She’d stayed in the kitchen, ignoring him, but with every second that the sun had inched toward the horizon, she’d been achingly aware of him. His breathing had grown more labored and tinged with pain. Each time he’d exhaled, she’d wondered if it would be his last breath.
And then it was. Silence.
Her heart squeezed in her chest.
The cave became lighter as more sunlight filtered through the roof. But across the cave, in the furthermost corner, it was dark and quiet.
She turned off the lamps, then removed his coat. Her cheeks grew warm as she recalled how transparent her wet camisole had been. She’d been so intent on getting rid of the bloodstains that she’d never thought about how exposed she would look in wet clothes.
At the time, putting on his coat had been the only remedy she could think of. She’d brought only two sets of clothes with her, and the clean ones were on the drying rack next to the bathtub. There was no way she could walk over there when he was showering.
But now he was dead. He couldn’t tease her about peeking. Couldn’t tempt her with the way he held her and stroked her face.
“Russell.” She approached him for a closer look. His hair was still damp, the ends curling. He looked so sweet and peaceful, not at all like the raging warrior who had plowed through three soldiers in about three seconds.
She brushed his hair back from his brow, then smoothed her hand down his face. With a finger, she rubbed the little indentation where he had a dimple when he smiled. It was surrounded by prickly whiskers.
She touched his lips. It had happened again. She’d wanted him to kiss her.
With a sigh, she straightened. The attraction was growing, but this couldn’t be love. Not with a vampire. She was merely reacting to his proximity. And his masculinity. And the way he believed in her. And protected her. The way he looked at her with those hungry eyes. The way his hands sometimes lingered at her waist longer than necessary when they teleported.
She shook her head. It would be best not to think about him. So she spent the next thirty minutes doing laundry, then taking a hot bath.
Before going to bed, she needed to assure her cousin that she was alive and well, so she called him.
“Are you all right?” Rajiv asked. “I sent Jin Long to get you, but Russell pulled a trick on him—”
“What do you mean?” Jia glanced over at Russell while she heard about his little trip to the Himalayan mountains. Her mouth twitched. So that’s where the rascal had gone. “Is Jin Long all right?”
“Yeah. He’s happy now that Winifred is back.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Jia smiled, recalling how smitten Jin Long had been with the warrior woman Winifred.
“She came with Angus and Emma and a bunch of MacKay employees,” Rajiv continued. “Tiger Town is full of Vamps and shifters again. You should come back to see everyone.”
Jia bit her lip. “Did they bring the dragon babies with them?”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how much they’ve grown.”
“And Freya?” Jia asked about Winifred’s sister, who had actively pursued Rajiv. “Did she come?”
“She stayed in England. Apparently, she has a job now with her brother. And a new boyfriend.”
Jia winced. “I’m sorry. I know you liked her.”
“I was flattered that she liked me, but I always knew there couldn’t be more to it than that.” Rajiv sighed. “I’m in the same boat you are, Jia. I have to marry a were-tigress. And a princess, most likely. She’ll definitely have to be approved by the Council of Elders. I can’t bring dishonor to my family or my position. And neither can you.”
A jab of guilt needled Jia. She’d resented her cousin’s interference in her life, but in reality, he was just as trapped as she was. “What about love?”
“There’s no reason why we can’t find love with our chosen mates,” Rajiv assured her. “This prince of yours is trying very hard. He sends a gift every day. Today, it was a framed portrait of himself. The court ladies all agree that he’s very handsome. If you just give him a chance, I know you could be happy.”
Jia sighed, not wanting to think about it. “So why did Angus and everyone come back?”
“Winifred can communicate with winged creatures, so we’re hoping she and the owl can figure out where Xiao Fang is being held. And then we would know Han’s location, too.”
“I see.” Jia wondered who would find Han first. It needed to be her and Russell.
“Tonight we attacked one of Han’s camps and took all the supersoldiers prisoner,” Rajiv continued. “They’re in the clinic now so we can return them to normal.”
“That’s good.” News of the attack must have spread, Jia thought. It would explain why the soldiers at the last campsite had been so eager to kill anyone in the area.
“Angus wants to attack a different camp every night,” Rajiv explained. “It will deplete Han’s army and eventually lure him out of hiding.”
She nodded. “It’s a good plan.”
“It is. You should come back here so you can be part of it.”
She glanced at Russell. “I think our plan works well, too.”
Rajiv let out a groan of frustration. “I don’t like you living with him. Something could happen—”
“He’s doing his best to keep me safe.”
“Promise me, Jia, if you’re mortally wounded, you’ll make him bring you back here.”
“I’m not going to die, Rajiv.”
“There’s something . . . I don’t think Grandfather ever told you. He was so adamant about keeping you innocent. And of course, we always assumed you’d never get mortally wounded as long as you were living at Tiger Town. You would always be safe here.”
Jia frowned. “What is it?”
“When were-cats die and progress on to the next life, they . . .”
“Become more powerful? I know that.” Being able to shift at any time was a great advantage.
Rajiv groaned. “There’s more. When they wake up, they . . . they have an overwhelming desire to . . . mate.”
She blinked. “Mate?”
“Yes.”
She snorted. “That’s crazy. You’re on your second life, and you don’t have a mate.”
“Well, I . . . it doesn’t matter,” Rajiv stammered. “The need is so strong that you find someone . . . or take care of it yourself.”
She made a face. “Is that what you did?”
“I’m not talking about it! I’m just warning you. You’ll need to come home.”
She scoffed. “I don’t have a mate there. Besides, it’s not going to happen. I have no plans to die.” Overwhelming need to mate? How laughable. She’d never even kissed a man. She wouldn’t know an overwhelming need to mate if it bit her on the ass.
“You shouldn’t be there alone with Russell,” Rajiv insisted.
Her mouth dropped open. That’s why Rajiv was so worried. He was afraid she and Russell would . . .
Her cheeks blazed with heat. “There’s nothing between us. It’s a business partnership.”
“Jin Long thinks he may have some feelings for you,” Rajiv said. “You need to call us immediately so we can rescue you if you ever see Russell’s eyes start glowing red.”
She stiffened. “Why? I know he’s not going to bite me.”
“Red eyes don’t just mean hunger. It also means lust.”
Her breath caught. Lust?
“You haven’t seen it, have you?”
“No, not at all.” She covered her mouth. What was she doing? She’d never lied to her cousin like that before. “I should get some sleep now. I’ll call tomorrow.”
She hung up and paced around the cave. Soon her steps led her to Russell.
She’d already suspected he desired her. Now she had proof. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized he’d done a good job of behaving himself. He’d never actually confessed or attempted to seduce her. In fact, he usually kept her at a distance.
It was her behavior that was questionable. For even though she knew she was living with a vampire who desired her, she didn’t want to leave.
Chapter Twelve
I remain a prisoner of the man with the golden mask. I hang my head in false surrender whenever he visits me, but deep inside my dragon heart, I am filled with hope. Even though the sacred mountain of Beyul-La has been destroyed, the warrior women still live. Norjee lives. The other dragons live. I am not alone.