Chapter 25
Blaze awoke to a sharp pain painted over with a stiffness that bound his neck. His eyes adjusted to the room, eyes focusing on shelves and he remembered he fell asleep awkwardly on a chair in the library. He'd left Juliette a few hours ago when he was certain she was asleep.
He couldn't stay with her without his blood boiling with the desire to have her; even in his sleep he possessed no control. His body in obvious arousal at the mere thought of her. He groaned and closed his eyes forcefully.
For once, he'd overslept, he dragged himself out of the chair and went up to his room, he didn't expect to see Juliette since he was sure she would be up; and he was right. The room was soundless and vacant. He proceeded to the shower. He was in dire need of a cold shower.
After his calming shower Blaze proceeded down stairs to the kitchen where he found his mother and Mary. "Long night?" Mary chirped, and Blaze could tell that something was bothering her.
"It was." He looked at her sceptically, "Are you alright?"
Her eyes widened in falsehood and Blaze picked up on it. He wasn't as successful as he was without reason. He could read people and more so his family. A forced smiled spread across her features and she replied. "Of course I am. Just remembering the incident with Danny, this morning." Her voice lowered at the mention of that insolent bastard. Joanne paused at her station at the stove, where she was getting an early start to lunch.
Blaze tensed at the mention of Danny, his fists balling at his sides, they itched to find the one responsible for such a reaction. Then Juliette entered his mind. "Where's Juliette?"
His mother answered, "She went out for a jog dear. I think she really needed the time to herself this morning."
Blaze grew cautious, "Went jogging? She didn't tell me anything." His voice a half growl, he hated the thought of her out there alone.
"Blaze-"His mother warned but before she could finish whatever she was about to say the kitchen door creaked open and Juliette limped in. Her knee oozing dark red liquid. Blaze stood in astonishment, his brain only barely realising what occurred. When the reality gripped him, he immediately rushed to her side and laid her on one of the dining room chairs.
He pulled a chair opposite hers and rested her bleeding leg on his lap. "It's fine." Juliette protested and was given a death stare from Blaze as he continued to evaluate the cut.
"Are you alright dear?" Joanne and Mary huddled around her in concern.
"I am fine, it's just a graze." Juliette smiled, trying to convince them.
"How did this happen?" Blaze's voice was like razor as he took the basin of water and plasters his mother gave him; he began to clean the gash.
"I-uh." She hesitated.
"Spit it out Juliette I haven't got all day." He scolded and Juliette felt angered.
"I was jogging and this boy accidentally bumped into me, and I fell. I hit my leg on a rock." Blaze paused, while he was cleaning her wound, his hand shaking in anger.
"Someone pushed you down? What did he look like?" Courtesy was clearly forgotten.
"I said accidentally, it wasn't his fault, Blaze." Juliette gritted her teeth. He was he to get so annoyed; hell people fell all the time! Her more than others!
"I don't care what you said; you resisted my command, Juliette. I told you not to go off alone." His voice was intensively soft, his eyes icy blue and Juliette repelled the urge to shiver at their cold depths.
"And I am perfectly able to make my own decisions, Blaze! I am not your possession, I am human. You cannot dictate my life to suit yourself." Juliette stared back at him with equal intensity.
Mary and Joanne, witnessing the onslaught of words unnoticeable escaped out of the kitchen and left then alone.
"The hell you are!" Blaze growled, he had finished covering her wounds so he gently placed her feet flat on the floor. In a swift movement he bent forward in his chair and grabbed hold of Juliette, his arms gripping her shoulders roughly. He was hard to believe that the same man who handled her with such care a few second ago could be this rough now.
He flung her over his shoulder and carried her through and out of the kitchen. Juliette was distressed; she banged on his back demanding that he release her. She felt indescribably embarrassed, on the way to the stairs, she managed to get a glimpse of Joanne and Mary's horrified expressions.
"Ugh! For the love of God! Put me down Blaze!" Juliette hissed; and he did listen but only when he arrived at his destination.
Blaze rested Juliette lightly on the bed in their room, and looked down on her lying flatly on her back. "You should rest that leg." He commanded.
Juliette rose halfway, using her elbows to hold up her body. "It's a scrape Blaze. I don't need rest."
His eyes narrowed. "That is not a scrape and you know it. A little deeper and you would needed stitches. You can pretend but I can tell it hurts like hell." He retorted.
Her anger subsided, he was right. She was in some pain but it was bearable, she dropped her head down against her pillow and lay her hands and the side of her.
"Fine, I will rest a bit. But no longer than a few minutes." She warned.
Blaze walked closer around the bed and ended up at Juliette's side. He lowered himself and tenderly wrapped his fingers around her arm, twisting it kindly to get a clearer view of the indents.
"Where did you get this?" his voice was slow and deliberate and Juliette could feel Blaze trying to steady his reappearing anger. She looked down at the spot in question, the episode of Diane grabbing hold of her hand, her nails drawing blood washed over her and now there were five individual marks across Juliette's arm. They were well on their way to healing. The scars dark red, their colour destined to grow darker in the coming days.