Page 43 of Two Thousand Blades

“And then you were kidnapped.”

“I’m pretty sure I was rescued like Moon,” Xiang stated.

The woman glared at him and balled one of her hands into a fist. Before it could come down on the top of Xiang’s head, Kai’s instincts took over. He darted forward and wrapped his fingers around her slender wrist, stopping her hand. At the same time, he grabbed Xiang’s arm with his free hand and pulled the vampire behind his body, separating him from the rest of his clan.

“Xiang belongs to me. No one harms what is mine,” Kai growled into the silence.

Fuck sitting back and waiting for Xiang to introduce him. To hell with letting his story fall out in a sensible manner. It was hard enough to deal with the idea that he could be seeing Xiang for the last time. While he was present, no one could hurt him in any way.

As he might have expected, his announcement froze everyone on the spot. No one blinked or even seemed to breathe as they stared at him and Xiang. Kai released the woman and took a step away, corralling Xiang further as he put more distance between them and the rest of the clan.

“Aiya!” Xiang cried as he slipped past Kai. He lifted a hand and placed it against his cheek, drawing his glare from the clan to his face. “Meimei isn’t trying to hurt me.”

“She’s a trained warrior, just like you. She can cause you harm if that’s what she wishes,” Kai grumbled, while trying not to lean into his touch. He glanced over Xiang’s shoulder to see that the look of surprise on her cute face shifted into a wide grin.

Meimei retreated to stand with the others, a bounce in her step. “Well, at least he’s right about that part.”

“She won’t hurt me. She’s my little shimei,” Xiang argued.

“Isn’t this typical dragon behavior?” This question came from the elf and it was very effective in getting everyone to fall silent. The group turned as one to stare at the blond man, who shrugged. “What? Didn’t you know? He’s the dragon who stole Xiang.”

All eyes snapped to Kai. Xiang winced, squeezing his eyes shut. The quiet of the room took on a near brittle quality, as if everyone hovered on the edge of exploding. Or possibly attacking. Kai’s brain screamed to wrap an arm around Xiang’s waist and drag him out of there and to the hoard.

But they wouldn’t attack Xiang. No, they were going to attack Kai to protect Xiang from him.

He deserved it. The cut of their blades, their distrust and animosity. All of it. He should have released Xiang weeks ago, but selfishness had driven him to hold on to the vampire longer than necessary. Xiang’s company gave him such joy. He looked forward to his stupid jokes and teasing. Yet keeping him meant denying his family his company, protection, and warmth.

Xiang whipped his head around and glared at the elf. “Seriously? This is your idea of being helpful?” he snapped. Xiang shifted so that he was standing in front of Kai like a flesh and bone shield. “It wasn’t all that long ago that Yichen brought you back to the clan—an elf—after he’d been held prisoner and tortured by elves for a full century.”

The elf flinched. “Yeah, sorry about that. I thought everyone knew.”

The vampire with the long dark hair standing next to the elf bumped him. “How could you tell?”

“It’s his magical aura. It’s different, bigger. A lot bigger than anything I’ve ever seen.” He shrugged and motioned toward Kai. “What else could he be but a dragon?”

“Look, everyone relax,” Xiang broke in. “Kai doesn’t mean any harm. Yes, he is the dragon who grabbed me in the woods, but he’s been protecting me from the fae. Plus, he’s already had something stolen from him, so it makes him edgy about losing anything else.”

As he spoke, Kai placed a hand on Xiang’s waist, preparing to pull him behind him or just away from this house if these people seemed like they were going to take Xiang. A heartbeat later, Xiang covered Kai’s hand with his own, but he didn’t remove it. No, he squeezed Kai’s hand, threading their fingers together, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. It still didn’t feel like it was, but that small touch unraveled some of the tension trying to crush his lungs. For the first time in several minutes, he could draw in a breath.

“Shidi, I don’t understand what’s going on.” This came from the vampire who appeared to be the oldest of the group. The leader of this clan. Xiang flinched, and Kai’s heart sank as he waited for Xiang to release his hold on Kai’s hand. To feel him pull away and return to his people.

“It’s a long story that we’ll get to, but the short of it was that Kai had no choice but to take me. However, he didn’t harm me. He nearly died protecting me from Queen Belladonna when she ordered him to kill me,” Xiang explained.

“It’s okay, Xiang,” he whispered, forcing his fingers to release Xiang when his entire body ached to pull him deeper into his embrace. Just wrap his arms around Xiang’s chest and fly them to the hoard. It was the only safe place in the world.

But it wasn’t. Not really.

If it was so safe, the fae would never have been able to sneak in and steal his sword.

No, the last safe place for Xiang was with his clan. His family.

His heart cracked down the center as he lifted his hand free of Xiang’s waist and slipped it out of Xiang’s grasp. The vampire whirled, confusion twisting up his handsome features.

“What…” Xiang started to demand, but Kai stopped him with a small shake of his head.

“It’s time for me to leave. You are home safe with your clan.”

He took a step back toward the door and Xiang lunged at him, grabbing his biceps with one hand and wrapping his other across the nape of his neck. “No! You can’t leave.”

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