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As the elf shouted, it dawned on Yichen where he’d seen a glow quite like this. They weren’t man-made lights but will-o-wisps. Another type of fae creature whose entire job was to lead humans astray in the woods.
In the blink of an eye, the murky darkness that had enshrouded them fell away and the bright lights of the SUV splashed across the thick guardrail of a bridge. They were about to drive off a fucking bridge!
Rei shouted and for the first time since becoming a vampire, Yichen didn’t understand the language. The elf threw out his hands in front of him and a white wall appeared between the vehicle and the edge of the bridge. Even with Chen slamming on the brakes and the tires squealing, the front driver’s side bumper banged into the wall and skidded alongside it as the car fought to slow.
The force of the impact and jerk of the car to the right sent Rei sailing off the roof. Yichen launched himself after the elf, catching him in midair and wrapping him up as tightly as he could against his body before they hit the asphalt. Thankfully, Rei’s head hit Yichen’s shoulder rather than the road.
“Yiyi!” Rei gasped, lifting his head to look wide eyed at him.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Yichen roared, even as he cradled the back of Rei’s head with one hand. It didn’t matter that they were lying in the middle of the road where the Black Dogs or even a fucking car could run them over. The only thing that mattered was that Rei was far too pale and trembling in his arms. “You could have been killed! It’s not enough that you’re standing on the roof of a car on a fucking highway, shooting arrows, but then you had to use that giant burst of magic. You could have drained yourself!”
“But…the bridge…” Rei stammered, looking so utterly lost and helpless.
“We’re vampires! We can’t drown!”
“Oh…”
Yichen couldn’t take it any longer. The fear and adrenaline from the Black Dogs attack, the crash on the bridge, and Rei sailing limp through the air after risking his life to save a bunch of vampires. It was all too much. His brain shut down, and instincts took over.
With a growl, he pulled Rei forward, slamming his mouth into Rei’s. Those perfect lips froze, but only for a moment. They softened and parted on a moan, beckoning him in for an even deeper kiss. Slender fingers twisted in his shirt, trying to pull him closer. It was breathtaking. Better than any first kiss he could have imagined in a thousand lifetimes.
But all too soon, Rei went slack in his arms.
Yichen broke off the kiss to see Rei’s eyes closed and mouth open. The elf had passed out midkiss.
Of course.
Dropping his head to the road, Yichen squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed a groan of frustration. At that exact moment, his brain rebooted and replayed the last few seconds, allowing horror to sink in fresh.
What the fuck did I just do?
Chapter 14
Wu Yichen
Yichen ignored the stares and silent questions radiating from every member of his clan as he carried Rei’s unconscious body from the car, through the house, and into one of the smaller gardens that had a retractable roof. It would have been better to put him in the larger garden, but if he didn’t regain consciousness prior to sunrise, the only person who could properly protect him would be Xiang.
No, this was safer. If Rei needed him, he would be able dip outside under the cover of the roof and bring the elf inside.
He placed him with care under a tree, making sure his long hair wasn’t trapped under his back or bunched awkwardly under his neck. His hands rested comfortably on his stomach. Yichen paused, watching the slow and steady rise of his chest with each breath. His beautiful face was relaxed, not showing any signs of discomfort or stress. Rei was just in a deep sleep as his body replenished the magic it had used up. With any luck, when he woke, he wouldn’t remember the last few minutes before he passed out.
Sitting next to Rei on the ground, Yichen dropped his face into his hand and sighed. What the fuck had he been thinking?
Okay, so maybe he hadn’t been thinking at all.
He’d been terrified and angry. Maybe there had been a few other emotions mixed in too, but that was a mess stirred up by their conversation with Zelda. There hadn’t been enough time to sort through that nonsense ahead of the attack.
Time slipped away from him as he sat there listening to the soft trickle of water in the pond and the chirp of the crickets. His thoughts chugged along in useless circles until he heard a pair of footsteps approaching. Yichen lifted his head and his breath caught in his throat to see Junjie standing with his guqin cradled in his arms next to a frowning Chen. Actually, a frowning Chen felt like the most normal thing he’d encountered since returning to his clan.
“Chen said Rei has exhausted himself. I thought I would play for him. It may help his healing,” Junjie offered. An orange-and-white cat padded through the hall and wound its way around Jun-Jun’s feet, rubbing against his ankles. His purring was loud enough to be heard across the garden.
“A new stray?” Yichen inquired, tipping his head to the cat.
Jun-Jun smiled at the feline, then returned his attention to his brother. “He appeared shortly after we moved in and comes to visit me a few times a week.”
“I thought the strays weren’t allowed inside the house,” Chen grumbled.
Junjie shrugged. “I haven’t figured out how he’s sneaking in. But he doesn’t stay long or get into the food in the kitchen. He likes to sleep at the foot of my bed.”
