15. Li Xiang

Oh Gods, Kai knew how to kiss.

His fucking toes were curling in his shoes. Xiang wasn’t entirely sure how they’d gotten to this point, but he was not complaining. It was just that Kai had started talking about leaving and something inside of Xiang’s brain had screamed that if he let Kai out that door, he would never see the dragon again.

And then he couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

Never seeing Kai was like losing a limb, or maybe part of his soul. Whatever. He was beyond rational thought and was willing to do whatever he needed to convince the dragon to stay. He’d figure out shit with his family later.

But now he was in Kai’s arms, lips moving together, tongues tangling. Every breath he inhaled was an exhale straight from Kai’s lungs. This was perfect…except for one thing.

They had an audience.

“Damn, I should have made popcorn,” Meimei whispered loudly.

“Should I be recording this? I feel like I should be recording this,” Moon chimed in.

“Definitely didn’t see this coming,” Junjie muttered.

“I’m so confused,” Chen stated, and Xiang almost broke off the kiss there.

“They’re lovers,” Moon replied in a low tone that rivaled Meimei’s. “They’ve been fucking in this dragon’s hoard while he was kidnapped.”

“Rescued,” Meimei corrected.

That ended the kiss right there. He was giving his family the wrong idea, right? Well, they hadn’t been intimate like that. He had the image growing in his mind now, though. He had seen Kai naked once, but blood had covered the dragon from head to toe. It hadn’t been conducive to sexy thoughts.

Would Kai be interested in more than kissing?

No! Bad brain! Later. Much, much later.

Xiang opened his eyes and stared into silvery-gray ones that were filled with the same wonder that was swelling in his chest. He wasn’t alone in this. He flashed Kai what he hoped was a reassuring smile and swung back to his clan, who were watching him with a mix of confused and shocked expressions. This was not how he expected to be introducing Kai to his clan.

Shoving aside his own anxieties and swirling thoughts, he stepped up to Xiao Dan first and bowed his head. “I’m sorry for worrying you, Shixiong. I am home now and would like to introduce to you Kai. He is a dragon and needs our help. The fae stole a sword from him.”

Kai cleared his throat and edged forward. “It was a gift from Huangdi?1 for help I offered a village during a fight with his brother.”

Xiang swung around, his face stark white and eyes wide. “Huangdi? You came to the aid of Huangdi, and he gave you the sword?”

Gasps erupted from the thick gathering in the foyer, and everyone suddenly bowed to Kai.

Everyone except for Moon and Rei.

“Now I’m confused,” Moon complained.

“Yep. Totally lost,” Rei agreed as he rubbed his jaw.

Chen’s hand shot up, landed on the back of Moon’s head, and pushed him into a bow. “Heathen,” he snarled between clenched teeth.

“Huangdi was China’s first and greatest emperor. He later became a god,” Yichen mumbled.

“Dragons are gods,” Meimei hissed.

“Are you shitting me? Xiang is fucking a dragon god?” Moon shouted.

“Please, don’t. This is unnecessary,” Kai pressed. He took a step forward, one hand extended in front of him as if he wanted to straighten each one of them. The dragon’s cheeks had turned crimson, which was probably the same color as his own face, judging by the heat he could feel rising. He was feeling a little grateful that Kai had given no names when talking about that sword, or he wouldn’t have been able to function for days afterward.

“I’m not fucking Kai,” he grumbled, trying to stomp on the one bit of insanity he could wrap his head around. His dark gaze swept over each and every one of them gathered there, pausing for an extra second on Moon and Mei Lian.

“Why not?” Rei called out, and Xiang considered throwing something at the elf’s head.

“Wait a minute!” Junjie broke in. “If he’s the dragon who came to answer Huangdi’s request for help, wouldn’t that make him Yinglong?2? Why do you call him Kai?”

“That’s right,” Ming Yu added. “Yinglong was the dragon who drank up the flood waters to save the people. He became so full of water that he couldn’t fly up to the heavens again.”

“He said his name was Kai,” Xiang groaned, while his brain screamed Yinglong repeatedly. He was the first imperial dragon.

“Actually, I told you I didn’t know my name. You decided it was Kai,” the dragon broke in with a hint of teasing in his tone.

Xiao Dan cleared his throat, though it sounded more like he was choking on a laugh. Shixiong stepped forward and smiled warmly at Kai. “We are honored to have you in our home. We hope you will stay and tell us about your experiences with the fae. It sounds as if we have a common enemy.”

Xiang was tempted to give Xiao Dan a hug for his ability to coolly smooth over the awkward moment. Yet considering how Kai had reacted to Meimei trying to hit him, throwing himself at Da-ge?3 wouldn’t go over well either.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Kai agreed, and they finally moved out of the foyer. Xiang could only hope this was the start of his clan mates forgetting about his love life.

Xiao Dan led the way, with Ming Yu at his side. Xiang grabbed Kai’s hand and pulled him along, past his nosy family, into the main meeting room with long cream-colored couches and coffee tables. Ming Yu disappeared as they reached the room, and she snagged Mei Lian along the way as she headed for the kitchen. She was going to make some tea for their guest.

As soon as they sat, all eyes snapped straight to Kai, who kept his eyes locked on his own hands clenched together in his lap while his lips formed a pained frown. Xiang could imagine that he’d probably not been the focus of so many people in a long time. This was awkward for him. To keep him from scurrying to his hoard, Xiang straightened and seized the reins.

“When the door between realms opened more than a hundred years ago, the fae immediately began searching for an item with a great deal of magical power. It was the sword Huangdi gave to Kai, which had been hidden with his hoard.” Xiang paused and rubbed his hand over his jaw. “To this day, Kai doesn’t know how they located the sword, but they got past all his protection spells and stole it. Shortly after, the door between the realms closed, making it impossible for Kai to reclaim what was his.”

A bitter laugh broke from Yichen, stopping Xiang’s story. He dropped his face into his hand and dragged in a ragged breath. “So kidnapping me was never part of their plan. It was just luck that they grabbed me as they raced to their realm before the door closed.”

Xiang’s heart ached for his didi. Poor luck that put him in the fae’s path that night. That resulted in him being kidnapped and stolen away from his clan for a hundred years.

Rei shifted even closer, wrapping an arm about Yichen’s waist while resting his head on the vampire’s shoulder. His long blond hair fell in a curtain, almost completely blocking his and Yichen’s faces from view, but he could still hear his whispered words.

“Bad luck for the pain you suffered. Good luck that we had the chance to find each other.”

Yichen nodded once, his lips brushing Rei’s temple. “Together forever. They’ll never separate us.” He turned his attention to Xiang and Kai. “Sorry. Continue, please.”

“The sword itself has no special powers,” Kai said as he took over the tale. “It just happens to be a sword gifted by Huangdi shortly ahead of his ascension to godhood. The problem lies in the fact that I regarded it as something infinitely precious from the moment I received it. I built my entire hoard around that sword. It is the heart of my treasure collection.”

“Oh, now this sounds especially bad,” Junjie murmured.

“To lose the heart of anything is the same as losing everything,” Ming Yu calmly announced as she entered the room carrying a tray with a steaming teapot with several cups. Mei Lian followed a couple of steps behind with another tray with more tea.

Ming Yu slipped into the empty spot on the other side of Kai and smiled warmly at him. “Would you like some tea, Great Dragon Master?”

“I would love some, please, but it’s Kai. That is all.”

Xiang leaned in from Kai’s other side, his chin almost resting on his shoulder. “That’s Su Ming Yu. The jiejie I told you about.”

One corner of Kai’s mouth lifted. “The jiejie who cooks such wonderful food that you missed while you were stuck with me.”

Xiang huffed. “It wasn’t that. But you couldn’t cook, and I don’t know how to cook anything as good as my shijie.”

Ming Yu laughed softly as she poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of Kai. She also poured a second and gave it to Xiang. “You only love me for my cooking.”

“No!” Xiang cried as he reached for the cup. “I love Jiejie because she always has warm hugs for me and tells the best stories. You know all the old fairy tales and myths.”

“Smooth talkers,” Ming Yu murmured as she finished filling cups and passing them around.

Since they’d reached a break, Xiang took the chance to finish introductions for Kai, which was more or less pure chaos, thanks to the recent additions of Rei and Moon. Their clan was bigger and stronger now, but Xiang could see that positive influence both men had on their mates. Yichen was still coming out of his gloomy shell, following his time with the fae thanks to Rei. Meanwhile, Chen was grinning a little easier because of Moon’s nonstop antics.

“Forgive me for being so blunt,” Chen began, and Xiang winced. This would not be good. “But are you following the command of Queen Belladonna because you hope to find an opportunity to steal your property back?”

“He’s not—” Xiang shouted and jumped to his feet, but Kai grabbed his hand and pulled him to his seat.

“His question is fair,” Kai stated as he squeezed Xiang’s hand. And like that, the flurry of rage in his chest fizzled out. Chen’s question might be fair, but that brief look and squeeze were not fair. He wanted to be angry and shout at Chen. Shouting at Chen was fun. If he did it enough, Chen would snap and shout in return.

Xiang pouted while Kai returned his attention to the rest of the gathering.

“Not quite. There is an old legend that unfortunately holds a rather large nugget of truth. If you possess the heart of a dragon’s hoard, you hold the power to command that dragon to do whatever you wish.”

“Oh fuck,” Moon whispered.

Yeah, Xiang felt the same way.

“Mother can command you to do whatever she wishes?” Rei asked. The elf shook his head. “No. No, this can’t continue. The damage she wrought across the human realm. The deaths of even my people. And now she has a dragon at her command?” Rei jumped to his feet, his fists trembling at his sides. “I can’t sit here another moment longer, waiting to see what fresh disaster she creates. I know I can sneak into the castle.”

“Stop!” Yichen shouted as he grabbed Rei’s arms, holding him in place. “You’re not throwing your life away like that.”

Rei opened his mouth to argue, but it was Xiao Dan who cut him off. “Rei, you are not responsible for the actions of all your people. You’re not even responsible for the actions of your mother. The only one you are responsible for is yourself.” Shixiong paused and calmly took a sip of his tea. “Furthermore, you are now a member of the Zhang clan. As your shixiong, I will not allow you to throw your life away over some misplaced guilt.”

The elf wilted in front of Xiang’s eyes, and he collapsed on the sofa. Yichen clung to his mate, whispering reassuring words in his ear, but not before he threw a grateful look in Xiao Dan’s direction.

“It’s more complicated than that,” Kai added with a fragile smile. “She can’t simply pick up the sword and summon me. She needs to have a great deal of magical power at her fingertips. From what I’ve seen, it takes at least several weeks to for her to draw enough power together to summon me.”

“That night in the forest by the river?” Chen inquired.

Kai turned his attention to Chen. “That was only the second time since the door opened that she’d called me successfully to do her biding. Even then, the orders have to be simple.”

“That’s why she’s been able to call you only one other time since you accidentally took me instead of Yichen,” Xiang added, looking up a Kai. “She’s been completely out of magical juice. It took three weeks for her to summon Kai again.”

“I wonder if that’s why the king seemed so sick the last two times I faced him,” Rei murmured. “He appeared as if someone had sucked him dry. Shriveled like a raisin.”

Yichen grunted. “Makes sense. She probably pulled his magic energy to gather the power she needed to command a dragon.”

“But now he’s dead, and she has to carry the burden alone. Unless,” Chen paused, his lips twisting into a frown. “Unless she finds someone else to use as her battery.”

Rei shook his head. “Doubtful. The royal family is the most powerful. My half brother Trin is an obvious target, but he doesn’t carry the blood of both the king and queen. He wouldn’t have the same royal power as my father. He would need to ascend formally to the Dawn Throne first.”

“That means her only other target for a power source is you,” Junjie stated, staring straight at Rei.

“Well, that settles that question,” Yichen announced, straightening. “You’re not leaving the clan house until we figure out how to deal with the fae.”

“Actually, that rule would go for both of you,” Ming Yu stated as soon as Rei’s mouth opened to argue with his mate. “Everyone knows that if the queen were to get her hands on Yichen, Rei would instantly give up.”

Yichen sucked in a breath as though he were preparing to argue, but a second later, his body buckled. “Ugh. Fuck. Fine.”

“I need to reacquire my sword,” Kai murmured. “It’s the one way to remove myself as a threat to your clan. I’ve tried fighting her commands, and the result…” His words drifted off. He lowered his eyes to his fisted hands. “The result is not consistent. I succeeded the last time, but I can’t promise that I would be able to fight her the next time.”

“No.” The whispered word drifted from Xiang’s lips before he could catch it. The image of nearly lifeless, blood-covered Kai sprang into his mind, and it chilled him to his soul. “No, you can’t do that again.” He grabbed Kai’s arm and squeezed. “You nearly died fighting her. I won’t let you do that to yourself again.”

Kai placed his hand over Xiang’s, but his touch failed to chase away the icy bite that sank into his bones. “She ordered me to kill you. Nothing—not even the power she wields—could make me do such a thing. I would rather die.”

“No one is dying,” Xiao Dan declared, drawing all eyes to him. “Defeating the fae is now more than killing Queen Belladonna and pushing the army through the door. We have to regain Kai’s sword so he can be sure he is truly free of their influence.” Xiao Dan turned his attention to Kai and Xiang. “How long has it been since she last issued a command?”

“Roughly a week,” Xiang answered.

“How much time do you think you have until she can make another attempt?”

Kai frowned, his brow furrowing. “It’s hard to say. Two weeks. Possibly longer if I wasn’t the only one injured when I fought her command.”

“Okay. I’ll contact King Aiden and the rest of the Variks, giving them an update on what we know. With a new goal that we have to achieve, we’ll need to meet to make plans for our next attack,” Xiao Dan explained. His long, slender fingers turned his small teacup without him actually taking a sip of the now-cold liquid. “With the humans now in the know, things are definitely more complicated.”

Xiang’s heart sank into his stomach like a stone. “What do you mean? What’s happened to the humans?”

Chen made a disgusted noise. “The spell the fae cast that night in the woods flew east, causing trees the size of redwoods to shoot up. Nearly every city was wiped out from east of Hartford to just shy of Boston.”

“All of Rhode Island is gone. Half of Connecticut is gone. A big chunk of Massachusetts is gone,” Moon listed.

“And the fae have stopped hiding,” Mei Lian added. “They’ve been out in force, attacking any human that dares to set foot in the new forest lands. People have tried to cross it via all-terrain vehicles and even on horseback, but they’ve all been hunted down. Even the ocean is thick with mermaids and selkies capsizing boats. The only way that has worked so far is by plane.”

“What about us?” Xiang inquired.

“Vampires, shifters, and witches are keeping a low profile,” Chen answered.

“But everyone feels like it’s just a matter of time before the last veil is pulled aside,” Moon said.

Xiang’s heart went out to the man. While he had a new vampire family to rely on, he still had friends who fell in the shifter and witch camps who were in danger.

“I’ve also heard nothing from Trin since our last encounter in the woods. He could have been injured, or the queen’s guards could have captured him,” Rei reported, shoving one hand through his long hair to push it away from his face. “I was thinking of asking Huli to make another trip out to find him, but I know things have grown more dangerous with the fae everywhere. It will be more difficult for him.”

“All you can do is ask.” Xiao Dan picked up his tea and took a small sip. “If he thinks it is too dangerous for him, he will tell you.”

Xiang shoved away the swell of dislike that rose at every mention of the huli jing. He didn’t trust the fox spirit, but he had to admit that he had proved useful on more than one occasion. Thanks to his magic, Huli was quite good at slipping by the numerous fae out there. The huli jing’s sudden helpfulness did not fool him. The creature’s motives were purely selfish. He wanted to get closer to their shixiong. If it weren’t for Xiao Dan, the fox spirit would be a pure menace.

“I will,” Rei agreed. “I’ll also try to think of other insiders who might take a stand against the queen.” He glanced over at Kai and smirked. “If she publicly failed to control the dragon, that could prove quite a hit in the confidence her people harbor for her. Some might now be willing to turn back if it looks like the dragon could break free.”

“Very good. I think we all have things we need to work on. I’ll share the news I receive from the Variks.” Xiao Dan turned and smiled at Kai. “We would be honored if you would stay with us.”

“I appreciate the offer, but if the queen were to summon me, I don’t want to put anyone within the Zhang clan in danger,” Kai replied.

“Nope, you’ve gotta stay!” Moon interjected. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I’ve got some witch friends who might think of some magic spells that could help to block the queen’s commands. Or at least lessen the pull. Make it easier for you to fight her.”

Xiang shifted in his seat so he could stick his face directly in front of Kai’s. “You’re staying here with me, or I go to the hoard with you. Those are your choices.”

One corner of Kai’s mouth twitched higher as if he were fighting a grin. “And if I bring the hoard here?”

Xiang sat up and looked around, eyes wide as he shoved one hand through his hair. Where the hell would they put all those treasures? Kai’s hoard was enormous. Besides all the furniture, there was an entire armory and a library of books that would make Chen drool. Then the piles and piles of gems. He did miss the mountain of pillows and cushions they’d spent hours reclining on, though.

Of course, all the members of his clan would respect Kai’s possessions and guard them with their lives, but really, where would it all go? Even in their home in Luoyang, they would be hard pressed to find a place for it. Their temporary home in the United States was large, but still only a third of the size of their true home.

Beside him, Kai closed his eyes and drew in a slow, deep breath. He held it for a couple of heartbeats and released it again with a smile rising on his lips. “There.”

“There what?” Xiang asked, cocking his head at Kai.

The dragon smirked and opened his eyes. “I moved the hoard.”

“Where?” Meimei demanded.

“Here.”

“What?” Xiang’s voice cracked. He jerked his head around to search the room, but Kai’s low chuckle brought his eyes to his face.

“I moved the hoard and the cave. It is now below this house.”

“What the…how?”

This time it was Chen who laughed. “He’s a dragon. They’re known for having immense magical powers. It was probably nothing for him to move a treasure hoard and a cave.”

Kai shrugged one shoulder as he smirked at Chen. “Well, it was a little work.”

Xiao Dan cleared his throat. “Xiang, why don’t you give our guest a tour of our home and make sure that all his needs are met?” Then Shixiong bowed his head to Kai. “Please, think of our home as your home.”

Yes, Kai had a new home, and Xiang was going to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere for a very long time. They had many things that needed to be discussed, starting with that last kiss.

1 ?Huangdi – the Yellow Emperor. A person from ancient Chinese mythology who was the founder of Chinese culture and civilization. Upon his death, it was believed that he was carried to the heavens by a dragon and made a god.

2 ?Yinglong – first imperial dragon. His name means ‘dragon who responds’

3 ?Da-ge – senior older brother, a sort of respectful endearment