Ling worried her bottom lip. Jade and Liem were going to meet her at this café in the next few minutes. She and Jade had been friends since childhood. If there was one person in this world she trusted, it was her bestie. And now, Liem, too. He was Jade’s hotter than hot dragon soul mate.

Lucky, lucky girl.

Shoving aside her musings, she concentrated on stirring her cappuccino. Cao had arranged this meeting. It was hard to admit he was damned good at this guardian gig. Even now, he waited across the café from her, close by but still giving personal space.

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee floated through the air, while a dozen or so patrons occupied the cozy setting, a handful of those ordering at the till.

The bells above the door chimed and in walked her friends. Ling hopped from her seat and crashed into Jade’s embrace.

“Ling!” Jade squealed, hugging her tightly. “We were so worried when we saw what happened on the news. Liem’s been trying to unearth where you were. Are you okay?” She pulled back and studied Ling.

“I’m fine. Please don’t be worried.” She forced the corners of her mouth to lift. “I’m so glad to see you, though.”

“We’re glad to see you, too.” Liem squeezed her shoulder.

She sighed at her friends and waved them to her table. “Coffee?” She swept her hand toward the other two coffees she’d ordered.

“Gods, yes,” Jade breathed, sinking into the booth beside Ling. Liem grunted and struggled to squeeze his extra-large, gorgeously brawny form into the opposite side of their booth.

“What happened? Where’s nǎinai? Is she okay?” Jade took a gulp of her coffee and pegged Ling with a cool green stare.

Ling expelled a deep breath. “Yeah, so about that. Apparently, my grandmother is a Feilong dragon named Da Xia and she’s actually been my guardian my entire life. Somebody figured that out and bombed our shop yesterday. The Matchmaker sent me a new guardian.”

“Bloody hell,” Liem spewed, gaping. “A mist dragon?”

“No way.” Jade’s eyes grew round. “Nǎinai is a dragon? That sweet, little—”

“Try badass. In a leather getup and everything. Not to mention, her sidekick, Zeus-y.”

“Sweet fuck, no,” Liem sputtered again, this time spitting out his coffee then wiping the tabletop furiously with a napkin. “Sorry.”

“Zeus? Is a dragon?” Jade stuttered.

“No.” Ling offered a fake smile. “He’s a shapeshifter. The spying little snake.” She didn’t even want to go there. Her “cat” had followed her into the bathroom, watched her use the toilet, take showers, and other excruciatingly embarrassing activities.

“Is he hot?” Jade wagged her brows at Ling, who punched her in the arm. “Ow, hey.”

“I didn’t get a good look, okay?” Ling griped. “I was kinda pissed about all the deception, but yeah, I guess, in a regal kind of way.”

“Who the fuck cares?” Fuming, the Fucanglong male tore the damp napkin in half. “I cuddled with that little prick.”

I feel you, buddy. Ling shook her head in empathy.

“I’m so confused.” Jade knitted her brows. “Who’s your new guardian? Can’t you come home with us? Our place is more than fortified.”

Ling tensed and flicked her scrutiny across the room to Cao. He watched them, intensity in those pools of dark honey. Did he guess the direction of this conversation? Though the idea of staying with her friends sounded tempting, he’d acted pretty determined to be her guardian.

He must have his reasons. Damned if he’d share them with her, though.

“I don’t know. The Matchmaker seemed to think her pick was best,” Ling mumbled the excuse, striving to tear her gaze off Cao, and failing.

“Is that him?” Liem growled, rising from his seat. “Let me have a word with him.”

“No, wait, Liem, please.” She gripped his arm and pleaded with her eyes. The dragon was incendiary when enraged. Which he clearly was. Cao hadn’t done anything to deserve that.

“Let me at him.” He swatted off her arm and patted her head. “Trust me, love. We’re your family and we’ll take care of you. I’ll work this out with him.”

Damn, but that was exactly what she was afraid of.

* * *

Cao shifted in his seat while the large, lethal male approached him with fists bunched at his sides. Damn. He hated dealing with dragons, but he’d done it enough to know how to handle them.

Nonchalant, he eased back, keeping his attention on the man but not inviting conflict.

“She’s coming with us.” Ling’s friend ducked into the booth opposite him, shoulders bunched and legs crooked—looking as uncomfortable as Cao felt.

“I appreciate your concern, but that’s not possible.” As much as he’d love to hand over his new ward, he’d waited lifetimes for an opportunity like this. He linked his fingers on top of the table. “I promise you, I’ll keep her safe.”

A tic pulsed in the other man’s jaw, but he slowly shook his head. “Nope, not gonna work.” He jerked his chin toward the woman with Ling. “See her? Jade. She’s Ling’s best friend and she’ll have my balls if I don’t bring Ling back with us.” The man pinched the bridge of his nose. “If M put you up to this, I’ll talk to her.” He plucked a card from his jacket pocket and slid it toward Cao.

Narrowing his eyes, he picked up the card and read the name. Liem Long. Seemed like the kind of businessman who always sealed the deal. Too bad, this was one time he’d lose.

Keeping things friendly, Cao nodded and placed the card into his inside jacket pocket. “You can try, but I doubt she’ll agree to it. She and I have an unusual arrangement.”

Liem’s nostrils flared, wide, barely concealing his dragon fury.

Right. Time to go. Cao rose from his seat, the hairs tingling on the back of his neck. What the hell?

“She’s not going anywhere with you, prick.” Liem stood, too, rage clenching his features and his fists. “She’s our friend, not yours.”

“Oh, really?” Cao cocked one brow, gathering he shouldn’t, and unable to resist. “If she’s such a good friend of yours, what color are her eyes?”

Liem jerked back and bellowed, “Why the fuck do I care what color her eyes are?”

Cao quirked the corner of his mouth. “Exactly.” That same shiver traveled across his arms and he stepped to the side, peering out the window. Shit. Ignoring the grumbling dragon, he reached across his back and unsheathed a jian—a two-foot-long, double-edged, straight sword. “Stay inside and watch them.” He swept a finger from Liem to Ling and Jade. While Liem blurted curses at him, he raced outside, into the middle of the square. Yep, sure enough, he smelled them before he saw them. Creeping from the alleys into the darkness between the spray of the streetlights.

Yāoguài. Fucking demon spawn from Dìyù. Hell. Those freakish beasts were so twisted and malformed, they barely resembled traces of their former selves. Rodents. Reptiles. Felines, and the like.

Cao painted his blade through the air, determining his perfect grip. The second the first one advanced on him, he was ready.

* * *

The man sure as hell was a badass. Ling gawked at Cao while he took on a dozen yāoguài, by himself, and didn’t even act winded from the effort.

At her side, Jade tugged on her arm. “Your eyes are brown, aren’t they?” she whispered, evidently still hung up on Cao’s taunt. The bastard.

“Yeah, sure.” Grateful she’d worn her glasses, Ling brushed off her friend’s concern, glued instead to what that man was doing outside. “Should we help him? I feel like we should help him, but damn.” He didn’t look like he needed help. Centuries of training had done Cao good. He sliced his blade through wings and claws. Sending bits and pieces of demon flesh smacking against the walls of the alleyway. Splattering their tar-like blood everywhere. Not that the humans could spy it.

Soon, a circle of carcasses surrounded him, poofing into nonexistence. He spun toward the coffee shop and dashed inside. “We have to go. Now. There’ll be more.”

Liem leapt in front of Ling before she had the chance to respond. “We’re taking her.”

“Like hell.” Cao wiped his sword on his leather jacket sleeve. “You’re the reason she’s in danger right now.”

The big dragon crossed his arms. “What do you mean?”

Cao finished cleaning his sword and sheathed it on his back. “Those yāoguài, they didn’t track me. They followed you.”

Shock lodged in Ling’s throat, but she wasn’t able to deny it. She’d watched in admiration while Cao had taken crazy precautions. He was right.

The demons had trailed her friends and they’d be in danger if she went with them. She had no choice. Ling stepped around the two big guys to stand at Cao’s side. “He’s right. You’ll be safer without me.”

Liem’s arms bulged, features drawn in a man pout. “Whatever.”

“We have that meeting tonight anyway, honey.” Jade sauntered to him and rubbed his arm.

Intrigued, she glanced between them, hoping they didn’t need more couples’ therapy. “What meeting?”

“D.H.A. It’s nothing,” the big guy snapped defensively.

D.H.A.? She arched both brows at Jade, who mouthed, “Dragon Hoarders Anonymous.”

Oh. Hehehe. “Okay, well, have fun at your meeting. We’ll catch up later.” She dipped her head at Cao and didn’t turn back as she followed him out the door. She didn’t have to observe the hurt and frustration on her friends’ faces to sense it would be there.

Once outside, Cao picked up the pace, speeding into a quick jog. She matched his strides, soles pounding the pavement like she could punish it for this horrible situation. None of this was fair. The only person who seemed happy about it was Cao.

Damn him. At least he’d proved her theory correct.

Immortals were assholes.

Finally, they rounded the corner of his building. Ling slowed to a walk, catching her breath. “That was a dick move, Cao.” Before they went inside, she was going to have this out with him.

“Yeah, I know.” He lifted and dropped one shoulder, so casual, so matter-of-fact. Like he didn’t care how he’d treated her friends. Or her.

Anger roiled through her and she wound back her hand to smack his shoulder for a better response, but he whirled on her, caught her wrist, and twisted her arm to the side. Right. Kickass moves.

She glowered at him, inhaling and exhaling through her nose, and trying her damnedest not to lose it. “I’m only coming with you to keep them safe.”

“Figured. So, what is it? Hmm? This big secret you’re hiding from everyone.” He leaned in close, eyes flashing to hers. “Even maybe yourself?”

“I don’t have any secrets,” she puffed, but the determined glint in his eyes told her he wasn’t buying it. She might’ve been able to conceal her true nature from everyone she’d ever met, but for some reason, not from him. Cao saw through her shields, the layers of enchantments—like her glasses—concealing what she was. He might not be able to detect precisely what, but that still made him dangerous. He’d blow her cover. Hell, he might already have.

She scowled and tugged her wrist free, which he dropped, and took an indifferent step back.

“Fine. We’ll play it your way.” His sharp words froze like ice across her skin. “See how that works out for you.”

* * *

Stubborn butterfly. Cao relaxed his tense shoulders and led the way to the elevator, then straight to his flat. He locked the door behind them and headed to the mirror to check out the damage. One demon had managed to get a blow on him, smacking him across his jaw. He rubbed his chin between his fingers, but already, the injury was healing. A perk of being immortal.

“Are you okay?” Ling whispered from across the room. Even pissed as she was, she had to ask, didn’t she. What an odd person.

Though, odd in a nice, refreshing fashion.

“I’ll live.” He chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

“Of course you will.” She stormed toward the bedroom. “Good night.”

“Night,” he murmured after her. M hadn’t confided anything about Ling when they’d met, and he was regretting that now. Should have pressed harder. Who the hell knew what kind of creature he was keeping as his ward?

Something potent enough, even her closest friends weren’t aware.

He cracked his knuckles and strode to his computer, plopping into the chair. One way or another, he’d uncover what she was. If for no other reason than he loved solving a good mystery.

Damn, but she was an enigma indeed.

He didn’t sleep, because, well, sleep was for the dead. Hehe. He laughed to himself and scrolled down on the computer screen, stifling a yawn. If he slept as much as a normal human, he’d end up sleeping lifetimes’ worth. A waste of time.

Instead, he was wide awake as Ling stumbled out of the bedroom the next morning, bundled in a thick sweater and wearing those bloody glasses she didn’t need. Force of habit, or just stubborn? “There’s cereal in the cupboard, or bread on the counter, and fresh fruit in the fridge—apples, oranges, peaches. Help yourself.”

“Ew, peaches. No thanks.” She grabbed an apple from the fridge instead. After eating, she sauntered toward him and perched onto the chair next to him. “I have to work. Can I use one of your computers?”

He drew his brows together. “You’re supposed to be flying under the radar.”

“I doubt my clients will see it like that when everything I’ve arranged for them doesn’t happen as I promised.”

“Lucky for you, they probably think you’re dead.”

“Nice.” She huffed in frustration. “Well, if I can’t work, can I at least check out the stone again?”

Aha, so it came back to this. M had been right. Ling was obsessed with that rock.

“At the shop, you were willing to trade for it. Offer still stand?”

“Thought you didn’t deal with immortals,” he intoned. “Why is that, anyway?”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, clearly dodging. “Well, for one, they never pay on time. A rain check into next century?” She scoffed. “No, thank you.”

“Hey, I pay my bills.” He swiveled in his chair. “Usually.”

“Whatever. We trading or not?”

Tension clenched his jaw. When he’d first heard the rumors, he’d leapt at the possibility. After so many centuries, he’d be able to convince them.

What he’d sought was the means. Ling had that.

But now, after what M had offered him, did he dare to risk everything?

If he asked Ling to help him, he’d show his cards. No turning back. She wouldn’t understand; she’d hate him. He’d learned that much about her.

Yet, Cao had to.

This was his connection to the past. His one tie to the person he’d been born as. No matter what they’d done with their lives, surely, they’d suffered long enough?