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)
“Can you not talk yet?” she inquired.
Huli’s ears drooped this time as he gave a shake of his head. He’d never spoken. Wasn’t sure how to form human words with his tongue. Gege had always been happy with his barks, laughs, and other noises, but he wanted to do more. He wanted to have an actual conversation with him. Tell him things he saw and did through the day. Ask Gege about the things that made him happy.
“That’s a shame,” the white fox said with a sigh. “It’s been a long time since I’d encountered another one of our kind in this area. I would have enjoyed speaking to you.”
Huli sat with a huff. He irritably flicked at some leaves and sticks with his tail. It would have been nice to talk to her as well. She could tell him what he needed to do to get such lovely tails of his own. Not to mention, learn how to talk so he could surprise Gege.
I guess we’ll have to chat like this.
The voice that whispered through his head was both sweet and smug. Huli jumped to his feet, teeth once again bared at the white fox. It was only when her laugh echoed through his mind that he realized that she’d used her magic to communicate directly with his mind.
“You are such a young thing. But very adorable.”
I’ve seen fifty summers. Not so young. He pushed the thought at her, hoping she could understand him.
“No, not too young, but little better than a pup among our kind.” The warmth of her words spread through him like a gentle pat on the head.
You’re the first of our kind that I’ve ever met.
The white fox’s amber eyes widened slightly. “You’ve never seen another huli jing?”
Huli shook his head. He wrapped his tail around him, covering his toes, while embarrassment burned through him. Just one tail. He didn’t know how old this other huli jing was, but he was envious of her tails. He wanted that. If he had tails like that, Gege would never look away from him. He would admire Huli for his beauty and powerful magic.
“Do you have a name?”
Her question jolted him out of his swirling jealousy, and he blinked at her. When he was young, there had been only himself. And then one day, there was Gege. The beautiful and perfect Zhang Xiao Dan. There had been no one to give him a name at the beginning of his existence. His Xiao Dan called him Huli or Little One.
But he didn’t want her calling him that. The name was precious to him because the words coming from Xiao Dan made him feel like a precious treasure.
Huli, he replied.
The white fox’s nose twitched like she was wrinkling it in distaste, but she said nothing for a second. “Very well. I am called Min.”
That wasn’t a bad name. At least it was easy to remember. Min of the Many Tails.
How had she gotten those tails? Had they been stolen off other huli jing? There was no way he was going to let her steal his one tail. But what if he stole one of her tails? It looked as if she had at least five. There was no way she’d miss one of them.
“Huli, I think you should come traveling with me.”
That jerked him from his wandering thoughts. Traveling with her? Was she insane? Why would he ever travel away from this place? This was his home. Most importantly, this was where Xiao Dan lived. He didn’t ever want to leave the vampire. Sure, he might wander about and go on hunts that took him away from Gege for a few nights, but never for long.
No. Absolutely not.
“Really? Why not?”
Gege is here. I’m not leaving him.
“Oh. Gege, huh?” Her voice was so smooth and sly that Huli could feel his hackles rising while cursing himself. He should never have mentioned Gege. Min of the Many Tails couldn’t go near Xiao Dan.
The white fox climbed down from the tree stump and slowly approached him, her tails slithering back and forth behind her like snakes. “Who is Gege?”
A powerful vampire. He and his clan live close to here. Don’t go near him. He and his clan are very dangerous. They don’t like anyone. Each word as it left his mind for Min’s was a snarl. This fox needed to stay away from Xiao Dan.
“Ah. A powerful vampire that you’ve tamed.” She prowled around him. One of her tails brushed his cheek and Huli bared his teeth, barely holding in the urge to snap at it. “I’ve seen him walking in the woods and in the market. He’s very handsome.”
He is mine.
“Yours?” she said with a giggle. “Does he know this?”
Huli clenched his teeth and growled low in his throat at the huli jing. He was starting to not like Min of the Many Tails. No, he didn’t like her at all. His stomach tightened and knotted at the thought that she’d seen his gege.