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)
“That’s enough, Winter,” Xiao Dan announced, covering Winter’s shaking hand with his own.
“No! He’s not awake yet. He’s not even healing,” Winter argued. The vampire tried to pull free of Xiao Dan while keeping his wrist pressed to Fox’s parted lips, but Xiao Dan had him by two full millennia. He would not be put off so easily.
Still holding Winter’s hand, Xiao Dan turned it so that his wrist was facing upward. Xiao Dan dipped his head and licked across the wound that had begun to heal, closing it. “And you’ve given more blood than you can spare. You’ll kill yourself and still not be able to save him. May I help you?”
Winter pulled his hand from Xiao Dan, his eyes darting to Fox. Indecision twisted up his features. Turning a human to a vampire was a very personal experience. This person would become the vampire’s fledgling. The vampire would hold a power over the person for the rest of their existence. And if Xiao Dan helped to turn Fox, he’d be tied to the Zhang clan for the rest of time.
“I…” Winter started, but the words broke off in his throat.
“I relinquish all hold on Fox Varik from this day forth. He will not be beholden to me or my clan. He will always be your mate first,” Xiao Dan interjected, not giving Winter a chance to second-guess him further.
Winter squeezed his eyes shut, sending tears streaming down his blood-splattered cheeks. “Save him. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. I swear. Just save him.”
“Agreed.” Xiao Dan gathered Fox’s slender frame up in his arms, forcing Xiang and Chen to release him. They sat watching as Xiao Dan took a small sip of Fox’s blood for the exchange and then bit his own wrist, pouring his ancient blood into the man’s throat.
Xiang placed a hand on Winter’s tense shoulder and squeezed. “Shixiong knows what he’s doing. That’s two-thousand-year-old vampire blood flowing into Fox. If we have to, the entire clan will donate to save his life.”
Winter dragged in a shuddering breath. “It’s too soon. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He wanted a few more years as a witch. He likes being a witch. The plan was to change him in a few years.”
While Moon had access to his powers thanks to him being a blood witch, the price was too high for him to access them. Fox, on the other hand, was an earth witch. The prevailing belief was that Fox would lose all of his magical powers when he became a vampire. Unfortunately, too few witches had been turned into vampires throughout history. They had no proof. Only speculation. It was the whole reason Fox had postponed making the switch for so long.
“He loves you more,” Moon argued. “I’d choose Chen over being a witch any day of the week.” The former witch’s lips twisted, and he huffed out a choked, awkward laugh. “I just need help from my clan to remember that from time to time.”
“Definitely,” Chen growled. He turned sad eyes on Xiang and bowed his head. “Thank you for saving my mate from his own impulsiveness.”
“Winter! Winter!” Bel rushed over to his younger brother’s side and wrapped his arms around him. Behind him was a naked Wyatt, and River in his fox form.
Winter clutched Bel’s arm hard enough that his knuckles turned white even through the coating of Fox’s blood. “I wasn’t protecting him. I think I’m too late. Fox…I’m going to lose my Fox.”
Bel wrapped his arms even tighter around his brother, and Xiang struggled to swallow past the lump in his throat. He wanted to tell Winter that Shixiong would save Fox, but he was afraid to put that kind of pressure on Xiao Dan. Sometimes, no matter how hard they tried, a person couldn’t be saved.
Minutes ticked by, and the rest of the Zhang clan gathered on the hill. Junjie and Meimei reported that the attacking fae were destroyed, though some had still escaped. The wolves had run for safety and were no longer in the immediate area. The humans who lived in the neighborhood had also escaped.
Kai soon appeared, standing behind Xiang’s shoulder. He was in his human form, but there wasn’t a drop of rain or blood on his clothes. In fact, while the rain continued to fall in a fine drizzle, there was now a clear bubble hanging over their group, shielding them from the rain.
Xiang tipped his head up toward the dragon. “Is there anything you can do?”
The dragon squinted at Fox in Xiao Dan’s arms, and his frown deepened. “My powers aren’t much good for healing humans, and this one is beyond my reach. The vampire blood is changing him as we speak. If I were to interfere, it would do more harm than good.”
He looked at Fox as Xiao Dan closed the wound on his arm. The ugly slash across Fox’s throat had closed, which showed that the vampire blood was working, but was it enough for Fox to change?