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)
Ignoring Rei’s attempts to pull more information out of him, Xiang parked the SUV on the side of the road and turned off the engine. Tree limbs reached across the residential street, creating a green tunnel that allowed through only thin rays of sunlight to spot the worn asphalt. Birds sang, and a dog barked in the distance, but there were no sounds coming from the humans. No cars rushing down the street. No lawnmowers or other mechanical things that made their lives easier.
He leaned forward so that his chest brushed the steering wheel, and he squinted at the houses, only now noticing that some of them were boarded up as if against a typhoon forecast to blow through their town. There were few cars parked on this street and no signs of human life.
“Are there any humans here?”
“Not on this street,” Rei replied as he opened his car door and climbed out. Xiang followed him around to the rear. He opened the door, and they both pulled out weapons, strapping them on their bodies as Rei spoke. “Ever since that night when Kai took you, the humans have been moving away. According to the news reports, they’re going west and piling into the bigger cities where they feel safer. On the local news, they say there isn’t an empty bed to be found in downtown Hartford.”
“And the cause of this explosion of nature and trees overtaking cities and towns?”
Rei snorted. “God. Satan. The Russians. The gays. Government experiments gone wrong.”
“Mn. The usual suspects.”
The elf checked the edge of a dagger before slipping it into its sheath on his waist. “There have been videos and images posted of actual pixies, hobgoblins, and trolls, but humans are still in denial about what they’re seeing.”
“Whatever,” Xiang muttered. “As long as they aren’t hunting vampires during the day with wooden stakes and fire, I really don’t care what they believe any longer.”
“That’s true,” Rei conceded. The elf with the black beanie pulled low on his head to hide the points of his ears, led the way between a pair of silent houses and into the deep shadows of the woods.
The temperature dropped several degrees as they walked through the shadows, their footsteps barely making a sound on the soft earth. Xiang kept his eyes peeled for any trace of movement while one hand rested on the hilt of a short sword on his hip. He’d opted for shorter blades because of the potential closeness of the trees.
“So, all this return of nature is making Queen Belladonna stronger. Are you noticing any difference?” Xiang inquired in a low voice.
“Definitely. My magic is much stronger now. The boost is appreciated.” Xiang glanced over at the elf with one eyebrow lifted. Rei lifted a hand to his lips and patted them twice, as if smacking away some bad comments. “I mean, it’s bad what’s happening to the humans. Terrible. The queen should definitely be stopped.”
Xiang sighed and rolled his eyes. “Do you even like humans?”
“It’s a complicated relationship. I hate what they’ve done to the earth, and they’ve been slow to learn. Even slower to correct their mistakes. It’s frustrating to come back every hundred years to find the world you left behind is in even worse shape.” Rei held up a hand, as if he thought Xiang was going to argue with him. “However, I like all their little gadgets and new technology. Plus, I love my Yiyi. He was a human once and still has a human’s sense of humor.”
“I knew you were beyond help,” an icy voice on their left cut in.
Xiang drew his sword, but Rei was even faster. A dagger left his fingers in a flash, slicing through the air to embed in the tree’s bark. An elf with long black hair stepped out from behind.
“Trin,” Rei greeted through clenched teeth. “Always a pleasure. I don’t think you’ve met my new clan mate, Li Xiang. He’s one of Yichen’s brothers, and I’m sure he has a few things to say about Yichen’s treatment.”
That was putting it lightly. Yichen might never talk about his experiences at the hands of the fae, but the scars and the haunted look in his eyes said plenty.
Trin’s eyes passed over Xiang before wandering to Rei, only to snap to him again. “A vampire…wandering around in daylight. I didn’t think there was such a thing in all the world.”
“And yet here I stand,” Xiang smirked. “Fully prepared to cut your heart from your chest if you even glance at your half brother wrong.”
Rei extravagantly sighed and tipped his head toward Xiang. “Ah, family. Isn’t it nice when someone gives a shit about your well-being?”
Trin’s expression soured as his narrowed eyes leveled on Rei. “There isn’t time for your nonsense. I need information.”
“Funny that. So do we,” Rei countered, his voice hardening at the end. “Have you chosen a side? Are you sticking by her side, even though you know she’s going to betray you in the end?”