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)
When do we leave? Can we leave now?
He had no desire to leave Xiao Dan or the forest he’d been born in, but the sooner he left, the sooner he could return to his gege.
“But we haven’t discussed payment yet.”
Huli stopped his spinning and gazed at the delicate woman. What? Why?
“Learning how to properly cultivate and grow your powers is no simple thing. It’s even harder without someone there to show you the way. My help will shave years off your time in the magic caves and springs.”
But I don’t have anything.
“Yes, you do. One day, you’ll win your gege completely. I just want his soul. You get to keep the rest of him.”
He didn’t want her to have any part of Xiao Dan. But he had little use for the vampire’s soul.
Would you take his soul right away?
“No, I promise I will wait until you’ve become a jiuweihu and you’ve earned all nine of your tails. Then I will come to claim his soul.”
Huli glared at the ground as he turned over her offer. Min had only five tails now, and she was more than three hundred years old. For him to earn eight more tails, it would take many centuries. Even if he was better at studying than her. That was plenty of time for him to come up with a new plan to protect Xiao Dan’s soul, even if it meant killing Min.
Besides, what if he stopped at eight tails? Min could never touch his Xiao Dan.
Yes. This was a good, crafty plan. He would use Min to teach him magic. And when he was done using her, he would kill her to protect his Xiao Dan.
Chapter 5
Zhang Xiao Dan
October 23, 2023
Zhang Manor, Connecticut
The sun was rising. He knew he should go inside and wait for Huli to return, but he couldn’t drag himself away from the garden. Any minute now, Huli would jump over the outer wall and race toward him, wiping away all his fears that something had happened to him.
It didn’t matter that Kai was trustworthy and that the dragon believed Huli was safe. The fear digging its fangs deep into his heart wouldn’t release him until he saw the fox spirit with his own eyes.
But minutes ticked by, and Huli didn’t appear.
Pinpricks of pain pierced his eyes and danced along his exposed skin. The sky was growing lighter. He was out of time. Maybe he could retreat to the shaded rear porch. Junjie had sat there many mornings, feeding and petting Yiguo…er…rather Leo, even after the sun had risen. It would be at least another two hours until the angle of the sun made it impossible for him to even be there.
Just as he was turning to the house, a rustle of leaves caught his attention. He stopped and jerked his head in the direction of the sound.
“Gege!” Huli’s panicked shout reached him a heartbeat ahead of the fox that jumped out of a large maple and raced to him.
Relief almost choked Xiao Dan. He forgot all about the sun, the burning and biting becoming a distant memory as he started toward Huli. Even with his ears pinned back, Huli was a glorious sight with all his tails dancing behind him.
Less than a meter away, Huli shifted into a curly haired youth with his arms extended. Xiao Dan reached for him, intending to pull him into an unbreakable embrace, but Huli stopped him by placing his hands on Xiao Dan’s shoulders.
“What are you doing out here?” Huli shouted. “The sun is up! You’re going to hurt yourself. Inside! You must go inside right now!”
Ming Yu was correct. Seeing Huli’s face twisted into panic and fear. Feeling the weight of his own terrified worry for Huli lifted from his chest. It was all crystal clear. Why the hell had he been fighting it for so long? He couldn’t live without this man for another second.
Xiao Dan planted his feet and cupped Huli’s cheeks with his hands, drawing the fox spirit in. He caught a flash of surprise in Huli’s wide eyes before he captured his parted lips in a deep, hungry kiss. Huli remained frozen as Xiao Dan swiped his tongue through Huli’s mouth, stroking the tip along Huli’s. He ended the kiss by sucking Huli’s bottom lip into his mouth and giving it a little bite. That soft flesh popped from his mouth and a full-body shiver ran through the fox.
“Gege,” Huli exhaled. The pupils of Huli’s golden-brown eyes were blown so wide, Xiao Dan thought he could get lost in that darkness.
“I missed you.” Xiao Dan leaned in for another kiss, but Huli shocked him by jerking back.
“Gege.” This time the endearment was a whimper. “I always want to kiss you, but it is too dangerous out here where the sun can hurt you. Can we go inside first? You can miss me and kiss me more safely there.”