It had been a few days since I'd woken up hungover from hell, and it took a bit of time to fully recover. Damon and Mariella had also returned from their trip. Damon wasn't too cheerful, and I guessed he must have felt hungover in his bones as well. Going on a trip with lively kids might have been a bit of an effort for him.
I had once again found some of my old clothes. I realized that I might have been a bit loose with my instructions originally when this all started, meaning, "let them bring everything they found." However, even these were once again fancier clothes, designer pieces fitted for my petite frame and designed for my body. They were comfortable to wear, and since I was mainly doing chores and not around the kids much, I could wear them.
Currently, I was wearing a stunning dark blue-violet velvet dress with golden swirls around my waist. Because it was form-fitting, it showed my shape and made my body look as good as possible. I was wearing one of my Louboutin pumps; they gave me extra height, and they were one of the most comfortable pairs I owned. My hair was loose, just hanging down my back in a loose braid, as I was once again folding clothes and doing the laundry.
Since Mariella's return, she'd been eager to spend time with me. Consequently, I found some fancier clothes for her, including a pink and green silk cashmere dress. This dress, while quite covering, beautifully showcased her perfect hourglass shape. Its fancy design meant the back was rather open, with only thin laces running across it.
She paired it with black Valentino pumps, one of mine, though I rarely wore them as they felt a bit bulky on my small feet. However, her slightly larger feet made them a perfect fit for her.
Though we weren't exactly dull or overly formal, Mariella seemed to have something on her mind.
As I was taking a silk sheet from the drying room, ready to fold it, she confessed, "I mean, Mimi, I must confess, I do fantasize about it, quite often too."
Bewildered as to what she was referring to, I simply grunted, "About what?"
She looked at me, almost coyly from under her lashes, and said in a low voice, "Those three days: me under you, feeling utterly helpless as you sank your fangs into my throat, your body on top of me. And I have to admit, whenever I fantasize about that time, the mere idea of Damon coming over and thrusting his meatstick into my pussy seems almost repulsive."
My eyebrows rose. Well, well, it seemed I had truly made an impression. However, I wasn't sure if I could replicate it. With Wulfe and Damon, and quite a few others, keeping a tight rein on me and my vampire side, I had no idea if some kind of alarm in my mind alerted them whenever I was about to be wild.
I continued folding my sheet, and once it was done, I walked behind Mariella, letting my hand brush against her back before placing the sheet on a pile, my expression neutral. She looked at me, a bit unsurely, and tensed slightly as I walked back behind her to get the next sheet to fold.
I said to her, "Well, I have no idea if I have warnings in my mind that alert the males, so it might be that our little tryst is impossible to have."
She bit her lip, as the mere idea of me having my way with her made her ever so ready once again.
I then took a larger blanket, as it too had been washed and was now dry from the drying room. Therefore, I needed to pull it out and fold it, ensuring it wasn't lumpy. I maintained a neutral expression as I once again went behind Mariella, touching her.
I let my touch linger a bit before moving on, as I was skilled at slow seduction. I wasn't sure if she would excuse herself to find some men or if she would actually have the nerve to stay with me and let me proceed slowly. She was usually quite quickly aroused and had little self-control. I found myself reflecting on my past with Damon and observing the evolution of our relationship.
I said to Mariella, "You know, it took me a very long time to reach this point with Damon, let alone with the Salvatores. It's been an evolution of sorts, this relationship of ours."
Mariella remained silent but furrowed her brow, looking confused again. She then asked, "What do you mean by evolution? I don't follow."
I explained, "Well, first, our love story was perfect. But then, Damien messed things up; Damon messed things up. I became good at my work, and we grew apart, in a way. Reality has a nasty way of making people grow. Then, as things progressed, our relationship went downhill and didn't recover as well as it had from the start; too much had happened, with regrets on both sides. And then you came along. Now, it's a new phase, as Damon is himself for the first time and has realized that he didn't actually love me. Sure, we had sex and children, but true love? There was none of that. And one might ask why. Well, my theory is that most of our truest love stemmed from all the Salvatores, the Salvatore hive. And since you came along, the remaining pieces of the Salvatores that were still inside Damon went into hibernation, only to awaken when their other part was released. Even then, it was still messy."
Mariella nodded and admitted, "It makes sense. I was a big part of the problem. I had to admit that, and then as others came along, I just wanted them all. I have no idea why; it was almost an obsession of mine."
I replied, "That's because you never saw them as individuals, just mere copies of Damon. You wanted Damon to be all yours, but he is not. Sure, there was no love between Number One and me for a long time, but for the others, we had our moments. Let's just say you had no idea just how wild I could be, meaning it took quite a few times for Number Two and Five to rein me in."
She actually smiled.
She asked, "Give me an example?"
I rolled my eyes and replied, "Well, you know me. After my little killing spree of a few weeks, going after Sarks, I wanted to do it again, many times. I was fucking good at hiding. I mean, I gave Sarks false identities, and then I had just presented my killing list to Number Two. It took him a few tries to catch me in the act, as Magnum and Murdock also noticed my little plan."
She giggled, finding it amusing to hear me being less controlled, less perfect.
I had a little plan cooking in my mind, my wilder side planning something utterly new, and I was not going to ask permission.
I said to Mariella, "Well, I have a bit of a plan cooking. If you want to be my meal, but as it's done a bit differently – less lust and more vampire plays – are you in or out? I'm not going to reveal my plan beforehand; surprise is part of this."
She smiled and said, "Oh, I am definitely in. Your vampire pheromones are something I yearn for, so use me as a meal as much as you want."
I nodded. It would take a bit of planning to ensure my privacy and time to make my plan. I also needed to make sure the males would be busy and have no idea what I was doing. This time, no Salvatore would come and fuck me senseless. My vampire side was waking up, getting ready, and even for her, this was going to be one hell of a fun plan.
As we continued with laundry folding, Mariella suggested I get dressed in my other clothes as well, showing them.
Her voice was all excited, exclaiming, "That dress is perfect! It's so stretchy, and I'd love to try it on someday. Have men seen your clothes?"
I replied, "No, these are old. This dress was custom-made for me by a designer named Tiffany Burlington. She used to work for major fashion houses between 2020 and 2040. Back then, with several collections released annually, there was a significant amount of surplus clothing. I once saved her husband from being killed by a pro-humanity faction; he was a gentle, inspirational Fae, and I ensured his safety. Beauclaire then took him under his protection. Tiffany wanted to dress me up as a thank you when she visited our base, as she found me wearing a worn-out khaki T-shirt, loose cargo pants, sensible shoes, and no makeup. She had designed many collections for petite and skinny women, so she didn't really listen to my arguments. Jake and Rob even gave her a lot of ideas; those two could be quite a menace sometimes."
My voice held a hint of wistfulness.
Mariella responded, "I know. Once this is over, I want to get to know Tim and Taylor better. Oh, how I wish I could have met them properly back in the day. But do you have a lot of these clothes?"
"Three big bags," I answered. "My fleas brought them here. I should have been clearer with my instructions; they didn't need to bring my entire wardrobe."
Mariella giggled. "Well, we have plenty of ladies here, and God knows, once our brats become teenagers, they might try to snatch your clothes. Not that I'm eagerly waiting for them to reach that age."
I just smiled. The future, with children and all, brought something new and fun to all of us every day. It was wonderful to watch the kids grow, acquire new skills, communicate more, express themselves more, and become more independent.
They also became more jealous of their siblings, which I'd noticed when I took Fiona and Violet with me. Strapping them to me when they were fussy often made Sadie and the twins particularly jealous and act out. Sadie, for instance, might try to express her rage more intensely just to get my attention. However, my husbands also helped care for her.
As I pondered my relationships over the years, I spoke aloud, unsure if I was even addressing Mariella. "And then, as we found love, well, it wasn't the same. There were others. Many Salvatores truly cared for me and had my back for a long time. Then came our seven-year separation, which changed Damon so much, hardening me and giving me Wulfe. As things progressed slowly, we found something real. It started with brief moments, but now, as our pack grew, our bond grew as well. And this time, I have five Salvatores attached to me like burdocks, and the number one is pretty damn close, too. As for me, I have no fucking idea. I mean, I try. I'm still growing into my new roles, even if it's not easy."
Mariella looked at me and commented softly, "Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Those things you work for are true rewards; they give you something."
Slightly unsure of her meaning, I waited for her to explain.
Her voice was warm, affectionate, "I've noticed what wonderful creatures, boys, Adam and Charles, are. I mean, I have to admit, I never knew them like this. I had my own ideas about them; my rose-colored glasses made Damon seem like a perfect being, and others couldn't compare. But when I get Adam to laugh for real, trying to explain something I have no idea about, it truly lights up his face. Or listening to Demon bitch about my trio as they're always bickering and fighting. One day, they threw tantrums because not everyone got to pull Demon's tail or have one of his whiskers, as he only dropped one."
Her voice was genuine; she too was learning. However, I wasn't sure how tolerant Damon might be if she continued to hang around others and almost worship them. Damon was possessive, and that didn't just include me, or so I assumed, at least.
"Jake was intensely jealous and funny, and he also had issues with Jarod," I reminisced. "He often caused problems for me if I spent too much time with Jarod. I'm not sure how outsiders would perceive us. Was there some kind of connection that made others jealous, or what?"
Mariella replied, "Well, Jarod is a good-looking guy. He understands you on a much deeper level than any of us. He has your back, so to speak, and he's your confidant. So yes, I can see him as a threat too, but he's also an asset. And once this is over, I plan to have him interact more with the Salvatores, as they would surely utilize him. He has insights into so many things."
I rolled my eyes. Poor Jarod. The future would reveal what would happen after this seemingly perfect life ended, and just how difficult it would be to return to the real world.
There I was, Mimi Salvatore, the alpha female of our pack, dressed in a fancy velvet dress, folding laundry, and talking with Mariella while concocting my vampiric plan for her. I had to get it right, ensuring no males would disturb us, at least not at first.
I could almost feel my fangs emerging as I carefully planned each detail, countermeasure, and the supplies I would need. It was my plan, and I felt I had the right and the skills to execute it.
There was no need for me to always behave so perfectly; I had maintained that illusion for decades, never doing anything that Damon or others might consider disruptive, regardless of their past actions or what they would likely continue to do.
Perhaps it was time for me to live too, to have fun, let go, and decompress a bit. Who knew,? Maybe it would even ease me, help me in some way. One could always hope, right?
As I smelled the clean bedding, felt the materials in my hands, felt the velvet hugging my body, keeping me warm and comfortable yet looking good, my pumps were just perfect, giving me height and a touch of luxury. I used all my senses to ground myself in that moment, to truly live it and gather as much information as possible.
This meant taking in the scent of linen, Mariella's pheromones, the clean smell of the washroom, and the warmth of the drying room. I observed our gleaming washing machines, heard them rumble, and recognized this as our everyday life. There was so much to be gained from it.
One had to focus and let everything flood into their mind, creating memories. As mundane as they might seem now, I knew that at least I would share as much of my memories and my life here with our pack once this was all over. I wanted to truly understand what my life, what our life had been here. This was a unique opportunity for me to prioritize myself and my needs, but in this instance, it wouldn't be just me; there would be others involved as well. This was simply a part of my role as alpha female, teaching and caring for my pack in any way I saw necessary.