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“Wait. What were you asking?” Xiang cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowing at Kai.
“Whether you like men?”
“Oh! Yeah!” They both blinked at Xiang’s shout and a bright blush dusted his cheeks as he awkwardly chuckled. “I mean, I’m attracted to all types. It was the fight part I was teasing you about.”
“Mn. I think they call that being pansexual.”
Xiang grunted and picked up the glass of water, handing it over to Kai. “I call it being a vampire. I’ve met very few in my lifetime that are attracted to a single gender. Most of us get curious and widen our horizons a bit after enough time.” He paused and stared off into space. He clicked his tongue. “Except for Chen. As far as I know, he’s only ever been attracted to men. Very stubborn about that, too.”
Kai coughed, almost choking on the water he handed back to Xiang. It helped to rid him of his dry mouth, but Xiang was also in a mood right now and it didn’t seem safe to drink beverages around him.
“Bathroom?”
“I think I can make it on my own.”
Xiang snorted. “How about I help you walk there? I won’t go in unless you want me to.” The vampire didn’t give him a chance to argue. He looped one of Kai’s arms across his shoulders and lifted him to his feet. Slowly, they crossed the cavern to the bathroom, where Xiang left him leaning against the sink before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
Kai risked a brief glance in the mirror to find that he was as pale and sunken looking as he’d expected. After that, he finished his business while listening to Xiang outside the room, telling stories about his clan members and their sexual exploits. All things Kai very much didn’t want to know about people he’d never met, but Xiang’s stories did an excellent job of distracting him from the weakness in his limbs and the lingering ache in every muscle.
Fighting the queen had drained and damaged him inside and out. The one thing he was afraid to check was his magic. Could he even shift into his true form? What about his other magic? Were the spells he’d placed on the hoard still in place? Right now, he couldn’t sense them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. Fatigue and pain were the only things he was feeling right now.
And that scared him more than he cared to admit. If he was in this much pain, how could he keep Xiang and his hoard safe? As a dragon, he was completely and utterly useless.
“Kai? You need some help in there?”
His shoulders slumped at the worried note in Xiang’s voice. Maybe he should take this chance to lean on him a bit. If only to speed up his own recovery. As the thought crossed his mind, a memory flashed across his brain of Xiang standing at the end of the bed with a sword in one hand and a spear in the order, prepared to destroy anyone who came near him. The vampire was more than willing to keep him safe.
“Yes, please,” he answered softly.
He’d barely finished speaking when the door swung open and he found himself wrapped in Xiang’s arms, leaning on his shorter frame as he was ushered to the bed. Once Xiang tucked him under the blankets and had the pillows propped up so he could sit with his back to the headboard, Xiang stood beside the bed, opening and closing his fists at his sides.
“Are you hungry? I could make something.” He shoved one hand into his messy hair and shifted from one foot to the other. “I can’t make any of the really good stuff my jiejie does, but I know a few things.”
Kai shook his head. “Maybe later. I’m okay now. Just tired.” He patted the space on the mattress next to him. “Sit. Tell me about after you found me. Have you had any problems?”
“Nope,” Xiang replied as he eased onto the bed, seeming to try not to jostle Kai. “The dragon hasn’t shown his ugly mug.”
It was a fight not to glare at Xiang. He was not ugly. He was majestic and regal among all dragons. His scales were the shiniest, and the horns were the very best. Not that he could say these things to Xiang.
“You haven’t heard anyone else in the caves?”
Xiang jerked a bit. “I thought no one else was here but us.”
He clutched the blanket covering him, twisting it in his fingers. “There shouldn’t be, but after everything that has happened, I’m worried that maybe the fae have found the hoard.” It wouldn’t be the first time.
His companion surprised him by picking up his hand in both of his, forcing him to release the blanket and relax into his touch. “After I brought you to the hoard, I kicked the door shut. I’ve heard no other movement in the cave. We’re safe.”
For the first time since waking, Kai felt like he could release a calm breath. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander in a blankness while soaking in the tender touch of Xiang’s fingers as they moved over his, massaging away the last of the tension there.
“Could you tell me what’s going on? How is it that the fae queen can summon and command the dragon in the first place?” Kai swallowed hard and opened his eyes to find Xiang staring at their hands, a frowning spreading across his lips. “It doesn’t make sense to me. I grew up with all kinds of dragon myths.” His head popped up, and he glared in Kai’s direction. “I’m from China, dammit! We’ve got more dragon stories than anyone else. Dragons are the most powerful creatures ever. No one should ever be able to control them. Except for maybe the gods, and even they had trouble.”
Xiang’s obvious anger left a smile tugging at the corner of Kai’s mouth. He could appreciate the man being pissed on his behalf, but the amusement faded.
“It’s because of the sword,” Kai murmured.
“The sword controls dragons?”
Kai sighed and pulled his hand free of Xiang’s touch. “While you might know a lot of dragon myths, did you know that not all dragons create hoards? Most actually don’t.”
