33. Step By Step.

It had been three weeks since Damon had come to the house, and Mimi would soon be ready to wake up; all the silver and aconitum had already left her system, but Damon wanted to keep her asleep for a few more days to ease most of the symptoms. He knew there might still be symptoms.

Mimi's body hadn't quite recovered yet. He could see it in the blood test results. There was still cortisol and other stress related stuff in her blood. Damon settled in well with the pack, caring for Mimi. With Samuel, together, they thought about many things about her future and nutrition.

Damon studied the reports on her digestion and said almost half to himself, "This girl's nutrition and digestion is an art form, or rather a new direction in science."

Samuel laughed. It was good that someone shared his frustration with Mimi's food. Damon didn't try to challenge Adam's authority either, and although Damon was dominant, the wolf understood his place. Damon also changed his shape with Adam's help and returned independently, showing that he controlled himself and his wolf.

He had also had Samuel examine himself in wolf form, then he had examined Samuel in wolf form as well, and together they had examined Adam, and Adam had then called Bran, who had also been studied. Therefore, they gained a lot of valuable information, and Bran wanted to continue this among his pack as well, so when he left, he went and arranged for all the wolf forms to be examined by doctors. Samuel gave Bran Colin Farrell's number. He was a qualified doctor. 

Samuel went to medbay. He removed Mimi's cannulas and carried her upstairs to her own room. He knew Mimi was still heavily drugged and would sleep for a while, hopefully a little longer. He also took out the urinary catheter.

He tucked Mimi warmly into bed and left her warm clothes on the chair for when she woke up. Mimi's thermoregulation was extremely sensitive, and she cooled easily when the medication took effect. So, she would just have to keep some clothes on when she woke up.

Then Samuel went back downstairs.

Damon was in the living room chatting with Adam when Samuel came and sat down in a chair, and said, "I took Mimi off the IV and carried her to her room. She'll probably wake up in an hour or two, but may be on her meds for a while. She usually fights herself awake, so there's no need to be surprised."

Damon nodded. This was going to be interesting. The three of them had been talking these days about Mimi's upcoming heat, when it would come. Samuel suspected it would take a year or even two, and so far, Damon saw nothing wrong with that.

Damon had taken extensive blood tests on Mimi, again a little different tests Samuel or his team took, and the results confirmed Mimi had no indication yet of a long time before the heat. Her werewolf's body was still immature, not sexually mature, even though Mimi herself was older. Still, the retrovirus had sort of reset Mimi's body to the very beginning, and it would probably be years before she was ready for heat.

Bran had gone away after a couple of days when he'd seen that Damon knew what he was doing and could manage independently. And he'd seen that he'd settled in well with the pack, and there was no friction. Bran was now organizing health checks for the wolves.

Damon looked at both men and said, "I'll get to know Mimi, and hopefully, I'll get her interested in the boys somewhere in between, but please, and this is not a possession. Before I say, don't get romantically involved with Mimi. While I will make her look like a good-looking woman, let me give Mimi the attention given to a woman."

Damon had experience in seducing women, and he knew the most significant threat would be Adam and Samuel. If Mimi was really that inhibited and shy, any attempts at advances from these two could throw off the whole seduction. He wanted to be the one for her, not these two. He felt actually possessive for her. Adam and Samuel nodded. Neither had even thought of Mimi that way yet.

Mimi was their protégé; they protected her, guarded her even, and the mere thought of Adam that Mimi might one day move to live alone seemed surprisingly tricky. It was somehow hard to give up. Adam wanted to keep her safe, always and forever. He had never felt pain like it when he had thought that Mimi had died. Not even when he lost them. Long time ago, he had been all different man. Foolish, arrogant, spoiled, and he had gotten his lessons over the years.

Adam knew that both Mimi and Mimosa admired him and were willing to jump in front of a bullet for him, literally. Still, he really hadn't even thought about Mimi's lust yet because it seemed so impossible in Mimi's current state.

I woke up. It took me a moment to rewind; then I remembered the silvering, the kicking, and the aconitum. And I woke myself up. I felt my side, and it had healed. Samuel has worked wonders again, I thought as I tried to clear my head.

"Well, I'm slow too, or Samuel's been using new substances again. Fucking cocktail or something." I pondered as I tried to get the medicine in my head to go somewhere.

My muscles felt weak, and I had to work even to sit up. I must have sat for ten minutes and then stood up. And I sat back down because my legs still didn't want to work. It took me half an hour to finally get up and walk to the toilet. I could tell by the amount of piss that I had been stuffed with fluids and lots of them. And a slight stinging feeling in my piss told me I had had a catheter, but I had had time to collect the piss after removing it.

My head was spinning quite a bit, but I was awake, and I already knew from experience that the medicine comes off quicker when I'm moving and awake. Although it made me feel lazy, and the idea of reading anatomy wasn't bad. I was hungry; it was all very well being on treatment and getting all my nutrition intravenously, but my stomach was empty and growling.

I got to the toilet at quite the last minute. I thought I would probably have pissed the bed soon. I sniffed myself, and now I didn't smell, so I decided to leave the shower for later. I was on so much medication that it was better if I left the washing up a bit later. I should probably go get something to eat. Now it was time to get my life in order. Back on track. 

I remembered we were in Arizona, and my room was upstairs, and the kitchen was downstairs. Okay, let's go downstairs. I first got dressed in more sensible clothes than just a nightie. Someone had left me a change of clothes, and I thought, fine, let's get dressed. Then, Adam found me a pair of kids' jeans that actually fit somehow. 

I put my jeans on. They were loose, but not too long. Then, my t-shirt and outfit were topped off with a thick, fluffy sweater. Pink and again too big. It hung halfway down my thigh at least, but it was warm, and as I was still on drugs, my body couldn't keep warm. These were nice, these fluffy sweaters for children and young people, and also the children's T-shirts.

Luckily, they were also in plain colors. I got dressed and went barefoot downstairs to the kitchen. My hair was down; I hadn't bothered to put it up; it needed another cut and maybe a blonde, too.

The kitchen was empty. I started rummaging through the cupboards when I noticed Adam entering the kitchen. I was not in too terrible shape so it would not be time to have a few weeks in incubator, even it seemed good idea.

As usual, this experience made me feel unsafe again, and it would take time and would require Adam's presence and touch before I could get my sense of security right. Adam hugged me tightly and said something in a soothing voice.

Then he pulled away, looked at me, and said," I'm glad you're awake, at least. You should have slept for a few more hours; you're still on drugs, but I've got some news. We have a new pack member. Come and meet him. He's been working very hard to get you well. He's a doctor, too, and he's been a great help in getting you in such good shape in three weeks."

I pulled myself together. Another doctor? I am so demanding to get well these days that it takes several doctors. 

I said, " Oh, why do we have another doctor? How did this happen? What happened to those vampires?"

Adam continued: "Samuel and I treated you first, but then Bran brought reinforcements. This man warned me you had been captured. He took care of those vampires out of harm's way; they may have learned their lesson by now, and Nick and Elias are looking closer. This man is your savior."

I said slowly, because I was still pretty damn drugged, " Tell me the whole fucking story."

Adam explained the whole thing very briefly.

He said, "Well, this man is a former vampire who was now a werewolf; Bran turned him and recruited our pack to be your protector, doctor, bodyguard, and mate. He is a vampire whose powers would be fully awakened in a year or two, and then he would become a hybrid. He may not always be here as he has gigs and is over a thousand years old."

Adam looked me hard in the eye.

Then I asked, " Well, does this guy have a name, or should I call him a vampire?"

While I was still traumatized from dealing with Spike and Drusilla, I wasn't quite sure if I wanted a vampire as my bodyguard. When Adam said the name, I laughed.

I said in an amused voice as I remembered the series, "Damon Salvatore?! Really? Tell me, is he like the one in the show? It's the same look and the same sarcasm. Just as much of a wuss in the end? "

Adam looked serious for a moment and said, "Absolutely not, and try to behave. He doesn't look the same; he's not as sarcastic and laid back as he is in the series; the series was done as an inspiration to Damon; he's a strong old creature who's had more women than you can imagine or comprehend. Be polite and kind. Damon has worked very hard. He's the reason you're in such good shape. He's a genius and a doctor; he's also a scientist and made some pretty extraordinary observations about you. They've had an interesting time with Samuel, and you've been the talk of the town."

Adam rarely reprimanded me, and I was surprised at how vehemently he defended the newest member of our pack. Somehow, the idea of being at the complete mercy of a strange man and the fact that he had seen my body, well, there was nothing feminine about me, and that was fine.

Still, when Adam had told me that this guy had had women, I couldn't help but feel a little insecure and somewhat naked, so I retreated into my protective, "I'm fine" protective shell and pulled myself together. I could do this.

I said, "I'll behave, calm down. I'll be fine. I can behave. Yes, I'm fine now."

Somehow, this strengthened my longing for safety, and I was very close to Adam.

I thought I would be a nice, discreet Mimi and sat down at the kitchen table after taking one of my Coke bottles and drinking it. I was hungry and planned to make some American pancakes, even though Samuel said they weren't good for me. They were delicious.

After the bottle was finished, I was ready to meet Damon Salvatore. I figured I'd come and make pancakes after introducing myself and being a polite little Mimi.

I followed Adam into the living room, and the man rose from one armchair and turned to face me. I was close to Adam, almost touching him the whole time. I first noticed the ice-blue eyes boring straight into my soul. Somehow, they seemed familiar, as if I'd seen them before.

He didn't exactly resemble the character in the series; he had something similar, but his mouth was perfect, his cheekbones were accentuated, and those dark lashes lining his ice-blue eyes were thick, long, and lush. His expression was dangerous. This was a bad boy, as bad as could be, and just as suddenly Spike and Drusilla seemed ridiculous compared to this even though this wasn't a vampire. Yet.

His hair was jet black, thick, shiny, and long enough to curl just above his neck and shirt collar. I wondered casually what it would feel like to sink my hand into his hair. I didn't understand where the thought came from, but when I looked at this man, I felt this aura, this presence, and it seemed to wrap itself around me and made me feel and think about things I hadn't thought about until now.

He made me feel like an adult, a woman, just by the look in his eyes, and it made me wary again. I was still stuck on Adam, and it was a good thing I didn't take his hand. The man smelled of passionfruit. How appropriate for a seducer, I thought.

He walked like a predator, and I already knew that werewolves could recognize his gait, which was proud and predatory at the same time. He carried his body like a god. He was tall, not quite as tall as Samuel, who was over 190 cm, but slightly taller than Adam, so he would be something on the better side of 185 cm. He lazily took a few steps towards me, looking me over from head to toe.

I tried to keep my posture and look taller than I was, about a little under 160 cm, something between 156 and 158 cm. He came up to me and held out his hand. I decided to show him here and now that I wasn't quite as fragile as everyone assumed and took his hand in a good grip.

I was still on drugs, but I could do this. Adam moved to the sofa to sit with Samuel. I was alone as I shook his hand and gave him a good sample of my grip strength. My hand was small compared to his, but he had long, strong fingers, and he didn't rise to the challenge but squeezed my hand just right.

"Mimi Springcove." I introduced myself. " Thank you for getting me in shape. It must not have been easy, but thank you. "

I squeezed his hand even tighter.

The corner of Damon's mouth turned into a slight smile, and he raised one eyebrow questioningly. He looked boyish and less intimidating when he smiled. He was seductive, and I realized he was a handsome guy. For some reason, I blushed slightly when he looked at me. His voice was silky, low but not growly, and had such a clear dominance to it that even Charles's or Adam's voices didn't have. 

"Damon Salvatore. Nice to meet you and please, I'm always up for a challenge. You're still pretty medicated. It would have been wise for you to sleep a little longer, but I guess you're pretty stubborn," He said.

I replied, "I don't want to sleep if I'm not tired for nothing, besides the drugs go faster when I'm awake." 

I released my grip, and he turned around and walked calmly back to his chair to sit. Arizona's living room was smaller than Chicago's, with only a two-seater sofa and a few armchairs. And, of course, Damon went to sit in my chair; there was a table next to it where my anatomy books had been.

The table was now empty, and I saw the books on the shelf back. Fine, I could read them then later. His voice was like silk, seductive, enchanting.

I looked at Adam and said, "I'm going to eat now. I'm hungry. I'm making American pancakes, and I don't care if they're not good for me. Now I just want them."

Adam said: "Come and sit down for a minute, and I'll make you a proper meal in a minute. We can eat then, missy. You will not stuff American pancakes down your throat. Samuel and Damon have taught me a little about your diet, so sit down, and we'll go and eat in a minute."

Adam spoke in a voice that could not stand any argument. Normally, they would have let me cook for myself as it was one of my ways of getting myself back together, but apparently, a new member of our pack had now interfered with our routine, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I went to sit in the only available chair. It was opposite Damon, and I could feel him looking at me searchingly.

I sat down in the chair and pulled my legs under me as I picked up the New York Times from the table and read it. I didn't have my anatomy books to read and wasn't in the mood for conversation now. I let my sweater cover me almost completely as I retreated deep into the plush armchair to sit. And read what had happened in three weeks. I thought it was nice to know at least something about the way the world was going. 

Damon said. " Is there a lot of interesting news, baby? I mean, you could find that on the Internet, but do you read the newspapers much? At least you read anatomy, baby."

Baby, really? I thought. Oh, so this is one of those guys who calls everyone by a nickname. I'm not a baby. I kept reading, and suddenly, the magazine was snatched out of my hand.

Damon looked at me questioningly. "Are you always in such a hurry to read all the news, baby? This magazine is three weeks old, after all. I can tell you what's going on in the world, just the two of us. Let's find some time to together and I will get up to speed, baby."

I replied quietly. "I haven't read it. Besides, I don't watch current news as much as everything else, like celebrity gossip, stories, and jokes, and I'm no baby. My name is Mimi, Mimi Springcove. "

Damon leaned back in his chair. This was going to be fun. When Mimi entered the room, and he saw the spark in her eyes, he knew there would be a challenge. This woman playing child, he had watched as the creature walking next to Adam, dressed in shapeless children's jeans, over a big fluffy sweater that hung halfway down her thighs, making Mimi look like a child dressed in her parent's clothes.

Mimi's face was young-looking, but Damon knew that with hair of another color, red, maybe the makeup and childishness would be pretty much gone. There was no child's roundness to Mimi's face, though. On top of everything else, Mimi's grip was very strong, and Mimi didn't even show her expression when she tried to crush his hand. Mimi's grip had been surprisingly strong, and Damon had felt the inner strength of this woman, even though she had been holding onto Adam almost the whole time.

There was quite fire in this creature soul. She was special, untamed like unicorn and Damon wanted to tame her, possess her, make her love. There was this wariness in her gaze, pain and loneliness too. She was still looking for her place.

Damon telepathically told Adam to sit on the couch when he met Mimi and stay there. And when she wanted to make American pancakes, the worst thing she could put in her bowels now that they had been empty for weeks. He had telepathically told Adam the facts of what would happen so that he had to make it clear to Mimi not to eat the pancakes when the whole pack would soon eat a proper meal. It seemed that Damon could work a little with the entire pack so that Mimi wouldn't be the one deciding everything.

And the cherry on the cake was the reaction when he called Mimi Baby. It pulled Mimi off balance and out of the protective shell Damon saw. Mimi had carefully wrapped herself in her protective shell, and it would be a while before Damon could get through that shell.

Mimi's I'm fine attitude shone through, and it was that very shell that Mimi pulled herself into and made everyone believe she was fine. Adam had noticed nothing, and Damon suspected Adam didn't even see Mimi the way he did.

Damon had seduced virgins before, but they had been young girls, easy and protected, and most importantly, they had known that one day they would be taken, their virginity taken, and they had been groomed to be the perfect brides. Those women had been almost easy prey for Damon, and he had pretty much killed them in that situation, taking the girls' virginity and their lives. Damon had understood correctly that Mimi had been kidnapped in her early sixties.

Now, all the tests and treatments had turned back the clock, so that Mimi looked, at most, close to 20. She would never age out of it. Mimi could still look younger, even pretend to be younger. This made Mimi a challenge. Mimi already had a lifetime of experience.

Her manners and her self-awareness were unlike any teenager he'd ever had. Mimi had her own habits, sense of herself, and body. Still, she had never been in love or a relationship with anyone, so Mimi was partly innocent and inexperienced. But still, she had seen and experienced life.

Damon had been with older women, but they had always been experienced. What Mimi had been through recently was incredibly brutal and cruel - the last few years of Mimi's life had been more or less torture or recovery from it. Damon was actually amazed that after all these experiences, Mimi still had that spark in her.

Mimi was going to be his masterpiece, and Damon also felt a slight flicker of excitement when Volcano woke up and noticed Mimi. It, too, was intrigued. But he wasn't a vampire yet, and Volcano was mostly asleep, weak. 

I sat in the chair and tried to look unconcerned as Damon seemed to study me, looking me over from head to toe. He looked amused, and I tried not to be annoyed by it. It seemed like he could see right through me, and I looked out the window. This chair was facing a big glass wall, and I was looking at the autumn landscape, and I realized my birthday was coming up; I mean my original one, but now I would not mention it.

Somehow I wanted to get the whole Spike and Drusilla thing behind me now, maybe bake, and enjoy life. I was starving, and I could have cooked myself. Those pancakes would have been just what I wanted, but when Adam tells me to, I obey. Samuel, Adam, and Damon then started discussing sports or politics.

I was hungry. Eventually, I changed my position a bit and thought about how hungry I was and how it would feel to eat. I wondered what you would eat when you couldn't have pancakes. I wonder if Adam would make meatballs from my recipe. I wonder if he had any ingredients. My stomach growled rather loudly. Adam turned to look and furrowed his brows.

He said, "Sorry, I got caught up in the conversation, but I guess you really are hungry. Come on, then we'll go cook, and then we'll go eat with the pack for the first time in this configuration. "

Adam stood up, and the other men followed suit. I was the last to get up and walked lazily to the kitchen, just casually looking at how good-looking Damon was from behind.