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)
“No! Never! I never thought of you like that!”
Mei Lian continued as if Ming Yu hadn’t spoken. “And now you say that you love me while I’ve loved you for centuries. I’ve waited for some small sign. Anything. I—” Her voice finally shattered. She spun around and ran off down the hall.
Ming Yu’s stricken gaze snapped to Xiao Dan as if begging for him to tell her what to do. Xiao Dan rushed to the island and placed the steamer on the counter. “Go!” he ordered as he grabbed the bun in her hands. “Go after her. Talk to her. Tell her you love her!”
Ming Yu didn’t hesitate another second and darted off after the other vampire while a soft smile formed on Xiao Dan’s lips. Okay, he’d never wanted to expose Ming Yu’s secret—and certainly not like that—but this reckoning was overdue. Maybe now they could enjoy some of their long lifespans together as mates.
He hummed to himself as he packed away the remaining dough and the pork filling. Either Ming Yu would settle things with Mei Lian and lure the other woman to the kitchen for a lengthy talk and steamed buns, or she wouldn’t be seen until tomorrow evening and this entire batch would be thrown out.
The only thing that mattered was that Ming Yu and Mei Lian were happy. The rest would work itself out.
Standing there alone, Xiao Dan found Ming Yu’s words were still ringing in his ears. He had wasted too much time keeping his feelings to himself. He’d known for years that Huli wasn’t playing some shifty trick on him. Huli treasured the time they had together and even put up with hate from Xiao Dan’s clan mates just to steal a few moments with him.
That would end now. The rest of his clan had claimed their mates and found their happily ever afters. Xiao Dan wouldn’t let anything else stand between him and Huli. Especially some unknown huli jing. He needed to be brave and tell Huli the truth.
1 Xiao Ping Guo – little apple, affectionate nickname for Erik
2 Shimei – younger martial sister
Chapter 4
Huli
963 CE
Luoyang, near Zhang manor
Daytime was the very worst time. There was nothing worth doing. Gege couldn’t come out to play with him. Vampires were stuck inside, away from the sunlight.
All except for that one annoying vampire who liked to chase him and threaten to cut off his tail. It was nice to tease him and lead him around the orchard, but it made Gege frown, so he tried not to do it too often.
There was nothing good about the daytime other than naps stretched out in the sunlight, warming his fur. All the good hunting came at night when he could slink through the shadows and find himself a tasty rabbit or a nice, plump pheasant.
With a heavy sigh, Huli threw himself down on a pile of leaves and peered up at the sky through the trees. How many more hours until he could seek Gege? Until the beautiful vampire with the sweet smile would sneak out of his home and wander through the forest looking just for Huli?
Too many.
Huli curled his tail close to his body and placed it over his nose, preparing to settle in for a nice, long nap.
But there was a smell.
A new smell.
Huli poked his nose up above his tail while holding the rest of his body entirely still. He sniffed the air. It was clearer but foreign. Dangerously foreign. This scent carried a heavy hint of magic.
What other creature could be in the woods smelling of magic?
As the scent grew stronger, Huli tensed all his muscles, preparing to pounce. His ears perked up as he strained to hear the movements of the creature, but there were no sounds besides the chirping of birds and the soft rustle of the trees as the wind skipped through the woods. He could only guess where the intruder was.
The moment he was sure the monster was near, Huli leaped from his comfortable nest of leaves, teeth bared and ears flattened to his head. But the growl died in his throat.
It was another fox.
Not just any fox. A large fox, white as if it had been born from starlight. It had the faintest touches of black and orange on its feet and face. The magnificent creature sat on a tree stump, its chin tilted up. Huli had the feeling that it was smiling at him. Yet he barely noticed. His eyes were locked on the fox’s tails.
Tails!
It had multiple tails fanned behind it. They shivered and moved slowly, as if made of dandelion fluff.
This was another huli jing. One who was much older and more powerful than his meager fifty years.
“Hello, huli jing,” the white fox murmured.
His flattened ears popped up and his eyes widened. The fox spoke. The huli jing could speak like Gege.