NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: 3. I Have A Dream.
I had just returned with my loot after leaving Wulfe and Derek to talk things through. I had an idea of where to go and look for something we might need. I had been successful in my hunt and damn; I felt smug. One thing we were missing was knives and implements to cut things.
Humans were still very wary of the supernatural, and even the pack had to give up their humanity for them. I had no idea what lay underground, in those vast cities with just humans. There was no supernatural presence, so I had no idea if they taught children anything about us or our history.
One thing I found out after waking up was that it took some time for my mind to get back in order. Once I had it sorted, I knew where to go and see if I could find some cutting tools for us. It's not easy to try to build a bomb when your knives are old and rusty, and there isn't much steel in the world or ways to manipulate the steel we do have into knives.
I placed my bag on the table, and it made a clinking sound. Derek glanced up at me and then at the bag, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. It was a gesture so typical of his father that I couldn't help but notice it. Derek was practically a carbon copy of his father. I was feeling quite pleased with myself. Derek was more patient than Damon had been, but also more organized than me, making him a true blend of the two of us.
He asked, "Why are you smiling and what do you have? Where did you get them from?"
I responded, with a smug tone, "You see, my dear boy, when one's mind is blown up, there are consequences. One of them being a nap for over 800 years, but there are more."
He sighed and impatiently said, "No need for a story. Just answer my questions, Mom!"
I explained, "Well, I was getting to the good part. That explosion wiped out every single programming and compulsion that your father had ever put in my brain. And he, along with Damien, had compelled me a few times. So it took me a while to get my mind in order. But then I remembered something from about 1600 years ago, when Damien was in Damon's body. He compelled me to forget the location of a shed, or maybe he used telepathy to block it, whatever it was. Turns out, that shed was underneath the oldest castle in Italy, the one that is still standing. So I teleported there and, Voila, I found the shed or what remained of it. Back then, he had looted my warehouses, but among the ruins, I discovered three special metals that never dulled or broke. So I salvaged cutters, knives, and other cutting tools from those horrible machines. And of course, there are plenty more if we need them."
Wulfe looked at us in a certain way and walked over, taking the bag and examining the knives and blades, testing their sharpness by cutting into his fingers. As he bled, both Derek and I instinctively revealed our fangs, the scent of his blood enticing us. It took a moment for me to regain control. Derek mercilessly sank his fangs into Wulfe's neck and fed voraciously, but Wulfe could handle it. He seemed almost bored. I also carried another bag that didn't make any noise. I didn't need to feed on Wulfe soon. Thanks to my improved teleportation skills and my immense strength, I had a few places where I could store blood.
The day way back again I was in ex-Monaco, not sure what that part of the world is called nowadays. Dresden and Constantine cast a spell on my special blood stash to keep it fresh for millennia. It seemed like they knew this was a possibility and had prepared for it. I also had some canned food that had been enchanted with the same spell. The house was in good condition, so I thought it could be a suitable place for us to stay.
While Wulfe and Derek were examining the cutting tools, I grabbed a few bags of strong demon king and went to sit down. My intention was to enjoy them, but before I could even open the first bag, Wulfe snatched them from my hands.
He said to me, "Unicorn, do not even think to feed excessively because I could smell the blood on your breath."
I rolled my eyes, and Derek seemed a little surprised. Wulfe felt the need to explain to Derek that there had been three occasions in the past when I had become addicted to blood. Or it was actually a syndrome called VENOMS, distorted the brain chemistry, nasty stuff.
Derek looked at me and commented, "I see you're not as perfect as I thought, but it's good for us to have a blood supply. Who knows, maybe someday you'll get some fresh blood too."
I rolled my eyes once again, and Wulfe began inspecting the canned food, placing them in the cupboard. He asked about the condition of Monaco, and I showed him in my mind. It felt a bit strange to sense Derek in my mind as well, but that's just the way it was.
I had brought other things with me to Monaco, including something very precious. First, I had tanks that contained embryos. I couldn't carry them physically because my body couldn't gestate embryos other than Damon's and mine. Damon had done it back in the time and it had not gotten anywhere. I just knew it. In one tank, I had 2500 embryos, and there were ten tanks in total, each housing embryos from different fathers. I had embryos from Charles, Adam, Lepard, Demon, Magnum, Salvatore 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and the rest of the Salvatores, Wulfe, Murdock, Colin, Dexter, and the wizards.
I was uncertain about how many embryos I had created with each of them, but I had once conducted this process, and according to my readings, each embryo was alive. Perhaps we could find a way to have them grow inside someone else—or even inside me. Wulfe saw the tanks, and tears filled his eyes as he touched the embryos housing his and my DNA. We had our own tank.
He said to me, "Our babies... they are alive. We have to find a way...I can sense them."
Derek also came to see them.
He exclaimed, "Excellent! A new generation! I can ensure they receive proper care. In time, we can also find others to house them. I might even get some of them to other realms."
He noticed Adam and Charles's tanks too, and there was something in his gaze—something I couldn't quite identify.
He assured me, "Worry not, Mom. We will find a way for them to grow, and you will get to be a mother again someday. We will help you. Oh, I can't wait to contribute alongside you!"
I was quiet for a moment and replied, "But... you are my son..."
Derek responded, "Take a DNA test; see for yourself. Genetically, I am not related to you. As our Eve, it's important for you to do your part—this means giving birth using many males. That is non-negotiable."
I nodded; he was right, of course. I hadn't truly been a mother to him, unlike I had been to many of my other children. I had raised them for quite a while, and I would raise new generations too—but perhaps we could do that clinically or in some other way. My mind wasn't really focused on that project.
My embryos weren't the only precious things I had. I dug through one bag and pulled out a few large boxes. Wulfe and Derek stood beside me, watching intently.
Derek furrowed his brow, placed his hand over the box, and smiled. "Good. We have hope. Give them to me, Mom. I'll take care of them."
Wulfe asked, "What do you have there?"
I replied, "Seeds. I had quite a seed bank from my time as a botanist. But what will our world be? My botany skills might have to start from scratch. There are many different species of seeds, and I'm not sure which ones will be useful for us or which will actually germinate."
Derek looked at me with a slight frown, and I could feel him probing my mind about botany too.
He said, "Fine. Make us a plan. Identify what can be grown, what is useful, and consider factors like light, insects, and fertilization."
I nodded. "Well, I have a lot of hay and grasses. Those are usually pollinated by the wind, and their seeds can be used to make certain types of flour. If only we knew what humans had, we might not have to reinvent the wheel here. It seems a bit foolish to cultivate perfect hay for flour if humans already have wheat and rye down there."
Derek replied, "Forget the humans. Focus on our Earth. We don't need that much flour, and we are not rebuilding this place for humans, but for all of life, including animals. You need to give us something to grow. I, and Wulfe too, can easily cast spells to provide light for the plants. They will help improve the atmosphere for humans and purify the air. We will need every single tuft of grass—just trust me. There's no need to worry about reinventing the wheel; wheels aren't available right now. You need to supply us with those wheels."
I acknowledged, "I need to find some kind of medium to grow the seeds, and then it's just a matter of hoping they thrive. One seed of grass can produce a plant that gives 20-50 seeds more, so every plant is crucial."
Derek handed me a notebook and pen, saying, "Start writing. Make a plan and present it. Be a botanist and let us identify what works and what doesn't. First, we will establish the flora, and then we will focus on the fauna. Prepare yourself, Mom dear; you have to come up with the necessary animals and the food chain too."
I swallowed hard. Of course, it was all logical, but the sheer scale of what this would take overwhelmed me. This would not be a fast project, and I wasn't sure how long it would be before I would be ready to become pregnant and raise the first generation after the end of the world.
It was a scary thought, too. While it was exhilarating and exciting to think about the future, it also felt daunting, and I had a significant amount of self-doubt creeping into my mind. I wondered if I should try to find the Salvatores and have them work on this project as well, but according to Wulfe, they shouldn't be involved.
Most of them were still struggling from the aftermath of Number One's and Mariella's departures, and the whole 800 years it took for them to do their job made me realize it was time for me to suck it up, do the work, and then see what my next phase in life would be.
Derek and Wulfe were talking and planning while I sat with my boxes of seeds, sorting them into groups for our first phase and determining what each would require. I needed to write down what was needed for the seeds to thrive. Derek had bluntly told me that whatever wouldn't be useful on this planet, he would take with him to find a place where they could thrive—other realms, in fact. That would be their new purpose.
At times, my eyes wandered to the tanks filled with embryos—our children. It was grueling to remember the last moment I shared with Charles. He had smirked at me and told me to hang in there while he ensured the last group got safely into the magic house. Then he never came back. I could still picture his expression at that last moment as he locked eyes with me before he became a cloud of dust. Despite the pain of that memory, it brought me comfort to know we had our children there, an entire flock ready to be born and grow, eager to hear the stories I would tell them. The same went for the children created between Adam and me.
I had to keep my mind focused on my work and not let my emotions run rampant, especially with two very sharp telepaths around me. They were working, so I needed to concentrate on my tasks, too.