She had wanted him to kiss her.
A vampire. She cast a sidelong glance at him as he downed a bottle of synthetic blood before their departure. God help her, she was attracted to a vampire. She’d known from the first night she’d met him that he was handsome. She’d admired his physique and determination. She’d respected his expertise. Teaming up with him had been the logical choice, since it gave her the best chance at successfully completing the mission she’d worked on for thirteen years. But now she wanted to kiss him? There was nothing logical about that. She had to be losing her mind.
Sure, there were a few good Vamps, but she could never forget that it was a vampire who had killed her parents and brother. Rajiv had also lost his parents to a vampire. For generations, vampires had been the sworn enemy of the were-tigers. Vampires hated shifters because they were not susceptible to mind control. And unlike a naïve human, who normally had no idea that vampires existed until it was too late, a were-tiger could instantly identify a bloodsucker by his scent. In most cases, whenever the two met, one was going to die, and since vampires knew that cat shifters had nine lives, they had a nasty habit of hacking a were-tiger into pieces so he couldn’t come back.
And now she was hopelessly attracted to a bloodsucker. No, not hopelessly, she corrected herself as she removed her mother’s bracelets. She could never dishonor her family by falling for the wrong kind of man. Somehow, she would put this attraction aside. Vengeance for her family had to come first.
Stay with me, Mother. Give me strength. She returned the bracelets to their red silk pouch and stuffed them into her backpack beneath her spare knives.
Russell finished his bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “After we leave the bat cave, we might get another call from J.L. They know you’re missing in Tiger Town, and they’re looking for you.”
Jia swung her backpack on. “I’ll tell them I’m with you, if you don’t mind. Then they’ll know I’m safe.”
Russell snorted. “I doubt they consider me very safe.”
She winced. Rajiv might go into a tiger tizzy if he knew she was hanging out with a vampire whom she secretly wanted to kiss.
Most were-tigers her age were already well versed in kissing. Between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, they each shifted for the first time. It was an important benchmark in a were-tiger’s life and called for a celebration that continued for the three nights of the full moon. It was during that party that the young adults usually received their first kiss.
Unfortunately, in Jia’s case, none of the local boys had wanted to risk kissing her. Their parents had warned them that she was a princess and stealing a kiss from her would bring the wrath of her grandfather, the Grand Tiger, upon their household.
So, in all of her twenty-one years, Jia had only received an occasional peck on the cheek from family members. How many times had she lain awake at night imagining her first real kiss? She was convinced it would be hot and passionate, for the man’s desire for her would be so overwhelming that he would risk the Grand Tiger’s anger just to kiss her.
Never had she imagined that her first nonfamilial kisses would come from a vampire. And how embarrassing that they had both been accidents! Last night, Russell’s mouth had accidentally brushed her brow; tonight, her cheek. Clearly it had meant nothing to him, for he’d quickly admitted it had been an accident. Her heart had shriveled with humiliation.
It was all wrong. The man she’d dreamed of had always been wildly romantic, with a burning, uncontrollable desire for her. And he had certainly never been a vampire.
But now, Russell had surprised her by kissing her on the forehead. On purpose. Why on earth would he do that?
She glanced at him again as he turned off the lamps. Had the kiss been nothing more than his reaction to her display of emotion? Or did he feel more than sympathy? There had been a few moments when she’d suspected he cared about her. Like when he’d doctored her foot. But then there were other times when he seemed brusque and distant.
It would be better if he didn’t care. If she hoped to resist this attraction, she would need him to remain distant.
As he turned off the last lamp, the cave plunged into darkness. It was time for them to go, which meant he would teleport her out. Any second now, he would reach for her and pull her into his arms. Instantly, her heart started pounding. Her skin tingled with anticipation.
Good God, was her attraction hopeless after all?
“Ready?” he asked softly, and her skin prickled with goose bumps.
His night vision had to be better than hers, for she couldn’t really see him; she could only sense his presence in front of her. She extended her hands till her fingertips grazed his chest. As she rested her palms on him, his chest expanded with a deep breath.
He stepped closer, one of his boots slipping between her feet. His hands slid beneath her backpack. “I have to get a good grip on you so I don’t lose you. You’ll need to hold onto me, too.”
“I understand.” She wondered why he felt compelled to explain something she already knew.
When she smoothed her hands up to his shoulders, he pulled her closer till she bumped against his chest. Even through his bulky coat, she could feel the softness of her breasts pressed against his rock-hard chest.
“Rule number one,” he muttered, his grip on her tightening.
She swallowed hard. “What about it?”
“Strictly business,” he gritted out.
“Oh.” The strange, tingly hyperawareness returned, and she could feel the pressure of his hands, the strength of his arms, the hardness of his chest, the softness of his breath against her brow, and the scent that belonged only to him. How was she going to resist this man? He was all wrong, but he felt so right.
Everything went black. As soon as they landed, he released her abruptly and strode away. She regained her balance and looked around. They were on top of a hill, with a clear, starry sky overhead. Scrubby trees, only shoulder-high, grew at an angle from being constantly buffeted by the wind. The moon, almost half full, shone down, painting the bushes silver and outlining Russell’s silhouette where he stood on the edge of a bluff overlooking a valley.
When she joined him, he pointed across the valley at the lights flickering on a high cliff. “That’s one of Han’s favorite camps. He has control of all the land and villages within a hundred-mile radius. I’ll teleport closer so I can see inside. I’ve never seen any guards on this bluff. You should be safe here to do your sniffing.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be back as soon as possible. We have—” The phone buzzed in his pocket, and he made an impatient noise as he pulled it out. “Let’s get this over with.” He punched a button. “What?”
Jin Long’s voice was loud enough for Jia to hear. “Why aren’t you answering your damned phone?” he demanded. “And don’t give me any bullshit about a water buffalo. They don’t squeal like girls. Do you have Jia with you?”
Russell looked at her, and she mouthed, “Water buffalo?” The corner of his mouth curled up. “Yeah, she’s with me.”
“What—” Jin Long sputtered. “Why did you take her?”
Russell shrugged. “Why not?”
“You can’t do that,” Jin Long growled. “Bring her back now!”
“No.”
“You told them I was a water buffalo?” Jia asked, but she forgot to be indignant when he smiled at her. God help her, the man had dimples. He should smile more often.
“Russell—” Jin Long switched to English. Jia couldn’t understand him, but his tone was certainly angry.
Her mouth twitched when Russell lowered the phone and glanced at his watch with a bored expression.
Then Rajiv’s voice cut in, speaking in Chinese. “What are you doing, Russell? You can’t kidnap a princess!”
Russell switched back to Chinese. “I didn’t kidnap her.”
“Then why is she with you?” Rajiv demanded. “Did you threaten her—”
“Enough!” Jia ripped the phone from Russell’s hand. “Rajiv, stop yelling at him. I’m here of my own free will.”
“You need to come home now,” Rajiv ordered. “If Russell won’t teleport you, I’ll send Jin Long—”