Call Me Fire

CHAPTER 35

THERE WERE SO MANY WORDS that could describe Tonya at the moment. Among them were bemused, excited, weirded out, and then some more.

After a few months of not seeing this place, her whole system went haywire just by standing in front of it again. Her nerves were buzzing like bees as she gave the old orphanage building before her a wide-eyed stare.

Her emotions were all tangled up. She didn't know how much she missed this place until she was breathing in the scent of fresh-cut grass rolling on the ground again, feeling the soft wind of the city messing her hair again, and hearing the leaves from the trees surrounding the old home rustling again.

She couldn't talk. She forgot how to do it when Fire kept his promise and took her back to Klaire City.

"Aren't we going in?"

Her thoughts halted when Spitfire broke the silence. For a couple of seconds, all she did was open and close her mouth as if to say something. The disbelief flooding her had overwhelmed all her sensibilities. She knew that Spitfire didn't want to be there, but... 'Wow.'

The brute was standing next to her, stiffly, coldly, and even looking like he was about to blow his mind any minute. He kept his hands inside his jeans. Although he was still looking heavenly with the mild wind blowing through his dark brown hair, she knew that just breathing in that place was choking him.

She didn't like seeing him this way. Not after she made peace with what she was feeling for him—beast or whatever.

"You can leave me alone," she muttered upon finally finding her voice. Then she smiled for him, bending down to the bag lying next to her feet. Inside that bag were Octavia and Albert in their tiny dragonette forms. One more huff, and she swung her backpack over her shoulders. "I can handle things from here. I'll return the two after they give the kids a quick health check. I'll meet you in my apartment later."

"I'll stay here with you."

"No, you don't." Tonya shook her head, then laughed. She didn't want Fire to notice the mild pinch in her chest, knowing that he was forcing himself to be there. "You're not comfortable."

"That's not your problem."

"You don't like it here."

"Shut. Up!"

Her knees trembled when Fire's voice went up a few notches. She wanted to scream back but then found herself mute again upon seeing the skin on his neck ripple to gold scales. It took her a full five seconds to recover from his sudden burst. It took him the same amount of time to calm himself too, and he stopped turning into his second form—the winged creature.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't push yourself too hard." She looked away to give him time to calm himself some more. "It's not going to be that easy."

"No. I just got carried away."

"No one's rushing. Just take your time, Fire." She let out a hollow laugh. "I can wait until you're ready. Don't be too hard on yourself. You've hated mortals for so long. That's not going to change overnight."

"Tonya..."

"Take your precious time." Then she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs to the brink. "I'm happy enough to see you try. Now go to the apartment, wash your hands, and make sure you rinse the mortal smell off."

"What the hell are you saying?"

"I want you sparkling when I come home." Tonya started walking to the orphanage, leaving Fire furrowing his eyebrows while watching her. "Do me a favor. I want you as hard as a diamond later, once I open the door."