By the Horns (17 page)

His lips quirked at her playful jab. Just like old times. “You never complained before, when I took you out for a long, hard ride.” He bent, leaning in toward her.

Her lips parted and she moistened them. “No one’s watching us. You can cut the act.” She brushed away his arm and marched toward the boat.

He stared after her. Damn. Was she right? The lines blurred. He’d hungered to kiss her, right then and there, without any excuse for doing so. Kassian shook out his hands, clenched and unclenched his fists. He required clarity. He needed to meditate.

“All aboard!” Price called from the middle of the ship’s bare upper deck.

Kassian waved the man off, shouldered the duffle, and ascended the plank onto the deck.

“Come, I’ll show you to your five-star accommodations.” Price led them down a set of questionably stable stairs that groaned beneath Kassian’s weight and through a narrow, whitewashed corridor. Hell, worse than an asylum. The amber fluorescent lighting hurt his eyes. Ox paced inside him, uneasy about being confined in such a deep, dank prison.

They followed Price through a stairwell and up into an area marked “C Deck.” Halfway down the tight corridor, he paused to haul open a steel door. “This is where you’ll bunk. I’m right across the hall.” With a nod, he ushered his fox spirits toward his quarters.

Kassian braced, inspecting the cabin he and Nat would share. “Fucking bunk beds?” He pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling and exhaling to calm Ox, who thrashed inside him.

Nat scrunched her nose at the undersized bunks. “I didn’t realize. I’m sorry, Kassian.”

Great, guess he wouldn’t be sleeping on this cozy voyage.

“Top bunk’s mine.”

He glowered at her cheery tone. “The hell it is.”

“Trust me, you’re gonna love having me on top.” She winked. “Well, at least we don’t have to share a bed.” As Nat stepped past him, she paused and patted his chest. “Suck it up, big boy. That, at least, should make you happy.”

Ox stomped and Kassian’s frustration surged. “Fuck it all, Nat. No, it doesn’t.” He spun her around, grasped both her wrists, and pinned her against the steel wall. His brain had long ago abandoned the conversation and, by the hardening of his cock, he had no use for words, anyway. He planted his face right next to hers, breathing heavily and enjoying the fact she was as well. Nudging his leg between hers, he pressed his thigh against her core. She panted, hard.

“Is this a game to you?” Damn, he had to know. Because he wasn’t cut out for this, for these secret lives, these masked emotions. He circled his thumb over her Lotus tat on her inner left wrist. Did this symbol define her, or was his Natalie still in there, somewhere?

“No, this is my job.” Her gaze snapped to his and her teeth tugged on her lower lip. His focus dropped to her soft lips, and hell, he had to sample them.

***

Kassian leaned closer, his breath mingling with hers. “This is your job, but it’s not
you
. Tell me, where is the girl I used to know? Who are you, Nat?”

Her throat tightened as the heat between them sparked. “I am whatever the job needs me to be. Assassin, thief, seductress. I am them all.”

“Huh.” His intensity burned into her as he purred, “Which one are you with me?”

Instead of claiming her lips like his body language suggested he would, he backed off to recline against the bunk beds. Every muscle in her body protested. She shoved her thighs together, and flattened her palms along the wall behind her. How stupid she’d been to ever conclude this was just another mission. That being partnered with Kassian would be easy.

That she could be professional where he was concerned.

This lust-hazed reaction was anything but. Nat’s pulse thundered in her ears. Her sex clenched, an ache spreading through her core. Worse, her heart had joined in on the futile—and forbidden—plunge.

This was the Matchmaker’s test. She might have paired Nat with Rat. Even sent her off by herself. In giving Nat the Snake, she’d placed her in a world full of temptation.

A world full of Kassian.

If she fell for him, her punishment wouldn’t be a slap on the wrist. Nor could she request to revoke her membership. She would
never
be discharged. No one got kicked out of the League. There was only one way to quit.

Death.

A repercussion Nat was okay with when it involved only herself. But if she entangled Kassian in her plans…

Nat choked on her thoughts. She’d signed her contract with a clear head. A heavy heart, but a clear head. She’d given up on a future with Kassian the moment she’d sliced her palm on the Matchmaker’s blade.

Kassian and the Matchmaker could take the Snake from her at any moment. They probably should, because she had only agreed to possess the spirit to fulfill her own, personal oath.

Kassian pushed off from the bunk beds and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To meditate. Can’t relax in this coffin.” He left without a backward glance.

Meditate. Right. She wasn’t the only one with obligations. Funny, the vows she and Kassian had taken had led them both to the same path and, yet, they existed on different threads of the same tapestry. Their paths might cross, might even weave together for a short time, but they would go their separate ways soon enough.

As soon as Nat mastered the Snake, she was outta here.

Screw the consequences.

Kassian was right. This cabin resembled a coffin, and with nothing better to do than stare at the rusting, peeling, white-washed walls, fresh air was the better alternative.

She followed Kassian through the maze and onto the main deck. He wandered off to the bow, sat, and sank into his meditative pose.

She eyed him with envy.

“You haven’t even given a proper hello.”

She jolted at Price’s voice to her right. Damn, she hadn’t noticed him. The ass. She whirled to face him. “I didn’t realize one was required.”

“Not for me. For Horse.” He flashed her a grin from where he reclined on a plastic lounge chair as though this were a cruise ship.

Oh. He was correct about their spirits, but Price being right about things got on her nerves.

His blue eyes twinkled with mischief. “Well, Snake. It’s in there, somewhere, right?”

The “in there” part was true. Yet Snake’s quiet attitude seemed a little off.

“Yep.”

“Well, can Horse say hello?” His sensual lips quirked. The reminder of her former attraction to him made her stomach churn. That, and the gentle rocking of the boat.

“Oh, come on, Nat. We weren’t so bad together.”

She wrinkled her nose. “We were horrible.”

“Okay.” He shrugged. “But our suck-ass past doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

His push for friendship set off alarms inside her gut. Was he another of the Matchmaker’s tests? Well, at least, he wasn’t half the temptation of Kassian.

“Friends? You shot me. We’ll never be friends.”

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Fair enough, but you’re a smart girl. You know how this job works. Even if you never believe me,” he combed a hand through his long locks and shot her a sideways glance, “firing that gun was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

She stiffened. Half of her believed him because she
did
know what the job was like. If she’d been ordered to shoot him, she would have done it. No questions asked. The other half froze in shock because she’d never witnessed even a smidge of the emotion in Price he was currently bearing in front of her. Those blue eyes appeared…vulnerable. Who knew? He might actually be human, after all.

“So, who ordered you to do it? The Matchmaker? The Council?”

His gaze lowered and a chuckle shook his shoulders.

She huffed and took it all back. Price was a smug bastard.

He groaned and stretched out on his back on the plastic lawn chair. “You know exactly why I can’t answer that, sweetheart.” He smirked. “If I told you, I’d have to shoot you again, and not miss.”

“You’re an assho—”

“But you forgive me.” He grinned wide. Disarmingly charming. Perhaps he had a point. She would never give up the details of any of her missions, not even under torture. That was what made them Lotus.

“Not quite.” Snake stirred inside her and their circumstances edged into the forefront of her mind. She might not trust Price—yet—but he was a Chosen. She stuck out her hand. “Hello, Horse.”

He slid his large, warm hand into hers. Tingling ran from her fingertips up her arm. Snake uncoiled inside her and slithered outward.

Price’s Horse cloaked him. Holy cow. Or rather, Holy Horse. She stumbled back, but he steadied her with his grip on her hand.

The beast assumed the form of an enormous wild mustang, a head taller than Ox, but leaner. Sleek, black coat. Powerful flank. His wide-spaced pearlescent eyes blinked at her with glittering intelligence. Wow, he was so much more beautiful than she’d pictured. Even when they’d been together, she’d never met Horse.

After letting out a low nicker, Horse inclined its head and tossed its silken, inky mane. The spirit stepped forward and exhaled through its nose, mouth shut. Warm air puffed across Nat’s hand.

Snake’s scales rose on her skin. Shimmering red and gold. Horse and Snake assessed each other. Snake’s forked tongue flicked out to sniff Horse, who whinnied in response. While Nat and Price had a tainted history, Snake seemed content to greet its old friend.

Price uncloaked Horse and regarded her. “Wow. So, Snake, huh?”

She hummed at the scales vanishing from her skin. The spirit did everything she asked, but despite her reasoning about its calm nature, something still bothered her. Price was less judgmental about Snake than Kassian, so he might be able to reassure her this was normal. “Yeah. Snake’s a pretty quiet spirit. Is it supposed to be like this? The others seem so…in tune with their spirits.”

He sleeked back his hair. “Depends, I guess.”

How helpful.

“Look, I haven’t spent much time around the others, and all I know is, you have to bond with your spirit.” He shrugged. “That takes time. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Hmm.
Seemed like sound advice, then again, Price never worried about
anything
.

“Your hosting the Snake wouldn’t have anything to do with your father, Xing, would it?”

She flinched. “What the hell do you know about my dad?”

“More than I’d like to.” He surveyed the space around them as though gauging whether Kassian could overhear them, but he was deep in meditation. “He contacted me about the
húli jīng
. Wants to cut a deal with their Queen.” He snorted. “Like I’ve ever met her.”

“Well, apparently you’ve fucked enough of them to be considered an intermediary.” She squeezed her fists and forced her brain to be serious again. Whatever her father sought with the fox spirits, it couldn’t be pleasant. “Do yourself a favor. Don’t ever speak with my father again.” The last thing she needed was the weight of responsibility over having to save Price’s ass. In fact, she shouldn’t have warned him, but if she hadn’t, he would probably get himself killed. She refused to be responsible for any of her father’s victims.

“Okay, good to know.”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “Why don’t you live with the others at Kek Lok Si?”

He folded his arms, focusing toward the ocean. Aha. The question made him uncomfortable. “I don’t like to be tied down.” He paused as though rethinking his words and then grinned. “Well, actually, I do. Wanna head below deck?” He winked and jerked his chin toward the stairwell.

She rolled her eyes. “Not even in your dreams, buddy.”

***

Kassian fought to tune out the conversation between Nat and Price. The man’s constant flirting didn’t irk him as much as his uncertainty about Nat’s feelings toward Price.

Had she loved him? Did she still?

One day, Sheng would demand Price choose sides—either his, the Hai San
Kongsi
, or Delun’s, the Ghee Hin. Tiger or Dragon. Each of the ten Chinese Zodiac animal spirits had to choose one leader to follow each time they assumed a new host. Ox, Rat, Monkey, and Snake had chosen Tiger. Rabbit probably would too. The other spirits were still up for grabs, most of them currently unaccounted for. Sheng would likely give the other half to his brother, Delun.

But, Emperor help him if Price chose Sheng. Since Nat had joined with Tiger, he, Nat, and Price would have to live together, possibly for eternity. The awkwardness of that threesome threatened to choke Kassian out. He slammed his eyes shut and sought the place in the back of his mind where clarity awaited him.

Ox pawed the ground, lowing with soothing reassurance. Kassian was more than a host to the warrior spirit. They were friends. One and the same. At first, blackness greeted his subconscious. As he sank deeper, images blurred into focus. As usual, his fears and concerns greeted him first.

The fear of hurting others with his strength.

The fear of being too late or too inadequate to save Mei.

Lastly, the fear of never knowing himself. Of finding true clarity.

He fought past them, seeking his path. After Sheng had introduced him to Ox and Kassian had learned to meditate, the beast had shown him images. Visions of his future. Each spirit animal possessed unique gifts, and this guidance concerning Kassian’s life happened to be one of Ox’s.

The first time, he’d viewed the bleak picture of his future if he didn’t veer from his corrupt lifestyle. Armed with new purpose, together, he and Ox had altered the visions.

The table of liquor bottles they’d overturned together, alcohol glistening on glass shards. The endless women’s skirts he’d closed his door to, shutting them out.

After he’d passed those tests, Ox had led him toward enlightenment. He’d found meaning and purpose.

How did Ox perceive Kassian’s broken vows? Would the beast revoke his visions? His fears knotted together inside his chest. The images swirling in his brain spiraled like a kaleidoscope.

Please, Ox.

Just as he was about to give up hope, the pictures condensed. A figure hovered at the horizon of his path, facing away from him. As Kassian zoomed in, the figure turned.