Page 67 of Two Thousand Blades

“Kai,” Yichen said as he held his gaze. “If you are Xiang’s mate, you are part of our clan. It’s like you married in. Rei is my mate, and he’s an elf. He’s a member of the Zhang clan now.”

“Same with Moon,” Xiao Dan added.

“Oh.”

For the first time since he’d started this spilling-tea session with Xiao Dan and Yichen, a bright spark of hope exploded in his chest. It steadily grew, warming him. If Xiang returned his feelings, if he wished to be Kai’s mate, they could stay together. They could continue sleeping together in the same bed and sharing all their meals together. So many minutes of his day would continue to be filled with Xiang’s smiling face.

But more than that, he would have a clan. A family. Vampires and an elf would surround him. There would be more laughter and interesting conversations. And Ming Yu’s wonderful cooking! To be able to relish the flavors of home as he remembered them was a dream come true.

He wanted to tell them he accepted this offer to be part of their clan—assuming Xiang wanted him to remain close—but the warmth that had spread across his chest turned into a sharp pain. Pressing his hand to his heart, Kai frowned and searched for the source of this discomfort. He was a dragon. It wasn’t like he could get sick or even suffer a heart attack.

The sharp stabbing struck again, and this time, a distinct pull accompanied it.

“No!” he gasped. He stumbled to his feet, knocking over the stool with a loud clatter.

“Kai? What’s wrong?” Xiao Dan demanded.

His head snapped up and a cold sweat broke out across his skin. He had to leave now. The urge to change into his dragon form was overwhelming, but he couldn’t do it here. The house would be destroyed and the Zhang clan hurt if not killed by the intruding rays of sunlight.

He couldn’t leave. He’d promised Xiang he would protect his clan. That he’d keep Yichen out of trouble.

But staying wasn’t an option.

“Tell Xiang I’m sorry I failed to keep my promise,” he bit out between teeth clenched against another slash of pain. He staggered as quickly as he could manage to the front door with both Xiao Dan and Yichen on his heels.

“What’s going on?” Yichen called out, his question edged with the harsh bite of worry.

Kai grabbed the cool metal handle and pressed his damp forehead to the wood. His breathing was fractured pants, unable to drag enough air into his lungs through the pain. “The queen…she summons me.”

With the last of his strength, he jerked the door open and slipped out into the sunlight. He took one step onto the pavement and launched himself into the air, his body twisting and contorting into his long, sleek dragon form. For a moment, the pain receded and there was just the delicious caress of the wind along his scales.

Then the noose tightened around his throat, and he was dragged across the sky. Called back to the queen of the fae.

Chapter 22

Li Xiang

The second Xiang could slam the SUV into park in the clan’s driveway, he hopped out of the vehicle and stared into the sky, squinting at what he was sure was a flash of golden dragon scales. Kai!

“Was it him? Did you see him? Rei demanded as he leaped from the car as well.

“I don’t know,” Xiang replied. He ran to the front door, only to have it swing open before he could even touch it. Yichen and Xiao Dan were standing in the foyer, their faces tense and pale.

“Kai’s gone,” Yichen blurted out.

“Queen Belladonna summoned him. He tried to fight it,” Xiao Dan explained.

“He can’t fight it. She’s getting stronger,” Xiang snarled. He continued through the manor, not stopping to talk about what they’d learned from Trin or discuss options. There were no options. Winding his way down the hallway with the others following him closely, Rei recapped their brief meeting with his half brother. Xiang ignored it all. He had to keep moving to his final destination. If he stopped moving, his legs could give out in a swell of fear and panic.

At the pair of only locked double doors in the entire manor, Xiang submitted the complicated combination and pulled both open to enter the armory. The few things he and Rei had packed against Trin and his army wouldn’t be nearly enough for what he had planned.

“Xiang, you can’t go after him,” Xiao Dan announced. His voice was firm and left no room for argument, but this time, he couldn’t listen to his shixiong. Kai needed him. He was not abandoning his dragon to that bitch.

His eyes skimmed over the wide variety of weapons filling the room, but the weapons Kai had added to their collection drew him in. Yes, that was what he needed. The fae needed to be cut down and his dragon freed with the very weapons he’d given to them for their protection.

“Xiang!” Xiao Dan shouted when he didn’t react the first time. Behind him, he could hear the rest of the clan gathering outside the armory where Yichen and Rei were catching them up on what was happening.

“Xiang!”

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