The Salvatore Saga, Part Four: My new Life

Mariella was feeling a great sense of happiness. She had been spending time with Wulfe, a few Salvatores, and also Murdock and their cubs. Damon had been with Mimi for several days and from what Mariella could see, they were doing wonderfully, just as they should be.

It was now time for Mariella to have her next litter of cubs, but this time there was a complication. She had a real issue with her uterine vein, and now Damon was going to perform the operation. The risk was significant, and despite her previous manipulations, Mariella had learned her lesson and realized that the complication was too severe.

Additionally, it seemed like this litter would be slightly larger. However, it didn't matter too much as Elena was also pregnant, and she would need to be operated on as well. Shadow had several complications, Mimosa had a variety of big species, and Katrine was expecting a very large litter.

So, it would be a day of operations for the rest of them. These were the kinds of things that were expected during the breeding season. Even though the birth of the cubs wouldn't be perfect, Damon was determined to ensure that everything would be done as safely and stress-free as possible. Damon didn't see it as a bad thing. He had learned to embrace these moments, and if the birthing didn't happen, so be it.

They were immortals, and breeding was their job, so there would be many more births in the future. Damon was tired but happy. He had really stepped up his game when it came to Mimi, and once he got into the groove, everything had been going great.

He was also learning to be a husband to Mimi, which was something new for him. And oh my god, there were so many enjoyable moments. Of course, he had to maintain discipline with the young lady. She was almost hyperactive, heavily pregnant, and didn't seem to care about her own body. But he was there for her, ensuring that she took it easy and didn't strain herself.

However, he had to keep his eye on the ball all the time because Missy was determined, hormonal, cranky, and didn't always obey. That's why she had a sedative organ implanted in her spine, so that she could get a few good hours of sleep when she was too difficult to handle. The lesson was learned pretty quickly, and she behaved, at least for a while. 

Damon hummed to himself while ensuring that the operation theater met his expectations. His hands glided over the cold steel instruments, their gleaming surfaces conveying a sense of cleanliness and sterility.

As a surgeon and healer, Damon had come a long way. There was a time when his intentions were not always focused on healing and helping others, but that was in the past. Damon was sometimes surprised by how much he, an ancient creature, had changed in the last few centuries, all because of women.

Mimi and Mariella, his two most significant females in the world, had been catalysts for his transformation. While there had been females in his past over the centuries, none were quite like Mimi or Mariella – they were his saviors.

Damon was gradually learning more about Mimi, and it was a delightful experience to see her open up. It took time to coax stories out of her, but each tale revealed more about her true self. Every day, he felt that he understood her better and desired to continue deepening their connection.

However, the future held its own plans, and even Damon couldn't predict them all. He realized that it was time to go with the flow and see where their journey would lead them.

As he prepared to operate on Mariella, Damon noticed other teams working on different females. They all aimed to complete their tasks swiftly and efficiently. Damon was already planning lessons for the cubs, and witnessing their enthusiasm for learning something new brought him immense joy.

Taking care of Mimi felt truly satisfying. In the past, she hadn't allowed him to care for her as much, but now everything felt perfect. He felt like a loyal husband, and as he caught a glimpse of the tattoo on his arm, he felt incredibly fortunate. Having Mimi in his life as his wife was a stroke of luck, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Lost in his thoughts, Damon placed the instruments in the sterilizing machine, which whirred to life just before the operation. They would be ready by the time Mariella was brought in. The necessary drops and supplies were ready to deliver the cubs, and everyone was prepared. It was almost time to begin.

As Damon washed his hands one last time, the others brought Mariella into the room. He felt a sense of happiness as life seemed good and there wasn't much negativity at this moment. He walked calmly into the operating room, and the operation quickly began.

His skilled hands were confident, gentle, and fast as he once again removed Mariella's womb with its many horns, placing it on the table. The womb pulsated as the cubs grew inside, and many hands opened the horns, carefully removing the cubs and gently drying them, welcoming them into the world.

Damon cleaned Mariella's abdominal cavity and inspected the next womb, which appeared to be in good condition. The room soon filled with the soft mewls of the cubs and the sounds of them feeding for the first time.

The rustling of surgical gowns and the snapping of gloves emphasized the importance of cleanliness. Although it would have been wonderful to handle the cubs without gloves, the risk of infection made them all cautious, ensuring no chance of germs.

Damon sat by Mariella's bed when Colin walked in, his expression filled with worry.

Colin informed Damon, "We have an infection. Elena vomited after waking up, Shadow had a temperature, and Mimosa was lethargic. We are still awaiting Katherine's results, so it's unclear to her yet."

Damon rubbed the bridge of his nose and responded, "Alright, evacuate every litter, including Mimi. We'll start with Mimi, since she's the only one without any issues. Get the cubs out and put babies to rest. This is not a good time to have children, damn it!"

Colin nodded and said, "I'll arrange Mimi's operation. A few Salvatores and I can handle it, as protectors will be needed afterwards. I suspect we'll also need some dental work."

Damon nodded in agreement, then reached over and touched Mariella. He noticed her slightly flushed cheeks and felt worry squeezing his heart. She was burning up.

"Fuck," he muttered. "She's running a fever too. I need to stay with her. We need to contact the magic house and get the cubs who can go there right away once they have immortality. Our perfect time will have to wait. Shit!"

He was feeling frustrated and angry, but there was nothing he could do. The infections were quite severe, and he needed to focus on healing Mariella. Others would have to take care of the cubs and support the protectors, who were providing dental care to their charges.

It was normal for Mimi to not get infected, so she would play a crucial role in caring for the cubs and ensuring that everything went smoothly. She was also the powerhouse of the pack, so Damon might rely on her if necessary. He didn't even consider the possibility of Mimi getting sick, as it had never happened before.

Damon sighed and instructed, "Alright, you, number seven and nine, operate on Mimi. Keep her safe and inform her about the situation. Send Tim and Taylor to the magic house for assistance. Have the wizards and Wulfe create more potions, as we are expecting an influx of cubs, most of which Mimi will be responsible for. As for me, number two, four, and three, we will operate on Mariella. I will personally take care of her. Adam, Charles, Lepard, and Demon, make sure to look after your charges, but we have the Salvatores helping out if needed. Also, let's evacuate the cubs as quickly as possible and have someone prepare reserved food. We have no idea how severe this infection will be, so how long will the recovery take?"

Colin nodded, choosing not to comment, even though he would have done things differently. It wasn't his role as he was not the pack leader. Damon had made it clear that Mimi would be the leader and would make the decisions.

Colin would listen to her, not to number two, as he sensed that Damon was using the Salvatore hive to seek assistance for Mariella and projecting his worry onto the other Salvatores, rendering ten pack members useless for the rest of the pack.

It was crucial to operate on Mimi first since she was considered "clean," meaning there was no evidence of infection. It was standard procedure to operate from clean to dirty, meaning clean cases first before infected ones.

Once Mimi was out, and in a safe place, they would proceed with the others. The cubs would be highly protected, and there were strict guidelines on how to interact with them and prevent any germs from reaching them. It wasn't an ideal situation by any means, but the safety of the cubs came first, and they had to stay healthy.

This, of course, meant that Mimi would be the one dealing with most of the cubs, but there would be others involved as well. Not everyone would be responsible, but they all had to do whatever it took to protect the cubs.

Damon was feeling a mix of emotions, but as time passed, he noticed Mariella's fever rising and her breathing becoming restless. His worry for her consumed him. As usual, he expressed his concern to the Salvatore hive, unintentionally pleading for help for his loved one.

Mariella's illness was something he struggled to handle, unlike Mimi's usual sickness. It always threw him off balance, and since they had to wait for the operation, he had put the babies back to sleep, but the cubs still needed to be delivered. At least they had experienced the joy of breeding this way, and it would be even more wonderful next time.

However, Damon was too preoccupied with worry to think about when that next time would be. Mariella rarely fell ill like Mimi did, but he struggled to cope with her sickness. When it was time for Mariella's operation, he would be the one performing most of it.

He would not touch the cubs; he would be assigned to contain the situation, cutting Mariella open and dealing with her blood while someone else would deliver the cubs. The wombs would be teleported to another room where the clean crew, also composed of Salvatores, would be waiting.

After the cubs were taken care of, they would focus on Mariella. As the number one, Damon would be the one biting her neck and providing her with dental substances, leaving the rest of the Salvatores free. They might be needed to care for other females if the situation became overwhelming for their protectors.

In the past, Adam and Charles had given dental treatments to Mimi using their fangs, but this was the first time they would do it for their proteges. Only time would tell how severe this infection was and how long it would take for them to recover.

No one considered the possibility that Elena and Katrine, who were not energy creatures or magical creatures, could also get sick. It would have been wise to keep an eye on Mimi as well, but since it had always been Mariella or the wolves who were plagued by these infections in the past, no one even considered it.

It felt like an eternity before Mariella was taken into the operating room once again. The rest of the cubs were removed, and then it was time for Damon to do what his heart desired. It didn't matter that he wasn't her protector; he was her husband. This wasn't about fulfilling a promise, but rather his need to help and heal her, seeing her weakened state.

Mariella was gently placed on a soft bed, and Damon undressed himself before lying down beside her. He carefully positioned himself so that he could sink his fangs into her carotid artery and begin treating her infection.

Various substances, produced in his sinuses and injected through his fangs, were used to address the infection. As his fangs pierced her neck, a small group of cells started to analyze her blood, identifying bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, ultimately formulating a plan to heal her.

Although Damon wasn't the best at this treatment, as the rule dictated that the protector was more skilled in dental care, Charles was currently occupied with assisting Shadow. Besides, Damon never allowed Charles to sink his fangs into Mariella's neck. It was simply the way things were.

Damon's possessiveness and his view of Charles as a threat had been clear in his past relationship with Mimi. He couldn't bring himself to trust Charles to heal Mariella, no matter how much more capable he might have been. It was just Damon's love, possessiveness, and instinct to take care of Mariella all by himself. 

His teeth analyzed her blood, causing his brain to shut down. The only part that controlled his fangs remained active, and his body served as a reservoir of matter used to produce the necessary compounds for Mariella's blood. Because he was not her protector, the first thing his fangs did was correct her deficiencies.

While this was beneficial, it did not expedite her healing. If it had been Charles, his fangs would have focused on healing and eliminating bacteria instead of addressing vitamin and mineral deficiencies. This was simply the nature of his fangs.

In the dimly lit bedroom, there was not much sound. The healing process would take as long as it needed to. Mimi sent a burst of power into the hive, and Damon absorbed most of it to boost his fangs. Despite other proteges needing healing, he acted without thinking.

As a result, the other protectors had a more difficult time healing their own proteges due to the limited power available. Additionally, they were inexperienced, and it took time for the other Salvatores to awaken metaphorically.

It was time for a permanent and irreversible change in the Salvatore hive. Once this occurred, the remaining Salvatores could assist other protectors and begin the healing process. This would take several weeks, meaning the cubs would be gone from the magic house by the time the females woke up.