Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 65856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Xiao Dan cocked his head to the side. “What?”
“Why are the humans all dressed so strange? And not even just the humans. Everyone is wearing weird things. I think he smells like a wolf shifter, but he’s dressed up as a sheep! Or maybe he’s a cloud.”
Moon’s laughter invaded their conversation. “It’s almost Halloween!”
“I thought that was a holiday for children to go candy begging.”
“It is, but adults use it as an excuse to dress up in slutty costumes and pretend to be magical and spooky things,” Moon replied.
“Why?”
Moon shrugged. “Because it’s fun and sexy.”
Huli glanced at Xiao Dan, trying to figure out what the vampire might dress up as to become even sexier than he already was, but his mind came up blank. He couldn’t think of anything that could make Xiao Dan sexier. Except maybe…Xiao Dan with a fox tail. Oh, and fox ears? Yes, that could be very sexy.
Xiao Dan pressed a quick kiss to the tip of his nose. “Save that wicked thought for later. We need to take care of Min first.”
Fuck.
Min. He’d forgotten all about her.
“Ope! We’ve been spotted,” Moon interjected. He thrust a hand between them and pointed at the enormous bar. “That’s Lola. She works for Rafe, and she’s a total badass. Don’t mess with her.”
Huli turned his attention to the woman who matched his diminutive height of one hundred and sixty-two centimeters. She had long black hair that hung down her back and was threaded with several slender braids, but it didn’t detract from her stern expression or overall air of violence. She looked like she was accustomed to having everyone listen to her.
“Are you from the Zhang clan?” she demanded when she was standing in front of them.
“We are,” Xiao Dan answered.
Her eyes skimmed them only to stop on Moon. “We don’t normally allow fledglings in here.”
“Come on, Lola. You know me,” Moon pleaded in his most cajoling tone. “I’ve been in here plenty of times in the past.”
“As a witch.” She lifted her gaze to Chen, who had a hand on Moon’s shoulder. “Rafe says you’re here searching for a possible troublemaker. I assume you’ll keep tight control of your fledgling.”
“Hey! I—eep!”
“I will keep him locked to my side,” Chen promised as he pulled Moon closer.
“Fine. Follow me. Rafe said he’d be stopping by later, but you can use his booth while you’re here.” Lola led the way through the crowd that parted at her approach. Huli held his head high as all the eyes in the club seemed to fall on them as they crossed to the largest circular booth in the center of the far wall, giving them an excellent view of everyone in the nightclub.
Maybe a bit too good, since it also put them front and center. There was no way Min was going to miss seeing them, assuming she hadn’t spotted them already. He wasn’t sure if the plan was to surprise Min or to use Xiao Dan as bait. He was not a fan of option two.
Once they were seated and Lola was on her way to the bar, Moon slouched in his seat, leaning his shoulder against Chen. “What’s the deal with all the crap thrown onto fledglings? I’m not some out-of-control monster. I have a handle on my impulses. It’s not like I’m going to throw myself at some human because he shows a little neck.”
Chen shifted in his seat so he could wrap his arm about Moon’s stiff shoulders. Huli’s mouth dropped open as he watched Chen’s body language change into something soft and cuddly. “That’s the thing, baobei. Most fledglings are out of control and don’t have a good grip on their impulses. Fledglings cause most vampire-related deaths in humans. Small things set them off.”
“But I’ve never been like that.” Moon pouted.
Xiao Dan laughed. “That’s because your maker is an ancient vampire. His blood flows through your veins. I’m sure most vampires turned in the last few centuries have much younger masters than our clan.”
“Not to mention, most fledglings need to feed nightly for the first few years of their existence,” Chen chimed in. “That’s not the case for you.”
“Nightly hunting? God, no! I need a nibble once every other week at most.”
“That would be my ancient blood bumping you further along than you’d normally be,” Chen murmured.
“Speaking of hunting…” Xiao Dan drawled. “How goes that training?”
“Oh shit,” Moon mumbled, sinking farther in his seat so that he was practically under the table.
“We put that training on pause when the fae grew too troublesome,” Chen admitted.
“It would be a good idea to get back to that now that the fae aren’t a problem.”
“Yes, Shixiong,” Chen agreed instantly.
“Blech,” Moon complained.
Huli leaned on the table, getting as close to Moon as possible. “Do you not like the taste of human blood?”
The pale-blond vampire shrugged a shoulder as he sat up higher. “It’s okay. But nothing is as good as Chen’s. Plus, I’m not a big fan of being a creepy stalker, stealing blood from unsuspecting humans just trying to go about their lives.”