Kylie Chan: Red Phoenix

It took True Form: a greyish-green humanoid with tufts of red hair and two bulging eyes.

I moved to the centre of the room, readied my sword and nodded. Physical was the way to go with this one.

The demon was unbound and studied me curiously. ‘What are you?’

‘Why do you things keep asking me that? Haven’t you seen a perfectly ordinary human woman before?’

‘Not like you. You are different.’ The demon turned and saluted John. ‘Dark Lord.’ It saluted me. ‘Lady.’ It threw itself at me.

I ducked under its outstretched arms and spun around it, hitting it on the back of the head with the pommel of my sword as it went through; I couldn’t move my arm around quickly enough to use the blade. It was knocked down by the blow, but turned a neat somersault and landed on its feet facing me, arms outstretched.

‘Nice move,’ I said.

‘Thank you.’

It went for me again, this time throwing a swinging fist at my face. I ducked under the fist and swung at its abdomen with my sword, but it wasn’t there. It had pivoted on our mutual axis and was beside me. It swung at my head but I ducked under the blow, flipped over forwards, rolled, and jumped up facing it. I didn’t lose momentum as it tried to keep up with me; I swung the sword straight at its neck.

It blocked the blow with its forearm and pushed my sword hand back. It was stronger than me and I couldn’t stop it from pushing my sword backwards.

I went with the movement, spun, and used my foot in a roundhouse kick into the side of its chest.

My foot went in with a satisfying crunch. I was through it. I carried my foot through the middle of the black stuff, then spun and leapt back as it exploded.

Not fast enough. Black stuff completely covered me from head to toe.

‘Damn.’

‘Well done,’ John said with satisfaction. ‘I can see the level you are at. Good.’ He didn’t move from the other side of the room. ‘Shower. Change. Meet me in the conference room.’ His voice became fierce. ‘Excellent!’

Everybody was waiting for me in the conference room. Simone had drawn brightly coloured dragons on the whiteboard; one of them was recognisably Jade and the other was Qing Long, the East Wind. She even had their size difference nearly accurate; he was about five times bigger than Jade.

‘Gold, take Simone to my office. I want to speak to Emma and Leo alone.’

Simone scowled.

‘Last time, sweetheart, I promise.’

Simone took Gold’s hand and led him out.

‘Good.’ John leaned his arms on the table. ‘Emma, what we just did is confirmation of something I already knew. You can both take up to level forty without too much difficulty.’

I stiffened as I understood. I was at the same level of expertise as Leo.

‘News, Emma?’ Leo said softly.

‘I didn’t think too much about it before, Leo. You’ve always been better than me at hand-to-hand. But with a weapon and energy, I can take the same level as you.’

‘You realise what this means?’ John said.

Leo and I shared a look, then turned back to John and shook our heads.

‘You can take turns staking out the school. You can share the guardian duties. You’re just as good a guard as Leo now, Emma.’

‘Oh no !’ I shouted. ‘Is that what this was about? You want to make me bodyguard as well as nanny? You must be joking! My thesis is due in five months and I haven’t even found a topic for it.’ I ran my hands through my hair. ‘No way. I have enough to do as it is.’

‘When Simone starts school, you’ll have plenty of time,’ John said. ‘You and Leo can share guard duties, and spend time teaching here. It will work out very well.’ He leaned over the table to me, his eyes sparkling. ‘Dear Lady Emma, I formally request of you. Will you assist Leo in the guarding of my beloved daughter?’

‘This is brilliant, my Lord,’ Leo said. ‘We can rotate the time. Some spent guarding, some spent teaching. A good balance.’

‘I want a pay rise,’ I grumbled. ‘I cannot believe you are doing this to me.’

‘Wait.’ John pulled a folded chequebook out of his hip pocket. He flattened it on the table, opened it, scribbled on a cheque, tore it out with a flourish and handed it to me.

‘How much?’ Leo said.

‘Ten million.’ I tore the cheque into tiny pieces. ‘But you forgot to sign it.’

‘You can sign it yourself, you know that.’

‘You both hate me. This was a setup from the start.’ I sighed with feeling. ‘I’ll be fiercely busy until she starts school, John. The rebuilding, the management of Hennessy Road and Turtle’s Folly—’

Leo broke in. ‘ What ?’

‘She calls it Turtle’s Folly,’ John said.

I ignored them. ‘The management of the school and the residence is a huge job. I can’t possibly teach until Simone returns to school and frees up some time for me.’

‘We can hire someone to help look after Simone,’ John said.

‘No way !’ Leo and I said in unison.

‘She’s far too special to give to anybody else,’ I said. ‘She stays with either Leo or me.’

‘How about I bring Charlie over from London to help you out until school starts?’ John said. ‘She can mind Simone while you’re in meetings, and care for her at the Peak so you can finish your thesis. I promised she’d be able to come over and brush up her cooking skills here in Hong Kong anyway. James can mind the house in London by himself for a while.’

‘That’s a great idea,’ I said, and Leo nodded agreement. ‘Simone loves Charlie dearly and would really enjoy seeing her. Perfect.’

My footsteps echoed eerily through the tunnel leading out of the MTR station. There wasn’t anybody else in the tunnel with me. Most unusual for Hong Kong.

A scraping sound came from the tiled area behind me. Loud enough to echo through the tunnel. It sounded like scales dragging along the ground.

I glanced back and saw it. It was enormous; at least six metres long, black and shining. It flicked its forked tongue at me.

I spun and ran. I raced through the tunnel, but my feet slipped on the tiles. It closed on me, the sound of its scales on the tiles a wet, shining slither. Louder and louder…

It crashed onto me, pinning me under its enormous, slick body. I couldn’t move.

It wrapped its body around me, but didn’t squeeze. It just held me.

Then it was gone.

I pulled myself up and walked out through the tunnel. Well, it was about time. What a wonderful feeling of satisfaction. I was complete. I was whole. And it felt so good, because I was so very, very dangerous. Now. Who would I kill first?

I woke and stumbled out of bed, then collapsed on the floor, panting and drenched in sweat.

John must have felt my distress because he came in. He wore his plain black pyjama pants and his long hair had come almost completely out of its braid. He knew better than to approach.

I knelt on the floor, gasping.

‘If I could hold you right now, I would. Do you want me to call someone?’

I raised my hand. I took a deep gulping breath and pulled myself to my feet, then sat on the bed. ‘I’m okay.’

He sat on the other side of the bed. ‘That must have been a hell of a nightmare.’

I glanced into his eyes. ‘I dreamed I turned into a snake. No, that’s not right. I dreamed that a snake turned into me .’

He was taken aback. ‘Really?’

I dropped my head. ‘A really big black snake.’

‘I would love to see that,’ he said, his voice intense.

‘What?’

‘I’m sure you would be spectacularly beautiful. Black?’ He smiled slightly. ‘Wonderful.’

I looked away. ‘Go back to bed, reptile man.’