Rematch

by Rachael Slate

  “What is it, Wen?”

  She uncloaked Cat. “We need to talk. Your gourd isn’t empty. The Monkey King tricked you and stole your gourd, replacing it with a fake.”

  He blinked once. “That’s not possible.”

  “Cat showed me. It’s true. That bastard.” She shook her head.

  His features darkened and his jaw clenched tight. “I cannot believe this.”

  “Cat snuck into his lair and saw him using your gourd. The spirit shared its memory with me. I’m sorry.” She pressed a hand on his arm. He’d spent decades tormenting himself for nothing. Her heart ached for him, but her thirst for vengeance burned bright. “So, what are we going to do about it?”

  His breaths were shallow, his voice, deep and fierce as he grated, “You are going to do nothing. I will make him pay.” He shot forward, about to use his ability to travel at lightning speeds, but she leapt onto his back and hugged her limbs around him.

  “Get off me, Wen!” His warning was low, feral.

  “No.” She squeezed tighter. “You can’t storm in there and expect to beat him. We do this together.”

  He jerked once, as though contemplating tossing her off, but instead exhaled and relaxed his muscles. She shifted to his front, wrapping her legs around his waist. “Before, you wouldn’t accept my proposal because there wasn’t anything I could steal for you. Well, now there is.”

  “It is too danger—”

  She planted her mouth over his and swallowed his protests. A flick of his tongue against hers sent shivers spiking along her skin. She hopped off him before they got too sidetracked. “I have Cat. Together, the three of us can do this.”

  He tilted his head, his brows drawing together. “You would risk your life for me?”

  “Well, I’m technically almost immortal. It’s not that much of a risk.” She winked, but the somber question in his eyes didn’t vanish. “Yes, Li, I would. I’d risk everything for you, for me…for my brother. What the Monkey King did affected the entire world. We—Cat, myself, you—need this.”

  Folding his arms, he regarded her for a moment, until his lips curved. “We’ll have to do something about that ‘almost’ part. But you’re right. Come on.” He snatched her hand and ushered her to his collections chamber. They paused in front of a case displaying a set of shimmering knives.

  As she peered closer, she realized the blades were made of water.

  “I never thought I’d have use for these, but we should bring them as a backup.” Li lowered the glass. “The Monkey King is immune to almost everything—except drowning. Water is his sole weakness.”

  “Neat.” She fingered one of the blades, its edges sharp and deadly.

  Li pressed up behind her, enclosing her in his arms. “All right, my little thief. What’s your plan?”

  She spun around in his arms. “First, we need some kickass clothes. Then we’ll be ready for our rematch.”

  Li straightened his shoulders and strode through the sculpted gardens of the Monkey King’s opulent villa. High on a mountain misted in clouds, the golden arches of his remote abode towered above the world below.

  The Monkey King’s escapades of trickery had made him a pain in the ass both on Earth and in Heaven. Li had been so blinded by his vanity, he’d not heeded his instincts and had fallen victim to the bastard’s schemes. Today, they would right that wrong. He’d become worthy of Wen’s love, of the respect of his descendants. Together, they’d ease the suffering in the world.

  Or so he hoped.

  If their plan misfired…

  A delicate breeze blew through the garden, masking the quiet advance of Cat in the shadows. He steeled himself. He had to trust in Cat. In Wen.

  Hastening his stride, he jogged up the stairs leading into the Monkey King’s residence. Inside the open hall, dozens of alluring females reclined on gilded chaise longues, clad in strips of silk that preserved the mildest hint of their modesty.

  The Monkey King lived like Li used to. Surrounded by beauty, and truly appreciative of none of it.

  Li paused in front of a gilded, hanging gong and struck the center. The metallic hum vibrated up from his feet, through his legs and body. Several of the handmaidens flocked to his side, gliding their hands over his body with a familiarity that made Li tense. He tried to shoo and pry them off, but they were insistent. They tugged him along to sit beside a trickling waterfall that disappeared into the painting above his head. Intriguing, but he hadn’t come here to peruse the Monkey King’s collections.

  “Well, well, well.” A mischievous tone drawled from his left. He twisted around. The Monkey King linked his fingers in front of him and dipped his head once. “If it isn’t the infamous immortal Li Tieguai. A pleasure again, my lord.” The corner of his mouth turned up.

  The male was better groomed than the last time Li had seen him, his thick sideburns trimmed back from his cheeks to achieve a tailored look. Less primate and more human. His gait still carried the limping lean of a monkey, though, as he strode toward Li. Clad in a robe of red silk embroidered with gold, the male stood slightly shorter than Li, but was solidly built. If his reputation proved correct, he was nearly invincible. Nothing could harm him, not fire, or weapons. Well, except the weapons Wen carried.

  “The pleasure is mine.” Li rose and accepted the Monkey King’s handshake. A firm, solid clasp and they released each other, but he kept his scrutiny trained on the trickster.

  Li removed the gourd from the pocket of his jacket.

  The Monkey King’s eyes widened before he flicked his gaze back to Li. “What is this about?” He inched backward.

  Li held up a hand in placation, even though his gut burned to strike the asshole into Dìyù. “I am not here for retaliation, but to ask for your aid. You once used the medicine inside this gourd to resurrect my body. You tricked me into depleting its power, but I will overlook the offense if you will reverse your spell.”

  Straightening, the Monkey King nodded and a gleam twinkled in his eyes. “Why? Without a body for your immortal soul, you will be forced to roam the eighteen levels of Dìyù—Hell—for the rest of your existence.”

  “Fuck that.” Li scoffed. “I’ve already been doing that for the last thirty years. Nothing is worse than the shame I suffer every day. I’ll not spend one more bloody day stewing in regret. Reverse this.”

  The Monkey King regarded him, stroking one finger along his jaw. “Okay, I’ll help you, but what will you do for me in return?”

  He shoved down the urge to roll his eyes. Of course the fiend wouldn’t see his desperation for atonement as enough. “How about this?” He withdrew the jade box that had housed Cat’s spirit.

  As he’d anticipated, the glint of greed flashed across the Monkey King’s eyes. Tales of Cat’s misdeeds must have reached his ears. The bastard always searched for new ways to spread mischief. That Cat no longer occupied the box wouldn’t matter if their plan succeeded.

  “Deal.” The Monkey King chuckled. “I’ve heard great tales about this Cat. Follow me.”

  Li tried to calm the prickling on the back of his neck as he trailed the Monkey King down richly marbled corridors. Had he stalled long enough? Gods, he prayed so.

  The male paused in front of a set of large, gilded doors. He snapped his fingers and the doors slid open, revealing a dragon’s hoard of treasures. Where Li’s were encased in glass boxes and displayed in a museum-like fashion, the Monkey King’s treasures had been dumped into heaping piles around a hollowed out cavern.

  Li followed the male down an aisle, attempting not to cast a curious eye on the talismans surrounding him. The power in this place rang like a vibration through his veins. The collection was at least twice, if not three times, the size of Li’s. A twinge of envy made him fist his hands, but he shoved it aside.

  “Aha. Here we are. The potion.” The Monkey King paused in front of a stack and withdrew a vial of glittering liquid. “Your gourd, if you will.” He held out his hand.

  Where was Wen’s si
gnal? Li’s shoulders tensed while he withdrew the gourd and handed it to the Monkey King.

  “One moment, please.” The Monkey King shifted to give Li his back.

  He clenched his jaw at the cautious behavior. The jackass put on a good act, but Li put on a better one.

  “Here you go.” The male spun around and offered Li the gourd.

  “This potion will return the magic from my body into the gourd?”

  “Of course.” A crisp answer.

  His heart thrashed inside his chest. If Wen hadn’t been successful, he might be drinking from the true gourd. A second sip of the magic would have fatal side effects—reversing the result of his first drink.

  He might be walking straight into damnation. Where the hell was she? His ears strained for the low hum of the gong. The plan was for her to give the signal once she’d successfully thieved the gourd, and then for Li to have a sudden change of heart. In and out. Reclaim his gourd, put his past behind him. He’d focus his vengeance on the true enemy—the Red Death—and begin his atonement.

  An object buzzed by his ear, straight into the gourd, shattering it in the Monkey King’s hand. A second later, a glint of metal shot toward the male’s chest.

  Water blades.

  Despite its speed, the Monkey King caught the dagger by the blade, a millimeter from piercing his chest. He drew back his arm and flung the knife in the direction of its origin.

  Wen.

  Li flashed in front of the blade’s path, his shoulder whipping backward as the dagger stabbed into his flesh. He slammed into a pile of coins, tumbled forward, and came to rest on his hands and knees. Wincing, Li hopped to his feet and wound back his arm, flaring white. “Don’t you dare.”

  “Li!” Wen rushed to his side, another water blade in her hand, aimed toward the Monkey King.

  His upper lip curled in a snarl at Wen. “No blade can harm me, foolish wench.”

  “Oh really? Look again, you swindling asshole.” Fire blazing in her eyes, she jerked her chin at the blood dripping from his hand where he’d caught the blade.

  He turned his hand over and gaped at the gash splitting his palm. A stream of crimson droplets splattered onto the floor as he closed and opened his fist. “It’s not possible. Nothing can harm me,” he muttered to himself as though it would make the illusion disappear.

  “Water blades can.” Wen smirked.

  Cursing, the Monkey King whirled toward the pile of treasures behind him and tossed aside jewels and coins, smearing them with blood.

  “Are you okay?” Wen placed her hand on Li’s arm.

  “I’ll survive.” He grimaced and yanked the blade from his shoulder. “Next time, let’s try sticking to the plan, hmm?”

  She gave a sheepish shrug. “I was improvising?”

  He gripped the hilt of the water blade at his side, his jaw tightening at the danger she’d placed herself in. “You were being impulsive again.”

  A puff of air blew from her lips. “I know we agreed not to pursue the revenge angle, but that bastard deserves a taste of misery.”

  True. Besting the Monkey King would’ve been satisfactory vengeance, but Li didn’t deny the jolt of pleasure at how Wen had made that jackass squirm.

  “Where is it?” The Monkey King’s shrill question echoed into the cavern as he spun, glancing from his wound to the shattered gourd on the ground, and back again. He sank to his knees, scraping up the pieces of porcelain. “No, no, no. No!”

  “Oh, are you looking for this?” Wen dangled the real gourd in front of him.

  “Huh?” His scowl deepened to where his brows drew together. “What have you done?” He lunged for Wen, but Li blocked him, slashing the water blade between them.

  “Ah, not so fast.” Wen stepped out from Li’s protection and opened her long leather jacket, revealing a dozen studded blades that shimmered like the ones she’d tossed at the Monkey King. Eyes jerking open, he staggered back from her. “That’s right, little primate. You’re going to listen to us, or we’ll share your weakness with everyone in Heaven. Sell these babies to them. Hmm? How does that sound? Pretty sure you’ve made enough enemies there to find buyers for each of these.” She fingered the blades.

  The fear erased from his face and his nostrils flared. “What did you do with the gourd?”

  “We took a lesson from your playbook.” Li narrowed his eyes. “The old switcheroo, right, Monkey King?”

  The male straightened. “Clever, clever. Why don’t we make a deal for those blades?” Grinning, he swept his arm toward a tower of gold. “Anything you desire, Li Tieguai.”

  Li pressed his lips thin and forced his gaze not to stray. The Monkey King’s offers no longer tempted him. He didn’t need any treasures. Only Wen. “I don’t think so.”

  A glower shadowed the male’s grin. “Well, what do you want then?”

  Wen tapped a finger against her lips, shot Li a wink, and lowered her hand to her hip. “Hmm, how about your binding oath you will never meddle in another being’s business. Especially not in Li’s.”

  Wen’s words burned a warmth through his once-hardened heart. She’d risked everything for him. For them.

  “Give me the gourd first, or I may not live to fulfill such an oath.” The Monkey King winced at his wound and his lower lip trembled.

  Wen waved the gourd under the fiend’s nose. “Nah-uhn. I’ll let you take a sip, but not without that vow.”

  “Yes, anything.” A greedy glaze fell across his dark eyes. The Monkey King squeezed his eyes shut and extended his uninjured hand. Gripping his water blade, Li swiped the dagger across the Monkey King’s palm while the male uttered a vow never to trick another being. Wen tilted the gourd and poured a single drop onto the Monkey King’s extended tongue. The smoky liquid evaporated with a sizzle and the gashes on his hands faded. The male shrank back, clutching his hands to his chest.

  Li tucked the knife back inside Wen’s jacket and crushed her in his embrace. “I’d begun to fear Cat had failed.” He eased his grip and stroked her cheek. “Well done. You really have earned your namesake, my little cat burglar.” He winked at her.

  She flashed him a smile. “You’d be amazed what these hands can do, baby.”

  “Oh, I already know.” He swept forward and captured her lips. She kissed him back, opening herself to him with that beautiful tenderness he’d craved for so long.

  “Cat? You lied to me, Li Tieguai.” The Monkey King seized one step toward them.

  “Ah-ah.” Wen cloaked Cat, swiping one lethal-clawed paw in his direction.

  “So it is true.” The male backed off, scowling.

  “A trick for a trick, Monkey King.” Li patted Cat, and Wen uncloaked the spirit.

  Muttering curses, the Monkey King slunk out of the cavern with his invisible tail between his legs.

  The danger past, Li exhaled his relief. He gazed down at her, for the first time in centuries feeling like a whole man, worthy of offering Wen his heart. He’d spend the rest of his immortal days earning hers in return. “You didn’t tell me you were planning to steal something else.” He raised a stern brow.

  “What? I didn’t steal anything else.” She planted her hands on her hips. “You going to strip-search me, boss?”

  “Definitely later.” Bending forward, he whispered in her ear. “You stole my heart, Wen.” Her gasp was sweet in his ears. “I love you.” He moved to claim her lips, but she pressed a finger to his mouth.

  “Damn, I’m good.” She laughed and planted a quick, hard kiss to his lips. “I love you too, Li.”

  He growled and seized the back of her head, drawing her mouth back to his. She moaned as he thrust his tongue inside her mouth, his hands roaming to possess every soft inch of her body.

  Three slow claps echoed from the far corner of the chamber. He and Wen jolted apart. A figure emerged from behind a pile of treasure. “Well played.” The owner of the cool, feminine voice stepped into the light.

  The bloody Matchmaker.

  She’d be
en here, watching, the entire time? He glanced at Wen, but she gaped as well. “You might’ve helped us,” he ground, his chest still heaving from kissing Wen.

  The Matchmaker lifted and dropped a shoulder. “You didn’t require my aid.” She faced Wen. “You are exactly the ally I’ve been waiting for.”

  Wen stepped forward. “On the Council?”

  “Yes.” The Matchmaker’s lips curved like a feline after a successful hunt.

  His chest tightened and he gripped Wen’s hand. “You must go with her. It is your destiny.” The words stabbed through his heart as he released Wen’s hand.

  “Well, I’ll still need a home. Right?” She arched a brow at the Matchmaker, who inclined her head, and twisted back to grin at him. “I don’t think the Council would appreciate me crashing on their couch.”

  Her beautiful smile washed over him, hope and peace soothing over the ache inside his chest at the thought of not being with Wen.

  “I’ll be in touch.” The Matchmaker winked and strolled past them toward the exit.

  The pieces clicked into place and he shook his head. Well, damn. “You knew, didn’t you?” he called after her.

  She paused at the exit and smirked at them from over her shoulder. “I told you she was yours, Li. You only had to wait an eternity for her.”

  “How? How did you do this?”

  “I do know a thing or two about soulmates, Li Tieguai. That is why they call me The Matchmaker.”

  His heart pounded. “Wen is my soulmate?”

  “Indeed. You should have been together in her past life, but…” A hint of sadness clouded her features. “Well, you are together now. Cherish her, or I will cut off more than your immortality.” She dropped a pointed stare to his manhood.

  He chuckled while the Matchmaker sauntered from their view. Then he turned to the woman he’d sensed had belonged to him, and now was certain did.

  My soulmate.

  “What am I going to do with you, now? Hmm? My reckless, curious, and—”