Red Phoenix. Kylie Chan
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grinned again.
‘I can’t put it back, guys. Once it’s out somebody has to take care of it. Lord Xuan’s too weak to put it back into the jar.’
‘Show him energy work,’ Leo said. ‘That will prove it beyond a doubt.’
‘I know what chi gong is,’ Michael said.
‘What?’
‘Chi, energy. Gong, work. He’s right, Leo,’ I said. ‘Michael, the chi gong you see in the park is a very low level of the real thing. Let me show you some high level chi gong — some real energy work.’
I held my hands out and generated a ball of chi about the size of a basketball.
Michael’s mouth fell open.
I moved the chi off my hand and floated it around the training room just for fun. The look on Michael’s face was absolutely precious. I called the chi back and reabsorbed it.
‘Dragon Ball,’ Michael said.
Both Leo and I laughed softly.
‘I suppose you could say that,’ I said. ‘I’ll release the demon and destroy it with chi. Stand back, Michael, and if it goes for you, don’t worry. Either just move out of the way or let us handle it. This won’t take long.’
I released the demon and it hesitated, looking from one of us to the other. Eventually it lunged towards Michael and he leapt back.
I hit the demon with a big ball of chi and it exploded, dissipating into black feathery streamers. I received the demon’s energy with my chi as it returned; what a rush.
‘Did any of that stuff hit either of you?’ I said. ‘Did any of that black stuff get you, Michael?’
‘We’re okay,’ Leo said. ‘Missed us entirely.’
‘How did you do that?’ Michael whispered.
‘Would you like to learn how to do that?’ I said. ‘There’s a good chance that you could.’
‘Hell, yeah,’ Michael said, grinning. ‘Can you do it too, Leo?’
I cut him off before he could embarrass Leo. ‘Would you like to stay and learn from the Dark Lord?’
Michael stopped and put it together in his head. ‘That really was a demon.’
I nodded.
‘You really blew it up with a ball of energy, a ball of chi.’
Leo and I both nodded. Leo began to smile.
His voice filled with wonder. ‘That was Pak Tai, God of Martial Arts.’
‘In human form, yes,’ I said. ‘You can just call him Mr Chen.’
‘My father is Bak Fu, the White Tiger God of the West.’
‘In Cantonese, yes.’
‘And that means,’ he said with disbelief, ‘that I really am half goddamn tiger.’
‘Half Shen as well,’ I said. ‘He’s more than just a tiger, he’s the West Wind. Your father’s a good friend of ours, and comes over all the time. You’ll meet him very soon, I’m sure. Don’t expect too much, though; he’s an irresponsible bastard.’
‘Lady Emma!’ Leo said, shocked. ‘I owe him my life!’
‘Look me in the eye and tell me he’s not an irresponsible bastard.’
Leo hesitated, then turned to speak to Michael. ‘He tried to run off with Lady Emma the first time he met her. He is something of a womaniser, to say the least.’
‘I believe it. My mother won’t talk about him at all. Miss Donahoe.’ Michael was clearly curious. ‘How do you fit into all of this? You’re obviously trained, but what’s your role here? I know you told me that Mr Chen has a daughter, and that Leo’s her guard, but where do you fit in? You didn’t mention yourself. Are you his wife?’
‘No,’ I said. ‘It’s complicated. I’ll tell you more later, but there’s a few things we need to do first. After I talk to your mother, that is. It would be wrong for us to take you into training without her permission; you’re too young. The first will be to swear you in. The second is to move you in. The third is to put you back in school.’
Leo nodded agreement.
‘I don’t want to go back to school, Miss Donahoe,’ Michael said. ‘I don’t think it has anything to offer me.’
‘It will be part of your job,’ I said. ‘We’ll send you to the same school as Simone, and you can keep an eye on her. You can call us if a demon turns up, and help us to handle it.’
‘Brilliant, Emma,’ Leo said softly.
‘Caught you not using the honorific,’ I shot back as quickly as I could.
‘Brilliant, my Lady,’ Leo said pointedly, and bowed very deeply.
‘Not good enough.’ I saw my chance to rub it in. ‘You will perform twenty-five level one sword katas immediately as punishment. Return the demon jar and put the weapons away. Come with me, Michael, we’ll talk about the job.’
I slapped Leo lightly on the arm as I passed him to go out.
He tried very hard not to laugh, and bowed even deeper. ‘With a great deal of pleasure, my honoured Lady.’
Michael followed me out, and glanced back at Leo with bewilderment. He had no idea what he was getting into. The demons were the least of it.
After I’d seen Michael out I went into John’s office and sat across the desk from him. He turned away from the computer and leaned on his mess. Some of the papers slid off the desk onto the floor and he ignored them.
‘Friday afternoon,’ I said. ‘But I think I need more than half a day for this lot. You’ve done exceptionally well this time.’
‘Am I free?’
‘Yep.’
He shrugged. ‘Okay. I’ll take her ice skating.’
‘In the air conditioning.’
‘I am not weak.’
‘If you wore another colour you wouldn’t be so hot.’ I leaned back and sighed.
‘Is there a problem?’
I straightened. ‘His father is totally rampant. Are you sure you want a son of the Tiger in such close proximity to your daughter? It won’t be long, you know. They grow up so fast.’
‘I know,’ he said, almost a moan of pain. ‘And I won’t be around to see it. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I’ve never raised a child and I’d probably mess it up badly. You’ll be better to guide her through her growing years, you’re so much wiser in the ways of humans.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, you’re her father. She needs you more than anything.’ Then I heard what he’d said. ‘She can’t be the first child you’ve ever had, you’ve been around for centuries. You can’t expect me to believe that Simone’s your first child. Really! You think I’m stupid?’
‘I know you’re not.’ He smiled slightly. ‘She really is. She is the first human child I have fathered. The White Tiger was delighted; he’s been harassing me to have a human child for ages.’
‘Human child? What other children have you had?’ I said, then raised my hands to stop him. ‘Don’t answer that, I don’t want to know. Just tell me if I’ve ever met any of them.’
‘No.’
‘Okay,