Wild Creatures

Chapter 76

Wei Ying ends the call, his fingers trembling.

"Who do you think they mean?" His voice shakes, and Wei Ying hates that. He's got to be brave now. He knows Lan Zhan's super sharp hearing means he heard what was said.

"No way to tell, but Wei Ying has no reason to be afraid. It's a public event, they won't try anything there. And, I am here."

There is more than just a promise of protection in those three words. It is also a challenge, issued out to all those who think they can just try to take Wei Ying from him. Let them try, he thinks, feeling his canines extending, a low growl echoing in his chest.

He thinks back to that Tuesday, when Jin something tried to attack Wei Ying in the alley behind the Coffee Carousel. They've already tried to do something, notably hurt his mate.

Lan Zhan is ready to rip apart anyone who tries that again.

"My love!"

It is the urgency in Wei Ying's voice which has the red haze filling his vision to clear slowly, as Lan Zhan blinks a few times, and then he sees Wei Ying looking anxiously up at him.

Lan Zhan calms himself with a few deeper than necessary breaths, until his canines retract, and he's back to normal. There's something to be said for muscle memory.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. We both have these, and there's no way I'm leaving your side tonight!" Wei Ying promises, showing him his wrist.

Lan Zhan takes it and brings the pulse point right up to his mouth, kissing the soft skin next to the bunny tenderly. Wei Ying's eyes darken until they're almost totally black, deep with desire as he too, lifts Lan Zhan's wrist up to his mouth, kissing the same spot. But he does a little something extra: his teeth bite down in the cutest way, because Lan Zhan knows only another vampire can break his skin, and definitely not another human.

But it's adorable that Wei Ying is trying so hard. His bunny teeth are exactly that, and only that.

Lan Zhan threads their fingers together as they walk towards his car.

Whatever happens tonight, it's going to be interesting.

**************

Lan Zhan wasn't kidding about the red carpet, Wei Ying thinks as the valet takes his keys to go and park their car.

They've ended up in a queue, despite the expansive and very bare red carpet stretching out beyond the veritable sea of photographers and their specialised cameras with the extended lenses that could probably pick out his hair follicles, Wei Ying decides, rather uncharitably.

There are three celebrities in front of them, and they have to wait as Dylan Oceanwave (is that really his name??) sets each couple up for an interview. The waiting does two things: they can see exactly what they will have to do, because the ones in front are leading by example and it's basically a circus (omg, Lan Zhan was right!), and unfortunately, waiting is making Wei Ying more and more nervous as the seconds go by.

It's a good thing he's part of a couple, Lan Zhan thinks, remembering the mortifying time his uncle had decided to join him on the red carpet and glowered at anyone brave enough to ask them something. Fortunately, the press thought it was cute, rather than labelling him as some kind of loser, who couldn't even get a date for the night.

It would take a braver person than himself to walk that red carpet by themselves.

Finally, it's just a body builder model and his husband, standing in front of them waiting to go ahead. Luckily, events like these push homophobia away, in their eagerness to come across as accepting, and thankfully, that's something Lan Zhan can work with.