He was a man; she was a woman.
Jiang Lang felt a strong desire. Both for her body and her sweet words when she tries to speak up for him.
But would that desire become darker, as he feared?
He grabbed Xu Ling's arm and pulled her behind him. He exchanged a confused look with Luo Chen, then turned to face her.
Before he could say a single word, she quickly said, "Are you going to take me into the city now? Please."
And never see her again? "Eat," he ordered, more harshly than he meant to. "Bathe. I will return soon."
He turned to his friends, and he barked, "Let's go." He walked quickly into the hall.
They waited only a moment before following. After closing and locking the door, Jiang Lang leaned his forehead against the cold stone wall beside it.
He carefully controlled his breathing, trying to calm his racing heart. This has to stop.
"You've brought trouble among us," Yan Lie said, staying by his side. "And was she really trying to protect you from us?"
"Surely not." But that was the second time she'd done so, and he was more confused now than before.
He straightened and ran a hand down his face.
"Let me go, Jiang Lang," Xu Ling called through the door. Her voice sounded more appealing than it had yesterday. Soft, melodious. Alluring. "I was wrong to come here. I was. If it will help, I'll promise not to tell anybody."
"I know I've brought trouble," he told Yan Lie.
His friend raised an eyebrow with that disrespectful expression Jiang Lang was starting to hate. "No apology?"
That was the worst part; he still wasn't sorry.
"Forget the woman for now," Luo Chen said, waving a hand in the air. He straightened his shoulders. "You've seen her. She is well. She doesn't seem to have let hunters in – yet.
Now we have a more urgent matter to discuss. What I tried to tell you earlier is that the gods – they are not who you think they are."
"Jiang Lang, we need to talk to you," a harsh voice called, stopping whatever reply he might have made.
Luo Chen threw up his arms in frustration, and Jiang Lang turned around.
Bai Long approached, with Feng Yue and Lin Fan by his sides. Two of them were frowning, the other grinning like the madman he was.
"Your woman has to go," Bai Long growled. "I smelled her all night long, and I can't stand another second of that thunderstorm scent."
Thunderstorm? Xu Ling smelled like honey. Still, his jaw tightened at the thought of another man being so aware of her. "She stays," he said curtly.
"Who is she, why is she still here, and when can I see her naked?" Feng Yue asked, wiggling an eyebrow.
"Someone should kill her," Bai Long countered.
"No one touches her!"
Yan Lie closed his eyes and shook his head. "Here we go again."
"Unlike Bai Long, I don't mind her presence," Feng Yue said, rubbing his hands together. "I only mind your unwillingness to share. I'd like to—"
Jiang Lang shoved Feng Yue before the man could finish the sentence. "Do not speak another word. I know what you would like to do to her, and I will die first before you have her."
Now Feng Yue frowned, his pale skin tinged with angry color. "Back off, jerk. I haven't had a woman today, so I'm in no mood for this kind of nonsense."
Lin Fan remained in the corner, watching, his grin widening. "Anyone else find this very amusing? It's even better than listening to the stockbrokers when shares fall sharply."
Jiang Lang struggled to control his temper and push Xu Ling to the back of his mind. Where she belonged. As a female, as a human, as possible bait, she was the last person who should cause this kind of protective reaction in him.
Should, should, should. Argh! End this. Finally. Soon. Now.
"Enough!" Luo Chen shouted.
Everyone quieted and stared at Luo Chen in surprise. He was not usually one to shout.
"Were there hunters in town?" he asked Feng Yue and Bai Long.
Bai Long shook his head. "We didn't find any."
"Good. That's good. Perhaps Jiang Lang did indeed kill them all." Luo Chen nodded in satisfaction. "But Jiang Lang doesn't know about the gods yet. We need to tell him. What's more, Yan Lie and I... did something last night."
Instantly, Yan Lie's body became stiff. "We said we wouldn't tell them."
"I know." Luo Chen sighed, clearly at the end of his patience. "I changed my mind."
"You cannot simply change your mind!" Yan Lie roared, leaping in front of Luo Chen.
"I can and I did," was the reply. Not exactly calm, but close, only edged with determination.
"What's going on?" Jiang Lang stepped between them and pushed them apart. For once, he was not the one making accusations and throwing punches. "I'm ready to listen. You mentioned the gods. I know Yan Lie was summoned. I was too distracted to ask for details before. What did they want from him?"
"Later," Lin Fan said to Jiang Lang, but he didn't take his eyes off Luo Chen. "What did you do, Death?"
"Tell us," Bai Long ordered.
Luo Chen's attention never left Yan Lie. "After their reaction to Xu Ling, we need to make sure they don't accidentally discover our secret. What do you think will happen if they do?"
For a long while, Yan Lie did not reply. Tension filled the air, serious and sinister. Finally, Yan Lie nodded. "Fine. Show them. But get ready for war, my friend, because they aren't going to be happy."
"Someone had better explain," Bai Long demanded, looking between them.
"An explanation will not be good enough. I need to show you." Luo Chen started down the hall. "This way."
Prophetic words, Jiang Lang thought. He cast a questioning glance at Lin Fan, who had said something similar only last night. Do you know what's going on? he mouthed.
No, was the silent reply.
Nothing good, that much he could guess. Luo Chen had never acted this mysterious. Confused, interested, concerned, Jiang Lang glanced at his bedroom door where Xu Ling was before following his friends.