“I’m not scary…?” Lanlin bares his fangs.
“Only in the best way.” Daire glances between Lanlin and me. “Where are you taking us?”
“Out into the desert.” Lanlin’s expression suddenly becomes shuttered. “Somewhere we can’t be spied on. Sheut has many eyes at night.”
Daire nods. “Go on.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to do a dance in thanks?”
I smother my laugh behind my palm.
Lanlin yanks Daire forward by the arm, whispering into his ear, “We have different ancient traditions in the Blood Kingdom. Do you want me to show you?”
Daire swallows. “Maybe you’re more of an exhibitionist. How about later?”
Lanlin looks like a cat letting go of a mouse who he is toying with when he pushes Daire into my arms. Then he strolls further into the shadowed desert.
As he walks, he begins to trail shadows, transforming on each step into a giant bat with wings that are composed of nothing but shadows.
My breath quickens.
The clash and heat of battle floods through me: screams fill my ears, dust, ash, and sand are itchy on my skin, and the copper stink of blood makes me sick.
Yet despite the visceral memory, I’m not scared.
The bat is larger than any dragon apart from Aurelius.
Lanlin is looking back at Daire and me but not as if he wishes to tear out our throats like he did those dragons in White Lotus, but rather like he’d take on the entire Draca Kingdom at our command.
I glance sideways at Daire and am caught off guard, when he stumbles toward Lanlin, entranced.
Daire lays his hand on Lanlin’s back.
When the ravens caw in alarm above us, Daire whistles to them. “Your Raven King is now a bat rider. Go to sleep. I’m safe.”
Safe.
We’re in a desert alone with the monstrous Shadow Vampire King who would tearKing Daireapart.
Yet Daire feels safe…?
Doubt winds through me.
Daire is meant to be manipulating and seducing Lanlin, but vampires from the noble lines have the power to allure and mesmerize.
Their pheromones are weapons against every dynamic.
Is their bite as dangerous?
Could it be working right now to attract Daire to Lanlin as his Blood Lover, as much as Daire’s blood is attracting Lanlin?
Was Lanlin all along not the moth being drawn to Daire’s sunshine but rather, the false sun, drawing in Daire on his newly white wings?
I hurriedly follow Daire.
Lanlin crouches down. Shadows wind from his wings to wrap around Daire and me, dragging us up to settle on his furry back.
