Two Thousand Promises (Kings of Chaos #5)

Prologue

ZHANG XIAO DAN

913 CE

Luoyang, near the Zhang manor

A dry, brittle branch snapped under Xiao Dan’s foot as he strolled through the forest. The early morning air was brisk with a bite to it, as if a late winter chill had tried to rear its head during the night and now didn’t want to leave. Birds were stirring, singing the first greeting of the day.

There was no sense of urgency in his steps. He knew exactly where he was going and how long it would take him to get there. He’d picked out this spot many years ago on one of his ambles through the woods.

A breeze rose and pushed against his chest before lifting to caress his cheek and then moving on. A damp, earthy scent clung to the air with a hint of something green. Spring was still newborn. The plum blossoms hadn’t finished falling from the trees yet, and the cherry blossoms had yet to bloom. Winter had loosened its grip on the world, and spring was restoring green to the forest.

After walking for close to half an hour, he reached a spot on the side of a hill where there was a wide break in the trees, giving him a clear view of the eastern sky. A tree had even fallen here some years ago, as if a forest spirit had prepared a bench for him to sit and watch the sun rise one last time.

Xiao Dan stepped over the old log half-covered in new growth, moss, and dead leaves, and took a seat. A long, slow breath pushed out of his lungs, draining all the air from his body. With it, centuries of turmoil, pain, fear, and doubt poured out. It felt as if the giant ball of knots that lived within him untangled one at a time.

He lifted his eyes to stare at the distant horizon. The sky had begun to shift from a deep slate gray to that very first touch of pale blue and dark orange.

There was nothing special about this day. It wasn’t an anniversary of Shifu’s? 1 death or the anniversary of his own death and rebirth as a vampire. It wasn’t even the anniversary of Jiang Chong’s demise. Just a Tuesday on the threshold of spring, and he’d realized that he’d run out of energy to wake to see another starlit sky.

His clan was as secure as it was going to be. They had no more need for him or his fumbling, useless guidance.

And maybe he was ready to end his lonely torture. He’d had enough of the dead haunting his dreams and casting doubts at his every action. He’d done the best he could to protect his clan. If that wasn’t enough, he was prepared to spend another thousand years being peeled and boiled in oil as punishment. So long as he took a step forward to reincarnation and the Naihe Bridge.? 2 As much as he loved his clan mates, he was ready to forget this world and this life.

A rustling in the bush to his left tore his gaze from the distant horizon. It looked to be a knot of old branches and dead leaves. Had he chosen his place of final repose next to some poor animal’s den?

He continued to watch, wondering if it would be a squirrel or a rabbit that broke free of the cover. No, it had to be something bigger. A pheasant, maybe.

The thought had no sooner formed in his mind when a flash of orange burst from the bush and leaped into the clearing a few meters in front of him.

A fox!

It ran a short distance away and just as Xiao Dan was sure it would disappear completely, the fox turned. It stood with its legs spread, its head low, and its ears flat as if challenging him, but that fluffy tail flicked from side to side in what seemed to be excitement. Or maybe even playfulness.

For a moment, Xiao Dan could only blink at the creature. He’d not expected to find himself faced with a red fox—and a young one at that. It looked to be still a pup with some of its baby fluff sticking out, making him appear even more cuddly.

“What are you doing by yourself?” he inquired in a gentle voice. He turned his gaze from the fox to search the immediate area for its mother. It wasn’t old enough to be on its own, but there was no additional flash of orange or rustling in the brush. Not even a warning bark to get away from her child.

Had he been abandoned?

Or was his mother killed while out searching for food?

“Where is your mama?”

The fox answered with an equally adorable bark that left Xiao Dan biting his bottom lip. He was obviously trying to be fierce, but it made him even cuter.

“You were born quite early. This season’s pups should be born about right now, but you look to be at least a month old.”

The fox’s ears perked up and his head tilted to the left as he blinked bright, golden-brown eyes. It felt as if he were listening to Xiao Dan, or he simply enjoyed the sound of his voice. Some of the tension flowed out of the fox’s frame and he sniffed the air, edging a couple of halting steps closer.

“Are you all alone in the world, Little One?”

If he was alone, it was likely he was hungry. Sitting up straight, Xiao Dan reached into the secret pocket in his sleeve, searching for the steamed bun he’d tucked in there prior to walking out the door. He’d wanted one last taste of something Ming Yu had made, and she always made the best buns.

The fox jumped and darted away at his sudden movement, and Xiao Dan froze. But a moment later, that tiny head poked out from behind a tree and sniffed the air again before slinking toward him.

A smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he found the bun wrapped in cloth and placed it on the ground in front of him, as far away from himself as he could reach without getting up from the log.

His new companion let out a few high-pitched barks as if he were warning Xiao Dan to stop doing shady things, but he stood his ground, refusing to run off. Xiao Dan sat up straight, his hands in his lap, and the fox stared at him, his fluffy tail flicking from side to side.

Minutes slowly ticked by and Xiao Dan sat perfectly still, content to watch the fox. The creature sniffed the air, but this time he picked up a new scent. His ears perked up, and he scrambled closer, following the scent straight to the bun.

“It’s okay. Jiejie? 3 makes wonderful baozi.? 4 I think you’re in luck. These have some rabbit in them.”

When the fox was less than a meter away, he hunkered down with his chest brushing the ground and his butt in the air, and he pounced on the innocent bun. He took a bite and jumped away. His ears flattened, and he made a soft smacking noise as if he couldn’t quite figure out what he’d tasted. His pink tongue flashed out again and again, licking his face and teeth. He must have decided that he liked what he tasted, because he lunged for the bun.

The pup grabbed it up as best he could in his mouth and carried it several meters away from Xiao Dan, so he didn’t have to worry about the big human stealing it. He remained far enough away from the trees so Xiao Dan could watch him crouch on the ground and devour the bun. That adorable fluffy tail never stopped moving the entire time. It changed from a flick to more of a slow wag.

The second the bun was gone, the furry scamp sniffed the ground, returning to the spot where he’d gained his treat, checking to see if he’d missed any crumbs.

To Xiao Dan’s shock, he sat where the bun had been and stared at him. A bark popped out of him as if he were demanding another.

“I’m sorry, Little One, but that’s all I have.”

Clearly, the fox didn’t believe him. He closed the last bit of distance between them, sniffing the ground and around his feet. Xiao Dan held out his empty hands while silently chuckling. Whiskers brushed his fingers and palms. Finally, the tiny black nose bumped his hand, and Xiao Dan jerked it away at the unexpected spark that bit his flesh.

“What…”

That had felt like magic.

Each vampire had his own magical gift, but vampires, in general, weren’t terribly magical creatures. As far as he knew, they couldn’t cast spells. They were limited to a few physical enhancements and their gift. However, he’d noticed they possessed a certain amount of sensitivity to magic. They could sense when they were near another magical creature. At least, it seemed as if they could now that they’d each crossed the thousand-year mark in their existence.

This wasn’t a normal fox.

Xiao Dan’s heart skipped a beat, and he froze while the fox continued to sniff near him, searching for more food, oblivious to the panic surging through the vampire.

“Are…are you a little huli jing?”? 5 Xiao Dan whispered.

The fox’s head popped up, his ears alert, and he made a noise that Xiao Dan couldn’t quite describe, but at least it sounded happy. His companion sat in front of him, tail wagging, and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

“A huli jing?”

The fox made its noise again.

This small creature was a fox spirit. But he’d never heard of one so young. Of course, it could all be a ruse to get him to drop his guard. Huli jing had all kinds of stories about them. Some were of benevolent, helpful spirits, while others were evil and mischievous creatures who killed humans and stole their essence. Of course, there were also countless love stories about a huli jing turning into a beautiful, seductive woman and falling in love with a human.

Oh, well, there were also women accused of being huli jing with evil intentions. One had supposedly destroyed the Shang Dynasty while another had brought about the downfall of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

Not that he was sure he believed the stories of those women being huli jing.

Xiao Dan frowned at the bit of orange fluff trying to shove his entire head into his sleeve in his search for another bun. He didn’t act like a sneaky fox who was attempting to steal his soul. His heart was a different matter. This ball of fur was too adorable for words.

Carefully, he placed a hand under the fox’s stomach and scooped him up so he could extricate the creature from his sleeve. He wiggled and grunted until Xiao Dan put him on the ground again. Surprisingly, the fox didn’t run off. He twirled in a circle and flopped on his back, kicking all four of his black feet into the air. His mouth was wide open, revealing two rows of sharp teeth that seemed to be spread into a silent laugh.

“You’re a silly fox now that you’ve gotten some food in your belly, but I have nothing else for you. I wasn’t expecting to…”

The words died on his tongue as he lifted his head to stare at the distant horizon. He’d not come into the woods expecting to find a new friend. The sun had not risen yet, but the sky was markedly lighter now. More bright blues and rosy oranges. It wouldn’t be long now. In less than half an hour, the first rays of early-morning sunlight would break over the distant hills and gild the world. This was a slow and painful death, but in the end, there would be nothing of him left for his clan to deal with.

A sharp bark drew his attention, and he looked down to find the huli jing on his feet. He watched Xiao Dan with bright eyes and a smiling face, possibly demanding more food.

“I don’t have anything else to eat. You’ll need to hunt for something if your belly is still empty.”

The young fox spirit didn’t seem to care about what he was saying. Xiao Dan’s gentle manner was an invitation to climb on him. The huli jing scrambled onto Xiao Dan and attempted to wiggle into his lap all while sniffing at the sleeve that had held the bun.

With a sigh that was half-aggrieved and half-amused, Xiao Dan scooped up the fox and laid him on his back in one arm. The fox spirit didn’t squirm free but lay there with his feet kicked in the air. His eyes closed, and he tipped his chin higher as Xiao Dan scratched his chest and one cheek with a finger.

The fox turned his head and attempted to gnaw on Xiao Dan’s fingers, but the vampire quickly drew his hand away.

“Be careful now. Those are sharp little teeth, and I’m not sure vampire blood is good for you, even if you are a huli jing.”

The fox made another chirping noise that appeared to mean he was happy.

“Is that what you are? A huli jing?”

The creature flopped its fluffy tail across its stomach and bit at it a second before rubbing the top of its head against Xiao Dan’s chest. He was too cute for words. The more he stared at the fox spirit, the more his heart melted. Maybe he would be dangerous when he got older, but if he was raised with love and compassion, he could grow to be a benevolent huli jing rather than an evil one.

Xiao Dan glanced up at the distant horizon one more time and frowned. Was it really necessary for him to meet the dawn on this particular day? Wouldn’t it be better if he waited a while longer? The sweet huli jing in his arms would not grow up to be a benevolent, magical creature if he didn’t get another meal in him. He certainly seemed to need some help to survive.

But just a tiny bit of help. He was a wild spirit.

“How about you come with me? I think Jiejie has a few more baozi tucked away for later. Let’s get something to fill that empty belly of yours.”

A soft yip jumped from the fox’s throat, and he snuggled deeper into the crook of Xiao Dan’s arm as the vampire rose to his feet and carried him through the woods toward the Zhang manor.

Eternity could wait. This little fox spirit needed him.

1 ? Shifu – master of a clan or sect

2 ? Naihe Bridge – the bridge of forgetfulness

(In traditional Taoist culture, the dead will drink a special soup/tea brewed by Meng Po (goddess of forgetfulness) that will give them complete and permanent amnesia, wiping away all memories of their last life. The spirit will then cross Naihe Bridge and be reincarnated.)

3 ? Jiejie – older sister (opposite of meimei)

4 ? Baozi – steamed bun that contains a meat, vegetable, or meat and vegetable filling

5 ? Huli jing – fox spirit, a mischievous spirit that can be an omen of good luck or bad luck. It is believed to be able to change into male or female human form and seduce humans. Different from a nine-tailed fox (jiuweihu in Mandarin or kitsune in Japanese or gumiho in Korean – just depends on whether you’re a donghua, anime, or K-drama watcher. ??).