Hill, Meagan - Master Me [Masterson] (Siren Publishing Classic) (12 page)

Mitch drew a sigh of relief as he heard Miranda finally draw in a deep breath. She stood in place, swaying slightly as she panted before finally regaining her breath and steadiness.

“I have never seen an injunction so extreme, Mandy. Are you ready to fight it?”

“Yes, Grand Master. I am ready to fight it.”

“Are you ready to take the next step, Mandy? Are you willing to show us that you renounce your old coven and plead your allegiance to myself and this coven?”

“Yes, Grand Master.” Keeping her eyes locked on Malcolm, she proceeded to remove every piece of clothing before dropping into her fully submissive pose, forehead to the floor. She knew she did not have to go down that far, but she felt that because she had bowed before Cabela in such a way, despite it being forced, Malcolm deserved the same respect. Despite her focus on Malcolm, she could hear the reaction from the group standing behind her as they all saw the scars covering her. She could vaguely make out gasps, some crying, and even a couple of retches, making her dimly wonder if it was so bad she’d made someone vomit. She could clearly, however, hear the indrawn breath from Mitch.

Mitch dropped to his knees beside Miranda, no longer able to hold himself upright. His stomach heaved as he took in the scar tissue covering her back, but that was nothing compared to the killing rage that filled him when he caught sight of the blackened skin on either side of her ankh. He reached out to touch the damaged skin, causing her to jump slightly before submitting quietly to his examination. “He branded you?” Mitch finally managed to spit out past the lump in his throat. Two “C's", each almost two inches high and one inch wide, bracketed her spine, the skin blackened and long since healed.

“Yes, Master. It is his chosen method of demonstrating submission to his rule,” Miranda answered Mitch. She knew she should be focused on Malcolm at the moment, but concern about Mitch filled her mind. She could hear his stuttered breathing, feel the rigidity of his body next to hers, and she had to wonder if he found her disgusting.

Mitch pulled Miranda upright onto her knees and hugged her to him tightly. “Oh, God, Miranda. I’m so sorry. I’m never going to let him touch you again, baby.”

Miranda held him to her, trying to absorb his upset into herself. It had happened so long ago she almost didn’t remember the pain, especially not with so much more happening since. “Shh, Mitch, it’s okay. It happened a long time ago, part of the initiation rite. Baby, please, calm down.”

When Mitch had calmed somewhat, he pulled back in her arms, bringing his hands up to cup her face and looking deeply into her eyes. “I see all of your scars, Miranda. Physical, mental, emotional, sexual. I will not turn my back on you because of them. They are a part of who you are and have each been intrinsic in creating the woman who stands before me. I hate that you suffered, but I cannot change the past. I can only help you heal in the present and promise to stand beside you in the future. I love you, Miranda.”

Miranda could only smile widely at him before pressing her lips to his. After a moment, she withdrew, whispering, “I love you, Mitch.” She continued looking deeply into his eyes, showing him every emotion in her eyes. When they were again settled, she returned her attention to Malcolm, who had been waiting patiently, observing everything happening around him. Miranda locked eyes with Malcolm once again, taking a moment to gauge his reaction before resuming her position at his feet. Once the assembly was once again silent, Malcolm continued. “Mandy, at this point, it is all up to you. You must renounce your old coven with everything within you. Once you have done that, the stones surrounding the altar will begin to glow, and we can finish the ceremony. You may have to reach deep within yourself to break yourself free from your past. Are you ready to begin that process?”

“Yes, Grand Master.”

“You may rise, sit, whatever to get comfortable, as we will do. Just do not step outside of the circle of stones. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Grand Master.”

“Begin. We will wait for you.”

“Thank you, Grand Master.”

With those last instructions, Malcolm stepped to the side, along with Nina, who’d stood silently beside him throughout the ceremony. Tears flowed down her face as she thought about all the things that had happened to the sweet young woman before her. Malcolm gently smiled at her as he wiped away the wetness. “She’s going to be just fine, sweetheart. You said so yourself.”

Nina offered him a wobbly smile. “I know. I just can’t help but hurt for her, and for Mitch. The love between them simply shimmers, Malcolm, and I can’t see how it’s going to turn out.”

“I know. I’m worried about it, too. He knows if he chooses to take her to wife, he will no longer be able to be second-in-command. It’s not fair, but those are the Merlin’s rules, and He made them for a reason.”

“Are you planning on speaking to him about it?” Nina asked, even though she already knew what the answer would be, not from her abilities, but from having lived with her husband for two hundred and fifty years.

“No, I’m not. He knows what his options are. If he marries her, she will continue to grow old and eventually pass on while he stays young. If he turns away from her, he may be giving up his one chance at truly loving another person. The odds of finding one’s mate are so slim I personally cannot see giving up that kind of love for a one-in-six-billion chance. If I had to choose between you and leading the coven, I would choose you with no regrets.”

“Oh, Malcolm. I’m so glad we weren’t faced with that problem, though my heart hurts for our son. Do you think they’ll test the fates soon?”

Malcolm chuckled under his breath a moment before responding, “I’m surprised they’ve managed to hold out this long. The passion they feel for each other is very strong.”

“Yeah, I noticed. I’m surprised the whole plane wasn’t humping like bunnies with the lust streaming off of them when they disembarked. I wonder what they were up to in there.”

“Knowing our son, plenty,” Malcolm replied, laughing softly with his long-beloved wife.

* * * *

An hour had passed, and Miranda was getting frustrated. She’d stayed on her knees the first half hour before turning to sit back against the altar with her legs wrapped in a tight pretzel position and her arms wrapped around her chest, effectively hiding her nakedness. Mitch did his best to keep focused on the task at hand but found himself distracted by brief glimpses of her body.

“I don’t get it, Mitch. Why haven’t the stones glowed yet? It’s not like I have anything that is holding me to them other than hatred. I’ve thought perhaps I needed to try to forgive them, but I just don’t know that I’ll be able to do that. That’s a lot to ask of a person after five plus years.”

Mitch reached over and took Miranda’s small hand, cradling it between his large ones. “I know, Miranda. I agree. I was actually a little surprised they didn’t react immediately, even with the warning from Nina. Is there any thing or person you might regret leaving behind or miss? A friend, maybe?”

“No, not at all. I would like to free the latents in training, but that would be it. I brought with me anything I would want to keep because I knew better than to think it would be there when I returned. They won’t let anyone take any tools, but there was nothing I felt a particular affinity for. I’m beginning to think it’s not me hanging on to them as much as them hanging on to me.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to think you’re right. It’s almost like their possession of you is ingrained into your bones, it’s so powerful.”

Miranda was quiet for a moment, pondering Mitch’s observation. Something in his words was circling in her head, like the answer was there and was trying to break through. Suddenly, she jerked her head up and sat up straight, her eyes wide in realization. “That’s it! You’re right! It’s the…” she began before her throat closed up, refusing to allow her to finish the thought. The injunction had been triggered much more strongly than she’d ever felt it.

Mitch immediately grabbed Miranda’s shoulders, concerned. He could see Miranda had the answer and that the injunction wasn’t going to let her say it or even hint around it. “Baby, stop. Stop trying to talk. We’ll figure it out!”

Miranda continued to struggle for breath, even though she had stopped attempting to talk. She moved her mouth, forming the alphabet, trying to get the squeezing to lighten up, but the injunction seemed intent on punishing her for figuring out how to perhaps overcome it. She was lying limp in Mitch’s arms by the time her throat opened up and allowed her to gasp for air. Malcolm and Nina had hurried over to kneel next to her, alerted by Mitch’s concerned voice. The remainder of the coven silently watched on, their own conversations forgotten.

Once Miranda had caught her breath, she sat up, though she held Mitch’s hand tightly. She was thinking fiercely on how to tell Mitch what she’d realized when he queried, “You figured it out, didn’t you?” Miranda nodded her answer. “Is it their hold over you?” Again she nodded. Mitch sighed, frustrated. He began mumbling under his breath.

“What are you mumbling about, Mitch? Talk to me.” Miranda tugged on his hand, bringing his gaze back to hers.

“Huh? Oh, I was just wishing we were both asleep and in your happy place. I’m pretty sure the injunction doesn’t work there,” he replied before looking away, racking his brain, searching for what Miranda might have discovered. His attention was diverted for only a moment before he could feel Miranda’s body go limp next to him. His arms reached out to catch her reflexively before his mind had even comprehended she was no longer conscious. He pulled her body into his lap, his arms cradling her limp form as he called her name. “Miranda? Miranda! What’s going on, baby? Wake up, Miranda! Miran—” was as far as he got before he too became limp and collapsed to the side. Malcolm and Nina were only just able to catch both of them before they could be injured.

“What the hell is going on?” Malcolm growled, speaking to no one in particular. He and Nina adjusted Mitch and Miranda’s bodies to a more comfortable position before attempting to wake them up. Nothing seemed to work as they tried tapping their cheeks and bathing their faces in cool, wet clothes. Not even smelling salts worked. Malcolm’s eyes were very frightened when he looked into Nina’s worried ones.

Suddenly, a deep resonating voice spoke from a dark corner of the room. “Do not worry. They are unharmed. She has taken their consciousnesses to a different plane. They will return when they have completed what they went there to do.” Silence reigned over the entire assembly before the figure from which the voice came stepped out of the shadows. Immediately, people began dropping to their knees and bowing their heads. The all-powerful Merlin had joined them.

Malcolm scrambled for his thoughts before gathering himself enough to bow low before his master. He’d known it was possible for the Merlin to join them for the ceremony, but he hadn’t known that he’d arrived. “Master Merlin, thank you for joining us today. You bless us with your presence. And thank you for the reassurance regarding Mitch and Mandy.”

Merlin chuckled to himself, seating himself in a chair just off the dais that a considerate coven member had brought for him. “You’re quite welcome. She is powerful. Much more powerful than anyone has yet perceived. Yet, she was quite right in the belief that if she fell to evil during this time, she would be destroyed.”

Nina could not prevent herself from asking, “Master Merlin, will we be able to complete the allegiance ceremony?” She was clearly concerned for both Miranda and Mitch.

“Yes, though not without difficulty. Have faith, my daughter. All will turn out well.”

“Thank you, Master,” Nina replied, bowing deeply before him before returning to hover over her son’s inert body.

“I cannot say more until after the ceremony is complete. We will wait together,” pronounced the Merlin. Everyone bowed their head in acknowledgement and returned to waiting, this time silently, gazing at the still bodies.

Chapter 5

It took Mitch several moments to recognize where he was once he regained his senses. Once he did, he glanced around quickly, looking for Miranda. His entire body relaxed when he found her sitting with her back against a tree, twiddling with the stems of some wildflowers. She seemed to be patiently waiting for something.

Mitch arose from his spot and moved to sit down next to her. “You changed your happy place again,” he commented, taking a moment to look around. They were in a beautiful meadow bursting with spring grasses and tufts of wildflowers in a myriad of colors. A dense forest circled the meadow, making it still and peaceful, protected from the outside world. Mitch could hear a small stream trickling nearby, along with songs from several birds. The air was rich with the scent of growing things, clear of the taint of human habitation. The temperature was just a touch cool, but the sun beating down on them from a clear blue sky warmed them gently.