Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 111252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Where’s Winter?” Xiang demanded.
Fox waved a hand at the chaos in front of them. “Out there somewhere. He darts in and out of the dead world, scaring the shit out of them and killing them.”
Xiang was about to ask where he wanted them when a loud, earth-shaking thud rumbled through the woods, followed by a deep, ear-piercing roar.
“Holy fuck! They have a dragon!” Fox screeched, his voice cracking on the last word.
“He’s on our side! He’s our dragon!” Xiang immediately cried before Fox or Bel could direct their attack at the giant creature whose scales were shifting from shimmering gold to a brilliant blue.
“Thank God for that.” Bel sighed, his shoulders slumping. His normally wild black hair was plastered to his head. Gone were his neat bow ties and dapper suits. The vampire was dressed in muddy jeans and a black T-shirt that clung to him like a second skin. His features were pale and drawn, but there was a determined fire in his eyes.
Fox thrust his fists into the air and jumped. “Whoohooo! Dragon power!”
“Bel, can you call the wolves? Order them to retreat while we provide them cover?” Xiao Dan asked as he came to stand on the other side of the vampire.
“Yes! Yes, I can do that!” Bel pressed his fingertips against his skull and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Chen, Moon, Xiang, and Mei Lian—I want you to take the right flank. Push the fae back and cover the wolves as they escape. Junjie, Yichen, Rei, and I will take the left. We hold them until Bel says the wolves are in the clear,” Xiao Dan ordered.
With a nod, Xiang turned to the fight and launched himself into the mess. Two thousand years of fighting experience coursed through his body. He was faster and better trained than the fae. Each swing of his sword was another life cut down, another wolf shifter saved.
Rain pummeled them, washing away blood only for it to be replaced by mud. The wet earth sucked at his feet, slowing his steps, but he pushed forward, mindless of the chill biting at his flesh. Just a few hundred meters ahead, his dragon growled.
The massive creature tossed his head, his white mane and snakelike whiskers snapping around him. Kai flicked his tail and Xiang ducked low as three elves flew through the air to crash into trees, their bodies broken as they hit the ground. Xiang wasn’t the only one happy to get some payback. Kai would undoubtedly deny it later, though. With every movement, the dragon caused the ground to tremble. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as if a second dragon bellowed out from the clouds.
It was slow work. Even as the battle turned in favor of the vampires, the fae seemed reluctant to call a retreat. They pressed on, surrounding Xiang and each of the vampires as if trying to separate them. Not that it mattered. They’d yet to bring high enough numbers against him to put him in real danger. Eventually, they would either kill them all or the fae would scamper into the woods, away from the residential area.
As it was, the wolves were already breaking free to safety. He glimpsed only River and Wyatt—Bel’s mates—sticking close to their vampire, far on Xiang’s left.
But if Bel had left the hill to pursue the fae…
“No!”
The panicked scream slashed across Xiang’s soul. He twisted to spot Winter standing close to him, but his haunted gaze was locked on the hill they’d been standing on. Xiang followed his stare to see Fox standing on the hill, his red hair stuck to his head and face from the rain, while an elf drew a short blade across Fox’s throat.
Xiang’s feet carried him forward, moving at the same time as Winter. But they were too late. As the elf lifted the blade from Fox’s throat, he plunged it into his back, bowing Fox’s torso forward.
Winter arrived in time to catch Fox as he collapsed to the ground. Xiang didn’t lift his eyes from the elf. The bastard didn’t even try to protect himself as Xiang cut him down with two quick strikes of his sword. No, the elf had known he was dead the moment they’d spotted him attacking the witch.
Were they too late to save Fox?
1 Baobei – yep, just what it sounds like. Baby. An endearment
Chapter 18
Li Xiang
Rage pumped through Xiang’s veins. He wanted to find more fae to kill, but right now, Winter and Fox needed him. Kneeling beside Winter, who pressed trembling hands to Fox’s neck, Xiang attempted to assess how bad the injury was. Blood gushed between Winter’s fingers. Fox’s eyes had glazed over, and his breathing was reduced to choked, gurgling gasps. Time was slipping away from them.
“Winter, you need to change him now!” Xiang bellowed.
The vampire’s panicked gaze snapped to Xiang’s face and the constantly grim man now looked lost. “I-I-I don’t know…he-he wanted more time…”