12. Sound Of Silence.

I was sitting in the dimness of a few fading embers in our enormous downstairs lounge or living room, also known as the dance hall. The enormous fir trees living inside, implanted by magic and growing by energy, had not yet been adorned with lights, so it was almost dark, just the way I liked it.

I could still smell the trees, and the patches of grass that had made their way onto our floor. It was fun to step into that room, kick off my slippers, and feel the grass beneath my bare feet. I loved curling my toes into the soft blades.

It had been a long day, but finally, we had finished working on those rooms. Well, more or less. The renovation crew would soon make the floor more habitable. Adam had also found a few roof repairs that needed attention. He wanted to trim back the far-reaching overhang that was dulling our view. The crew would tackle it after the holidays, giving them an entire year to get it right. We also gave them orders to paint the hall, install flooring, and make the attic space warm and divided into rooms.

Once all of that was done, we could start decorating our new floor. Damon had hinted to Mariella that next Christmas we would be too busy with babies to decorate. It wasn't a bad idea, actually. I missed having Christmas with kids, even though they were now teenagers. Unfortunately, it wasn't an option to have them spend Christmas with us this year. The magic house had informed us they were currently undergoing intensive training and couldn't take a holiday.

But we could make the most of it. On one hand, I was eagerly waiting for the heat, both for the weddings and the vampire wedding, too. The wedding nights, on the other hand, weren't as enticing. However, this time, I was confident that I could handle Damon on our vampire wedding night, whether I was a virgin or not. I could take him as rough as he could muster and then some.

Wulfe, the mysterious teen-looking wizard boy vampire who was actually the oldest creature on earth, and my best friend, my soulmate, was gazing at me. He had taken a seat near me and was just staring at me or embers. Damon and the other Salvatores had left to engage in bedroom activities with several women, or at least I hoped so. Damon had been all over me throughout the day, and he wanted us to do the rooms together next time.

He was being possessive, and Wulfe saw an opportunity to have some time alone with me. I had a large bottle of sparkling white wine on the small table to my left, along with my delicate crystal glass. I reached for it and took a sip, savoring the moment.

Wulfe said to me, "You know, Unicorn, I tried to explain Damon to our bond, but he didn't get it. He just doesn't understand." He had a glass of red wine next to him. 

I replied, "I suppose he never will. It's simply a fact that he doesn't want to understand. Deep down, he has his insecurities and fears that acknowledging our bond would make him feel less important to me."

Wulfe nodded and softly remarked, "You do know him well, much better than he knows you. But then again, I know you better than you know yourself. Sometimes it's good to be an observer; one can notice things."

I smiled slightly and looked at the still slightly red embers, feeling the warmth emanating from them.

I said, "He's always seen the bond between me and Charles as a threat. Charles senses me so much better, and it can be irritating at times, you know? To have someone there sensing when you're pissed off as hell, and he's there to help. And as long as I had been alone, it took some time to get used to it."

Wulfe fell silent, and I could feel him probing my memories and my bond with Charles.

He admitted finally, "You know what, I see it as a threat for us too. Damon knows, and he truly senses you well. It's a blow to a telepath's ego to have a non-telepath forge a bond like that. We tend to be a little cocky with our abilities, and when true love shows us its power, it's irritating."

I was amused, smiling and shaking my head, as I retorted, "Poor Charles, everyone sees him as a threat. But it's funny. The bond between him and Mariella, even though it's a really strong protector-protégé bond, isn't even a blip on Damon's radar. I'm not sure if Damon truly sees Mariella as his own or if it's the fact that the bond between me and Charles is unique."

Wulfe said nothing for a long time. I heard soft steps approaching, and Wulfe remarked, "Tim and Taylor, Alaric too. No Salvatores. So ease up."

I was a little tense at first, but I soon relaxed as the boys, Alaric, Adam, Charles, Lepard, and Demon, came in, plopping down on the sofas.

Taylor said to me, "I heard your story about how you and Dad met. I've heard so much about his bravery that I'm tired of it. It feels like I'll always be in his shadow, not that it's not cool to be his son, but who he was. I understand he was brave. It takes a lot of courage to knock someone out the first time you meet them, but tell us something else."

Tim chimed in, "Yeah, time for war stories. What was Jake like? Tell us something."

I smiled and replied, "Well, me, Adam, Damon, Charles, Mimosa, Magnum, we all knew both of them, so I'm not the only one telling stories. But fine, Jake. He was one of a kind. He had no problem putting me in my place in front of the whole damn base."

I sighed and continued, "It was our first mission together, Sark's place. I had insisted on certain protocols being followed because laziness leads to lives being lost. It was a buddy system, where you had a partner who made sure you had everything on. And, I thought I was invincible, so of course, I didn't always put everything on, and I had rarely a buddy. I was in my office getting ready when Jake walked in, fully geared up, and started telling me what to put on next. He had brought pieces I didn't have in my office, so he became my buddy."

Tim smiled and said, "He must really have had somekind of death wish. Even I wouldn't have the guts to barge into your office and start dictating what you should wear on missions."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Oh, that's not all. During that mission, I was supposed to place the explosives, but since I'm shorter, Jake took my explosives and placed them a few inches higher, without asking, just telling me I had to use fewer explosives if I placed them higher. Up until then, our explosions didn't always bring down the complete building, and we had to use a lot of explosives."

Adam said, "So you mean you insisted on being the one to place the charges, and then your team had to adjust for that, resulting in subpar results, and no one had the guts to tell you?"

I nodded and admitted, "After that mission, Jake took me and the others to the central hub, gave me a sermon, and pointed out how much fewer explosives we could use if I let those who could reach the optimal distance place them. You see, if you're blowing up, let's say..."

I paused my conversation as Damon and Mariella entered the room, accompanied by others. The entire pack gathered and took their seats. Number eight added more logs to the fireplace, and soon they were ablaze, casting a little more light.

Damon spoke up, saying, "Mimi, you were in the middle of a story. Please continue. I want to hear your tales."

Mariella curled up on Damon's lap. Wulfe gave me a sharp glance, sensing a hint of smugness in my expression. My pheromones had done their job, but it was subtle.

With little choice, I continued speaking. "As I was saying, Jake was giving me a lesson in front of a large audience at the base. There were over 200 people there, all listening intently as he spoke with unwavering truth, before my eyes. He taught me that when demolishing a support beam, there is about a foot of difference that determines the best spot for explosives. If someone taller than me could place the charges in that sweet spot, which I could rarely reach, we could use 30% fewer explosives, complete the task faster and more efficiently, and bring the building down. He also made it clear to everyone that my rage was nothing to be afraid of. It was simply an emotion, and I would never harm my own people. In fact, I was more likely to sacrifice myself for them than to hurt them."

My voice grew quiet as I smiled nostalgically, recalling my initial disbelief. But as Jake presented the facts and had several explosive experts confirm them, I had no choice but to learn my lesson.

I added, "It's true that work teaches the one who does it, but damn, so do your colleagues. Never underestimate the skills of others and never overestimate your own. It was a difficult and bitter lesson, but a necessary one. As the leader, I had a responsibility to set an example when it came to putting on gear. There was no room for cutting corners. What kind of leader tells others to do one thing and does the opposite?"

Damon's smile grew slightly, and Adam chimed in, saying, "Yeah, Jake could be blunt at times, but he always got things done. He was in a position where bluntness was necessary, but he loved Mimi with all his heart. And so did Rob. I've seen no one love someone so deeply. It was a special kind of love, and it's no wonder he stayed behind to take care of her. You do not know how many times either of them, or sometimes both, yelled at me for failing Mimi. They were truly fearless."

Damon said, "I also experienced my fair share of yelling and witnessed countless examples of how fiercely they protected her. There was this one time when Rob made sure Mimi slept and ate, but he wanted her to be happy, so he lied to her and said it was my order. In reality, I hadn't actually given any orders. As usual, it was other girls or Damien who had taken me elsewhere."

Katherine replied to Damon, "I must admit, I'm glad I wasn't around during that time. From what I've heard, I would have dragged your sorry ass away from those skanks, forced you to listen to Mimi, admit that Damien was separate, and deal with things. Otherwise, I would have ended up in an asylum for trying." She smiled and added, "Despite everything, maybe true love prevails."

Mariella chimed in, "Listening to your stories of old times is so much fun. Mimi, I can only imagine your expressions during your time with fleas. You must have been quite something."

I nodded, feeling a slight blush creeping up my cheeks. I hoped that the dimness of the room would hide it. Sitting in my perfectly comfortable chair, I relaxed my tired muscles in the warmth of the roaring fire. I felt safe and protected with my pack; this was our family.

I could sense a steady stream of love coming from Damon, Charles, Wulfe, Adam, and the boys. It was amazing how many people loved me. I didn't always feel deserving of that love.

Taylor and Tim started discussing a football match with the boys, as Thanksgiving was approaching and big matches were on the horizon. Mariella snuggled up closer to Damon, and I leaned back, letting my eyes wander to the ceiling. A memory from my human days came to mind. I reached for my glass of wine, making Damon look at me sharply.

I spoke aloud, taking a sip of my wine at the same time, unsure who I was even talking to. "Do you know why I have such an obsession with ceilings? It goes way back, when I was still human, when I had my family and my mom was still alive,"

Mimosa said. "Tell us," Mimosa continued, "I didn't copy your memories, so they were left to you. I have no idea what you're referring to."

Number two softly interjected, "Yeah, baby, spit it out. Tell us why, so maybe we can understand."

I smiled and replied, "Well, we used to watch a ton of programs, and my mom, she liked to watch renovation programs. So we found them on the internet, downloaded them, burned them onto multi-use DVDs, and watched them. We also watched a lot of dance programs and many more, but anyway, there was this one program, and there was this guy who almost always pointed out to clients that their plain white ceilings were a missed opportunity. He believed that having a good-looking ceiling made all the difference, as if it was another floor or another wall above them."

Charles grunted and said, "Well, honey, maybe we should see if I can find that program so we can watch it again, just the two of us."

Mariella chimed in, "No way. If you find them, I want to watch them too."

I shrugged and replied, "I don't actually remember what the show was called, but I do recall a few ceilings. As I started designing these houses, it all started to make sense. I saw it with my own two eyes. It was almost a joke to us back then, to see if the man would once again emphasize those ceilings, but I have to admit, he had a point. And another important thing was the moldings. He wanted them to be more ornate, and again, he had a point."

Charles smiled and said, "Yeah, honey, I did insist that you choose moldings for the Kansas castle, remember? They had to be good."

I smiled back at him. I do remember. I kept my expression neutral as I noticed Mariella happily sitting in Damon's lap, with him nuzzling her. My pheromones were working, and the future was looking rather nice.

Wulfe spoke up, "I am happy with how these rooms are turning out. They're not finished yet, but we've made quite a change. And who knows what they'll become over time? Oh, I can hardly wait to decorate these trees and put lights on them. Garlands and baubles everywhere."

 That prompted Salvatores to start pondering about the placement of light sets.

However, I was a little surprised when Mariella innocently and sweetly suggested, "How about we go shopping on Black Friday? We might find some more lights, new ornaments, and maybe even gifts. Since there is a recently opened huge shopping mall nearby, we could also visit there together."

 I smiled. I had to admit; it wasn't in my official name but one of my newer aliases.

"I have to tell you guys something. I actually own a huge shopping mall in Boston. It is under the name of one of my newer aliases, and it brings in a truckload of money. I also own five shops,"

Damon said softly, dangerously even. "If you could, please give me information on all of your freaking aliases so I can transfer assets to the pack's name. It's cool to have our own shopping mall and a few shops too. Baby, weddings are coming, and no prenup. None, and never even a chance for one,"

Charles calmly replied. "I have information on her aliases, but not a list of what she owns. It's only in her mind," Charles added.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my mind, like a white lightning, and Wulfe said to Damon, "There you have it, all the info. So, my unicorn, no more secrets. We are the pack."

Damon grunted and said, "Thanks. I will take care of them. From now on, it will take a little while when I go through financial reports and such."

Number four said, a little sarcastically, "Are you really going to read them yourself or just let some witch in a magic house do the work for you? Give them to me. I'll read them and know where we are. No need to involve the magic house in everything. You can read them yourself. No need to be lazy."

Number one squinted his eyes, pursed his lips, and nodded. "Very well then. I shall read them personally, and no magic house," he said.

Mariella looked at Damon, and Damon tersely said to her, out loud, "No witches. This is final, no matter how much you recommend them."

I could smell Mariella's peach sweeter, so she was feeling it alright, meaning she wanted to be with Damon, but I was a little surprised by the slight tang of figs in her scent. Breeding? But I hadn't yet put them on. Well, time would show what this was all about and why she wanted to breed.

Maybe it wasn't because of me, but just her. I wasn't that suspicious, and I had no idea that Damon was aware of my little plot and that he had primed the rest of the pack, including me, for the upcoming heat. But my body, being what it was, had its own mind, and that heat would be truly unique.