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“You’re sure one of your witch friends would help, even though I kidnapped you?” Chen inquired.
Moon had his cup of tea halfway to his mouth when he stopped and stared at Chen, his eyebrows meeting over the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know why you keep using that word. It doesn’t mean what you think it means. You rescued me. I came willingly to your home.” He took a sip of his tea…and Xiang chose that moment to speak up.
“Isn’t that what Americans say when they adopt a new pet from a shelter?”
Moon choked on his tea. He almost missed the table as he set his half-empty cup down. Chen sighed and patted him on the back as Moon sucked in air.
“He is not a pet,” Chen declared.
“It’s growing late. We need to discuss this further before we can think about involving any of your friends,” Xiao Dan interjected. He paused and nodded at Moon now that he’d stopped coughing. “It would be our honor if you would sleep here tonight. Tomorrow, we can discuss plans for the fae.”
After a quick nod from Moon, Junjie and Meimei offered to show Moon to a guest room none of them had thought they would be using. Moon flashed him a last smirk and followed Chen’s clan mates along the hall. Even as they walked away, he could still hear Moon’s voice as he resumed his marveling over the architecture and decor. Ming Yu was kind enough to grab Xiang as he tried to linger, providing Chen and Xiao Dan with some privacy.
“Chen,” Xiao Dan began and then paused, shaking his head. He was grinning and his brow furrowed as if he couldn’t decide whether to be amused or angry.
“Shixiong, I’m so sorry. I have no excuse for my actions.”
Xiao Dan sighed. “No, you don’t, but I understand them. We’re running out of time, and I hate to admit that I was considering a similar course of action.” His expression lightened. “You’ve at least found us an interesting…person.”
“He’s a nuisance.” Chen crossed his arms over his chest and dropped back against the cushions on the couch as he glared at Moon’s abandoned cup.
“I think he’s genuine. My only concern is whether what he says is true. He mentioned he wasn’t an earth witch, but never clarified what kind of witch he is. It’s worrying.”
“Do you think he will try to harm us during the day?” Chen demanded. He dropped his hands to his sides and sat up, inching to the edge of his seat. He was ready to jump to his feet and end Moon’s life in a heartbeat if Xiao Dan thought there was even the smallest chance Moon was a threat.
Xiao Dan shook his head. “My instincts say no, but he’s still unknown to us. Plus, we don’t know if his witch friends will be as understanding. Will they think you’ve ‘rescued’ him?”
“I don’t know.”
“Xiang will watch over him during the daylight hours to make sure he stays out of trouble.”
That was a disturbing thought. Chen was already seeing too many similarities between Xiang and Moon.
Xiao Dan rose and walked over to stand next to Chen. He patted him on the shoulder. “I have a feeling tomorrow night will be very busy. Get some rest…after you complete your punishment.” Shixiong’s eyes narrowed on Chen and his voice hardened. “Perform one thousand Soaring Moon Strikes prior to going to bed.”
Chen wanted to argue about Xiao Dan’s evil choice of punishment, but he bit his tongue and bowed his head. “Yes, Shixiong.”
If he was lucky, he would be so exhausted after practicing the martial arts move that he’d be able to forget about Moon and his smile for a while.
But he had his doubts.
Chapter 4
Moon Mullins
This is not my room.
Moon blinked his bleary eyes, willing his slugging brain to boot up after falling into what seemed to be a deathlike sleep.
Where am I?
Fingers twisted in an exquisitely embroidered blanket of navy with silver thread. He bent his legs and stared down to find the embroidery was of cranes in flight. Looking up, his gaze snagged on a painting of a branch of a pink cherry blossom in front of a distant, misty mountain. The painter had created that bit of elegance on a long scroll of parchment. Nothing so delicate or beautiful existed in his house. The wall it hung on was pale cream framed by wooden beams.
He’d woken up in one of Maddox’s Chinese wuxia1 dramas with everyone running around with swords and wearing these elegant robes called hanfu.2
But fate hadn’t transmigrated3 him into a Chinese story.
He was still in his world, and he’d met a clan of Chinese vampires, which answered whether vampires were everywhere in the world.
Yes. Yes, they were.
A slow smile spread across his lips as he snuggled under the pretty blanket. Not only were they everywhere, but a sexy vampire who smelled like love and scowled like he wanted to strangle Moon every time he opened his mouth had saved him.
