He Who Controls the Flame (001 fanfic)

Chapter Nine- Checkmate

I looked down at the bandage on my arm, knowing I'd need to change it out the next time I got to my room. The bandage had first appeared on my arm the morning after my failed attempt at kissing Peter. It was cleaned and wrapped expertly and there was a cup of water and two small pain pills on my nightstand. Then, that next morning, there was more wrap in my room. Peter hadn't told me it was him, but he didn't need to, I knew who it was.

I hated how he took care of me, how he cared, how he noticed the burn on my arm when no one else had. I hated it because it made me not hate him. I really wished I hated him. There were certain things I hated, like how he worked for my father, but that didn't stop my heart from fluttering every time he came into the room, or how that space between my legs ached when he would draw his tongue over his lower lip when he was deep in thought, or hum whenever I did something he approved of. I hated how my body reacted to him, and I was sure the dreams weren't helping either.

I hadn't had any more dreams since that one of me in my bedroom at home, but two was plenty enough. Two still had my head reeling. Two still was enough to masturbate to before I went to bed at night. Yup, I was masturbating to dreams of Peter Ballard before I went to bed at night. I wasn't sure I had ever been so...horny.

Countless times I closed my eyes, hoping for another dream, but still I got nothing. I'd wake up disappointed, my underwear damp, groaning to the sound of the alarm blaring. But it wasn't really like I could blame myself. It wasn't like I was having much Peter time ever since that nightmare that was our dinner date.

I only ever saw him during training, and then it was rigid conversations between us strictly confined to my powers. I used to look forward to seeing him, now I dreaded it. I had ruined everything by trying to kiss him. I was so stupid. Of course he didn't feel the same way. I was probably just a little trainee to him, the daughter of his boss, nothing more. It made me feel sick to think about.

My pity party was interrupted by a body knocking into mine. I cursed, stumbling backwards and onto my ass. I groaned at the pain in my tailbone, knowing it was going to leave a bruise in a questionable place.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there," a voice said. I looked up to see the second most beautiful man I had ever seen. Peter was in first place, obviously, no one compared to that god. But this man...this man was a close second.

"Are you alright?" he asked, cocking his head. I felt my brows jerk in surprise at the gorgeous human being before me. He had dark black hair, parted in the middle so it fell softly onto his temples. He had angular cheekbones, a defined nose, and eyes so dark they looked like they could swallow me whole. He looked to be a little older than me, maybe even a bit older than Peter. He was shorter than Peter, but he was a bit broader. Handsome. Stupidly handsome.

"I hope you didn't hit your head, I'd hate to have given you brain damage. That's the kind of thing I try to avoid being a doctor and all." He offered me his hand and I grabbed it, letting him lift me to my feet. His hands were soft and slid into mine seamlessly.

I let go of him, my cheeks burning. "Besides a bruised ego, I'm fine."

"I'll let you knock me on my ass if it'll make you feel better," he said, offering me an almost blinding white smile.

"I think I'll pass at the moment," I said. "But I'll hold you to that."

He grinned. "Deal." His eyes scanned my face. "You're the infamous Juliette Brenner, aren't you?" he asked.

I felt my face grow hot. "You know my name."

He smirked. "Darling, I'm pretty sure everyone knows your name."

I scratched the back of my neck. "Unfortunately."

"I mean, the reasons being are pretty badass," he said, shrugging. "So maybe it's not that unfortunate." I raised a brow at him and he laughed. "Not all of us can shoot fire beams out of our fingertips. You're like a modern day Superman."