Fire and Opals (Beasts of the UK)

Chapter Ten

Opal

“Stay in the car.” Wren killed the engine before turning towards me fully. His eyes searching my face where the light from the all night supermarket shone across it. His face was hard but there was a softness in his eyes that reminded me of another time. Of when we were much younger, and naïve. A time when we still believed that our love for each other was enough to see us through.

A time when we had been so wrapped up in each other that we couldn’t see how stupid we were .

It was painful seeing him look at me like that still. Like nothing had changed and that I was his entire world. Especially when I knew it wasn’t true. He wanted me, he might even think he still had honest feelings for me but they weren’t real. I got that now. It hurt, a pain in my heart that would never ever go away but I understood it. He had thought I was his mate . Honestly he had but I hadn’t been. No true mate would have let me suffer the way he had. He would have torn the world apart to make it stop.

All Wren had done was let me go.

His hand reached for, long fingers sliding across my face to cup my cheek and I leant into him instinctively. Because in my heart I loved him more than I had ever loved another person. It was like poison eating me up over the centuries. I had to fight it or it would eat me up.

“Are you going to stay in the car Opal or do I need to tie you up?”

I blinked at him surprise. And for a second our eyes met. I lowered mine first. But not before I saw him give me one his heart breakingly sad smiles.

“If you don’t trust me why don’t you take me with you.” I turned away, put out. I didn’t want to go with him but I didn’t want to stay alone out here either.

“I can’t take you in and you know it Opal, you are pretty much naked. I’m surprised we haven’t been stopped by the police as it is.” The tips of his fingers slipped lower, dancing over the skin of my throat like he couldn’t help himself. “I will be five minutes maximum. But do I need to tie you up or will you sit in the car and behave? Will you let me help you?”

Mutely I nodded. “I’ll stay where I am.” I lied easily , my mind totally blank. Hopefully he wouldn’t be able to read it . I was such a pit of despair that I doubted he would get much of anything anyway.

For several long seconds he just stared at me, like he was indeed reading my thoughts or maybe he was just mulling over his options. And then he nodded. “I’m trusting you Opal.” He slid out of the car without a look back. And the locks clicked into place.

Trapping me inside.

But that was fine. When you had been trapped for as many years as I had , you got good at escaping.

The moment his frame disappeared from sight I went to work. If he actually thought locking the car doors would keep me inside he sadly underestimated my abilities. Which wasn’t surprising people had been underestimating me for hundreds of years.

Wren wasn’t the old one to learn new skills in that time.

It took me exactly thirty three seconds before the door clicked open and I slid out in the cold drizzle of the night. Sulking around the back of the car I took off at a trot. Not exactly running , that would draw attention to me but going fast on my stripper heals.

I would need clothes though. And soon. And money too. Although I was wearing diamond studs in my ears that I could at a push pawn to pay my way for a while.

But clothes were a must. Any clothes . Even if I had to steal them.

“Well hello there beautiful.” The hand that went with the voice was Male, slurring curled about my upper arm and pulled me into the inky blackness of the alley way between shops. Pushing me roughly up against a damp brick wall.

“Get off me.” I yanked my arm back, and instantly regretted it when his sweaty palm clamped it self over my lips instead. My head hit the wall with a thud . Stars swam in my eyes.

“Come on now beautiful, no one dresses like that unless they want some fun.” His free hand slipped lower, pawing at my breast like an animal and I twisted hard. Trying my hardest to break his hold on me.

Panic flared in my chest as he reached between our bodies. It was too similar to what had happened before, many years ago when Wren had come to my rescue.

“You want to get your hands off of her friend?” Wrens voice was casual. And my eyes searched for him in the darkness. I had expected him to be raging but he looked almost bored as he leant up against the wall at the mouth of the alley. His arms crossed about his chest, his dark hair dripping rain water down his face .

He had come to my rescue again.

“I’m no friend of yours.”

In answer Wren gave a smile, and it was like his face transformed. This was a new Wren , one I had never seen before. This one promised violence and death and would enjoy himself as he dished it out.

He was scary as hell, and the smile he gave my attacker was scarier still.

“Ok then friend.” Wren rolled his shoulders . But still didn’t move. “Then why don’t you take your hands off the lady before I f*****g break them.”

The man who had been holding me reared back, his eyes glazed. Clutching his left hand to his chest. It had been the hand he had been groping me with. His knees buckled and I stumbled forward just as he fell to his knees.

He was cradling his hand like it was broken. It looked perfect to me. Not injured in anyway. Wren was powerful, a force to be reckoned with but he hadn’t touched the man. He hadn’t even moved. And no dragon had the power to break bones with just his mind.

“Get in the car Opal.” Finally he straightened. Coming towards me with long angry strides until we were just inches apart. “You promised me you wouldn’t run and then you are out here letting me some drunk fondle you against a damn wall.” He blew out a breath. As if trying to calm himself.

“I didn’t exactly want it Wren.” I spat back.

“You could have broken him Opal, he was human. If you ….” His eyes narrowed and I realised to late that I had been fingering the delicate gold chain around my throat.

His eyes blazed. “They collared you didn’t they? The council?” Rage rolled from him

Like lava. So hot it felt like I was burning alive.

My eyes skirted away. But it was too late . He had already seen the truth in my eyes.

“You collared yourself?”