Chapter 16 – Hold Me

“I WARNED you never to trust strangers so easily, Mikaela. You did not listen to me. Now you and I are stuck on each other. You won’t be going home ever,” Blaze remembered telling Mikaela the morning he woke up and she was not by his side.

After so many years, that was the first time that he managed to sleep without having a nightmare about the death of the ones he loved, the first time he had found peace and relaxation in sleeping.

But that peace disappeared when Blaze could not find Mikaela beside him. Among the humans and supernatural beings, hers was the only presence he could not detect. For a second, he was scared that she might have run away from him although he knew that there was a little chance she could escape unless she miraculously broke his barrier.

And when Blaze saw her outside his room, he could not describe the surge of relief he felt. But all his tension came back when Mikaela mentioned about going home. His jaw clenched.

“You will stay here with me and will not leave my side until I tell you to, Mikaela.”

She looked at him for a long time as if she was trying to search something in his eyes. After a while, she nodded and softly smiled. “All right.”

Blaze was stunned. He was expecting a word war, that Mikaela would panic or freak out like most humans would usually do. But she remained calm.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m doing this to you and your mother?”

She shook her head. Resignation was in her voice when she spoke. “Something must be wrong with me, right? Because after all these, I still trust you like crazy. I still think you’re a good man. Even now, my heart still races for you. Whatever you’re doing, you must have a reason. And I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me that reason, Blaze.”

Why? Why was she like this? Why the hell was she tolerating him this much? Where the heck was she getting this unbelievable faith of hers? She was looking at him like she knew him, like she could understand his wounds.

“Aren’t you afraid at all? Only you and I are here. I could kill you right here.”

“No, you won’t.” Mikaela sounded so sure as if she really believed that he was a good man. She closed the distance between them and stroke his cheeks. “You know what I’m afraid of? I’m afraid that you’ll get hurt again. You can do whatever you want, Blaze.” She softly smiled. “Just don’t get hurt again.”

That was more than a confirmation that Mikaela knew something, but Blaze did not push through the conversation anymore. He was not ready to say anything. No, he was terrified to say anything. And he didn’t want to acknowledge why he felt that way.

A month had passed by after that and Mikaela had never mentioned anything about leaving anymore. She had never asked him for anything as if she was satisfied by being with him. And it made him feel good inside. They would eat, sleep, and have sex whenever he pleased in different parts of the house and each time, she would always readily accept him, all of him, and would kiss him as deeply as he did, that he almost deluded himself into thinking that nothing else mattered.

Blaze’s servants would only show up to cook and clean the house. They would leave right away when their job was done. It was mostly just the two of them and never had he heard her complain. They indulged themselves for a month until the news about his mentor waking up had spread all over the world. And then the hunt started. That was the only time he left Mikaela’s side.

During the first day of hunting, Blaze left at dawn when she was still sleeping and came back at midnight. He could still remember how surprised he was to see her awake. She was at the garden and was waiting for him. He could never forget how Mikaela ran to him barefooted with tears rolling down her cheeks. In her long yellow silk nightgown, she looked like a bundle of sunshine.

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Thank you for coming back. I thought you already grew tired of me and left me,” she said as she sobbed. Her eyes were swollen as if she had been crying for a long time.

“I’m sorry,” Blaze whispered. “You were so tired because of me last night that I didn’t want to wake you when I left.” Amid her tears, she blushed. He smiled and gently brushed her tears with his fingers. Was he always capable of such gentleness? Seeing Mikaela become like this because of him ached. It was as if some bastard stabbed him in the chest. “I was in a hurry to finish what I had to do so I could go back to you as soon as I could that I didn’t have the chance to think about calling you. I was wrong. What should I do to make you feel better?”

“Hold me and don’t let me go.”

He chuckled. “That’s too easy.” As if I’d ever let you go.

He planted a quick kiss on Mikaela’s lips before he took her in his arms. He was bored, he was impatient, and he was out of himself the entire day. God, he missed her; he missed this precious lamb of his. If only he could put her in his pocket, he would. So, he could see her and feel her presence anytime, anywhere.

“Will you leave and become busy again tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

Again, she didn’t ask why as if she was avoiding it.

“Then can I make a request?”

“Of course,” Blaze answered right away that even he was surprised. He could not remember being this considerate before. It looked like being with this human was making him feel soft inside. And… he had no complains. Right now, he could say ‘yes’ to anything to make it up to her. He could give his consent to anything… just not about her leaving him. “What is it?”

“Have dinner with me every night. It’s lonely eating by myself.”

He felt a pang in his chest. He grew up with the supernatural beings who could go on without eating for a day. He had forgotten that he was with a human since it was his first time being with one. Even if he had to fight the rebels himself so he could make it on time tomorrow night for dinner, he would. To hell with the rules. They could disqualify him, and it would be better since he could be with Mikaela all day again.

He nodded after a while. “Anything else?”

“Don’t get hurt. And don’t get sick.”

“That’s all?” But those were just about me.

“That’s all.”

Blaze felt like there was a huge lump in his throat when she finally smiled. Up to this day, he had no idea that humans could be this adorable, that they could still look so sexy and captivating even with swollen eyes and messy hair. But then again, his Mikaela had always been special since she was the only human that he found beautiful in the first place. No one else comes second.

“And Blaze?”

“Hmm?”

“Welcome home.”

“You’re here. Welcome home.”

Those soft words had stopped Blaze’s train of thoughts. He did not realize that he was now standing just a few inches away from Mikaela until he had heard her voice. And like she always do, she tenderly smiled and spread her arms upon seeing him. He did not waste a second more and rushed to be in those arms. He closed his eyes tightly.

Welcome home.

Blaze would never have realized the impact of those words until he had heard Mikaela say them for the first time. Those two words had always made him feel like he finally had somewhere to belong, a place he could finally call his. But… for how long? This fear was driving him nuts. Where the heck was this coming from?

And why did he never see the sadness in her eyes before? Or did he just pretend he didn’t see it so he wouldn’t have to think about it? Ah, he didn’t know anymore. All he knew was that this was strangely cutting him deep as if there was a big battle that he had lost.

“Mikaela, I’ve been so unfair to you but why don’t you ever get mad at me?” he asked as he moved to face her, his arms were still on her tiny waist.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

She smiled and caressed his cheek. “Can you really hate the person you love? Well, I guess, you can try, but I doubt if you can succeed.”

Love? Mikaela… was in love with him?

He froze.