Savage Wolf, Lotus Heart [Never Let You Go, Again: Book 4]

35: Shelter From The Rain

"Huli... Wakey-wakey, ma chérie..."

"Ugh... could you stick to one damned language?"

"Alright, alright. Get up first."

"What now, Aria?"

"Oi! Did you forget? It's today!"

"What's today?"

"Argh, mi amore, you're such an idiot at times."

"Oh, right, it's tonight..."

"Come on now, we've got to get ready."

"You're the one going, not me!"

"Right. Then you come after me, yeah?"

"Sure. Now get lost!"

Aria Verduria rolled her eyes and sauntered out the door onto the grass outside. She flexed her arms in the moonlight and brushed down her breezy dress. "Hm... a bit breezier perhaps," she slashed her nails across the gown, ripping the green cloth off to leave a skirt as short as a tutu. Seeng her reflection in a puddle nearby, she gasped in horror. "Good Lord! Rouge, where's the rouge?!" She ran into the room and came outside again in five minutes. "There. Perfetta!" She grinned, smacking her lips and patting her reddened cheeks, before gliding away on the task for the night.

Perhaps the final task. Tonight, the mission shall be completed.

"Let's go see that little wolfie boy and the cute Immortal," she smirked and glided away. 

**********

Lan Xichen peeped out the window of the Jingshi, sighing. "Why has the rain bit started already? Where's the moon?"

"Don't worry," Jiang Cheng laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's better if the moon doesn't show up." 

"True," Wei Wuxian nodded. "God's giving Jin Ling, and us all, time. Precious time."

"Let's hope the rain lasts all night," Jin Xiyi said.

"Yes, it better," Jingyi pursed his lips, watching the droplets dripping down from above.

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded and shut the windows.

"Still, no thunder," Wei Wuxian observed. "Oi, Sizhui! Sit down, for God's sake."

"Sizhui..." Jingyi scrunched up his nose. "You're giving me a headache, you know."

"Sorry, can't help it," Lan Sizhui mumbled apologetically, pacing back and forth at the doorstep, waiting.

"At least pace inside, shut the door," Jiang Cheng shook his head at him. "It's bloody cold, get inside."

"Jiang Shushu... Where's he? Why's he late?"

"Aish, the brat will come, stop fretting," Wanyin rolled his eyes and sat down at the long table arranged for them inside the Jingshi. Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen sat with him. Lan Jingyi and Jin Xiyi sat on the other side, next to the cot that Jiang Cheng had brought along.

Lan Sizhui kept walking up and down the room, biting his nails.

"A-Cheng, the cot?"

"Meilien's one from before. Also the one Jin Ling used to stay in."

"Aww, really? We'll see if he remembers it, hm?"

"Sure. Brat's got a bad memory just like his Daddy so I'm not expecting much."

"You!"

Knock! Rrrrap-tap!

Sizhui was at the door in a flash. "A-Ling!" He beamed bright.