Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 123477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 617(@200wpm)___ 494(@250wpm)___ 412(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 617(@200wpm)___ 494(@250wpm)___ 412(@300wpm)
“Did you just say, ‘Yes, daddy’?” Sky called from several feet away.
Moon squeezed his eyes shut. If he didn’t need the necromancer’s help right now, he’d strangle the man. “I said, ‘Yes, Chen-ge!’ ”
“Whatever. It’s still fucking adorable,” Sky muttered loud enough for Moon to hear him.
Moon wilted in Chen’s arms, but was brought back to life by Chen’s low chuckle.
“Let’s get out of the forest. We’ll figure out the rest later,” Chen murmured.
And by “rest,” Moon was hoping he meant getting laid. He really needed sex with this man.
“All right!” Moon launched himself out of Chen’s lap and to his feet. “Sky, start working on your portal to the underworld and drag your minion out of the snow. I’m gonna bind my baby to me; then we’re getting out of here.”
The necromancer waved a hand at him and climbed to his feet. Moon stripped off the T-shirt he’d just put on and tossed it aside. He grabbed the knife from its small hidden sheath on his waist and Chen frowned.
“For a second, I thought I was going to like this spell,” Chen grumbled.
Spinning the knife once in his right hand, he kneeled in front of the vampire. “I promise you’re going to like the result. You need to be patient and not panic.”
Chen nodded. “As you wish. I will be calm.”
“Good boy.”
That earned Moon his favorite testy glare. At least until Moon pressed the point of his knife into his chest right above his heart. He drew a line as thin as a single hair across his chest, down the inside of his arm, and along his left pinky finger. As he got to the very end, he whispered the three spell words and tugged.
Attached to the tip of his knife was a bright-red string. It curled and danced on the slight spring breeze, growing longer and longer. He drew the string over to Chen, who was already holding out his left hand as if he knew exactly what Moon was doing. He flashed the vampire a warm smile as he drew a thin line along Chen’s pinky and around the base, securing the string.
Moon gave the knife a sharp tug, and the string came loose from the tip. For a moment, the bright-red string glistened and shone, seeming to reflect the sunlight before slowly fading from sight.
“I can’t see it any longer,” Chen murmured, raising his left hand carefully. “But I swear I feel something. So faint, but it’s there.”
“That sensation will fade with time as well.” Moon leaned in and sneaked a quick kiss to the corner of Chen’s lips. “But you’re tied to me now. No escaping. I dare a demon to separate us.”
“Ugh. Why?” Sky moaned. “Why do you have to fucking tempt fate like that?” The necromancer marched over with his backpack in place and the creepy minion at his side. It cradled a ball of snow in both hands as though he meant to take it with him. Moon put on his T-shirt and took his blood-soaked hoodie from Chen. The vampire returned his sword to its sheath on his shoulder and nodded. It was time to get the fuck out of the woods.
The necromancer pulled two small vials out of his pocket. One appeared to be full of ash, and the other was full of what was likely to be grave dirt. He backed Moon and Chen up as far as he could against the wall. Using what little shadow they had left, he outlined a large circle with the dirt and sprinkled the ash inside. The sassy man winked at them as he snapped his fingers.
The ground within the circle disappeared, becoming a black, bottomless hole. With a squeal, Greg jumped inside, disappearing completely.
“Dammit, Greg! You were supposed to wait for me,” Sky shouted, leaping into the circle as well.
There was no lying about it; Moon’s heart was racing. Diving into the unknown and willingly walking through the underworld were not things on his bucket list. But he’d do it if it meant keeping Chen safe.
“Ready?” Chen asked, his voice sounding rough and tight.
“Totally. Piece of cake.” Moon threaded his fingers with Chen’s and followed Sky into the underworld while pulling his vampire along. No backing out now.
Chapter 21
Chen Bo Cheng
It was not a piece of cake.
Moon was very wrong about that part.
Chen landed hard, Moon’s hand jerking out of his grip. Even as he was trying to figure out which way was up, he grabbed for the witch. He wanted to tuck him into his body and protect him from harm.
But it wasn’t necessary.
He blinked twice and found Moon sitting next to him on the ground, rubbing his hip, wincing, and smiling at him all at the same time.
“You could have warned us, Sky,” Moon complained while sending Chen a flirty wink to prove he was fine.