White Tiger

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Ipulled away from the computer and stretched. I rose and went into my bedroom to look out the window. The low grey clouds roiled across the sky; it was probably only about eight degrees outside. It never dropped below freezing in Hong Kong, but in mid-January the wind could become bitter. Although Hong Kong was nearly in the tropics, sometimes it was colder than my home in southern Queensland. There was a tap on the door. ‘Emma?’ I opened it and let Mr Chen in. His black cotton pants seemed to be more shredded every time he wore them.

He took a seat on the couch. I leaned on the desk next to my computer.

‘You spend a lot of your free time in front of your computer,’ he said. I shrugged.

‘The weather’s going to be fine, clear and quite warm tomorrow. I’ll take Simone for a hack around the hills at the club. We’ll be longer than we usually are. Do you still want to come?’

I glanced at the grey cloudy day outside my window. He smiled slightly.

I sat on the couch next to him. ‘Sure.’

He moved a short distance away from me on the couch. ‘Good.’

‘Why do you do that?’

‘What?’

I gestured towards him. ‘You never want to be too close to me.’ I shifted closer and he quickly stood and went to the door.

‘Is it that unpleasant being close to me?’

He hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. Then he shook his head. ‘The problem is exactly the opposite.’ He opened the door. ‘Early tomorrow, Emma.’ He went out and closed the door.

I sighed loudly and returned to the computer. His freaking choice. I changed my mind, threw myself out of my chair and stomped into the training room to hit something for a while.

Of course he was right. The breeze had shifted and it was warm and mild as the sunshine streamed through the bauhinia trees on either side of the trail.

After half an hour of riding I broke the silence. ‘It’s nearly six months since we went to Paris, Mr Chen. We need to go back.’

He pushed Star to walk slightly ahead of me.

‘I wanna go to the Science Museum!’ Simone called at his back.

‘You need to see Ms Kwan,’ I said.

He ignored us. Simone and I shared an exasperated glance and trotted our horses to catch up.

Mr Chen stopped his horse. His eyes turned inwards and his face went rigid. Star danced sideways, but he paid no attention.

‘What, Daddy?’ Simone said.

He raised his hand to hush her.

He listened for a while, then snapped back to the here. He held Star with his knees and the horse stopped, his ears flicking backwards and forwards. Mr Chen ripped his mobile phone out of his pocket and quickly dialled.

‘I need you here now,’ he said. ‘I don’t care if you have to steal a car or hijack a taxi. Nobody can carry you, you’ll have to make your own way here, but I need you here within twenty minutes. I’ll meet you outside the stables.’ He closed the phone and grimaced.

‘Are you okay?’ I said, but he raised his hand again. He listened for a long time, his face becoming more and more intense.

He snapped back and grabbed Simone’s reins. ‘We need to go back to the stables right away.’

He turned Star and trotted along the path, then slowed to a walk because Simone’s pony couldn’t keep up with Star’s long strides.

‘What happened?’ I said.

‘My Mountain is under attack.’

‘How bad?’

‘Very bad. An army of demons. My Dark Disciples are holding them off, but it is an extremely large force and they need me there.’

‘Can you go? Without losing your human form?’

He hesitated, still leading Simone’s pony. He didn’t look at me. ‘I hope so, Emma.’

‘Go now,’ I said. ‘I’ll mind Simone.’

He turned but didn’t really see me. ‘No. This may be a diversion so they can grab Simone. I need to see her safely with Leo before I go.’

I nodded, understanding. If anything really big came after us I didn’t have the skill to hold it off. We needed Leo.

When we returned to the stables the grooms for Simone and me were already waiting. Mr Chen threw himself off Star and cast around; his groom was nowhere to be seen. He hissed with frustration and gently led the horse into its stall. Then he took us out to wait at the entrance to the stables.

His eyes unfocused again. He listened for a long time. ‘They’ve broken through the wall. My Palace is on fire,’ he whispered, stricken. ‘They are desecrating my halls and pavilions. They need me there now to make some rain to put out the fires.’ He refocused. ‘Where the hell is Leo?’

‘There he is, Daddy!’ Simone shouted, and ran to Leo who was charging down the drive towards us.

Mr Chen turned to go, but I stopped him with a hand on his arm. ‘John.’

He hesitated.

‘John. This could be goodbye.’ I swallowed. ‘I just want to say…’ I struggled to find the words. ‘I just wanted to say…’

He took my hands, raised them to his face and kissed them. He gazed into my eyes, full of pain. ‘You don’t need to say anything. I know.’ He released my hands and ran into the stables.

Leo approached me with Simone on his hip, carrying her easily.

‘—and Daddy said there’s a lot of demons up there and he’s going there now and we have to stay here and we’ll be just fine with you, Leo,’ Simone finished without taking a breath.

‘Let’s get her home and safe, Emma,’ Leo said grimly. ‘How bad is it?’

We turned and walked back up the drive towards the car. ‘Very bad.’

‘Damn.’ We reached the car and he unlocked it with the remote. He gently dropped Simone into the back seat. ‘This may be it, Emma.’

‘I know,’ I said softly. I buckled Simone in and Leo pulled himself into the driver’s seat.

‘It? What, Leo?’ Simone said. ‘Lunchtime.’

‘Oh, yeah. Daddy will be hungry after killing all the demons. We should make him some tea. I wonder if he’d like some bean curd? Or some noodles?’

‘I’m sure he would,’ Leo said. He choked and tried to turn it into a cough.

When we arrived home Leo pulled down Dark Heavens, the sword in the hallway. He turned to me and spoke softly. ‘Emma, take off now. They don’t want you, they want her. Get yourself out of this now; as long as you’re not here you’ll be completely safe.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

‘Go, Emma.’

I moved closer and glared up into his face. ‘No! I’m staying here with Simone!’

He bent and studied me carefully. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course I’m sure!’ I took Simone’s hand. ‘Where’s the safest place?’

Leo shook his head. ‘You are amazingly stupid sometimes.’

‘I know. Where?’

‘Training room. Monica!’

Monica came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel. She saw the sword in Leo’s hand and her eyes widened.

‘Monica,’ Leo said, ‘Mr Chen won’t be needing you for the rest of the day. Take the afternoon off.’ He hesitated, then spoke with force. ‘Out.’

Monica nodded and returned to the kitchen, undoing her apron.

‘I’ll see her out and lock up.’ Leo followed Monica into the kitchen.

I led Simone into the training room. ‘You know what’s happening, Simone?’

‘Daddy’s Mountain,’ Simone said. ‘We’ll be safe with Leo.’

‘I know.’

Leo charged into the training room and stopped. He took Simone’s hand and led her to the mirrors. ‘Sit here.’

Simone sat cross-legged in front of the mirrors, unafraid.

Leo gestured towards the weapons rack. ‘Anything in particular he’s been working on with you?’

‘Yeah.’ I selected the short sword from the rack. ‘But what I’d really like is a machine gun and I don’t see one here.’

‘Guns don’t hurt them,’ he said. ‘Knives, poles, bladed weapons. You need to cut them or break them.’

‘What else didn’t he tell me?’

‘Probably a lot,’ Leo said with grim humour. He turned to me, raised Dark Heavens and lowered his voice. ‘If I go down, take this. It’s his. It will do a great deal of damage.’ He gestured. ‘In front of Simone.’

I moved into position. Leo stood in front of me. They would have to make it through both of us to get to her.

‘Sharpened your sword recently?’

‘Yep. Mr Chen showed me how. But I’d prefer not to have to use it.’

‘I’d prefer you didn’t have to use it either.’ Leo faced the door. ‘Ready?’

I prepared myself in front of Simone. ‘Bring it on.’

‘Have I told you how stupid you are?’

‘Yep.’

We waited silently.

I began to feel ridiculous, standing over the child with a sword, when it was possible that nothing would happen.

Leo lowered Dark Heavens. ‘Maybe we’ll be lucky and they won’t—’

The door crashed open. Simone squeaked, then, ‘Demons coming, Leo.’

‘Good girl, you remembered.’ Leo unsheathed Dark Heavens and threw the scabbard to one side. ‘How many?’

‘I don’t know,’ Simone said.

‘They can only come in one at a time,’ Leo said. ‘The seals stop them.’

I pulled my sword out and readied myself.

The demon appeared in the doorway. It was only about four feet tall, skinny and as black as Leo. It had huge ears and a grotesque, almost comical face. It grinned at us and disappeared.

‘Small one,’ Leo said. ‘Saw its own reflection. How many more are there, Simone?’

Mr Chen walked in the door, holding his sword and smiling. I dropped my arm with relief. ‘Thank God.’

‘That’s. Not. My. Daddy,’ Simone said loudly and clearly.

The demon smiled, raised its sword in a salute to Leo, and moved into a defensive position.

Leo didn’t move at all in front of me.

The demon rushed forward and Leo sprang to meet it. Their swords met over their heads then moved together to lock at the hilts with a painful grating sound. Leo and the demon were face to face. The demon’s smile widened. Its other hand shot out to hit Leo’s head, but Leo dodged the blow, spun and jumped back, twisting the demon’s sword away at the same time.

The demon’s smile disappeared as it leapt forward to strike. Leo blocked the blow, the swords ringing together, but the demon continued to come at him with lightning-fast attacks. Leo moved back as he parried the blows, but when Simone cried out behind him he stood his ground and blocked the demon’s thrusts without shifting his feet.

The demon became concerned as it saw that Leo had no difficulty dealing with its attacks. Leo didn’t miss the shift in control and pressed forward, still parrying the blows.

The demon jumped back out of Leo’s reach.

Leo didn’t give it time to recover. He tore straight into it with a series of fierce attacks. The demon grimaced and fell back. Leo hit it harder each time and the demon blocked with difficulty.

Leo feinted into the demon’s face with his left fist, and at the same time ran it through with his sword. He twisted the blade inside the demon, then slashed upwards through the demon’s body and out its shoulder.

The demon smiled. ‘Now you will meet my mother.’ It dissolved.

Something came down the hallway. A sickening wet slither.

‘Mother, Leo,’ Simone whispered. ‘Oh my God,’ Leo said under his breath. I readied myself and hefted my sword. ‘I’m right behind you.’

‘Stay there. Don’t get in the way. If I go down…’ He hesitated. ‘Don’t let it have you, Emma. It won’t hurt her, she’ll be okay. But whatever you do, don’t let it take you.’

‘I understand.’

The demon appeared in the doorway.

Its back end was a slimy snake that oozed toxin over its black scales. The front end looked like the top half of a man with the skin taken off. It had to lower itself on its coils to fit through the door; it was enormous.

It came halfway into the room and raised its body on the coils. Its skinless head nearly touched the ceiling. ‘You are the Black Lion? Disciple of the Dark Lord?’

‘I am just an ordinary man.’

The demon smiled and its red eyes flashed. ‘I like your skin. I think I will take it.’

Leo readied himself. ‘Come and get it.’

It moved incredibly fast for something without legs. Leo stepped forward and spun to strike it with the sword, but it was too fast. Its right hand snaked out and wrapped around Leo’s sword hand at the wrist.

Leo dragged his hand back and tried to free it but the demon had him. It raised itself on its coils and lifted him easily.

Leo struggled. He tried to prise the demon’s fingers loose with his left hand. His muscles bulged as he attempted to free himself. His feet hung just above the floor.

The demon’s one-handed grip slid on Leo’s wrist so it used both hands. Its forked tongue flicked out and snapped over Leo’s face, tracing his features. He screwed his eyes up and grimaced.

I lunged forward to attack it, but Leo was ahead of me. His free left hand flashed out, grabbed the demon’s tongue and, with a twist and a snap, pulled it out.

The demon dropped him and screamed. It held its hands to its face, still screaming.

Leo landed on his feet, spun and sliced the demon in half. The human part hit the floor and exploded into black demon stuff. The snake part writhed for a long time before dissipating.

Leo took a deep shuddering breath and backed to stand in front of us again. ‘Any more?’

Simone took a gasping breath and screamed. She collapsed over her knees into sobs. I wanted to comfort her but stayed where I was.

‘I’ll take that as a yes,’ Leo said. ‘Don’t move.’

‘I’m still here,’ I said.

‘You’re still stupid too. Looks like the Mother blew the seals. This is a really big one, isn’t it, Simone?’

Simone whimpered something unintelligible.

The demon appeared in the doorway. It was of average human height. It appeared to be a perfectly ordinary Chinese human male.

Leo hissed under his breath. It was Simon Wong.

Wong leaned one shoulder on the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Hello, everybody. Been having fun with my little pets?’

Leo shifted his grip on the sword.

‘Three little girls.’ Wong didn’t move from the doorframe. ‘Kissed any nice boys lately, girls? Got a new boyfriend, Leo? Still haven’t made out with the boss yet, Emma? And dear little Simone—’

Leo swung at Wong’s head. He disappeared. The sword took a chip out of the doorframe.

Leo backed to stand in front of me.

Wong reappeared, leaning on the doorframe. He held the Wudang sword. ‘I have a special place in my harem for all three of you, but you will require minor surgery, Leo, before you may take your place. I will not have Entires guarding, regardless of their preference.’

Leo swung at the demon again, and again it disappeared.

‘That is some piece of work,’ he said.

‘Freaking coward,’ I said, hoping that Wong could hear me. ‘It keeps running.’

Wong appeared in the middle of the room. He gestured a come-on. ‘Black Lion. You first.’

‘Get him,’ I said softly.

‘Oh, don’t worry, Emma, you’re next,’ Wong said. He moved so fast he was a blur. The sword was almost invisible as it swept straight for Leo’s head.

Leo blocked easily, swept Wong’s sword down in a parry, then twisted away to take a spinning swing at Wong’s neck. Wong ducked under it and jumped back.

‘You’re as good as they say you are,’ Wong said. He held back and grinned at Leo. ‘They tell stories about you, you know? You should hear what they have to say.’

Leo swung at Wong’s head. Wong blocked it, swept Leo’s sword down, and attempted to twist it out of his hands. Leo managed to keep his grip on the sword and pulled back. He took a deep breath and readied himself again.

Wong shifted his feet and lifted his own sword. A hint of his true nature appeared on his face. ‘You’ve improved, Leo. You’re much better than last time.’ His grin widened. ‘I mean the time before. Remember? When I got through you and grabbed little Simone’s darling mother? I had a lot of fun with her, you know. But she broke.’

Simone sobbed once, loudly.

Wong swung at Leo’s head again. Leo blocked the blow and the swords locked. Leo planted his feet and struggled to free the blade but Wong didn’t shift. ‘I’m better too, aren’t I? I’ve been working out.’

It became a test of strength. They were evenly matched. Leo trembled with the effort of holding Wong’s sword away from his throat.

Wong stiffened and his eyes turned inwards. He snapped back and grinned. ‘Close enough to kiss you, Leo. What a shame. It would have been fun to have you beneath me, but that pleasure will have to wait until next time.’

Leo grunted with the effort of holding Wong back. His feet slipped slightly on the mats. His arms shook as he struggled to keep the sword from his throat.

Wong turned to grin at me without shifting his grip on the sword. ‘Emma, dear. Why don’t you go to him? You could have years together, you know. Sneak in with him. Wake him up. He’ll give you everything you want, and a whole lot more. You don’t know what you’re missing.’

He disappeared.

Leo lurched forward, then straightened. ‘Is it gone, Simone?’

‘Yes. No more right now,’ Simone said, her voice trembling. ‘That was a really scary one.’

I dropped my sword and rushed to hold her. ‘We’re all right now, darling.’

She buried her face into me.

‘Stay here,’ Leo said. He charged out of the training room. A few furious bangs sounded as he tried to close the front door. He returned, shaking his head. ‘Front door’s useless. We need a new one.’ He moved his mouth next to my ear and spoke very softly. ‘Emma, if they win on the Mountain, they’ll be straight here. Go. Go now.’

I stopped with my arms still around Simone. ‘Here?’

He nodded. ‘Get out now. If you’re here when they come, they’ll get you too.’ His face softened. ‘Believe me, you don’t want that. You have no idea what they’re capable of.’

I held Simone tighter. ‘No way. I’m staying with you.’ I raised one hand to stop him. ‘You don’t need to tell me. I know. I’m stupid.’

Simone stiffened and gasped.

A loud thump resounded in the hallway.

Leo snatched up Dark Heavens and stood in front of me. I dropped my arms from Simone, grabbed my own sword and stood behind him.

‘This could be what scared the prince away,’ Leo said. ‘Is it a bigger demon, Simone?’

Simone didn’t say anything. We both checked her; she sat wide-eyed and silent.

We heard it coming down the hallway with dragging footsteps. The strong smell of burning filled the room.

He appeared in the doorway. He was blackened and bleeding. His smouldering armour hung off him. He staggered halfway into the training room and fell to his knees.

Simone shrieked, ‘Daddy!’ and threw herself at him. ‘Simone.’ He collapsed.