Master A-0011

I f I had thought my night couldn’t get any better, I was mistaken. Where my good side was elated from Pearl’s acceptance of my marriage proposal, the demons in me were climbing the ceiling, stalking the meals that had been escorted inside the apartment. But I could see where the new me wasn’t the same. The old me would have had a field day. I would have been hyper-focused planning and awaiting my attack. That wasn’t the case this time. I wasn’t the Master right now. I was the protector Elec had created with my approval. I was the fiancé, the future husband, and although I had been anticipating their arrival…this was about Pearl. Her emotional state came first, and I knew this wasn’t going to be easy for her.

“I tried to warn you I was coming.”

My eyes swept over to the Main Master only to shoot back to Quincy, Vicki, and Sissy.

“I was busy.”

“I can see that. You have blood on your chin.”

My hand ran down the length, but I kept my attention on the three people tied up on the far side of the room.

“I didn’t cut her face if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I trust you not to disobey. Why didn’t you answer the phone?”

I glanced back to the Main Master. “I couldn’t. I was in the middle of a proposal. I asked Pearl to marry me the right way. Well…she made me realize I needed to. She needs a ring. I wanted to take her to get one but.” I stopped, my brow creasing. “She’s not going to be so excited about it now.”

“You’re going to buy her a ring? Ethan…she’s a mining heiress. A diamond mining heiress, at that. Fuck buying her a ring. I’ll introduce you to Master Four. We’ll come up with the perfect customization. You need your new signet ring anyway.” Elec’s hand lifted as he flashed his.

“You keep saving my ass.”

“That’s what I do.”

He barely got the words out when the door opened. Pearl saw me immediately, slowly making her way through the threshold as she spotted me and the Main Master, who was standing at my side.

“Is everything ok—” Movement from the guards had her head turning. She jerked to a stop, jumping from fear as I reached around her waist, pulling her up against me so she couldn’t run away. “What are they doing here? I don’t want them here .”

“Shh. They can’t hurt you anymore.” I held to her tightly. Her face was buried in my chest and feeling her body tremble had the evil in me clawing at my insides to break free.

“Make them leave. I don’t want them to see me. I can’t ? — ”

“You will,” I lifted her chin, making her look up at me. “They will see you, and they will pay for what they did. Look at them, Pearl. They’re not our guests, they’re our marriage gift from the Main Master.”

“Gift?”

Pearl turned to face Elec, loosening her hold as she met his studious stare. When his hand eased out, Pearl made a whimpering sound, but reached out and held it. He eased her forward, and each step didn’t appear easy.

“I know I’m supposed to be strong. I’m trying , but I don’t want to face them. I have to. I know I do, it’s just—” Her sob had me flattening my hand at the small of her back as I moved in. “ Main Master? ”

Elec’s lids lowered as if his body was softening, but his expression held no compassion. I saw determination. Resolve. Whispering filled the space, directed at her. It was so low, even straining, I couldn’t make out what he said.

“Pearl, sometimes people hurt us so deep that we never truly recover. Talking about it can help, but some scars can’t be healed.” The Main Master reached up with his other hand, tracing along her temple and down her cheek. “In hours, I’m going to have you fixed. I’m doing that for you. But what needs to be fixed the most is in here,” he said, moving his hand down to push right over her heart. “Only you can face the trauma and win. Ethan had to do this too. It’s your turn. Be ruthless. Be brave. You will feel no fear. Let your darkness guide you, no matter where it goes. The pain may not go away completely, but I promise, embracing your true self is a hell of a starting point. It’s time for you to do that.”

Muffled yells came from Quincy. All three were gagged and looked sedated, but his appeared to be wearing off enough for him to make sounds and slightly move.

“Chin up. You’re strong, Pearl. You’re Ethan’s. You can do this.”

“I’m strong. I’m Ethan’s.”

“Good girl.” A string of foreign words left Elec, and I felt my own heart jump at his snap. Anger resurfaced, swirling as I moved closer into Pearl’s side. Her jaw was chattering as she reached for my arm, turning to face the family who destroyed and abandoned her years before. Tears still came, but not the sobs as she took them in and adjusted to the scene before her.

“I’m strong.”

“You are,” I assured.

“Ten and two. Seven and five.”

I leaned over, kissing Pearl’s head.

“Who do you want first?”

“Sissy. That bitch took my life away from me. It’s my turn.”

The Main Master placed his hand on Pearl’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he headed for the door.

“Don’t have too much fun. Five AM. Have her there, Ethan.”

“I will.”

The guards followed the Main Master out, but I wasn’t waiting. I walked over, grabbing Sissy’s half-unconscious body and throwing it over my shoulder as I took large steps back to the bathroom. Groans sounded, but she didn’t attempt to fight back.

Clinking from metal banged as I untied her and strapped her in. By the time I turned around, Pearl already had a knife in her hand and was headed right for the woman who’d caused the accident.

“Wake up.”

The crack of the slap echoed off the walls. Pearl brought the tip of the knife up next to Sissy’s eye. The woman’s lids opened, and her eyes rolled, managing to stay focused on Pearl’s face for a few seconds before her head bobbed to the side. I stepped in, fisting her hair as I restrained her head to the wall.

“Better, baby?”

Pearl nodded, breathing hard as she looked over at me.

“She hated me. I was so excited to have a new sister, and she was mean to me from the first time we met. I lost my mother. I tried—I really tried to be okay with having a new one. They never gave me a chance.”

A deep sob tore from Pearl. Whatever emotion that pulled it free was overpowered as she turned, slicing the blade down from Sissy’s hairline. It wasn’t anywhere near as straight as Pearls. She intentionally zigzagged this way and that, cutting so deep the skin and meat split open to sag in one area. Her sister’s eyes flew open as Pearl made it below her cheekbone, but my girl didn’t stop. The woman’s agonizing muffled cry joined Pearl’s and got louder as Pearl neared the top of her separated lips.

“Mmmmphhh! Mmmph!”

“I was alone. I came to you as a little girl. You were four years older than me. A teenager. I needed someone. No one was there. No one helped me! You were mean. Taunting. You hurt me .” This time she swung at an angle, cutting from the woman’s shoulder to the far side of her ribs. The white shirt Sissy wore quickly saturated with blood around the long laceration site, and Sissy went wild with terror as she took in the rage on Pearl’s face, but there was nowhere for her to go.

“I bet you never thought you’d see me again. I bet you thought I was dead.”

“Mmmmph-Mmmph!”

Pearl moved in inches from her face. The closer Pearl got, the louder Sissy screamed into the cloth gag.

“The first time you saw me, you said I was an abomination. That I was so sickeningly atrocious that you couldn’t even look at me. How ironic. I’m your creation. Your masterpiece. You would think you’d want to keep me close and savor what you did.” Pearl smiled, touching the tip of the blade to the opposite side of Sissy’s hairline. “I won’t be like you. I want you to know that I’m cherishing every second of seeing you suffer. And I take pride in disfiguring you. Tomorrow morning the Main Master is going to have me fixed. I’m going to be perfect, but you…not you. Not ever again. When I get done, there will be no surgeon skilled enough to put you back together. And I could kill you, Sissy. I could carve you alive and let you die slowly, but that’s not good enough. You’re going to hurt, just like I did. I’m keeping you as a slave. I’m going to make you perfect. Perfectly monstrous. Perfectly repulsive. It’s not enough to destroy your body. I’m going to savor every second of breaking your soul. Your ego. Your spirit. I’m not just going to scar you. I’m going to feed you piece by piece to my husband until it’s impossible for you to live from the prolonged damage I’ve done. You’re going to love your new life.”

My heart was racing as I looked in awe toward the woman who was quickly stealing mine. She was beautiful in her brutality as she began to add pressure to the weapon she so wonderfully wielded. Pearl was meant to torture. No one deserved retribution like her, and that made me even happier as the blood flowed from Sissy’s jawline.

“Honey?” Pearl turned to me, serious at first, but a smile growing as she caught her words. “ I like that: honey.”

I couldn’t help but match her enthusiasm at the pet name.

“What would you like, baby?”

“Steak…for our special occasions. That’s what we’re going to do with them. Slaves are good for every day, but them…I want to remember their death when we’re celebrating our wonderful life. It would only be right. If we eat people, we’ll save the worst ones for the best times.”

I pulled her into me, grabbing her ass through the loose dress. My brain couldn’t grasp the emotions I felt. Kissing wasn’t enough. Having her be mine would never sate the overwhelming love that was growing in a heart I thought was dead.

“I love that idea. We have time. I know we only have a few hours before you leave, but we’ll come up with the best plan of how to do it when you return.”

“For the plan, yes. But I don’t want them to wait for me. They don’t deserve to have a second of peace. I want them to hurt as bad as I did. Can you do that for me while I’m gone? Can you make them pay until I heal and come back?”

“Are you teasing me? You really want me to have fun without you?”

“I trust you to make it good. You’ll make them pay.”

“You know I will. I’d do anything for you.”

“Anything?”

She bit her lip, tightening her arms around my neck as I lifted, holding her against me. The knife reflected in my peripheral, but I had no fear with her having it so close to my face.

“Tell me what you want.”

“What if I want two things?”

“What’s the first?”

Pearl drew her arm in that was holding the knife. “Our matching marks.”

“I didn’t forget. What are you thinking? Where would you like our marks?”

Her brow creased and her lips puckered for the smallest moment.

“I want a pretty mark.”

“Pretty?”

She smiled, dazzling me with her beauty and enthusiasm in a personality that was new. It was hypnotizing. Her cute glances through thick lashes were bait, and she was reeling me in. I knew it, and I allowed myself to fall even more.

“Hearts.”

“You want us to carve hearts into each other?”

“On our ring fingers.”

I lowered Pearl, leading her to the bathroom counter.

“I’ll do that for you. Give me a pretty heart.”

Seeing her in her element amongst the screams and revenge were what my darkest dreams were made of. Pearl lowered, angling the knife, only to pout and stand. She headed back to the cart, coming back with a smaller knife and an even bigger smile.

“Perfect.” The top half of her body went forward. I clenched my teeth as the pain registered, growing stronger as she pushed deeper, dragging the tip around in a slow arch. She let it glide back down, only to repeat the action as she sliced back up. Warm tickled along both sides of my finger, but my lids were closed, basking in our moment. “It’s beautiful.”

My hand lifted, and I opened my eyes just in time to see her lips encase the wound. Small tugs of suction had my fingers burying in her hair and keeping her in place.

“You’re making it impossible for me not to take you right here, baby. Fuck.” I pulled her up, pushing my tongue into her mouth, moaning at the traces of metallic bliss.

“Your turn.”

I didn’t have to be told twice. I grabbed the knife, lowering and taking glimpses of the small heart. Pretty, yes. Pearl… always .

A small gasp left Pearl as I broke the skin. Blood beaded, and I took my time making my heart just as flawless as hers. When I was bringing her finger to my mouth, I was lost in her. Lost in love. Love: an emotion I thought could never exist.

Love.

Love.

Love.

“You wanted something else.”

I took in a deep breath, trying to calm my breathing and lust.

“Yes. We were talking about rings. I’ve only ever wanted one, Ethan. Just one. The Mallory Diamond. It used to be my mother’s.” Her eyes glazed over with tears. “ He gave it to her . The ring Vicki wears is different from my mom’s, but the large diamond in the middle is the same. It’s all that’s left of my mother. Can I have that one? Can you take the diamond and make me a special ring? I don’t want just any diamond. I want the one my mom wore. I want to erase Vicki’s memory from ever having it.”

“Elec and I were just talking about making you one. The Mallory Diamond . I’ve heard of it. That would be the perfect engagement ring,” I breathed out. “That one. It’s like fate. Vicki has it on?” Pearl nodded, and I walked over, grabbing the hatchet from the cart. “Then let’s go get it.”

Pearl grabbed my hand, staying at my side as we headed into the living area. The large diamond wasn’t hard to miss, and neither were Quincy’s yells as he saw us enter the room. “This was meant to be, just like us. I’m going to put that diamond into the most stunning engagement band the world has ever seen. I want the world to know who I chose. After I finish making you the perfect set, engagement and wedding band, there will be no doubt.”

“And they’ll stay in our line? You promise?”

“Pearl, baby.” I drew her in. “That ring will not just be part of our legacy; it’ll be a symbol of what love can be. People will look at us and pray they find someone who cares for them just as much as we care for each other. I can’t wait to marry you .”

She hugged me tightly, and it was torture to pull back. I wanted to keep holding her. To try to prove my words, even though I knew only time could do that.

“I can’t wait to marry you too. Let’s get that ring.”

“Say no more.”

Pearl glanced at her father, showing none of the fear she’d held before. She glared at him, only breaking her stare as I stopped next to Vicki, flattening the semi-unconscious brunette woman’s hand on the ground next to her. At my grin, Pearl matched it, even biting against her bottom lip as I lifted the hatchet.

“Do it. It should never have been on her finger to begin with. I hate her .”

Whack!

I brought the blade down hard over all four fingers, just like I had with the butcher. The loud thud had Quincy yelling into his gag, rolling on the floor as he tried to push closer to the door. He was so weak he could barely move. Between Vicki and Sissy’s screams, the apartment was damn near deafening.

And I loved it.

Blood was pooling.

Fingers were rolling.

My future wife was smiling.

I picked up Vicki’s hand, pulling the large, clustered diamond ring from the nub she had left.

Pearl and I were everything , and our night was just beginning. Come morning, she’d be gone. Her scar would be gone. Although that made me sad, we had a lifetime of memories to create, and so long as marks and murder were on the menu, I’d be the luckiest man on earth.