant aroma mingling with the crisp outdoor air. I fed them into the shredder, and the machine smoothly accepted their bulk. Any loose fragments that escaped were swiftly brushed away, the sensation of the larger pieces against my skin reminding me of the progress made.
Meanwhile, Magnum focused his attention on the clapper, his skilled hands creating a symphony of claps. Noticing that my sack was brimming once again, I hoisted it up and made my way towards the chickens' enclosure. The chickens, skittish in my presence, scurried away, their feathers rustling softly in their haste.
In passing, I contemplated the addition of peacocks to the flock, envisioning the vibrant display they would bring. However, the absence of a suitable rooster lingered in my thoughts, preventing such a plan from coming to fruition just yet.
Colin looked at me with interest and said, "I suppose we could get something to eat in a minute."
I nodded, and Magnum came when we finally went inside.
Colin said, "Did you know we were watching your DNA and your genes? And they're changing slowly, and I don't know where yet, but Damon is also going in the same direction. After all, you're each other's biological halves. Now Mimi. You are a werewolf, about 60%, then you are a vampire, about 20%, and then the rest of you are feline, shifters, to be exact—20%. Damon is the same, except he is a vampire 60%, a werewolf 20%, and a feline 20%. And the most amazing thing is. So is Mimosa. She has 10% cat. I don't know yet what kind of cat and how it manifests itself, but if you are already about vampire but 20%, then what cat is in you? I don't know that yet, except that your horses, llamas, alpacas, and chickens know. They sense your cat's side, so they are in a frenzy. "
So good God. Now I'm some kind of tribid. Werewolf-vampire-cat-animal shifter. I'm some kind of fucking new creature. I'm gonna take a cat form one of these days. And which one? It would be ironic if I became just a house cat.
I was just wondering because I had a very strong vampire. I had found my blood lust, and I already had the same amount of a feline in me. When I have time to tell Jarod about this, he's having a hell of a time with it. He'll probably send me a catnip or something. Fine, that's fine.
Magnum came over to say, "By the way, your green room needs a little renovation. That's fine, but you knocked down a load-bearing wall that needs shoring up."
I was silent. How do you tell the difference between a load-bearing wall and a non-load-bearing wall? Well, the next time I renovate, I'll have to do a bit of studying first. Magnum had picked up some thick beams from somewhere in between that he had already tuned for the green room. When he had finished, the men wandered over to the sofa in the living room and started watching TV.
I let the men turn on the TV and went off to enjoy my jewelry myself—time for the next job. I had bought an enormous collection of unprocessed gemstones, so they hadn't been cut or graded. Not all the stones had been identified. This was a kind of dump; when you were looking for a mineral, then everything else was thrown in the trash and given away somewhere.
There might be nothing strange there, but there might also be some really beautiful stones. I had at least 200 kilos of these stones. They had been brought in by lorry, and probably more. I'd just taken a bucket of them and set up a stone working room in the basement where I'd taken the stones to grind.
Normally, the way these mines sold these stones, for example, the stones could be partially melted down and cast into tables, or someone, if they bothered to go through the crumbs, could find some gemstone just like that.
I had the stone-working tools and had put another set of stones in the grinding drum and flushing a couple of weeks ago. Now, I thought I'd go take the stones out and start looking at what I had got. Another profession I wanted to learn was gemology and jewelery. I knew that gold or even platinum could be worked in a certain way so that it wouldn't bother us supernaturals.
I walked calmly into the dimly lit stone room, feeling the coolness of the air against my skin. The room was spacious, with a long table positioned in the center. At the back of the room, four stone-cut drums sat silently. Their rhythmic beats now ceased.
To the left, a large shelf displayed an array of small dishes, each labeled meticulously. On one end of the table, a pile of polished stones shimmered under the soft glow of a lamp. At the opposite end, a comfortable chair beckoned, accompanied by a powerful lamp, various chemicals, books, manuals, empty boxes, and blank labels.
On the right side of the room, sacks filled with grinding powder towered over larger jars containing unknown substances. A smaller shelf showcased a collection of precious diamonds and gemstones, their brilliance captivating.
Crossing the room with purpose, I approached one of the stone drums. With anticipation, I opened it, revealing the treasures hidden inside. I had only experienced a few drum rolls before, keeping the polished ones on a nearby shelf.
Now, on the table, lay a generous heap of polished stones, their identities yet to be discovered. The sight was awe-inspiring. All stones seemed to hold their own unique beauty, boasting an impressive size. Carefully, I poured the stones onto the table, marveling at their splendor.
Returning the drum to its original position, I settled into the chair, drawing the lamp nearer for a closer inspection. As I examined each stone, time seemed to slip away, forgotten. The journey from America to Australia alone took approximately 19 hours by flight, followed by another four hours of driving. It was now 11 PM, and the men had likely arrived at 7 AM, factoring in travel time. However, such thoughts were momentarily pushed aside as I immersed myself in the task at hand.
Seated comfortably, I picked up one stone, feeling its smoothness against my fingertips. The colors that adorned it ranged from shades of purple and blue to white, creating a mesmerizing pattern. It was undeniably a beautiful stone. Moving on, I encountered a white-black speckled specimen, its name eluding my memory for the moment. And then, there it was, a rose quartz of exquisite beauty, still intact and resembling a heart. I made a mental note to keep this one aside.
Sorting through the stones I could identify, I meticulously labeled each one, relishing the joy of recognizing the different gemstones. One day, I promised myself, I would bring a gemologist here to validate my findings and see how accurate I truly was.
In the stone room and basement, I spent hours engrossed in studying the countless stones. As I turned them over one by one, each stone's smooth texture and weight fascinated me. Unbeknownst to me, Magnum and Colin had quietly joined me, their presence unnoticed amidst my exploration.
Three drums filled to the brim with stones. I had provided ample space and soundproofing in the room.
Eagerly examining one drum, Colin suddenly exclaimed, "Did you know you have a plethora of rubies and sapphires here? And these might be opals?"
I glanced up, momentarily distracted, and replied, "Oh, I haven't reached that far yet. I'm simply marveling at the variety. I love identifying the different minerals."
Just then, Magnum entered the room, carrying a sizeable container that held all the rocks I had retrieved from my safe deposit box. He had taken it from a shelf on the right side of the room.
Magnum remarked, "These ought to be stored in a bank vault. They are predominantly diamonds and other precious stones."
A sigh escaped my lips as I contemplated their immense value. "It felt like a hidden treasure when I retrieved them from my safe deposit boxes. I had even entertained the idea of learning jewelry making and crafting my own pieces from these stones."
Suddenly, my attention was drawn to a stunning amethyst, its deep purple hue glistening in the light. I held it in my hand, its smooth surface cooling my skin.
Magnum, his voice soft but dangerous, inquired, "What else have you discovered in your safe deposit boxes?"
I innocently met his gaze and replied, "Weapons, samples of drugs, which I've been supplying to Colin and Samuel, along with these precious gems, stocks, and money. I haven't even delved into many of the lockers. I only went through the three bank boxes upon my arrival here. I had completely forgotten about the many banks I had used in Australia."
Magnum remained remarkably calm as he spoke deceptively gently, "Tell me about the guns."
Determined to show him, I rose from my seat, and we made our way down the corridor together.
I entered my secure armory, a room fortified with thick walls and heavy doors. As I turned the handle, the metallic click echoed through the room, revealing my haven. Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of gunpowder and chemicals, a potent mix that lingered in the atmosphere.
With a combination of my fingerprints, blood, and retinas, I unlocked the door and allowed the boys to enter—the sight before us was awe-inspiring. A vast collection of weaponry greeted our eyes - 60 guns neatly arranged on racks, along with 30 rifles, their barrels gleaming in the dim light. Among them, ten sniper rifles stood out, their precision clear.
Rows of shelves held various explosives, their labels showing their dangerous contents. Chemical concoctions and experimental guns adorned the other wall, a testament to my fascination with innovation. Tranquilizer pistols and rifles sat nearby, their darts ready for use, a silent reminder of the potential power within.
I had meticulously emptied one of my larger vaults, enlisting the help of bank staff to load the firearms into my pickup truck. Inspecting the room with care, Magnum marveled at the sheer magnitude of my collection.
"There is an amazingly enormous collection of guns," he remarked. "I wonder what Adam or Damon will think of this. Do you know anyone else with such storage?"
I shook my head, acknowledging the uniqueness of my armory. "These weapons primarily came from one vault," I explained. "Other houses may not have their own stock yet, but my cars, on the other hand, are fully equipped."
Determined to showcase my storage system, I led the men outside. In the open air, I revealed my two fully loaded cars, standing as a testament to my preparedness. Eager to find medical supplies, Colin rummaged through the first aid kit, his hands moving swiftly. Magnum, drawn to the weapons on display, observed in silence.
As Colin gathered the medicines into a bag he had taken from the car, he excitedly turned to me. "These will do just fine for you," he said. "You'd better come inside, and I'll perform the operation. This place houses an impressively efficient pharmacy, doesn't it?"
I hadn't realized the extent of the medicines available, but I reassured myself that the supplies would be replenished.
Following Colin's invitation, I followed him back inside, preparing myself to become the patient. I felt a sense of calm without dwelling on the situation too much. After all, there was no need to worry when the tools were within reach.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone