บท 204: 4. Sitting Down Here.
The time had come for the pack to meet Mimi. After gathering information, they discovered that she was currently in Europe. It had been a whole 12 weeks since she had been released from the hospital. According to what they had heard, she was not participating in missions, but instead traveling across Europe, going from base to base, resolving issues and moving on once everything was perfect.
Their contacts had been oddly quiet about her, providing little information other than the fact that she was professional and efficient. Damon and Colin were aware of this as well. They knew she might come across as robotic and distant, but they had a few strategies to try and evoke a response from her. However, first, they needed to gather information about what she was doing and how they could approach her to start her recovery with their help.
Currently, she was in Bulgaria, and Damon knew that there weren't many bases there. Since they hadn't been to bases in Europe before, they anticipated a different experience compared to the ones they were familiar with in America and Canada.
Damon looked at everyone and said, "Alright, it's time to face her and try to get a reaction. We need to see what she's doing, who she's with, and if we can find someone to help us evoke some emotions in her. It may seem brutal and cruel, but we know it's necessary."
The pack members nodded, having learned to embrace their feelings, even with the help of their spinal taps. Number four was excited to see what kind of medbay they would encounter, and Colin was eager to ensure that everything was running smoothly. He hadn't shared with anyone about his connection with Mimi, but he needed to be close to his mate. His leprechaun needed to see her and offer support.
With a clear direction and location in mind, they drove through the Bulgarian countryside in the darkness of the car. Mariella realized she hadn't spent much time in this country, but it seemed like a nice place. However, their original plan was to return to America and find a house that would have an impact, excluding Chicago as Damon wanted to preserve it. However, there were other options to consider as well.
They needed Mimi's surroundings to evoke feelings and memories. It would then become a question of telepaths monitoring her mind. If even a small feeling emerged, they would have ways to amplify it until it fully surfaced. Then, the game of distraction would begin.
The goal was for her brain to experience those negative feelings, but they would distract her by evoking physical sensations. This had been their most effective method for helping patients make progress in their recovery, and it would work for Mimi too.
However, it would require a great deal of patience and perseverance, as she might try to suppress those feelings before they had a chance to distract her. The impact needed to be strong enough so that she would be unable to stop feeling at the beginning.
As they drove up to the yard, it appeared as an industrial warehouse, even though it was located in the middle of the forest. The magic surrounding it made it look like an old abandoned place, a relic from a time when industries thrived in the area. They had passed a few similar buildings along the way, with old signs hinting at a forgotten past. It was a clever way to remain inconspicuous, and Damon was not surprised by this. Mimi was quite brilliant when it came to this line of work.
The car came to a stop, and the engine shut down. The pack collectively took a deep breath, preparing themselves to continue. They knew they had a lot to do, and while asking for forgiveness would be one thing, it could only happen once Mimi was fine. They walked up to the door, and Damon had made sure to inform the base in advance of their arrival. He wasn't sure if the information had reached Mimi, but they would soon find out.
As Number Two pulled open the heavy door, warm air embraced them, carrying the distinct scent of the base: a mixture of paper, computers, humans, guns, and coffee. It was almost comical, but Damon had grown accustomed to this smell. It had become familiar to him, and whenever he encountered it, he knew exactly where he was.
Working with those patients had caused him to rely heavily on his empathic abilities, and he hadn't thought to scale them back. He felt a profound sense of sorrow, so intense that it caused him to furrow his brow. It was clear that someone had died, but Damon couldn't determine who or why it had affected him so deeply. Sure, people were lost, but Damon and his pack hadn't been on missions where lives were lost for now, so he didn't fully understand the gravity of the situation. It left him to ponder what was going on.
They continued walking further into the base, and Mariella sensed Damon's problem so she telepathically asked Damon, "What's wrong? Something is bothering you."
Damon grunted, realizing that it wasn't yet time to share. He wanted to see what this was all about. The central hub was just as busy as other bases, and despite hearing Bulgarian, there wasn't much English being spoken here. The talking and chatter were just as enthusiastic as in other bases.
Soon, Damon's sharp eyes zeroed in on three very pretty ladies. One of them had white hair. No, it was actually gray, even though she wasn't old. There were black stripes in her silvery hair, and her facial features were refined, almost elfish. Another female had pale skin, night-black hair, and sharp eyes that seemed to penetrate Damon's soul, yet she somehow accepted him. The last one had warm brown, toffee-colored hair with black stripes, and there were even some lighter shades in her hair. She seemed the youngest, but her gaze was warm and trusting.
However, Damon couldn't shake the feeling that he knew them, even though he was certain he had never seen these three ladies before. The females were wearing T-shirts, and their perfect bodies moved with feline grace, showing that they were shifters. Damon soon noticed black bands on their arms, the kind one would wear as a mark of mourning. So, these were the ones who had lost someone.
The females walked up to Damon, and the one with silver hair said, "It's good to see you, although I'm guessing you have no fucking idea what has happened and who we are. Allow us to show."
As they changed shape, Damon couldn't suppress his gasp of awe as Lady and Luna, Thera stood before him in their feline forms. So, these ladies had learned to take on human form. Fine, they were pretty enough, but why the sorrow? Had they lost cubs or something?
The felines took their human form again, and Lady said, "I'm sorry to have to be the one telling you this, although I'm not sure if it affects you. But Bella, your former alpha mate, died."
Her voice rang softly in the air like bells, but there were notes of deep sorrow.
Mariella asked, "But how? She was a magic feline and a witch, a strong one. Why? Where? What happened?" She was puzzled, her brows furrowed and her posture tense.
Lady said, "Come, let's go to a slightly better place so we can explain. And then, you can meet Mimi. She's busy enough without having to report to you what happened."
Damon asked, "How is she? Does she have anyone to take care of her? I realized that I had taken away her hunger, and she was not too healthy. At least that's my guess."
Lady nodded and said, "She has someone. You'll get to see her, but come on, let us tell you what happened first, and then you can see her."
Damon was uncertain about the situation, but he followed behind three shifters - felines who could now take on human form. Surprisingly, something about their demeanor made Damon want to protect them, although he briefly entertained the idea of breeding them for their safety. They would be very well protected under him, being bred full of his cubs again. However, now was not the time to think about such carnal thoughts; he needed to focus on what had happened to Bella.
They entered a conference room where the pack and Lady, Luna, and Thera went to one end of the table when the rest of them gathered around a table.
Lady explained, "It was the nasty Sarks. They did this because of Mimi's new invention, which she gained during her time in South America. It was a nasty bug, something between a bacterium and a virus, targeting Bella's DNA. Despite Mimi's efforts, she couldn't save her. The Sarks, the evil ones, have once again made her their target. Not just her directly, but anyone close to her. That's why we're here, to stay safe."
Damon stayed silent while number four spoke up. "We need more information, data, whatever we can find. We should also talk to Mimi. How is it possible for a magical feline to die from a germ?"
Thera looked at them and explained, "You don't know much about magic cats, do you? Well, let me enlighten you. Behind every fairytale, there is a bit of truth. The legend or saying about cats having nine lives is true for us magical cats. We have nine entire lifetimes, and this was Bella's last one. She knew it, and it was her choice, right, Lepard?"
Lepard nodded and said, "I knew this, but it wasn't my place to say. Bella met me on Valentine's Day, and it was the last time I saw her. She knew she wouldn't survive. Her time was coming to an end, and if she hadn't taken this hit, then Wulfe, Murdock, and Dexter would have died. Mimi would have unleashed her darkness, and without Wulfe, she would have been unstoppable. The fate of the world would have taken a wrong turn."
Damon sighed, realizing that Lepard had been instructed to keep this information to himself. It frustrated him he could have maybe saved Bella if he had known. But in the end, it was her choice, and he smiled wistfully as he remembered what a remarkable alpha she had been.
Mariella asked, "Where is she? Is it bad? How is Mimi? And how about you? How many lives do you have left? Is Di safe?"
Luna replied, "They are all fine. We are safe here in the magic house because it is not aware of this new germ. Bella had her own project. She has been a snow leopard for a long time, through many lifetimes. She knows the dangers her species faces, so she did everything she could to ensure their survival. She even spent some time in zoos, had a litter or two there, and then moved on. Her last gig was in an Italian zoo, where the Sarks identified her and bribed a guard to poison her with that germ. Mimi heard about it and got her here, but it was so nasty that Mimi had to put her in medical sedation for the rest of her days. Mimi is recovering, but it's a slow process. Someone caught her right after she was going to Lake Lanier. So she hasn't been alone, but she feels nothing good every day. Maybe two to three times a week, for only ten minutes at a time. According to her friend, she is making progress much faster than others."
Charles said, a little irritated, "And who the hell is this friend of hers? Why aren't you telling us their name? And what does this 'they' know about what Mimi has? We've been helping victims for the past few weeks, and we know this stuff better than whoever she's with!"
Lady replied to Charles, "You know him, all of you know him. It's Jarod. He was the one who caught her. Miss Parker has been helping her too, but they have their own clinic, so she's needed elsewhere. Jarod and Miss Parker have encountered this syndrome before. They have cured a few vampires, so they know what they're doing."
Damon felt his hands clench into fists. Jealousy flooded his soul, and he wasn't surprised to see Wulfe's eyes flashing with jealousy as well. It was good for Wulfe. Soon, it would be time for Jarod to stop trying to claim Mimi for himself and let Damon take care of her. But at the same time, a part of Damon was glad that Jarod was the one who caught Mimi, and that she had someone taking care of her.
Soon, she would be part of their pack, the alpha female, and they would make her feel loved and cared for daily. Even though it would be hard, the physical side would help. Damon tried to keep his expression neutral, but his ferocity was evident. Luna, Lady, and the others couldn't help but smile slightly. It was good to see Salvatore upset instead of always smirking smugly. Despite their history, Damon was their alpha still, and they loved and respected him, but surely did not tell it on his smug face too often.
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