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Some of the tension that had knotted up in his chest unwound itself with Moon’s easy words. He didn’t want to keep Moon from his coven, but he was still trying to find his way among his own family while watching over Rei. Adding more people—particularly those who might not react to the elf well—was something he wanted to put off for a bit longer.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Moon started. “What’s your special power? Chen says that it’s rude to ask vampires that question, but we’re all in the same clan now. Or at least I’m part of the way adopted—”
“You’re a member of the Zhang clan as Chen’s mate. You risked your life to protect the clan and return Yichen to us,” Xiao Dan deftly interjected with a soft look.
Moon’s amber eyes twinkled as he stared at Xiao Dan. He swallowed hard and gave Shixiong a nod before turning his attention to Yichen. “Well, I’m sure you’ll need more time—”
“If Shixiong says you are part of the clan, you are clan. There is no need for more time,” Yichen said resolutely.
A loud sniff escaped Moon, and he turned to face the front with a bounce. From around the seat, Yichen could see him roughly wiping his eyes. “You guys…you’re killin’ me. I can’t with all this…”
While his words were muffled and made little sense, it was clear to see that Moon was overwhelmed.
Chen reached out and ran his hand down the back of Moon’s pale head in a loving caress. “I told you Didi would accept you as one of us. You have nothing to worry about.”
“My gift is the ability to understand and speak any language I hear or read,” Yichen offered, hoping to distract Moon from his emotional turmoil.
That did it.
The vampire-witch twisted and ducked between the seats again, his red-rimmed eyes wide. “Really? That’s…unexpected. But useful. Wow…okay, now I wish I had that one. That’s gotta be easier than my current Mandarin lessons.”
“You’re coming along very well,” Xiao Dan reassured him.
Moon pouted, his bottom lip sticking out. “My speaking, maybe, but my handwriting still looks like a kid in kindergarten.”
“Practice and time will make a difference. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re near fluent by the time we return home,” Xiao Dan said, winning a broad, eager smile from Moon. Yichen bit the inside of his cheek to keep from chuckling. Shixiong was the most natural teacher in the world. No matter what, he’d always had a kind, encouraging word for all the disciples of the Sword of the Heavenly Garden Sect. But he also knew when to be strict, doling out punishments with lightning speed to those who deserved them.
“True. I wish I’d finally get my vampire gift at last. I’m tired of waiting.”
“How long have you been a vampire?” Yichen inquired.
Moon’s face scrunched up as he apparently dug through his memory. “Less than a month.”
“Still too early,” Chen chimed in.
“Yeah, I know.” Moon leaned back to stare at his mate. “I talked to Ethan Varik recently, and he said it took at least six months for his gift to kick in.” He turned his attention to Yichen. “How long did it take you to get yours?”
Yichen shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know. It was years before I encountered someone who didn’t speak the local language. We didn’t travel out of Luoyang for a long time, so I didn’t notice my gift for a while.”
Moon winced. “Ooooh…that sucks. I—”
“Baobei,” Chen sharply cut in. A few seconds earlier, he’d pulled off the main road and onto a gravel-filled narrow drive that looked as if someone had cut into the woods. Chen hit the brakes. “We have a new problem.”
Directly ahead of them, a glowing red dome cut through the trees and appeared to wrap the property, with a large, two-story white house sitting in the center. All around the protective shield, pixies, gnomes, goblins, and even a small contingent of elves were attacking the barrier with spears, arrows, swords, and magic spells.
“Why are the fae trying to attack Moon’s house?” Xiao Dan asked.
“No idea. I wonder if they think I’m in there,” Moon murmured.
“Can we reverse without them noticing us?” Shixiong suggested.
Chen pointed to where a group of elves had broken off and were approaching the car with their weapons raised. “Too late. They’ve spotted us.”
“We need to dispatch them. We can’t risk them following us to the clan house. Chen, call Xiang for support. This might be more than we can comfortably handle.” He paused as he reached into the rear of the vehicle. With a smirk at Yichen, he handed him a sword. Not his preferred one, but a lovely blade all the same. One he’d used to spar with Shixiong and Chen. “I brought them just in case.”
“Excellent decision,” Yichen said as he accepted the blade.
“Yes!” Moon pumped a fist in the air.
