Page 50 of Two Thousand Blades

Xiang jerked his head up, his brow wrinkling. “But they’re in your hoard. I didn’t think a dragon would ever be willing to part with anything from his hoard.”

The funny thing was that Xiang was right. Kai had never heard of a dragon giving away parts of his hoard. Especially something so beloved as ancient swords from his armory. But he didn’t feel even a twinge of regret. No, if anything, his chest swelled with joy at the idea of these swords now in the possession of Xiang and the rest of his clan.

“This is where they belong,” Kai stated. “Use them well to protect your family.”

“I will. I swear.” Xiang’s eyes were locked on the weapons, his fingers dancing across them as if they were the most precious things in all the world. Yes, they were in safe keeping with Xiang.

After calling Junjie and Chen to marvel at their new acquisitions, Xiang took Kai’s hand again and led him down the winding hall to a very different room. A bedroom that smelled thickly of Xiang. This must have been his private quarters before being stolen away.

The joy that had bubbled up in his chest fizzled and drained away. He tried to look at it through objective eyes. It was a handsome room with many dark colors and fine furniture. There were a few paintings on the walls that appeared to be done by the same artist featured throughout the house. Kai suspected that one of Xiang’s clan mates had painted them. A few more weapons hung on the walls. But other than that, the furnishings were simple and sparse.

No matter how hard he tried to appreciate that he was standing in Xiang’s personal space, a feeling of frustration and hopelessness was welling up within him. Naturally, now that Xiang was home, he would want to sleep in his own bed, surrounded by his own possessions, rather than sleep within the hoard.

His every instinct was to whisk Xiang to the hoard and not let him out. This was a dragon thing. He knew it. Humans didn’t have this possessive need, and they had trouble understanding it. Kai needed to let Xiang go. Give him space.

Space did not mean losing Xiang.

Space was just…space.

Xiang would be fine. Safe. Happy without him.

As he stood frowning at the bed that didn’t look as nice as the grand canopy bed in his hoard, Xiang darted over to a small door and pulled it open. He snagged a black backpack, tossed it onto the bed, and crossed over to the dresser.

“Don’t frown and pout,” Xiang called over his shoulder. “I’m going to pack a few things to bring to the hoard. The clothes you’ve got in there are nice, but I miss my clothes.”

Kai blinked. His tongue forgetting how to work for a couple of seconds as his brain processed what Xiang was saying. “I don’t understand,” Kai said. “Don’t you wish to stay here with your clan?”

Xiang dropped an armload of shirts, pants, and undergarments on the bed next to his bag and smirked at Kai. “Of course I do. I figured it might be a good idea to stay close to you in the hoard while we try to get your sword back. Just in case the queen tries to issue another command. I want to be there to help fight it.” He narrowed his eyes and pointed at Kai. “You also seem the type to run off and hide your wounds instead of letting someone help you. If I’m in the hoard, you can’t hide from me. You need someone to take care of you.”

Lowering his hand to his side, Xiang took a step closer to Kai, whose heart was threatening to pound right out of his chest. He was tumbling into Xiang’s smile, getting so very lost in everything about this man. How did Xiang know him so well?

“Plus,” Xiang drew out as he tapped his index finger on the center of Kai’s chest, “I have to finish convincing you to stay with my clan. This is where you belong now.”

“You don’t think the rest of your martial brothers and sisters will mind adding a dragon to their ranks?”

Xiang snorted. “No, I really don’t think they’ll mind. You protected me and brought a very excellent gift of weapons. How could they not love you?”

“I kidnapped you,” he pointed out.

The vampire made a dismissive noise and lifted one shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. “Against your will. You didn’t choose to kidnap me. You were forced. Besides, Chen kidnapped Moon and was allowed to keep him.”

“What about this?” Kai dipped his head the short distance between them and captured Xiang’s parted lips in a soft, quick kiss. He pulled away enough to break off the kiss, but his mouth still brushed Xiang’s as he spoke. “Will we discuss this?”

“This is called kissing,” Xiang teased. He tipped his head up, stealing another kiss. It was longer than the first and a touch hungrier. Kai wasn’t ready for it to end when Xiang pulled away. He chased after his mouth, his forehead touching Xiang’s. Their noses bumped and breaths mingled together in an intoxicating dance. “Kissing isn’t something that needs discussing. It just needs practice. Lots and lots of practice.”

A smile spread across Kai’s lips as Xiang punctuated each of those last few sentences with another kiss. This was something he could enjoy practicing. Along with other things. He liked kissing Xiang. He hadn’t really wanted to discuss it. Talking about it meant that Xiang had a chance to change his mind about it. That was a horrible idea.

No, they needed to continue this.

Preferably in the hoard that rested safely in his cave under their feet. Where no one could reach them.

Kai tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss, loving the flick and slide of Xiang’s tongue along his own. The joyful noise that rumbled up Xiang’s throat. The bite of his fingers as they sank into Kai’s biceps, pulling him in closer as if he couldn’t get enough.

A loud knock broke them apart with a jump. Before Kai could snarl at the person who dared to interrupt them, a shout followed the knock.

“Variks are in trouble! We need to go now!”

Xiang swore under his breath as he leaped out of Kai’s arms for the door. Kai had heard many mentions of this vampire clan. Were they really worth stopping this important kissing?

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