"I told you," Qi Yu said. He was a little taller than Ye Mo and looked down into his eyes. "Shouldn't you tell me your name now?"
"Ye Mo."
"Ye Mo." Qi Yu repeated the name, then smiled again. "Nice name. Why did you hide here? To get away from those Person-Eaters chasing you outside?"
"No shit." Ye Mo's tone was hardly friendly. He had just escaped one pack of Person-Eaters, only to walk straight into another wolf's den. Of course he was in a bad mood.
"Why hide at my place? Aren't you afraid I'm just like that crowd outside?" Qi Yu leaned closer as he spoke, his breath brushing Ye Mo's neck. "That I want to eat you?"
Ye Mo's neck was very sensitive, and he wasn't used to anyone getting this close. He instinctively tried to move aside, but Qi Yu grabbed his wrist.
"Since you've come into my home, let's make a deal."
"What deal?"
"I won't eat you, and you'll stay here and behave. I guarantee no one will be able to hurt you."
Ye Mo blinked. "Including you?"
Qi Yu ran his tongue over his sharp teeth and gave a low chuckle without answering. "Sounds good, doesn't it? Stay here and be my little songbird."
Ye Mo tried to wrench his wrist free, but failed. He hated being restrained. The whole reason he had finally escaped that family was that he didn't want to be controlled. "I don't want to."
Qi Yu narrowed his eyes. His voice was hoarse, perhaps because he had only just woken up. "Why not? Plenty of people would agree to this deal. You're an Ordinary Person. It's so dangerous for you out there." His tone was coaxing.
"So you have lots of little songbirds?" Ye Mo asked, tilting his