Match Me Later (Chinese Zodiac Romance Series Book 4)

by Rachael Slate

  “Is this your attempt at a big brother talk?” Ryden planted his hands on the wood tabletop and leaned forward. “Because out of the two of us, I’m the responsible one.”

  “Well, you’re damn well not acting like it.”

  He scoffed. “Why? Because I like action movies?”

  “The ladies are sensitive to violence. Besides, you have a flat screen in your room.” Price stuck a finger at him. “I mean it. Play nice or you’re going to have to find somewhere else to crash your sorry self.”

  Ryden eased back and fought away a grin. His plan had worked. At least one thing had gone his way. He’d had to chat up the ladies to uncover clues about Megan, but apparently no one knew or had even heard of her. They had, however, taken his advances as an invitation to spread their “love.” Turned out, the easiest way to keep them away was horror flicks. Fox spirits might be capable of vicious feats, but behind those sharp claws, they were total softies.

  In just two weeks, he’d learned a ton about them. For one, their fox spirits didn’t cloak them like Price’s Horse did him. Instead, their fox spirit and body blended together. When they got irritated—or aroused—their fangs and claws would spring out, and sometimes their eyes would flash with the fox spirit’s aura.

  They lived together in clusters, but were often in and out of the earthly realm, satiating their hunger. Without consuming human energy, fox spirits couldn’t survive.

  Yeah, Price had learned that lesson the hard way. Turned out, transitioning them into mortals was just a messed up way of killing them. Slowly. Painfully.

  Húli jīng weren’t born with fox spirits inside them—the fox spirits were actually their souls. Gifted to them from their goddess, Nüwa. Without those immortal souls, they withered into nothingness. And without feeding the fox spirit human energy, their soul would die—and so would they.

  The more he listened to them and took in, the more he realized. Megan wasn’t his. She never had been. The second he’d had sex with her, he’d unleashed the very creature he’d coveted.

  Two months had passed, and Megan was out there somewhere, feeding off men.

  Other men.

  The notion churned his gut, but there was nothing he could do. He now grasped why she’d gotten so pissed at him, sort of, but she wasn’t around to hear his apology. If she didn’t show up soon, he’d head back to his old life. Back to the steady, dependable Ryden.

  Leave the screw-ups to Price. He had far more experience with them.

  He rolled his eyes at his brother. “Fine. No more R rated movies in the theater. Happy?”

  “Well, I will be once—”

  “Price, come quickly!” a woman shouted from the corridor.

  They bolted to their feet and sprinted into the hallway. Daji waved them toward a figure curled on the tile floors, cloaked in a cape.

  “Ugh.” A feminine groan sounded from the bundle, and she gagged, spewing out a pale, slimy, crimson object.

  Price’s arm shot out to hold Ryden and Daji back, his lips curled in a grimace. “What the fuck is that?”

  Ryden ducked out from under Price’s arm. “It looks like a…digit?”

  “A finger. This time,” the woman on the floor rasped.

  Ryden froze. That voice. Her voice. “Megan?”

  She crawled to her knees and lifted the hood of her cloak. Spiraling cinnamon brown curls framed her face, round silvery brown eyes widening at him.

  “Naya!” Behind him, Daji gasped in relief and rushed forward to sweep the woman into her embrace.

  The female named Naya clutched back at Daji, but angled her face toward him, lifting her brows. “Ryden?” She blinked, and then her eyes narrowed, hardening.

  “Wait. You two know each other?” Price stepped forward, sweeping his gaze between them.

  Ryden frowned at the woman. She looked a hell of a lot like Megan…but this woman couldn’t be her. Could she?

  She said your name.

  Yeah, but Megan had silver eyes and short black hair.

  He inhaled, and caught a whiff of a fragrance so ethereal, he’d almost believed he’d dreamed it.

  ***

  Naya licked her lips and hated herself for her body’s reaction. What the hell was Ryden doing here? She’d slunk home—to what she’d believed was her sanctuary—and instead stumbled into a hell worse than the one she’d fled.

  Two months. Two long, harsh months, she’d done everything to forget this man.

  And utterly failed.

  Now here he was, dangled in front of her like the most delectable offering.

  Her stomach growled; she coughed to cover the sound, hoping the Queen and the men didn’t notice. It was bad enough sneaking home in humiliation—her fox tail between her legs—but did she have to do so in front of such a large audience?

  Daji rose beside her, not removing her hands from Naya’s arm. She bit her lip and angled her face aside, but Daji gasped. “What happened, my darling?”

  Funny, the bruise didn’t hurt nearly as much as the mortification. “Nothing. It’s nothing. Just some prick.”

  “The fuck it is. Tell me his name.” The man beside Daji crunched his knuckles together, a deep rage burning in his light blue eyes.

  “Really, it’s nothing. I can handle it myself.” Who the hell did he think he was? She squinted and caught the flash of a Horse across his aura. Hmm. He was a Chosen, but what was he doing with Daji? Questions that would have to wait.

  She jerked her chin at the severed finger on the floor. The asshat was lucky that was the only digit he’d shoved into her mouth.

  “Yeah, I can see that.” He winced, his hand lowering to his privates.

  “It’s his finger.” She shrugged. “This time.” As she’d stepped into the portal at SUTOL, Chao had wrenched her backward, and well… She dipped her head toward the Queen. “Thank you, my Queen. May I retire to my chamber?”

  “Of course, my dear. Are you certain you’re all right?” Those piercing eyes were too perceptive, but Naya nodded anyway.

  What she craved more than anything was a hot shower. And a toothbrush. Scour the grime and foul taste of Chao’s sweaty skin off her tongue. He was the human lackey of the demon assholes who were preying on her people. Luring desperate females to their lairs so they could steal their fox spirits. And their lives.

  A stare burned into her back. Ryden. She huffed and shuffled to her feet. Like she was going to admit she’d used a fake name on him? No way. Naya limped down the hallway, hugging her arm around her middle. Every day, she’d grown weaker, and soon enough, she’d become so desperate, even a bastard like Chao had seemed appetizing.

  Ugh. At her door, she twisted the knob.

  “Megan? Or is it really Naya?”

  Dammit. She planted her forehead against the hardwood door and groaned, then pushed through. Was it too much to hope Ryden had been a vision? A hallucination created by this gnawing hunger?

  “Wait.” He shoved through the entry just before the heavy door slid shut. Without bothering to ask her permission, he stepped inside and twisted the lock behind him. She paused to puff out her breath, but honestly she was too weak to care. After shucking off her shoes, she plodded into the bathroom, stripping off her cloak, miniskirt, and tank top. Cranking on the hot water, she stepped beneath the gentle spray. Her shoulders slumped and a sigh rolled through her.

  “Naya…” Ryden hissed from the doorway.

  She twisted her head to peer at him. His gaze landed everywhere on her, widening and hardening at intervals as he no doubt assessed her poor state of health. She briefly considered wrapping a hand around her body to cover up, or even kicking him out, but that would require more energy than she had to spare. Escaping that jackass Chao’s grasp had drained the last of her reserves.

  “What happened…?” He strode forward, his eyes softening as he brushed his fingertips along her arm.

  She jolted at the contact. “Don’t touch me.”

  His hand jerked back, but he shook hi
s head. “I don’t understand.”

  “L-leave.” She chattered, her teeth clacking together. The hot spray wasn’t helping. His scent. That decadent, dusky spice. Aromatic and rich. Her throat parched, the hunger twisting through her core, seizing her insides. Her legs quivered, but Ryden snared her in his arms. He switched off the water and shuffled them into the bedroom.

  Her claws and fangs sprang out, her fox spirit essence begging for just one taste. One moment of relief from this relentless starvation.

  “Let me go.” She shoved back, but she was far too weak in this state. Ryden, however, was as powerful and virile as ever.

  “Gods, what happened to you?” He ignored her protests, lifting her face to expose the bruises. The pity in his eyes was the last straw.

  What little energy she possessed, his sympathy ignited. She hissed and bared her fangs, squirming in his arms until he released her. “It’s your fault.” Hunching over, she panted heavily from the exertion. If not for him, she wouldn’t have been so desperate as to seek out a male like Chao. The hunger had gotten the better of her, but she wouldn’t allow it to again.

  “What the hell does that mean, Megan?”

  “My name is Naya. Megan is the idiot who picked you to mate with.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Ryden gave his head a violent shake. This woman wasn’t making a damn ounce of sense.

  Naya, Megan, whatever the hell her name was, padded to her closet and shrugged on a silk robe. Grabbing a towel, she dried off those long, curly locks. “You ruined my life. Get the hell out of my room.”

  This kept getting worse. Ryden folded his arms across his chest and blocked the path to the door. “Not until you explain yourself. If I’ve done something wrong, you should clue me in so I can fix it.”

  “Ha!” She scoffed. “You can’t fix this. You can’t fix me.” She staggered, hissing in a breath.

  He rushed to her side, but she raised a clawed hand to stop him. Whatever was wrong with her, she was in horrible shape. Which was worse—the shiner and split lip she sported or how he’d been able to count each of her ribs? If he didn’t know better, he’d guess that she was…starving.

  She’d been a healthy weight before, but now her bones protruded…like she had some kind of eating disorder. Dammit, she was a fox spirit. She didn’t “eat.”

  “Well, I’m not going anywhere until you give me an explanation. I’ve searched everywhere for you, Naya.” That was probably her real name. “I’ve waited two damn months for one. I deserve it.”

  “Oh.” She huffed. “You deserve it, do you? And what, I deserve this?” She swept a hand across her frail body and crawled onto the enormous four-poster bed.

  A spike of fear shot into his chest. She was weak. So weak. What if something was terribly wrong with her? What if she was dying?

  He softened his tone. “Please. These last two months have been hell for me, not being able to apologize.”

  She moaned, curled onto her side, and didn’t even bother retorting that one. Dammit. He marched to the bed and laid a hand on her back. “Naya?”

  She didn’t answer. Panic rushed through his veins. “Naya?” He rubbed a hand down her arm and rolled her over, patting her face. Her eyes were shut, unresponsive. Had she passed out?

  Fuck.

  Ryden tore from Naya’s room, down the corridor, and skidded to a halt in front of Price’s door, pounding on it.

  “What the fuck? It’s late.” The groan behind the door came from his brother.

  “It’s Naya. Something’s wrong.”

  Within seconds, Daji and Price were both at his heels, racing toward Naya’s room. Daji rushed to her side, inspecting the lifeless woman.

  “What’s wrong with her?” he demanded, hating this helplessness washing over him.

  Kneeling at Naya’s side, Daji inclined her head at them, her lips pressed thin, and fear glimmering in her eyes. “She’s starving to death.”

  “What? No. She can’t be.” None of it made sense. Why the hell wouldn’t Naya be feeding? She’d claimed she’d choose someone else…so why hadn’t she?

  Price crossed his arms and raised both his brows. “How would you know? Is she why you’ve been such a hot mess lately? Have you been feeding her?”

  He cleared his throat. “No, not exactly.”

  “What the fuck does ‘not exactly’ mean?”

  “It’s true.” Daji pressed her fingertips to Naya’s wrist as if assessing her pulse and stilled as though listening for a heartbeat. “This female has not fed in months. We must get some energy into her.”

  Price shoved him forward. “Guess that means you’re up, loverboy.”

  He swallowed hard and raked a hand through his hair.

  Daji lifted her head and glared at them. “Hardly. I’m afraid she’s far surpassed the capacity for jīng to restore her.” Her hand squeezed Naya’s. “She requires something more.”

  “How much more?” If she was implying more men… Ryden’s hands fisted at his sides.

  Daji clutched Naya’s hand to her chest. “Me.”

  ***

  Naya rolled onto her side, bracing for the needle-sharp hunger pangs to twist her insides. Her belly didn’t ache. Instead, a warm fullness embraced her. She lifted her lashes and rose onto her elbows, skimming one hand across her stomach. No grumbling, no deep-pitted spasms. As she prodded her cheek and lip, her skin was neither swollen nor sore.

  Huh. She peered at the room. Lush burgundy drapes were drawn shut. Cool grey stone walls and floors lent the chamber a medieval aura. Well, except for the handful of movie posters taped to the ceiling.

  My room. At the palace. Right. She’d come home after that asshole Chao, and then…Ryden.

  Oh, crap. Blinking, she furiously tried to recall getting up close and intimate with that bastard. How humiliating, to go crawling back to him. Not remembering any of it might be a blessing.

  This whole time, she hadn’t been able to stomach feeding from any other male because Ryden’s taste had been etched onto her tongue. While she lingered over their intimate encounter, he obviously hadn’t been as delectable as she’d imagined. Not even memorable.

  Hmm. She smiled. Maybe she was finally over her affliction. With a full zap of energy, she’d be strong enough to face the evil she’d stumbled upon and free her sisters.

  In doing so, prove to her Queen that she was ready to claim her destiny.

  Her mood lightened as she showered and dressed. Part of her hoped Ryden wouldn’t be in the palace, just as he hadn’t been in her bed this morning, but another deeper part hoped he would.

  Damn, baby, you were so good I don’t even recall a single thing.

  Naya strolled from her room, wandering through the carved stone halls she’d grown up roaming. The halls that would someday be hers. Few knew the truth about their Queen, but Naya was among them. Soon, Daji would have to step aside from her regal duties.

  And Naya would claim the throne.

  She passed the palace’s many rooms, checking each one for Ryden. If he’d stuck around, she wouldn’t be caught off guard. Confrontation was a better strategy.

  Gunfire and shouting resonated from the theater. Someone must be watching an action movie, and it sure as hell wasn’t a fox spirit. Ryden. Only a human male would be captivated by violence. She huffed and sauntered into the darkened room, blinking at the flashing screen. Tearing her focus off the zombie sinking its teeth into a human’s neck, she searched the seats. There. In the center, a tall male reclined in a large armchair.

  Smooth and velvety buttered popcorn fragranced the air, but a darker scent made her stomach grumble. Dammit. She swallowed back the hunger that had her salivating and focused on getting rid of him for good.

  Pausing at the back row of plush leather seats, she waited for him to notice her presence. Three rows up, his shoulders tensed. He set aside the popcorn bucket in his lap and twisted around. “Naya. You seem well.”

  She narrowed her eyes, though she
didn’t need to squint in this darkness.

  “You can go home.”

  “Sorry?”

  She swept her hand toward the exit. “You served your purpose, so you can leave.”

  His brows drew together as he rose and stalked toward her. “What purpose was that?”

  Ugh. He was going to play dumb and make her say it, wasn’t he. She perched her hands on her hips. “Servicing me. That’s why you’re here, right? But I no longer require you, so go home.” Spinning on her heel, she strode for the door.

  A thick arm shot out to block the doorframe, bicep bulging with raw power. “Servicing you?” His voice bordered on a chuckle. “Damn, Naya, you don’t remember what happened last night, do you?”

  She edged around, tilting her chin. “No, you’re not that memorable.”

  His lips quirked while he tucked a lose strand of her hair behind her ear and bent forward. “Sweetheart, we didn’t do anything together last night.” His hot breath fanned across the sensitive skin below her ear. “You can be fucking sure, if you’d had my cum in your mouth, you’d never forget it.”

  Her lips parted and she struggled not to release the whimper in her throat. The fox spirit inside her clawed to the surface. Pressing her thighs together, she detected wetness. Oh, hell no. One naughty flirtation from this man would not break her resolve. Focus. She bit down on her lip and cleared away the whimper. “Then why are you here?” Yes, redirect.

  He didn’t take the bait. Instead, his lips feathered across her neck, making her inhale sharply.

  “My brother—the man you saw last night—mated your Queen.”

  Impossible. She snorted but he chuckled as though he found the whole situation humorous. Holy hell. It was true. Daji owed her one giant-assed explanation—what on earth had compelled her to mate a Chosen? Squeezing her eyes, she vaguely recalled her Queen’s face. “Did Daji feed me?”

  “Uh-huh.” He pressed closer, and she didn’t have to glance down to sense his arousal. He was hard, ready, and perhaps just as hungry as she.

  To hell with him. She closed her eyes, blocking him out from her senses.