26. Hollywood Hills.

It was time for me to go to the hospital for training and show what I would become. It would take half a year, and now was a good time because Damon was there helping the girls. Lo-and-behold, they were in heat several times. One of them was in heat, and it was spreading daily. With three or forty girls, the boys had their work cut out for them. One of them could last from a week to four, so there was work to be done.

And I was pretty fucked up about the whole fucking thing, so I let them have their fucking holidays on that excuse. It told me how fucking important I was. Never mind that I've been missing for eight months, I've gone into hibernation, and just when I get in shape to do something about it, no, they go off and fuck other people.

It didn't bother me. I went to a big hospital in New York for training, and then, in the evening, I started sniping with Murdock. Murdock was on base when I went there. I'd always see what the job was. My hotel was nearby, but I was in a vindictive mood now and wanted to get some work done. I was fed up with the medical facilities again and turned my attention back to them.

Murdock was all over me as I explained in as much detail as possible what they were doing to me. Murdock was a man in the sense that he didn't like it when women were mistreated. He tried to present himself as psychopath incapable of feeling but he was lying. My pretender side saw it and I knew that he had gone some trauma in past that had made him want to numb. 

Murdock saw his chance to teach, as there were quite a fucking lot of places in New York when Mimosa gave me a proper list. After a couple of days, when Burt and Billy had found all the information I ever needed, I looked at the places that suited me. Of course, I informed Reddington and some of them would give me a good deposit box and so on.

I had just bought eight new rifles and several sights and other accessories a while back and intended to pick up a few and test them out in the process. But Murdock stayed with me, and I soon found that I had once again had or gained one of the most fucking controlling men in my life who saw me as a student and taught me.

He was also quite ruthless in his teaching and could scold me if I didn't get something right. Magnum went with us on a couple of gigs. I noticed Murdock had already taught Magnum in the past. I also noticed a couple of smug smiles from Magnum when Murdock ripped me a new asshole over a few things.

 He then was a damn outstanding teacher, and we went over all my guns, and there were small but important changes. Five of the eight rifles were acceptable to my use, and he gave three straight to Magnum. It was just a matter of physics, as my arms weren't long enough to get just the ideal position, and there were other minor reasons.

But I would not argue with that. I was learning, and I now had the gear on at the same time. Now I had me-time again and plenty of it. I had given Claudia and Colin permission to write my whole three weeks of heat in my records again as Colin had then visited almost daily to check on my situation and I was enraged if he had tried to cannulate me, so much trauma remained that once again no medical intervention was easy.

Damon and Adam would do well to learn this lesson about actions and consequences. Maybe, at some point, this anger would stop, and I could move on. I felt I was now at a turning point in my life where I actually wanted to be. Now it was no time to be a victim to be nested, but I was now a leader, sniper, killer, and my killer instinct. My inner beast was waking up, as well as my vampire side, too.

I had money to buy new guns, and I had an enthusiastic co-buyer. It was actually fun to get to talk about guns and exchange information. Maybe I was just a little hooked, as I was studying at the same time, so I learned to want information and lots of it, not just about pharmaceutical facilities and gigs, but about everything.

When I talked about this with Jarod, he said, " It's your pretender side that's curious and wants to learn new things. I've actually never been a sharpshooter. I wonder if I should try it too."

I wouldn't recommend it. It might be a little too much for Damon and Adam. I studied languages while there, too, and it was good that there were so many teachers with language skills on base, so there was almost always someone teaching me something at any given time. 

The romantic in me sighed, irritated as it would have been perfect that Damon would have been the one teaching Italian to me, but in my life, there is no romance. 

 But Jarod came to stay in New York for a week and stayed with Miss Parker on the top floor of my hotel. The couple liked the base, and Miss Parker hated The Centre as much as Jarod. So she then did some work there with our staff, and The Centre and all its little hiding places also became our targets.

It had been on and off our radar, but we had now much more people to put in that project. The good motivation was when Billy sent me files from one of Sark's archives, a report of me being a pretender and also there was the notification that information had been sent to the centre, so they might be after me as well.

It was good to watch Jarod sit, watch, and study. Yes, he would come into my office to see how I was doing my work. He was also in the hospital for a couple of days, wandering around while I always had either a Murdock or a Magnum as backup.

We went several times to eat with Murdock, Magnum, Jarod, Miss Parker, and a few other guys, in fancy places too, as they had been informed about me and they were run by former fleas. We bonded all the time more.

I told Damon in my head what I was doing and with whom. I told about Jarod, Murdock, Magnum, Centre, and how I was almost a doctor. I told him about our dinners, what we talked about, who was teaching Italian to me, or some other language. I let him feel my true happiness. I told him about my patient cases, told him about my co-workers. Oh, that came with a talented feeling of being screwed back.

I was satisfied, and happy now I was getting the point across as best I could. I let him know how men were talking about me, looking at me. This was so utterly wonderful. I can be a really nasty bitch like I want to. My training, or rather my screening, went pretty damn well, and I was in the operating theatre for my first official surgery in less than three weeks. I knew I was going to be a surgeon.

Jarod found the complete study fascinating and always wondered what he could study. I eventually sent him to meet Dexter. Dexter was a great fucking Sark chaser, and after Dexter had been on a couple of jobs where there were Sark victims, he saw Sark as the perfect target. He was just the guy who was supposed to die by his hand. I didn't think they'd kill Sark, but anyone chasing him was always a plus.

Dexter was one of my bodyguards in the hospital from time to time. Again, my rage did not faze him. I had also training, as usual when I was on the base. Meaning, Magnum or someone would knock me out with something that they put in my coffee. When I would wake up, I would find myself tied up, interrogated, and even hurt. Drugged. so they taught me to be even more stubborn, not telling anything, and keeping my cover story. This had been our habit for years already. Mandatory thing and I had no choice but to go through it. 

I was always telling Damon what surgery I did, what colleagues I had, everything. I had to share with my husband how much I enjoyed this. Oh, the couple of times I hinted at how wonderful it would have been to do this together.

I made up long fantasies about how I would have taken him as my anesthetist right away and taken him to sniper camps to kill very naughty people, how he would have kept me safe in the hospital. But I had to be with Magnum now. And my fantasies about how he would have been teaching those languages to me, or even trying to break me interrogation scene. But no, since he had fucked others, he could not be with me as I was nothing to him. I let my raw pain, anger, and disappointment come through our bond. No Casablanca. 

Dexter couldn't come to the operating room, but he was in the ward with me all the time. He was one good bodyguard as well. I told this to Damon too.

Damon told me, " You know what, darling, I would like to see my wife, who may have problems with her blood sugar from time to time."

Oh, dear. I said, " I suppose you can have cravings, but remember darling, you're the one who made it your priority. Your choice, not mine. Your responsibility. It's funny how the lusts of strange women are so much more important, but it was my lust that you ran away from, and I don't understand why. You can read what happened on the computer. How fucking painful it was, but I'm never going to get in heat unless I have to because my heat so far has been pretty much all shit."

Damon was silent, and I could feel him slipping out of my mind again. I had been in training for two months now, so since the gentlemen abandoned me, well, about three months had passed already. I knew it was going to be a longer break, if only because I was going to do this six months off at a time, and I still had four months to go. 

Damon cursed to himself. He tiptoed into the medbay. The entire house reeked of heat, and these women who were fucking disgusted him, swollen like baboons and just couldn't get enough. He had coldly, after realizing that this was Bran's trap and they wouldn't get to deal with Mimi's heat, had Bran fuck these girls himself. After a few weeks, Bran's smug look had disappeared, and now that they had been fucking these girls for 12 weeks, Bran was exhausted and thought of a better way to handle things.

Damon flicked the switch, flooding the room with a warm glow as the lights came to life. He made his way towards the computer, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet room. With a heavy sigh, he pressed the power button, the soft hum of the machine filling the air.

Minutes ticked by slowly as the computer booted up, the screen illuminating with a cold, clinical glare. Damon's eyes scanned line after line of sterile text, his brow furrowing with concern. The words painted a grim picture of Mimi's suffering.

Mimi had become entangled in a web of desire, her heat tied to both him and Adam. As a result, Colin could not offer any help. They had left her behind, drawn away by the allure of werewolf girls in their prime. Damon now regretted this decision deeply.

A wave of infections had plagued Colin's clinic, forcing Mimi to seek refuge in one of the guest houses. For three agonizing weeks, she had laid there in pain, her cries echoing in the lonely halls. Damon read about her dwindling weight and the toll her suffering had taken on her frail body.

His heart sank as he read about her fit of rage, the desperate escape from Colin's attempts to help. She had escaped when Colin had tried to cannulate her. She tolerated no injections, nothing again. The words painted a vivid picture of her torment - dryness, soreness, and damaged intestines plagued her, worsened by relentless diarrhea and the relentless heat.

Damon couldn't escape the overwhelming feeling of betrayal that washed over him. Colin's reports detailed the medications he had prescribed, but it was clear that they had brought no relief. Because the only workable for Mimi in such pain were injectables, and she didn't tolerate those at all. Antibiotics had become a necessity, as Mimi struggled to insert anything into her damaged, sore pussy. The threat of uterine infection loomed ominously, casting a dark shadow over her already dire situation. 

 He went and got Bran, Samuel, and Adam. He explained in plain language to Bran what Mimi had gone through when Bran had been petty. He gave Bran sensations. Feelings that he had fished out of Mimi's mind without her noticing. Bran could feel the pain that racked him when the rush couldn't be promoted, the weakness that came like bloody diarrhea that took what little strength he had left.

But the women were enough, and after 24 hours of punishment, Bran actively sought other places for the women. Damon and Adam went away pretty soon. Damon had developed a hormone cocktail to stop the rushes and block them, and the women were quite nervous, having been almost brainwashed into offering themselves, so that was the next problem for Bran. He was finding people to help these women out of that brainwashing. 

My days were full. I was in the hospital for 12-14 hours straight; it was a display, but I had now already shown my ability that I was about ready for a doctor. The rest of the three months would be a formality.

I was also on call part of the time, and when I was on duty, I left Mimosa on base to do some work. Mimosa was very competent at the job and got a lot done. Then, the rest of the time, I spent either on base or on gigs with either Murdock or Magnum. I could always find a couple of hours to study languages, and my life was very satisfying. I really did not sleep. It was not for me. Hell, life was for living, and I was taking my enjoyment out of it.

We also did undercover jobs with the fleas. I always had a black bob and two or three female fleas with me. They were in Murdock's class at the same time. Helen, Susan, and Cindy. The name of the game was simple. We stalk, and we investigate. We watched and listened and gathered information about some subjects and their motives. We also got many other information along the way. 

Nobody looks twice at three women who are drinking and almost drunk and wearing makeup. No, our specialty was still to talk loudly, supposedly in whispers, to criticize the men. Of course, Murdock was always there. He watched me more closely than Magnum, and I had got to know him well. I'd been quiet now with the pack for four months, a little over four months I'd been practicing, and then the three weeks on top of that.

I was more than halfway through my training, and it looked like I was going to have two titles, trauma surgeon and neurosurgeon, because when you're operating on the brain, the wolf's eye is a fucking big help, you can see the boundaries of the tumors and do real precision surgery.

I was an adrenaline junkie, also in OR, always wanting to challenge myself, doing the impossible more or less and it was so damn satisfactory.

Mimosa sometimes wanted to be in the hospital depending on what surgeries we had going on, but I got the wolf's eyes without Mimosa. Still, Mimosa was just as curious to experience everything, and the hospital was a whole new thing for her again. She had her own comments as we operated. She, too, was training next to me. At least part time.

In the dimly lit bar, filled with patrons' lively chatter, we gathered once again with the girls as Damon entered the scene. Our mission, shadowing a prominent pharmaceutical company boss and cloning his devices, was of the utmost importance.

In my mind, I sent a stern message to Damon: "Don't jeopardize this gig, Salvatore. You understand you don't know me, and you don't recognize me. There's a high-value target here, and I need to focus on my work." Miraculously, Salvatore heeded my words.

Seated at the adjacent table, we discreetly observed as Cindy, one of our skilled hackers, diligently worked on the task. The tight security measures made the atmosphere tense, causing the process to take longer than expected. Though still harboring some resentment over the prior heat treatment, I let it go for the time being, redirecting my attention to critiquing Damon's behavior.

"He truly believes he's a gift to women," I remarked, my voice filled with disdain. "His intelligence must be only a measly IQ of three. Such men are nothing but vain fools, incapable of satisfying a woman on any level. I bet he resorts to forcing women into secret encounters in bathroom stalls. Even if I were paid, I wouldn't entertain the idea of sleeping with him."

The girls giggled, oblivious to Damon's true identity, and we engaged in a spirited discussion.

Suddenly, a group of college boys entered the bar, their youthful energy and charm catching my attention. Putting on an act of intoxication, I showered them with compliments and flirtatious banter. Meanwhile, Damon downed a triple bourbon and silently made for his exit. That's what he gets for underestimating me. Although I watched him throughout the bar, I chose not to reveal our true target. We needed the information; a vampire would not prey on this man. 

We did the job almost every night after that: kill shots or stakeouts. Murdock would teach us now and then. I had full days: twelve hours of training or working, more or less, two or three hours of rest and washing, and another 10 hours of doing gigs and gathering information.

I'd now been gigging for almost five months, and my training ended two weeks away. Murdock was always watching over me, and we had now renewed many of the base's armories when Murdock started going through them, teaching shooting if he had time.

Murdock had seen Damon sneaking up behind me many times when we were doing the gigs, but there was something about Murdock that didn't make Damon jealous. I don't know what it was, but he didn't even come close once.

 I found myself alone at the dimly lit bar, the air heavy with the scent of alcohol and the murmur of conversation. Suddenly, Bran approached me in disguise, his voice barely audible over the background music.

He whispered, "I think it's about time you came home too, don't you?"

I had disguised myself as a young girl, my short blonde hair contrasting with the heavy goth makeup and spiked collar. Bran seemed to play the role of a private eye, adding to the mysterious atmosphere. Reluctant to give away my disguise, I gazed at my almost-empty glass, the vibrant colors of the tequila sunrise still visible.

With a sigh, I murmured, "Why am I even here when nobody wants me? It's become clear that I'm a burden. But now, I have a life with people who accept me, imperfections and all. Just leave me be. I'll be alright, in case you haven't noticed."

Determined, I rose from my seat and made my way to Murdock, who was waiting for me outside.

Curiosity filled his eyes as he asked, "Who was that?"

I met his gaze and replied, "That was Bran Cornick, Marrok. He has a talent for blending in, appearing ordinary."

A small smile tugged at Murdock's lips as he quipped, "Good to know so that I can watch my back. Usually, I wouldn't have even noticed that guy's presence."

Together, we headed back to our secret base, a place known only to a select few in our pack. We devised our most crucial plans in these hidden locations, accessible only to those approved by Magnum Jake, Rob, and Murdock himself. They were our sanctuary, a refuge reserved for dire circumstances.

We had experienced a few infiltrators in the past, prompting me to organize a trip to Lake Lanier to carve names of dead fleas after tightening our security. Adam had been absent from flea work for months, and I now pondered whether Bran's increasing involvement in our pack would permit Adam to resume his duties, or if he would be coerced into doing so against his will.

I remained vigilant in keeping the fleas in line. With the help of Dresden and Constantine, we employed various spells, including a truth stone that induced immense pain if a flea lied, causing the stone to clatter to the ground, a clear sign of deceit. Jarod proved to be an excellent interrogator, capable of separating truth from falsehoods when available.

Murdock has been my mentor, my lifeline almost, and he has pulled me through so many situations. He has visited Lake Lanier; he has been living a few hundred years for my blood alone and I could not hope better teacher. He has a purpose as my teacher and he has been mentioned in several prophecies. I am very grateful for him and despite him insisting on being a sociopath unable to feel; I have witnessed several times actions from him that say others. The same goes for Dexter. How can he insist on being fully psychopath, unable to emotion, while keeping me sleeping next to him, shushing me as I cry against him? Both of them have been there for me in my worst times, and in my best times. Yet they never leave me, never prioritize others over me. They are, though, almost members of our pack, and it is one of Mariella's plans to uncover the trauma of their past. Our pack has grown, I have my best friend who is not Damon, but has been with me for centuries and he is one who I rely on most in this world, funny enough, he is irreplaceable for Damon and Mariella and the rest of the pack as well. 

My life is not so lonely anymore and I no longer walk a boulevard of broken dreams alone, but I have guys walking always next to me. Even if I do not think that I deserve or need them, they will be there with me. It is good to have someone who is the same for me as Mariella is for Damon and I am not talking about physical fascination but emotional connection, to have one who gets you, makes you talk, challenges you, protects you.