Adam, utterly exhausted, slumped onto a worn-out chair. He could feel the weight of his tiredness pulling him down, his eyelids heavy with fatigue. After a moment of respite, he mustered the energy to don his clothes, the fabric clinging to his damp skin.
Mimi, finally defeated by the drug, had succumbed to the medicine's effects. Her body, once fueled by an unyielding rage, now lay still. Adam couldn't help but wonder how much longer he could have endured without Mimi's support. Grateful for her help, he vowed to reciprocate her kindness as soon as he could.
With a weary stride, Adam made his way to the front seat, where Magnum awaited him. The worn leather creaked under his weight as he settled in. Magnum recounted what had transpired, his voice laced with concern. Adam couldn't shake off his worry, especially after hearing Constantine's prediction of Mimi's prolonged slumber spanning six to nine months. He fervently hoped some way would aid her in this predicament.
As they drove, Adam's mind wandered to the drug's side effects. It had weakened Mimi's wolf and vampire sides. Even though Mimi had taken the bullets out, they had left a lingering discomfort within him. He could still feel the burning sensation of the enchanted silver coursing through his veins. Though he remained silent, unsure if Magnum had overheard his thoughts, the discomfort persisted.
Stopping for a quick meal at a fast-food joint, Adam did his best to shield Mimi from prying eyes. He knew he needed to replenish his energy, his body craving the calories. The silver still lingered within him, a constant reminder of the danger they faced.
Examining Mimi, Adam noticed her slow, steady breaths and languid pulse. She radiated an unnatural chill, a result of the drug's interference with her thermoregulation. Concern etched deep lines on his face as he studied his beloved mate. Magnum, too, approached her, noting her pallid complexion. A frigid coldness greeted his fingertips as he reached out to touch her.
Magnum retrieved a sports bag from the side of the van and unzipped it. Delicately, he extracted the heat pads and handed them to Adam, their worry palpable. Adam carefully placed the pads around Mimi, hoping to provide some warmth and comfort. Magnum offered a thin blanket, which Adam used to cocoon Mimi to shield her from the harsh elements.
He murmured his concerns softly, his voice filled with helplessness. He longed to bring her to Samuel, knowing that time was of the essence, but the journey ahead felt daunting, their powerlessness weighing heavily upon them.
Magnum nodded in understanding, his eyes reflecting the shared pain and worry. They knew they had to press on, their journey continuing amidst the uncertainty that hung in the air.
Adam's face was pale, and his body emitted a faint metallic scent as he updated Samuel halfway through the journey. The sound of Samuel's furious swearing filled the air as he spoke on the phone.
Samuel swore, "God damn, Mimi and mystery drugs that weaken her mess up her thermoregulation are not something I like to hear. We don't have good times ahead of us. I will inform Salvatore; not sure if he can come."
Adam responded, "Fine, we are coming. Magnum is driving as fast as he can, but this is a van, not a race car."
Samuel sighed as he put his phone down. He took a moment before informing Damon.
As they finally got to the house, Adam sighed. He was tired, worried about Mimi, and in pain because of the silver, and he was holding his temper. He wanted to lash out, to get angry, to do something. He felt very volatile.
Outside, Samuel stood, his eyes fixed on Adam. "Downstairs, medbay," he said firmly, his voice feeling urgent. "You're pale and still smell like silver. Mimi may have removed the bullets, but we can't guarantee there won't be a chip left."
Moving swiftly, Magnum hopped out of the car and opened the back doors. He gently lifted the unconscious Mimi, following Samuel's lead towards the medbay downstairs. Samuel got the work then.
A few hours later, Damon rushed towards them, his voice trembling with concern. "Where is she? What has been done to her?" he anxiously inquired. He blamed himself for being a coward because of that one memory. Suppose he had only been with Mimi in that warehouse to protect her? He had failed her again. Worry seemed to crush his heart.
Feeling exhausted yet focused, Samuel responded, "Mimi is currently sleeping. I'm unsure for how long. So far, I haven't identified the substance in her blood, but it has significantly slowed her metabolism. She needs rest to recover from the effects of that drug."
Having tended to Adam's wounds, Samuel had him hooked up to a blood drip. Now, Adam needed nourishment and rest for a few days to fully recover. Samuel had performed a surgical procedure, removing a silver circle from Mimi's chest and replacing it with a thick bandage to aid in her slow healing process caused by the medication. He was tired and cranky, too. Enchanted silver was not a good thing to have, and he had informed Dresden about it, too. Dresden had been less than happy.
Dresden arrived promptly and reassured Samuel that the coin hadn't had enough time to infect Mimi. With her body temperature maintained by an electric blanket provided by Adam, Samuel deemed an incubator unnecessary for now. Mimi was given a feeding solution and a sugar drip to prevent excessive weight loss. Her metabolism was at rock bottom, so there was no need to keep her temperature that high. It was steady at 38 degrees Celsius, two degrees too low, but maintained.
Speaking to Damon, Samuel urged, "Let Mimi sleep for now. I don't know how long it will take. If Constantine's claims are true, it could be weeks, maybe even nine months." Damon remained silent, approaching Mimi's bedside, gripping her hand, and waiting. Nine months was too long a time. He would get her awake sooner.
Damon, unable to resist the temptation, tasted Mimi's blood. The drug had seeped into her tissues, making his teeth ache. This would be a lengthy wait, and Damon's patience was often tested.
He tasted the components that weakened Mimi's vampire side and wolf's side, savoring the metallic tang of the blood on his tongue. His sharp teeth worked diligently, extracting the essence of those components, but when it came to the sedative, anesthetic combo swirling in her blood, his teeth were rendered useless.
Undeterred, he equipped his teeth with collectors, meticulously filling bag after bag with various substances. The days melted into weeks, a month, and another. Mimi remained in her slumber, a sleeping beauty trapped in her drugged sleep.
Damon never left her side, cradling her fragile form in his arms. His soft murmurs filled the air, desperate to keep her safe and awaken her. Always vigilant, Samuel and Adam made sure Damon cared for himself - eating, showering, and resting. But Damon's focus never wavered. Every day, he tried to rouse her from her deep slumber.
After a little over two months, small signs of life encouraged Damon to persist. A Few days went by. He was getting more and more reactions on Mimi. His telepathy could feel her waking up.
"Mimi, come on, wake up already! Come on! Mimi! Get up. Mimi, open your eyes!"
The voice was persistent, refusing to give up. Suddenly, I felt a forceful slap against my cheek, jolting me from my stupor. I groaned, the pain reverberating through my head.
"Come on, baby, open your eyes, chop chop!" The voice urged me on, its impatience palpable. I longed to drift back into the comforting embrace of sleep, my exhaustion overwhelming. But I resisted, fearing another strike. Slowly, I forced my heavy eyelids open, struggling to focus. I tried to speak, but my parched mouth produced only incoherent mumbles.
"Good girl! Now open your mouth, and I'll wet it a bit."
My lips, cracked, and dry, yearned for moisture. Something cool and refreshing was sprayed into my mouth, and I gulped, feeling a slight relief. Then, a straw was placed between my lips. I sucked on it, the liquid that flowed through it tasting sweet and rejuvenating. Sighing with contentment, I allowed my tired eyes to flutter closed.
"Don't do that. Come on, open your eyes back open. Mimi!" Damon's voice took on a commanding tone.
Determined to please him, I felt a warm washcloth caress my eyelids, wiping away the remnants of sleep. Slowly, my eyes obeyed, opening wider, though still heavy with fatigue.
"Sleepy," I mumbled, my voice barely audible.
Damon's voice softened, filled with tenderness. "I know, baby, I understand you're tired, but you have to wake up now; you can't sleep for six months."
He called out to someone, seeking help. "I got Mimi awake," he announced. Samuel appeared on the other side of the bed, a reassuring presence.
"Adrenaline drip?" Samuel suggested, his voice laced with concern as he contemplated ways to keep me awake.
Damon nodded. Mimi had been asleep for almost 90 days. The drug refused to leave her system, and now its concentration had halved. Damon had been trying to wake Mimi up the whole time. He had mild reactions, but not enough to bring Mimi to consciousness.
Samuel went to the medicine cabinet and took a liter bag of saline solution. He put in a good dose of adrenaline and Ritalin. Then he came in, hung the bag, and slowly put it on a drip. He handed Damon a syringe full of colorless liquid—oral Ritalin. The mouth would partially absorb it.
Damon said, "Open your mouth, baby. I'm going to give you some medicine to freshen you up."
I resisted the urge to be revitalized, yearning for sleep to consume me. If I could just have a moment, I would drift into slumber. The syringe pressed against my lips, oozing with an unfamiliar substance. A tingling sensation prickled the inside of my cheek. Reluctantly, I parted my lips, and Damon released the remaining medicine onto my tongue. I swallowed reflexively.
"Good girl, you'll feel rejuvenated soon," Damon's gentle yet authoritative voice carried relief.
The drowsiness lifted, replaced by a sense of renewal. Damon assisted me in sitting upright. My consciousness remained hazy, utterly drained, and powerless. Yet, he lifted me effortlessly and guided me around the medical bay—again and again. We ventured into the kitchen, where he fed me and administered Ritalin, all the while supporting me in my unsteady state.
He stated, "Now we must boost your metabolism; it's half of what it should be. That's why you need to keep moving and eating constantly."
Then, unexpectedly, Damon engaged me with such intensity that I reciprocated, fueled by an unexpected surge of desire. He was riling me up, but I had missed him, so my feelings took the obvious route. He wore a smug expression. Oh, I was undeniably aroused. My gaze locked onto Damon with a heated intensity.
Mischievously, he remarked, "Apologies, baby, but that's not quite working yet. You're not getting worked up in the right manner. You need adrenaline, not endorphins. But fret not. I have a solution to ignite your passion. It won't be pleasant, but soon you'll be flooded with your own adrenaline."
He disappeared momentarily, and once again, I felt the sensation of being pursued. My heart raced, and the rush of adrenaline flooded my system. Panic gripped me, and I frantically searched for Damon, convinced he was in relentless pursuit. The chase persisted for a week.
The drug gradually diminished in my system, dwindling after three days and then further diminishing after a week. However, Damon showed no signs of relenting. He had crossed a line, no longer treating me but pursuing me indefinitely.
When Samuel declared that the drug no longer possessed sufficient potency to induce any symptoms, I made a permanent change. I resolved to travel to Australia and gain a ranch of my own. There, I would house various animals and embark on the journey of mastering horseback riding.