They rounded a corner, and their steps sounded like a hard battle drum.
Thump.
Thump,thump,thump.
Thump.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Yan Lie shake his arms at his sides. Two small blades fell into his waiting hands.Yan Lie hadn't lost himself to the demon during their fight after all, Jiang Lang had realized that. Otherwise, Jiang Lang would be in pieces right now, his skin would have been nothing more than a faint memory.
He felt a pang of guilt. Had Yan Lie fought him only to help him?
"No one touches the girl," he said, his guilt increasing. He should be more loyal to his friends. "No matter what we find, she is mine. Understood? I'll deal with her myself."
There was a long silence as each man considered his reply.
"Fine," Luo Chen said with a sigh.
Yan Lie remained silent.
"It's my room. I can go in alone and leave you out here to—"
"Fine," Yan Lie finally snapped. "She's yours. Not that you'll do what you should. Hunters, though, you know , will be executed immediately."
"Agreed." On both points.
"What has she done to make you so loyal?" Luo Chen asked, with genuine curiosity rather than rude disgust in his tone.
Jiang Lang didn't have an answer.
Didn't even want to think about it. He deserved disgust, though. That, he couldn't deny.
"I think our friend has forgotten that sex is sex." Yan Lie twirled one of the blades with a dangerous flair. "Who offers it doesn't matter. This woman is nothing special. None of them are."
Suddenly caught in another dark wave of anger, all his past hint of guilt between them, he had already forgotten, Jiang Lang shot out his leg, tripping Yan Lie and jumping on top of him before Yan Lie even hit the ground.
He used Yan Lie's surprise to his advantage, grabbing one of the knives and holding the tip at Yan Lie's throat.
But, having realized what was happening when he was falling, Yan Lie had the other blade aimed at Jiang Lang's throat at the same time. Jiang Lang felt the blade go past his skin, cutting a tendon, but he did not back down.
"Do you want to die?"
Unafraid of him , Yan Lie raised an eyebrow that had a piercing to it. "Do you?"
"Let him go, Jiang Lang," Luo Chen said, like he could calm the center of a storm between the two.
He pushed the weapon deeper, his gaze never leaving Yan Lie's. Fire sizzled and crackled between them. "Do not talk about her like that."
"I'll talk however I please."
He frowned. I like this man. I admire him. He's killed for me, and I for him. Yet he knew, deep down, that if Xu Ling were mentioned in such a rude way again, he would lose control. The one who could say that didn't matter.
Nothing mattered except her. He hated that fact. He didn't understand it, but was helpless against it.
"For whatever reason," Luo Chen said, "the girl is a trigger to him. Tell him you won't talk about her again, Yan Lie."
"Why should I?" was the grumbled reply. "Last time I checked, I had a right to voice my opinions."
Deep breath in,
deep breath out.
That didn't help. Jiang Lang could feel himself preparing for another attack.
Damn it! I have to get myself under control. This was utterly ridiculous and completely embarrassing. He'd never had less control over his own actions.
"Yan Lie, you have to be tired of cleaning blood off the floors," Luo Chen said. "Think how much there will be if hunters are even now trying to invade our home and we don't stop them from getting inside. Tell him."
Yan Lie hesitated only a moment before removing the knife from Jiang Lang's neck. "Fine," he spat. " I won't talk of the girl. Happy now?"
Yes. Jiang Lang relaxed instantly and easily got to his feet. He even held out his empty hand to help Yan Lie stand, but Yan Lie pushed him aside and stood on his own. Lin Fan had once called Jiang Lang "The Mood Swing"; he had been joking at the time, but Jiang Lang was starting to believe the truth of his words.
"I'm not going to say it, but you know what I'm thinking, right?" Yan Lie asked dryly.
Yes. He knew. He was as bad as Lin Fan if not worse. When it came to protecting the fortress.
"Brothers," Luo Chen muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Mommy," Bai Long replied, but there was no anger in his tone. That was how they were used to handling each other in sarcastic ways.
Jiang Lang closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating, trying to make himself believe. Xu Ling is just a woman.
She means nothing but temporary satisfaction.
The shadows and pain I'd seen in her eyes meant nothing.
They would not soften me, much less charm me. Not anymore.
I had to start thinking of her as I did the others.
Any more of this absurd fighting, and he would have to reclaim his dignity from the garbage.
Hell, maybe the gods had finally decided to punish him and had sent Xu Ling to drive him crazy, to cause him pain and suffering. To punish him. Maybe he was no longer to wish for eternal death at night. Maybe he was to wish for eternal death all day long.
"Good?" Luo Chen asked.
Not even close. He might be calm now, but he was worse off than ever.
Still, he nodded and walked down the hallway without another word, up the stairs, and into his room.
It was better to confront her and get this over with.
When Yan Lie, Luo Chen and Bai Long once again walked beside him, Yan Lie said, "My blade."
"It's nice," Jiang Lang replied, pretending not to understand. He did not return it.
Jiang Lang snorted. "I didn't realize you were desperate for a weapon."
"If you want to keep yours, take better care of it."
"The same could be said of your head."
Jiang Lang offered no response. The closer he came to his bedroom, the more he could smell Xu Ling's honey scent.
A scent that was all her own. Not from soap or perfume, but from her.
His body hardened painfully, his penis filling with heat and desire.
He'd been waiting for a taste of that honey forever, it seemed.
She's just like other women, remember? Nothing special, he reminded himself.
He glanced at his companions.
They appeared unaware of the sweet fragrance in the air. Good.
He wanted Xu Ling, all of her, to himself. Nothing special, damn you.
When they reached the doorway, each of them paused. Yan Lie tensed and got his remaining blade ready. A hard mask covered his face, as if he were preparing himself to do whatever was necessary. Luo Chen, too, pulled out a weapon , his poisoned arrow, cocked and ready.
"Look before you attack," Jiang Lang said through clenched teeth.
They nodded, neither looking at him.
"On three. One." His ears twitched as he listened. No sound came from inside. Not the splash of bathwater or the gentle rattle of dishes on the tray. Had Xu Ling really escaped? If she had...
"Two." His stomach knotted in anger and fear, and the scars there burned. His fingers tightened around the handle of the knife. He might just leave the fortress, might search the ends of the earth for her.
Nothing special indeed.
"Three." He twisted the lock and pushed open the door. Hinges creaked. All three men stormed inside, silent, ready for anything.
Jiang Lang scanned the room, taking in every detail.
On the Floors – no footprints.
Window – still closed. Platter of food – untouched. Some of his clothes had been tossed out of the closet and were now scattered on the floor.
Where was she?
Bai Long and Luo Chen spread out as he moved slowly along the closet wall, alert, and watchful.
He jumped into the small space, his blade raised. But he found nothing.
The covers shifted on the bed, and a soft, breathy moan floated through the air.
"Weapons down," Jiang Lang commanded in a fierce whisper, blood sizzling from the sound of that feminine sigh.
Several seconds passed before either man obeyed. Only then did Jiang Lang approach the bed, slowly... sweating... For some reason, he was trembling like a fragile human.
He suspected the sight he was about to see would break him.
He was right.
He found a sleeping beauty. Xu Ling. An angel. His destruction comfortably sleeping.
Her amber hair was spread over his snow-white pillow. Her eyelashes, two shades darker than her hair, cast spiky shadows over her dirt-smudged cheeks. She hadn't bathed, hadn't eaten. She must have fallen asleep soon after he'd left.
"She's damn Pretty," Yan Lie said, with reluctant admiration in his tone.
Exquisite, Jiang Lang silently corrected. Mine. Her lips were red and swollen, wonderfully puffy.
Had she chewed them from worry? He watched the slow rise and fall of her chest, found himself reaching out desperate to touch her,
don't touch, don't touch –he was way too helpless to stop himself. But he clenched his hands into fists just before he could touch her.
His body was once again extremely hard, desire simmering inside him. A dark desire, frightening in its intensity and still so much more powerful than Violence had ever been.
How did she make him feel such a strong
reaction simply by breathing?
Touch her. Who wanted it? Him? The demon? Both?
Didn't matter.
Just one gentle touch, then he'd leave. He'd shower and return when she was rested – and he'd have himself under firm control by then. Surely he would.
Finally, opening his hand, his fingertips gently brushed the side of her cheek.
A whisper-soft touch. Her skin was silky smooth, with electric feeling as soon as he touched her.
He felt warm on contact; his blood instantly heated another degree.
Her eyelids opened, as if she, too, had felt the jolt.
She sat up suddenly, her hair falling down her shoulders and back. Her sleep-rimmed eyes searched, locked with his, and widened. "Jiang Lang." She scrambled backward until she was pressed against the metal headboard. Chains rattled from the sides of the bed, the chains that bound him every night. "Jiang Lang," she repeated, scared, amazed... happy?
He, Luo Chen, Yan Lie, and Bai long stepped backward together.
He was the only one who knew why he moved – he'd seen his downfall in her pretty eyes the moment their gazes met – but he didn't know why the others had reacted that way.
"Wh-what are you doing?" she gasped out. "And what happened to your face? You're bleeding." He heard her concern, and it deeply shook him. Would she always affect him so much?
She glanced at the others and gave a choked whimper. "It wasn't enough for you to kill him last night, you had to beat him up today, too?