The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension

  Chapter 86 - Copeland and Miranda

  "This is really beautiful country, isn’t it?" Medoferro asked Miranda as they walked, "Not like the bustle of Skolnik at all."

  "It’s a great place to walk around," Miranda agreed, "Not so good if you’re looking for something to do."

  "I’m sure you find things to do here," Medo said, "Walking isn’t enough?"

  "Not all the time," Miranda chuckled, "There are other things though."

  She looked up at him and smiled, pushing a little closer against him. He held on to her, desperately wanting to be close to her. He still had a few worries though, and it didn’t take the power that Medoferro had to see them. She leaned against him and wondered what to do about it.

  "You’re still worrying," Miranda chided him a little, "About the positions?"

  "Yeah," Medo agreed, "Much as I try to put it out of my head, it keeps coming back. Just hearing the name that I am called now…"

  "I was having some worries about that when my sister put this together," Miranda told him, "You want to know what she told me?"

  "Sure," Medo nodded, "Ought to be interesting."

  "She said that it was better to try and fail," Miranda smiled and chuckled, "Rather than to wonder what would have happened if we’d followed our hearts."

  "And what does your heart say?" Medo asked her.

  "Much the same yours does," Miranda said, looking into his eyes, "And it doesn’t take any special power for me to see that."

  "I don’t feel right," Medo said, "Knowing what I may have to do to you…"

  "Then don’t think about it," Miranda said, touching his cheek, "You aren’t Medoferro to me right now. If that happens, then it will be Medoferro’s doing."

  "Yes," Medo said, "But I am Medoferro."

  "Not tonight," Miranda smiled, "Tonight you are Copeland Steele. The empire can go screw itself tonight, Copeland. I’m claiming you for myself, provided you are willing to do the same for me."

  "I’d almost forgotten what it was like to hear my own name," Medo said, smiling, "Of course you can claim me, Miranda. For anything you’d like to claim me for."

  She smiled and pulled him closer to her and kissed him slowly. They had both been through this part of it a few times before with other people, but this first kiss for them had a new meaning. For the first time they both found exactly what they were looking for.

  "You…" Miranda said, giggling a little, "Are a wonderful kisser, Copeland."

  "Mmmhmm," Medoferro nodded, "Helps when you have the right partner."

  They kissed again, deeper this time, getting more into it and pulling each other tight against each other. The barriers that each of them had erected mentally for their own protection were quickly falling, just like they were for each other.

  "We stay out here," Medo said as they came up for air, "We’re going to get caught sure as hell…"

  "Or at least interrupted," Miranda agreed, licking her lips and smiling at him, "I’ve got an idea. Follow me!"

  Miranda pulled Medoferro by the hand and they jogged towards an average size building towards the back of Toria’s property. It looked like little more than a well built shed, but there was a little bit of steam coming out of a pipe on top. Medoferro looked at it and wondered what Miranda was up to.

  "What is this?" Medo asked her.

  "The old Medico that Toria took over for was a big believer of steam healing," Miranda explained, "This pool house is where he practiced that belief. Come on in!"

  Miranda opened the door and Medoferro was surprised with what he found inside. The outside had never been taken care of, but the inside was a medium sized pool area and to the left was a decent sized steam room. For some reason it was still hot, as there was steam seeping out the cracks from the doors.

  "You’re kidding," Medoferro said, surprised, "And this is left this way all the time?"

  "There’s a hot spring in the back," Miranda explained, "It provides the steam for the steam room. One end of the pool has a metal side, conducting the heat over to the still pool. You can go to whichever side you want for as much heat as you want."

  "It’s beautiful Miranda," Medoferro said, very impressed, "How much maintenance does it take?"

  "Very little," Miranda said, "A little cleaning and some chlorine tabs to keep the water fresh. Most of it takes care of itself."

  "Nice," Medoferro said, looking around, "Wish we could do something like this at the palace."

  "Mullinix Centre doesn’t have hot springs," Miranda grinned, "Besides, if you had this there you’d never leave."

  "And there’s a better reason to get one how?" Medo chuckled.

  "Want to go in?" Miranda asked him, "The water is usually beautiful this time of night."

  "I didn’t bring a suit," Medo said, smiling at her, "And unless you’re hiding it somewhere neither did you."

  "No one will come out here this late," Miranda said, gazing at him demurely, "I’m willing to be brave if you are, Copeland."

  "Nothing ventured," Medo said, cocking an eyebrow, "Nothing gained."

  Miranda smiled and decided that if she was going to go for it, the time was now. She pulled up the dress she was wearing and pulled it up over her head and took it off. She tossed it aside and looked at Medoferro, now dressed in only her underwear. She motioned for him to follow.

  Medoferro chuckled and removed his shirt, tossing it on the same bench she had used. Seeing that he was following along, she went the rest of the way and took off her underwear, tossing it on the bench before walking down into the water in the nude. Medoferro followed quickly, removing the remains of his clothes and slipping down into the warm water.

  "Feels good against the skin, doesn’t it?" Miranda giggled as she watched him.

  "Why do I get the feeling you’ve done this before?" Medo grinned, taking her in, "Not that I mind of course…"

  "Not the first time I’ve been in here naked," Miranda admitted, "First time with a guy, though."

  "I’m honored," Medo said, meaning it, "You look ravishing wet and naked too."

  "Thanks," Miranda smiled, "You don’t have to stay all the way over there though."

  Medoferro moved closer to her and met her in the middle of the larger part of the pool. Their hands touched quickly, though the nerves were still there a little bit, as they were not quite certain how to go about it yet, despite past experiences they’d both had.

  "We’ve come this far and I’m still nervous," Miranda chuckled a little, "Isn’t that a hoot?"

  "My heart is pounding as well," Medo told her, "I couldn’t have pictured anything this perfect."

  "You really mean that?" Miranda said, looking at him, "I mean, it’s just little me here…"

  "There isn’t anything that is little about the way I feel with you," Medo told her, "I mean, there just is no way to describe it, but if you feel even a portion of what I see..."

  "Can you really see how I’m feeling?" Miranda wondered, "I mean, it’s ok if you can…"

  "It’s not really your feelings," Medo said, trying to figure out how to explain it, "It’s the way you project. Everyone does it, and it affects the power around you. I can’t tell what you feel, but I can see you projecting towards me. I see the same thing at times when Simon looks at the girls at the palace or when any man is attracted to a woman."

  "So we affect the things around us?" Miranda said, "That explains a little."

  "It’s an interesting ability," Medo said, "But it has a down side too. It killed a lot of the enjoyment of my time with Marina."

  "How so?" Miranda asked him, pulling Medo over to an area where they could sit down together and be mostly under water, "Not that it’s my business or anything."

  Medo smiled and kissed her softly and put his arm around her before answering.

  "It’s ok," he told her, "If you’re interested, I’ll be glad to tell you."

  Miranda merely nodded, smiling at his touch.

 
"Marina is like an emotional black hole," Medo said, "She’s pleasant to be around, but she doesn’t project anything at all. It’s a bit maddening, truth be told."

  "I wish I could see what you were talking about," Miranda smiled, feeling a little better by this, "It sounds nice."

  "Well," Medo said, "I may be able to show you a little if you’re willing to work with me."

  "I’d love to see it," Miranda nodded, "What do I have to do?"

  "Just sit back and watch," Medoferro said, "And pray I do this right."

  "Don’t hurt yourself," Miranda cautioned, "It isn’t worth that."

  "It’s not me I’m worried about, hon," Medo chuckled, "If anything starts getting too warm, let me know."

  "You got it," Miranda said, wondering what he was going to do.

  Medoferro pulled back from her and looked at the power lines on her. He brought up his hands and just pulled a little bit of power. His mind worked quickly at it and basically illuminated the lines of power as they moved around. Miranda gasped as she saw what he was doing, illuminating the lines of power as they moved around.

  "It’s so beautiful," Miranda said as she touched the power lines, "Do you see this all the time?"

  "I don’t see them quite the same way," Medo explained, still feeding a low bit of power into it, "It’s just there, something that is as natural for me as looking at you. I can block it out if I need to, but it is sometimes very helpful and is usually there."

  "I can imagine that if you’re able to see that making love with someone who didn’t have the ability to project would be difficult," Miranda said, "And I project like that to you?"

  "Very much so," Medo told her, touching her cheek with his hand, "But you didn’t need that image to know that."

  "No," Miranda admitted, putting her hand over his, "But seeing it helps."

  Medo let the power fall away and approached her again. There was little left to hide, so he went in for a deep kiss. She was certainly willing for him to come closer, as she pulled him tightly against her, touching each other under the warm water. He ran his fingers down her back as she wrapped her arms around him.

  "It would be a shame to let this situation go to waste," Miranda said quietly, "Wouldn’t it, Copeland?"

  "It would," Medo agreed, looking in her eyes, "If you want to do what I want to…"

  "Absolutely," Miranda nodded softly, nibbling her lip, "I want you, Copeland, nothing else."

  That was all he needed to hear as he pulled her close to him and the need they both felt for each other took over as they slowly began making love together in the warm pool, losing all track of everything but the needs they felt for each other and the pleasure that being together could give.