Page 79 of Two Thousand Blades

Kai flashed him that evil pouty expression, but Xiang ignored him as he climbed under the blankets. Kai’s warm body soon joined him. They wrapped their arms around each other and tangled their legs.

“I just want to hold you and listen to your heartbeat,” Xiang murmured, his head resting on Kai’s chest.

Strong arms tightened on Xiang, and a contented sigh escaped Kai’s lips. “Yes, this. I need this too. You are mine, and no one will ever take you from me.”

Mine.

Kai was his at last. And Xiang would allow no one to separate them.

Which meant they needed to come up with a plan to defeat the fae now.

Chapter 27

Kai

Kai did not want to leave the cozy cocoon he and Xiang had built in his bed. For almost the entire day, they’d remained in Xiang’s bed, wrapped in blankets, napping, kissing, eating, napping, and—when he finally convinced Xiang he was healed—having sex. Kai had no interest in leaving this happy spot. The only thing better would have been cuddling within his own hoard.

But there was no leaving while the sun was up and Xiang’s clan was vulnerable. He didn’t mind sticking close, protecting the Zhang clan with his mate. Plus, his hoard was right below them. He could feel that everything was safe and sound there. It was more a drive to drag his mate to the place where they had their special, secret moments away from the world. He wanted to put Xiang back in his hoard so he could create more happy memories there.

And also have sex on his bed.

Later.

All of that would have to come later.

Right now, they needed a plan for taking out Queen Belladonna and forcing the fae from the human realm. Defeating Belladonna meant freeing both himself and Rei from her clutches. He wouldn’t have to worry about her possibly controlling him any longer, and Rei could breathe without fearing her striking the world and family he loved.

“Aren’t any of the Variks joining us for this meeting?” Meimei inquired as she dropped into one of the empty seats.

Today she was a kaleidoscope of bright colors and furry cat ears sticking out from the top of her head. Kai frowned at them and reached out so he could poke one with a finger when Xiang leaned in close. “They’re not real.”

Kai grunted and dropped his hand to his side. He wasn’t entirely sure what Mei Lian’s vampiric gift was, but he didn’t think it was shapeshifting into other creatures.

“I don’t wish to bother the Variks on this mission. They’re still recovering from the last attack,” Xiao Dan replied.

Ming Yu leaned forward as she picked up a cup of tea. “Have you heard any news from them? Is Fox okay? What about Bel and his mates?”

“Fox has recovered. While he has lost his powers as a witch, Aiden has stated that he can still protect Winter from visions of the ghosts. In fact, it seems Winter is the one who is still recovering from nearly losing his mate.”

“Oh, thank God,” Moon muttered with a heavy sigh as he dropped his face into his hands. “Fox was worried about losing that.”

Chen placed an arm around his mate’s shoulders and squeezed as he stated. “Apparently, there have been other troubles in the vampire world that are taking up King Aiden’s time and preoccupying the Variks. Marcus hasn’t come out and said what the issue is, but I feel they would be thinly stretched if they attempted to assist us as well.”

Xiang clapped his hands together and rubbed them. “Fine with me. We’ve taken out plenty of dangerous targets in the past with no one else. We can kill Queen Belladonna and force the fae into their realm on our own.”

Yichen snorted. “I love how you make that sound so simple, and yet they’ve been here for months killing people and torturing your own mate.”

Kai was torn between wanting to preen over the fact that Yichen had called him Xiang’s mate, but he also wanted to hit the vampire for saying such mean words to his mate. Of course, Xiang didn’t need his defense. His highly trained and very skilled vampire could take care of himself—as shown by the mantou?1 he chucked at Yichen’s head.

“Hey!” Moon cried out as he lunged for the bowl of innocent white buns in the center of the table. “Ming Yu made those for me. They’re not for throwing.”

Meimei wrinkled her nose at them. “Why did you ask for mantou? Jiejie makes an amazing egg and chives baozi?2.”

Moon clutched the mantou to his chest. “Sometimes a boy just wants some soft, yummy bread.”

Xiao Dan cleared his throat. “Maybe it would be more productive if we got to the matter at hand. I was waiting?—”

“Here! I’m here!” Huli bounced into the room and scurried around everyone else to land in the seat right next to Xiao Dan in a flurry of orange tails. Kai cocked his head at the huli jing, marveling at how he had appeared as mostly human, except for his many tails dancing behind him and a pair of triangular orange and black ears poking out from the top of his head. Now that he saw the difference, Meimei’s ears were definitely fake compared to Huli’s, which twitched and moved constantly to reflect him reacting to all the various sounds and his own mood.

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