The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

Mariella and Damon were once again enjoying their meal when, to their surprise, Samuel, Mimi, Colin, Wulfe, and others walked into the kitchen. Mariella frowned, feeling irritated. She had been dreaming of her perfect time in Azores and did not need the negativity that Mimi brought with her.

However, the biggest surprise came when Samuel briskly approached her. Before Mariella had a chance to react, he injected something into her neck, causing a sharp sting.

Irritated, she asked, "What the fuck did you just shoot me up with?"

Samuel calmly sat down on a chair and replied, "It's a hormone regulator, helps you control your behavior. Even vampires go through hormonal changes. Now, Damon could achieve this with his pheromones, but he's lazy or ignorant. We need to have a discussion, and we can't have you raving and ranting due to your hormones. It is not mandatory to be a bitch when one is getting vampire heat. My guess is Damon knows it, but for him, this is actually funny to see you being all over the place or something. "

Samuel, as usual, was dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt, while Mimi wore a loose T-shirt and jeans, trying to appear less feminine, at least in Mariella's eyes. Mariella enjoyed wearing dresses and skirts and embracing her femininity, although her clothing choices were mostly determined by Damon. She didn't mind, though, as she had grown accustomed to obeying Damon and letting him decide.

Mimi, on the other hand, was always the leader, always making decisions, which sometimes created tension between her and Damon. However, Mariella won in the end, having Damon to herself, as Mimi proved too difficult to handle. She saw herself as the better choice for Damon than Mimi. Of course, this was due to her vampire hormone levels spiking because of the heat, and after the heat, she would have some regrets, as usual.

Samuel's abrupt approach and injection made Mariella's anger rise, and she could feel the sting of the injection burning slightly in her neck, despite her accelerated healing. Disappointed by Damon's lack of a vehement reaction, she had no idea what Samuel had injected her with, which only fueled her frustration.

Nowadays, everything seemed to annoy her, especially as her vampire heat was approaching. However, Mariella's offense started dissipating, and she began feeling somewhat more normal and less irritated by everything.

Damon glared at Samuel and firmly stated, "I am the pack leader, and I would appreciate knowing what you injected into my wife before you decide to do God knows what. Regardless of your intentions or what the fuck you have to talk about."

Samuel's voice remained calm as Mimi took her seat, while a few Salvatores busied themselves with the task of feeding her. Damon frowned slightly, trying to recall when he had last seen Mimi. It had been at least a few days.

Samuel spoke up, saying, "You still haven't learned. I had to sedate this young lady for three days to prevent her condition from deteriorating further. She's still on the verge, and I hope she can take it easy to avoid further infections."

Damon snorted, glancing at Mimi. She still looked tired and weak, which irritated Damon. He was more focused on the upcoming vampire heat and the holiday in the Azores, not wanting to be a nursemaid to her.

Why did she have to be weak right now? There would be better times for her to be weak and feeble. However, a part of Damon realized the futility of his thoughts and how messed up he was. He wasn't even sure why he felt this way about himself.

Samuel looked at Damon and said, "We know where and how this infection started. Pay attention and listen. We're not blaming, just informing. I hope you take this seriously without taking it the wrong way."

Number two glared at Samuel and said, "I'm listening, and I'll take it seriously. That one," he pointed at number one, "is too involved with Mariella to think clearly. So go ahead and tell us."

Mariella was annoyed by this and proceeded to kiss number two passionately. Suddenly, Mimi stood up, walked over to the fridge, and tinkered around before bringing a tall glass with something sparkling to number two.

She said, "Drink this, right now."

Number two raised an eyebrow but obediently drank the glass empty.

He grimaced and said, "Pretty heavy on the lemon, but at least my breath is fresh. What's going on?"

Samuel stood up and approached Mariella, picking up a bottle of organic pomegranate juice that she always carried with her.

Samuel said, "This is the reason for the infection. Let me explain."

Mariella frowned and said, "Of course, it has to be something I like. You always think that way because of her."

Samuel looked at Mariella and said, "Will you listen first before launching into your tirade?"

Mariella snapped her mouth shut and listened. 

Samuel recounted, "It was around 15 years ago when I was in Borneo that I encountered a particularly nasty infection. It made shifters extremely ill, causing them to go feral. As the infection worsened, it affected their brains, turning them into something akin to zombies. The locals dubbed it the 'feline killer' or 'cat zombie virus,' although it's actually a bacterium, not a virus."

Damon interjected impatiently, "Enough with the history lesson on germs. Get to the point."

Samuel sighed and continued, "We were a team investigating this infection because it posed a danger to humans. Shifters could attack and harm innocent people, so we took action. We captured the infected shifters and nursed them back to health, but we had no clue where the bacteria originated or why."

Mariella chimed in, "Once again, I fail to see how my juice is the culprit here."

Ignoring her comment, Samuel pressed on, "We began investigating the shifters' diet and how they gained their prey."

He glanced around the room, noticing Number Four's intense interest.

With a calm voice, Samuel continued, "Contrary to our initial belief that they primarily hunted rodents, we discovered they targeted certain species of monkeys. These monkeys happened to be carriers of the bacteria."

Damon remarked, "Again, monkeys are not the same as pomegranate juice. Please, get to the point."

His expression was irritated. Everyone could smell the cloying smell of Mariella's vampire pheromones, yet they affected only Number One.

Unfazed by Damon's impatience, Samuel continued. "We delved into the monkeys' habits and found that they consumed fruits, particularly pomegranates and similar varieties. These fruits harbored bacteria on their surface and within their flesh, which gave them their bitter taste. This bitterness was meant to deter fruit-eating animals, but the monkeys were unaffected as they could not sense it. Consequently, they carried the bacteria in their mouths, teeth, and cheek tissues. When the shifters consumed the monkeys' heads, they also ingested these germs. Shifters, unlike normal felines, knew that brains are the best part, and they crushed their skull with their jaws and ate entire heads too. They were quite small monkeys."

Mariella frowned while Damon remained silent.

Samuel held the bottle and explained, "This is organic, unprocessed juice. It hasn't been heated or filtered, which means it's filled with germs that can cause infections. When you drink this juice, these germs attach themselves to your teeth and the inside of your mouth. Your natural flora can usually keep them under control, but when you kiss someone, you transfer those germs. Someone is bound to get sick."

Mariella nodded and said, "But I've been drinking this for years. It can't be the only reason."

Mimi spoke up next, saying, "The sugars in that juice, as well as the carbs from the bump you're so eager to suck off from damon's cock in your mouth, provide a favorable environment for these germs to thrive. So why is it rare for us to get infected? Why did I give that drink to number two? It's because that bacteria can't survive in an acidic environment. Coke is usually acidic enough to kill it off, and lemon too. You don't drink much Coke, and your coffee isn't the strongest. Plus, you don't consume them regularly enough to keep your mouth clear of bacteria."

Damon nodded in agreement with Mimi and said, "So what you're saying is she should pay attention to her oral hygiene? Make sure she consumes something acidic?"

Mimi nodded and Samuel added, "Or she could try changing the brand of juice. Test it out and make sure it doesn't contain that strain of bacteria. Sometimes, processing like heating can make it more secure."

Number four chimed in, saying, "It's ironic that this damn infection was transmitted through kissing, isn't it?"

Samuel replied, "Yes, the infection needs to be inside your mouth or on your mucous membranes to be harmful. On your skin, it's relatively harmless unless you have a scrape or cut. So keep it in mind when processing fruits, as you guys want best, means organic, means no chemical protection. It would be wise to wash them or test them. I have no idea what kind of other strains there might be."

Number two spoke up, saying, "Good to know. We can now make sure we regularly consume acidic drinks, test juices, and ensure there are no nearby germs."

Samuel smiled slightly and said, "This is just another example of how vulnerable we all are, despite our immortality or unkillability. Germs can still affect us. And please keep an eye on that young lady. She's pushing herself too hard and might experience setbacks."

He looked at Mimi, who bristled at being called out in front of the entire pack. She wanted to be strong, not weak anymore, and she didn't appreciate the public criticism. 

Samuel was both happy and worried. He had been caring for Mimi for most of her life, but there were times when he couldn't be there for her or when his actions unintentionally caused harm.

Although it wasn't his fault, as an evil wizard had taken control of him, he couldn't shake off the feeling of responsibility. Mimi was a unique being, and Samuel felt honored to be able to care for her. However, he also knew that there were others, like Charles, Adam, and Salvatores, who also loved and cared for her.

Samuel was surprised when Charles told him about the five Salvatores who had broken away from the hive to be with Mimi. It wasn't a simple situation, especially with Mariella involved, but Samuel believed they would find a way to make it work. He was always just a phone call away if he was needed.

Damon sat in his usual spot, surrounded by the scent of Mimi's food and the fragrance of strawberries. He knew he had made mistakes, but it was too late for regrets, especially with the vampire heat approaching. He needed to focus on that.

As for the future, Damon didn't know what it held, and at the moment, he didn't care. Things would unfold as they were meant to. There was no time for complicated emotions between him and Mimi right now. If any issues arose, they would deal with them in the future.

What bothered Damon was the source of the infection. He couldn't help but be irritated that it was because of Mariella. In his mind, he had somehow blamed Mimi or someone else, but to discover that the culprit was his beloved's dear juice infuriated him.

Of course, he was under the influence of vampire heat hormones, so he wasn't entirely himself. He had no desire to regulate his behavior too much.

Thus, he sneered at Mimi while she ate her meal, saying, "You must be really happy now that Mariella is the cause of this infection. It's your chance to get back at her."

Mimi raised her head, looked at him, and replied, "No, not really. I'm not happy about it. It's not pleasant to have an infection, and if it's this subtle, who knows what other bugs might hide in fruits? You know I eat a lot of fruit, so maybe next time it could be one of mine."

Damon snorted in response.

Still, Number Two said, "Good point. It's something we should definitely investigate - ensuring there are no bacteria in any of the fruits. Maybe we can even make juice for Mariella ourselves, but, of course, it has to be safe."

Number Four grunted.

It was Charles who spoke up again, irritating Damon even more. "She doesn't really need pomegranates. It's just a treat for her, so she should really cut back on drinking that stuff in the first place because it affects her mineral levels. It's not good for her if they're bound in the wrong way."

Damon glared at Charles, but knowing that Charles was Mariella's protector, he knew it was best to trust his judgment. There was nothing Damon could say or do to contradict him.

As they continued eating in the kitchen, Damon remained silent, suppressing his mounting frustrations about so many things. He hadn't had time to adjust to everything, and it had left him feeling overwhelmed. He knew deep down that one day he would have to face the consequences of his actions and words, and the strained bond between him and Mimi.

But at this moment, he just didn't care enough. As he glanced at his arm, he noticed that his tattoo seemed faded, almost old, while Mimi's tattoo appeared vibrant and colorful. It was yet another thing that irked Damon, but he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on Mariella.

He concentrated on his meal, knowing that soon it would be time for vampire heat, followed by a long holiday. After that, who knows what the future would bring? What would be in store for him, Mimi, and the entire pack? No one knew, and it was pointless to try to predict the future because it constantly changed. Not all of those decisions were Damon's to make. So it was time for him to move forward and see what lay ahead.