The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

As we excitedly entered the portal room and stepped into the Essex mansion, it became quite obvious that not much decoration had been done to remove my influence and the personal touch I had added here. What remained was a grand mansion with a cold and impersonal feel, needing some sprucing up. Since this was originally one of Damon's acquisitions, I had no idea what condition the house was in when he bought it or if any renovations had been done.

Max and his crew, consisting of five men, began to explore the house, tapping on walls and referring to the house's papers to learn about its history and basic layout. Although any changes made by the pack may not have been reflected in the layout, we had already visited five pack houses and I had refrained from expressing my opinions, allowing Max and everyone else to form their own impressions without my influence.

Walking with Wulfe on my left and Damon on my right, holding my hand, Damon remarked, "I'm sure you have a lot to do here. Now I see how incredibly beige these houses are."

I responded neutrally, "You can always hire decorators. I've used them before, especially for painting."

Damon asked, "What did they paint?"

A smile formed on my lips as I replied, "Well, in my German castle, there's this enormous space with white walls and ceiling that always seemed so dreary. It's in my favorite spot where I often sit and that white ceiling just kept catching my eye."

Damon exclaimed, "I want to see that next. Forget about going randomly. I can arrange it, but after this, we have to visit that room."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that my German castle was a place where I had spent a significant amount of time making many personal additions. I wasn't sure how the pack would react or if I even wanted to share everything with them. 

Mariella approached me and gently took my hand, saying, "Come on, I want to show you a room that's missing something. I'm not quite sure what it is."

I walked beside her, responding, "Damon wants to visit my German castle next because I mentioned that I had used painters there. It holds a special place in my heart, and I'm not sure if I want anyone to make changes."

Mariella smiled and replied, "We'll see it later. Come on, this way."

She opened a door, and I could hear the rest of the group entering behind us. The room was spacious, with various shades: deep dark brown, light brown, off-white, and medium brown. I recognized this as a classical mistake, one you make if you don't know what you're leaving out.

There was a large sofa, a few smaller ones, and three perfectly placed chairs. A huge fireplace stood in one corner, with an empty mantle above it. The rugs were color-themed and not tufted. The walls were a cream color, and the lighting was soft and unintrusive. The curtains were made of a slightly thicker material, a light brown with shimmering strands. It seemed like Mariella had read some decoration magazines and wanted to replicate a color palette she had seen, featuring coffee, mocha, and white. However, she had omitted some crucial details, failing to adhere to the 3-5-3 golden rule of a perfect room.

I couldn't help but comment, "I see you've been reading some magazines. I recognize the Mocha Latte palette, but the golden rule hasn't been applied."

Mariella asked, "You mean the rule of three?"

I walked further into the room and explained, "It's not just that. The golden rule of a perfect room is actually 3-5-3. First, you need three focal points that draw you in. Then, five elements that contribute to a theme. In this case, the colors serve as the theme, with five different shades. So that part is done."

Alaric chimed in, "And what about the last three? What else do we need?"

I replied, "Alright, let me show you."

I teleported to the decoration storage and gathered a bright red pillow, a bright yellow quilt, and a bright blue small long tufted rug. Then, I went to the kitchen storage and found a set of coffee cups that matched the theme perfectly, a soft blanket in a muted pink color that suited the room, and a stack of old spell books that I knew were safe.

I returned to the room and placed the rug on the floor, the blanket over the sofa, and the books on a nearby table. I arranged the set of cups and pot on the mantle and put the pillow on one of the smaller sofas.

The pack was a bit puzzled, and Mariella asked, "What's with the mix of colors? They don't seem to fit in. The cups and the pink blanket are nice little details, but what about those books? I'm confused."

I explained, "The last thing you need in a perfect room are three elements that catch your eye more than anything else. Three irritants. Now, look. This rug will draw your attention to the fireplace, which will then make you notice the set of cups and pot. Focus on the fireplace a bit more, and you'll notice how inviting that sofa is with the pillow. And the quilt makes that chair look comfortable too. You can have perfect focal points and a spot-on theme, but they won't fully capture your attention. That's where these three elements come in. They don't belong, but they make you notice more in the room."

I noticed that several pack members had taken a seat on the sofa and chairs, and a few of them were walking around and exploring more. Elena even touched the curtains, wanting to feel them.

Tim, lounging in one of the chairs just like Jake used to, said, "Clever. I never really thought about it, but it works. It really does, and it makes sense."

I nodded in agreement.

I said to them, "I don't necessarily go by the 3-5-3 rule. I might have a lot more stuff in my rooms, so they are not classically decorated. Damon wants to go next to a German castle, one where I have spent time here and there."

Magnum said, "We haven't been there much, do we now? Nice to see new places. Damon, I must say this is a stroke of genius. I have so many ideas."

Damon smiled and said, "As you can see, there's no need to work all the time. There is something else in life, too."

I kept my expression neutral. Oh, my boy, I thought in my mind; you have no idea. Not a clue. Just because we are together again, doesn't mean my little plan of keeping my heat stops. Not at all.

Mariella said, "Wow, so many new ideas. I mean, you just went and got a coffee set, a few quilts, a stack of books, a rug, and a pillow, and this whole room is transformed. What are those books?"

Wulfe was reading them, looking at me quite sharply.

I said, "Magic House approved them."

Wulfe's voice was quite sharp. "And do tell me, what are you planning to do with ancient spell books?"

Damon walked by, took one book, read it too, frowning, and said, "Do you have more?"

I said, "I, we have a book storage too. You can check it. I haven't sent everything to Atlanta as it's full. I haven't had time to catalog everything there, to decide what to keep and what not."

Number two said, "So you've cataloged what's in Atlanta?"

I nodded. Number seven asked, "And where is the list? So we can see it too. It seems one thing we have to get done is organize the libraries."

I said, "It's in the pack's files, named 'Book List from Atlanta'. I'm trying to cross-reference to see if we have any duplicates or things we don't need."

Charles said, "Let's have Magic House do that. They have the time and personnel, and they can tell Damon what their judgment is."

Damon nodded and said, "Good catch, Cornick. Let's have Magic House working, and they will send a list of every book in every house, even from Ireland, so we have an index to see if we need something. And Mimi, baby, your books too. Your study books are part of the collection, so I will make decisions with the Salvatores on where each book goes when they have been cataloged."

As Max and his crew finished preparing their assessment for the floor renovation, window replacement, and other tasks, it was time to move into the German castle. Although it was still a work in progress, we were now in Halifax, and I wasn't too eager to settle into my castle just yet. However, if Salvatore caught wind of my reluctance, he might just take advantage and move in next. We entered the portal room and made our way into the German castle.

Stepping out, I was greeted by my golden corridor adorned with thick decorative ornaments on the walls and ornate golden moldings in the corners. The walls were lined with posters and paintings, nothing too expensive. The rugs were made from mimosa's coloring, giving them an ornamental look. I walked through the short corridor and headed to my elevator, even though there were stairs and some pack members were descending them.

As I exited the elevator, I found that my grand lobby was not yet ready. Despite its blood-red walls, white mats, and light wooden furniture that exuded calmness, it still lacked something. I had some decorative tiles installed on the ceiling.

Mariella commented, "Come on, this is grand! Show us your favorite part. It looks like there's still a need for painters."

I smiled and replied, "Well, my painters were artists, even trapeze artists, so I had them decorate the ceiling. Come on, let me show you."

I gestured to Taylor and Tim to follow me, and they walked behind me, taking in the surroundings. Damon walked with Mariella, who seemed like she wanted to go in ten different directions at once.

I finally arrived at my "Chapel of Peace." This place used to be a monastery, but now it serves as a chapel or something similar. The windows were beautifully decorated with colors, and the ceiling was high and arched. I took a seat in my chair and leaned back, while Tim and Taylor found their own seats. They were watching an anime-style cartoon about fleas, which depicted my adventures, along with Jake's and Rob's.

Tim pointed at the screen and asked, "Is that... Dad?"

I replied, "Yes, it is. They didn't include speech bubbles, but I told them stories, and they brought them to life by painting while hanging from harnesses. It's like my own Sistine Chapel, the Chapel of Peace."

Taylor said, "Tell us the story behind the drawings."

Damon interrupted, "Wait for everyone to get in and see where we're going. It looks like there's a shortage of chairs, so we'll have to share."

I rolled my eyes, but before I could react, Damon came over, picked me up, and sat down, holding me in his arms. As I snuggled up to him, I remembered a time when this was all I ever wanted, but I never got it because Mariella came into the picture. But now, here we were, snuggling again.

Damon leaned in and said, "This is a really comfortable chair. We should try to replicate it."

Wulfe nodded and said, "It's not difficult. I know a few spells. But let's hear the stories first. And it seems there's still some room left."

I nodded and began, "It was mentioned that we would continue, but shortly after they completed this, my painters were killed in a car accident. So this became their last work. I never bothered to find out about their families or anything."

Adam suggested, "We can find out, but let's hear the story first. I have a guess about what one of the stories is about."

His voice was gentle, and I realized that he, Damon, and possibly Charles and Magnum were the only ones here who knew Jake and Rob. I wasn't sure if Dresden and Constantine had ever worked with them.

I continued, "Alright. The story tells how I met Jake and Rob. The one with the red square on the right is up first. So, months ago, I had an affair with this handsome delivery man. Work had consumed me, and it wasn't easy. My rage was a good way to keep everyone in line, as I had little patience for explaining myself and my decisions. Now, looking back, it wasn't the wisest approach. I was fairly new to leadership, not an expert, and I was overconfident. I would yell at my people when they made mistakes, blaming their laziness for the deaths that occurred. My rage was on full display during that time."

I noticed Tim listening intently. He was just a child when Jake died, and I always felt guilty, as if I had taken his dad away from him. It was a debt I could never repay.

I could feel Damon's hand around me, his heartbeat, his breath, and oh my god, it was perfect. Damon Salvatore, my weakness, my ultimate weakness. I had to admit it to myself. And this smug bastard holding me in his arms knew it very well, and he did not hesitate to exploit this particular weakness. 

I continued with my story. "Once again, I returned to base, and we had a mission to plan. I was as pissed off as ever, and I had my own plan. It was at one of Sark's places. As I sat at the table, ready to explain my plan, I was surprised when Jake walked in. He looked at me and said, in front of everyone, right before I had a chance to fully explain my plan, 'Mimi, you need to calm down. Right now, you are our biggest liability.' I was shocked. I mean, sure, we had our moments, but who the hell did this fucking guy think he was, coming at me in front of my people and calling me a liability?"

I smiled as I recalled the memory, even though it wasn't a great one at the time. But now, time had given it a kind, golden hue in my mind. It was a fond memory. I noticed Wulfe's fingers moving, creating slight golden strands that seemed to bring the painting to life.

I shook my head and continued, "Jake told me, 'Mimi, with your rage unleashed, no one here, except me, has the guts to tell you that you're wrong. This plan won't work, no matter how much you want it to. Forcing your people to go along with a faulty plan is a surefire way to get everyone killed, you imprisoned, and then what? The victims keep suffering while you have to recover for months.' And then he shot down every aspect of my plan, offering better alternatives, and getting others to join in too. It was his way of making me realize my mistakes. Sure, my plan might have worked if we were lucky, but he was right."

Mariella smiled and said, "Oh, that must have been quite a blow to you. I wish I had a chance to meet him, shake his hand, and congratulate him on putting you under control."

I noticed golden strands reaching from Wulfe's fingers into the painting, bringing it to life even more, framing it, protecting it, enhancing it, and making it almost 3D.

Tim added, "Yeah, my mom never spoke much about my dad. It was better for me to move on and live with my stepdaddy, Howard, my mom's new husband. He was a good man."

Taylor asked, "So how did you meet Rob, then? The other story?"

I smiled and replied, "Well, it happened many years later, when Jake had his family with him - his parents, who were ailing, and his new girlfriend. He needed to take time off, and at that time, I had my sights set on a particular facility, one of Krycheck's. I had my team come up with a plan, which seemed easy enough, and we were in California back then. We did not have enough people, but this facility required four individuals for observation - two scouts and a pair of observers. However, I was feeling overconfident and didn't think I needed extra personnel. I was planning to go in alone. As I went to get some ammo from the gun shelf, this new guy named Rob approached me. He had been quite silent and had done a few missions, but I hadn't really formed an opinion about him yet. He said to me, 'So, you're blatantly breaching protocol again by going alone.' I rolled my eyes and replied, 'Yeah, but I'm the boss.' I let my rage show, as I was busy and not in the mood to explain myself."

Magnum smiled, as he had not been present during this event but had heard about it through the grapevine.

He said to Mariella, "The best part is yet to come."

Damon also smiled as he remembered the story. I continued telling the story, knowing that Wulfe was adding his touch to the details in the pictures, taken from my memory, causing Elena and Katherine to sigh as they gazed up at the ceiling.

"So Rob, who had been quiet, said, 'Boss lady, you should eat before you go. Let me get you something. I'll bring it to your office.' I nodded, as I didn't have a sense of hunger back then, and my staff would sometimes feed me. I assumed Rob was one of those mother hens who always took care of me. I collected my things, prepared everything, and went to my office, where Rob soon brought a feast for me."

Mimosa smiled. She had been inside me at this time, and for her, this had been hilarious.

I took a breath and continued my story. "The next thing I realized was that I woke up in Chicago's medbay, downstairs, my mind filled with drugs. My stomach was as full as it could be. Damon was sitting by the computer, while Adam and Samuel were talking nearby. Rob had slipped something extra into my food and delivered it to me in my pack. I was in a little skinny shape, a work maniac in need of rest, recovery, and some feeding."

Damon remarked, a little amused, "Yeah, I was pretty damn surprised. I had just finished one mission of interrogations when this tall blonde guy showed up at my workplace, a government black site, telling me to take better care of my wife. He brought me to his car where Mimi, out cold, was stripped from her gear, so I could see just how damn skinny she was once again. There was a report from higher-ups, a doctor, called Hugh, detailing Mimi's condition. I had some free time, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take care of my wife. I kept her for three weeks to get her back to 42 kilos and let her rest after that, in the Azores."

His hands were a little restless as he said that last sentence. His hands reminded my body of just what we did in the Azores back then.

Mariella exclaimed, "Wow, what a story! I must say, Rob had some serious balls."

I said a little sourly. "That was his favorite thing, knocking me out to make me rest or delivering me to the pack. It wasn't just that one time. He had these damn calendula drops. Those damn things work on me still."

There was something in Wulfe's eyes, though I wasn't sure what. He looked at Damon briefly, and I couldn't help but think they were talking about me telepathically. I had no idea what they were discussing, and it wasn't important to know at that moment. I was happy at that moment, being in Damon's lap, cuddling near him, listening to his heartbeat, and feeling his happiness and love for me.

He lazily said out loud, "It took quite a long time for me to teach this fierce little thing to be a lap cat, but I gotta say, I've done it."

Number two replied, "Well, maybe the rest of us need someone in our laps."

He looked at Mariella, who had gone to Charles's lap, and the wolves weren't interested as they had taken their wolf forms. 

It's funny how six months ago, I never would have imagined sitting in Damon's lap in my German castle, surrounded by happy and charming Salvatores competing for my attention. Life has a way of surprising us all. I intend to enjoy this moment for as long as I can without worrying about the future. Let's just focus on having fun and keeping our little fling going. Damon deserves his three-month affair with Mariella.

Number four suggested, "Why not hire artists to paint our stories in other places too? It would be fun to have our own cartoons on the ceilings, each of us telling a different tale."

Number one nodded in agreement. We had the house, and the money, and, by God, we had stories to tell. I just hope none of those stories end up being about our wedding. Although, I suppose a few little horror stories could be entertaining as well. We have an entire lifetime, or rather, several lifetimes, to share. It's just a matter of finding the right artists to bring our stories to life and deciding which story goes where. It would be lovely to see Mariella's story too, as Damon's beloved, descending from heaven to earth. And perhaps the theme of Wulfe and my friendship could be included as well. So many opportunities, so many stories, and so much freaking love.