Well, fuck me. Cao scrambled to his feet, dragging Ling upright with him. Coughing, he smothered his mouth with his arm amidst a thickening cloud of dark smoke. “You okay?” He gave Ling a once-over. Wild panic streaked across her features and she lunged forward, straight toward the flaming, crumbling pile of rubble.

“Hell, no, you don’t.” He charged after her, grabbed her arm, and swung her back around against his chest.

“No, my…my grandmother,” she sobbed, struggling against him.

He gaped from her outstretched hands toward the heap of burning debris. Shit.

“Ling,” a soft feminine voice rang behind them. “It’s all right, my dear.”

He spun around with Ling clasped in his arms. A tall woman with racecar red hair that billowed like she belonged on a movie poster posed beside an equally tall man whose fine-boned countenance reminded him of an elf. They were dressed in matching tight-fitting, dark leather vests and pants. Who were they? He squinted. They weren’t human. Not in their natural forms, at least.

Ling jolted against him. “Who are you? How do you know my name?”

The woman tilted her head, blazing blue eyes crinkling kindly.

“No.” Ling shook her head adamantly. “You’re not…you can’t be.”

“Who?” He glanced between the couple and Ling.

The woman slanted her gaze to him. “I’m Ling’s nǎinai, but my real name is Da Xia. And yes, I’m a dragon.”

Dragon? The hell? What was going on? When Ling had said ‘grandmother,’ he’d pictured the gray-haired and knitted-sweater type, not an immortal badass dragon.

“Ughn.” Ling clutched her stomach and grimaced. Must be the shock.

“Shh, my darling,” Da Xia murmured, then repeated the same in Cantonese. “I may not be your blood, but I have raised you, as I vowed to do. Now, I’m afraid, those who have sought you harm have found you. It’s not safe for you with me anymore.” Sadness tightened the woman’s mouth, but she surveyed the dark cloud enclosing them. A concealment cloud? “We don’t have much time, Cao Guojiu.” Her keen stare targeted on him. “The Jade Emperor sent you to take over for me.”

His jaw dropped open. “No, you’ve got it wrong. I’m just here to trade a rock.”

She cast him an empathetic frown. “No, you’re not.”

Fuck, he mouthed, and scraped a hand down his face. “What exactly are you saying?”

“You’re her guardian now.”

“Guardian. As in…?” He arched both brows.

“Protect her with your life, Cao the Wolf.” Da Xia’s lips curved at his moniker, softening her fierce expression.

“Yeah, I don’t recall signing up for that.” How had he stumbled into this shitpile?

“You’re seeking atonement, aren’t you? Here’s your big chance.” She sauntered to his side and hummed into his ear, “Anything happens to her and you’ll wish we’d never met.”

“I don’t need a guardian,” Ling chipped in, shaking herself as though the shock had worn off. Suddenly, she gasped at the building next to the collapsed shop. “Zeus!”

“Hey.” The tall man lifted his hand and offered a sheepish grin.

The color drained from Ling’s cheeks and she veered to face the man.

He shuffled his feet impishly and shrugged while she continued to gawk.

“No.” She stamped her foot. “No.”

“Me-ow.” He pawed the air and gave a hearty chuckle. Tenderness crept into his teasing grin, though. “I’ll miss ya, lovey.”

Ling cringed while the man stepped to her and kissed her cheek.

“You must go, hurry, before they come.” Da Xia glided to Ling and pressed a hand to her cheek. “Be brave, my sweet girl.”

Then she transformed into a massive, multi-hued dragon, the man hopped onto her back, and she leapt into the sky, flapping her wings hard.

* * *

None of this is real. Ling coughed through the smoke, striving to puzzle together everything which had transpired. Until that jerk, Cao, tapped on her shoulder.

“C’mon. We gotta go.”

Go? Where? She shot her gaze to her apartment building, but the whole side of it was aglow. Sirens wailed and echoed in the distance and, beyond that, sinister shrieking crossed her ears, her hearing enhanced thanks to Sheep’s abilities. The gentle spirit within her trembled as though ready to bolt.

Yāoguài. Dammit.

Cao was right. Those demons would be here in no time. No doubt, to finish off any survivors of the blast.

She gave a shaky nod and he snared her arm, tugging her along to keep pace behind him. Down endless streets. Weaving. Winding. She sprinted as hard and as fast as her legs were capable of doing. Following Cao the Wolf. How come she’d never heard his nickname before?

Around a corner, she drew to a halt, wheezing. Why the hell should she trust him?

“What are you doing?” He whipped around, approaching her like he was about to go cave-man on her and scoop her into his arms. Again.

She tossed her head. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t have to. I have other friends.” Her bestie Jade would take her in. Jade’s significant other, Liem, was a kickass dragon. If he couldn’t keep her safe, who could?

Mind made up, she glanced at the street signs to get her bearings and patted her sweater pockets for a cell phone. Empty. Damn. She must have left it in her office. No worries. There was a safe house six blocks away. Ling veered left, marching into the street.

A shrieking screech froze her feet to the ground. Though cars whizzed by on the road and people ebbed to and fro, only she viewed the pair of long-beaked yāoguài standing opposite her, their red and yellow glowers fixated on Ling’s presence.

Crap.

She swallowed hard and inched backward, but it was too late. They’d seen her.

“Bloody hell,” Cao snarled behind her, then raced forward, a pair of knives in his hands. He sliced the blades through both demons before they even had the chance to squawk at his presence.

Right. Wolf. Lethal predator. After that display, the name definitely fit.

Shoulders heaving, he twisted to face her, the strands of hair slanting across his forehead damp with exertion. “You were saying?”

Her heart sped wildly and her hands had gone clammy. Sheep darted, in blind panic mode inside her. If she wasn’t careful, the spirit animal’s terror would seize her, too.

Breathe. She closed her eyes and fought to recall her grandmother’s directions in her mind. Just breathe, Ling. It will pass.

Any thoughts of her nǎinai churned her stomach. How could she have not known? My grandmother is a dragon. A Feilong. Except, she’s not even my grandma. She’s a guardian.

What does that make me?

Perspiration slipped down her spine and tremors coursed through her muscles. Her legs wobbled, threatening to topple beneath the weight of her new reality.

Things couldn’t get any worse.

* * *

Damn. Cao wiped his blades on his jeans leg. This just got worse. Not only had he been handed a ward, but she was having a panic attack. Right in the middle of the damn street with yāoguài closing in around them.

Bloody perfect.

After sheathing his daggers in his boots, he gritted his teeth and marched to her side, scooping her into his arms. He scowled at how she trembled and charged in the direction he’d been headed. To his safe house.

Every few seconds, he glanced behind him, stretching out his senses, and ensuring those bastards weren’t following them anymore.

Alone. Good.

At last convinced it was safe, he entered the lobby of his building, headed to the rear elevator, and took it straight to the penthouse. Home sweet home. At least, for this century.

The doors dinged and he stepped inside, then pressed a handful of buttons to ensure everything was secure.

Only then did he lower Ling to her feet, examining her for signs of a meltdown. “You okay?”

She pursed her lips and twisted around, observing his flat. “Where are we?”

“Someplace safe,” he assured.

Moving stiffly, she shuffled forward.

He pointed to the left. “There’s, ah, the kitchen.” Right, because the stove and fridge didn’t make that obvious. Cao flinched, but went through with the descriptions anyway. “Living room.” He waved to the sofa on his right. Beyond was an open office space with a wall-length desk bearing a row of monitors. “Bedroom’s on the right.” He frowned at the realization he had no place to put her. “Uh, you can take it. I’ll sleep on the couch. The other bedroom’s my gym.” Did not seem as great an idea now. A heads up that he’d have a house guest would’ve been nice.

She strode robotically forward, inspecting and tipping her head side to side.

He raked a hand through his hair and grimaced at the streak of soot on his fingers. Yuck. Swinging his scrutiny to Ling, he noted she was coated in dust, too. “You take a shower first. Bathroom’s beyond the bedroom, two doors, so.” A warning to lock both?

What did she look like beneath that disguise? Gods. How was he even be picturing her naked in a moment like this?

Yet, the image had flashed through his mind.

He cleared his throat, loudly, and she jolted, spinning around.

Those doe eyes blinked at him, awareness creeping into her stare. As though she’d awakened from the shock.

And man, she was not happy about it.

* * *

I’m not staying here. Not with you,” Ling grated, her jaw clenched. This might be the worst nightmare ever, but she’d wake herself up. Get through this, somehow. “Where’s your phone?” Determined, she marched forward.

He held up a hand to stop her. “No phone. Sorry. Safe house, remember?” He tapped the side of his head, his mouth tight.

She huffed louder. “You can’t force me to stay, like, like a prisoner.”

“Whoa, hey.” He waved both hands. “Let’s be clear. I did not ask to save your ass, princess.”

“Princess?” she scoffed, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t you dare call me that again.”

Confusion flickered across his honey depths, but that didn’t surprise her. She loathed the term, and not because of any feminism issues.

“Fine.” He lowered his hands. “Who’d you like to call?”

“Someone who’ll get me out of this mess,” she muttered.

He cast her a placating grin. “You know that’s not possible, right. Your grandmother arranged for me to look after you, not anyone else. Appointed by the Jade Emperor, she said.”

“She’s not exactly at the top of my list of favorite people right now.” She shook her head, trying to wipe away the image of a sweet elderly lady, now overrun with the picture of that badass warrior. How could she not have grasped the truth? Guessed? Not even a little?

Her sweet, sweet, Zeus-y. Ugh! She shuddered, squeezing her eyes. My cat is a shapeshifter. And a voyeur.

“Look, it’s a lot to take in. Why don’t you go get cleaned up?” He swept his arm toward the bathroom.

She was about to refuse, because, honestly, she wanted nothing from this man, but a glimpse of her dusty arm had her running her hands through her hair and…shoot. She must look the hot mess she felt like.

Nodding, she stomped toward the promise of a shower and cleanliness. Cao followed behind her. “There are fresh towels on the shelf.” He ducked toward a cupboard under the sink and pulled out a basket with an eclectic assortment of bottles. “Uh, washing stuff?”

She arched a brow but accepted the basket.

One hand sliding around the back of his neck, Cao sauntered from the room. She shut and locked the door behind him, eying the basket. Rifling through the feminine products, she plucked a half-empty bottle of shampoo and another of a different brand of conditioner. Clearly, he hadn’t bought any of these. So…girlfriend? Nope, everything was too random for a frequent visitor. Multiple guests, then.

She scrunched her nose, but sighed. These would have to do if she sought to get clean.

Ling wiggled out of her clothes and twisted on the spray of the shower. After fiddling with the knob, she got it to the perfect temperature, and stepped under the cascade, closing her eyes. Ahhhh. Bathed in the soothing moisture, her mind relaxed.

Everything would work out. Nothing was as bad as it seemed.

I’ve been through worse.

Steel poured into her, straightening her shoulders. Whatever this new situation was, she’d figure things out.

Have a little faith, Ling. The Matchmaker had sent Cao. Dragon or not, Da Xia had been an amazing grandmother.

Calm poured through her and she opened her eyes, reaching for the shampoo bottle.

Until a speck of black in the corner of the stall caught her eye and she screamed.