Main Master

C ement. Glass. Drains. Screaming. Base thumping. Ear-splitting music so loud I couldn’t hear my thoughts. Blood. It covered me. This wasn’t the time for a lesson from the in his expensive suit. Just me and murder. Me…Elec. No shirt. No tie. No fancy watch or shoes. Just the man who killed the woman he loved. The man who lost his own child because he didn’t defy rules. Rules. I swung connecting against the crows face again. I was unfeeling. I was hatred sprinkled with wrath, and I hadn’t been this lost since I had self-destructed after Vivia’s murder. I wasn’t sure what to think. Of what to believe. Nothing. There was no evidence to prove Melissa’s guilt. I’d looked with a fine-tooth fucking comb. Nothing. There was nothing.

“Plea—”

Whack!

Whack!

Whack!

No words existed here. No thoughts. No pleas. All there was time for was releasing aggression so I didn’t end up killing the wrong person. And it would be a lie if I said I didn’t want to burn Melissa’s lips off and stuff my hands in her mouth to tear her jaw free.

Kissing me. Fucking kissing me? Against my will? In secret, where I couldn’t possibly have a say?

“, please, use a weapon. Your weapon. Electrocute him. Use a knife and chop him to pieces if you want. Let me at least tape your hands.” The yell barely made it through the drums and screaming music.

“Bullshit. Let them get cut up and bleed. Hit him harder, Elec!”

I ignored Nineteen and Shane, rearing to slam my fist into the crow’s cheek and what was left of his nose. Colors went in and out. Flashes appeared that I couldn’t quite make out. Whack. Whack. Colors. Images. Each hit almost seemed to unlock a memory. The memory?

“Your appearance must be upheld,” Nineteen argued. “I was trained to make sure you comply with protocol. Everyone will see the damage.”

“And maybe they’ll back the hell off when they realize he’ll kick their ass. Damn, that hit . I’m going to have to start training with you. Fucking amazing.”

Whack!

More flashes, but they didn’t last. Shane walked wider into my peripheral. He knew better than to get too close. After all, this wasn’t abnormal for us. We hunted people together. We fought…sometimes each other. But with gear, of course . Nineteen was right. Appearance for my role was a must. My reflection on the outside would reveal what was going on ‘inside’. But for the life of me, I couldn’t stop hitting. What Melissa had done was too much. The thought was…the act was…

“Fuck!”

The word exploded from me as my fist sunk deep into the mush that was breaking down even more with each hit. Pain sliced into my skin only making me draw back and hit the gurgling crow again.

The music cut off, and I spun my fury to Nineteen as he waved the remote at me. One of his eyebrows were raised, and my fist drew back, punching into the crow’s stomach.

“, wear the tape. If you want to continue afterward, fine.”

“I’m fucking done.”

Sweat dripped to my bare chest, and Nineteen’s brow drew in through the pause in his steps. His hand lifted to the earpiece he wore. My pulse jumped at the expression.

“What happened? You have that look.”

The emotions changed as he placed down the tape and grabbed a towel instead, throwing it at me.

“Mistress Two has made it into the halls. I told you she wasn’t going to drop this Braddock-thing. She’s called me three times wanting to know why he hasn’t come to his appointment. She knows you’re behind it.”

My top lip peeled back through the bloodlust still pumping through.

“Of course she knows. I fucking told you she’d make her way here. You said she wouldn’t make it past the lab.”

“Willingly, she wouldn’t have. You were right, and that’s far more concerning. The only reason we know she’s so close is because my guy at the last door didn’t try to stop her. He knew if she made it to him, it wasn’t worth the confrontation. She would have wiped his memory too. We’d have no clue she was here until she opened this damn door. She isn’t allowed to use her powers on the guard. She knows this.”

“And she doesn’t care.” Shane’s face grew hard, but I saw the fear through his words. And he didn’t fear anything , but he knew this power. I’d shown him how deep it went with his own wife.

“What do you want us to do, Elec?”

I’m in control. No one controls me but me.

I looked toward my best friend and High Leader.

“You’re both not to leave under any circumstance. We’ve all been listening to the recordings. We’ve been watching the tapes. We’ve undergone the tests and exercises. I’ve done what I can to block her out. We’re about to find out if it worked.”

“I don’t fucking like this. You said it was going to take time. She?—”

Shane stopped talking as Melissa passed the large glass window. I wiped the blood off my face, moving to clean my hands as the knob twisted and the door pushed open. For as happy as Melissa usually pretended to be, the stiff posture and tight features spoke volumes.

“I’ve waited all day. I called this morning. I’ve given you time to reach out to me. You’ve refused since leaving my office days ago. We need to talk.”

“I don’t think we do.”

“Braddock. Did you tell him to stay away from me? To refuse my calls? I knock on his door, and he doesn’t answer.”

“I’m going to try something new with Braddock. You have other patients to focus on.”

“He’s my patient.”

“Not anymore. That’s all. You can go now.”

“I will not go,” she snapped. “And you’re not taking my patient. Besides, we have things to talk about other than him. Important things .”

“I don’t think we do.”

She glanced at the other two men, coming back to me. “Are you sure about that?” At her glare, I shifted between my ongoing need for blood and the uncomfortable unknown. Melissa saw my hesitation. “Nineteen, Master One, leave us.”

“They will not. They can hear whatever it is you have to say.”

Her laugh was loud.

“You most definitely do not want them to hear this.”

“ We don’t have a choice ,” I exploded, stalking towards her. “You did this!”

“Did I? Are you positive of that?”

I grew silent, forcing myself to meet her stare. If she acted out and did something, she wouldn’t get away with it. Not with Nineteen and Shane in the room. That is…if my own work held together over her power.

“Say it,” I ground out.

Again, she looked towards my men. Whether they were looking back, I didn’t know. Her jaw flexed and she came back to me.

“I have done my best to make you the most respected, most prestigious student possible. I’ve taught you everything I know. I’ve made you into the you are. It hasn’t always been easy. From the beginning, we ran into issues. The summer before you started your master’s degree, you were grieving Vivia. It’d only been a year or so and you relied on me. We spent sometimes up to twenty hours a day together. Do you remember that?”

“Of course.”

“Right before fall semester you contacted me wondering if I was coming back. You were a complete mess because you felt like I was avoiding you. And I was. Why was that?”

I blinked, recalling the memory.

“I attacked you while I was under. You said you were busy, but you were scared. I gave you time. I called. You said there were issues you were having to deal with and that we’d pick up soon. And we did when the fall classes started.”

“But I was still scared of you, wasn’t I?”

My jaw flexed. “You never said or admitted to such, but it was to be expected. I understood that. It’s why we didn’t spend that much time together again until mid-spring.”

She nodded.

“That’s right. But even then, I was distant, wasn’t I.”

It wasn’t a question.

“You were. It wasn’t the same.”

“Would you like to know why?”

“…Because I attacked you.”

Her head tilted, but ultimately, she shook it back and forth.

“I’ll ask again. Would you like to know why?”

Did I? I felt sick. I was suddenly not sure I wanted to know anything she said.

“Why?”

She was quiet, looking between me and my men, giving me time to allow them to leave. When I didn’t, she slowly nodded, almost sadly.

“You’ve never been an easy patient. I thought I had you under control back then, but the grief was too new and hard for you to deal with. And me, although my ego was big, I wasn’t who I am today. I was nowhere near as skilled.” Another pause. “Yes, you did attack me, but I’m afraid it wasn’t just that. You’re already aware of how physical you can be during sessions. We’ve learned that over the years. I never told you the entire truth about the first time.”

“But…I thought…You said?—”

Her head shook. “During the last few sessions before summer break, you wouldn’t stop calling me Vivia. You couldn’t see me as your doctor. In your mind, nothing I said to you was the truth. We’d get to a certain part, and you’d slip into this state of mind where you kept calling me, or her, a liar. I tried to convince you on numerous occasions that I wasn’t her. We got nowhere. I’d bring you out of it with no success. I thought if I tried another approach, it might work. I was wrong. The last time, you were especially agitated. I should have stopped, but I thought I was in control. I was wrong. You were in so deep, but I was nowhere near as fast as you. You slipped right back into that memory and kept yelling her name, calling me a liar. That’s when you pinned me down and raped me, Elec. I was a mess. You were a mess. But it wasn’t your fault. I knew that. I couldn’t blame you when you had no control over your actions. And you didn’t. It’s why we’ve never revisited that memory since.”

“What?”

“It wasn’t your fault,” she emphasized. “I never wanted you to know. I didn’t want anyone to know. Shortly after…I had an abortion.”

“ What? ” I gripped the sides of her face, shaking her through the news that would not process.

“Calm down. You’re hurting me.”

“I’m not hurting you yet. I raped you…and you hid that from me?”

“It was my fault. I was pregnant and terrified . The news would have made you spiral even worse. I couldn’t have that. Not when it was me who acted irresponsibly. If you don’t believe me about the abortion, it’s not public in the outside-sense, but it is in my file with the Council. It was a mistake, Elec. For both of us. Back then, I had no idea what you were capable of while under. I should have had someone else in the room with the amount of trauma you held. With what you did to Vivia…it was isolated; I thought I could handle it. On auction night.” Tears welled in her eyes. “You had a lot to drink. My torn dress. You—I can’t help you. Why do you think I mentioned not being your doctor? I’ve watched you decline the last few months. You’re too powerful for me to control in that state. I can’t do this anymore. Elec —” A sob shook her, and tears raced to my palms where I gripped her face. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t begin to wrap my mind around what she was confessing.

“I never told a soul. I’d never tell . I’m sorry. I tried to make you better, to make this right, but I think I’ve only made it worse. Don’t be mad at me.”

Silence. Was I even breathing? I knew my heart was beating. My raging, thundering pulse was all I could hear.

“The kiss? Explain that.”

Round eyes had the room spinning, but it stopped as her lids dropped the smallest amount and her brow drew in. I blinked through the fog, feeling my body vibrate from the growl as I recognized the trance I’d almost slipped into. A trance I should have slipped into.

“Elec… you kissed me . One minute we were arguing, the next you were jerking me forward. I didn’t even try to put you under. I did nothing but prepare to defend my stance over Braddock’s condition. I mean…maybe I made an expression or gesture that triggered you. It’s possible with how upset I was. But it wasn’t my fault. I wanted to explain that, but you stormed out. It wasn’t me, it was you .”

My hands squeezed against her face. All I could do was shake my head. I was always good at words. I was quick to action. But not now. There was only one thing on my mind, and it fell from my lips angrier than I’d ever heard myself.

“I’m a lot of fucking things, but I am not a rapist. … I’m not a fucking rapist . Sure as hell not to Vivia. Not to anyone.”

An agonizing sob.

“Are you saying I’m lying? Do you really think I’d lie about this? I’ve been trying to protect you .”

My hands lifted from her cheeks, staying in the air as I took steps back. Still, my head was shaking. Words. Words.

I took a deep breath, trying to ground my thoughts.

“Let’s get this out in the open. I want no room for speculation. Are you saying I raped you again the night of the auction? Is that what you’re claiming?”

Melissa’s hands cupped her mouth. Her shoulders shook through the cries. A good minute passed before she calmed enough to wipe the tears and try to compose herself.

“You did. I went to Medical. I took care of it. You don’t have to worry about a child. I made sure we…I wouldn’t have to go through that again.”

She turned, and a roar left me as I surged forward, spinning her around.

“You took care of it? I don’t have to worry? How about, I had the fucking right to know. I had a goddamn say.”

A puzzled expression took over as Melissa stared at me.

“Are you saying you would have wanted the child?”

“I’m saying I could have been there for you. That I had the right to be part of something I supposedly caused. I deserved?—”

“Nothing! You deserved nothing, Elec. This wasn’t an affair. Nothing about either time was consensual. I am married.”

“And for the last few months you’ve been fucking at least three different Masters I know off-hand. Let’s not bring up the missing video of that night.”

Melissa reared back, but I was waiting, catching her hand before it connected with my cheek.

“Who you fuck is none of my concern.” I tightened my grip. “But your actions and insinuations are. You say the Council has record of this abortion. Of my child. I’ll save you the embarrassment of me asking them. Have that file on my desk before the day is out tomorrow. I’ll talk to Medical, myself. From here on out, I’ll be seeing another doctor. I’m sure you can understand.”

A high-pitched sound came from her as Melissa jerked her wrist free of my hold.

“You are not allowed to be a bastard to me. I am the victim . Not you. I’ve done nothing but try my best to make you have everything you’ve ever wanted. God, Elec…” she gestured around the room. “I’ve dedicated my life to you. To making you great. To making you loved by everyone . The cameras, they’ve always been unreliable. But to think I—to say—” Tears raced down her cheeks and that damn ping of uncertainty had me questioning everything I was. Bastard. Bastard. Fuck, she was right about the cameras. And I knew how these sessions worked. I’d watched patients react in ways unlike their normal behavior while under. And Vivia…what wouldn’t I do to have her again?

My lids closed as I rubbed my palms up and down my face. When I opened them, Melissa stood, waiting.

“If what you say is true…I am deeply, deeply sorry. I’m mad because I would never intentionally try to hurt you. I would have done anything you needed. Anything. You should have known that . That’s another reason I’m upset. I take care of those close to me. You could have trusted me to do whatever you saw best. Even if that was only to be there to support you through those hard times. Melissa, you know this. You know me. ”

“I said I’m sorry. I truly am.”

My jaw clenched. “I can’t fucking think.”

“Don’t,” Melissa rushed out. “Don’t think, Elec. We’ve both made mistakes. Horrible ones. It must end here. Any word of this, and it would cause a ripple in the Collective High Council. The circle. The scandal on both of our names…Please. I’ll get you my medical records. I’ll transfer all your information to another doctor. Let’s not make this into some big he-said, she-said battle. The Gardens, not to mention our families, do not need that sort of drama. Let’s make a deal. When I leave this room, it all ends. We never bring up what happened between us again. Deal?”

“If you’re lying to me?—”

“I’m not, and I’ll prove it.” Her hand came out. “Shake, Elec. The past dies right now. Auction night never happened. It was all a mistake. My mistake. Do we have a deal?”

I glanced at Shane and Nineteen, seeing their shock. Their worry. If she was telling the truth about the rape, she was saving both of us a shitstorm. Especially me. But if she was lying…I’d find out. I stuck out my hand, grasping hers as death marched in the shadows of my mind.

“Deal.”