The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

The first thing that struck me was the mewling and scent of my cubs. Here I was, Mimi Salvatore, an immortal hybrid and a new mother to a large litter of cubs. I opened my eyes, slowly recalling what had transpired.

My labor had taken a long time; despite the spinal block, I ended up needing three more doses and was completely exhausted. I remembered Damon extracting my cubs with his energy while I leaned against Wulfe, and then everything went dark. He must have cast a sleeping spell or something.

As my foggy mind began to clear, I sensed the remnants of drugs lingering within me. I realized I had been sedated, which was fine.

Blinking, I took in the white and yellow striped curtains, the arched windows, and the soft pastel rugs, recognizing that I was in my cub room. I could hear rumbling and other sounds nearby from my den made me frown slightly. The doorway had been closed and tightly sealed for the time being, covered with plastic.

I shifted my heavily pregnant body to find a more comfortable sitting position, and as I did, I heard soft footsteps approaching. I looked towards the door and it opened, revealing Wulfe pushing a cart filled with food in liquid form - coffee, smoothies, and more. He smiled at me and I returned the gesture.

"I hope I didn't traumatize you with my labor," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "I didn't mean for it to be dramatic."

Wulfe responded gently, "It was beautiful, one of the most beautiful things I've witnessed in my long life. Oh, look at them..."

His gaze shifted towards the piles of cubs on huge boxes near the warming units. "342 cubs, with over 250 of them being big species. They are precious. I can't wait to start feeding them."

Concerned about Wulfe's well-being, I asked, "Are you okay with just being with me? I mean, Mariella and the wolves have your cubs too, but it's better to start with one mother, you know."

Wulfe nodded and reassured me, "Yeah, I don't want to be anywhere else."

There was a flicker of emotion on his face.

Trying to put his mind at ease, I calmly said, "I know Damon is with Mariella as he should be. I'm fine, no need to worry about me."

He nodded in understanding.

Curious about the banging noise outside, I asked, "What are they doing out there?"

Wulfe explained, "The den is being prepared for next time. Number four wants it to be clean and somewhat sterile. Adam and Charles, number two, are installing shelves, flooring, and lights. They're making it perfect. Every Salvatore is pitching in to make sure everything is ready for you and the cubs. Number two is particularly interested in those bottles you have. He thinks they're better than the normal ones."

I chuckled and replied, "When you're a zoo vet, you have access to certain shops."

Just as I finished speaking, the door opened again, and this time it was number two who entered. The timing couldn't have been worse.

I glanced at one of my husbands, noting the familiar features that distinguished him from the others. His slightly crueler expression, the squint in his eyes, and his unique hairstyle made him unmistakably himself, not just a clone of Damon.

He joined me on the bed, while Wulfe settled on the other side. Our bed was large enough to accommodate our pack, and we occasionally enjoyed sleeping together or having an orgy.

"Now, baby," number two said, his voice laced with curiosity, "tell me more. Where did you get those bottles and what else?"

I rolled my eyes at his persistence, and number two conjured my laptop, placing it on my lap. Wulfe was ready to join in the discussion as well.

I said, "I only have access here because a vet license number is required to get certain medication."

Wulfe looked at me and said, "Oh, those ones huh?"

I nodded. Number two softly said, not gently, but with the steely edge of his voice, "Tell me more, show us."

So we spent the next three hours in bed. As I opened the shop site, I entered my credentials and then allowed number two, with number four joining as well, to place an order. They wanted the access codes, but it wasn't easy since a vet license was required.

They informed Colin, who also had a license, about this site. It was clear that they still remembered the potential threat these drugs could pose to us. After they had essentially emptied the shop with their orders, and number one had also expressed concern in my mind about the irresponsibility and danger of me knowing these places just for myself, it was time to do something extra.

Number four had to leave, but I still had number two and Wulfe with me.

I wanted to share something with them, so I asked, "Are you ready to experience a whole new kind of therapy? It's not always available, but it is right now. If you're ready, take off your shirts and pants. Lie on your back and relax. This is not anything naughty, on the contrary."

Number two didn't hesitate as he took off all his clothes. Well, as usual, Salvatores went commando, so there was nothing new there. Wulfe had his boxers on as he lay on his back. I got up and went to my cubs. I took a big basket and began selecting my therapy devices.

Once my basket was full, I laid one cub after another on top of number two. They moved a little bit before settling down to sleep on his warm body, listening to his heartbeat. Wulfe was very teary-eyed as I covered him with cubs as well.

I said, "Like I said, this therapy is not always possible, but when it is, it is one of the best feelings in the world."

Number two nodded and said, "They are purring. At least some of them are."

Wulfe nodded too. I took off my shirt and skirt, leaving only my panties as I collected a patch for myself and covered myself with cubs. Oh, the ones in my belly heard these, and they purred too. It was a weird sensation, to be purred at internally and externally.

I fell asleep, experiencing such a wonderful feeling. We all fell asleep, and the cubs were perfectly safe. We were warm enough for them to sleep on us.

As Damon and Mariella went to visit Mimi, Mariella was surprised by what she had not expected. Damon wanted Mariella to see the cubs too, even though it was not entirely suitable and a little risky.

However, Mariella had her shield, so her germs would not pose a threat to the cubs. She understood it was important to Damon to show her his cubs as well. She realized that even though he was with her; it was a sacrifice. A part of Damon, not a small part, wanted to be with Mimi.

But his promise to Mariella bound him, and no matter what Mariella would say, it would not make any difference. That's just who Damon was. He was Mariella's husband, pack leader, father of some of Mariella's cubs, and father of the whole litter with Mimi. Yet, he denied himself the opportunity to be with Mimi because he had promised that Mariella would come first.

Damon had told Mariella about the birth, and she had been helping with the cubs too. As usual, Mimi's cubs were huge and strong creatures, and there were moments of hissing as they displayed their mother's spirit. They walked to the door of the cub room, and Damon did not knock but opened the door.

He took a deep breath. Once again, pain lanced his heart, but he kept it hidden from Mariella. In the huge bed, Wulfe, Mimi, and number two were asleep, covered in a multitude of cubs. Some of the cubs were nestled near their necks, right in the pheromone cloud. Damon somehow recognized the black cub, a female lion, curled up in Mimi's neck - their firstborn.

Mariella said, "I want that. I'm not sure if Mimi would allow us, but by god..."

Damon nodded. He saw more cubs in their box, and there was enough room in the bed.

Damon said to Mariella, "Undress and go next to Wulfe. I will cover you. These are my cubs too, and this is an excellent way to get them used to our scents."

Mariella remained silent as she removed her clothes and carefully made her way to the bed. Damon gently placed the cubs onto her pregnant body, and soon enough, the restless cubs settled down, knowing they were in their pack.

Mariella exclaimed, "Oh my god, this is perfect."

Damon smiled and used his magic to move number two away from Mimi. He took a large number of cubs and positioned himself next to Mimi, covering himself with the cubs. The rest of the cubs acted as a warm living blanket, their soft fur tickling and their small nails pricking his skin here and there. He was surprised to feel several tiny tongues licking his blood, vampires with an appetite coming from Mimi. Of course, he purred to his cubs, and they purred back.

He pressed himself as close to Mimi as possible, fueled by jealousy as he swapped one leopard for Rosie, their firstborn, and placed her on his neck. Rosie hissed at him, causing Damon to smile. It didn't take long for both Mariella and Damon to fall asleep, their souls singing in harmony.

Before drifting off, Damon gently took Mimi's hand, wrapping his arm around hers, their scars pressing against each other, feeling the burn as their tattoos grew once again, bringing a smile to his face.

Later on, I woke up feeling cold. Opening my eyes, I noticed Damon, still fast asleep next to me, while number two was awake and number four, along with number two, was removing the cubs from us.

It was feeding time. Rosie curled up against Damon's neck, right on his pheromone glands, causing me to roll my eyes, not bothering to think about what the situation was. Mariella was also on my bed, covered with my cubs, sleeping soundly, and Wulfe was there too.

Number two softly said to me, "Baby, I'm up for this therapy any day. By God, it was perfect."

Number four chimed in, "Next time, it's my turn."

Rolling my eyes, I replied, "There are cubs on the others too. Maybe they can give you cub therapy. Sure, I'll have the next batch in a few weeks, so I'll have more of my little therapists. I'm getting cold as you take them off."

Number four smiled and said, "Quite a view, baby. Quite a view. If I weren't busy with feeding these ones..."

His gaze was heated, and even I felt like a bloated whale, not like a sex kitten.

As they took the cubs off number one, he wrapped himself closer to me. I noticed our arms were entwined, and I saw my tattoo grow, displaying us sleeping and covered with cubs. I also had a heart with paw prints and the name Rosie, along with vines growing halfway up my forearm, adorned with tiny paw prints. My cubs had left their mark, too.

Damon pulled me closer to him, murmuring, "Not yet, baby. Let them feed the cubs. I won't let you leave."

Mariella chuckled, but Wulfe had wrapped himself around her, keeping her as a hostage. It was nice. I wasn't bothered by the presence of others in my cub room like I used to be. I had changed, thanks to VENOMS. It had changed me for the better, and sometimes for the worse.

But being here in this wonderful bed, held by Damon, I couldn't find anything wrong. I belonged in his arms as much, or even more, than Mariella. Yet I allowed her to be there, too. 

I kept my thoughts hidden, perhaps a part of my mind or even a part of myself that had been hurt so many times by Damon, started to warn me about the realities. Eventually, this would come to an end and Damon would probably go on a well-deserved holiday in the Azores with Mariella, taking all the Salvatores with them.

No matter how hard I tried to keep them with me, I would most likely end up alone. Wulfe might go back to work as a wizard or Magnum, Alaric, and the boys might join the wolves and my four on a sex island in China or somewhere else.

I had to remember this. It was simply a fact of my life, and if I kept it in mind, it wouldn't be as painful as if I allowed myself to be overly hopeful and indulge in fantasies of Damon and me being together forever. I had to remember that despite how perfect this day might be in the future, I might have to pay for this bliss. I had to be prepared for that to happen. 

As I was pondering these thoughts, Wulfe's warm voice in my mind interrupted, saying, "My unicorn, if you don't stop that right now, I will tell Damon. I will expose this hidden part of yours, so he will know. If you want to keep your personal pondering to yourself, switch gears because I won't listen to you sabotaging your hard-earned happiness."

So I had to think of something else. I wasn't even attempting to create a new hiding place in my mind, as Wulfe was so perceptive.

And as I became slightly irritated, Damon's neck started to smell unbelievably wonderful.

But his alpha power hit me with enough force that his gentle, or seemingly gentle, voice chided me, saying, "Baby, not yet. We will go soon enough to eat something and you will have your bloods."

I obediently complied, although it annoyed me greatly. I had no choice.

Finally, Damon said, "Okay, darling, dress up. You too, Wulfe. No showering. I want to smell my cubs. And you too, no showering."

Wulfe responded, "Fine, but I am pretty hairy. Let those cubs feel some fur on me."

Number one simply smiled. He waited until Mariella, and Wulfe left our room before even considering getting up. 

I woke up and began to gather my clothes, but Damon quickly took them from my hands and handed me one of his shirts. It was big enough to accommodate my growing belly, and he gave me a maternity skirt. As we entered the cubs' room, they had already been fed and cleaned and were peacefully asleep.

Damon turned to me and said, "Baby, I can't promise that I won't go to the Azores. I just can't. But please know that I love you. I love our cubs, and you have no idea how much the promise I made to Mariella feels like a burden on my conscience."

This confession caught me off guard, and I replied, "I want to be happy. I want to trust that this feeling will last. But there's a part of me that has been hurt so many times, and it's hard to let go."

Damon looked at me with a smile and said, "Give it time. Let me teach that part to love again too. I'm trying, baby. I'm trying so hard. You know, Rosie, our firstborn cub, she's amazing. She hissed at me again, but I won her over with my pheromones."

I couldn't help but smile, and I showed him my tattoo. To my surprise, he had the same picture, with Rosie's name, my name, and his vines more intricately designed. He was quite proud of them.

Perhaps with time, I would learn to love every part of myself. But in this unpredictable life of mine, nothing was certain, not even death and taxes. After all, I didn't pay taxes, and I was an immortal, unkillable hybrid.