17.

As we approached the carriages, I could already feel the effects of the sedative working its magic on my flank. Stepping into the horse-drawn carriage, I was greeted with a soothing treatment that seemed to reach every organ in my body. The scent of the medicinal jelly filled my abdominal cavity, its purple hue adding a surreal touch to the experience.

By the time we arrived at the castle, I was completely medicated. Damon's heightened senses made me cautious, so I tried to sit upright without relying too heavily on him. I could sense his presence in my mind, observing my thoughts, reminding me to behave in the presence of his formidable telepathic powers. Stepping off the carriage, we entered the vast castle grounds adorned with benches, canopies, and a spread of delectable food and drinks.

The warmth of the summer air enveloped us as we mingled with the crowd. Cameras rolled, and reporters interviewed us, but thankfully, Adam, Bran, Samuel, and even Mimosa shielded us from the press. Damon occasionally addressed the need for statements, but most of our time was spent sharing intimate kisses as he flanked me. Each drugging kiss left me breathless, and as the effects of his flank intensified, my expression became dreamy and filled with love. No one suspected a thing.

We strolled through the yard, and amidst the chatter and laughter, I received chilling threats that made my heart race. There were moments when it seemed that Damon was on the brink of acting upon these threats, especially towards certain celebrities present. Jake, his wife, Rob, his new girlfriend, Magnum, and Higgins were all potential targets for Damon's wrath. But above all, there was one person he desired to kill the most - Jarod. Whenever Damon voiced his desire to harm someone, Jarod was his preferred choice.

Anticipating these moments, I prepared myself mentally. Adam and Samuel remained oblivious to our covert interactions. Countless times, we maneuvered close to Jarod, allowing Damon to watch me, plotting his next move against either him or me. And so, I served as a willing accomplice, wrapping myself in his embrace, allowing him to drug me further, regardless of whether I had just been flanked. It was another sacrifice I made under his control. 

Even Magnum did not notice what Damon was doing to me. Nor did Adam, Samuel, or Bran. Original Family was talking to several celebrities and not paying any attention to me. Or us, for that matter. Ruby was not at the wedding; Damon had helped her move, living in Europe for a few at least so that the sire bond would become fully permanent and there would not be any chance for me to get Ruby back to be under me. I was wondering how the hell no one notices, or is this just something that doesn't seem so bad?

Damon held me in his arms and said, "Look, darling, a powerful telepath. I have assured them there is absolutely nothing to worry about. They don't even remember the whole flank thing. To them, this is just our fabulous wedding. But look, here comes a congressman. Whether this was on our side or not, if not, I'll just have to terminate him. I am sure you don't mind. Do you now, Darling?"

I offered my side again, and it was even more effective when I actually tried to run away, so Damon had to control me better. I could not take very many steps away from him when an extremely tight grip on my arm stopped me, and drugs flew right about into my lungs. 

I got double shots, and we left the place to get some drugs in my abdominal cavity for being so damn naughty. Jelly, of course. And strong one. I had a little trouble staying upright, so we sat on benches, and I remembered when my mind could think of something to go over everyone's choices of clothes and shoes.

Damon explained to me as we sat on the bench that in order for someone to become a vampire, it needed to vampire to give peace of its heart into the recipient's heart and also its blood, so I had given Ruby my blood when I got her free, and then when guard shot me, a bullet ripped my heart to pieces and went through Ruby's delivering pieces of my heart to hers.

Still, Damon ordered me never to do it on purpose. He told it as my sire, so that stayed. There was no way I could make anyone vampire. Damon told me that being a vampire is difficult, and even he is very strict about who is suitable for a vampire. He looked at Jake and Rob. I could see that he could turn them into vampires, but then again, they probably would lose their family and not be in the fleas anymore. I could see he really thought of that. 

I have sometimes thought about what would have happened if he had turned them into vampires. Well, at least their names would not be on those plaques at Lake Lanier. Damon has taught me over the years in a very pointy and stabbing way not to play a what-if game so that I won't mull over the past so much. As I am responsible for each of the names on those plaques at Lake Lanier, that is something that Damon has worked with me on for decades to try to make me feel less guilty and lessen the burden on my soul. Just because he really loves me. No matter what. 

These weddings were significantly more stressful than the last one, as everything felt much more intense and overwhelming this time. I had to play the role of a helpless victim, desperately trying to escape and putting up a fierce fight. The weight of the drugs I had to unload added to the pressure, as I had to be quick and discreet. Meanwhile, I had to divert Damon's attention away from the conversation with the boys and Magnum. Magnum complimented my wedding dress, praising its beauty, which immediately caught Damon's attention.

His body tensed, ready to strike like a coiled snake, and I knew I had to act. Allowing my rage to surface, I let it peek through, and Damon couldn't help but notice. It was as if the drugs in my mind were rapidly dissipating, leaving me feeling disoriented and vulnerable.

Damon reproached me disapprovingly, saying, "Darling, haven't I taught you enough about anger management over the years? But fine, you will soon understand. And trust me, it won't be pleasant, but you brought this upon yourself."

I didn't care about his warning and continued to dismantle and resist, making my intentions clear. Perhaps we could have some fun at this wedding as well. With a smile on my face, I stretched my body and sat up straight, no longer leaning so heavily on Damon.

He gazed at me for a moment before uttering, "The warning has been given. You have three minutes to quell your rage and keep it suppressed."

I maintained my smile and replied, "See, there's no need to drug me. I'm not going anywhere, but I could certainly show you the mischievous side of being your wife. Let's enjoy our wedding and explore some naughty endeavors here."

Damon remained silent. He stood up, took my hand, and entered the majestic castle together. I eagerly awaited the opportunity to take in the grandeur of this place. Damon's expression remained neutral, leaving me uncertain of his intentions. He led me into a secluded room and locked the door behind us. Approaching me, he exerted a powerful flank against my side, leaving me momentarily stunned, even with my rage on full display.

He gently placed me on the bed, positioning me on my stomach and propping pillows under my chest, causing my head to tilt downwards. From the cupboard, he retrieved something. I could hear the sound of a zipper being opened, indicating it was his medical bag. Soon, he approached me once more. I struggled to stay awake, my senses growing hazy. His hand brushed against my neck, pushing my hair aside as he palpated the back of my head.

Then, I felt a long needle piercing into my brain, delivering the medicine. It always brought on a throbbing headache. The needle shifted positions, repeating the same process. Eventually, my entire head pulsated with pain, making it impossible to focus on my rage. It dissipated on its own, falling into the depths of my being. 

He opened my dress again and pulled it down so my upper abdomen was bare; he turned me over, made an incision just under my diagram, and started to jelly me up really well. This time, he put a tube in my intestines, too, so I was extremely full at the end and confused. He put the dress back on and cinched it very tight, so pressure rose in my abdomen, and it was painful, too. Then he helped me to stand, and we went back out. I was drugged up to my eyes at this point. 

We started walking around the yard again, and Damon said. " Do you believe it now, darling? I raised your intracranial pressure quite a bit, and it'll probably be 12 hours before it starts to get normal. And I can always jelly your abdomen some more. The next trick is rage at the display, even a hint of it, and the pressure will be so much that you'll feel really sick and nauseous, but I won't let you vomit. Do you understand?"

I nodded, the weight of his presence keeping me close. There was no remorse in his eyes nor any trace of mercy.

He pondered aloud, his voice filled with curiosity, "I wonder, my darling, how much pressure Jarod could withstand. As a vampire, it's easy for me to compel him to forget, but as a neurosurgeon, you understand how fragile the human brain is. If I were to apply the same amount of pressure to Jarod's brain, he wouldn't recover so easily. He might survive, or he might die. This bump centrifugal liquid clings to the brain, leaving no escape, and the damage would be even slower for humans. Should I test it on one of those singers from your favorite band, maybe even the lead singer?" 

His words carried a chilling seriousness, and I realized that my presence wasn't causing too much disturbance because he was in an unforgiving mood. I tried to focus on walking, my head throbbing painfully while a heightened sensitivity to light accompanied my discomfort. The symptoms were familiar to me, a neurosurgeon. Thankfully, the pressure on my abdomen became slightly more bearable as the medication kicked in, keeping me sedated. I struggled to maintain composure, finding a balance between obedience and managing the horrors unfolding before me.

As we mingled to receive congratulations, I had to play the role of a loving wife, wrapping myself around him. The pressure in my head reached its limit, aggravated by certain movements that made me feel nauseous. Later in the evening, we went out for drinks again. At one point, he administered more medication, leaving my abdomen sore but oddly relaxed, as if a muscle relaxant had been applied. He caressed my belly, grunting happily. Even though some celebrities had left the party, the open bar was still bustling. With each passing moment, he had more potential targets to intimidate, and the pressure in my brain remained unchanged.

The drug injected into my liver left me confused and dazed, and my memory was clouded as to why I was feeling unwell. I downed four double tequilas, intensifying the disorientation. Once again, he cheerfully announced that it was time to retire to our honeymoon room, and everyone was left to imagine what we would be doing there. Little did they know the true nature of our activities concealed within those walls.

I was pretty sedated when we went upstairs. We went into the enormous bedroom, and that's where all the wedding presents had been brought. I knew the gifts from the previous wedding were in storage somewhere, too. He was quiet, did not speak much, and did not even take my dress off of me, but I was given a strong flank and made to lie down on the bed. Then, I was given an injection, and everything went black.

When Damon knocked Mimi unconscious, he began to undress his wife. He could feel the anticipation building within himself. The dress was again carefully put into a safe place, and Mimi was cannulated. Damon undressed himself, too, and again, he got towels and knives. As Mimi began to regain consciousness, Damon got started. Fear and terror, the feeling of a knife sinking into Mimi's now softened abdominal muscles and into her gut. It was perfect. Oh, how he enjoyed it. Every stroke. It was just as perfect as the last time.

Damon could feel himself to be whole, to be free. Now, he was unsure of what—maybe Damien—but the idea of something evil living inside his mind was sometimes very absurd. Damon had learned over the years that he was a less noble creature, so maybe that part of what had called himself Damien was just part of him. Or then there was someone else inside him. The best part was when Mimi woke up more and started to moan and try to get away from him. Oh, this feeling of control.

My stomach hurt so badly again, and I couldn't get anywhere. There was fear and terror. Then I was standing again, and the stabbing and the calming continued the heartbeats. They always started to scare me, and yet soon, I was listening to them again and calming down. The pain didn't stop. Now I was standing and felt something warm running down my neck. I looked at myself and saw blood coming out of my jugular vein all the time.

Damon held his nail there and calmed me down. It was just as horrible as the last time and happened several times a night. His voice was chilling as ever, fear and terror in my mind, pain in my gut, in my torso, even in my legs. I was drugged, helpless, and in pain, and still, somehow, I could sense his enjoyment and satisfaction with what he got from this. This is not the same as in the shed. Not at all. I was trapped in this painful confusion and fear, terror, and at that moment, I was not the universe's strongest creature. I was a helpless victim. Damon's victim.