章 80: 40. All My Loving.
It was over. As I watched Damon hastily stride through the threshold of our house, we stood in the exact spot where we were forcefully taken from. But now, he no longer clutched my hand or even glanced in my direction. I realized he did not know, no inkling whatsoever, and somehow, that brought me a strange sense of relief. Another secret to conceal, another burden to bear alone.
Once again, he had let me down. This was our life, and I understood it would take time for me to process everything properly. This had been a test for me as well. As the triple-alpha, I had passed with flying colors. My abilities had thoroughly impressed the vampire elders. They assured me that it was entirely up to me whether I disclosed this information to anyone. I had the power to choose when, where, and to whom.
I had witnessed the final test, and while it had been shocking, the ease with which he killed me, carrying our unborn babies, for the sake of a human Mariella, I did not know what the parameters of the spell or whatever had been placed upon him. It had been obvious to me to kill Damien. On top of my head, I had come 45 different ways to get him killed before he would have time to slit Mariella's throat. According to the vampire elders, it was a sign of weakness, a flaw in his character.
It served as yet another reminder that love makes us settle for less, even those of us who are ancient and have had no hope for pure, unconditional love in our long span of life. We must accept whatever we can find. I saw this as a reminder that I always have Charles and Adam, but they would have faith in me and would not be led by their emotions even if I had been in Mariella's place. That desperate need for love would make me vulnerable, despite being the triple-alpha - a vampire, a woman, and a shifter.
Damon, on the other hand, had never proven himself, not even once, to those vampire elders who considered him a true alpha. Yes, he was undoubtedly old, perhaps even ancient, but he was not a true vampire mate, an alpha mate.
The elders' warning echoed in my mind, their words carrying a foreboding weight. The air felt heavy, as if darkness itself lurked just beyond the walls. I remembered the entire conversation with them. How the scent of uncertainty hung in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of aged books.
Their proclamation of Charles being my true alpha soulmate reverberated within me, a truth I couldn't deny. Our connection radiated with an intensity that surpassed all others. I was shocked out of my reverie as a tall figure emerged. Without warning, Charles emerged from the house, his steps purposeful and swift. He enveloped me in a tight embrace, burying his face in my hair.
His voice, filled with concern, whispered against my skin, "Honey, I've felt your absence. I felt everything that you went through, yet I was helpless to help you. What did Damon do to you?"
I responded, my words laced with longing, "Not enough. He is not my true alpha soulmate; that role belongs to you. But let's keep this between us."
Charles nodded, holding me steadfastly in his arms. He continued to embrace me, murmuring words of comfort that eased the tension I hadn't realized I carried. A sigh escaped my lips, releasing the breath I had unknowingly held captive.
Damon strode into the room, his presence disrupting the tranquility. Adam appeared, holding a tray of untouched food, surprise etched on his face upon seeing Damon. Adam explained that we had been away for only five days, yet Mariella's health had deteriorated in Damon's absence. Her weakened state mirrored the ache Damon had felt, affecting her well-being. Adam emphasized the importance of Charles' presence for Mariella's recovery, noting how he had made her eat more than others.
Damon nodded, his gaze fixed on the tray. He silently took it in his hands, acknowledging Adam's words before opening the door and entering the room where Mariella lay. Her frail form rested on the bed, her complexion pale and delicate.
Damon placed the tray beside her, settling himself by her side. His touch, gentle and tender, caressed her cheek as she opened her eyes, questioning reality.
"Is it really you? Am I dreaming? What's with the white stripe?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.
Damon reassured her, his voice filled with love, "Darling, I am here. Now, you need to eat and regain your strength. The white stripe is the mark of Merlin glass wizards, a symbol now adorning all of our magical pack members. Here, you have one too."
With great care, he brushed her forehead, tracing the long, pure white lock of hair. A smile graced her face, a testament to the newfound solace she found in his presence. Mariella smiled tiredly as Damon propped her better and fed her. Not giving any choice but to eat.
Charles guided me into the kitchen, his silent guidance speaking volumes. Though he asked no questions, I knew that our time for discussion would come. He motioned for me to sit at the table while he rummaged through the fridge, searching for nourishment. The room seemed to spin as my mind replayed the events, each detail etched into my memory.
I could smell a tantalizing aroma wafting in my nose when Charles fried several steaks. The aroma made my belly gurgle and almost convulse as I had gotten no sustenance during those tests while I had been Damon's energy source. But it is what it is.
When Charles got steaks fried, he took some sort of mold and cut those steaks while a subtle, contended smile played on his lips. Then I saw he had a large heart-shaped cutter, making my steaks into hearts. He took a little bit of bright pink mash and artfully squirted it into the plate, took perfect bechamel, and that dish was beginning to look just about perfect.
Damon took the tray closer to Mariella and fed her, keeping the food warm, and making sure that she would eat properly. Mariella ate, but her expression was somehow annoyed. She sighed, irritated, but kept on eating.
After this had happened several times, Damon could not help but inquire from his wife about what was a problem.
She said, "I should not be this nasty cow, but I can't help myself. Charles has been now my protector and taking care of me and that protector power, his purring is so perfect but since you came back, he is not even thinking of me when Mimi is his universe, He is in the kitchen making heart-shaped stakes for her and she is now his world and I am nothing."
Damon frowned. He thought for a while and knew that whatever Mariella wanted she would get it.
He said to her," Do you want then Charles here? I could purr at you, too."
Mariella replied, "You can, but you are not my protector and the purr of the protector is perfect."
Damon inquired what else she would want, and he promised to go to the shop after he would have delivered Charles to do his duty for her.
Mariella said, "You probably aren't so interested in talking about Mimi, but she has deficits too. My radar says so she should eat properly and not something pamper food made out by Charles, heart-shaped stakes."
Damon's expression got harder, and he said to almost himself, "Well, that is about to end, and I am the protector doing my duty."
He kissed Mariella, then walked out of the room and into the kitchen. He could feel his already spent nerves snap, and he was about to blow over and properly do so.
We were kitchen eating when Damon strode in; he looked at us, fury flaming in his gaze, his hands in tightly fisted, and suddenly the entire room was charged by his rage.
He spat out, to Charles with a voice that oozed venom, "Are you now done being a protector when Mimi is back? Is that so? How could you be so callous and uncaring for Mariella?"
Charles did not faze at all, instead remarking back. First, he took a piece of steak and fed it to me.
Then he said, "Mariella has you. I am not married to her, so I was a pack leader and protector while you were gone, and now it is your job to continue with her. I have my priorities clear. To me, Mimi, my wife, is to most important one, no one else. I am not living in Mariella's thrall. Mimi has feelings and needs too, which I am pretty sensitive to."
Damon said, "As a pack leader, I order you to go tend to Mariella. She needs you to hold her, purr at her, and focus on her. No one else."
I said to Charles in my mind as I saw he was about to lose it. " Go on, I will be fine, and he won't let you be with her for long. We will have time."
Charles rose as Damon strode closer, seized my plate, and threw it against the wall.
He said to me, "Who is your protector? Tell me, Mimi. "
I said, not sure what was going on. "You are my protector,"
Damon snorted and said sarcastically." And did you even ask me what to eat? Or was it just what Charles gave you better to have than what I would tell you?"
He did not wait for an answer but went into the fridge and piled up on a movable table a lot of food for me and brought them to me. There was a lot of food.
He said, "Now this is me being protector, eat away. I am off to shop to get pomegranate juice and fresh pomegranates and other stuff to get her appetite on the mend."
He went into the fridge and brought several smoothies to me before leaving, now as smug as ever as he had separated me and Charles. Making Charles all about protector and worshipping Mariella and making me a bad guy here. I did not mind.
Damon stepped outside, the cool breeze brushing against his face as he approached Mimi's luxurious car. The sleek exterior gleamed under the bright sunlight. He settled into the plush leather seats, the scent of a new car filling his nostrils.
With a determined expression, Damon started the engine and embarked on his drive to the shop. The smooth purr of the powerful motor drowned out any other sounds as he sped through the streets. The scenery blurred past his window, a mosaic of colors and shapes.
As he navigated through the traffic, Damon contemplated his reasons for driving. He wanted to give Charles enough time to calm Mariella down, knowing that a quick drive would suffice. Teleportation was out of the question, as there was no teleportation zone near the shopping center. Plus, he disliked the idea of lugging groceries over long distances before being able to teleport.
Finally, Damon arrived at the shopping center. He effortlessly maneuvered the sky-blue SUV into a prime parking spot near the entrance. Leaving the car behind, he entered the bustling shop.
Lost in his own thoughts, Damon paid little attention to his surroundings. He meticulously compiled a mental list of items he needed to get for Mariella. The scent of fresh produce and baked goods filled the air, blending with the sound of chattering shoppers and soft music playing in the background.
With his cart filled to the brim, Damon made his way towards the exit. As he stepped outside, his world twisted upside down. The vibrant scene before him transformed into a chaotic kaleidoscope. The air grew thick and disorienting, making it difficult to breathe.
He was trapped inside of prism or something like that, but there was nothing tangible in there. Just a surreal, scary feeling and he was no longer feeling invincible wizard, vampire, or energy creature but just a very helpless creature trapped in a nightmare.
A sense of malevolence washed over Damon, an unmistakable presence of wickedness. He could sense its presence, although it had no identifiable form or name. Helpless and confused, he found himself trapped in a disorienting limbo. Time, pain, and existence held no meaning in this strange prison, threatening to strip away his very sense of self. Damon desperately struggled to grasp his surroundings, but the unknown force was overwhelming, leaving him powerless and unsure of what to do.
Reality shifted once again, causing Damon's stomach to churn violently. He leaned over and retched, his legs trembling and his body convulsing as he emptied his stomach. His surroundings slowly came into focus, and he realized he was standing in a cage. Taking deep breaths, he tried to steady himself, but his mind was still foggy from the sudden shift.
Suddenly, he heard a slow, mocking clap. The sound echoed through the room, accompanied by a distinctly evil voice.
"Hello brother," it sneered.
Damon turned around to see a tall, lean man with black curly hair, dressed in jeans and a denim jacket. His dark brown eyes, thin nose, and thin lips exuded a sinister aura. This was Damien, and Damon could sense the malevolence radiating from him.
Damon's determination grew as he remembered Damien had multiple bodies, a secret he vowed to uncover and destroy. He desperately tested the cage, attempting spells, channeling energy, and using his strength, but nothing worked. The cage was designed to counteract his powers, leaving him trapped.
Damien approached, crossing his arms and smiling coldly as he watched Damon's futile attempts to escape. He spoke in a chat-like manner, a style that grated on Damon's nerves, as it reminded him of the shed where poor Mimi had endured similar ramblings.
"No use, brother," Damien taunted. "This cage will hold you, and I will teach you. As the older brother, it is my duty to impart important lessons to my baby brother. I am an excellent teacher, and you will learn a great deal about yourself, your pack, and many other things. I look forward to seeing you learn, helpless to resist."
Damon spat back defiantly, refusing to succumb to Damien's taunts. "I am not as weak as Mimi," he declared. "Your ramblings won't break me. I will break free, and you will regret this."
Damien snorted, his nostrils flaring as he spoke. "Therefore, this will be so much fun," he said with a wicked grin. "You, my dear brother, are sorely mistaken if you think yourself strong and Mimi as weak. It is the opposite of that."
Damien's voice held a hint of superiority, his words cutting through the air like a sharp knife.
"You see, your status as an energy creature is one weakness," he continued, his tone dripping with contempt. "Your magic is another one, and your stubborn love for Mariella is the biggest of them all."
The words hung in the air, heavy with a mixture of arrogance and truth.
Damon remained silent, his thoughts swirling in his mind. He had always considered his strengths to be his greatest assets, but now he realized they were his weaknesses. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
Damien's smile widened, a sinister gleam in his eyes, as he observed the realization dawning on Damon's face.
He sneered, "I told you, I am a wicked but good teacher. You should know it by now. After all, I taught you, I protected you, I raised you. All those centuries that I was in your mind, it was all me. I gave you spunk to fight back, telling you what you could do, giving you ideas, and helping you get stronger. I was always there for you, even when you knew nothing about me. I was being the big brother, raising my baby brother, and trying to make you a man, not a sex toy. I have manipulated you into the creature that you are today. You will never hurt Mariella like you did with Mimi just because you were jealous. You drove Mimi into the arms of Charles and despite what she says, that was it. Turning point. When the protector became a beast and someone else rose to be her true and willing protector, husband and you know just how well Charles senses Mimi. That is all your doing. Be proud."
Damon's mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Was Damien truly protecting him or trying to take over? And why would he attack Mimi if she was the perfect victim, as he claimed?
Uncertainty filled his voice as he finally spoke. "You're talking about Mimi, right? She's your perfect victim."
Damien's eyes narrowed, a flicker of annoyance passing over his face. "No," he said sharply. "She is not a victim. She is strong, stronger than you can comprehend. Mimi is the perfect woman, and you're just blind to see it."
Something in Damien's expression changed, and it was quite surprising for Damon to witness that and hear his voice. There were almost tangible emotions in his gaze. The room fell silent as Damien began speaking, his tone no longer mocking but sincere, sending a shiver down Damon's spine. It was as if he had developed a real obsession with Mimi.
"Mimi is not just a victim," Damien said, his voice filled with conviction. "She is a perfect woman, and you just don't see it. She is not jealous. She is independent, fierce, and a true warrior. Every time I catch her, she challenges me, full on, making me work for my pleasure, and it makes it all so much better when I finally win her."
Damon contemplated this revelation for a moment, only to be surprised by the next words that escaped his brother's mouth, shaking him to his core. "You see, Damon, my baby brother. To you, she is Mimi, but for me, she will always be baby. My baby. You don't call her 'baby' as often anymore, referring to her as a young lady or just plain Mimi. But she will forever be my baby. And you can think for yourself, was it me who gave you the idea to call her 'baby'?"
Damon remained silent, frozen in his thoughts. While he wanted to deny it, to defend himself and claim that it was his own idea, he couldn't be entirely sure.
Damien walked closer, his voice now a malicious whisper. "I told you, I am an excellent teacher, and this moment... oh, my God, how I am enjoying this. But let's continue our lesson, shall we? You see, as perfect as Mimi is, she is not the only one."
He whistled sharply, and suddenly, a woman walked in. She was petite, blonde, and undeniably human. She wrapped herself around Damien, their bodies entwined. Damon caught a whiff of the air, and it hit him. The woman was pregnant. Damien gently stroked her belly, still flat, indicating the early stages of pregnancy. Then he kissed her and used some sort of crystal to teleport her somewhere else.
He turned to look at Damon, who was trapped in a cage, consumed by anger and vengeful thoughts. He swore to himself that both the woman and the unborn child would pay for their association with Damien. Their scent lingered in the air, fueling his determination.
Damien's words cut through the air, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You won't remember this or her. Her name is Nancy, and she's not the only woman I've impregnated with my DNA. But I'll explain more about my body jumping later. For now, I want to show you just how weak you are as an energy creature."
As he continued his chatter, Damon's teeth ached, the sound of Damien's voice becoming unbearable.
Damien gestured towards Damon's left wrist, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "Look at your wrist. See that bracelet? Try to take it off."
Damon's fingers fumbled, but the bracelet remained tightly secured. It wasn't just an accessory; it was a receiver. Damien revealed a small device called the MMFT, a Multi-Modal Frequency Transmitter.
"This device transmits frequencies, and your bracelet receives them. Each frequency has its effects, and Mr. Sark, the creator, has studied energy creatures extensively. Their weakness is the key to rendering them helpless, with no expensive sedatives. Like Mimi, she's quite costly to control." His voice was again chatty and irritating.
Damon tried to maintain a neutral expression, but inside, he seethed with frustration. Damien's tedious explanations and the revelation that he could father children were unsettling. Damon, aware of his powerful telepathic abilities, knew it wouldn't be easy for to Damien influence his mind.
Determination filled him as he uttered, "I will kill every child you've ever fathered. I will stop you, permanently. You know me and my promises."
Before Damon could say more, Damien pressed a button, and suddenly, Damon was frozen. His body felt like stone, unable to move or speak. Damien chuckled, opened the cage door wide, and walked away. Despite the open door, Damon remained paralyzed, feeling no physical restraints. He could not reach into packbonds.
He was truly powerless, reduced to a mere silver bracelet. In his mind, he swore to find a solution to this predicament and others. Time seemed to stretch on, and finally, Damien returned, pushing a heavy cart with a sturdy steel chair. He loaded it into the cage, aligning the bolt holes on the chair's base with the holes on the cage floor. Using powerful bolts and a pneumatic tool, Damien secured the chair, clarifying that he was in control. He could have placed the chair earlier, but this was a lesson, a bitterly satanic one.
After fixing the chair, Damien bludgeoned Damon into it. He fumbled with a small device in his pocket, causing Damon's muscles to loosen slightly, but they still refused to obey.
With a firm shove, Damien pushed him into the chair and secured tight restraints around his wrists and ankles, binding him in place. The cold, unforgiving straps wrapped around Damon's body, constricting his movements. Damien pressed a button, and Damon regained some mobility.
Damien retrieved a smaller device and pressed it against a bracelet, causing it to open. He pocketed the bracelet and tapped Damon's cheek, a sinister chuckle escaping his lips.
"Little brother, how about the next lesson? I will show you I know Mimi better than you do. You don't truly understand her, and you do not know how well I know my baby," Damien taunted.
Damon fell silent, contemplating for a moment. A dark glint flickered in Damien's eyes, and Damon couldn't bear the thought of him getting to Mimi.
He mustered the courage to speak, "You tortured her for a year. Doesn't she deserve a longer break from you, you sadistic bastard?"
A wicked smile crept across Damien's face as he replied, "Oh, and what a glorious year it was. She was so pleasurable to fuck, so tight, wet, and unwilling. It's a shame you took my cubs away from her. Perhaps I'll get another chance someday to impregnate again her myself. She's an amazing mother. The alphas could sense her mourning for the ones you killed. A sign of a strong and good alpha."
Damon was stunned, unaware that she had mourned so deeply. Doubt about his abilities as an alpha and a husband filled his mind, etched on his troubled face.
Damien's smile widened as he continued, "You know how I'll lure Mimi to me? I need bait, and you, my baby brother, are my bait. Despite all she's been through, she will come to you. She will sacrifice herself."
Damon fell into silence, hoping that Damien's words wouldn't come true. But knowing Mimi, he couldn't be certain.
Almost softly, Damien murmured, "Of course, I'll need to work on you first, to make my bait even better. Let's begin. This is going to hurt."
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