Encircle

Chapter 4

Xiao Zhan

The voice sounded so far away and everything was so dark.

Xiao Zhan

He tried to strain to see, flashes broke through the darkness - a glimpse of a sharp jawline, worried eyes, soft pink lips... Yibo.

Xiao Zhan groaned, his eyes felt heavy and he couldn't open them. He tried to remember what had happened. Ah, yes... the tranquilizer dart.

Xiao Zhan

Shit, the side effects of the tranquilizer were making him hear Yibo's voice. An ache permeated throughout his chest and he let the pain from the loss of his partner settle into him for the first time. Yibo, where are you? He had been right when he told Yibo that losing him would be more than just feeling like he lost a limb. Right now he felt like his soul had been ripped out of him.

Other side of the portal...

Xiao Zhan's eyes snapped open and he looked around the room. He was alone, but he was so sure he had heard Yibo.

He closed his eyes again and tried to focus his thoughts. Yibo?

It was then that he felt it. A faint sense of relief and comfort infused into him. Baby, it's me.

There was only one person that would call him baby. Xiao Zhan almost cried. He quickly grasped at the threads of their link. Fuck, why was it so hard to focus.

Clearing... Xiao Zhan

He sat up and immediately felt dizzy. Crossing his legs under him, he took some deep breaths and concentrated, trying to centralize his thoughts onto Yibo.

Clearing... Portal... come.

Xiao Zhan uncrossed his legs and went to stand when he heard someone at the door. He quickly lay back down.

"Elder Xu, I never knew you were so funny," giggled a female voice.

"Well, Healer Lam, my humour doesn't seem to be appreciated," Elder Xu responded.

Xiao Zhan tried to even out his breathing. Fuck.. Healer Lam was here. She would be sure to know he was awake if she came close to him.

He felt her sit on the side of his bed and he clenched his fist, ready to attack. To his surprise he felt her press a calming hand to his chest and say, "Yup, he's still out cold. Elder Wan must have used enough sedative to fell a horse."

"Elder Wan is the most thorough," Elder Xu said.

Xiao Zhan wasn't sure but he thought he felt Healer Lam shudder before she said, "yes, he most definitely is." Then he felt a light touch on the side of his face. "This slayer is handsome. I mean they are all beautiful given their lineage, but this one and his partner are exceptionally so."

Xiao Zhan heard Elder Xu draw in a sharp intake of air. "Their lineage? You know?"

"Oh, of course, I'm a healer. It's my job to know."

"So you know that they're not fully human? That they have demon blood in them?" Elder Xu whispered.

Xiao Zhan tensed at Elder Xu's words and wanted to bolt upright to question him.

"Mmhmmm," Healer Lam said, pressing her hand down on him as if she was commanding him to stay still. "Yes, demon blood in their veins, albeit diluted from generations."

Xiao Zhan remained where he was, since it seemed that the healer was trying to help him.

"They aren't as strong and can't heal, but it's just great that they are on our side," she said, moving his head to one side so his face was away from the view of the Elder.