Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 65856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
“We’re still digging, but we think these creatures have kidnapped Yichen, and we don’t know how to find him.”
Huli gripped Xiao Dan’s hands in his. “I will go to the place where you think he was attacked, sniff around. I might be able to catch his scent and be able to follow it for you.”
Xiao Dan’s face twisted up, lines bracketing his lips and stretching across his smooth brow. Huli could feel him wanting to tell him not to do it out of fear for his safety, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Not if Huli had even the smallest chance of being able to locate their missing clan member.
“You have nothing to worry about. I will be very careful and report back to you as soon as I learn something.” Huli leaned in and kissed away the remains of a tear that glistened on Xiao Dan’s cheekbone.
“I…I can’t ask you…”
“You are not asking me to do this. I am telling you what I am going to do.”
Xiao Dan’s lips parted, but no sound came out. After a couple of seconds, he closed his mouth and nodded.
“What else can I do? Are there other leads we can follow?”
“Ummm…there’s a witch. South of here. Near Shanghai. Chen heard of her during his most recent travels, but he’s not sure if she’s still there. She might know something. But I’m afraid…”
“You’re afraid that if Chen travels to find this witch, he might be taken like Yichen,” Huli finished for him.
“But I don’t want you to be stolen from me either!” Xiao Dan shouted in his face. That helped to ease some of the pain squeezing Huli’s heart as he sat holding his precious love.
“I can never be stolen. I’m far too fast for anything to grab me.” When that failed to win even a tiny smile from Xiao Dan, Huli cupped his cheek with one hand. “Leave this to your Huli. I will examine the spot where Yichen was in a fight and follow the scent. It may lead me to him, and there will be no need to meet with the witch. If it does not, I will return to you before going to Shanghai.”
Xiao Dan squeezed his eyes shut as he turned his face in Huli’s palm and pressed a kiss to the center. “I can’t ask you to do these things for me. My clan should be searching…”
“And I am sure you will, but I’m a huli jing, the strongest there ever was. You need me to find these monsters for you and steal back your shidi. You have lost too many of your clan mates over the centuries. I’ve known you for a thousand years, and you’ve listed so many to me. Yichen will not join their numbers.”
The vampire wrapped his arms around Huli, squeezing him in a nearly bone-breaking hug. “I don’t know what I would do without you, Huli. I would be so lost if you disappeared from my life, too.”
“Xiao Dan will never have to know that loss. I will never leave your side. I will do anything you need me to, go anywhere I must, just to make you happy.”
The arms holding him tightened, and Huli nuzzled his face into the crook of Xiao Dan’s shoulder, sinking into the feel and smell of this man who’d been his everything for as long as he could remember. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to erase the sorrow from his dark-brown eyes and bring a smile to his lips. Those were the only things that mattered to him. If necessary, he’d give up all of his tails to find Yichen and make Xiao Dan happy.
Chapter 20
Zhang Xiao Dan
November 4, 2023
Zhang Manor, Connecticut
It was time to take proper care of his mate. The whispers, stares, and giggles of the rest of his clan didn’t matter any longer. For the first time since the death of Shifu, Xiao Dan was going to stop worrying about what was best for the clan. Only Huli mattered.
Xiao Dan bent and scooped up Huli, draping his smaller frame across his arms as Huli gripped the nape of his neck with both hands. A sharp squeal of surprise jumped from the fox spirit, and he buried his face in Xiao Dan’s shoulder.
“Gege! What are you doing?”
“I’m taking care of my mate.” He cut through the room, weaving them past the others standing there with wide eyes and big grins.
“But I can walk. You don’t need to carry me.”
“Maybe I want to carry you.” A smirk lifted a corner of Xiao Dan’s mouth as they strolled down the hall. “Besides, I thought you liked when I carried you.”
“I do, but usually it was because it annoyed your other clan mates, which made me laugh. Now they aren’t annoyed, and I’m…”
“You’re what?” Xiao Dan asked as he nudged open his bedroom door with his foot.