Opulent (The Opalescent Collection Book 1) (3 page)

“You think I’m
joking
?”

“Well, I don’t think you’re
serious
.”

“Dragon scales have become as popular as jewelry on Earth.”

“What has that have to do with-,”

“Dragons hide in their lairs in fear, but the mortals still find them and slaughter them. During their stay on Catastrophe, during an eclipse, they carve off, cut and polish the slaughtered dragon’s scales, leaving the dragon’s body to rot.” He shook his head in contempt. “We have enough to deal with,” he grumbled.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the mortals claim that we are taking too many loved ones over the Bridge during the short eclipses and we should be reaping consequences because of it. There is also the constant tension between the wolves and us. And the dragons. Nothing seems to get resolved around here.”

“How did you get that egg?”

“Vampires steal the eggs before they can be found and brought up by some mortals who only want their scales. We don’t need precious scales. Dragons are great protectors and serve loyally to their masters who raise them. This egg was gifted to me by my father’s dragon before he died.”

              Silence fell over us for a moment, just long enough for a small crackle to break the silence. The white crack on the egg grew, splitting further down the opal-looking egg. It rocked, nearly sliding off the nightstand and then there was an explosion. Eggshells flew across the room. I turned my head and shielded myself from the sharp, hard shell.

              The baby dragon lay on the hot coal exposed to the world. A sticky layer of membrane covered its body and its eyes were closed and helpless. It held its head high and flicked its light pink tongue through the air, its claws kneading at the coal as it uttered a soft squeak.

“What does it want?” I inquired quietly.

              The baby dragon squeaked in response and clawed at the coal upon hearing my voice.

“He’s heard your voice. Go to him.” He gave me a gentle shove toward the creature.

              The little dragon screamed louder and louder with every hesitant step I took toward him. My hands wrapped around the soft white body that was no larger than a newborn dog. It stopped crying and snuggled its frail little body in my hands. It lifted its head up toward my face with some difficulty, its tongue flicking out again and let out a soft squeak. Its eyes opened and it looked at me.

“He’s yours now.”

              I wheeled around in disbelief. “No, he’s yours. You take him!” I placed the dragon in Fitzray’s hands and it immediately cried and moved its head as I backed away.

“I’ve taken care of him when he was an egg, but now that he’s heard your voice, knows what you look like-,”

“No!
You’ve
cared for him. He’s yours,
you
take him!”

“I can’t take him!  He will keep crying if you don’t take him. Dragons are like birds, the first one it sees is its parent. And he saw
you
. I can’t take him now. He wouldn’t trust me. He’s
yours
.”

              Hesitantly I gripped it in my hands again. The dragon let out soft peeps, nuzzled at my stomach and clutched my shirt with its talons.

“Don’t let him out of your sight. He can barely walk and will remain as weak as he is for at least a few weeks.”

“It’s a boy?”

“Yes.” Again, he gave me a look that marked my question as a stupid one.

“I have to name him something.”

“I was going to call him Minx. Here, on Catastrophe, Minx means
the cherished one
.”

“Minx,” I repeated quietly to myself. “Can dragons talk?”

“Yes, they can be taught to mimic when they reach two years old.”

              The small clock on the wall read midnight. “It’s getting late. I have to head back home.”

“You don’t have to go, not back to that old house. You can stay here. It’s too dark for you to travel by foot. Besides, you’d probably end up in the creek again.”

“I don’t know.” My eyelids became heavy as Minx let out a few soft cries. I could feel his soft breathing beneath my hands.

“I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“No, I want to cross the Bridge.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s better this way.” His voice faded into the quiet of the room and before I knew it, I was asleep.

              Minx’s loud peeps woke me the next morning. I could not find Fitzray anywhere.

“There you are,” I said with a sigh of relief, spotting him in the kitchen.

“You’re up early. I hope I didn’t wake you,” Fitzray said.

“I thought you left already.”

              He had on a long cape, a bag slung over his right shoulder. A white dragon the size of an adult cat rested on his left shoulder.

“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“Who’s that?” I nodded toward the dragon.

“
That
is Moonscale.” 

“I didn’t know you owned a dragon.”

“Yes. He’s coming with me and so is Charlene, so you don’t have to worry about her. Give some milk to Minx.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Not long, a couple of weeks at most. And you are welcome to stay for as long as you want while I’m gone.”

“Thank you.”

“See you later.” He called over his shoulder on the way out.

“Yeah, see you soon.”

I
stood looking at the Bridge of Secrecy, made from the finest stone of both worlds. There was still time to cross the Bridge and Fitzray would never know. He would be returning soon so I would have to act fast. Two weeks was long enough.

             
Valiant perched on my shoulder while Minx rested in my hands. Fitzray approached the Bridge so I ducked behind the nearby bushes and waited for a while. Once he was out of sight, I leaped from the brush and stepped gingerly onto the Bridge. I knew Fitzray would bite my head off if he found out I was crossing the Bridge. That thought alone made me quicken my pace. Fortunately, I was the only one here.

             
There was a sudden shout. My name rang in my ears, making my hair stand on end.

             
He saw me.

             
Without a second thought, I sprinted ahead. Glittering stars glowed in the space above me, lighting the way. The running steps behind me sounded closer, louder, and faster than my own.

              A weight lifted from my shoulder and a loud cry hit my ears.

“Valiant! No!” I screamed. Charlene took him away.

             
Valiant will be fine. It’s only a distraction to make me stop. I have to keep going. I have to make it over the Bridge. Fitzray cannot stop me, not now.

“Chenille stop,” Fitzray yelled.

              I tightened my grip around Minx and kept up my pace. Without warning, he collided into me, the force throwing my body into the stone.

“Are you insane? There are wolves crossing this Bridge. Do you want to get yourself killed?” He held me in place so it was difficult to avoid his infuriated glare.

“No, I just want to cross the Bridge. I want to go to the mortal world! I want to see my family again!”

              The vampire breathed hard over me. “You will have to wait.”

“No! I don’t want to
wait
. Take me over the Bridge,” I demanded.

“
No
. I won’t let you go.”

“Please,” I begged, warm tears blurring my vision.

              Fitzray shook his head, easing his weight off me without another word. He held my hands and led me off the Bridge back to the immortal world. Once we were in the confinement of his home, he released me.

“Why won’t you let me go over to Earth?
Please
,” I begged. He let out a sigh and rubbed his head.

“Fine, I will go with you across the Bridge.” He said it quickly.
He was just trying to appease me with his words.

“What’s the catch?”

“The catch?”

“I’m sure you want something in exchange.”

“Exchange,” his tongue formed the word slowly as if he was conjuring up a plan with it. “Fine, I will take you over the Bridge for a small
exchange
.”

“And what would that be?”

“Just a taste of your blood is all.”

“
My
blood, but I am a vampire. Why would you want
my
blood?”

“There is no rule stating a vampire can’t have the blood of another.”

“But why, I mean, who wants immortal blood?”

              He shrugged. “Some like it hot some like it cold. Blood is blood.”

“I thought the whole point of crossing the Bridge was to feed on the mortals.”

“It is, but right now on Earth the mortals are snowed in. No one is outside. Living in total darkness for nearly two whole months with the sun hidden behind the moons makes it cold there on Earth. And since we are bound by an agreement to respect Earth, property of the mortals’, we can’t break their doors down.” A faint smile crossed his lips. “You still want to go?”

              The fireplace beckoned me over, inviting me to sit before it on one of the velvet chairs. “When will we leave?”

“Tomorrow, if that’s not too late for you.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Do you remember what it’s like to be bit by a vampire?” One of his hands gently touched my shoulder and his fingers dug into my shirt.

“No, I don’t.” My voice trembled with unease.

“It hurts. You feel an indescribable pain when fangs break through the skin on your neck. And then when you feel your blood draining,
draining
…and there’s nothing you can do,” his voice trailed off. “I’m surprised you don’t remember.”

              He walked around the chair and stood before me, the flames casting an eerie shadow over his face.

              He’s just trying to scare me so I give up and we don’t have to go over the Bridge. I’m not scared of him. Besides, he would never bite me.

              He edged toward my neck and Minx cried out, sensing something was wrong.

“Whenever you want to reconsider, just let me know.”

              His fangs pressed against my neck with a purr. The hairs on my body stood on end with a chill of fright. They dug deep beneath my skin and I became immobilized by shock. If his instinct kicked in, I knew he would suck my body dry.

              His hands held me in place. He was too strong and my very strength was draining from me. He could kill me if I let him, but if I stopped him, I would not be able to cross the Bridge. He could not stop himself now. He allowed his fangs to sink deeper and uttered a wicked chuckle. I felt the warm blood spill down my neck, half stunned, but realized the pain was subsiding. With the air I had left in my lungs, I screamed.

              Immediately he pulled himself away gasping and looked at me, fighting his instinct to go back for more.

“Why didn’t you…stop me?”

              There was no way for me to respond. I could not speak. He backed away and put a hand to my neck in silence.

“I’m sorry I thought… I thought...hey? Are you feeling ok?”

“No…no.”

“Take it easy now. You are going to be all right. I didn’t do
too much
damage.”

              He slid me off the chair and set me on the carpet. His hands caressed the side of my neck so gently, so passionately enticing and foreign to heal the wound he inhumanely created.  

“You could’ve killed me, killed me! I could have been reincarnated in some different form, maybe even a wolf!” I cried out, finding my voice.

“Don’t be so overdramatic. I wouldn’t have killed you.”

“Oh really? If I didn’t stop you-,”

“I would’ve stopped myself. I just broke the skin, that’s all.”

              He pulled me close to him, fixing me in a strong embrace. I pressed hard against his chest to get away, but my effort was futile so I surrendered.

“You know, you’re not supposed to trust vampires. There’s a good reason for that,” he said softly and drew my face close to his, offering a hesitant kiss.

              All at once, some of my memories returned. Memories, good and bad returned as if they had never left. Tentatively I looked up at Fitzray. He was my friend. I knew him before I turned into a vampire. I had been in love with him.

“I remember now,” I said quietly, “you visited me during every eclipse. And then, I was turned into a vampire and I never saw you again.”

“We were supposed to get married actually.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

              He snorted. “You have enough to deal with. You would not believe me if I told you. I knew you would figure it out on your own anyway.”

“Then was it you who had bit me and turned me into a vampire?”

“No. I wanted to, but I was too late.”

“Do you know who did it then?”

“Yes. I’m not telling you though. If you don’t remember who he is then it’s best you don’t.”

“Will you at least tell me his name?”

“His name is like poison Chenille. I’m glad you don’t remember him. I’m glad you don’t remember what he did to you. Anyway, he is irrelevant. We’re crossing the Bridge tomorrow, first thing in the morning.”