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)
“Top shelf, in the green tin,” Huli answered as he dropped to one of the stools at the center island. He didn’t want to help these two idiots, but the sooner he got them out of the kitchen, the sooner he could find something to eat and return to that toasty bed and Gege’s arms.
There was more noise from the pantry and then a long pause before a slightly muffled “Huh” left Xiang.
The vampire stepped out of the pantry, holding the dark green-and-white circular tin in one arm and holding the lid in his other hand. Within the container were a variety of shortbread cookies of different shapes and sizes. A thin layer of white frosting with colorful sprinkles covered each one.
“How did you know that?” Xiang asked as he stepped closer.
Huli braced one forearm on the counter as he leaned across and plucked a star-shaped cookie from the tin. “Rei told me. He also said that he and Yichen had ordered another tin of cookies with Halloween colors, and we can’t leave the States until the cookies arrive. What’s Halloween?”
“An American holiday where the humans dress up in costumes and celebrate spooky things like ax murderers and superheroes,” Chen explained. “Parents also send their children out to go door to door begging for candy.”
That was confusing. He paused, just about to bite into his cookie. “Are the parents taking the candy from the children? Using them as a sort of slave labor? Or are they hoping the children will be stolen away? Like culling their ranks?”
“Moon says it’s a community-building event and fun for children,” Chen replied, though he sounded doubtful.
“Humans are weird,” Huli mumbled as he shoved the cookie into his mouth. Maybe it was the Americans who were weird. The costume part sounded like fun. “Will Junjie and Leo send their new baby out to beg for candy?”
Xiang choked on the cookie he’d been eating, and Chen sighed as he thumped him on the back. “Erik is too young to go on his own. Besides, the humans are still recovering from their troubles with the fae. Most of the neighborhoods are still empty.”
Which meant there was no one to give Erik candy.
Maybe they could organize something in the house to allow Erik to experience this candy begging. It kind of sounded like fun if it meant the children got to keep the sweets they collected.
“Why are we discussing Halloween?” Chen demanded in an irritated tone. “We should talk about why the hell you attempted to trade Xiao Dan’s soul to that other huli jing. What the hell were you thinking? I thought you at least cared for him a little. Have all these years of clinging to him been some cruel ruse?”
“No!” Huli had shouted it at Chen, but caught himself at the last second and lowered his voice. He definitely didn’t want Xiao Dan to walk in on him now. “I love Xiao Dan. I have always loved him. Min taught me how to cultivate and the best places to gain powers. The plan was to learn everything I could from her, become stronger than her, and kill her before she ever got close to Gege.”
“Except you couldn’t kill her,” Chen stated.
“Nooooo,” he drew out. Chen always had to be such a know-it-all. “I thought she was dead already.”
“Shit,” Xiang grumbled.
“Exactly.” Huli reached across the counter and snagged another cookie. “I haven’t seen her in over three hundred years. I thought she was dead. Then…Yichen was kidnapped, and I kind of forgot all about her. It’s not like I was expecting her to show up on the other side of the world. If I’d known she was alive, I would have killed her years ago.”
“Ruthless,” Chen said.
“For Gege, I am,” Huli snarled. Some of the frightening posturing dimmed as he took a bite out of his cookie.
“And reckless. Your reckless thirst for power has put Xiao Dan in danger. If you cared one bit for Xiao Dan—”
“I care for Zhang Xiao Dan more than you ever could,” Huli cut him off, the remains of the cookie in his fist crumbling to dust. “I remade myself for him.”
“What?” Xiang gasped, but Huli didn’t take his eyes off the smug and imperious Chen.
“You say that I care just for my happiness and you’re right. I do, because Xiao Dan’s happiness is my happiness. I knew I couldn’t make him happy enough as a mere fox, so I went away for years, returning when I could speak as a human. I left again for centuries, giving up years I could have spent at his side, so that I could face him as a human. Only as a human could I be everything he wanted and needed. What have you given up for your mate?” Huli curled his lip and shook his head at Chen and Xiang. “What would you give up? Your life?” He made a scoffing noise. “That’s easy. In the blink of an eye, you’re dead and your suffering is over while your mate is left without you for the rest of his life. I met my mate a thousand years ago and left his side for centuries at a time. I ached for him for countless years, waiting to be worthy of him.”