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Exaggerating? Not likely. Just ask the six siblings who’d come ahead of him and died under “mysterious” circumstances. At eight hundred and seventy-five, he was already the oldest of all King Ash and Queen Belladonna’s children.
He’d been alone for centuries, constantly tangled in his father’s schemes, the whims of his mother, and the plotting of the Silver Court, who wanted to win the favor of the king. The few allies he’d cultivated over the years had been killed off one after another.
When Yichen came on the scene, the king and court had a new distraction. Rei welcomed the respite while he could get it. In the beginning, he’d sided with Yichen to spite his parents. He hadn’t really cared for the bloodsucking creature.
But the years passed, and maybe it was Yichen’s stubborn determination to hold out for the full century so he could see his beloved clan one last time that had chipped away at the wall around his heart. No matter how much pain Yichen was in, he kept fighting.
In the end, Rei had wanted to return him to his family, help him fulfill this one wish. And if it pissed off his parents and the royal court, well, that was just a bonus.
“Rei…” Yichen’s soft voice shook him from old memories. The frost on his bones melted, and he finished the braid he was working on.
“Mn?”
“We need a better plan.”
That was not what he’d been expecting him to say. “What are you talking about?”
Yichen scooted forward on the colorful rug and turned to face him, pulling the loose strands of hair from his fingers. “Our plan. It’s not enough.”
“You mean to break this blood bond and kill my parents?”
“Yes, it’s not enough. What are you returning to after your parents’ deaths? Will the Silver Court even listen to you? Who will be on your side? I’ve got my haven here with my clan, but you were alone and hunted prior to joining forces with me.”
The smile that spread on his lips felt stiff, but he forced a bit of amusement to flicker a light in his eyes. “You don’t need to worry about me. I may take out a few of my father’s generals to get everyone to fall in line. The rest will rush to curry my favor and receive a good spot within my new court. Each new king forms a new one to his liking. Before my father stole the Dawn throne, there was the Autumn Court. And prior to that was the Ember Court. I’ll be fine.”
Without you.
I’ll be fine without you.
That was what he should have said, but he couldn’t get his tongue and lips to form those last two words. He would have choked on them if he’d tried. It was enough to smile through those lies.
Yichen stared at him. Those dark eyes tried to penetrate through all his protective layers to get at all the truths he’d hidden from the vampire for nearly a century. Hundreds of words longed to take flight, but Rei guarded their cage. He’d rather hand himself over to the brutality of his father than confess what he felt for his Yiyi.
With a sigh, the vampire pushed to his feet and walked over to a small oval mirror hanging on the wall with a cherry blossom branch painted on it. He frowned at his reflection and glared at Rei.
“You made me look like an elf,” he complained as his fingers lightly ran over the dozen or so braids Rei had woven into his hair.
Rei lowered his head as he inwardly flinched at Yichen’s words. He should have known better. Yichen was away from the fae realm. The vampire certainly didn’t need the constant reminder that he was still stuck with an elf after all that he’d been through. Wasn’t it bad enough that Yichen had to see him every day?
He hid that awkward pain behind his bright smile as he turned his face up toward Yichen. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know hairstyles for vampires. Should I have shaved your head or given you a mohawk? That would have made you frightening.”
“Annoying. Always so annoying,” Yichen muttered, but Rei treasured the upward tilt of the corners of his mouth. He turned and walked to the door. As he passed the bed, he waved a hand at Rei. “Go to sleep.”
Rei rolled his eyes. Like he was the one who was prowling the house.
Yichen paused with his hand on the door and turned halfway back to face him. “Now that we’re safe, I just want to say thank you…for saving my life.”
Lowering his gaze, Rei stared at the rumpled blankets on his bed, twisted up from his own inability to sleep. “You don’t have to say that. Not to me. Not anymore. We saved each other. We’re even now.”
The door slid open and closed. Yichen’s footsteps were almost soundless as he walked down the hall to his own room, leaving Rei alone once again. The time they’d shared was enough. It had to be, because there was no hope of having a minute more.
Chapter 7
Wu Yichen
“Go. Spend time with your clan. I need to stay here and meditate. That concrete prison you had me in has drained me.”
Rei’s words were still echoing through Yichen’s head hours later. The elf thought he was so smart, but Yichen could read between the lines. This wasn’t about needing to replenish and recharge his reserves. He wanted Yichen to spend some time alone with his brothers so he could feel at ease with his clan. To find his place among them.
