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)
Just as Kai placed a hand on the corner of the board, looked as if he were planning to climb over it to steal his stone back, Yichen’s dry voice cut through their chaos.
“Oh, please tell me you’re using Chen’s board. I can’t wait to tell him you’re putting the stones in your mouth and begging Kai to fish them out with his tongue.”
Kai froze. Xiang’s head snapped up, and he gasped to find Yichen and Rei standing in the doorway, watching them with amused expressions. Something hit Xiang’s throat, and he swallowed without thinking.
“Fuck! You made me swallow it!”
Rei fell into Yichen, cackling so hard he couldn’t stand up on his own, while Yichen wrapped an arm around his slender waist, supporting him as he chortled as well.
Xiang turned his attention to Kai and winced. “Sorry about that.”
Kai shrugged one shoulder and sat on his cushion. “It’s no big deal. And the stone is tiny. I’m sure it will pass soon enough. If not, I can fish it out with magic.” He lifted his left hand and waggled his fingers at him.
“Nah, we’ll let nature take its course.” He shifted his gaze to the two intruders. “For your information, it’s Kai’s weiqi board and stones. He brought it up from his hoard.” His eyes narrowed on Yichen and he pointed at the vampire. “And don’t tell Chen I’ve been playing weiqi with Kai, or he’ll get pissy. He’s too serious when he plays.”
“Whatever,” Yichen mumbled. “Rei needs your help with something.”
“Sure, but what are you doing up?” Xiang glanced over his shoulder to the one window where the shades were drawn to allow in the morning light. The sun was casting its early glow in a square on the floor, still a suitable distance away from Yichen, but more than enough to prove that it was daytime. “The sun rose a couple of hours ago.”
Yichen grumbled something incoherent, which earned him a kiss on the cheek from Rei before the elf resumed their conversation. “My half brother Trin has sent a message that he wants to meet, but he’s only willing to do it during the daylight hours.”
“Because your half brother is under the mistaken impression that it would force you to travel alone,” Kai filled in.
Rei made a face and huffed a faint laugh. “Probably.”
“Of course I’ll tag along,” Xiang agreed, pushing to his feet. “I’ve already swallowed one stone. I can’t imagine this game is going to end the normal way from here. Kai and I can play later.”
“I will accompany you as well,” Kai volunteered, rising smoothly to his feet as if marionette strings had pulled the dragon up.
Xiang spun toward him, hands held out as if to ward him off. “Whoa! I need you to stay here.”
In a heartbeat, Kai’s eyes seemed to grow, and he drifted to his cushion in the same boneless manner. His full bottom lip jutted out, and Xiang worried that his heart was about to shatter into a million pieces under the force of the dragon’s prodigious pout.
And because Kai was evil and manipulative to his core, he doubled down.
“You don’t want me to come with you?” he asked in a small voice.
“What?” Xiang’s voice cracked like glass, earning a snicker from Yichen. Clearing his throat, Xiang started again, fighting hard to ignore his audience. He picked up one of Kai’s hands and wrapped it in both of his. “Of course I want you with me. It’s just that I need someone here to help protect the clan. Plus, Yichen is going to be here stomping about and threatening everything that moves until Rei returns. I need you to monitor him so he doesn’t do anything stupid.”
Kai’s eyebrows drew together over the bridge of his nose and his lips tightened into a frown. “You will be careful?”
“Very careful. I have to return so we can resume our game.”
The dragon sat silent for a moment, then gave a soft grunt. “And I must keep you from eating more stones.”
Not the most graceful exit, but Xiang would take it for a win. Kai was stubborn and less inclined to allow Xiang out of his sight. Especially since they’d had sex for the first time two days ago.
Xiang wasn’t complaining, technically, because he had no desire to be separated from Kai. However, a meeting with Trin and possibly more elves was not something he wanted Kai there for. So far, the fae hadn’t seen Kai in his human form, and Xiang wanted it to stay like that for as long as possible.
Plus, he really wanted to keep the dragon at the clan home for protection. With him and Rei gone, there was no one else who could walk into the sunlight safely if there was a problem. Well, other than Huli, and there was no depending on the fox spirit.