Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire (Love at Stake) (12 page)

“Don’t mind me.” He strode toward the table. “I just need to brush my teeth before going to bed.”

Her eyes widened at the sight of him in his underwear, then she quickly looked away. “No problem. Just pretend I’m not here.”

His gaze landed on the tin cup with their toothbrushes resting side by side.
We are pretending,
he thought. Pretending they were only business partners. Pretending they didn’t want more. Who were they kidding?

Rule number one was shot to hell.

H
e was asleep. Dead, to be precise, but she didn’t like to think about Russell that way.

She’d stayed in the kitchen, ignoring him, but with every second that the sun had inched toward the horizon, she’d been achingly aware of him. His breathing had grown more labored and tinged with pain. Each time he’d exhaled, she’d wondered if it would be his last breath.

And then it was. Silence.

Her heart squeezed in her chest.

The cave became lighter as more sunlight filtered through the roof. But across the cave, in the furthermost corner, it was dark and quiet.

She turned off the lamps, then removed his coat. Her cheeks grew warm as she recalled how transparent her wet camisole had been. She’d been so intent on getting rid of the bloodstains that she’d never thought about how exposed she would look in wet clothes.

At the time, putting on his coat had been the only remedy she could think of. She’d brought only two sets of clothes with her, and the clean ones were on the drying rack next to the bathtub. There was no way she could walk over there when he was showering.

But now he was dead. He couldn’t tease her about peeking. Couldn’t tempt her with the way he held her and stroked her face.

“Russell.” She approached him for a closer look. His hair was still damp, the ends curling. He looked so sweet and peaceful, not at all like the raging warrior who had plowed through three soldiers in about three seconds.

She brushed his hair back from his brow, then smoothed her hand down his face. With a finger, she rubbed the little indentation where he had a dimple when he smiled. It was surrounded by prickly whiskers.

She touched his lips. It had happened again. She’d wanted him to kiss her.

With a sigh, she straightened. The attraction was growing, but this couldn’t be love. Not with a vampire. She was merely reacting to his proximity. And his masculinity. And the way he believed in her. And protected her. The way he looked at her with those hungry eyes. The way his hands sometimes lingered at her waist longer than necessary when they teleported.

She shook her head. It would be best not to think about him. So she spent the next thirty minutes doing laundry, then taking a hot bath.

Before going to bed, she needed to assure her cousin that she was alive and well, so she called him.

“Are you all right?” Rajiv asked. “I sent Jin Long to get you, but Russell pulled a trick on him—”

“What do you mean?” Jia glanced over at Russell while she heard about his little trip to the Himalayan mountains. Her mouth twitched. So that’s where the rascal had gone. “Is Jin Long all right?”

“Yeah. He’s happy now that Winifred is back.”

“Oh, that’s good.” Jia smiled, recalling how smitten Jin Long had been with the warrior woman Winifred.

“She came with Angus and Emma and a bunch of MacKay employees,” Rajiv continued. “Tiger Town is full of Vamps and shifters again. You should come back to see everyone.”

Jia bit her lip. “Did they bring the dragon babies with them?”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how much they’ve grown.”

“And Freya?” Jia asked about Winifred’s sister, who had actively pursued Rajiv. “Did she come?”

“She stayed in England. Apparently, she has a job now with her brother. And a new boyfriend.”

Jia winced. “I’m sorry. I know you liked her.”

“I was flattered that she liked me, but I always knew there couldn’t be more to it than that.” Rajiv sighed. “I’m in the same boat you are, Jia. I have to marry a were-tigress. And a princess, most likely. She’ll definitely have to be approved by the Council of Elders. I can’t bring dishonor to my family or my position. And neither can you.”

A jab of guilt needled Jia. She’d resented her cousin’s interference in her life, but in reality, he was just as trapped as she was. “What about love?”

“There’s no reason why we can’t find love with our chosen mates,” Rajiv assured her. “This prince of yours is trying very hard. He sends a gift every day. Today, it was a framed portrait of himself. The court ladies all agree that he’s very handsome. If you just give him a chance, I know you could be happy.”

Jia sighed, not wanting to think about it. “So why did Angus and everyone come back?”

“Winifred can communicate with winged creatures, so we’re hoping she and the owl can figure out where Xiao Fang is being held. And then we would know Han’s location, too.”

“I see.” Jia wondered who would find Han first. It needed to be her and Russell.

“Tonight we attacked one of Han’s camps and took all the supersoldiers prisoner,” Rajiv continued. “They’re in the clinic now so we can return them to normal.”

“That’s good.” News of the attack must have spread, Jia thought. It would explain why the soldiers at the last campsite had been so eager to kill anyone in the area.

“Angus wants to attack a different camp every night,” Rajiv explained. “It will deplete Han’s army and eventually lure him out of hiding.”

She nodded. “It’s a good plan.”

“It is. You should come back here so you can be part of it.”

She glanced at Russell. “I think our plan works well, too.”

Rajiv let out a groan of frustration. “I don’t like you living with him. Something could happen—”

“He’s doing his best to keep me safe.”

“Promise me, Jia, if you’re mortally wounded, you’ll make him bring you back here.”

“I’m not going to die, Rajiv.”

“There’s something . . . I don’t think Grandfather ever told you. He was so adamant about keeping you innocent. And of course, we always assumed you’d never get mortally wounded as long as you were living at Tiger Town. You would always be safe here.”

Jia frowned. “What is it?”

“When were-cats die and progress on to the next life, they . . .”

“Become more powerful? I know that.” Being able to shift at any time was a great advantage.

Rajiv groaned. “There’s more. When they wake up, they . . . they have an overwhelming desire to . . . mate.”

She blinked. “Mate?”

“Yes.”

She snorted. “That’s crazy. You’re on your second life, and you don’t have a mate.”

“Well, I . . . it doesn’t matter,” Rajiv stammered. “The need is so strong that you find someone . . . or take care of it yourself.”

She made a face. “Is that what you did?”

“I’m not talking about it! I’m just warning you. You’ll need to come home.”

She scoffed. “I don’t have a mate there. Besides, it’s not going to happen. I have no plans to die.” Overwhelming need to mate? How laughable. She’d never even kissed a man. She wouldn’t know an overwhelming need to mate if it bit her on the ass.

“You shouldn’t be there alone with Russell,” Rajiv insisted.

Her mouth dropped open. That’s why Rajiv was so worried. He was afraid she and Russell would . . .

Her cheeks blazed with heat. “There’s nothing between us. It’s a business partnership.”

“Jin Long thinks he may have some feelings for you,” Rajiv said. “You need to call us immediately so we can rescue you if you ever see Russell’s eyes start glowing red.”

She stiffened. “Why? I know he’s not going to bite me.”

“Red eyes don’t just mean hunger. It also means lust.”

Her breath caught.
Lust
?

“You haven’t seen it, have you?”

“No, not at all.” She covered her mouth. What was she doing? She’d never lied to her cousin like that before. “I should get some sleep now. I’ll call tomorrow.”

She hung up and paced around the cave. Soon her steps led her to Russell.

She’d already suspected he desired her. Now she had proof. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized he’d done a good job of behaving himself. He’d never actually confessed or attempted to seduce her. In fact, he usually kept her at a distance.

It was her behavior that was questionable. For even though she knew she was living with a vampire who desired her, she didn’t want to leave.

Chapter Twelve

I
remain a prisoner of the man with the golden mask. I hang my head in false surrender whenever he visits me, but deep inside my dragon heart, I am filled with hope. Even though the sacred mountain of Beyul-La has been destroyed, the warrior women still live. Norjee lives. The other dragons live. I am not alone.

And soon I will be free.

A few days have passed since I talked to Queen Nima’s owl. By now, I believe the owl will have found the village of were-tigers. Norjee and Winifred will be able to communicate with him. They will seek to discover my location. They will not give up on me. Although they are mortal, Winifred is like a sister to me. Norjee is my brother.

I have tried calling the local birds, but I am not certain that I am reaching them from this underground prison. I need to be aboveground, where they can see me and know where I am. Only then can they spread the word of my location.

Today I have removed the papers taped to my wall. The same word is written on all of them.
Home.

Beyul-La is gone, but as long as my family lives, I have hope that someday I will have a home again. It is this hope that stops me from destroying the papers. Before, when I taped them on the wall, I was trying to show Master Han what was in my heart. Now I wish to conceal my true feelings.

I stack the papers neatly under my cot, hidden behind some books where Master Han will not see them. If he sees my hope, he will keep me hidden forever.

I thumb through one of the books Master Han has given me to help me learn how to write. Since my throat cannot produce words, Han wants me to write well in Chinese so we can communicate. I look for words that will please him, and I find two.

Surrender. Submission
.

Fire simmers in my chest. I can never surrender. Nor will I submit. My hand refuses to write those words.

I find another one that I can write and that will meet Han’s approval. With my black pen, I copy it carefully. I use a piece of the tape Wu Shen gave me to stick it on my wall.

Gratitude.

The man with the golden mask will think I am grateful for the bed and food I have received. He might even think I am grateful that he pretends to care for me, that he pretends to be my father.

I am grateful for his lies so I know not to trust him.

I take a deep breath as the lock turns in the door. I have already received my evening meal, so I know it is time for Master Han to make his nightly visit.

The door creaks open, and he enters. The candlelight from my writing desk makes his golden mask gleam. I bow my head in greeting.

He repeats what he says every night. “How are you today, son? Did you sleep well? Do you have enough to eat?”

I nod and take my empty food tray to the guard at the door. I can see the stairs at the end of the hallway. It is tempting to run, but there are more soldiers upstairs. I would not get far. If only my wings would sprout. If I could make it aboveground, I could fly away.

Is that why Master Han keeps me below ground?

“You’ve learned a new word.” He steps closer to the wall and nods with approval. “
Gratitude
.”

Angry fire simmers in my belly. Should I be grateful I am a prisoner? I could blast fire at Han and all his soldiers. I could make them writhe in agony while I escape.

My skin grows hot with disgust. I have killed before. Sometimes I wake, drenched with sweat, for the memory seeps into my dreams and burns the brand of murderer onto my soul. I breathed fire on Lord Liao and his soldiers when they sought to bring the demon, Darafer, back from hell.

My actions solved nothing. Darafer still came. He was the one who captured me and brought me to Han. He boasts that I will kill again but from now on, he and Han will choose my victims. I will be trained to submit, Darafer tells me. It is only a matter of time, and he has time at his command.

I turn away from the door and the guards outside. I will not kill in order to escape. I will never kill again. For if I did, I would belong here with Han and Darafer. I would be like them. I would have surrendered to evil.

I can never surrender. Nor will I submit.

“I have good news for you.” Han walks up to me and pats me on the back. “It’s been quiet the last few nights, so I thought we’d resume your archery lessons.”

Then we would go aboveground? I nod and give Master Han a smile.

My spirits rise as he leads me up the stairs. We cross the main guardroom. The soldiers jump to attention and bow low as Master Han passes by. There are only a few officers who dare to look upon his golden mask.

Four guards rush up the last staircase and crank open the heavily sealed door. They dash outside, then one returns to report that all is clear.

Han selects a longbow and quiver of arrows, then hands them to a soldier. We ascend the stairs and emerge into a small cave. Five guards wait at the cave entrance, and five more surround us as we leave the cave.

I breathe deep of the fresh night air. The moon above is half full. When it becomes full, will I shift for the first time? Will my wings burst from my back?

I look around, my eyes quickly adjusting to the dark. We are in a semiarid region of hills and giant boulders. At the base of the hill, a dirt road extends into a dark horizon. A target has been set up across the road.

As we descend the hill, the guards spread out, leaving Han and me centered a short distance from the target.

“Do you remember the proper stance?” Han hands me the bow.

I turn my left shoulder to the target and plant my feet apart. I extend my left arm straight, my hand fisted around the bow.

“Very good.” Han hands me an arrow.

For a second, I consider slamming the arrow point into Han’s chest. But he is wearing the thick black armor over his chest. And I will not kill again.

I notch the arrow into the bowstring, pull back, and take aim. The arrow flies and hits the edge of the target.

“Not bad, son!” Han pats me on the back. “You’ll get better with practice.” He hands me another arrow.

“Master.” A soldier runs toward us and bows. “A truck is coming.”

The guards gather around us, their swords ready. Dust swirls on the dirt road as the truck zooms toward us. It comes to a halt and two men emerge—the driver and Wu Shen.

Han waves his hand to disperse the crowd of soldiers around us. They step back as Wu Shen dashes toward us.

“Report,” Han says.

Wu Shen bows quickly, then says, “I bring bad news. Camp number three failed to report in this morning. I took a unit of soldiers there, and it was empty.”

Han stiffens. “They deserted? I will hunt them down and kill them!”

Wu Shen shakes his head. “There were signs of a battle. Two dead soldiers and bloodstains on the ground. I believe the camp was attacked by the same group of vampires and shifters that have been plaguing us for months. Most probably, the survivors were taken prisoner.”

Han draws in a hissing breath and clenches his fists. “Those evil bastards! How dare they attack me!”

I step back. I have seen Master Han kill in a fit of anger. I hope he will not kill Wu Shen. The officer always looks kindly at me and asks if there is anything I need. His eyes have been sad lately. I heard the guards outside my door talk about him. He had two sons who served Master Han, and they both died at Beyul-La.

“I also received word that another camp was attacked last night,” Wu Shen continues. “There was a skirmish outside the barricade, and two soldiers were killed.”

“Dammit!” Han spins around, shaking his fists in the air. “Why do they keep persecuting me?”

I step back again. Everyone is watching Han with worried faces, afraid of what he will do. No one will notice if I call the birds.

I send out a distress signal far and wide. A hawk is first to respond. Then a pair of eagles. A host of smaller birds arrives and circles far overhead.

I am dragon,
I tell them.
I am
Xiao Fang. Remember my name and location. Spread the news as far as you can fly. The warrior women of Beyul-La are looking for me. They will understand you.

I hear the birds chirping overhead. They are discussing which ones will go in different directions.

“We should kill those bastards!” Han continues to rant. “Where are they hiding?”

“Your vampire enemies have teamed up with the were-tigers,” a soldier says quietly.

“Then find the were-tiger village,” Han orders. “Assemble the troops. I will give you three days to prepare. We will attack on the fourth night and destroy their village!”

Wu Shen inhales sharply. “The were-tiger women and children live there.”

“Good!” Han yells. “That will teach them to mess with me!”

My skin crawls with fear. I do not want other shifters killed. And what if the warrior women are living in the were-tiger village? What if Norjee is there? I look up at the sky.
Find the were-tiger village! Warn them they are in danger!

The birds swirl in a giant circle overhead, chirping and squawking.

Then they stop. No movement. No sound.

I blink. How can they stop in midflight? I look frantically about. Han is frozen, his fists lifted in the air. Wu Shen has stopped talking, his mouth open in the middle of a word. All the soldiers are motionless, frozen in time.

I cringe inside. I know only one entity who can control time. I want to run, but my feet will not budge. Something is stopping me. My hands move. They clench into fists. Unlike the others, I am aware, so I know what is coming.

I see him in the distance, strolling casually toward us. He is dressed in his usual fashion, all in black with a long black coat. His eyes gleam in an inhuman way, the green glowing in the dark.

As much as I loathe Master Han, I know he is weak. He takes delight in causing fear and pain, for it makes him feel less weak. To him, being a villain is like a game, and his victims are little toys. He plays at being evil.

Darafer embodies evil.

The demon approaches me, his mouth curling up on one side with a twisted smile. “What are you doing, dragon boy?”

I lower my head.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” He steps closer. “You think I can’t hear you talking to your friends?”

I lift my head as fear swells inside me.

Darafer points to the sky. “You can blame yourself for this.” With a wave of his hand, every bird overhead plummets from the sky. One thud after another, the birds hit the ground till the earth is covered with death.

A wheezing sound of pain wrenches from my throat. How many birds have died because I spoke to them?

Darafer seizes my shirt and glares down at me. “Maybe you can fool Han, but remember this, dragon boy. You will never fool me.” He releases me with a push.

My feet are still stuck, so I fall back on my rear. I am surrounded by dead birds.

How will I contact the owl again? How can I let the warrior women and Norjee know where I am?

Darafer waves his hand, and everyone jumps back to life as if time had never stopped.

Wu Shen resumes his talking but pauses after a few words and looks around. His eyes widen at the sight of Darafer.

“What’s with all the dead birds all of a sudden?” a soldier asks, nudging one with his boot.

Han stiffens, turning toward Darafer. “Do you realize two of our camps were attacked last night?”

The demon shrugs. “You’re in charge of training the soldiers. I just make them.”

“Then make me some more!” Han yells. “My army used to be a thousand strong, and now it’s down to three hundred!”

The demon zooms toward Han and grasps him by the throat. Han’s guards move toward him, but with a flick of his wrist, Darafer sends them all flying back a hundred feet.

“You left me in hell for seven months,” Darafer growls. “You thought you could take over the world without me, didn’t you? You pathetic worm. While I was gone, you lost over half of your army.” He pushes Han back.

Han stumbles, then makes a quick bow. “As your humble servant, I beg your assistance in making more supersoldiers.”

“That’s more like it.” Darafer crosses his arms and gives Han a disdainful look. “Remember who’s the boss around here, and we’ll get along fine.”

“Yes, my lord.” Han bows again.

“I have grown more demon herb,” Darafer says. “And I am producing the potion. It should be ready by tomorrow night. Round up more volunteers, and I’ll mutate them.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Han bows. “I will do as you say.”

“See that you do. And take the dragon boy below ground before he talks to more birds.” Darafer turns away from Han and smiles at me. “You will submit to me, too, Xiao Fang. It’s only a matter of time.”

My heart sinks with despair. If I cannot reach my friends, how will they rescue me? If I cannot warn the were-tigers of an impending attack, will they and my friends die?

“I’m watching you,” Darafer says, then vanishes.

Fire burns in my belly, and hot tears sting my eyes. For even if I manage to get away from Master Han, how can I hope to escape a demon?

Even as fear threatens to overwhelm me, I cling to a truth that must ever remain constant.

I am dragon. I can never surrender. Nor will I submit.