Page 38 of Two Thousand Shadows

“Not a bit. Are you sure you’re okay? I’d heard rumors that shifter blood packs an extra punch for vampires, but I guess I didn’t believe it until now.”

“A very good punch,” Junjie agreed with a nod. “I want to bite you again.”

“I think it might be a good idea if we wait a little while before you get any more nibbles.”

Junjie’s grin grew even wider, and he ran the tip of his tongue over one of his fangs. “Want to bite you again.”

“Do you only bite? Or do you know how to kiss, too?” Leo purred.

“Hey! No seducing him while he’s drunk!” Chen shouted from the driver’s seat.

“I like bitingandkissing,” Junjie said, ignoring Chen completely as he tipped his lips up toward Leo’s.

His eyes fell shut at the first brush of tender flesh against his lips. The soft heat mixed with the gentlest pressure to sweep him away. It wasn’t the kind of kiss he’d expected from the flirty cat, and yet it was utterly perfect in every way. He wanted it to go on. For their lips to part and their tongues to explore their mouths. He wanted to taste Leo’s moans and feel their bodies press together as the kiss grew deeper.

The only problem was…he passed out.

Chapter 10

Leo St. George

The fae never attacked them on the way to the manor.

Of course, with Junjie passing out after becoming intoxicated on his blood, Chen felt free to make it very clear that Leo was unwanted.

Not that Leo felt insulted in the slightest.

He would have been more upset if Chen hadn’t gotten fussy about his shameless flirting with Junjie, not to mention kissing a man who didn’t have his full faculties about him.

So, he left the manor only to return day after day to see Junjie. His one problem was that his vampire was now avoiding him.

Junjie had stopped bringing Erik out into the garden to feed the fish and play among the trees, which seemed very wrong for Erik and the fish.

He stopped by in the afternoon to discover that Xiang and Kai had taken over the job. Erik’s schedule had shifted to include a midday wander through the backyard and fish feeding.

Yep, Junjie was avoiding him.

That would not last.

While Leo didn’t think he could sneak past a dragon, he believed Kai was a troublemaker and romantic at heart. Kaiglanced in his direction when Leo crept through the flowers, but the sneaky dragon said nothing to give away his presence. He even helped to distract his mate with the child as Leo opened the rear door a crack and squeezed his slender body inside.

On silent cat paws, he padded through the house where all the good little vampires and one elf were sleeping. He hurried straight to Junjie’s room, where he was planning to curl up on the foot of Junjie’s bed and nap until the vampire woke for the evening.

But he was in luck. Junjie was awake, and by the sound of the running water, in the shower.

Leo slipped into the room and shifted into his human form so that he could close and lock the door behind him. It was so very tempting to appear naked on Junjie’s bed once again, but he was afraid that such a move would shut down any attempts to talk to Junjie before they’d begun.

Junjie exited his bathroom with a thick white towel wrapped around his waist. He’d dried the water from his pale skin, but drops fell from his hair to dot his chest and shoulders. The poor vampire gasped upon finding him in his private chambers and lurched back, only to have his foot catch on one of Erik’s toys. As he was falling, Leo lunged forward and caught him by the waist while Junjie grabbed his shoulders.

“What are you doing here?” Junjie demanded.

“Surprise!” Leo giggled.

“No surprise. You shouldn’t be here. Did Xiang and Kai let you in?”

“Not technically.” Leo grimaced, closing one eye. “Kai might have looked the other way as I sneaked past him and Xiang with Erik.” He opened his eye and let his gaze travel over all the handsome muscles in front of him. “You look to be in good health. Nothing wrong?”

Junjie cleared his throat and released Leo. He tried to take a step away to put some space between them, but Leo took an answering step forward, keeping them close and the empty air charged with something that tingled along his skin.

---