Before he spoke the words he could never take back.
***
After they flew back to Penang, they rented a car. As Kassian stared out the window, the circumstances of their situation sank in. This fling—or whatever the hell this mission had been—was over. The question remained…did she care enough for him to take things further?
He understood her rejecting his earlier offer of sex. The timing had been wrong and, in Nat’s mind, she must assume their time together was over.
The hell it was. Hadn’t he proved he’d do anything for her? He’d killed her father for her. Now, she’d been permitted to keep Snake. Her life as a Chosen, with
him
, was just beginning.
They pulled to a stop in front of the Council’s Chambers. Sheng, Lucy, Delun, and Fang met them at the doors. Their faces lit up as they spotted him.
He couldn’t help but grin as he embraced Fang, slapping the man’s back and hauling him off his feet. Fang laughed and wheezed, tapping him back. “I yield, I yield!”
Kassian chuckled as he set Fang down and heartily shook Delun’s hand. Next, he rushed Sheng, who nudged Lucy aside so Ox could fully embrace Tiger. They both cloaked and roughhoused for a minute, brawling on the stairs and tumbling down them. They landed with a crash on the sidewalk. Laughing, Kassian crawled to all fours, hopped to his feet, and brushed off his clothes.
“We missed you around here, big man.” Sheng grinned and extended his hand for Lucy, who slipped hers right into it.
“I see you’re treating our little Rabbit well, boss.” He smiled at Lucy, bent, and kissed her cheek. She returned the gesture, kissing his.
“All right, all right, that’s enough.” A growl rumbled in Sheng’s throat.
Kassian backed off. “Hey, just checking if I still got it with the ladies.” He winked at them, then turned back to Nat, who’d stepped out of the car, but adhered to its side. “Come on, Nat.”
She stopped biting her bottom lip and offered a slim smile as she accepted his hand.
The others clumped around them, pressing Nat into the center of their constricting group hug. It was a fucking jumbled mess. Hooves, claws, horns, tails, fangs. The spirit animals greeted each other.
Just as the
Kongsi
was his family, so were the animals each other’s kin. His chest warmed. Nat belonged here, as part of his family and the Chosen. They would protect her. No harm would come to her as long as he stood guard.
He’d prove that to her, and then she’d never leave him again…right?
“Okay!” He grunted and shoved the others off, digging through the bodies for Nat’s hand. “We’ve got a meeting to attend and a new member to welcome. Officially.” The others laughed at his clarification.
The Council hadn’t been made aware Snake didn’t belong to Zhao any longer. How would their
Kongsi
explain its presence in Nat instead?
Delun cleared his throat. “Let me handle this. I’ve had more experience with these fucking bureaucrats than I care to.”
That suited Kassian. He sent Delun a nod and, gripping Nat’s hand, followed the others inside. The monks led them through the incense-laced corridors and up a set of grand wooden stairs toward the main chamber on the second floor. The two wooden doors were open and, inside, the entire council had gathered, seated in a half-moon around the chamber.
Including the Matchmaker. At his side, Nat tensed, her gaze landing on the woman. No mistaking the glittery cunning in the Matchmaker’s obsidian eyes as her scrutiny passed over Nat’s hand in Kassian’s.
Well, fuck her.
He squeezed Nat’s fingers. Everything would be all right. He’d make damn sure of it. Because now that he had Nat back in his life, he refused to ever let her go.
Every eye in the room focused on them as they entered. From the center, Turtle, the Council’s head, squinted through his thick, bottle-lens glasses. The small Chinese man’s skin wrinkled like an elephant’s whenever he pursed his lips. Kassian surveyed the other Council members… Wait, eight? He’d thought they were still at seven.
Eight was an auspicious number for Chinese people. They’d been eight before the Empress had shown her cards. When had they filled her spot?
“Wen? Shit.” Sheng shifted in front of Fang. The woman seated beside the Matchmaker was new to Kassian, but apparently not to his
Kongsi
’s leader.
Wen’s cat-like green eyes passed over them with wide curiosity, until her gaze landed behind Sheng. “Oh, crap.” She gave her head a violent shake, her image morphing into a giant black panther that leapt forward and snarled at Fang.
Rat’s features shimmered across his face, protracted fangs gleaming as he lunged to hiss at the large cat. Sheng blocked him with an extended arm, holding him back.
“Enough!” The Matchmaker snapped her fingers. “Cat, return to your seat. Rat, leave.”
Cat? Could that be the thirteenth Chinese Zodiac, the one whom Rat had betrayed? Shit. What the hell was the Matchmaker thinking, bringing Cat onto the Council? This did not bode well for Fang.
The panther’s image faded as the woman perched on the edge of her chair, her spine stiff and the shadow of Cat’s claws sinking into the wooden armrests.
She and Fang stared off as though sharing an unspoken promise this feud wasn’t over yet, until Sheng prodded Fang out the door. The second he was out of sight, Sheng spun on the Matchmaker. “You could’ve warned us to leave Rat at home.”
“You should keep a tighter rein on your
Kongsi
, but that is also a discussion for another day.” The Matchmaker eased into her seat on Turtle’s right, in between him and Wen. “Shall we begin?”
Lucy linked hands with Sheng, likely to try to calm that tic in his jaw. Kassian rolled his shoulders and tightened his grip on Nat. Man, that had been tense. On Wen’s other side, Crane cleared his throat. Lü Dongbin, the leader of the Eight Immortals, shot him a raised brow. On Turtle’s left, Kassian spotted Phoenix folding his hands in his lap, while Horse Face and Ox Head, the guardians of the portal to
Dìyù
, shuffled in their seats.
Yeah, those two had been doing a lousy job. Kassian scowled as he recalled the demons at the docks…and Nat’s father. Even that motherfucker Zhao. Once this meeting finished, he’d love to have a word with Horse Face and Ox Head. Unfortunately, he held no power here. This was the bureaucratic end of things. Kassian was too far beneath them—a simple warrior.
He didn’t make up the rules, just enforced them. He glanced at Nat.
And, on occasion, circumvented them.
***
Kassian’s warm hand squeezed hers, and Nat clung to his reassurance. Now that the Council recovered from that tense encounter between Rat and Cat, all eyes would fall upon her. Despite what he’d probably concluded, her nerves didn’t spiral because of this meeting with the Council. In fact, only one member made her stomach churn.
The Matchmaker.
Nat had broken one too many of the woman’s rules. Because of her disobedience, would there be hell to pay? She couldn’t fathom the Matchmaker letting Nat’s infraction slip.
Delun stepped forward and inclined his head. “Honored Council. We present you the new Chosen host of the Snake.” He extended a flourishing hand toward Nat.
She released Kassian’s hand and stepped forward at Delun’s beckoning.
“How is this possible? Zhao lives.” Crane leaned forward, his beady eyes cutting through Nat. The others had warned her the Council would be like this. Wary. Cautious. Snobby.
She straightened her shoulders and centered her hands in front of her body.
Guess a demonstration is in order.
She cloaked Snake in a fluid movement.
The Council gasped on one breath.
The Matchmaker’s lips curved in a knowing smile.
Turtle continued to scrunch his eyes as though he waited for a breach in her abilities. Did he expect more? She unfurled her tail and slashed it like a whip. The thunderous crack shattered the stillness in the air.
A few of the Council members shot to their feet. Others cried out in shock or amazement. A dozen heated arguments tossed back and forth.
The din escalated so fast, she winced and had to resist throwing her hands over her ears. Hell, they were worse than any cluster of politicians, shouting and talking above each other, not listening to what the others were saying.
Sheng stepped forward and crooked his fingers for her to uncloak Snake. The second she did, the uproar softened and fuzzed out.
“Well, that about sums it up.” Sheng inclined his head toward the Council. They gaped back. “Okay, you have a fine day.” He clasped her elbow and led her out of the chamber. Kassian clutched her other arm and the Chosen enveloped her as they exited.
Wow. Not only were these guys her new family, they absolutely had her back. “Doesn’t the Council expect a closer inspection?” she whispered to Delun as they hurried down the stairs.
“Do you want to stick around for one?” She shook her head and he patted her arm. “Trust me. They have enough fodder to argue over for the next few weeks. By the time they’re done coming to the conclusion you should be permitted to keep Snake, they’ll have forgotten they never got a close up look.”
“Permitted?”
He chuckled. “It’s all about skewing their perception, love.”
She laughed along with him. How true.
“Besides, after the clever stunt the Matchmaker pulled, they’re more likely to be gossiping about Cat and Rat than about you.” Delun winked.
Ah… So that was why the Matchmaker hadn’t warned Sheng. Of the two issues, an ancient feud might be more tantalizing.
The rest of the gang filed out of the Council Chambers as if dogs nipped at their heels. Sheng and Lucy cloaked Tiger and Rabbit.
Fang waited for them, leaning against his motorcycle. “Last one back to Kek Lok Si has to scrub the toilets!” he shouted as he slid one leg over his motorcycle and peeled off.
A rush of air whooshed behind her. She whirled to catch Dragon cloaking Delun, its long leathery wings spread for flight. It flapped them a few times, sprinted forward, and launched into the air.
That left her and Kassian. She exchanged a glance with him.
“Hell, I’m not scrubbing any toilets and neither are you.” He scooped her into his arms and flung her onto his back as Ox cloaked him. She grabbed the spirit’s horns and held on for dear life while Ox bounded through the streets.
She tossed her head back and laughed. What a sight they would’ve made if anyone could’ve actually seen them. A woman riding a ghost-like bull the size of a minibus.
They reached Kek Lok Si just ahead of Fang, who revved his motorcycle into high gear, likely realizing he was two seconds away from being the victim of his prank.
Ox proved faster. It sprang forward in a gigantic leap onto Kek Lok Si’s front steps, landing beside the rest of the
Kongsi
.
Fang swerved to a stop, scorching tire marks onto the pavement as he finished last. “Fuck.” He cursed again and Rat cloaked him for an instant.
Nat reared back. Rat wasn’t…pretty like the other animals. Nothing graceful or charming about this beast. Those protracted teeth looked razor sharp, like a monster out of a horror flick. Its bulked up body resembled a character in a body-building comic. The glistening red orbs of its eyes were…freakish. But Fang seemed like such a nice guy—always chatty—but never deep. He had that whole brooding male thing down to perfection.
Fang kicked his motorcycle but, instead of injuring his foot like most humans would, he dented the bike. Then he flung a curse at the dent in his bike.
“Fang.” Sheng jogged down the stairs. “I didn’t know she would do that.”
“But you knew about Cat. Both of you.” Fang shot an accusatory glare at Lucy.
“Yeah.” Sheng planted a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “I didn’t want to upset Rat until the whole Cat-on-the-Council issue was firmed up. I’m sorry, man.”
Fang shrugged off Sheng’s hand. “I’m fine, really.” His shoulders slumped and he headed inside the temple. Sheng, Lucy, and Delun followed.
Kassian tugged Nat’s arm and led her inside. Kek Lok Si towered around them as breathtaking as the last time she’d been here. Would she be able to call this temple home?
The Matchmaker hadn’t pulled her aside at the Council Chambers. Then again, they’d fled in a hurry. Still, the woman could hand Nat orders at any time. Orders that would wrench her away from here.
Which left her with her Kassian dilemma. Unlike the other Chosen, she wasn’t free. While Price lived his own life, the other Chosen had banded together. They expected her to as well. Wouldn’t it be easier on them if she didn’t?
Kassian guided them toward his chamber.
Oh, hell.
She didn’t have a second to clue in to his motives as he nudged her inside, slammed the door behind them, and backed her against it. He grasped both of her hands in one of his large ones.
Her heart rammed into her throat. She lowered her lashes.
“No. Look at me, Nat.” The deep rumble of his voice caressed her skin. She refused to look at him—and face the possibility she couldn’t have him. Not forever. Besides, nothing he could say would change their circumstances.
He stroked one finger along her chin and tilted her face back to his. “I love you, Natalie.”
Her heart dropped; her breath iced in her lungs. He hadn’t just said
that
, had he? Her hearing fuzzed like someone had stuffed cotton into her ears. He kept speaking to her, but she couldn’t discern his words. Her mind was stuck on “love.”
“You don’t mean that.” She licked her lips, her throat arid.
He edged back a few inches, those green-brown eyes piercing her. “I sure as fuck do, Nat. You love me too. I know it.”
Whoa. Her mouth fell open as she fumbled for the thousand protests caught on her tongue.
He pressed his finger to her lips. “You don’t have to profess your love for me to feel it.”
How could he tell, since she didn’t have the guts to search within for the truth? Was it obvious to everyone but her? Was he right? Had she fallen in love with him despite the consequences?
“Ah, hell.” He rested his forehead against the wall beside her. His warm breaths heated her neck. “Even if I can’t have you,” his lips shifted to feather across her neck, “that doesn’t make me love you any less.”