Matching Dragons Chinese Zodiac Romance Series Book 6 (13 page)

Rachael holds an Honours BA in anthropology, as well as a CELTA. Her secret indulgence is her passion for baking, which she offsets with her addiction to running (she’s completed four marathons). She resides on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, two children, cat, and dog.

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REMATCH
, for FREE! If you haven’t taken a bite of my Chinese Zodiac Romance Series yet, then this standalone novella is the perfect start!

REMATCH
is the perfect blend of
Beauty and the Beast
meets the
Island of Misfit Toys
. Add in the mix one cunning Matchmaker, a mischievous spirit animal (Cat), and the devilish Monkey King, and you know
REMATCH
will take you for a wild ride ;)

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CHINESE ZODIAC ROMANCE SERIES:

BOOK 1: TRANCING THE TIGER

BOOK 2: REMATCH

BOOK 3: BY THE HORNS

BOOK 4: MATCH ME LATER

BOOK 5: REINING HIM IN

BOOK 6: MATCHING DRAGONS

BOOK 7: IN WOLF’S CLOTHING

HALCYON ROMANCE SERIES:

BOOK 1: MOON BORNE

BOOK 2: EARTH BORNE (DARK LORD OF THESSALY)

BOOK 3: WICKED LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 4: BRUTISH LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 5: MASTERFUL LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 6: UNTAMED LORD OF THESSALY

BOOK 7: LOST LADY OF THESSALY

BOOK 8: WATER BORNE

Want more Chinese Zodiac Romance? Read on for an exclusive sneak peek at the first chapter from Book 7,
IN WOLF’S CLOTHING
:

She’s spent her life concealing her identity

Ling Tse, Chosen of the Sheep, has carefully constructed the world around her, masking her true nature from those who would exploit her spirit animal. When bad boy Cao strolls into her shop, she knows to brace for trouble, but she didn’t anticipate just how many problems he would cause. The stone he brought to trade could save humanity, or the gem could doom the world. Burned before, she’s vowed never to trust one of his kind, but something in his alluring smile dares her to.

He’s determined to peel back the layers

Eight Immortal Cao Guojiu senses something off with Ling the moment he steps into her shop. When the store blows up, leaving Ling in his protection, there’s more at work—and at stake—than the simple rock he offered to trade with her. Though he’s spent centuries atoning for his wild past, he’ll have to employ every wicked seduction to gain Ling’s trust, and her heart. Because only together can they have a shot at turning the tide and saving humanity.

Nowhere left to hide

When the secrets of the past unravel, Ling will have no choice but to come out of hiding. Joining forces with the fierce rogue, Cao, to locate the other valuable stones means opening her heart to possible betrayal, but the intense blaze between them demands her every surrender. If they can brave the world together, they’ll learn that the best place a sheep can hide is in her wolf’s clothing.

The stone sank, heavy in Cao Guojiu’s pocket. One tiny piece of rock held the power to save the world, or to destroy it. And right now, it was sitting in his pocket, about to be traded.

Not for world peace or any fancy bullshit, but for a simple name and address.

Didn’t that make him the biggest jackass.

He grimaced and strode through the shop doors, wrinkling his nose at the stench of cheap, flowery incense and the clang of the overhead bells. The tightly-packed souvenir store screamed the hoarding tendencies of its owner, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t come to buy any cheesy mementos.

Cao wove through the narrow aisles, down the steep staircase, to the steel door at the back. He rapped once. No answer, so he knocked again.

“Closed,” a lilting feminine voice chimed from inside.

Yeah, screw that. He twisted the handle and shoved the door open. Slipping inside, he blinked into the dim chamber. The eight-by-ten room smelled like an old storage locker. Musty and dank. Not at all the headquarters of the elite supplier he’d anticipated.

A figure seated at the large wooden desk huffed. “I said we’re closed.” The woman didn’t bother glancing up at him as she slapped a sticky note on top of the wobbly stack of binders in front of her, pushed them aside, and bent to the floor to procure a new stack.

He edged forward and halted in front of the desk, crossing his arms. “I heard you were the best and I’m in need of your services.”

“Sorry, but I’m booked up this month. I might be able to pencil you in next month, Mr.…” She lifted long, thick lashes to peer at him. “Oh, no.” Intense distaste flashed in her doe-like eyes and she pushed her black-rimmed glasses further up along her slender nose. “I don’t deal with Immortals. Please leave.”

He stiffened. What the hell was her problem? “We’ve never met. How do you even know who I am?” He didn’t go out much, and he certainly had never encountered this saucy butterfly before.

Her eyes flicked to the wall behind him and she bit her lip. “It doesn’t matter.”

Arching a brow, he spun. A dozen or so pictures had been taped to the wall, several speckled with darts. He recognized the other Eight Immortals, along with a few others he didn’t know.

And yep, in the bottom right corner, was his face. A blue dart stuck into his right eye.

“Nice aim,” he droned, shifting back toward her.

She flinched but didn’t say anything.

Weird. What the fuck had he done to deserve that dart? “Look, as far as I’m aware, I’ve never wronged you, and all I’m asking for is your help. In exchange for a hefty recompense.”

“I don’t want your money, or your business. Get out.” Crimson bloomed across her cheeks, drawing out an exotic touch to her beauty.

He narrowed his eyes and studied her. Most people would never shoot her a second glance. Not with those thick glasses concealing her porcelain bone structure, that glossy hair resembling black silk drawn into a tight bun, and the baggy, green wool sweater entombing her like a snowsuit even though the room wasn’t cool or drafty.

She was hiding something.

The hairs on the back of his neck pricked. The Matchmaker had told him that this woman, Ling Tse, was the only one who could help him. That she would so adamantly refuse made zero sense.

Time to play hardball.

She puffed at him again and stuck her focus onto her stack of binders. Didn’t even wait for him to leave. Just assumed he would.

Well, he hadn’t come this far to be turned down. Luckily, he happened to have something up his sleeve he was certain she wouldn’t be able to resist.

Cao leaned forward, quirking his lips as he pulled the apricot-sized blue stone from his pocket. Two of its edges were flat, suggesting it was a shard of something larger. And even more perilous. “Well, I guess you wouldn’t be interested in this either, then.” He placed the stone on top of the pile, directly in front of her nose, without removing his fingers.

Her rosy lips parted.

Check mate.

Whistling, he stuffed the rock into his pocket and strolled out the door.

“Wait.”

Ignoring her calls, he strode up the stairs toward the maze of aisles.

Ling’s light, tapping footsteps chased him, stopping a few feet from him. “Let me see that again.”

“Oh, this?” He casually withdrew the valuable gem, flicking his wrist toward her.

“Where did you find it?” Her eyes widened and she extended her fingers toward his palm, as though the rock was a tractor beam drawing her in.

Just as she was about to make contact with the gem, he tsked.
“Ah, uhn.”
He snapped his hand back inside his pocket. “You said you wouldn’t do business with me, so I’ll happily find another interested party. I’m sure there are plenty.”

Tapping her foot, she folded her arms across her chest, revealing the round curves of her breasts hidden by that monstrosity of a sweater. He swallowed hard as his ballocks tightened at the tempting glimpse of her femininity. “Are you going to play with me or are you going to offer me a deal?”

Brash. She had balls. He chuckled and leaned forward, backing her to the wall and inhaling the faint vanilla scent perfuming from her skin. “Trust me, love, if I were playing with you, you’d be screaming.” Her hitched breath satisfied a primal urge itching beneath his skin, but he got the feeling she was timid, like a wild animal who might bolt at any second if he got too close too fast. He eased back, giving her space.

“So, ah, the stone?” Hand quivering, she shoved those glasses higher onto her nose.

He withdrew the gemstone from his pocket again. This time, he handed it to her.

She inhaled and held her breath, peering at the rock atop her palm.

He cocked his head, studying her. She wasn’t a dragon, that much he was certain of. So why did she want the gem so badly?

And just how much would she be willing to trade for it?

***

Ling Tse blinked at the stone in her hand. It was beautiful. Magnificent. Perfect. And because of those things, utterly disastrous.

The hairs on her arms raised; Cao’s burning stare heated her skin.
Right.
Regardless of him bringing this gem to her, she couldn’t trust him.

She couldn’t trust
any
of them.

Only a fool would stick their hand into the same fire where they’d been burned before.

And she was no fool.

“Who sent you here?” She tore her focus off the precious stone and glared at the Eight Immortal Cao Guojiu. Though she’d stared at his picture for more hours than she would be willing to admit, the real, in-the-flesh version of this striking male had dried her throat and stolen every ounce of her cool composure. Okay, so she usually got tongue-tied around hot guys, and Cao was no exception. His messy, just-out-of-bed-and-probably-after-intense-sex dark brown hair was just long enough in the front to slash irresistibly across his sinfully twinkling, deep honey eyes. He was at least half a foot taller than her five-nine frame, and his black leather jacket hugged across wide, brawny shoulders. His white cotton shirt and dark jeans conformed to each thickly ripped muscle. The jagged cut of his angular jaw, the long straight line of his nose, and those killer high cheekbones screamed youth, though the male was thousands of years old.