"Make Me Yours" Ch. 16 The Break
Carmen waits for a moment to ensure she's in the clear before she jiggles the key in the lock, pulling out the drawer to reveal the book. She takes it and opens it, the first page has a picture with a brunette woman holding an infant with only a date on it, 1918. Carmen flips through the book and the first few pages seem like they were ridden hard and put away wet, but the writing is readable at least. It's a diary of sorts; the writer, whom she presumes to be the woman in the photo, has lost her daughter Eva to illness. She's a wreck. She plans on taking her own life because she can't stand another day without her daughter.
Then the writing changes as if an entirely different person, there's a mention of a Black God that blessed the writer. It has to be the same person because then the diary takes a turn into borderline madness on bringing Eva back from the dead. There was one attempt with a girl named Evelyn but that was deemed a failure according to the writer. Carmen pulls out another picture, this one seems to have a few different people in it with a young girl in the center, four males and two females not including the child.
Carmen flips back to the original picture from the beginning with the woman and the infant. She looks between what appears to be a blond woman and the brunette from the first person, aside from the hair they look identical. That's impossible though, the date on the second picture is labeled 2017 so it can't be. Can it? Carmen snaps to a cold realization that would technically make sense but also makes her question the possibility. The author of the diary is Mother Miranda.
Carmen shuts the book and locks the drawer once again, looking at the key as if it burns in her hand and she tosses it underneath the table. Maybe she'll believe it fell out of her pocket? Carmen goes back to the cell trying to piece together this new found information. Mother Miranda is over a hundred years old according to the diary and the photos, which must be caused by this Black God figure. Carmen believes in the supernatural. She can turn into a giant wolf for Goddess sake, but even this is a bit much for her to grasp. Everything Mother Miranda is doing, is to bring back her daughter. Is that why she hasn't killed Carmen yet? She wants to use her as an experiment?
Now everything makes sense from the snooping she did earlier. She could make out the word 'failure' in many of the texts and some drawings that depicted werewolf-like creatures from a sci-fi film. Carmen starts to hyperventilate, so one mate wants her dead and the other wants to use her like a lab rat. Great. Now she really needs to find a way out of here. Footsteps from deeper in the cave echo in her ears which makes her stand up right to see Mother Miranda storming through the lab into the cell. She approaches Carmen and grabs her by the throat, slamming her with unimaginable strength against the wall.
"Where is it?!" Mother Miranda screams.
Carmen chokes out a few pitiful puffs of air until Mother Miranda releases just enough she can talk.
"What?" Carmen chokes out.
"You know what. Where is the key?"
"Don't play stupid with me dog, I know you took it. You read the journal didn't you? Why I should just kill you now. You're not a worthy vessel anyways."
"Don't you dare say her name!"
There's a burning sensation on Carmen's throat, she squirms more and tries to break free. Carmen finally cries out from the burning and Mother Miranda drops her, a sudden look of surprise on her face. She takes a step toward Carmen with her hand outstretched but Carmen flinches away making Mother Miranda pull her hand back. The surprise and concern on her face vanishes in an instant as she straightens her posture, fixing her robe slightly as Carmen slowly stands. She rubs her neck whimpering softly and coughing to regain her voice.
"I'm sorry I looked in the journal."
"No, you're sorry you got caught" Mother Miranda spits.
"I'm sorry regardless. That was an invasion of your privacy which I violated."
Carmen reaches out and touches Mother Miranda's hand, she withdraws it at first, sending a glare in Carmen's direction before she slowly lowers it back. Carmen reaches out again and this time she doesn't pull away, letting Carmen slip her fingers between her talons and bringing the hand up to her lips. Carmen places a gentle kiss on the golden chains covering Mother Miranda's knuckles.
'How am I to trust you?" Mother Miranda asks.
"Did you trust me to begin with?" Carmen responds.
"Would you have told me what I found in that journal?"
"Perhaps eventually. On my own terms. Once I know you wouldn't..."
"Wouldn't what?" Carmen pry's.
"I don't know. I haven't been this uncertain in a long time. Something is gnawing at me about you. Usually I know exactly one's intentions, their thoughts, their actions before they do it. All thanks to the Black God. You however, there's silence. I feel..." Mother Miranda scoffs.
Mother Miranda's grey eyes scan Carmen's face, a certain understanding shown in the fine lines and deep in the root of her eyes. She's genuine. It's been a long time since someone was genuine to her. She's used to the villagers and her lords worshiping her, hanging on her every command and word, yet Carmen feels different somehow. She's bold that much is certain. Mother Miranda sighs softly, continuing to let Carmen hold her hand which feels nice.
"What am I going to do with you?" Mother Miranda scoffs.
"Give me a chance to earn your trust?" Carmen asks coyly.
"I suppose I have no other choice. I can't kill you, and I'm not about to let you go either."
Carmen suddenly beams, "so is that a yes?"
"I suppose," Mother Miranda says hesitantly.
Carmen smiles widely, her wolf leaps around in her mind. Her mate accepted her courtship which means she has a lot of work to do to impress Mother Miranda. Not an easy feat by any means, but one Carmen is prepared to take on.
"Does that mean I can call you Miranda instead?" Carmen asks quietly.
Mother Miranda shivers, "only in private. If any of the villagers or lords come around it is still Mother Miranda. Understood?"
"Crystal clear, Miranda."
"Now, tell me about how you would court a...mate," she spits the last word as if it burns on her tongue.
"Well, first I would need permission from the potential mate's parental figures, if none are present then only the consent from the mate is needed. Then I follow a series of steps which boils down to flirting, showing proof that both mates can provide, and eventually mating by marking which seals the two as mates."
"And, as a mate, you are entirely devoted to that person no matter what?" Miranda asks.
"Yes, I mean there's been rumors of mates being unfaithful to their mates and being severely punished by the Goddess."
Carmen beams again, "you might relate. Lore says she used to be a priestess when invaders tried to take over her home she imbued the villagers with the power of a wolf to defend it. Unfortunately that brought more invaders once they learned of their powers so she took her followers to an island far away from the mainland. When she passed she was worshiped as our protector and Goddess."
"I see, and she decides everything?" Miranda asks.
"She's supposed to," Carmen says growing suddenly quiet.
Miranda reaches out and strokes Carmen's cheek sending another flurry of sparks and tingles down her spine making her shiver. Miranda silently asking why she grew so quiet when she had that shine in her eye just a moment ago. Carmen swallows and sighs softly, leaning into Miranda's touch as she hugs herself.
"When a wolf reaches maturity they go up the mountain where the Goddess shows them their mate, or at least give them some sort of clue of where to go, or something. Um.....when I went, there was nothing. Both times I did it, there was nothing."
"So how did end up here then?"
"Dreams. Out of nowhere I started having these dreams.." Carmen starts.
Carmen snaps her head up looking Miranda in the eyes, swallowing thickly as she slowly nods her head.
