Master: Memory #2

I blinked open my eyes a few times before registering the throbbing headache I had.

I sat up and stared down at my hands, and sure enough, my arm was back to its demonic self.

I glanced around the room, and I remembered being branded.

My human hand quickly shot up to feel the right side of my neck. The skin there was raised and healed.

Damn it.

So, it wasn’t a dream.

I frowned as I heard voices outside the room I was in.

Children?

I forced myself to stand as I made my way to the door. I stopped at the door.

A pile of clothes laid on a chair next to the hinge side of the door.

I stopped to study the clothes I currently had on. Short sleeves, not going to happen.

I was quick to remove the shirt, and I unbuttoned the new one before sliding it on one arm at a time.

I dropped the gray stretch pants to the floor before pulling on the new black pair, they were a tighter fit.

The last piece of clothing was the jacket.

I looked around the floor as I pulled the jacket on.

No shoes.

My hand hesitated on the doorknob before I opened the door.

I made sure to look both ways, and I saw no one.

Didn’t I just hear voices?

I shut the door behind me as I went to the right. My eyes searched the stone walls for any hints to where I actually was, but they were all bare.

Where the hell was I?

I was on high alert, and when I heard talking, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

“Lucia,” an older male voice spoke, “So you brought the Viking with you again.”

His voice was clearly displeased.

“He is always with me,” her voice was musical.

I knew better, she wasn’t human.

I peeked over, and I saw three people. The first was an older guy with white hair, most of it was on his face. The other male had long yellow hair that passed his shoulders and just a little facial hair.

The woman, however, was strange. Her skin was dark, and from here, it almost looked gray. Her hair was shorter than her male companions.

It didn’t even reach her shoulders, but she was beautiful.

The three of them didn’t even realize I was here.

“So why have you called me here?” the woman Lucia asked.

“It’s regarding Eaden,” the older man spoke.

Eden? The garden?

“How is she?” she asked.

Wait, hold on a second, she?

“Have you found her a mate yet?” Lucia asked before the man had the chance to answer her first question.

“Not yet,” the old man stated, “A couple new children arrived today.”

Was she an animal? A mate? Children?

I didn’t understand what was going on. Yesterday the last thing I remembered was that man branding me.

‘What number are we on now?’ I could hear his voice in my mind still.

‘Ninety-six.’

That many children? Am I number ninety-six? Weren’t there two others behind me? Weren’t they both girls? I thought they were looking for a mate?

Or were they just trying to make her happy? Or did she not know what they were trying to do?

Was she human? Or was she something that needed to reproduce?

I shook my head. I didn’t get it.

“Are they all human again?” the woman asked.

“No,” the man spoke, “But one is quite interesting.”

“Interesting, how?” she asked him.

“I think we finally found one,” he said.

Found a mate for Eaden?

“Have they met yet?” she asked.

“Not yet,” he stated, “But I have a good feeling.”

“Is he human?” she asked.

“I have no idea,” he shrugged, “We don’t know anything about him.”

“That is interesting,” she said.

“How is your search going?” he asked her.

She looked over at the Viking.

“I thought maybe a Viking would suit her,” she spoke, “But I fell in love with him, so I will not be handing Maccon over.”

Maccon? Why do I know that name?

“I would never dream of leaving you,” Maccon finally spoke.

Was he really a Viking?

They were supposed to be thousands of miles away, right?

Why was he here? Was he here for Lucia?

“Someone is listening,” it was Maccon who spoke.

I was quick to run in the opposite direction, and I didn’t look back.

I ran as if my life depended on it. Was I supposed to try and be her mate?

Every time I had the chance to go left or right, I did. One random turn after the other, until I collided with someone.

Their head collided with my gut, and I was knocked backward.

“Are you alright?” I was quick to her side.

She had tears streaming down her face, so I couldn’t see her eyes.

Her long yellow-orange hair was now hiding her face.

“Hey,” I whispered, “Are you okay?”

She slapped my hand away.

“How dare you touch me,” she hissed.

I stared down at her. I was confused.

“How dare you hurt your master!” she growled.

My…Master?

“Eaden?” I breathed.

Her gaze finally met mine, and her glare sent shivers down my spine.

I have never in all my life seen eyes like hers.

They were a deep blue, mixed with a light blue and a purple, maybe even a little gray.

She pushed my head to the side.

“Number ninety-six,” she spoke, “Rub the back of my head!”

I just looked at her strangely.

“Do it now!” she kicked her feet viciously.

“No!” I growled, “My name is not number ninety-six.”

“You don’t get to have a name anymore!”

She was clearly having a tantrum.

“I have always had a name,” I hissed at her, “And you have no right to take it from me!”

Even though I hated how I came to have it, my name was mine. She had no right to take it from me.

She stood up, and I saw the anger in her eyes. I watched as they changed from the mixture of blues and purple to dark orange with a bright white ring. Flames erupted around her before swarming me.

I didn’t understand. Why were her eyes orange if her fire was white?

I held my left arm forward, and it absorbed the fire.

Her face, once the fire cleared, was dreadful. She looked completely and utterly destroyed.

“My name,” I gasped, “Is Boone.”

Tears streamed down her face again as she clung to me.

Did I miss something here? Didn’t she just try to kill me?