I woke up, and I was a bit chilly and felt somehow dirty, betrayed. I did remember what Damon had done and how his touch had left my skin feeling greasy. And then the blisters. I just did not know why my skin had reacted again. Had it been because of my panic or what? Why does that reaction always get on when passionfruit comes to the surface? It felt so cruel somehow. The evil side of him tortured me so long that I could not stand his touch, and then the good side came to the surface. I could not stand his touch, either. I sat on the edge of the bed for a while and decided to take a bath.
I could feel ghostly imprints of his fingers and thought that I felt his greasy fingerprints all over my skin and memory of that jelly inside me, the touch of his palms rubbing and massaging my belly in order to make that jelly absorb made me feel so incredibly dirty. I had this burning need to soak myself. To feel something pleasurable for a change.
I knew that Adam and Charles had been treating me, and they were using much milder drugs, and I didn't feel medicated. I could smell the faint scent of apple and pear on my skin, too. I just wanted to soak. I needed a long, luxurious bath in order to get this feeling out of my skin. After that, I could take a shower and scrub myself clean. I knew that these don't use as heavy combos of drugs as Salvatore. It had been a time when he had last treated me solely. There had been always others too, and he had left when I woke up. It was like he did not want to treat me so much anymore.
It was like we had lost something or we were losing something and that made me feel somehow so desperate and I just hoped that someone, or something, would help him. I thought in my mind," If there is any higher power listening to me. Please help Damon, give him something that he can fight that evil inside him before it is too late. Even if it is then more others, so he fuck around or whatever but please, something, he needs something to save to him."
Cat god was sitting on a white sandy beach on rainbow islands when he heard Mimi's desperate plea for Damon. And that made something to him. Mimi's plea was so true, so powerful, that it made one necessary change happen in god. He felt something born inside him. Another being was born. This would not be divine, this would live on earth, but this would be the one save Damon.
Cat god sighed. It meant then that Mimi would lose Damon, or at least have to share him with another woman. But she had several men, three already, so maybe it would be okay. Cat god was brave, and made a brief gesture, opening the future and looking beyond the years to what was possible. There would be love, hate, passion, and babies, too. He knew that the future had taken a right turn, but it would be a while until he was ready to give birth to this new being inside him. It was female. Time meant little to him, but it would have dire consequences for beings on earth.
After my retrospect and brief spout of desperation, I thought that it would be a good time to act. I entered the bathroom, drew a lovely lilac-scented bath, and got in. It was so lovely and perfect. It was the lovely big tub; the water was just right, not too hot that I felt like I was boiling alive. I just got into an excellent position to enjoy it and closed my eyes for a while. I don't fall asleep. I just enjoy it.
My mind wandered, and I noticed that I was on the sandy beach. Sitting alone and Jake was sitting next to me.
He said to me, "You are brave. That sacrifice will cost more than you can imagine. I will try to help, but I can't do anymore so much. I wish I could be there for you, I really do. You know, I have watched you, all the time and try not to blame yourself on my death. It was Sark. It was my time, or not, but that happened and you need to remember that you are immortal. You will lose so many. Try not to build a cemetery in your heart but a place of celebration in honor of us fallen."
He was somehow so real and still he looked like he was behind some sort of veil. I said to him, "I have not dealt with the loss of you, nor I will, ever. It is just too much for me to bear. I know that soul mates aren't always lovers, and losing one is just too much for me. You know my memory, who I am, and what I am ready to do. I feel so damn lost and I am all the time afraid that Damon will slip and I can't save him. He does not even want to try. He just gives in. There is no other inside him, not anymore."
Jake looked at me, smiled as he always did, and said," Well, it is time for me to go, that cat can be bribed only a short while and I don't have access to shrimps so much, love is a most powerful force in the universe, never forget that. It can create a new life, in places that you have no idea about. The future for you, my love, will not be easy or fun, but it is sometimes very rewarding. You stand tall, do you hear me, never falter? Don't let Salvatore crush your heart fully."
The dream or whatever ended, and I slipped into a deep dreamless sleep into the cooling water of that bathtub.
Charles was sitting in the kitchen, peeling the last of the special pink potatoes, and once he got them all done, he said to Adam, "I'll go and see if the lady is still asleep. Those drugs Samuel brought me are brand new, and I can't say how fast she'll come off them, but Samuel says her hormones aren't up yet, so she won't be afraid of getting in heat right away. She might be hypothermic too, so we need to keep an eye on her."
He stood up and spoke to Adam when a few things came to his mind. Adam looked at him while he was cooking some sauce.
"When this shape-shifting male, Curran, had said that the stuff should always be given organically and he could always help with the heat, it's needed about once a day. But the idea of a complete stranger fucking Mimi is somehow so wrong that I can't quite get myself oriented to it, but if the hormones stay down, we still have time, but I'm going to go check on the lady now."
Adam nodded and continued making wagyu dishes. He did not like the idea of a stranger fucking with Mimi either in heat and he tried to think of some solution. He instinctively knew what Mimi should eat, and it was strange. He had somehow almost knowledge from Damon, and he had no idea why or how. But he knew what to do, and he was almost compelled to do them.
Charles entered the dimly lit bedroom, his eyes scanning the room. The bed, blanket thrown aside stood empty. He glanced upwards at the air conditioning ducts, their metal grates sealed shut. The silence hung heavy in the air. Mimi, disoriented and possibly hypothermic, could be hiding somewhere.
"Mimi, where are you? Are you coming to eat soon?" Charles called out, his voice echoing through the room. There was no response.
Frustration crept over him as he realized the air duct provided no access. He crouched down and peered under the bed, only to find it empty as well. As he stood up, he caught a glimpse of light seeping out from the slightly ajar bathroom door. With a mix of relief and trepidation, he cautiously approached.
Pushing the door open, Charles was met with the sight that made his heart skip a beat. Mimi lay unconscious in the tub, her pale skin contrasting starkly against her lips, which were tinged with an unsettling shade of blue. The shock of the scene hit him like a tidal wave, causing his heart to race. He reached out to test the temperature of the water, finding it unnervingly cool.
Fear surged through him as he struggled to gather his thoughts and take action. "An unheated tub," he muttered, feeling a wave of frustration and concern.
Determined to help Mimi, he hurriedly grabbed several thick towels and brought them to the bed. In his mind, he asked for help from Adam, "Miss had a bath, unheated tub..." Adam's curse echoed through his thoughts.
Adam cursed long and hard. He cussed Mimi's stubbornness. He thought that she had grown out of this very nasty habit of hers. Adam strode to the bedroom to help Charles.
With urgency, Charles gently lifted Mimi out of the water, cradling her in his arms as he carried her to the bed. Frantically, he began to dry and rub her, desperate to bring warmth back to her chilled body. Soon, Adam joined in, their combined efforts aimed at reviving her. Adam swiftly went to the tub, removed the plug, and discarded it out the window into the yard. Both of them focused on massaging Mimi, their hands working vigorously.
After what felt like an eternity of rubbing and warming her with a heat gun, Mimi stirred weakly, a sign of life returning. Men continued their efforts, as she was still severely hypothermic.
Sensations flooded into my consciousness as I regained consciousness. First, I felt the intense pressure and friction of hands rubbing and scrubbing me, the rush of hot air against my skin, and my instinctive attempt to evade it. However, I was held still, someone persistently trying to wake me up.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, meeting Charles's dark, concerned gaze. His eyes were almost black with mixed emotions that whirled inside him.
His voice carried a mix of relief and admonishment, "You had to go and have a bath, and get yourself pretty damn severe hypothermia. Oh, Mimi. You were on the new medication. You were hypothermic when you woke up. Was there any warning about lowering your body temperature? What have you been told?"
Attempting to appear innocent and kind, I replied, "When Damon's touch felt so greasy, I kept imagining all the things he was doing. I could feel those fingerprints on my skin and his palms massaging my belly and all that jazz."
Charles let out a weary sigh, his voice laced with concern. "This might not be what you want to hear, but honey, you really need to prioritize yourself and Salvatore. He hasn't been taking care of you for a long time. He doesn't even cook for you, and these sessions... Think of him as a sex toy, but never be alone with him."
I gazed at Charles, his face etched with concern, and spoke softly, "I can't abandon him. I have to hold on to my faith in him. He has no one else. Forever and ever. I will forever remember my wedding vows. I understand you want to protect me, but I simply can't turn my back on him. It doesn't feel right. I just have to keep waiting for the good times, the moments of pure bliss. And then, only then, can I move forward."
Charles let out a weary sigh, acknowledging the task ahead.
He assured me, "Adam will bring you a steaming bowl of soup shortly. You can remain nestled under the cozy blankets until you warm up. Your blood sugar is slightly low, but it'll improve."
I let out a tired sigh, realizing that Damon was struggling. His jealousy and possessiveness were taking a toll, but now, both Charles and Adam had cared for me, nurturing me. No wonder he's on edge. And there are probably more stressors in his life. Bran is the one luring him to give up that dark side as he had done in his time. We would need some time, just the two of us, and he is such a weathervane. Can I trust him at all? Was Charles talking actually something that made sense to me?
Wrapped in the comforting covers, I sipped on the hot soup and cocoa, feeling a sudden tremor coursing through my body. I was starting to warm up. Charles, understanding my discomfort, kept me supplied with warm drinks until the shivers subsided. He helped me to drink when my hands shook too much for me to be able to drink or eat. Eventually, exhaustion overcame me, it takes a lot of strength to shake so long and I drifted into a peaceful slumber, cradled in Charles' arms.