9. Take Me Home, Country Roads.

As I left my office for the final time, I saw Robbie, a trustworthy man who was taking care of things. Samuel had brought more people to fix up the medbays and bring us sterile supplies. He also made sure that patients or anyone who was injured had a place to go. Damon had gathered a few groups of vampires to help with the large facility, and Alaric had enlisted locals to create additional bases. It became clear to me that I didn't have to do everything on my own. I had my staff to help me for a reason.

Mimi Springcove, that would be me, was going home as the leader and the alpha female of the pack. As I contemplated the whole situation, including Damon, my ex-husband, mate, and alpha, I wondered how many times we had been married and divorced. Maybe it just wasn't meant for us to be together. However, I still longed to be married to Adam, Charles, and the boys.

Damon and I had children together, but I also had a few with Adam and Charles, even though they were shifters. Where my and Damon's children would be counted, well millions more or less, with Adam and Charles I was not sure if was it a few thousand or so, of course, the actual number would be higher but those embryos had been taken out of me, transferred other females who would gestate them in time.

We were planning to visit my castle, and Jarod would come with us. Mariella would search for a magic house to relocate Jarod and his family as soon as possible. It was difficult for me to trust the pack and let Jarod go, but I didn't have a choice. I hoped the pack had the strength to support me. They had already helped so many in Colin's facility. However, I knew I wasn't just a vampire. I was a unique creature, so it might not be easy for them.

It was their decision as much as it was mine, and they would soon realize what they had gotten themselves into. By then, it would be too late to complain that I was being too demanding. It would be a lesson for them.

Of course, I always assumed that I was difficult to handle and that no one could handle me. Except for Jarod, who had proven himself. The pack had let me down to some extent, but I couldn't directly blame them. Although, there were times when I felt like they were all pieces of shit. My mood swings would keep them really busy and on their toes too.

As we drove through the Bulgarian country roads towards my castle, I maintained a neutral expression. Damon was sharing a story about a particular convent where he had spent a few months. Apparently, when he left, there were no virgins left, as the nuns had been given the "staff of love" by a man sent by God to reward them for a job well done. It crossed my mind that this could very well be true.

The cat god certainly had a sense of humor, and it seemed that sex and pleasure were a language that many understood, but only a few could truly master. I couldn't help but think about the pack surrounding me, who seemed to be full of shit. I wasn't feeling any sexual desire, nor did I long for any physical sensations. I was getting again fantastic at my irritation and whatever Damon spewed out of his mouth, made my hands squeeze into fists and I had to really control myself not to whack him at his jaw just to shut him hell up. 

Deep down, I knew they could actually help, but my flawed mind kept suppressing these needs. That's just how my mind works, unlike others. If I were like everyone else, I would be in a stage where I would yearn to feel, but things are never that simple for me compared to others. Maybe the things that are difficult for others come naturally to me, like breathing. I can say that I'm a weird one.

It took us some time to reach my castle. Despite the guardianship situation, it still belonged to me, and even though Damon was my legal guardian, I was eagerly awaiting the day when I would be well enough to fully decorate it. I could hear comments and speculation about its price as it came into view for the first time.

This castle was like something out of a fairytale. It wasn't a bulky, old-looking fortress like the castles in Ireland, but it also didn't resemble the old convent-like castle I had in Moldova. At least, for me, it resembled a convent. With its elegant towers reaching high into the sky and its white sparkling walls, it looked just like a Disney castle. The black trimmings on the windows added the perfect finishing touch. 

 A large SUV, filled to capacity, pulled into the courtyard. The pack emerged from the car, filling the air with excitement.

Jarod, always the curious one, cast a look at Mariella and the wolves as they went off to find the magic house. "How reliable is that protection bubble?" he asked. "I mean, it's usually in a passive mode, right? Can it accurately detect friends and foes?" He tilted his head, awaiting a response.

Damon, growing increasingly annoyed by the sight of the perfect castle, replied, "What do you mean?"

Jarod continued, "Do you have to program it to allow certain individuals in, or does it sense their intentions?"

Damon explained, "It's a magical bubble. It can sense if someone has ill intentions and prevent them from entering. What's all this about?"

Jarod turned to me and said, "Well, you're filthy rich, or at least Mimi is, but she doesn't seem to care if anything goes missing or if there's something valuable there. So I guess that you're the same. Since your houses lack real security systems, they're vulnerable if someone manages to get through the bubble."

Number two chimed in, "The bubble will keep us safe. No need for you to worry."

Jarod, relentless in his concerns, had mentioned this to me before, but I brushed it off, thinking there was no need to be so paranoid. I had money, and if someone were to break in, it wouldn't be a big deal. I had my own ways of securing truly important items.

However, Adam, the security consultant, reassured Jarod, saying, "I understand your concerns, but the bubble is quite effective."

Jarod smiled, feeling a bit smug. "Wanna bet? If your theory is correct, once I'm inside the bubble, it will know if I have bad intentions. I can show you just how easy it is to get inside your bubble."

Damon frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Jarod turned to Damon and said, "Alright, you come with me. Let's go inside. I'll show you a few expensive items, and then we'll leave. Once the bubble is active, I'll step outside of it, but I intend to steal one of those secure items. I can prove to you just how simple it is to breach your bubble."

Damon nodded and replied, "Well, you'll see. The bubble will detect your intentions to rob us and won't allow you in or out after you've taken what doesn't belong to you."

I rolled my eyes, seeing no need for these stupid demonstrations. Damon and Jarod disappeared inside, and soon enough, the magical house came into view as Mariella and Mimosa activated it. I remembered that these magic houses were actually a gift from Bridgette, although I hadn't realized it back then. The pack always believed they were given to me by covens of witches.

I wasn't sure why Jarod wanted to make me look like an idiot in the eyes of the pack. It certainly didn't make my day any better; he and his stupid mind games. Sometimes, despite being a dear friend, he could be so irritating.

My mind was still in work mode, thinking of ways to make the evil Sark's life even harder and to render Krycheck's plans useless. I realized that once I was inside, I should go on the dark web and share my ideas.

As I gazed at the shimmering, ordinary-looking house in the distance, I missed the moment when Wulfe stepped next to me and said, "I had no idea that they were hers. It makes sense. I'm glad you got to meet her, and she was your friend."

I absentmindedly responded, as this was just one more thing that brought a fresh wave of pain to my mind, "It's my destiny to lose my friends, so be careful, old wolf. You might meet the same fate. If Bella hadn't sacrificed herself, you and a few others would be weighing on my conscience right now. So, remember, I am not a safe friend."

Wulfe said to me, "My unicorn, I know it's no excuse, but we were as sick as you, just not as bad. We failed you, but now we've got you. Let us help you, let us make this right. You're not a monster, and I was just reacting. I failed to see your time of need."

I grunted, noticing Mariella and Mimosa walking back.

I remarked softly, "I have no idea why I attract fools who see themselves indebted to me and then end up getting hurt as they try to repay me. I've never asked for anything, nor will I."

Wulfe replied, "You don't have to. It's just what you do for us - help us, be an amazing creature. We, fools, can't help ourselves. We want to be indebted to you, so you might have to learn to accept it. There are always fools in the world, ready to help you."

I gazed at Wulfe as I confessed to him, "I'm not sure if I have the strength to do this. This feeling is incredibly difficult. It used to be easier when my world had no colors, but now there are dark shades of failure, depression, and self-blame. I know deep down that things should and will improve, but I just can't handle it. Jarod has kept me going for so long, but I feel like I'm running on empty. I'm too weak. I'm sorry. I'm not the force of nature that everyone sees me as. I'm just a tired old creature whose dark past has finally caught up with me, and it's time to face the consequences. And I don't have enough..."

Wulfe embraced me tightly and said, "My unicorn, I've got you. Trust me, I've got you. No matter how tough it may seem, lean on me. Let me help and let all of us help you."

I returned the hug, feeling the strength drain from my arms. He whispered into my hair, but the darkness and despair were overwhelming me once again, and it felt awful. I knew I deserved to feel this bad, but I was just so exhausted.

Soon, I felt someone else approaching, and powerful arms enveloped me. The scent of a pear surrounded me, and I realized Adam had also joined us. He hugged me from behind, and I was sandwiched between them. Somehow, the physical closeness provided some relief. The tangible sensation kept me from collapsing, as they held me up. I relaxed my body, feeling their support.

At that moment, there was no pressure forcing me to be strong or independent. I permitted myself to be weak, to let go, and to allow them to help me. It felt like a glimmer of something, a faint spark in the bleakness of my world. A small speck of trust was returning, but it wasn't fully restored yet. It would take time and the patience of everyone around me. But it was slowly making its way back. 

Damon and Jarod emerged from the castle. Damon was greatly impressed by what he had seen inside and knew that some precautions needed to be taken to ensure its safety. However, he wanted to see if Jarod could successfully accomplish this task. Perhaps their protective bubble wasn't as foolproof as they had thought.

Damon noticed Wulfe and Adam embracing Mimi, indicating that she was feeling something. Wulfe subtly warned Damon not to interfere, as there was a small glimmer of trust in Mimi's mind. Damon felt relieved, realizing that Mimi was making progress and would eventually be okay. It might take some effort, but they would help her recover, and maybe even plan some weddings.

Jarod confidently said, "Alright, let me show you my plan. I have a way to enter the bubble, explore the house, and leave again. Then we can discuss what you can do and why it's important."

Damon nodded as Jarod stepped out of the bubble, stood for a moment, and then walked back in. Surprisingly, the bubble didn't react or change color, and Mariella didn't sense any energy shifts. Jarod calmly walked inside, causing Damon to glance at Wulfe, Adam, and now Charles, who were all comforting Mimi.

A pang of jealousy flickered in Damon's heart; he wanted to be in their position. However, he knew that he would have plenty of opportunities once everything was resolved.

Jarod returned from the house with a smile and said to Damon, "Alright, I'm on my way. See you next time."

Damon nodded, watching as Jarod calmly walked out of the bubble again. This time, he stopped outside the bubble, reached into his jacket, and retrieved a valuable statue. Damon recognized it as worth several thousand dollars. The bubble had not prevented Jarod from bringing the statue from inside his pocket; it had just let him rob it. Damon was puzzled and wondered how this was possible.

Jarod entered the bubble, returned the statue, and explained, "Your bubble has a kind of telepathic ability. It reads intentions. As long as I didn't have any ill will towards you, it allowed me to come and go. It's actually quite simple to perform this trick. All I had to do was think positive thoughts towards you and your pack. I entered with good intentions, and when I took the statue, I simply convinced myself that I was borrowing it to have it cleaned. That's all it took."

Mariella chimed in, "Alright, we need to add more spells. It will require more energy, but if I..."

Adam walked near them, having entrusted Charles and Wulfe with taking care of Mimi. He stated, in quite irritable voice, "There's no need for us to try to increase our sex life anymore. I don't wish to spend my days fucking energy on your web. I can have top-notch burglar alarms installed, though it may take a few months. I'll make sure my men secure every house, including the castle in Ireland. Damon will be the one in possession of the master code, granting access to every house, castle, and island, including Moldova."

Damon nodded in agreement, and Adam continued, "We also have several houses and mansions in the States that my company has kept up to date, so we have places to go."

Numbers six and eight approached Adam, showing interest in the cost of securing those houses. They also discussed using some spells.

Number one suggested, "Alright, here's what we'll do. Mariella, my dear, call Max. Let's bring him along to assess the situation and determine what needs to be done. Your company, Adam, will handle the security for this and the others. Then we'll move into a secure mansion and focus on getting Mimi well."

Mariella nodded, took out her phone, and sent a message to Max, their renovation expert. When we approached the castle, I was still held by Charles, with Wulfe walking beside me. I noticed Jarod was nowhere to be seen.

Charles informed me, "Honey, he went to the magic house to be relocated and kept safe. We'll go inside and see what needs to be done. We won't be living here just yet, but we will later on."

Wulfe turned to me and asked, "You mentioned having a mansion in Memphis? Adam took care of it, but have you spent much time there?"

I replied, "Nope, it's a lovely place, and I had plans for it, but life got in the way. I'm not sure if it's the right place for the pack."

Suddenly, Damon appeared beside me and said, "Let me see. I just received your asset list. Yeah, we should go in there. It's a lovely place, and baby, this time it will be a sex nest like no other."

We entered my beautiful castle in Bulgaria. Wulfe walked a little further ahead, while Mariella joined Charles and Damon, pressed his warm, firm body against mine as he led me inside. As we reached the grand lobby, with its golden rails and white marble floors that led upstairs, Mimosa, Shadow, and the boys playfully ran up and down in their animal forms. Elena and Katherine also ran up and then sat on the rail. And then skirted down. The perfect walls, adorned with paintings, created a luxurious atmosphere. Antique rugs lined the floors, and I could tell that Damon appreciated them as he let out a soft grunt. I knew this castle would be an incredible place one day.

Oh, let me tell you, it has become just that. The grand staircase has become our favorite place for fuck like rabbits passionately, hard and loud too, and I am still flexible enough to enjoy it. Sometimes, our pack members are a bit annoyed when our passion takes over and we find ourselves in the middle of the stairs, engaging in a passionate and intense sex fest that even the most explicit adult films would pale in comparison to.

The rail is also a source of fun, as we enjoy sliding down it naked in time of heat, feeling the heat and slipperiness giving us an extra boost. Those paintings are now displayed in our museum or other houses. Walls have pictures, capturing memories of our Christmas celebrations and our children.

As for the rugs, they have been placed on the walls of other castles, adding to the perfect ambiance of our sex nest. And please, don't make me tell you about the current condition of the mansion in Memphis. Let's just say that Mariella has never shared our desire to create these sex nests, but it has become our thing to do with Damon. As it has always been, that mansion is starting to smell from a few places like a sex nest should smell. Well, we are an alpha pair of lust pack, what do you expect? Me being a nun, Hardly!