The Sessions (Covenant Series) (10 page)

Chapter Twelve

S
arah furrowed her brows, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. She almost ignored it, but it seemed like it meant the world to him and she didn’t want to hurt him. “Sweetie, I can’t give you my soul, but my heart and mind are yours.”

H
is body froze. He remained unmoving with his head on her shoulder. “What?” 

Fear seized
Sarah at the sound of utter shock in his tone. Devastation. She suddenly realized all at once that she’d just hit upon another nightmare door. One that opened into a horror chamber he’d not yet shown her. “Micah?”

Without moving he whispered, his tone hoarse. “You just
. Told me. You loved me. With. Your. Soul.”

Sarah
felt the tremble taking over his body. “Micah…you’re scaring me,” she barely whispered.

He jerked back and flew off the bed and paced, holding his head with both hands. “You lied?”

The tease of a mental break down laced those two words and she sat up. “No, I didn’t lie, I just—“

He spun and roared,
“You told me!”

Sarah jump
ed and move back on the bed.

He paced some more
, shaking his head. “Why would you say something like that and not! Mean it!” He yelled the words but didn’t aim them at her.

Tears gathered in Sarah’s eyes and she choked on a sob. “I’m so sorry, I wouldn’t have
told you that if I had known.”

He stopped pacing and looked at her, like her words stabbed him through and through. “Why? I thought you loved me?”

“Micah, sweet heart, listen to me. You don’t. Need my soul. To have my love.”

“Yes! I! Do!”
The words thundered and Sarah covered her mouth with both hands, sobbing, terrified now. Don’t panic. Shit, don’t panic.

“You listen to me,” she finally said, her voice quivering with false strength.
“You are wrong, do you hear me? Wrong!” Her attempt at authority fizzled out like a wet firecracker.

He
paced faster, raking his hands in his hair again. He nodded. “Okay, okay.” Hope slowly surfaced in her blood at the hint of reasoning. “How about we talk about this, okay?”

“Yes!” she gasped, trying to hold in her panic. “We will work this out, and you will see, I have more love than you can possibly need.” A sob accompanied her final word and she covered her mouth to stifle the wave of them that wanted out.

He hurried to the bed and froze in his tracks when she jumped back. “Sweetheart.” He stared at her, appearing horrified. “I’m so sorry, I did not mean to scare you.”

At hearing the suddenly sane tone, Sarah began to shake, searching his face for signs of delusion. At finding
none, she lunged at him and hugged his neck. “I’m scared, you scared me, Micah, I love you.”

“Shhh, I’m so fucking sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” He unlatched her arms from his neck and sat on the bed next to her. “Listen. We can work this out. We’ll talk. And you’ll come to see that you don’t need God, I’m more than capable of taking care of you.”

Dread twisted her stomach at his words but she nodded. “Okay sweetie, let’s talk then.”

“
Okay, first, do you understand that God isn’t really who he claims to be?”

He asked the question like he spoke to a delusional child.
Sarah forced herself to think like a doctor and not let the tears come. “Explain that please?”

He stroked her cheek.
“Okay love, okay. I mean, he says he’s good and supreme, but really, he’s not. Really he’s cruel and hateful and evil.”

Shit.
“Okay.”

His eyes brightened. “You
understand?”

Sarah’s heart hammered in her ears as she thought of the least flammable answer.
“I…think you believe what you’re saying…but I…I don’t believe that.” Dammit, another small sob escaped.

He sighed and dropped his head
for several moments then finally looked at her, a deep harrowing sorrow dulling his beautiful eyes. “I can prove it.”

She swiped away the tears, grateful for
something that might buy her time. “Okay, yes, I’d like that.”

“You would?”

She nodded vigorously at the small flicker of hope in his gaze. “Absolutely baby, I don’t claim to know everything, if you have proof, then I’m open. I love you. I’m here. Listening.”

He scooped her up in a hug, gasping in her ear. “Thank you.” He kissed her temple
repeatedly. “Thank you so much.”

“I love you
Micah.”

He set her down and gave her
a soft lingering kiss. “Not as much as I love you.” He pushed her hair behind her ear and brightened a little. “How about we eat dinner, take that bubble bath and relax. Then we can talk. Is that fine with you? Would you like me to bathe you?” He stroked her face and her chest clenched with need for the sane man in him.

She nodded. “Yes, I’d love that. I’m starving.”
Her smile trembled with the quivered words.

His face fell with
immense regret. “Sarah, please forgive me, I didn’t mean to scare the shit out of you like that. It’s just…this is extremely important, I would never do this if it weren’t. Do you trust me still?”

A bolt of hope slammed into her at
hearing the sanity in his words, at seeing the clarity in his gaze. It wasn’t just sincerity she heard in his voice, but an urgency. This was important for more reasons than she understood. She nodded, choosing to believe that the rest of the reason wasn’t insane.
Please don’t let it be insane
. And if it was… then she’d just have to convince him or talk sense into him. She could do that, surely.

He kissed her on the nose. “Get ready for dinner, put on something sexy for me. We’ll eat, and I’ll pleasure you in the tub.
Would you like that?”

Amazing how her body could forget the threat and respond with tingling fire between her legs. “Yes, very much.” She pretended for that moment that all was right and well. Allowed herself to immerse in the luxury of what he could do to her body.

“Mmm,” he nibbl
ed her lower lip. “I want you to sit on my face until you come. Will you do that for me? I absolutely love the taste of you, do you know that?”

She
stroked his forehead, forcing the tears back. “Yes baby. I love when you do that to me.”

He groaned as he tasted her lips one last time.
“Good.” He drew away, his finger-tips gliding off her face. “Ten minutes is all it’ll take. You’ll find evening wear in the wardrobe fit to your size.”

She nodded and watched him leave out
. Panic launched her off the bed and to the wardrobe. She threw it open and her gut twisted. Lavender, soft pink, pale yellow, all the colors she loved hung there in the form of extravagant dresses she could never afford. Everything suddenly felt creepy, like a bad horror movie. Fucking Patch Adams!

No, she would not think that way, or go out like that. She had to find a way to get through to
Micah. 

Picking the lavender, she quickly put it on, then hurried to the bathroom and
washed her face. Looking in the mirror, she nailed herself with her own gaze. You. Are. A doctor. He. Is. Sick. Get your ass in gear and get ready to work.

A sob surged up her chest and s
he slammed her palm on the cool white marble counter.
God help me
.

She assessed her reality. That look of determination in his eyes said he would give it everything he had to win her to his delusion. Could she play along? She paced in the bathroom. What would he do to her if she refused to see things his way?

D
read knotted her stomach and the thought of playing
let’s eat a romantic dinner
was suddenly a monumental horror by itself.

She paced some more.
Judging by his initial outburst, three things were certain. That he loved her. That he’d gone through great lengths to have her. And that she had to renounce God. The why of that last insanity is what needed discovering. And then rectifying.

What would happen if
she didn’t succeed?

She quickly ran through the room, investigating
all the possible exits. She peeked out the door and down the hall, an eerie feeling creeping over her spine at finding it so quiet. And isolated. Like one of those castles in a horror movie, maybe the Munster’s house. Lavish old English décor everywhere you looked. Were they the only people there? Surely such a huge place didn’t run itself, there had to be at least a few people. And where exactly was there? She barely paid attention to the scenery on the drive. The last thing she remembered geographically was the sign that read…Summerville? She’d never heard of that. But then they’d driven for hours after it seemed. No telling where the hell they were. It wasn’t an island, that much she knew, thank God. And they had a vehicle.

God,
give me courage and faith. And a plan if I need to escape.

Thank you for reading
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The Sifting

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ther great books by Azure Boone:

Broken Series: Broken Desires, Broken Lies, and Broken Souls (set)

Prefer to read one at a time:

Broken Desires (book 1)

Broken Lies (book 2)

Broken Souls (book 3)

More DARK reads by Azure Boone:

The Devil Wants A China Doll (Dark Rone series, book 1)

Married To The Devil (Dark Rone series, book 2)

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paranormal romances? Try out her fantastic co-authored Archangels Creed series:

Summon Kassern, Summon Dorn, Summon Toren (set)

Prefer to read them one at a time?

Summon Kassern (The Ruby Warrior)

Summon Dorn (The Aquamarine Warrior)

Summon Toren (The Mercury Warrior)

Bridge books to read after Summon Toren in the Archangels Creed series:

Wager (Puzzle Pieces)

Flawed Warrior (Kassern Closeup)