Trancing the Tiger (Chinese Zodiac Romance Series Book 1)

by Rachael Slate

  The second Sheng seized her hand, the electric energy between them sparked. A bright burst of light shot straight to the domed ceiling, blasting her and Sheng apart.

  Her body flew through the air, crashed against a wall, and slumped to the ground. Spearing flares spiked through her body, and she writhed on the floor as though being electrocuted.

  Pounding footsteps clattered toward her, but no one came closer until the last tremor eased. She’d sliced her teeth into her lower lip, causing it to bleed and coat her tongue in a coppery tang. Spitting a glob of blood, she twisted her face to peer at the crowd huddled around her.

  “No one touch her.” Sheng ordered them back, his face contorted in a mixture of concern, fear, and disappointment. “Lucy? Can you hear me?” His dark gaze roamed over her, his mouth set in a grim line.

  She tried to speak, but no sound escaped. Her ears continued to ring, her head to buzz. His mouth kept moving, forming words, but they didn’t register in her ears.

  The Matchmaker’s porcelain face hovered above her and she shoved Sheng aside.

  As bad as Sheng’s concern was, the haunted resignation in this woman’s frown cut through Lucy a thousand times deeper.

  A spasm speared through her middle. She whimpered. Hunching, she gripped her stomach. Her body twitched in jerky convulsions, her head fractured from the painful tremors, and still no one touched her. Worse than this unexplained onslaught, was the notion she’d somehow become untouchable.

  To Sheng.

  Sheng didn’t fight Ox’s grasp as the man strong-armed him to his feet, distancing him from Lucy. His brain railed against what the fuck had just happened, but one thing was certain.

  It was his fault.

  Nothing had happened to Lucy until he’d made contact with her. Until he’d seen that.

  Dammit. He growled, shoved off Ox’s supportive arm, and paced, stalking the Matchmaker’s efforts to revive Lucy.

  He’d received a light zap, but tendrils of steam continued to rise off Lucy’s electrocuted body. She lay helpless on the ground, but he didn’t dare touch her.

  Exhibiting greater strength than her slight frame would suggest, the Matchmaker scooped Lucy into her arms. “Li, go to the Grand Chamber.” After issuing her command, she carried Lucy away.

  He let out a shaky breath. Today had started off so well and, now, it had all gone to shit. His chest tightened as he marched up the long set of marbled stairs to the Grand Chamber. Lucy’s injury gutted him, yet if Rabbit kept proving this uncooperative, what did this mean for her future?

  Would she eventually break as Chicken had?

  No. The notion lanced through him, and he gritted his teeth. He’d never let it come to that. There had to be a solution. Maybe he’d rushed things. Pushed too far, too soon.

  They might be running out of time to secure Rabbit to their Kongsi before the Council decided to let Snake have a go, but fuck that. No bloody way would Sheng permit Snake anywhere near her. Nor would he risk Lucy’s safety over anything. Not even the fate of the world.

  He paused, gripped the stair railing, and braced his shoulder against the wall. This was new. Putting someone, even himself, above his responsibilities? Never happened before. But, he’d never known Lucy before. As infuriating as Rabbit was, Lucy was more than the spirit within her. She didn’t deserve to be punished for something beyond her control. Even if mastering the Rabbit should be within it.

  He raked his hands through his hair, adjusted his twisted clothing, and leapt up the last steps. Two monks on either side of the wooden doors wrenched them open. He blew out a sigh of relief and glanced around the room, finding it empty except for Turtle.

  The other Elders weren’t in, then.

  He strode to the center of the oval chamber and bowed before the wrinkled old man sitting behind a polished hardwood desk.

  “Come, Li Sheng, and have a seat.” Turtle waved him forward. “Well, what can I do for you?” The Elder steepled his fingers, elbows on the desk in front of him.

  Guess the commotion downstairs hadn’t reached the ears up here yet.

  Sheng did as ordered, plopping into a chair purposefully made uncomfortable. No one was expected to be at ease before the Council.

  “Tiger and Rabbit attempted the joining, but…” He searched for the words. “Something went wrong.”

  Betraying nothing, Turtle shifted back, his hands slipping to his armrests. “It’s just the Rabbit. I do not understand why we keep coming back to this.”

  He flinched at the reminder of Ox and Chicken. “This is different. I’m not sure what I saw, but there’s more inside Lucy than the Rabbit.” As he offered his explanation, his brain flipped through the events. When he’d been about to make contact with Lucy’s hand, he’d glimpsed another energy. What the fuck it was, he couldn’t be certain. The image had flashed so quickly and then the jolt had knocked him backward.

  “More?” Turtle leaned forward, eagerness brightening his withered face.

  ***

  Lucy moaned, cradling her head in her hands. The events crashed through her mind, a jumbled mess. Rabbit had been eager to seize Sheng’s hand, to complete the joining. Until an energy inside her had surged forth and…that was the last thing she recalled.

  An amber glow from the lantern at her side illuminated the small room. The Matchmaker perched on the edge of the chaise longue Lucy rested on, the woman’s warm hand clasping Lucy’s cold one. “Can you tell me what happened?”

  She shook her head. Her throat was clogged and, besides, she didn’t understand what had happened.

  “I’d like to keep you here for a few days, if that’s all right. Perhaps, if we meditate together, we can determine what went wrong.”

  “Fuck that.” A rumbling, masculine voice growled from the doorway. “She’s coming back with me.”

  Sheng. Her heart seized at his declaration. Even though she’d disappointed him, he wouldn’t abandon her. She glanced first at the Matchmaker’s scowl then at Sheng. With his arms braced between the doorframes, his large, dangerous body filled the tight space. He trained his gaze on her with a fierce possessiveness.

  Along with another emotion. Fear?

  What had happened to him or who had he spoken to that he regarded her with such concern? She swallowed her trepidation. Whatever had happened, she needed him.

  She struggled out of the blanket wrapped around her while he stormed past the Matchmaker and scooped her into his arms. He rubbed his cheek against hers, as comforting as speaking reassurance.

  “You cannot take her from here, Li.” The Matchmaker blocked their path to the door.

  “Watch me.” He marched forward and the woman squeezed aside to let him pass.

  “What did Turtle say?” the Matchmaker inquired.

  If he’d been tense before, nothing compared to the seizing of his muscles at the mention of that name. Ah, so he had spoken to someone.

  “Sheng?”

  At the use of his given name, Lucy’s curiosity piqued. The Matchmaker never used any terms of familiarity with Sheng.

  Whatever had gone wrong, it was grave.

  Lucy tightened her hold around Sheng’s neck, pressing her face into the hollow of his chest, soaking in his comforting warmth. As soon as her head stopped pounding, she’d coax those answers from him. He might not give them to the Matchmaker, but he would answer her.

  Sheng stepped into the corridor. She opened one eye and spotted a flutter of bright orange.

  Monks?

  At least a dozen blocked their exit. She stiffened in Sheng’s arms.

  “As I said, Lucy isn’t leaving. You’re welcome to, though, Li.” The Matchmaker’s tone carried a note of victory.

  Lucy clutched Sheng tighter, noting the hastened rising and dropping of his chest. “Don’t leave me.” She stroked his jaw with her free hand, drawing his focus down to her. “Please, Sheng.”

  His brows drew together. “Never.”

  Her apprehension eased at the hard set of his
features. He must have debated whether or not to fight their way out.

  “Let’s stay. It can’t hurt, right?” He exhaled, his serious expression creating furrows in his forehead. “I didn’t tell them anything about the joining,” he whispered into her ear so quietly she barely caught the words. “You don’t either, okay? Give us a chance to figure this out ourselves.”

  She nodded, so he carried her back into the room and set her down on the chaise.

  After speaking with one of the monks, the Matchmaker turned to them. “Turtle isn’t finished with you, Li.” She stared them down, disapproval in her glare. “It would appear you are both his guests.”

  Make that prisoners.

  Lucy shuffled on the chaise longue, but Sheng didn’t respond, didn’t betray any signs of agitation. “Fine. Tell him I like my pillow fluffed, will you?” He leaned back against the wall, hands crossed behind his head, legs outstretched. “And I’m pretty hungry. Have your staff prepare some steaks.”

  The Matchmaker glared at him as she sashayed out of the room. Before she closed the door, he called out, “Oh, and I prefer my meat rare. Bloody.” He purred the last word, the undertone of a threat in his voice.

  The door slammed in answer.

  ***

  His bravado departed with the Matchmaker, yet Sheng attempted to feign calm because, judging by the pallor of her skin, Lucy was near to panicking. Which, really, she had every right to do.

  He’d never heard of anything like what had happened when they’d attempted the joining. It took every ounce of calm Tiger possessed to prevent Sheng from leaping off the ledge of hysteria with her.

  Wouldn’t do anyone any good. When he’d approached Turtle, he’d hoped the Elder would have answers for him. He’d been wrong. Turtle was as ignorant as Sheng. The gleam in his beady eyes when Sheng had mentioned witnessing another energy in Lucy… He suppressed a shudder at the memory. That was the thing with power. Those who had it always lusted after more.

  Not me. He’d be content to parade about on the lower levels. Hell, he’d have even given up his title of leader to Dragon’s new host.

  But that motherfucker had never shown.

  Sheng slipped his hand through Lucy’s, giving it a tight squeeze. She required protection and he’d always had a soft spot for the vulnerable, though Rabbit might not prove as frail as they’d deemed it. He couldn’t pinpoint what he’d witnessed, but it had been strong. Powerful. Dangerous.

  Everything Rabbit wasn’t supposed to be.

  Lucy hadn’t taken her eyes off him since he’d walked into this room. Those wide, trusting, golden eyes. His perusal dipped lower to the swipe of her tongue across the small cut on her pretty pink lip.

  He ran his thumb across her bottom lip and hissed. “Does it hurt?”

  “Uhn uhn.” She flicked her tongue across her lip again.

  Hell yeah, he hungered for a taste too. “Can I kiss it better?” Leaning forward, he didn’t wait for her answer as he claimed her lips gently, his hand gliding through her downy hair to grip the back of her head.

  She moaned against his mouth, her velvety tongue tangling with his. This kiss was much bolder than their previous ones, revealing the passion he’d detected simmering beneath her surface.

  Passion he’d claim, first and last.

  Screw the Matchmaker. What did she know? This bond he had with Lucy wasn’t trivial. Or superficial. By the nature of their spirits, she was his family. Hell, even Tiger and Rabbit were compatible.

  He’d told himself to take things slow…but this was slow, right?

  Shifting backward, she drew him on top of her and he skimmed his free hand along her side. His cock stretched against the front of his pants, resulting in the unbearable urge to be naked with her, right here, right now.

  He slid his hand under her and gripped her ass, lifting her leg to cradle himself between her legs. Her heartbeat raced in his ears. Her body melted to his as if willing to go anywhere he led them.

  Anywhere.

  He rocked his hips against hers and a delicate, throaty moan escaped her lips—all the encouragement he required.

  The door banged open.

  He wrenched his mouth off hers and stared into Lucy’s flushed face before dragging his attention to the intruder.

  What the fuck?

  Lucy groaned at the removal of Sheng’s firm lips as his heavy weight eased off her body, leaving her echoing with the pulses of desire.

  A female snort sounded from the doorway. “So-rry. Am I interrupting?”

  Mei?

  She swung her gaze in the direction of the bubbly laughter. Yep, Mei rolled her eyes at both of them but, instead of leaving, she strolled inside the room and plopped onto the chair in the corner.

  Lucy’s already heated cheeks flared. She looked to Sheng for direction, but he focused on Mei.

  Crossing his arms, he lifted one brow. “Why are you here, Monkey?”

  “Well, if you’re going to take that tone with me, Tiger, I’ll come back later. Of course, by then, it will be too late.”

  Lucy shot upright at the news. “What will be too late?”

  “Oh hi, Lucy. Didn’t see ya there beneath all that necking.” Mei’s grin spread wide.

  Sheng unwound her legs from around his hips and shifted to the edge of the chaise.

  Attempting to make herself presentable, Lucy sat and combed her hair behind her ears…as if doing so would erase what the girl had already witnessed.

  “Go on, Mei.” Sheng’s tone became etched with a serious quality again, making her recall they were under house arrest. She rubbed at the pounding in her temples. Because…

  Rabbit hadn’t been able to join with Tiger. The animal had freaked out the second Tiger had tried to peer into Rabbit’s soul. Maybe Rabbit really was hiding something. But what?

  The smile faded from Mei’s face. “Snake is here.” Her chocolate eyes shifted to Lucy. “He’s demanding your presence.”

  The memory of their encounter flared in her mind, and she shuddered. Whatever he sought from her, it wasn’t good.

  “Hell no. Go back out and tell him to fuck off.” Sheng wrapped an arm around Lucy’s shoulders and drew her to his chest.

  “I’m not saying that to Snake’s face. No way. You want him gone, you’ll have to do it yourself.”

  “She’s right,” Lucy interjected. “If he’s asking to speak with me, I’ll go. I’m not afraid of him.”

  Sheng’s expression darkened. “You should be.”

  His words sent a shiver down her spine, but her mind was made up. These people already believed her to be the weakest animal in their Zodiac. She refused to prove them right by acting that way.

  She slipped from his grasp and made for the door. As she gripped the knob to twist it, he placed one hand on the door, blocking her. “Remember what I told you.”

  Tell no one about their failed joining. Check. She nodded before treading into the corridor and following the two monks who waited to escort her downstairs. Sheng and Mei flanked either side of her, easing her flaring trepidation.

  What could Snake have to say to her when she’d just met him an hour ago? Did it have anything to do with the failed joining?

  She swallowed her apprehension as they strode down the stairs and into the main chamber where Snake awaited with a group of rough-looking men. The three of them bore angry black tattoos slashed across the right sides of their faces, the Chinese characters slithering from forehead to neck. They were the men from the Gardens.

  Off to the side, another man stood. Him. The one from the limo, Tián Delun. He was even more imposing up close. More magnetic. The tallest man in the group, he wielded the same lethal aura as Sheng. From across the room, he regarded her with such intense scrutiny, she worried her insides might incinerate.

  She shuddered and, instead, focused on the smirk on their leader’s face.

  “Lucy.” Snake extended his hand in greeting, and she stuck hers out.

  His grip tighten
ed on her wrist, jerking her toward him. Snake cloaked his face and body. If it had been a simple handshake, she’d have been fine. But the second Rabbit caught sight of Snake’s needlelike fangs and pronged, flicking tongue, it bolted, digging into its burrow inside her. Distantly, Lucy registered a low, warning growl. Tiger.

  Snake huffed, releasing her.

  She rubbed at her red-marked wrist, backing away from him into the wall that was Sheng.

  “What’s the problem, Li?” His gleaming gaze lifted off her to glower at Sheng behind her. “If you won’t do what’s necessary and claim Rabbit, I will.”

  The threat hung in the air, thick, constricting. She fought against choking while Sheng stepped forward and nudged her behind him. Away from Snake’s vicious gaze, she processed his words. Claim Rabbit? She snorted. No way in hell would she give Rabbit to Snake.

  “Turtle send for you?” Sheng’s tone was dry. Nonchalant. The opposite of what his tensed muscles proclaimed.

  Snake smirked. “He hasn’t made up his mind between us and you’re looking less and less likely, Li.” He curled his lip at her.

  A dark and violent energy rose within her. She hated the way they treated Sheng because of her inadequacy. Her hands clenched at her sides, nails piercing her palms. The wave of hostility swelled, threatening to engulf her.

  “Especially if you can’t secure a—” The taunt froze on his tongue. His cavalier expression morphed into something awed…and covetous.

  ***

  The hairs on the back of Sheng’s neck lifted. He spun toward Lucy and tilted her chin to peer into her eyes, to spot whatever Snake had seen.

  Just Lucy shone back from within those golden depths.

  Too late.

  He faced Snake again, but the bastard had already collected himself, yet nothing concealed the flash of greed in his sinister grin. The asshole had noted the same energy in her that Sheng had and now he craved it for himself.

  Did Snake recognize what he’d glimpsed or was he as ignorant?

  Snake focused back on Lucy. “I bet these plebeians haven’t told you a damn thing yet. Probably not even about the deal your uncle made for you. Whoring you out to the Hai San.”