6. Zhang Junjie

Chapter 6

Zhang Junjie

A squeal that did not come from the child in his arms turned Junjie away from the front door. A black SUV belonging to the Variks had pulled into the driveway, and he was preparing to meet their guests. Xiao Dan had invited them over to share information regarding the fae and to plan a strategy for dealing with them and Jiang Chong. This was not a time for distractions.

An answering laugh came from Erik when they spotted Mei Lian “sneaking” up on them. She curled her fingers like a witch about to snatch up a baby. Erik’s giggles filled the air as she tickled his round belly.

“He’s mine! All mine for the afternoon!” She cackled, pulling the little boy out of Junjie’s arms. He had to fight the urge to tighten his hold on the child, letting him slip away into another set of loving and safe arms.

“What are you talking about?”

“Shixiong said I don’t have to attend the meeting. Just a bunch of boring planning. I thought I would take Erik to play with some new toys I ordered for him.”

Junjie bit his tongue. The two-year-old had an entire room dedicated to toys. It was going to cost them a fortune to ship them to China when it was time to leave.

Oh, unless they could get Kai to move the toys the same way he’d moved his hoard. That could be an option.

But the important thing was, they were spoiling Erik terribly. Junjie didn’t dare chastise Meimei, because he was the worst of all.

Erik had been living with them for over a week, and he now had a closet filled with clothes and a room overflowing with toys. He also had a small bed set up in the room across the hall from Junjie, but more often than not, he ended up sleeping in Junjie’s bed.

It wasn’t his fault!

How was he supposed to say no to those enormous eyes and that sweet baby giggle?

Impossible. Simply impossible.

“Are you sure you don’t want to be in the meeting?” Junjie called out as she walked down the hallway.

She snorted. “Planning? Strategy? Ugh . No, thank you. Just tell me where to be and who to kill. That’s enough for me. I’d much rather play with this adorable man.”

Okay, when put like that, Junjie was tempted to join them. Unfortunately, Xiao Dan entered the foyer and smiled at him. “Ready to meet with the Variks?”

“Yes, Shixiong.”

Xiao Dan’s smile broadened. “Meimei will take excellent care of Xiao Ping Guo while he’s out of your sight.”

Junjie arched a brow at his older brother. “Are you implying that I am being too protective of him?”

“No, I’m not implying it.” He paused and covered his mouth with a hand as if to hold in a laugh. “I’m saying it. You’re much too protective of him. The rest of us can’t get any time with him without you there to boss us around.”

“Ha!” Moon barked out as he and Chen joined them. “Shixiong burn!”

Junjie was still reeling from that assessment only to have Chen chime in. “It’s only natural. Shifu was the same way with Jun-Jun starting from the day he arrived at the sect manor. You could tell it was killing him to allow Jun-Jun to run off to play with the other disciples.”

“What?” Junjie gasped.

“Shifu never spoke of it, but I could always tell he missed his didi after he left,” Xiao Dan explained. “Your sudden appearance was a gift. You were a tie to the brother he’d lost and the son he never had.”

It was tempting to point out that Xiao Dan would always be Zhang Shi Lie’s adopted and first son, but he let it go. Shifu had always shown great love and care for him, regardless of how he’d ended up with the Zhang clan.

“Holy shit! Fox is here!” Moon shouted and was out the front door before any of them could react.

They followed at a slower pace to greet their guests to find that the former witch turned vampire was, in fact, part of the Varik contingent along with King Aiden, Ronan, and Fox’s mate, Winter.

The American vampire clan was a pleasant surprise and much-needed help upon arriving in the country. In their home country, they’d run across very few vampires. Or rather, few vampires had been willing to cross the Zhang clan, thanks to their extreme old age and training.

But the Variks were different. Outgoing and eager to bicker amongst each other, they were the first clan they’d ever heard of to include four blood brothers. What Junjie appreciated most about them was that their moral center matched the Zhang clan’s. They believed in doing no harm and protecting those who needed it most. Namely, the humans.

Moon crashed into Fox, wrapping his arms around the newborn vampire’s neck. Chen was right there a second later, pulling Moon off Fox by the back of his T-shirt. Fox laughed, but he was also looking pale.

“Lesson one, baobei,” Chen bit out. “Use caution with very young vampires. They are still honing control of their bloodlust and instincts. You do not throw yourself at one.”

Junjie swallowed a laugh. Moon was still a baby vampire himself, but he’d always been impulsive and reckless. Thank all the ancestors that Chen lurked a step behind, ready to pull Moon from the brink of disaster.

“Oops! My bad! Sorry about that,” Moon apologized while leaning against Chen. “I got excited. The last time I saw you, you weren’t good.”

Fox’s smile was lopsided, and he breathed easier when Chen pulled Moon off him. “No problem. I get it. Winter has told me numerous times about how I almost didn’t make it.”

The vampire in question joined his redheaded mate and wrapped an arm across his waist, pulling him in close. “And I’ve also told you I’ll stop reminding you when I stop having nightmares about that night.”

“Welcome, Variks,” Xiao Dan greeted as he joined them along with Aiden and Ronan. “Fox, you appear to be much better. We’re glad to hear you recovered.”

“Yes, it has been a slower process than I wanted, but I understand I owe the fact that I’m even here at all to you and the Zhang clan.”

Xiao Dan waved him off. “We were happy to help. You owe us nothing.”

“Since becoming a vampire, have you been able to…you know…” Moon trailed off, seeming unwilling to say the words.

Fox’s expression scrunched up, and he lifted one hand to wobble it in front of him. “That’s complicated. It’s like I can feel all my old power condensed into a tight little ball in the center of my chest. I’m afraid that if I try to use magic, I’ll use up all of that ball and I won’t be able to protect Winter from the ghosts any longer.”

“What? Ghosts try to attack him?” Moon gasped and turned to wrap himself around Chen. His head snapped from left to right as he searched the driveway and the green space before the house for ghosts lurking under vehicles or behind trees.

“No, not attack, but they love to talk to me constantly when they realize I can see them.”

“Ah.” Moon relaxed from where he’d been trying to climb Chen.

“I believe we should go inside and continue this conversation. This is at least partially related to why we asked you here,” Xiao Dan interjected before they could get further off track.

The Variks and the Zhangs returned to the house, where they settled in the main meeting room. The rest of the Zhang clan joined them. Only Meimei and Erik were missing, but Junjie hoped she was keeping him well entertained for the time being.

After Ming Yu and Rei brought out some light refreshments and the general pleasantries were out of the way, they got down to business.

“Since my last chat with Xiao Dan, it seems that we now have a two-pronged problem that needs to be taken care of,” Aiden began. “One being the fae, now led by King Trin, and the second being your clan’s maker, Jiang Chong.”

“Not to mention, the humans are officially in a state of panic,” Ronan added. “They’re climbing out of the land of denial and are making moves to bring in some heavy guns. That’s going to put more humans in danger as well as magical creatures. We need to get the fae taken care of so humans can go back to pretending we don’t exist and living in peace.”

“Do you even think that’s possible anymore?” Ming Yu inquired.

Moon snorted. “Humans will believe just about anything if it means being able to stay in their nice, safe bubble.”

Rei shook his head. “The bubble has fucking burst, my sassy vampire.”

“I don’t think Moon is wrong.” Fox leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his chin propped up on his hands. “There are going to be a lot of people who argue that what happened in New England was a secret government experiment gone wrong. Hating the government is an old habit. Believing in the fae is a lot harder. Unless a werewolf shifts in front of a reporter and it hits the evening news, shifters and vampires are still under the radar. At least for the time being.”

“And we still have a chance to get rid of the fae before they upset the applecart for everyone,” Winter finished. “But what about this Jiang Chong asshole? Do you think we have a shot of dealing with him and the fae at the same time? Or is he a separate problem?”

Xiao Dan’s frown deepened, and the rest of the Zhang clan appeared to hold their breaths, waiting for him to comment. “I honestly don’t know.”

Chen cleared his throat and shifted to the edge of his seat. “Over two thousand years ago, Jiang Chong was the head of the emperor’s intelligence force. He was a spy and assassin for the emperor. During his alliance with the emperor, while solidifying his place as a force behind the throne, he helped to eliminate countless people who dared to speak about the emperor one day dying. He has a long history of being the dark shadow behind a leader, whispering in their ear, concocting schemes, and removing obstacles. I will say that Trin doesn’t seem the type to be easily manipulated.”

“He’s not,” Rei cut in.

“Then Jiang Chong is likely to be more cautious when handling Trin. Jiang Chong has likely agreed to take care of the Zhang clan in exchange for Trin leaving him alone once he takes over the human world. Eliminating Jiang Chong won’t help us with the fae problem and vice versa,” Xiao Dan explained.

“However, I don’t expect Jiang Chong to come help Trin or for Trin to help Jiang Chong if either side gets in trouble,” Chen added.

Fox straightened. “A kind of ‘you stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of your way’ agreement.”

“So, we have two distinct problems that need to be taken care of,” Aiden observed as he set his empty cup of tea on the table. The vampire with the regal look and light-brown hair sat back in his chair and ran his hand over his tie as if it were a familiar gesture he completed while thinking.

Xiao Dan picked up the teapot and replenished his cup. “Actually, Jiang Chong is a problem for the Zhang clan. We couldn’t ask for your help.”

Aiden beamed at him and lifted his cup to Xiao Dan. “That’s the wonderful thing about friends. You don’t have to ask.”

Winter sighed. “It’s clear that the Variks alone don’t have the firepower to take care of the fae problem. We need this Jiang Chong to not kill you, so you can help us with the fae.”

The king narrowed his eyes at his youngest son, who at least had the sense to wince and scoot closer to his mate. “While I might not care for how my son has said it, I can’t argue with his assessment. We need you.”

“We aren’t offended. The fae are everyone’s problem, particularly their leadership.” Xiao Dan turned his attention to Rei and nodded. “I am sorry.”

“No, you’re right. The fae are a problem, but I’m fine. I’ve decided that I’m not a member of the fae any longer. I’m now a vampire through marriage.”

A strange sound escaped Yichen, and he turned to capture Rei’s chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Not all fae are bad, starting with the amazing, beautiful, compassionate elf who saved my life. I dare anyone to say otherwise.”

Rei’s entire frame lost all of its rigidity and he melted, seeming to be held up alone by Yichen’s hand. “I’m so lucky to have found you first. If someone else had grabbed you before me, I would have stabbed a bitch.”

“Oh, Lord,” Xiang groaned, but it was barely heard over Fox’s and Moon’s cackles.

“Would you stab a bitch for me?” Kai demanded in a ridiculously loud whisper right in Xiang’s ear.

“I believe we’re getting a bit off topic,” Xiao Dan announced in a rousing voice as he tried to get control of the meeting.

Aiden coughed, his hand almost covering the smile on his lips. “I think you’re right.”

“If you would like to help us with Jiang Chong, what we need is information about your gift, Winter,” Junjie interjected, trying to give Xiao Dan a hand in pulling them away from the silliness.

That got the vampire to sit up straight. “Huh?”

Junjie nodded, fighting off the chill that gripped his entire body every time he spoke of his old creator. “Jiang Chong has the same ability to disappear into the dead realm and reappear at will. It’s part of the reason he was able to keep us under his control for so long. It’s a hard power to fight against.”

“Are you sure it’s the same?” Winter shifted in his seat, rubbing the palms of his hands on his jeans. “Have any of you had him use his gift on you? I could take that person into the dead realm, and they can compare.”

“I believe we’ve all been pulled into that dark realm with him at least once,” Xiao Dan said in a low, barely audible voice.

It wasn’t that Jiang Chong had taken them inside. It was that he’d abandoned each of them there more than once with the threat that they’d stay trapped there for eternity if they didn’t obey his wishes.

“Okay. I can take someone now,” Winter offered.

Total silence was the immediate response.

One of them had to speak up, but even Xiao Dan and Chen, who were always the first to jump ahead of their brothers to protect them, were now quiet. The place Winter spoke of so easily held endless horrors for them.

“I-I’ll do it,” Xiao Dan stammered.

Junjie shoved to his feet. “No, I’ll do it.”

“Jun-Jun,” he argued but stopped when Junjie held up a hand.

“I was the last to enter the realm with him. I’m sure I remember it the best. This makes the most sense.” He wasn’t sure if he was talking nonsense at all, but no one argued with him.

“No problem. We’ll make this super fast.” Winter’s sudden reassurance made him realize they were freaking out the rest of the Variks with their shared trauma.

Junjie forced a smile and stepped away from his chair, moving to the rear of the room. To his knowledge, Winter needed at least a little space in which to move so they could step through the doorway he created.

Winter joined him and held out his hand. “We’ll never even leave this room.”

“Just don’t let go of me,” Junjie choked out, not even bothering to hold on to his fake smile.

“Nothing could make me release you,” he said, and Junjie believed him.

A long vertical slit appeared in the air to Winter’s left, running from the floor to almost the ceiling. It widened, revealing a vast darkness in the middle of the room. Winter motioned toward it and cocked his head, still giving Junjie the choice to enter or retreat.

Fear threatened to choke him with countless nightmarish memories, but this already felt different. There had never been a choice with Jiang Chong. Winter’s hand tightened around his, squeezing until his knuckles cracked. A painful reassurance that this was now, and Winter was not letting go.

“Okay.”

Winter walked into the blackness, and Junjie followed. The room shifted into a false night. A sharp chill that made it feel like it was now January rather than September bit into his flesh. After taking two steps, he gazed back to see the doorway seal disappearing from sight. In front of him, his family and the Variks remained in their seats, staring at the last place they’d seen them. The Variks were calm, unshaken by their vanishing act. The Zhangs were not so composed. Xiao Dan sat gripping the arms of his chair, seeming on the edge of crushing them. Chen was on his feet, hands balled into fists so tight they were trembling.

“Hey! Eyes on me!” Winter snapped.

Junjie’s head swung to see Winter’s expression had grown fierce and deathly serious. “Stay with me here. I’m not letting you go. No matter what, you’re leaving with me and returning to your clan.”

“Yes.” Junjie sucked in a loud and harsh breath. “Yes, you’re right. I’m safe with you.”

“Better?”

He nodded. “Better. I’m okay.”

Winter stared at him for another couple of seconds before the tense lines in his youthful face eased and he smirked. “Gotta say, this maker of yours? I’m looking forward to killing him, and I haven’t even met the guy yet.”

“Count yourself lucky. Every fiber of his being is evil. This realm,” Junjie lifted his free right hand and motioned to the misty darkness surrounding them. “It was a punishment, a constant threat. My clan was much larger than it is now. Many he slaughtered rather than change. Others he killed after changing them into vampires because they were still not powerful enough. And then more, he killed and drove mad by bringing them here and leaving them for hours or days. You never knew when he was lurking near you unseen. Never knew if or when he would grab you for some imagined disobedience.”

“Yeah, we’re definitely going to need to kill this fuckstick.”

Junjie allowed himself a slow grin as he repeated the slur over in his head. Yes, that was a very good nickname for Jiang Chong. Fuckstick.

“So, is it the same? Is this what you remember it being like in Jiang Chong’s dead realm?”

He wouldn’t say he was feeling relaxed by any stretch of the imagination. At least, Junjie wasn’t on the verge of a panic attack. He could inspect his surroundings in a somewhat detached manner. “It feels the same. The cold. The darkness. Being able to see others and hear them talking, but they can’t see or hear me. The only thing missing are the spirits.”

“Yeah…” Winter drawled. He glanced about, his frown returning. “Your clan bought this land and cleared it for this house, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s likely that anyone who died in this region moved on years ago. I doubt we’re going to see any ghosts here, unless your clan killed some trespassers.”

Junjie grunted. “Not within the walls, no. But I’m sure this is the same. You and Jiang Chong have the same power.”

“Okay. I might be able to help. We should return. Your clan is getting antsy waiting for you.”

“Wait! Can you tell if Jiang Chong has been inside our home without our knowledge?”

That thought alone was more frightening than the idea of Winter leaving him here to die while watching his family futilely fight for a way to bring him home. Since his return, the fear had lingered in the shadows of Junjie’s mind each day and night that Jiang Chong might lurk somewhere close by, and they would have no way of knowing it.

Winter narrowed his eyes and seemed to search the room. “I’ve never known another vampire to have the same power as me. I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Nothing appears out of place, and there’s no feeling of additional magic that shouldn’t be here.” He shrugged a shoulder. “You’ve got witch magic, fae magic, and dragon magic layered on your home, though. I’m not sure I’d spot something if it was here.”

“I understand. Thank you for checking.”

The vampire flashed him a stiff smile. “Let me get you to your clan, and I’ll take a peek around the rest of the building and grounds.” He’d barely finished speaking when a bright-white slit formed on Junjie’s right. As it widened, more light from the meeting space poured in. The voices of his family were less muffled. Without being told, Junjie hurried through the opening, pulling Winter with him. As soon as he stepped through, Winter slipped free of his hand.

“Be right back!” Winter called, and the opening between the two realms disappeared.

“Where’s he going?” Xiang demanded.

“I asked him if he could tell whether Jiang Chong has been in our home through the dead realm. He couldn’t tell standing in the room we are in, so he’s gone to check the rest of the grounds,” Junjie replied.

Xiao Dan zoomed across the room and jerked him into a tight embrace, his entire body trembling. “Didi,” he choked out. “You are to never do that again.”

Junjie returned the hug, closing his eyes as they burned with unshed tears. “Winter kept me safe the entire time. He brought me home to you and our family.”

His shixiong released him, and Junjie lifted his gaze up to find Xiao Dan’s eyes glistening and his smile crooked. “Of course. Just…bad memories.”

Yes. They all had terrible memories for Jiang Chong.