Page 5 of Two Thousand Shadows

“We’re a long way off from being friends. We’re strangers. In fact, I’m a stranger who has beenliedto.”

Leo huffed, a frown tugging at his lips. The friendly, easygoing attitude fell away for the first time. “Look, I wouldn’t have revealed myself to you if I wasn’t desperate. I probably wouldn’t have stuck around as long as I have, but I’m in a bad spot. Things are not going well for your clan at the moment. I get it, and you have my sympathy. The world is pretty shitty for a lot of people right now, thanks to the fae. The key difference between your clan and the humans and even my kind is that you’re holding your own.”

Fuck.

He had a point.

It was just that Junjie had already had a long night, and he wasn’t in the best mindset for surprises.

After taking a deep, steadying breath, Junjie nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry my temper has been short. What can I do to help you?”

“I need you to come with me.”

“Where?”

“It’s not too far. About twenty miles. Not a big deal. But it’s best if we go now while the fae are in such turmoil.” He reached for Junjie’s hand again and Junjie jerked away from him.

“Twenty miles? Out there?” He pointed at the big window on the wall that faced the rear garden. “The sun is rising. It’s too dangerous to go out there now. I’m avampire!”

“That’s why we need to leave right this second. If we go now, we should be back in time for you to get safely away from the sun.”

“Should be?” This cat-man was going to get him killed. Vampires didn’t live as long as he had by playing it fast and loose with the sun. The rising and setting of the sun weren’t things that could be fudged. “Can this wait until the sun sets? We won’tbe in a rush. The fae will be sorting out the mess we made for several days, at the very least.”

“We can’t wait. I’ve put this off for far too long.”

“What needs to be done?”

“Someone needs to be rescued. Someone…who’s like me.”

“Cat shifter?”

Leo nodded. “There are so very few of us in the world, Junjie. The number is growing smaller by the day because of the fae. Please, I can’t lose another one.”

Junjie wished he could say that he debated his next decision, but he didn’t. There was no way he was going to allow the fae to wipe an entire species from the earth. Not when they could do something about it.

“I need to tell the others. Get help.”

“No. Just you.” Leo’s eyes darted away from his as he continued. “It’s safer that way.” He felt like Leo was hiding something big from him, or at least not telling him the entire truth.

Junjie almost rolled his eyes at himself at that thought. As if Leo had told him the truth about anything. He’d hidden everything until he’d become trapped in a corner and had been left with no other option.

“It can’t be only me. It won’t be safe for anyone that way. How about I ask for Xiang and Kai to come with us? The sun can’t hurt Xiang, and I’m sure Kai will provide all the protection we might need.”

Leo’s smooth brow furrowed, and his upper lip curled. “The dragon,” he mumbled.

“That’s my final offer. I want to help you, but I won’t go alone with the sun so close to the horizon.” Leo also hadn’t bothered to describe who they were rescuing or who was holding his fellow pack mate hostage. There was no way in hell he was going with Leo without some kind of backup.

“Fine. Xiang and Kai will be fine.”

That settled, Junjie crossed to his door, intending to head to Xiang’s quarters to request his help. He glanced over his shoulder to tell Leo that he should find something in his closet to wear, but the man was gone. Something soft and furry brushed against his leg and he looked down to see Yiguo…grrrr…Leosqueeze through the opening in the door and trot along the hall as if he owned the place.

This cat was going to be the death of him.

Biting his tongue, Junjie followed the cat through the winding hall, their footfalls silent. There was no point in disturbing the rest of the clan until he knew how to tell them he’d welcomed an unknown shifter into their midst. That was going to be just fantastic. Chen was going to explode. He had never cared for Junjie’s pets.

When they reached Xiang’s door, Junjie knocked, but the interior of the room sounded too empty. Had Kai taken Xiang away to his hoard? That was great. How was he supposed to talk to Xiang now? Could a phone signal even reach the hoard?

He was about to step away from the door and go in search of Rei and Yichen. His clan mate was as vulnerable to the sun, but the elf wasn’t. Maybe he could give them the edge they needed.

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