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)
“You were born quite early. This season’s pups should be born about right now, but you look to be at least a month old.”
The fox’s ears perked up and his head tilted to the left as he blinked bright, golden-brown eyes. It felt as if he were listening to Xiao Dan, or he simply enjoyed the sound of his voice. Some of the tension flowed out of the fox’s frame and he sniffed the air, edging a couple of halting steps closer.
“Are you all alone in the world, Little One?”
If he was alone, it was likely he was hungry. Sitting up straight, Xiao Dan reached into the secret pocket in his sleeve, searching for the steamed bun he’d tucked in there prior to walking out the door. He’d wanted one last taste of something Ming Yu had made, and she always made the best buns.
The fox jumped and darted away at his sudden movement, and Xiao Dan froze. But a moment later, that tiny head poked out from behind a tree and sniffed the air again before slinking toward him.
A smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he found the bun wrapped in cloth and placed it on the ground in front of him, as far away from himself as he could reach without getting up from the log.
His new companion let out a few high-pitched barks as if he were warning Xiao Dan to stop doing shady things, but he stood his ground, refusing to run off. Xiao Dan sat up straight, his hands in his lap, and the fox stared at him, his fluffy tail flicking from side to side.
Minutes slowly ticked by and Xiao Dan sat perfectly still, content to watch the fox. The creature sniffed the air, but this time he picked up a new scent. His ears perked up, and he scrambled closer, following the scent straight to the bun.
“It’s okay. Jiejie3 makes wonderful baozi.4 I think you’re in luck. These have some rabbit in them.”
When the fox was less than a meter away, he hunkered down with his chest brushing the ground and his butt in the air, and he pounced on the innocent bun. He took a bite and jumped away. His ears flattened, and he made a soft smacking noise as if he couldn’t quite figure out what he’d tasted. His pink tongue flashed out again and again, licking his face and teeth. He must have decided that he liked what he tasted, because he lunged for the bun.
The pup grabbed it up as best he could in his mouth and carried it several meters away from Xiao Dan, so he didn’t have to worry about the big human stealing it. He remained far enough away from the trees so Xiao Dan could watch him crouch on the ground and devour the bun. That adorable fluffy tail never stopped moving the entire time. It changed from a flick to more of a slow wag.
The second the bun was gone, the furry scamp sniffed the ground, returning to the spot where he’d gained his treat, checking to see if he’d missed any crumbs.
To Xiao Dan’s shock, he sat where the bun had been and stared at him. A bark popped out of him as if he were demanding another.
“I’m sorry, Little One, but that’s all I have.”
Clearly, the fox didn’t believe him. He closed the last bit of distance between them, sniffing the ground and around his feet. Xiao Dan held out his empty hands while silently chuckling. Whiskers brushed his fingers and palms. Finally, the tiny black nose bumped his hand, and Xiao Dan jerked it away at the unexpected spark that bit his flesh.
“What…”
That had felt like magic.
Each vampire had his own magical gift, but vampires, in general, weren’t terribly magical creatures. As far as he knew, they couldn’t cast spells. They were limited to a few physical enhancements and their gift. However, he’d noticed they possessed a certain amount of sensitivity to magic. They could sense when they were near another magical creature. At least, it seemed as if they could now that they’d each crossed the thousand-year mark in their existence.
This wasn’t a normal fox.
Xiao Dan’s heart skipped a beat, and he froze while the fox continued to sniff near him, searching for more food, oblivious to the panic surging through the vampire.
“Are…are you a little huli jing?”5 Xiao Dan whispered.
The fox’s head popped up, his ears alert, and he made a noise that Xiao Dan couldn’t quite describe, but at least it sounded happy. His companion sat in front of him, tail wagging, and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
“A huli jing?”
The fox made its noise again.
This small creature was a fox spirit. But he’d never heard of one so young. Of course, it could all be a ruse to get him to drop his guard. Huli jing had all kinds of stories about them. Some were of benevolent, helpful spirits, while others were evil and mischievous creatures who killed humans and stole their essence. Of course, there were also countless love stories about a huli jing turning into a beautiful, seductive woman and falling in love with a human.