Thirteen Zodiac animals entered the Great Race. Only twelve became Chosen…
After failing the test to join the Lotus League, Wen Pierce will do anything to prove herself worthy. Even if it means being demoted to a maid in the house of one of the Eight Immortals—Li Tieguai. But this seductive yet surly immortal wants only one thing—her surrender to his rigid control. On his remote, magical island she’ll fade into the background of his tortured existence. Unless she can convince him she can steal anything…including the one thing he believes he’s lost forever.
A spirit outcast and denied…
Tricked by the Monkey King, Li Tieguai lives in shame and surrounds himself with other outcasts, like the spirit animal Cat. But when the vibrant and sultry Wen is assigned to his household and offers to thieve for him, she just might steal more than he planned.
On the edge of redemption, lies temptation…
Li isn’t the only one who can’t resist Wen. The spirit Cat offers Li the solution he’s longed for, but to atone for his past, he’ll have to risk a future…without Wen.
REMATCH
A CHINESE ZODIAC ROMANCE
RACHAEL SLATE
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Rachael Slate
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
First Edition May 2015
Edited by Kelley Heckart
Cover design by NovelArt Designs
Tribal Artwork by Jeanette Palafox
Formatting by NovelArt Designs
ISBN 978-0-9947648-9-3
For cat lovers.
Fangzhang Island
624 days since the first outbreak of the Red Death
Those sparkling green eyes would be his undoing.
Li Tieguai scowled at the newest morsel of temptation the Matchmaker had deposited in his household. Thick lashes framed eyes with a down-turned, feline cast. Pouty, pink lips that begged to be nipped and licked. Porcelain skin framed by red-streaked ebony hair. Her curvy hips were encased in tight leather pants and her breasts pushed upward by the bodice-style top she wore. Damn.
Long, high-heeled leather boots completed the sultry enticement.
“Absolutely not.” She straightened her shoulders, causing those lush breasts to perk forward, and stuck out her hip, planting one hand on the inward dip of her waist.
“You will bow before your new master.” Standing next to the girl, the Matchmaker’s left eye twitched. A member of the Council of Elders, she was not accustomed to being disobeyed. The Council issued commands from the Jade Emperor—the ruler of the Heavens.
“That won’t be necessary.” Li stepped forward into the sunlight of his courtyard, positioning himself between the two women. “She will not be staying.” The last thing he needed was another test.
“There, see?” The minx huffed. “Matchmaker, I’ll accept any position, but not here. Not with him.” She jerked her chin at him like he wasn’t an immortal. Like he couldn’t crush her beneath his fist in the blink of an eye.
Bloody hell. He crossed his arms and deepened his glower to live up to his irascible notoriety. The sooner she was removed from his presence, the better.
“That is enough from you, Wen.” Tapping her long red nails on the sleeves of her pale blue silk blouse, the Matchmaker turned to the servant girl like a mother scolding an errant child. “You failed my test. You will assume whatever punishment I deem fitting.”
His shoulders tensed as his new servant complied, executing a flourishing bow. Oh, no. She was not staying.
“And you?” The Matchmaker planted her fierce glare on him, making him swallow hard. He might be an immortal, but even the gods hesitated to provoke this female. “You have never refused one of mine before. We have an arrangement, do we not?”
Yeah, well. He glanced to the right, and to the left, taking in the view of his gardeners. Over the years, the Matchmaker had assigned plenty of servants to his household. Most of them were recruits who’d failed to become members of her secret league of assassins—The Lotus League. Outcasts. Beings who belonged neither on Earth nor in Heaven.
Not one of them female.
“They don’t look like her.” He narrowed his gaze at the cat-eyed seductress.
“Excuse me?” The siren named Wen uncrossed her arms and fisted her hands. Definitely too much fiery enticement there.
The corner of the Matchmaker’s mouth curved. “Tempted, Li?”
He leaned in close. “It would please you to break me.”
She sighed. “There is no test here. Wen Pierce has failed to become one of my Lotus. I require somewhere to, well, store her. In essence, you would be doing me a favor.” Her brow arched. “I don’t care where you keep her. You can do with her as you like. She is yours.”
“The hell he can.” Wen’s pale skin flushed a bright red. The color enhanced her features, making him think of other ways to induce this glow on her.
Fuck.
“Very well.” This was no argument he could win. Besides, if the Matchmaker did play at some scheme, she’d quickly learn he’d far surpass the challenge. Every day he suffered the bitter torment of his one moment of weakness. One servant girl wouldn’t distract him from his penance. He’d stow her away, somewhere he wouldn’t have to gaze upon her. He bowed his head at the Matchmaker.
She patted his arm. “You should keep a close eye on this one, Li Tieguai. She has a tendency toward reckless curiosity.” Turning on her heel, she sauntered back through the columned corridor of his residence.
Reckless curiosity? Just what he needed. Groaning, he raked a hand through his hair and stole a glance at his newest servant. She gripped her left wrist in her right hand, but he made out the pinkish hue of her fresh tattoo—a flowering lotus.
Failed, had she? How? He bit down on the question immediately. He’d do this “favor” for the Matchmaker, and no more.
***
Wen glared at her new “master.” Surly temperament? Check. Iron-fisted reputation? Check. Drop-dead gorgeous? Unfortunately, check. He wasn’t supposed to be. Ages ago, his servant had accidentally cremated his body and legend had it Li Tieguai had been forced to assume the body of a haggard, lame beggar.
Legend was wrong.
She would have gladly gone to any other immortal’s household. But Iron Crutch Li? The servants in his household never got reassigned. No one ever left this cursed island. She’d never find redemption here. Or avenge her brother’s death. Matthew. The ache in her heart pulsed and she fisted her hands, steeling her resolve. To claim her spot as a Lotus, she’d have to figure out how to get away from this place. Starting with convincing her new Master that he really didn’t want her here.
Store me. Ha. The Matchmaker would soon learn she couldn’t get rid of Wen so easily.
He continued to regard her with his stern gaze, distaste evident in the hard set of his square jaw. She lifted a brow and returned his rude stare. “Look, I don’t want to be here. You clearly don’t want me here. Why did you let her walk away?” She blew out an exasperated breath and crossed her arms.
“That is not for you to question, little mortal.” His accent was crisp and formal, like she expected an immortal’s to be. After all, he basically transcended time.
As he dropped his hand from his head and stalked toward her, she straightened her shoulders. Up close, he was even more intimidating. From farther away, he hadn’t appeared quite so…large.
Or sinful.
His eyes…they weren’t black, more like the dark hue of a night sky, the hint of glinting stars in their depths. Their sharp angles suggested a cunning, clever mind.
Even though he was millennia-old, his face was youthful. He could pass for his mid-thirties, easily. Half of his onyx-hued hair was tied back, the rest fell past his brawny shoulders. He had to be at least six and half feet tall, a good foot taller than her. A teasing glimpse of his bronzed, ripped chest peeked through the black silk of his Chinese-cut dress shirt. She flicked her tongue across her bottom lip as the urge to tear his shirt open itched through her palms.
She struggled between ogling him and turning her back on him, but the raw power emanating from him won out, freezing her feet to the ground as he prowled toward her.
“You are now a servant in my household. These are the rules you must obey.” He paused two feet from her. “First, you will not address me without permission. When you do address me, you will call me Master.”
She tilted her head, but kept her stare trained on his. He might be an immortal and she a lowly mortal, but if he assumed that for one minute she’d play the subservient slave…
His intense perusal burned through her, but she refused to lose this stare-down.
A crease formed between his brows. “You would do best not to gaze upon me. Come.” After issuing his bizarre command, he strode toward the residence. Placing one reluctant foot in front of the other, she followed him. “You’ll be in charge of dusting my collection. You’ll perform your duties as though you are as invisible as a mouse. Understood?” While he spoke, he led her through the grand, marble column-lined corridors of his estate.
Wow, the man liked his rules. Too bad she excelled at breaking them. “Don’t you have a butler or someone to handle new servant enlistment for you?”
He whipped around and planted his scowl on her. “Don’t you listen to any instructions?”
She shrugged. “Not really, Master.” A tic worked his jaw as she rolled over the word. Hmm. If she exasperated him enough, he might run begging to the Matchmaker to send her away.
“I prefer to assess my servants myself.” Did a threat hide in his words? Maybe living for so long had made him paranoid. He muttered something that sounded like a curse and continued his march down the corridor.
She blinked once, then hastened to catch up to his long strides. This island, Fangzhang—one of the three inhabited by the Eight Immortals—was a lush, tropical paradise. If she were looking for a vacation, she might’ve considered settling in. The white-halled residence was nestled high on a cliff, surrounded by a thick jungle landscape broken only by the dozens of cascading waterfalls. The front of the mansion faced the ocean, an endless view of turquoise jewels.
As she entered the mansion, her head whipped from side to side. Holy. Crap. The inside of Li’s mansion was a cross between a villa and a museum. Pristine ivory marble swirled with ebony composed the floors, walls, and ceiling. The clacking of her heeled boots echoed, while the immortal’s footsteps in front of her fell silently. Right. If she sought to prove her Lotus skills to him, she’d go barefoot next time.
They paused in front of solid hardwood doors that slid open—a common spell. He glanced back at her. Checking to see if she was impressed by his magic? She kept her features composed and peered past him into the chamber.
He extended his hand for her to enter. “This is where you’ll work.”
She stepped inside and appraised the room. Her museum assessment earlier hadn’t been a fluke. As she strode into the room, lights dimmed on, illuminating the treasures inside the glass cases. At least a hundred of them were arranged in tidy rows, separated by one long main aisle. She treaded forward, Li following behind her.
“Your plan is for me to dust your toy collection?” Her fingertips trailed along a glass countertop as she paced down one side row. Pausing in front of a display of jewels, she snorted, then narrowed her eyes. The rumors were true. Here, she would vanish. Blend into the murals on the walls. Never to be noticed again. Steeling her resolve, she hopped up on top of the display case. “No.”
“Excuse me?” He advanced down the row opposite her, pausing on the other side of the counter, and regarded her, brows raised.
“I won’t do any of those things.” She arched her back and crossed her legs on top of the case. “I’m more than a feather duster. You really should make use of my talents.”
His lips pressed thin and she braced for an eruption. Immortals didn’t exactly have the best reputations when it came to temperament. If she didn’t clarify her role in his household, she would vanish.
Unacceptable.
“Talents?” He cocked his head, and something dark flashed in his eyes. Lust, anger? Both? “I’m an immortal. What use could I possibly have for you?”
Oh, don’t go there, buddy. She twisted around, dangled her legs on his side, and smiled. “I’m trained as a Lotus. I’m discreet, stealthy, efficient. Surely, a renowned immortal such as yourself—”never hurt to pad their ego—“has a great deal of tasks that require such skills.”
“Elaborate.” He bent forward, planting one hand on the case on either side of her. The dark spice of him taunted her nose as she inhaled.
She leaned in closer to meet him at eye-level. “How about instead of cleaning your toys, I find you some new ones? Hmm? Don’t tell me there isn’t a god or immortal who has something you want? Or an object they’ve stolen from you and you’d like to have back?”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. Aha. She’d hit upon the right note. Now to play the chorus. “I could get it back for you. I’m pretty talented at that sort of thing.” With one fingertip, she circled a button on his silk shirt. He was so sexy, she couldn’t resist getting closer.
Hope sparked inside her chest. This wouldn’t be a complete waste. If she got on Li’s good side, he might put in a word for her with the Matchmaker.
He wrenched back from her. “No.”
The spark sizzled out as though he’d dunked her in the ocean. “Why not?” She had clearly seen he desired something.
Straightening, he crossed his arms. “You might be a successful, little cat burglar, but I’m afraid thieving from an immortal would take far more than you are capable of.”
“Oh really?” The fuse flared and she clenched her jaw. “We’ll see about that.” She swept her arm out at the room. “Pick something. Anything.” Sliding off the counter, she rose up on her tiptoes. “I’ll steal it from you. Then you’ll see what this cat burglar can do.”
Wen’s tenacity fired parts within Li that had long gone cold. She was beautiful and full of life. Energy. Vitality. Before he’d lost his gift, he’d spent most of his days curing the diseased. This vibrancy was something he hadn’t encountered in a long time indeed.
The way she touched him … He’d had to bite back a groan at this siren’s teasing hands, had to reprimand himself against succumbing to her “talents.” No one touched him. Not in centuries, not of their own free will. He might’ve reclaimed his appealing form, but what lay beneath kept him from permitting any contact.
The denial was his penance. He refused to allow this cursed body any pleasure.
Wen hummed a satisfied purr, but she would never successfully thieve from him. There were far too many spells upon his collection. And yet… he desired to watch her try.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Very well.” He side-stepped to the left and paused in front of a glass case containing a jade bracelet. The verdant shade matched her eyes, but the jewelry itself was nothing special. “This one.”
“Perfect.” She smiled sweetly, but oh, there was a coyness in the curve of her lips. A confidence.
He almost hated to destroy it. “You should know, no being exists who can remove this from here.”
“So you say.” She crossed her arms, accentuating the curve of her breasts. He forced his gaze upward, onto hers. She met his stare, unblinking. Even though he’d commanded her not to.
Minx.
“You seem intent upon trying every rule of this household, but there is one you must never break.”
“Okay.” She dropped her hands. “What is it?”
“Follow me.” He led her back through the corridors and up a staircase to an empty room on the second floor of the East Wing. He ought to place her in the servants’ quarters in the West Wing, but hell, they were all males.
Males long kept without female companions.
He’d keep a better eye on her near his chamber.
Withdrawing a key from the many on the chain around his neck, he unlocked the door. “This will be your room. Your meals will be delivered to you here. If you require anything, don’t hesitate to ask. You’re free to roam the estate and the grounds. However, once the sun has set, you must return to your chamber. You’re not to leave this room until the sun rises. Is that clear?”
Her little nose scrunched and her lips quirked. “Why? You going to turn into a monster?”
I already am one.
He shook his head at her as she stepped into the room. “It’s for your own safety.”
“My safety? Or your control? Rumor is, no one ever leaves this island.” She spun back around, hand perched on her hip.
“They don’t.” Closing the door behind her, he stuck the key into the lock and twisted it. A groan carried from the other side of the door, but he ignored her complaint. No one ever left his island because they had nowhere else to go. The servants in his household were outcasts—banished from Heaven, banned from Earth.
He proceeded to his chamber across the hall and poured a drink. After he’d lost the ability to heal the diseased, he’d filled his halls with the castaways the Matchmaker sent him. Nothing would atone for his transgressions, but perhaps those who came here would attain peace.
Sinking into the leather chair beside the fire, Li took a long, deep swig of the amber liquor. The glass rattled in his hand. He gripped his right hand in his left, attempting to smooth the tremor.
Rematch Page 1
