Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  Two hands grasped her shoulders, and she jerked awake. It was dark in the cave. She’d slept past sunset?

  Oh God, no! Russell was awake! She tried to get up, but he pinned her back down.

  It was hard to make out his body in the dark, but not his eyes. They were glowing red. His grip on her tightened as his fangs shot out.

  A growl rumbled low in his throat. “You should never sleep with a vampire.”

  Chapter Ten

  He was scaring her. Hell, he was scaring himself. In the three years that he’d been a vampire, he’d managed never to bite a person. Thanks mostly to Zoltan, who always had a supply of synthetic blood just a short teleport away. But then, in those three years¸ he’d never wakened with a woman in his bed, especially a beautiful woman like Jia.

  The second he’d taken his first breath, he’d caught her scent. Woman, sex, and food all rolled into one luscious body that was warm and ready for the taking. Immediately, his eyes had turned red. His dick had grown hard.

  Her blood was coursing through her body, the scent rich and intoxicating. The added fragrance of were-tigress unleashed a primitive hunter inside him. His fangs shot out, and he was gripped with a need to attack and conquer.

  His fingers dug into her shoulders as he fought for control. No doubt she’d be left with some bruises, but it was better than a shredded neck.

  “Russell,” she breathed. “I’m sorry.”

  She was sorry? He was the monster here. With a growl, he shoved himself away and reeled out of bed. He stumbled to the ice chest in the dark and drank half a bottle cold. The blood eased his hunger, and the chill cooled the raging beast inside him. Unfortunately, his erection showed no sign of slacking off.

  “Russell, are you all right?” her soft voice came from the bed.

  God, he wanted her. He wanted to take her into his arms and make love to her. She was so brave and clever. Sweet and beautiful. She defended him, believed in him, trusted him. Or she had until he’d scared the shit out of her. “I apologize for losing control,” he said.

  “You didn’t lose control. You stopped—”

  “I frightened you.”

  “I shouldn’t have been in bed with you. I meant to only take a nap, but—”

  “It’s not your fault I’m the way I am.” He set his bottle down and strode to the bookcase where he kept his clean clothes.

  “I doubt it’s your fault, either. You didn’t ask to become a vampire, did you?”

  “No.” Was she still defending him, even after he’d come close to biting her?

  “Was it Han who changed you?”

  He ignored the question and pulled on a pair of briefs. “I’ll go topside for about ten minutes so you can have some privacy.” He lit a lamp and glanced over his shoulder at the bed, careful to keep the bulge in his underwear from showing.

  She was standing beside the bed wearing panties and a flimsy-looking top, her long hair wild and loose around her shoulders. His fingers curled at the thought of stroking the black silk of her hair, fondling the white silk stretched taut across her breasts. His vision turned red once again, and he blinked, turning away.

  “I’ll be back soon. Then we’ll get to work.” He grabbed his bottle of blood off the table and teleported aboveground.

  Jia dressed as quickly as she could, all the time chastising herself for failing to wake up before Russell. Now he felt like a monster, and she felt guilty for bringing that look of shame to his face. All her life she’d been told by the villagers that if you pull a tiger’s tail, expect to be scratched. No doubt a similar scenario held true for a vampire. Sleep with him and expect to be bitten.

  She wandered back to the bed, recalling the shock of seeing his fangs and red glowing eyes. But then she’d felt him tremble as he’d fought for control, and she had wondered—Did he want her simply because she was there? Or did he truly want her?

  He returned, wearing only his underwear, and she turned away to check on the drying laundry while he dressed.

  “Here. Eat.” Without looking at her, he set a breakfast bar and bottle on the table.

  “Thanks.” While she ate, her gaze kept wandering back to him. Dressed in trousers, socks, and shoes, he had a towel draped over his bare shoulders. He shaved and washed his face. His hand paused over the tin cup that held both their toothbrushes, then he went ahead and brushed his teeth without a word.

  He was just as silent as he finished dressing and arming himself. Not once did he look in her direction. She winced, wondering if he planned to be this cold and distant for the rest of the night.

  When she had all her knives sheathed, she announced, “I’m ready.”

  “Let’s go.” He reached for her shoulders, then stopped and grabbed her by the waist instead.

  “You think I’m bruised.”

  His jaw shifted, but he avoided looking at her. “I know you are. Hold on to me.”

  The second she looped her arms around his neck, he teleported her.

  For five hours, they teleported from one campsite to another. At each camp, he left her alone for precisely two minutes so she could sniff without any interference from his own scent. No sign of Han. That should have been frustrating, but she found the awkward tension between her and Russell even more disturbing. Finally, she’d had all she could take.

  When he put his hands around her waist to teleport once again, she pushed him back. “How do you know I won’t bite you?”

  He blinked and finally looked at her. “What?”

  “I’m a man-eating tiger.”

  He scoffed. “Don’t waste my time. We have work to do.”

  “Don’t piss me off. I could eat you for dinner.”

  He gave her a wry look. “You eat men?”

  “It’s what tigers do.”

  “You don’t eat people. You are a person most of the time. It would be cannibalism.”

  “So you think I know right from wrong when I’m an animal?”

  He paused, then nodded. “Yes.”

  “You trust me not to bite you?” She smoothed a hand down his cheek to his neck. “Even when I’m feeling ravenous?”

  “Are you hungry? I could take you to the bat cave. Or Zoltan’s place.”

  She swatted Russell’s chest. “You see? Even when I threaten you with bodily harm, you’re still thinking about how to take care of me.”

  He scowled at her. “So?”

  “So I trust you, you idiot. I know you won’t harm me. Just like me, you know right from wrong, even when your fangs are out. So cut out the remorse routine, and let’s be friends again.”

  “You call your friends ‘idiot’?”

  She shrugged. “If the shoe fits.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Fine. We’re friends, princess.”

  “Don’t call me princess.”

  He smirked. “Bite me.”

  “Maybe I will, cowboy.” When he stiffened, she continued, “That’s right. I found your cowboy pistols.”

  He gritted his teeth. “You have no right snooping around my stuff.”

  “Are you really a cowboy?”

  “I don’t explain myself.”

  “Well, that’s a shame, ’cause I really like cowboys.”

  He stilled, his gaze growing more intense. “Is that so?”

  Her skin tingled. “Yes.”

  He stepped closer. “And are you really . . . hungry?”

  She wasn’t sure if he was talking about food, but she nodded. “Yes.”

  “In that case . . .” He grabbed her by the waist and teleported.

  “Are you crazy?” Howard whispered as Russell inspected the contents of the refrigerator in the kitchen at Zoltan’s castle. “Rajiv is furious. He says you kidnapped his cousin and refuse to return her.”

  “You don’t have to whisper,” Russell told the huge were-bear. “She doesn’t understand English.” He glanced over at the kitchen table, where Jia was sitting next to Howard’s wife. “But she does seem to like your donuts. I think that’s si
x she’s eaten so far.”

  “What?” Howard looked back.

  “How come you know about this?” Russell asked. “Do the MacKay employees do nothing but gossip like a bunch of old hens?”

  Howard snorted. “It’s not every day that a Vamp kidnaps a were-tiger princess.”

  “She’s not kidnapped.” Russell removed a package of meat from the fridge. “What’s this?”

  “New York strip steaks.” Howard frowned at him. “Elsa and I are having those for supper.”

  Russell gave him a wry look as he set the package on the counter. “You need all five?”

  “I have a big appetite,” Howard grumbled. “And Elsa is eating for three.”

  “Three?”

  “Yep.” Howard beamed proudly. “Twins. We found out about a week ago.” He winked at his wife.

  Damn, everyone was having children. “Congratulations.” Russell translated the news for Jia, and she grinned while congratulating them both in Chinese.

  “She’s so sweet,” Elsa said, patting Jia’s arm. “I wish I could talk to her.”

  “So do I,” Howard muttered. “Then we could find out if she’s actually been kidnapped.”

  “Does she look frightened or abused in any way?” Russell cringed inwardly, recalling the bruises he’d left on her shoulders. “She’s just a little hungry. There’s not much to eat in the bat cave.”

  Elsa gasped. “You’re making her live with bats?”

  “There aren’t any bats,” Russell protested. “It’s actually very nice . . . as far as caves go.”

  Elsa rose to her feet. “What has she been eating? Is there any way to cook there?”

  Howard snorted. “I have a feeling he has a solar-powered generator and a microwave.”

  Russell shrugged. “She needs more than instant noodles and chips.”

  “Of course she does.” Elsa hurried over to the fridge and shooed them out of the way. “She’ll have dinner with us. Steak, and I’ll make some salad.” She selected a variety of greens and veggies from the fridge and piled them on the counter. “And we’ll nuke three potatoes. They’re in the pantry.”

  “I’ll get them.” Russell strode into the large walk-in pantry.

  Howard followed him. “So you’re not going to return her?”

  “She doesn’t want to go back,” Russell explained as he scanned the shelves, looking for potatoes. “She wants revenge, just like me. Han killed her brother and parents, and she’s helping me track him down. It’s a business partnership, that’s all.”

  “Really?”

  Russell stiffened at the dubious tone of Howard’s voice. “Yes, really. You can tell Rajiv and Angus and everyone else you gossip with that I will keep her safe. In fact, before we leave, I’d like to get an extra sat phone and an antenna I can install outside the cave for better reception. Then she can call Rajiv every day to assure him that she’s all right.”

  Howard frowned. “You’re not forcing her to do anything she doesn’t want to?”

  “No, quite the opposite. I’m helping her do exactly what she wants.”

  Howard nodded. “Okay. I believe you.” He headed out the door, then paused, glancing back. “You do know, don’t you, that she’s engaged?”

  “I know.” Russell found a basket of potatoes and picked out the three biggest ones.

  “The fiancé is a wealthy were-tiger prince,” Howard continued. “Rajiv wants the wedding to go through.”

  “So?” Russell shot him an annoyed look. “You think I would mess that up for her?”

  “I don’t know. You just squeezed a raw potato in half.”

  With a muttered curse, Russell tossed the mashed potato into the nearby garbage bin, then selected another one.

  “You like her,” Howard said quietly.

  Russell shook his head. “Nothing will interfere with my mission. Once Han is dead, I’ll take her back to Tiger Town and leave China forever.”

  “Famous last words.” When Russell scowled at him, Howard sighed and patted him on the back. “Believe it or not, I know what you’re going through. I lived for revenge once, too.” His gaze drifted to his wife, who was rinsing salad greens in the sink. “A life of hatred is worthless compared to a life filled with love.”

  Chapter Eleven

  After three more hours of hunting Han, dawn was approaching, so Russell teleported Jia to the last campsite they would check that night.

  While she had enjoyed her dinner with Howard and Elsa, he had spent that time teleporting more food supplies to the bat cave and setting up an antenna in the tree next to the solar panels. Now when Jia called her cousin, she would get decent reception.

  “Since this is our last stop, I’d better . . .” Jia motioned toward a thick clump of bushes.

  “Right. I’ll be up the tree over there.” Russell pointed to a tall tree, then teleported to the top of it so he could look inside the camp.

  He was surprised by what he saw. The soldiers were armed and rushing into position as their officer barked out orders. They peered over the battlements, as if expecting an attack. Russell scanned the surrounding area but spotted nothing except Jia emerging from some bushes. What had happened to put these soldiers on alert?

  The sat phone in his pocket buzzed, and he checked the caller. Rajiv. The Grand Tiger might know what was going on, but Russell knew better than to take the bait with Jia nearby.

  He teleported down to her. “Something’s got the soldiers agitated. They’re staying inside the barricade for now, so you’re probably safe out here to do your sniffing. Even so, I’m worried about leaving you alone.”

  “It’ll take me only a minute,” she assured him. “I’ll be fine.” When his phone buzzed again, she gave him a questioning look. “You’re not going to answer?”

  “Not here.” He touched her shoulder. “I put my number into your sat phone in case you need to call. Don’t answer your phone unless it’s me. Howard may have passed your number on to J.L. or Rajiv. They still think I kidnapped you, so if you call them at night—”

  “Jin Long will try to rescue me,” she finished his sentence. “I know how they are. Go on, so I can sniff around.” She removed a knife from her belt. “I can take care of myself.”

  His mouth curled up. “I know.”

  She smiled back. “You’re the only one who does know. Everyone else thinks I’m a helpless princess.”

  “You are a princess.”

  She swatted him. “Go away, cowboy. You’re interfering with my nose.”

  “I’ll be back soon.” He teleported to the glacier in the Himalayas. The instant blast of freezing wind nearly knocked him off his feet. Needles of sleet pricked at his exposed face and hands, and he gritted his teeth as he called Rajiv.

  “The sun will rise soon,” Rajiv told him. “I want you to teleport Jia back home so she can spend the day here.”

  “And then what?” Russell replied. “Will you let her go with me tomorrow night? Or do you plan to lock her—”

  J.L. materialized beside him and gasped. “Holy shit!”

  Russell smirked. “I knew you’d show up.”

  J.L., dressed in trousers and a T-shirt, wrapped his arms around himself and shuddered. “What the hell is this? Antarctica? Where’s Jia?”

  “Someplace a lot warmer.”

  “What’s going on?” Rajiv demanded on the phone.

  “I took a little trip before calling you,” Russell explained. “We’re high in the Himalayas.”

  “N-not funny,” J.L. said, his teeth chattering.

  “You’re not with Jia?” Rajiv asked. “Where is she?”

  “She’s working,” Russell said. “At the last campsite we checked, the soldiers were on alert. Any idea why?”

  “Angus and Emma have returned to Tiger Town with a bunch of the guys,” J.L. said, bouncing on his feet in an attempt to stay warm. “We attacked a camp tonight and took all the soldiers prisoner. There are thirty more supersoldiers in the clinic now getting returned to n
ormal.”

  “And Emma brought Winifred with her, the warrior woman who can talk to dragons and birds,” Rajiv added. “We’re hoping Winifred and the owl can figure out where the dragon boy is being held captive. And then we’ll know where Han is, too.”

  “In other words,” J.L. shouted over the whistling cold wind, “we’ve got everything under control. You don’t need to endanger Jia any more. Angus wants you to return her.”

  Russell snorted. “I don’t work for Angus. And neither does Jia.”

  “You have no right to put her in danger!” Rajiv yelled over the phone.

  “I won’t let anything harm her!” Russell shouted back. The frigid temperature was stiffening his fingers to the point of pain. “You have my word as a Marine. I will keep her safe.”

  “If you don’t, you’ll have an army of were-tigers hunting you down!” Rajiv hung up.

  Russell sighed, his breath frosting the air.

  J.L. grimaced. “Why are you helping that poor girl with her obsession with revenge? Just because you’re obsessed too doesn’t give you the right to endanger her. You’re bloody crazy.”

  “Is it crazy to think she should be allowed to accomplish something she feels passionate about? Am I crazy that I don’t believe in locking her up in a princess prison for the rest of her life? She has the right to be herself and find her own destiny!”

  J.L.’s eyes widened. “You see yourself as her champion?”

  Russell winced. “She doesn’t need a champion. She’s stronger, smarter, and braver than any of you realize. We’re in a business partnership. I need her help as much as she needs mine.”

  J.L. inhaled a hissing breath as another shudder racked his body. “We all need the were-tigers. They’re our best ally. If we don’t stop Han and Darafer, they’ll keep taking over more and more territory and killing more humans. The alliance with Rajiv will be totally fucked up if anything happens to Jia—”

  “Nothing will happen! I’ll keep her safe. Now get out of here so I can return to her and keep my promise.”

  J.L. muttered a curse, then vanished.

  Immediately Russell teleported back to Jia.

  Five soldiers had gathered around her in a semicircle, while she faced them, her back to a tree. Two had pistols pointed at her; the other three, swords. Russell’s initial shock quickly morphed into rage, first at the soldiers, then at himself. He was the one who had left her alone.