Red Phoenix

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The warm desert sun shone through the window but we ignored it. I straddled his lap and ran my fingertips over his face. We didn’t have much more time.

I took his hands and moved them onto my bare breasts. His face went strange and he shifted his hands to my shoulders.

I’d noticed that. I tried it again, moved his hands onto my breasts. He slid them around to my back.

He saw what I was doing and watched me, expressionless. ‘Tell me,’ I said. He didn’t reply.

I bent and kissed him for a long time. I pressed myself against him and felt him stir.

When I came up for air, I moved his hands again and he shifted them away. I grinned, and he smiled slightly in response. ‘You’re not upset?’

‘More curious than anything.’

He put his hands on my shoulders and drifted them down my back. This what he really liked; it was easy to tell.

I bent and spoke into his ear. ‘I like you touching my back better too.’

He jerked his head back to see me. ‘You’re joking.’

‘It seems we like the same thing.’

‘That can’t be right,’ he said, bemused. ‘Why not?’

He laughed quietly and shook beneath me.

‘Don’t do that again,’ I said more loudly, ‘or I’ll have to stop talking.’

‘Laughing? Or…’ He brushed his hands lightly over my back and I wriggled in response.

‘Both! Why can’t it be right? It feels perfectly right to me.’

‘This,’ he said as he brushed his hands over my back and shoulders, ‘is something to do with my true nature.’

‘Oh my God.’

‘Right here, all yours.’

‘It’s because you’re a reptile, isn’t it? You aren’t a mammal at all.’

His face froze. ‘I am a mammal in this form,’ he said grimly. ‘I am one hundred per cent human.’

‘You’re worried I’ll be freaked out.’

He was silent but his face said it all.

‘Did it freak her out?’

He hesitated, his face still expressionless, then nodded once, sharply. ‘Sit up.’

He didn’t move. ‘Do it!’

He pulled himself upright. I shifted to let him move but remained on his lap.

I brushed my hands over his shoulders and down his back. He shivered and his eyes went very dark.

I loaded my hands with a tiny amount of chi and did it again.

He closed his eyes, arched his back and quivered into my hands. Yes.

I pressed myself against him and ran my loaded hands up and down his back, then brushed them over his shoulders. He stiffened under my hands and his face became a mask of rapture. A low sound of pleasure floated from deep within him.

Then he completely lost control. His eyes went black. He threw me onto my back and forced himself on top of me.

‘Yes!’

When he came back he fell beside me and watched me.

‘Listen to me,’ I said firmly.

He didn’t move but his eyes studied my face.

‘I am not freaked out. In fact I am so turned on I cannot believe myself. This…’ I ran my hand over his back and watched his response with delight. ‘…is the coolest thing I have ever experienced in my entire life. God but I am glad we had this time before you went.’ I kissed him and sat up. ‘I’m starving. Do we have time for breakfast before we go?’

‘With or without another mutual back rub?’

‘I’ll skip the breakfast for the back rub.’

I came around on one of the couches in the living room of the Peak apartment.

John and Leo sat on the other couch, watching me with concern. The Tiger was stretched on the carpet in front of them in True Form. Simone reclined on his back and stroked his fur.

I rose, slightly dizzy, and saw them. I suddenly wanted a photo of them all together like that. My family.

‘Before we do anything, guys, could you all stay like that so I can take a photo? Please?’

‘Monica can fetch the digital camera,’ John said. ‘Monica!’

Monica hurried out of the kitchen, then fell back against the wall and clutched her chest, her face ashen.

‘Damn!’ I yelled and rushed to her.

‘Damn!’ John shouted at the same time. ‘I completely forgot.’

Everybody crowded around Monica. We took her into the dining room and sat her down. I fanned her face. John patted her hand. Leo hovered, concerned.

‘Get her some cold water, please, Leo.’ I sat next to her. She gasped for breath and clutched her chest. ‘Monica, it’s all right, it won’t hurt you.’

Monica stared at me with her mouth wide, still gasping for breath.

Leo returned with the water and I held it for her to take a couple of sips. ‘Breathe, Monica. You’ll be fine. Relax. Breathe.’

Monica nodded, took some deep breaths, and then another sip of water. Colour returned to her face.

‘Everybody out except me,’ I said. ‘John, tell the Tiger to stay right where he is. I still want that photo. And Monica will need to get used to it. Now is as good a time as any.’

‘You sure about that, Emma?’ Leo said.

I turned and spoke softly to them. ‘If she doesn’t see for herself that he’s harmless, she’ll be living in constant fear of what comes in the front door.’

‘I’ll go and find the digital camera,’ John said. ‘Come on, people. Emma knows what she’s doing.’

I sat with Monica for a while, letting her settle, holding her hand. Her breathing returned to normal, but her eyes brimmed with tears and I gave her some tissues.

‘All right now?’ I said.

She nodded, wiping her eyes.

‘Monica, you know that Chinese man with the white hair who comes over sometimes? Bai Hu?’

‘Yes, ma’am, I know him.’

‘That’s him. He’s a tiger.’

‘I don’t want to know, ma’am.’ She winced and looked down. ‘I don’t want to know about it.’

‘You have to know, because he’s Michael’s father.’

Her head shot up to look at me and her eyes went wide.

‘Yes, that’s right, Michael’s father is a tiger. Many of the people who come through here are strange, you know that. You’ll just have to be ready for it. And not be frightened, because nobody who comes in here will ever hurt you.’

She was silent, her face full of misery.

‘He’s stuck as a tiger right now. Come out and say hello to him. He won’t hurt you; in fact his fur is very nice. You can touch him. You saw Simone, you know we wouldn’t let anything ever hurt Simone.’

‘I think I’ll just stay in here, ma’am. I don’t want to. Please don’t make me.’

‘If that’s what you want, then I won’t force you.’ I moved closer and put my arm around her shoulders. ‘I just don’t want you to be frightened. It would be better if you came out and saw him. I can come with you, I won’t let him hurt you.’

‘I can really touch him?’ she said, still frightened but becoming curious.

‘You really can. Come and see. You know him already; you’ve seen him come and go. He’s just the same person.’

‘What about the others, the blue man and the red lady? Are they tigers too?’

‘No. The blue man is a dragon, and the red lady is a phoenix, a big bird. Monica.’ I spoke more firmly. ‘Mr Chen is an animal too.’

‘Sir is an animal!’

‘Yes, he is. Are you scared of him?’

‘No,’ she said, her eyes wide. ‘I’m not scared of him. Sir is a good man.’

‘So is the Tiger. He’s a wonderful man as well. Come and say hello. I promise he won’t hurt you. Did you know that he can talk? A talking tiger, how about that? Come and see.’

Monica thought about it, then nodded and rose, still clutching my hand. I kept my other arm around her shoulder. ‘Don’t be afraid.’

We went out of the dining room together, Monica still holding my hand. I eased her slightly into the living room, and let her stand for a moment and become accustomed to it.

The Tiger stretched out on the carpet with Simone draped casually over his back and rubbing the sides of his head. He lay with his eyes half-closed, obviously enjoying it. Leo and John sat on the couch waiting for us.

Monica pointed at the Tiger. ‘That’s where the fur comes from. I’m vacuuming it all the time. I thought it was coming out of the carpet.’

‘Sorry, Monica,’ the Tiger said.

She stiffened and clutched my hand.

‘It’s all right, Monica.’ I rubbed her arm and squeezed her around the shoulders. ‘He won’t hurt you. Remember, you know him already. It’s Mr Chen’s friend, Bai Hu.’

‘I’m sorry I scared you, Monica,’ the Tiger said, his voice gentle. ‘I won’t hurt you, I promise.’

‘Uncle Bai is great, Monica,’ Simone said without moving from his back. ‘He gives me rides.’

‘Do you want to touch him?’ I said softly into Monica’s ear.

She remained unmoving, pondering. Then she straightened. ‘No, thank you, ma’am.’ She pulled her hand free from mine. ‘Do you need anything? Sir? Ma’am? Mr Tiger?’

‘Tea, tikuanyin,’ John said. The Tiger chuckled.

‘Off you go, Monica,’ I said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’

‘Can I ask you something inside, ma’am?’

‘Sure.’ I shrugged and followed her into the kitchen. ‘Hurry up, Emma, if you want to take a photo,’ John said.

‘I’ll be right out, don’t be so impatient.’

‘Humph,’ John said, and the Tiger chuckled again.

I went into the kitchen and closed the door. Monica rinsed the teapot for us.

‘What did you want to ask me, Monica?’

‘Ma’am,’ Monica said without stopping or looking up, ‘what animal is Mr Chen?’

‘He’s a turtle.’

Monica collapsed over the sink and howled with laughter. I had never heard her laugh like that before. Tears sprang from her eyes. She shook her head, speechless.

I just smiled and went out. Obviously she knew.

‘One more,’ I said, fell to one knee and lined them up. Before I pressed the button I stopped and glared at the Tiger. ‘Put that tail back.’

The Tiger grinned and covered himself with his tail again.

‘What’s he doing, Emma?’ Simone said from his back.

‘Nothing,’ the Tiger said, but the minute I’d taken the photo he moved his tail away again. ‘Good thing it’s a digital camera.’

‘I forgot once before and had some photos taken out and processed,’ John said. ‘Family photos at a banquet. The staff asked me a lot of questions. They recognised us as the Four Winds. I told them it was a movie set.’

‘I’d love a photo of all four of you Winds in True Form,’ I said.

‘Bai Hu?’ John said.

‘You’re on,’ the Tiger said with a smile in his voice. ‘What a good idea.’

‘As soon as I’m back, we’ll do one for you, Serpent and all,’ John said.

‘Not eating,’ I said.

Monica came out of the kitchen holding the tray of tea things. I didn’t push her; I went to her to take the tray.

‘No, ma’am, I’m fine.’ She walked calmly around the Tiger and put the tray on the coffee table. She returned around the Tiger as if he was a big cat, carefully stepping over his tail, and proceeded into the kitchen as if absolutely nothing was amiss.

We stared at each other. Leo grinned like an idiot.

‘Every single member of my household staff is a treasure beyond compare,’ John said with wonder.

‘I don’t know how you do it, Ah Wu,’ the Tiger said. ‘I have hundreds, and not a single one can hold a candle to anything you have. And you have less than a dozen.’

Michael had heard our voices and came down the hallway. He stopped dead when he saw the Tiger. The Tiger gently eased Simone off his back, then rose to face Michael. He stood completely immobile, but the tip of his tail twitched.

Simone moved to John’s lap and he wrapped his arms around her.

We all waited quietly to see what would happen.

‘Is this him, my Lady?’ Michael said.

‘Michael MacLaren,’ I said loudly, ‘this is your father, the White Tiger of the West, Lord Bai Hu.’

‘You are Rhonda’s boy?’ the Tiger rasped.

Michael nodded and his blond hair fell over his forehead.

The Tiger’s voice was still a low rasp. ‘How is your mother, boy?’

‘My mother is well, my Lord.’

‘She remarried?’

‘No, sir.’

The Tiger sat on his haunches and flicked one ear. ‘You are working as a Retainer for the Dark Lord, Xuan Wu?’

Michael nodded, his hair flipping over. It was an even match. The kid was totally unafraid.

‘Ah Wu.’ The Tiger spoke to John over his shoulder. ‘If the kid ever wants to leave your service, let me know. I have a place for him with the Horsemen.’ He turned back to Michael. ‘Serve the Dark Lord well, Three One Five. If you wish to leave his service, I will take you.’ He paused, then dropped his voice. ‘Say hello to your mother for me.’

He turned and bowed to John, lowering his head over his front legs. ‘My Lord. I think I should return and recuperate. By your leave.’

‘Bai Hu,’ John said kindly.

The Tiger bowed similarly to me. ‘My Lady. I suggest that you permit me to offer my services and my palace one more time before the Dark Lord departs. It is the least I can offer the two of you.’

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Tiger,’ I said, my heart breaking. ‘We need you strong.’

‘I understand. But I’ll see what I can do.’ He bowed again. ‘By your leave, my Lady.’

‘Go home to your palace, Tiger. Come back soon. I like having you around.’

He gazed at me with his golden eyes, then he was gone.

Michael stumbled to the couch and dropped to sit on it. John saw what was up and took Simone out, gesturing for Leo to follow him. Michael didn’t even notice.

I sat on the other couch and waited for him to recover and start asking questions. But he just sat for a long time, staring at me without saying anything. I sighed. Two in one day. Maybe I should make a set of signs to hold up. ‘No, it won’t hurt you.’

‘Yes, this is a strange household.’

‘A turtle.’

I suddenly understood: this was why John never told anybody anything. He always asked somebody else to tell people the truth about him. It wasn’t just because it wasn’t fitting, him being who he was. It was because he was bored to death of telling people the same things over and over and having to explain the truth patiently to them.

I wondered if I could delegate the job to somebody else after he’d gone. Maybe Jade could do it.

Monica came to collect the tea things. She saw Michael’s face and smiled.

‘Thanks, Monica,’ I said. She nodded and took the tray out.

‘What did he call me?’ Michael said softly. ‘Three One Five? What’s that?’

‘You’re son number three hundred and fifteen.’

‘He doesn’t even know his own kids’ names?’

‘Frankly, Michael, I don’t think he cares very much.’

‘Where were you, my Lady? Leo said not to worry, you were fine. What happened?’

‘The Tiger took us to his palace in the Western Desert.’ I paused, remembering that beautiful place. ‘It’s on the Celestial Plane. I finally made it there.’

Michael’s eyes went wide.

‘The Tiger wanted to make sure that I’d be safe, so he took me there, where the demons couldn’t get me. When the demon ran from Mr Chen, the Tiger took Mr Chen there too. He is a complete idiot. Mr Chen obviously takes a lot of carrying and now the Tiger has to stay in True Form and recuperate.’

‘And that was it?’ Michael said. ‘True Form.’

‘Yes, it was.’

‘What was the palace like?’

‘Wonderful. But we didn’t see that much of it, we were busy.’ Michael didn’t seem to hear me; he was obviously deep in thought. ‘If you ever want to go there, you can. He has an army there, the Western Horsemen. You heard what he said. You can go and join any time you like.’

‘I think I’ll stay here and learn from you and Lord Xuan. But I’ll think about it.’

‘Give me plenty of notice if you do decide to go. You’re really very good, and I’d have a hard time finding someone good enough to replace you.’

He lit up with a genuine grin of delight. ‘Thanks, ma’am.’