Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 123477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 617(@200wpm)___ 494(@250wpm)___ 412(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 617(@200wpm)___ 494(@250wpm)___ 412(@300wpm)
If that was to be his fate, he would not continue running. He was going to face the king of the fae, keep him busy long enough for Moon to get to safety. To warn his brothers.
Chen stopped and placed his hand on a thick tree trunk, the rough bark biting into his palm. He struggled to even out his breathing and slow his heart. He needed to focus all of his senses if he was to last against the elf.
“What are you doing? We need to keep moving!” Moon shouted.
Chen looked over at the witch, who stomped to his side and grabbed his arm. Moon’s white hair was stained shades of red and pink from all the blood splashed in battle. More streaked down his face, smeared with sweat. Only his eyes were unchanged, shining like angry golden orbs at him.
“The sun will be up soon. There’s no point in running any longer. I will fight King Ash here. You continue to run. Get to safety. Tell my brothers what happened to me,” Chen said.
Moon stared at him for a second, eyes wide and lips parted, before all his features scrunched up. Moon balled up his fist and slammed it into the center of Chen’s chest. “Fucking asshole! I’m not leaving you, and you’re not giving up like this!”
“Moon, please. I need to know that you have a chance of getting away.”
“I know this area. Yes, we’re far from the cars, but there are shallow caves up ahead. You can hide in there while the sun is up. Let me use some spells to block the entrance.” Moon stepped into Chen, their noses touching as he bellowed, “Now move your fucking ass!”
This man was amazing.
It was on the tip of his tongue to say just that and so much more, but a flash of silver caught from the corner of his eye was his only warning.
Chen shoved Moon away with all of his strength, sending the witch flying away from him as he raised his sword. King Ash’s sword collided with his, a shower of sparks cascading around them. Chen deflected slash after slash, but the elf king was pushing him back.
Maybe he was tired.
Maybe his mind drifted to thoughts of Moon, some part of his soul sending up a prayer that the witch would escape to safety.
Either way, on the next block, he was a hair too slow. The elf’s blade struck true, plunging straight into his chest.
The burning was unlike anything he’d ever felt. He screamed, barely aware that Moon echoed the sound.
With a smirk, the elf king jerked his blade free in a spray of blood while Chen tumbled to the ground. He fell hard, the air in his lungs exploding out. In a flash, Moon was kneeling beside him, his hands pressed to the gaping wound in the center of Chen’s chest, trying to hold the blood in.
Chen wanted to comfort him, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from King Ash as he loomed over them, his sword pointed at Moon. This was the worst torture. There was nothing he could do to protect Moon. He didn’t even have the strength to pick up his sword, let alone stand.
“Don’t worry, vampire. I won’t kill your pet witch. I’ll let you do that,” King Ash taunted. He waved the point of his sword at Moon’s face. “Run off to those caves. Find safety from the sun, but you won’t be able to run from his hunger. He’ll drink you dry, but nothing will close this wound. He’ll kill you and then die alone, filled with regret and self-loathing.”
As he spoke, Moon’s hands shook on Chen’s chest and his breathing was ragged snarls between clenched teeth. With each word, droplets of blood rose in the air, coming off Chen’s chest, out of Moon’s clothes, and from his hair. The blood hung there, forming a red haze through which he almost couldn’t see the elf.
A scream left Moon that was a desperate and terrifying thing. The blood sharpened for an instant into hundreds of blades and streaked toward the elf.
King Ash darted away, disappearing into the shadowy forest along with the bloody blades Moon sent after him. Chen closed his eyes for a second and smirked. Hopefully, a few of those blades had hit their mark.
“Come on,” Moon murmured.
Chen opened his eyes and winced, holding in his cry of pain as Moon tried to tug him to his feet.
“Baobei,” Chen tried to whisper, but it came out as a choked gasp.
“Don’t you fucking baobei me. We are not giving up. Fuck that asshole for his bullshit. And fuck you for even thinking I’d leave you behind.” Moon continued to snarl and cuss as he got Chen to his feet.
Moon leaned him against a tree while he stripped off the black hoodie he’d worn into battle. After wadding it up into a ball, he pressed it into Chen’s chest. A pained shout escaped that time, but he still allowed Moon to wrap Chen’s right arm across the garment to hold it in place.