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The elf stepped away from him, only to thread their fingers together. As soon as he locked them hand in hand, his wicked friend chuckled and tugged him to the dancers. Rei was very serious.
His heart sped up and his palms grew sweaty. Dancing…in public…where others could see him? This was insane. And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to pull free of Rei’s hold. It wouldn’t have been that hard, but that smile, those eyes, the absolute joy of the people surrounding them. Yichen kept walking forward, squeezing between people until they were nearly in the center of the crowd.
Giving themselves up to the pounding beat of the music, he and Rei danced, moving their bodies in time to the rhythm. Despite being surrounded, Yichen couldn’t take his eyes off his companion. Rei had tucked his ears under his long blond hair, hiding them away from the prying gaze of others. However, there was still a magic about him. Rei’s pale skin glowed under the lights, and his green eyes sparkled like rare gems. Every movement was graceful. This was the side of Rei he’d never gotten to see while they’d been trapped in the fae realm. So much carefree joy erupted from him. Something he wasn’t sure Rei had ever experienced.
Or would ever experience again after he returned to his own home.
Even if he killed his parents and seized the throne, Rei would still need to fight for his life against the scheming and plotting of the Silver Court. There were others who would like to exterminate Rei’s line and start a new monarchy. Not to mention those dozen half siblings who would be happy to slaughter him for power over all the fae. Who else could give Rei this brief taste of happiness?
Unable to stop himself, Yichen wrapped an arm around Rei’s slender waist and pulled him until their chests slammed together. Rei gasped, his eyes widening. Yichen grinned as he spun them together. He lowered his head, pressing his nose into Rei’s neck. His pulse throbbed against his lips. It would take nothing to sink his fangs into his throat, drinking in the hot richness of the elf. Tingling began at the tip of his tongue, urging him to lick his sweaty skin, to feel the softness pressed to his lips.
“You’ve bewitched all the humans here. They can’t take their eyes off you,” Yichen murmured, not caring whether Rei could hear him.
“Doesn’t matter. Just don’t let me go,” Rei replied.
His heart skipped and his fingers dug deeper into Rei’s side. He wouldn’t let him go. The elf had to be safe first, and then…maybe…
The only person to keep Yichen from dying in the fae realm had been Rei. He planned to return the favor and protect his friend with everything he had for as long as he could.
But Rei would only need him for so long. After they broke the bond, they could go their separate ways. So why did the idea threaten to choke him? Why did it make him cling to Rei even tighter?
The music changed, the beat shifting to something different. It was like waking from a dream. Everything was off center. Yichen lifted his head and loosened his hold on Rei. As much as he didn’t want to, he retreated a step, trying to scratch together the sense to laugh off the moment as temporary insanity. All the urges and desires were nothing more than getting caught up in the rush of music.
As soon as he put some space between them, another vampire sidled up beside Rei. He was a tall, handsome man with bright-blue eyes and shoulder-length black hair. His smile at Rei was full of invitation, and Yichen growled in the back of his throat. There was no stopping the sound. There was also no stopping the way he seized Rei’s arm the second this stranger placed his hand on Rei’s hip. He jerked Rei into him, placing the elf a step behind him while he flashed his fangs at the intruder.
“Hands off. He’s spoken for,” Yichen snarled.
“He is?”
“I am?” Rei echoed.
Shit! That was not what he’d meant. He just didn’t trust this handsy asshole with Rei.
“I thought the only mated member of the Zhang clan was there,” the stranger mocked as he turned his head to his left. Yichen followed his gaze to where Moon and Chen were slow dancing in the middle of the dance floor, ignoring the rest of the world. Moon’s arms were looped behind Chen’s neck, pulling him in close for a series of tender kisses.
Before Yichen could explain his way out of his current mess, the vampire smirked. “I’m Rafe Varik. I popped down to escort you to your meeting. Zelda is waiting.”
Well, fuck. This man was from the local ruling clan, and they were supposed to be playing nice with the Variks. If the mischievous grin still clinging to Rafe’s lips was anything to go by, though, the man wasn’t at all upset by Yichen’s rudeness. He actually appeared amused.
“Go wait by the bar with Xiang. I’ll go fetch your brother and his mate. They seem lost in their own little bubble.”
With a nod, he navigated the crowd, with Rei following a step behind. When they were near the bar and the music was less of a roar, Rei leaned in close. “Spoken for?”
Yichen groaned. He would never live this down. “I didn’t know who he was. I was trying to keep you safe.”
Rei wrapped an arm around his stiff shoulders and rested his head on Yichen’s, still bubbling over with happiness. “I know. You’re the only one allowed to gnaw on my neck.”
“Ugh. You’re disgusting.” He attempted to shove Rei off him, but the elf cackled and clung to him tighter. “And keep your distance from that Rafe Varik.”
“He has a mate,” Xiang interjected as he walked over. Yichen straightened at his voice and Rei released him, putting half a meter of space between them. “All the Variks have mates.”
“That’s…surprising, right?” Rei tipped his head to narrow his eyes on Yichen. “That’s odd, right? In your clan, only Chen has a mate. Is it common for vampires to find their forever mates?”
“No, it’s not common,” Xiang answered for him. “Especially since one of the Varik brothers has two wolf shifter mates.”
“Huh.” Rei elbowed Yichen. “Maybe you and your clan should stay in the area for a while. Maybe there’s something in the water here that helps vampires find their mates.”
“Normally, I’d argue with you, but…” Xiang’s voice drifted off as he turned and stared straight at Chen and Moon, who were leaving the crowd, walking hand in hand. “I would have put money on the fact that Chen Bo Cheng would never find someone to put up with his cranky ass.”
