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Fitting. His gaze skimmed over Moon’s white-blond hair that resembled unfiltered moonlight in a cloudless sky. Moon’s harsh features softened in sleep. A near-constant grin had stretched his lips, but relaxed as they were now, they seemed fuller, lusher than at first glance. The scent of alcohol lingered on him, which wasn’t surprising since he’d followed the man from the nightclub, but there was also the smell of magic. Different from the witches they’d used in Luoyang. He was guessing it had to do with how they practiced their magic. Chinese witches differed from American witches, right?
Not important. They would soon have the answers they needed, thanks to Moon.
Chen slid out of the car and walked to Moon’s door. The witch still did not stir when he opened it or when he poked him in the shoulder. Annoying. It wasn’t as if he could leave him in the car overnight.
With a huff, Chen pulled Moon out of the car and draped him across his back. His limp arms dangled over Chen’s shoulders while Chen grabbed Moon’s thighs to keep him balanced in an awkward piggyback ride. He kicked the rear door shut and trudged to the front of the house, where it hit him that he didn’t know how to tell his clan mates what he’d done.
Yes, Shixiong had clearly said they were not to go to Phoenix. That they were to avoid any encounters with these Variks.
But Chen hadn’t gone inside Phoenix. He’d remained outside, watching from a hidden vantage point until he’d been sure that he’d found a witch. Moon had chatted with his friend, who was possibly a witch as well, but taking two witches had seemed excessive; they needed only one.
Shixiong was going to be upset, but after Moon finished telling them about the fae, Xiao Dan would forgive him. He’d take any punishment his shixiong dished out so long as they were closer to saving Didi.
“What have you done?”
Chen’s head jerked up, and he froze. He’d been so lost in thought, he hadn’t even heard Jun-Jun open the front door.
“Is he still alive? Were…were you feeding and…”
Chen stared openmouthed at his clan brother, who couldn’t even finish the thought. They rarely fed now, thanks to their incredible old age, and not one of them had suffered a feeding accident in centuries. Not since they’d been vampire fledglings trapped under Jiang Chong’s tutelage.
“No! Of course not!” Chen hissed the second he could get his tongue to work. “He’s asleep. Nothing is wrong with him.”
“Who is he?”
“A witch.”
Jun-Jun stepped out of the house, leaving the door standing open so golden light spilled across the wood decking and pale concrete of the driveway. His brother blocked his path, gawking at the unconscious witch, who was probably drooling on his shoulder. Moon wasn’t heavy, but this wasn’t a dignified position for either of them. He preferred to not let Xiang catch him like this.
“A witch? You went out and found a witch? Shixiong is going to be angry.”
“Angry? Why? We needed a witch. I found one. We couldn’t waste any more time,” Chen countered.
He’d barely finished speaking when Moon’s arms wrapped around his neck. The witch turned his head to rub his cheek against Chen’s, cuddling even closer. “This is a pleasant way to wake up,” he hummed. “Though I always imagined being carried by my rescuer differently. You know, bridal carry.”
“I’m not your rescuer. I’m your kidnapper,” Chen snarled.
Moon tightened his arms and snuggled closer. “Po-tay-to, pah-tah-to. You saved me from those evil vampires who wanted to make me dinner.”
He was not having this argument with Moon again. Besides, if Jun-Jun’s eyes got any wider, they were going to roll right out of his head. Chen let go of Moon’s legs and bent so the man’s feet could touch the ground.
Moon huffed and got the not-so-subtle hint that his ride was over. He released Chen and stepped up so that they were standing side by side.
“I’ve kidnapped you, and I am not letting you leave here until you use your magic to locate where the fae door will open in three days,” Chen snapped.
The witch’s face scrunched up as he scratched his jaw, looking very uncomfortable. “About that. I can’t help you.”
Chen rounded on him, stepping so close the tips of their noses brushed. “I’m not giving you a choice in this matter. You will help us. You will locate the fae. You—”
A hand pressed to the center of his chest, and Chen stopped trying to crowd Moon. “I didn’t say I won’t help you. I said I can’t. As in cannot. As in, I don’t have that ability.”
“Aren’t you a witch?” Jun-Jun asked, his voice coming from just past Chen’s shoulder.
“You said you were a witch,” Chen ground out between his teeth. Maybe he’d been wrong about the feeling. Maybe only Moon’s friend was the witch, and the tingle of magic had come from him. But that made little sense. He could feel the heavy aura of magic that emanated from the man in front of him.
