Shifters of Grrr 1 (46 page)

Her hands gripped the railing in front of them until they’d ascended about halfway.

As she relaxed, he tested her boundaries further, massaging his thumbs into her soft curves.

Come out, Little Rabbit.

His senses prickled; Tiger paced to the edge. Damn, she had one stubborn spirit. Hell, he’d thought he’d had a rough time with Ox, who defined the word “stubborn.”

He’d been wrong, so wrong.

Did Rabbit hide because the spirit feared the predatory Tiger? Or had Lucy’s defensive skills combined with Rabbit’s, making them both tenacious as hell?

The lift screeched to a halt, ending his experiment. He released her, climbed out first, and hoisted her onto the ground.

They passed by another pond, but his destination this time was…well, set in stone.

A familiar eagerness bristled his skin as he approached the Chinese Zodiac garden, cutting straight through to the life-size statue of a tiger. His Tiger spirit leapt forward, the cloaking extending from his fingers as he brushed them against the stone tiger’s neck.

Easy, Tiger.
He grinned and cocked his head to catch Lucy’s reaction.

Her gasp was reward enough. Time for the instruction to begin.

***

Lucy swallowed another gasp. The stone statue of the tiger Sheng caressed with his fingers warbled, shifting.

As if it were alive.

The second he removed his fingers, the stone became inanimate once more, but she swore the tiger had ruffled its fur.
Ridiculous.

He faced her. “See anything, Lucy?”

She shook her head, more at herself than him. Why did he keep asking her that? Maybe her brain had absorbed the ideas he kept shoving in her face, and she hadn’t observed anything.

“Which one is yours?” Apparently unfazed by her denial, he tilted his head toward the two long rows of statues—a firm reminder of the world she’d stepped into. Many Chinese people believed whichever of the twelve animal years they’d been born into destined everything from their personality to whom they should marry. Growing up in a westernized environment, she’d never placed any faith in the notion that the year of her birth dictated her fate.

Her destiny rested in her own damn hands.

Still, she couldn’t deny that a tiger fit Sheng perfectly. Tigers were natural leaders, passionate lovers, and had magnetic personalities. His sign also matched his cocky confidence and smart-ass mouth.

A mouth with firm lips she’d love to nip.

Ugh. Stop focusing on his sexy mouth.
Shaking her head, she studied him. She was curious how much Sheng knew about her, how deeply he’d delved into her life.

She quirked an eyebrow in challenge. “Why don’t you tell me?”

Sheng bared his teeth in a half-smile. “Go ahead,
Rabbit
.” He jerked his chin at the statue.

Her chest tightened. That wasn’t a lucky guess.

Lucy circled him, giving him a wide berth before approaching her Zodiac animal. The long-eared beast crouched behind the tiger. In the Chinese Zodiac, the Rabbit arrived after the Tiger. A fact Sheng no doubt enjoyed tremendously. Anything to claim the upper hand.

It also landed his birthday a year, maybe two, before hers. Unless he’d been born an entire cycle ahead of her. “How old are you?” Even squinting, she was unable to determine his age.

“Thirty-eight.” Arms crossed, he regarded her with a stoic expression until his face broke in a grin. “Gotcha. I’m twenty-six.”

Whew. Unable to hide her relief, she angled her face aside. Nothing wrong with dating a man older than her, so long as he wasn’t
that
much older.

Whoa.
Dating?

Focusing once more on the statue, she stepped beside the rabbit. Energy pulsed through her body as though she’d been shot full of adrenaline. Her senses sharpened and her breathing slowed. The world came to a stop as she reached out her hand.

The second her fingers made contact with the hard stone, a jolt electrified her body. She jerked her hand back, panting, and shot an accusatory glare at Sheng.

The intensity in his expression stopped her from calling him out on a prank. This wasn’t a joke to him. Had the stone rabbit really responded to her?

Sheng stared at her, unmoving, as if willing her to touch the statue again. It worked. She regarded the statue. Her fingers grazed the stone animal’s ears. Better prepared this time, she ignored the sudden spike in her blood.

“
Tùzi
,” she murmured the Mandarin word for
rabbit
. The energy pulse dimmed and faded. She kept stroking, palpating the statue everywhere, but the sensation didn’t recur. “It stopped.” She spun to face Sheng. “Why did it stop?”

“Why did
what
stop?” That smirk of his was beginning to irritate the hell out of her.

She scowled at him, but he headed off to the next temple.

As he swung open heavy wooden doors, a blast of floral, incense-fragranced air wafted over them. Passing by the shrine, he led her to the elevator on the far side.

Really, an elevator? “Where are you taking me?”

“Down,” he replied with a shrug.

“We didn’t have to ride that condemned lift?” Hand planted on her hip, she tilted her face to glower at him.

His eyes flashed with wicked intent. “No.”

Heat blossomed in her core, melting away her indignation. With just one sexy curve of his lips, he made her forget all sorts of things.

Like how her uncle had warned her about him.

And how bad boys weren’t meant for keeping.

***

Sheng’s concerns about Rabbit eased as they approached their destination. Kek Lok Si had once been open to the public, but the
Kongsi
had built the underground housing when they’d first established residency at the temple.

The Chosen of the Hai San
Kongsi
trained here, slept here, ate here.

This wasn’t just home, it was their sanctuary. An oasis, secreted from the world, and a place to meditate, reflect, and to seek guidance in restoring balance to the Earth.

Muffled grunting originated from the direction of the training center on their left. He led Lucy that way. Time to formally introduce her to her new family.

Kassian and Fang sparred in the far corner, but stopped as Sheng and Lucy approached. Mei was nowhere to be seen, meaning she was likely somewhere above their heads, hidden inside the foliage of the twenty-foot tropical trees forming a canopy over their lodgings.

Like the temple above, the residency below integrated modern technology with nature. Several waterfalls trickled and the jungle itself crept into their underground chambers, leaving one pondering to whom these caverns belonged…humans or nature.

Balance.
A union, not a conquest. A concept the world outside, with its dependency on technology, had forgotten.

No surprise humans had been vulnerable to a pandemic like the Red Death.

Lucy came from the epicenter of that disaster. He tilted his head to study her. She appeared so strong, so steadfast, but what had she experienced before she’d arrived here?

Mei vaulted down from the trees, interrupting his chance to question Lucy.

Tiger clawed forth, urging Sheng to greet Monkey. The youngest of his
Kongsi
, Mei always brought out his protective side. A little sister to him, Fang, and Kassian.

As she stepped into his embrace, he kissed the top of her head. Releasing her, he gripped first Kassian’s and then Fang’s hands in greeting, bumping shoulders with each man. He lingered for a moment with Fang. Rat remained unnerved from the run-in with Snake last night, so he coaxed Tiger’s energy forward to mingle with Rat’s, hoping the effect soothed his friend.

“Lucy, meet the members of the Hai San
Kongsi
.” He nudged her forward, straight into Mei’s waiting arms.

“Hello again.” Mei enveloped a rather stiff Lucy in her embrace. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Nice to have another girl around. You have no idea.” Mischief sparked in her wide eyes. Monkey was always up to some trick. If he didn’t trust Mei with his life, no way would he permit Lucy anywhere near her.

This was his family. Hers now too. Each time they added a new member, their energies were fortified. With all of them gathered together, the others must sense this spike of power as well.

Did Lucy? She continued to deny what was inside her, but not for much longer.

Not if he had his way with her.

“Time for introductions.” Mei released Lucy and spun her around. “Lucy, meet Kassian. He’s Ox. This is Fang, our resident Rat. Don’t worry, Rat is nothing like the vermin you’re envisioning.” She laughed at her joke; Fang cast her a lethal glare.

“Glad to have you with us.” Ox’s Australian accent poured thick as he heartily shook Lucy’s hand. “You are with us, right?” He directed his question to Sheng, but Sheng jerked his chin at Lucy to answer.

“Ah…” Her hesitation vibrated off the cavernous walls as she nibbled her lower lip.

“Like that, is it? Li scare you away already?” Kassian’s lips twitched as if he tried to maintain a serious face, but it split into a grin regardless. “Just bustin’ your balls, Lucy.” He winked and leaned in to whisper. “I didn’t like him at first, either.”

Sheng stiffened, but it would be good for her to realize the others had chosen this. That she had a choice, too.

Despite the roaring will of Tiger.

Ox had been difficult to break, but the spirit was dominant too. Rabbit, by nature, was submissive. Asserting his dominance over the animal should be easier than this, but fuck, Rabbit was putting up one hell of a fight.

As Mei made the introductions, Fang held back. Rabbit and Rat were natural enemies, and Sheng didn’t expect them to get along. Work together in their cause? Hell, yeah. Even if any spark of friendship wouldn’t likely catch flame.

“Fang.” The half-Korean, half-Chinese male extended his hand, surprising even Sheng. Guess everyone found themselves more drawn in by Lucy than they’d expected.

“Lucy.”

Their contact was brief, and he detected the increase in both of their heart rates. Focusing on Fang, Sheng reached out to Rat, calming the spirit animal.
Easy, Rat. She’s not your enemy.

Fang cast him a grateful nod. He might not like the addition of Rabbit, but he understood, perhaps better than anyone, the importance of their union.

“Let’s leave the boys to mess around.” Mei clung to Lucy’s arm, dragging her to the ladder at the base of the tree hut.

“Wanna spar?” Ox regarded Sheng with far too much perception. They knew each other so well it was impossible to hide any emotions. Including anxiety. And lust. Ox had probably picked up on both coming off Sheng in spades.

Nodding, he tugged his shirt over his head, tossed it aside, and assumed a shallow standing squat, ready for offense or defense.

Fang and Kassian faced off against him. Alone, they possessed no chance of beating him. Together? Just as doubtful.

Sheng crooked his fingers, allowing them to seize the first move.

Wouldn’t be fair, otherwise.

CHAPTER SIX

Sheng’s gesture of affection toward Mei stunned Lucy. Had she misinterpreted everything in their time together? Or maybe Sheng kept more than one lady friend.

Not happening.
Her fists clenched around a smooth wooden rung.

Before climbing the ladder, she swung a glance over her shoulder, but Sheng had joined his friends. Oddly enough, she sensed she fit in with this group already. The members of this
Kongsi
were fresh, unique, and…intriguing.

She ought to have been intimidated by Kassian’s huge size or Fang’s lethal features but, instead, she was drawn to them. All three of them appeared mixed—part Chinese—like herself.
Huh.
Chinese blood must be a requirement for membership in this association.

Mei chatted to her as they climbed the wooden ladder to the main tree hut…which hardly passed for a hut. More like a fortress. Rope bridges stretched the entire length of the ceiling, connecting the three smaller roofed platforms to the largest one in the center. While they climbed, Lucy’s focus lingered on the ground.

Sheng shrugged out of his shirt and bared his brawny chest. Broad shoulders gave way to sculpted abs. Endless ripples of muscle stretched across his hips and disappeared beneath his black pants. The tiger tat on his back fascinated her with its reverent significance.

Captivated by his sexy, athletic figure, she shivered as her lower belly clenched in pounding anticipation. She ached to lick a path down his chest, tease off his clothes and take him in her mouth. She’d fooled around with guys before and was desperate to discover if the bulge in his pants lived up to its massive promise.

Damn him for being irresistible.

She hoisted up the last rung and followed Mei inside the main hut. Instead of a bare wooden space, she encountered an elegant sitting room, complete with an armoire displaying a blue and white china tea set.

Mei directed her to sit in an antique armchair while she prepared tea. “My mom’s Malay, my dad’s Chinese. How about your parents?” Smiling brightly, she handed Lucy a teacup while she waited for an answer.