Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Language,” Junjie hissed at Xiang. It wasn’t right to swear in front of such young ears. He didn’t want the child’s first word to be “fuck.”
“Cat?” Xiao Dan asked, heading off a new argument between Junjie and Xiang.
“Leo—” Junjie began, but Xiang took great pleasure in interjecting himself.
“Yiguo. That stray that’s been hanging about since we arrived.”
“The cat led you to the child?” Xiao Dan’s words were growing shakier and more disbelieving by the second.
Kai sighed loudly and placed a hand over his mate’s mouth. “The cat that has attached himself to Junjie is a shifter by the name of Leo St. George. He took us to the child, who was orphaned following the murder of his parents by the fae.”
That was painfully succinct, but at least he’d gotten Xiao Dan up to speed faster than if Junjie had been left to hem and haw his way through a gentler version of the story. There would be questions later about how they’d allowed a cat shifter into their home with none of the vampires realizing it.
“Ah. I see.” Xiao Dan cocked his head to the side and smiled warmly at the boy, who was still clinging to his blanket with one tight fist while the other was wrapped in Junjie’s T-shirt. “Are you hungry, little man? Would you like some breakfast?”
The child didn’t budge. He stared at Xiao Dan as if he were the most interesting person in all the world, but he also didn’t loosen his hold on Junjie.
“Are you planning to wake Ming Yu?” Xiang inquired, sounding as if he thought Xiao Dan had lost his mind.
“Of course not. It’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure I can remember how to make something as simple as congee. Or even some scrambled eggs. If I recall correctly, humans are quite fond of their scrambled eggs for breakfast.” Xiao Dan reached out and lightly brushed some hair away from the child’s forehead and ever so gently tapped the tip of his nose. “Let’s get something to fill your belly.”
“Shixiong?” Junjie whispered. His heart raced and his breath became trapped behind a lump in his throat. Was he going to allow the child to stay with them? Just like that?
The broad grin on Xiao Dan’s face dimmed slightly and there was a hint of sadness that entered his warm chestnut-brown eyes. “We’ll figure everything out later. Right now, the important thing is that this little guy has a full belly and a sense of security.”
“Yes, Shixiong.”
They formed a line and followed Xiao Dan through the house, past where other clan members were supposed to be sleeping, to the kitchen. Once there, Xiao Dan directed Junjie to sit on a stool at the center island counter with the child. He issued a series of impressive orders to Xiang and Kai to help him find the ingredients and cooking instruments he would need.
It also didn’t hurt that Kai located some soft pastries that had been tucked in the pantry, along with some fruit that could be cut up for their guest. One corner of Junjie’s lips quirked higher as he twisted to look at the child’s face. The boy watched all the movement in the kitchen with such rapt attention.
“I know you’re not making a mess in my—” Ming Yu’s comment stopped as she walked into the kitchen, and her eyes fell on the newcomer. “Oh, my. He’s absolutely adorable.”
“Shixiong was trying to make him something for breakfast,” Junjie supplied.
“Just a bit of congee,” Xiao Dan added.
Ming Yu’s sharp gaze swept over the strange assortment of things that were spread out on the island and counters. She clucked her tongue at them. “Congee is good. The apples are fine. Put the rest away for now. What were you thinking with the peppers?” She glared at Xiang, knowing it was his nonsense without being told. Her expression softened when she turned to the child and touched his cheek. “What’s your name, little one?”
“We don’t know. He’s an orphan because of the fae,” Junjie replied.
“That’s okay,” she cooed. “We’ll get you fixed up with some breakfast. Then you can take a nap with your new gege.”
To Junjie’s surprise, the child relaxed against him, the tension that had hummed through his small body flowing out through his toes.
“Gege,” he mumbled.
Everyone in the room froze, their eyes locked on the boy. He’d spoken. Not only that, he’d called Junjie “gege.”
“That’s right! You have many new gege now!” Ming Yu cried, clapping her hands together.
“Ming-jie,”1 Xiao Dan broke in, his tone low and warning. Junjie understood it with nothing else being said. They needed to keep in mind that it was no guarantee that the child would stay with them. It needed to be thoroughly discussed.
“Pah.” Ming Yu waved a dismissive hand at him, not at all caring about his warnings. She acted as if she were sure they were keeping the boy, and there was no point in discussing it further. Junjie bit his bottom lip and lowered his head to hide his grin behind the child’s head as Shijie2 stole control of the kitchen from Xiao Dan.