Beast Of Italy

Chapter Thirteen

She couldn't be certain, Corrine thought, fear gripping her. And even if she could be certain of which of these doors led to Julius' bedchamber, she couldn't be certain her plan would work or that she even wanted it to work.

Tears stung her eyes and she fought to keep them from falling. Surely there was a way out of the mess her father had made, surely there was a solution that didn't involve the monster! No, she shook her head, turning around and making her way back down the stairs. She couldn't bring herself low enough to seduce him, marry him long enough to steal from him and move somewhere far away. She could barely stand the thought of seeing his unclad body, most certain it bore as many scars as his face.

Still, seduction was her only way out. She would need to seduce a man and perhaps marry him through devious means. Or, bear his child and blackmail him for the rest of his life while she lived independent of him. She could do that, she nodded. She could find a man of high social standing with a wife, have an affair with him and bear his child. Unwilling to ruin his good name, he would most likely pay for a house for her. It was the only way to be rid of her father and be free to live by herself.

Silently, she made her way back to the drawing room, retrieved the note from the table and placed herself on the empty chair. She needed Julius for her plans of entrapment to work. She would use him to get to the best balls in town and would then abandon him once she had found her victim.

♠♠♠

Julius suffered migraines that could not be eased and as the days leading to his wedding drew near, it got worse. His mind seemed determined to remember his past and his heart seemed determined to block out the memory. The battle between them led to flashes of his fragmented past and migraines. The trembling of his hands seemed to have gotten worse as well and Julius nearly believed himself to be running mad.

So he did what he knew best; he remained trapped in his study, away from the world as he fought to regain control of his body.

Teeth clenched, his trembling fingers struggled to maintain its hold on the edge of his desk, his head pressed to the top. He fought the overwhelming desire to scream as his heart pounded dangerously in his chest and his mind plagued him with images of the fire.

He didn't want to remember! A loud growl escaped his lips, his right hand losing its grip on the table. He made a fist and pounded the top, tears blurring his vision. Surely he was running mad, surely Lady Elliot will want nothing to do with him the second she is made aware of his state of mind.

A soft hiss escaped his lips as pain rippled through his skull.

"Julius?!" The pounding on the door felt like stabs to his brain. Releasing his hold on the table, he pressed trembling hands to his ears. "Julius, are you alright? " He growled in response. "Pull the door down. "

The sound that followed forced him to his knees, loud cries escaping his lips as the pounding continued. His skull revibrated with the sound hammering at it, his ears ringing as he pushed his body to the ground and assumed a fetal position. He wanted to yell for it to stop, but the pain rippling through his skull made it impossible to do anything but lie there as the loud pounding continued.

His mind too weakened to calculate time, the pounding lasted for eternity and as suddenly as it began, it ended.

Breathing softly, he lifted his trembling hand and ran it over his face, sticky liquid clinging to his hand.

"Julius? " Ira. He moaned softly as she touched his shoulder. "Julius, you're bleeding!" Her tone reflected her horror but Julius didn't think of her words, he thought of her and the fact that she had only a second ago, made reference to his given name. Prying his eyelids apart, his blurry vision gave him an altered version of her.

"My... Na...me... " His lips trembled as he struggled to speak past them.

"Take him to his bedchamber." His mother gave the command, prompting strong hands to take hold of his weak body.

He didn't want to go, his mind protested. He wanted to lie there and listen to Ira speak his name with gentility and passion as she had done only a second ago. He wanted to stare into her eyes while she whispered his name over and over again until he was drowning in the sound of her sweet voice that pulled at not only set his body ablaze with passion, but pulled at the strings of his heart until he truly believed he was in love with her.

♠♠♠

His lips parted, releasing a groan in protest as his body began to awaken to the dull pain in his head. He tore his eyelids apart and struggled to recognise his unfamiliar envirment.

The sound of a door opening alerted him to the presence of someone. Pushing his body upright, his elbows weakened and his body came crashing back into the mattress, a loud groan escaping his lips.

"My Lord? " Small footsteps hurried to his side. Julius didn't have to turn to know it was Ira but it wasn't until her hand settled on his bare shoulder that he realized he was unclad. It was an innocent touch, he knew, yet, he found himself responding to it.

Craning his head to the side, he stared hungrily at her bronze fingers. They were not soft like his mother's, but they possessed the power to awaken everything in his body.

She inhaled sharply and withdrew her finger, leaving that part of his skin feeling cold.

Raising his eyes to her, he smiled. "My lord? I have to say, Ira, I would rather have you say my name like you did in my study. " The memory alone filled him with excitement.

"I have brought your medicine. With your mother's permission, I have prepared a remedy taught by my mother. It shall ease your headaches. "

She made to turn around but Julius pushed himself up slightly and took hold of her wrist, ignoring the sharp pain that raced through his skull, threatening to knock him out.

"Do not be so stubborn!" She hissed, leaning down and taking a hold of his shoulders once more. "Lie down. " She nudged him until his head was settling on the pillow.

"Lie with me. " He groaned, aware that her hands still rested on his shoulders. He imaged what it would feel like to have those hands glide downwards. "Lie with me and say my name and I shall be well. "

She stared at him, eyes darkening with what he assumed was passion. Julius couldn't understand what Ira saw in him but the longer he thought of it, the more convinced he was that she was attracted to him. He knew it was impossible to think she'd be attracted to his physical form for he bore unattractive scars.

Perhaps he was wrong, perhaps he knew nothing of what passion looked or even felt like. And as he reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek, he knew he wanted to know the feeling.

"Lie with me, Ira. " He breathed.

She leaned down slightly, forcing him to lean forward until their lips were connecting. Afraid she'd change her mind, he pulled her against himself until her body was crashing into his. His arms slid up her arm, nudging her sleeve down. As his fingers brushed her bare skin, a soft moan escaped her lips, her body leaning further into his. He took hold of the cheap fabric of her dress and easily ripped it apart down the middle. A soft sigh escaped her lips at his action.

Throwing the ripped garment to the floors, he detached his lips from hers, hungry to get a glimpse of her.

"Beautiful." He whispered, before claiming her lips once more.

His fingers climbed up the side of her neck and into her thick mass of charcoal hair.

"Julius, " She gripped his shoulders.

"I believe I am well now, " A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he pulled her further into his arms.

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