“You told me.” She kissed his cheek.
Nearby, Rajiv kicked off his shoes. “I’m going to shift now so the wound will heal.” He pulled off his shirt and handed it to Lady Yi-soo. “You might want to turn around. Then again, you’re welcome to watch.”
She scoffed. “I’m a were-tiger, too. I’ve seen people strip since I was a child.”
He smiled slowly as he unbuttoned his trousers. “Then why are you blushing?”
Her face bloomed a brighter pink as she turned her back to him. Within a few seconds, Rajiv was in tiger form. He circled and sat in front of her. The sash she’d tied around his arm slipped down his foreleg, which was now completely healed.
She knelt in front of him to retrieve her sash. Even though it was bloody, she cinched it back around her waist. “I will treasure this as a memento of the great adventure I shared with you.”
Rajiv butted heads with her, and with a laugh, she hugged him.
Jia smiled at them, then gave Russell a wry look. “Did you ever think you’d fall for a tigress?”
He grinned. “No. Did you ever think you’d fall for a vampire?”
With a laugh, she nestled her head against Russell’s chest. “You were so brave, the way you stood up to Lucifer.”
“I was desperate. Did I mention you were gone for six days?”
“Yes, and you nearly went crazy.” She kissed him on the cheek again. “Is that better?”
“It’s a start.” He kissed her soundly.
“I beg your pardon,” a male voice said loudly. “Is that my betrothed you’re kissing?”
The courtyard hushed.
Russell tightened his grip on her and whispered, “Can I teleport him to Antarctica and leave him there?”
“I have to handle this myself.” She pulled away and turned toward the voice.
The prince was at the head of the stairs, close to the palace. He was more handsome than Jia had expected, almost pretty, with his perfect features and opulent silk robes. At one time, she would have been impressed. But recently she’d met a gruff cowboy vampire with torn trousers and ripped abs who lived in a cave, and her vision of the ideal man had shifted drastically.
She wanted a hero who wasn’t afraid to get dirty—and even violent if he had to. She wanted a man brave enough to risk invading hell to save her. A man who admired her strengths, accepted her as she was, and honored her wishes. A man who never gave up no matter how much he suffered.
She wanted Russell.
“Good evening.” The prince looked her over. “I am Kim Mi-nam.”
“I am Jia.” She bowed. “I bid you welcome.”
The prince inclined his head. “I am pleased that you have finally returned. You appear to be . . . well.”
Rajiv shifted back to human form and dragged on his trousers. “Your sister has returned in good health, too, in case you’re wondering.”
Mi-nam’s mouth thinned as he cast an annoyed look at Lady Yi-soo. “Half sister.”
“She’s royal to us.” Rajiv retrieved his shirt from her and put it on. “She helped us rescue my cousin, while you opted to stay behind.”
Mi-nam waved a dismissive hand. “Since Lady Jia is safely returned, I see no point in dwelling on the past.”
“I see a point,” Jia said. “After all, I could have been trapped in hell forever had it not been for these brave people who saved me.” She bowed to the Vamps and shifters. “I owe you a great debt of gratitude. I assure you that your acts of selfless courage will never be forgotten.”
The prince nodded approvingly. “You know how to be properly grateful. That is commendable.”
Was that supposed to be a compliment? Jia narrowed her eyes.
“However,” Mi-nam continued, “your public displays of affection toward other men are entirely inappropriate. We will leave tomorrow for Hong Kong, and then our journey by sea will take about ten days. During that time, Lady Yi-soo will instruct you in proper ladylike behavior so you will not embarrass yourself or me at court.”
Jia gritted her teeth. The prince was about to find himself very embarrassed. “Your Highness, I regret to inform you that I will not be leaving—”
“Of course you are! I have waited a week, and I will not spend one more day in this . . . primitive place.” The prince glanced around Tiger Town, wrinkling his nose.
Go ahead, insult my home, Jia thought. It made it even easier to reject him. “I will not be going with you—”
“You will!” Mi-nam shouted, then took a deep breath to calm himself. “I realize, my dear, that you have recently suffered a traumatic event. No doubt you crave the company of your family and friends. But, as my betrothed, you are now part of my family. And you will do as I say.”
Jia’s hands clenched into fists. “As I was saying, I will not be going with you, because our engagement is over. I will not marry—”
“You don’t have the power to make that decision!” The prince stormed down the stairs toward her. “You think you can reject me? Do you realize how magnanimous I am being to accept you after you’ve been tainted by your stay in hell?”
Jia gasped.
“Okay,” Russell muttered beside her. “Now I really need to clobber him.”
“You’ll have to wait in line,” Jia growled.
“Your Eminence,” the prince said to Rajiv as he ignored them both. “You must rein in your cousin. I will be gracious enough to overlook her behavior, given her recent trauma, but—”