Shifters of Grrr 1 (61 page)

“Nah.”

Mei rolled her eyes. “Not you, Li. Lucy. The universe doesn’t revolve around you, you know.”

He grinned as she linked her arm through Lucy’s and led her through the opening doors.

The same monk who’d led them last time, did so now. They entered the large chamber and the Matchmaker lifted her head from her perusal of the papers scattered across her lap. She lifted an ornate Chinese fan off the table beside her and set the papers in the fan’s place. Then she tapped the papers into a neat stack, folded the fan, and laid it on top.
Fuck, she’s meticulous.
Probably enjoyed taking her time in making him squirm, too.

One finely shaped brow lifted at Sheng. “I didn’t summon you.”

He shrugged to hide the swallowing of his concerns. Lucy had healed him last night. Rabbit was ready and, after meeting Snake, he refused to put the ceremony off any longer.

Rabbit had to join with Tiger. Now.

“You asked me to test her, to secure the Rabbit, and I’ve done it. Why so surprised, Matchmaker?”

Her blood red lips curved in a haughty smile. “Well, with you, one can never anticipate when you might have a sudden bout of impotence.”

He scoffed at the pleased smile pursing the woman’s lips. She’d never let him forget that night. Not for one second.

“Well, Matchmaker, consider yourself lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“Yeah.” He leaned forward, bent to whisper so she, alone, heard. “I would’ve fucked you so well, Turtle wouldn’t know where to stick his puny dick.”

Her eyes fumed. His jibe had struck a sensitive note. Everyone assumed the Matchmaker banged Turtle, which made Sheng’s skin crawl. The Elder had to be close to a hundred years old and his visage was as wrinkled as his namesake.

That shut her up. Because to admit or deny his comment, either way, she was screwed.

She made a tiny growl in the back of her throat before her seething glare dismissed him from her presence.

Right. A grin tugged at Sheng’s lips. He’d looked forward to proving everyone wrong about him, about Lucy.

“Little Rabbit, I am glad to see you once more.” She rose and unclasped her hands, long red nails clacking together.

“Matchmaker.” Lucy inclined her head, revealing how she’d picked up the respectful nuances. Tradition this and ritual bullshit that.

A warmth spread throughout his chest. Once this was finished, he’d take her home. To his bed. Let them try to order him against that. Tiger remained riled up from the confrontation with Snake, from the anticipation of this moment. Slap everything together, and Sheng had more agitated energy than he knew what to do with.

Well, other than pursuing Lucy.

***

The Matchmaker scraped her long red fingernails along Lucy’s cheek, making her tense. No one bothered to explain to her what they were doing here, but this initiation of sorts would bring her one step closer to the truth.

To saving lives.

Adrenaline thrummed through her body. The second she’d stepped foot inside this building, Rabbit had crept out of hiding. Now, with the Matchmaker, Rabbit cloaked around Lucy. The spread of white fur coated her body like a blanket of freshly fallen snow before fading back inside.

“Good, good.” The Matchmaker murmured in approval. “Very well, Li. You may proceed with attempting the joining. If you are successful, you may complete the circle.”

“Joining? Circle?”

“Yes, Lucy. Do you recall the chamber I showed you with the statues?”

She glanced at the anteroom.

“After Rabbit submits to Tiger, your spirit animal will be beneath the dominance of Sheng’s. Part of Tiger’s circle. The process of securing loyalties must be repeated with each new host. Do not worry. We will instruct you on what to do.”

As the Matchmaker stepped back, Sheng waved for Lucy to stand facing him. He stared deeply into her eyes, flashing reassurance at her. “Cloak Rabbit, Lucy.”

She swallowed hard and let Rabbit’s essence surround her. Sheng did the same, fearsome Tiger forming a hazy image over Sheng.

Inside her, Rabbit thrashed against its walls. She clamped down on every ounce of control, but Rabbit pulled a full-on panic attack—thumping, bounding, dashing left and right.

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.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

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.”