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“What can we do to assist you with your work?” Daniel inquired of the earth witches.
Red offered a strained smirk as he scratched the top of his head, leaving his short auburn hair standing up in various odd directions. “Not much. I need to get my supplies out of the car. If you could find a peaceful spot outside for us to work, it would help to be surrounded by nature.”
Daniel nodded. “We have several places that could meet your needs.”
“It’s true. This house has the most amazing courtyards. You’ll forget that you’re technically in the house,” Moon chimed in.
“I also need Moon to help me bring my supplies in,” Red added, turning his head to Moon and narrowing his eyes to a sharp glare.
Maddox leaned around Red to look at Moon as he said, “I’ll help too.”
“What the hell?” Sky muttered under his breath. “You didn’t bring that much shit. Wh—” His grumbles were cut off by a quick elbow to his side from Red. His eyes widened and his lips formed a small O for a second. “Yeah! I’ll help!”
Moon stared at his friends and sighed. No, those three wouldn’t know subtle if he beat them with a subtle stick. “Uh-huh. Smooth, guys. But yeah, I’ll ‘help.’ ” Moon shoved to his feet and Chen bolted to his, blocking Moon’s path to the front door. The vampire didn’t say a word, but worry and distrust were written across his face. “I’m not leaving, I promise. They just want to berate me a little more for being so absentminded.” He patted Chen on his flat stomach and smiled as he added in a whisper, “We still need to finish the conversation we started in the kitchen.”
Chen’s eyebrows darted to his hairline and his lips parted, but no sound came out. Maybe the man who’d kissed him so thoroughly hadn’t expected him to be so bold. Silly vampire.
As Chen resumed his seat, Moon slipped past him and moved toward the front door, his three closest friends trailing behind him. Junjie paused in the hall and threw him a questioning look.
“I’m helping Red bring in stuff for his spell. Can you keep an eye on Chen for me? He’s missing me already.”
“Uhhh…” Junjie managed as Moon and the other swept by him.
Moon barely got his feet on the pavement before Red grabbed his shoulder and jerked him to a stop.
“We’re planning to do more than berate you,” he growled.
“No, we’re not,” Sky cut in, giving Red’s shoulder a shove of his own. “You need to calm down. Moon is fine. He sent a text stating that he was fine, and we can see from his puffy lips that he’s doing more than fine with that vampire.”
That was not what he’d been expecting to hear from any of them. Heat scorched his cheeks, and he might have needed to clear his throat. When he glanced over at Sky, it was to find the necromancer staring at him.
“We would like full details on what the hell is happening there, though,” Sky said.
“If we could have another ‘I’m fine’ for the entire class before you tell us you’re hooking up with a vampire, we would appreciate it,” Maddox added.
Moon reached out and grabbed Redstone’s tense shoulders and squeezed. “I. Am. Fine. I am safe. Promise. Other than a tiny threat I could have handled from those two annoying vamps in Hartford, no one has tried to harm a hair on my head. The Zhang clan has been incredibly welcoming and friendly. They have no reason to hurt me. They want to get Yichen back. That’s it.”
Red sucked in a deep breath through his nose and nodded. “Sorry. I’m an asshole.”
Still holding his shoulders, Moon jerked him forward into a bear hug. “Not an asshole. A worrywart. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Yes, his friends could be meddling and nosy, but he loved them. They were as close as he would ever come to having brothers. He couldn’t count the number of ways they’d been there for him over the years.
“Uh-huh. Love and hugs and family,” Maddox muttered. “What the fuck ever. I want to hear about the vampire you’re boning. You met him last night, right?”
Moon choked on air as he released Red and tried to smack Mad on the forehead, but the man’s hands were too quick and he blocked it. “I’m not boning Chen.” He paused and smirked. “Yet.”
“Are you serious? He’s-he’s—” Sky stammered, and Moon filled in.
“Hot. Like really fucking hot.”
“So, this is just a fling?” Red asked. He led the way to his SUV, and the others followed, their footsteps scraping and crunching across the pavement.
Moon shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably. Maybe.”
That brought all of his friends to an abrupt halt.
Mad leaned in close, his chest bumping into Moon’s shoulder. “What do you mean ‘maybe’? They made it very clear in there that they intend to leave the second they get their hands on their brother. You saying you’re going to follow this vampire to China?”
