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Okay…so his powers were amplified a touch.

It was with a great deal of trepidation that he even attempted to create his ice sword.

Even using what he thought was a tenth of his usual power, his weapon still shot forth with amazing force.

This was something he was going to need to work on. He needed to once again hone his skill to where he could use it without endangering his clan or Moon.

With a sigh, he smashed the ice sword against the rocks, sending chunks and shards of ice exploding out in front of the cave.

This was just great. If there was any question of where he was hiding, it was damn obvious now. Even with the warm sun shining down on this hidden nook in the forest, it was going to take most of the day to melt all the ice and snow.

It was a shame he couldn’t see if he was stronger and faster thanks to Moon’s blood. If it weren’t for the sun…

Chen’s thoughts came to a sharp halt as he watched the way the light sparkled on the shroud of white.

Was it possible that Moon’s blood had given him the ability to be out in the sun?

That would mean they wouldn’t need to come up with any crafty ways to get him out of the woods. They could summon one of those rideshares, or Sky could pick them up in his car.

His heart pounded as he crept closer to the entrance, sticking one foot out and then the other. Sweat slicked his palms and something squeezed his lungs tight, making it hard to breathe. In two thousand years, he’d not touched the sunlight, not felt its warmth on his face. He’d watched it from afar, occasionally envying Xiang’s ability to walk within it.

All in all, he’d adjusted to being a vampire. The sunlight was the biggest thing most of them had given up. Even Xiang eschewed it unless he was being sent on a specific mission for the clan. They still ate food, though they were rarely in the mood. They hunted and preyed on humans when they had no choice.

But the sun had become a threat.

Or the promise of a release.

Chen squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the memories of those clan members who’d chosen to greet the sun one last time. They’d been unwilling to go on after spending centuries trapped in this form. Never moving on to the next life. Never having the chance to reenter the wheel and be reborn where they might find the loves and family they’d lost so long ago.

He didn’t blame them for wanting rest after so long. There had been plenty of times when he’d contemplated it. Always feeling apart from the rest of the world as it marched on.

Not now.

Moon and his clan held him to this world. Made him want to keep fighting and living. If only so he could open his eyes and see Moon’s mischievous smile.

Chen lost all track of time as he squatted outside the entrance of the cave, the shadow cast by the giant rock shielding him. He reached out his trembling left hand until the sunlight cut across the tips of three fingers.

For a heartbeat, it was a pleasant warmth he’d thought he’d never feel again. But the warm sensation changed to searing pain. His fingertips changing from pink to red to hints of black.

Chen snatched his hand back, pressing it to his chest as he gasped for air. The pain was excruciating as he clutched his hand, but it answered one important question—could he go out in the sun thanks to Moon’s blood?

No. No, he could not.

“What the hell are you doing?” Moon roared.

Chen’s head snapped up to find the witch standing across a small clearing in ankle-deep snow. One hand was holding up a low tree limb covered in ice while the other was pointing a cell phone at him. Fury twisted the witch’s features as he marched the rest of the distance to stand in front of Chen. He’d returned earlier than he’d said to expect him.

Or Chen had completely lost track of time.

The timer alarm started chiming as that thought crossed his mind. He winced, releasing his left hand to pull his phone from his pocket to silence the alarm. Moon ripped the phone from his hand, silenced it, and tossed it to the ground.

“What were you thinking?” Moon snarled.

“I thought I would check to see if your blood has affected my ability to walk in the sun,” Chen replied. He nodded toward the snow as Moon pulled Chen’s left hand closer for inspection. “As you can see, your blood has impacted my control of snow and ice.”

“And here I thought you just got bored,” Moon sniped. “I swear to fucking God. Less than twenty minutes. I left you for less than twenty minutes, and you already found trouble.”