Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
But he couldn’t do it. Not so long as he was unsure whether something had happened to Junjie or Erik. When he was sure they were okay, he could scurry off.
For now, he was stuck pacing outside the giant double doors that barred his entrance along the driveway. His tiny paws padded along on the concrete as he debated what he should do. Normally, he’d climb a few trees, taking one of the limbs that grew close to the wall that surrounded the property.
Tonight, the air crackled with magic, particularly near the wall. He was afraid that if he touched the stone, he’d get zapped to death.
He didn’t know what to do. There was no way for him to call Junjie to find out what the fuck was going on. Pacing back and forth, tail twitching. His meows were growing more insistent by the minute, turning into long yowls as he hoped to get someone’s attention. Soft sounds of movement would reach his ears every once in a while, but he couldn’t tell if anyone was close enough to hear him.
Several minutes passed before the double doors parted enough to allow a tall, slender figure through. Leo retreated several feet, his hair standing up along his spine until he recognized the person as Kai.
“Leo, I presume,” Kai said. For the first time since the dragon had come to reside at the manor, he looked tired. His hair was somewhat mussed, and there were shadows under his eyes. There were even lines of strain bracketing his mouth from either fatigue or pain. “If you’d like to enter to see Junjie and Erik, you’ll need me to escort you.”
He didn’t hesitate. With a couple of running steps, Leo leaped at Kai, who seemed to hesitate for a heartbeat, his eyes wide with surprise, before he remembered to open his arms to catch Leo. Some of the lines on Kai’s face retreated as he smiled. He cradled Leo in his arms as he carried the cat through the double doors that automatically closed behind them.
Leo’s eyes skimmed the four unfamiliar cars that crowded the Zhang driveway. The air was even thicker with magic inside the walls. He could taste it like prickly cotton candy on his tongue. At the westernmost wall, a group of three men argued with Moon. A tiny cauldron was bubbling over a fire. One of them was holding a bundle of dried sage as it smoldered in his hand, sending up a tendril of gray smoke. Chen stood at the back of the group with another black-haired man watching the argument.
“That is Moon’s old coven. Two earth witches and a necromancer. They’re working on strengthening our defenses, but it is not a simple task, considering the number of magical creatures that come in and out of this property.” Kai’s voice dipped lower, becoming gossipy. “The one standing next to Chen is human, and he’s dating the necromancer. He strikes me as the most rational one of the group.”
Leo remained in Kai’s arms as they passed the witches. Both Chen and Moon appeared worried.
“Several of the Variks have come as well. Winter is checking every inch of the property.”
Fortifying their defenses. Winter Varik running security. Winter was the one who could walk within the dead realm. It all added up to one thing.
Jiang Chong.
Without thinking, Leo leaped out of Kai’s arms and raced to the house. As he reached the front door, he shifted into his human form and barged his way inside.
“Junjie! Junjie, where are you? Jun-Jun!” he shouted at the top of his lungs as he moved through the corridor. He poked his head into one room after another, his heart racing as he searched for a single person. There were others who stared at him in wide-eyed shock as he dipped in and out of the rooms, but he didn’t care. None of them was the person he sought.
“Leo?” Junjie’s soft voice trickled along one of the many hallways, stopping Leo dead in his tracks. He turned sharply and started a different way, only to run straight into Junjie. The vampire wore a pair of soft, baggy sleep pants and a white T-shirt that made him appear paler than usual. His shaggy dark-brown hair was wet, as if he’d just stepped out of the shower.
He reached for Junjie’s arms but stopped when his eyes caught on a white bandage wrapped on his right arm. Under the strong scent of soap lingered a faint hint of blood. Someone had hurt his Junjie.
Jiang Chong.
Possessive rage burned through Leo’s veins. Bones ached and tendons strained. His body screamed to change and hunt down Jiang Chong. To rip the vampire apart.
“Leo, your eyes.” Junjie’s surprised whisper tore Leo from his swirling thoughts. He didn’t need to look in a mirror to see that his eyes had shifted. Fuck, he needed to get control of himself. He hadn’t suffered an accidental shift since he was in his late teens.