Hill, Meagan - Master Me [Masterson] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Online Free Page B

her aura yet?”
    Mitch was startled to realize he hadn’t. He’d been so wrapped up in Mandy and what had happened, that he hadn’t taken the time to look. “No. I haven’t. I’ve been too distracted by her, I guess.”
    Nina merely nodded at him. “Brace yourself when you do, son. There is very little of Mandy left. I believe you are her last chance for something good to happen in her life. Her life is not her own and hasn’t been for a very long time. I cannot see very clearly with her, but I can sense she has been given a task she abhors. If she follows through with the task, she will become as evil as the person controlling her, and her soul will cease to exist. If she fails, she will cease to live, though by what means I have no idea. The only chance she has is to eradicate the person controlling her.”
    Mitch struggled with the sinking feeling within him, but he couldn’t argue with his mother’s words. They matched his own intuition. With a sigh, he resigned himself to the difficult task ahead. He wasn’t worried about the fight ahead. He’d been in plenty of battles and knew the rest of his coven would back him should he need them. He just didn’t look forward to seeing the evil he now knew was still to be discovered.
    “Do you know who has control of her?”
    “Yes, but I cannot tell you his name. She will tell you by the end of the evening, but it is important that you learn it from her. It is not so much the name as the process you must go through to discover it. There is something that binds her, and you must show her how to set herself free. When she is free, she can tell you everything. Just keep your patience, and remember what I’ve said.”
    Mitch sighed again, rubbing his hands across his face. It was an old frustration, knowing his mother knew what was going on but was unable to tell him clearly what he needed to know. Every word was important when she was giving him this type of information, though usually, it didn’t make sense until after the related situation had been resolved. “Is there anything else I need to know?” It was usually best to ask open-ended questions with his mother.
    “No. Just know we’ll be ready when you call for us.”
    “So, this is going to end in a battle?”
    “I can’t say. I do know she will have the ability to end the situation herself, though she currently does not know it. It will all depend upon whether she is willing to believe in herself enough to take the chance in trusting her power.”
    With his mother’s words swirling in his head, he kissed her good-bye and left the shop. He stopped at Mandy’s car, noticing it was rather old and beat up. He wondered how well it ran. He pulled the small case from the trunk as instructed and returned to the house. Mandy was still in the shower, so he slipped her bag in through the door and closed it quickly. Seeking to distract himself, Mitch gathered his first aid supplies and slid the casserole he’d made earlier into the oven. Mitch had to laugh at himself. He’d felt the urge to make the casserole while making lunch for the boys. Even though he’d thought it strange, he’d relied on his urges for too long to ignore them, though why it was important to make a casserole he’d had no idea. Once again, he was glad he’d listened to what his gut was telling him.
    Right now, though, his gut was telling him that the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen had just stepped out of his guest bathroom in a pair of ragged cutoff shorts and a formfitting T-shirt.

    * * * *

    Mandy felt much better after washing the river water off. She couldn’t dry her hair because she hadn’t packed a hair dryer, and she had decided to not wear makeup. She knew Mitch wanted to see the real her, and frankly, she had a feeling she would be crying by the end of the evening. She limped her way out of the bathroom, looking around in search of Mitch, finally finding him in the kitchen. The house was as gorgeous inside as it was