Demon Child (27 page)

‘We are planning an attempt to bring Ah Wu back, Emma, and you can come along provided you vow not to interfere. This is an extremely dangerous procedure, and any wrong move could result in disaster.’

‘Don’t do it then,’ I said.

‘We can’t win without him,’ the Phoenix said. ‘Having you nearby will encourage him to return. Do we have your word? Give us your word and you can be present.’

‘And if I don’t give my word?’

‘We’ll leave you out here and try it without you,’ the Tiger said.

‘You could be the difference between him returning and this procedure failing and costing us a great deal,’ the Phoenix said. ‘Please, Emma.’

‘I vow not to interfere.’

‘You must vow to neither assist nor impede us. Vow to watch without acting.’

‘You have my word. What the hell are you planning?’

‘All right, let’s get it over with,’ the Tiger said.

We proceeded to the Grotto and found Yue sitting on the bench next to John.

‘You cannot help us,’ the Phoenix said to Yue. ‘Return to your duties, Princess, and wish us success.’

Yue rose and bowed to them. ‘Your courage will inspire songs and poems for many millennia.’

‘Fuck that, I can’t stand poetry,’ the Tiger said.

Yue smiled, shared a small embrace with the Tiger, kissed him on the cheek, and headed up the stairs.

The Tiger studied her speculatively as she went up. ‘Maybe I will finally have a chance to see what this turtle fuss is all about. If I do, this whole thing will be thoroughly worth it.’

‘Not on your life, Devil Tiger,’ she said softly and went out.

He chuckled, and the three Winds went to the bench where John’s cage was sitting.

The Tiger crouched to study the cage. ‘May I again remind you, Lady Emma, you have vowed not to interfere. No matter what happens, do not touch any of us.’

‘I promise.’ I dropped my voice. ‘What are the chances of bringing him back?’

‘Absolutely no fucking idea,’ the Tiger said, and stood. ‘Okay, I’m ready. Who does what?’

They shared a silent moment of telepathic communication, and nodded. The Phoenix summoned a curved red sword with a gold-plated guard and a handle wrapped in red leather, and stood next
to the cage. The Dragon positioned himself on the other side, and the Tiger stood directly in front of the cage.

‘We do not perform human sacrifices!’ I said urgently.

‘I’m not human,’ the Tiger said. He glared at me. ‘You gave us your word, Emma.’

‘Stay out of this,’ the Dragon said. ‘On the count of three.’

All three of them nodded in unison, then the Dragon flipped the cage open and the Tiger plunged his hand in and placed it on top of the Turtle. His hand glowed with shen so brilliantly white that it was dazzling, the rays of light shifting as they radiated from the cage.

‘He’s taking it,’ the Tiger said through gritted teeth. ‘On my word.’

‘He’ll absorb you completely,’ I said. ‘Don’t do this, Bai Hu.’

‘Quiet,’ the Dragon said, concentrating.

‘I’m slipping into True From, bring it down,’ the Tiger said, then raised his head and yowled with pain. ‘Down!’

The Dragon quickly lowered the cage onto the floor and the Tiger took True Form, still with his paw on the Turtle’s back.

‘Not yet,’ the Tiger said. He panted. ‘Holy shit, he’s cold. Not yet!’

‘You don’t have much left,’ the Phoenix said, distraught. ‘Don’t risk it. Give the word!’

‘Not yet!’ the Tiger yelled. His True Form became smaller and more slender and grew transparent. ‘More. I need to give him more!’

‘Do it, Ah Que,’ the Dragon said.

‘No!’ the Tiger yelled. ‘I’m not there yet!’

‘Do it!’ the Dragon roared. ‘Before he takes it all. Do it!’

The Phoenix swung the sword and lopped the Tiger’s head off. The body fell sideways and the head rolled a couple of metres until it came to rest next to the lake.

The Dragon leaned on the back of the bench and sagged. ‘So close. So close.’ He shook his head. ‘We nearly lost him, stupid damn cat.’

‘Ah Wu?’ the Phoenix said, touching the Turtle’s back.

‘It didn’t work,’ the Dragon said, putting the lid back and slipping the latches in place. ‘The Tiger is in the demons’ hands for nothing.’

The next day, as Simone and I exited the Celestial gateway in Wan Chai, I turned to speak to the Nine Dragon Wall. The dragons moved to the centre of the wall as its two sides slid together.

I saluted around at the dragons. ‘Honoured Shen, thank you for your diligence in guarding the entrance to the Heavens.’

The dragons poked their heads out of the wall and bowed in response.

The central gold one replied, ‘We serve the Celestial and it is our privilege to guard the gateway in this time of uncertainty.’

I dropped my hands. ‘Are you guys okay?’

One of the purple dragons came closer. ‘It’s exhausting, Emma. They try us all the time. Zhi,’ she nodded to one of the blue dragons, ‘is concerned about her children. She hardly sees them.’

‘I’ll talk to the Dragon King about finding you relief.’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ one of the gold dragons said in his warm male voice. ‘We already did. He can’t spare anyone. So many dragons are being held hostage in Hell; we’re the lucky ones.’

The other dragons nodded agreement.

‘How often are they trying you?’ I said.

The dragons shared a look, their heads waving in front of the wall, then turned back to me. ‘We’ve already had about ten small demons thrown at us today.’

‘But it’s only 11 am!’ I said.

‘And we’re due for another attack, so perhaps you should head to where you’re going,’ one of the white dragons said. ‘You shouldn’t be down here anyway — it’s too dangerous.’

‘I have to attend the funeral of a family member,’ I said.

‘Leo’s here, Emma,’ Simone said behind me.

‘I’ll bring you guys some cakes when I come back,’ I said, and the dragons grinned in response. ‘Stay strong, and remember that the Celestial treasures you.’

‘Of course it does, we are treasures,’ the gold dragon said, and they returned to their spots on the wall and merged into it, becoming inanimate. The wall shrank and the marble balustrade emerged from the ground in front as it returned to its normal appearance.

‘I’ve never seen those dragons so cooperative,’ Simone said as she waved to Leo in the driver’s seat of the family car.

‘It’s remarkable how being at war makes people forget their petty differences and pull together,’ I said.

After the priest had given a carefully worded but generic memorial service for Monica, her husband, sisters and brothers went up to the front of the chapel to speak. More than a hundred of Monica’s Hong Kong-based friends had come to the service; people who were unable to attend the complicated funeral in the Philippines.

‘Monica came over to my employers’ apartment on Stubbs Road one Chinese New Year,’ her sister Erica said. ‘She took me to the flower markets and we bought sweet-scented flowers that filled up the apartment and made the whole place so happy …’ She choked on the words. ‘So many family were there over that holiday break. And then I went home to the Philippines, and she kept in touch, and came to visit us on holidays. She helped Rosa and Paul to go to university,’ she locked eyes with her children where they sat, ‘and Rosa will be a doctor. She will be a doctor because of Monica’s help. I think, I think …’ She had trouble getting the rest of the words out and wiped her face with a tissue, then blew her nose.
‘Monica always thought of her family. All the time. It was all she thought about …’

She broke down and returned to her seat, where her son and daughter patted her on the shoulder. They turned to me and gestured for me to get up and speak.

‘Can you say something, ma’am?’ one of Monica’s relatives said from the row in front of me. ‘Marcus would like that. He says you’re very important.’

‘I’m not that important,’ I said, protesting, but Simone and Leo pushed me to my feet and I wasn’t aware of walking up to the pulpit until I saw everybody’s faces shining in front of me. Fortunately I still had my packet of tissues in my hand and I pulled one out to clutch it as I spoke.

‘I remember once, we all went to Australia. Simone was very tiny, probably only about four or five. Monica came with us to help look after Mr Chen, who was recovering from a serious injury.’

They went very still as they listened to me. Simone’s eyes were unfocused as she remembered.

‘I offered to take Mr Chen to dinner at a restaurant there, so that Monica wouldn’t have to cook and could have some time off,’ I said. ‘We were at a tourist resort; I thought she would enjoy the break. She refused. She refused very loudly! She said she would much prefer to look after the family.’

Some of her relatives nodded at my words.

‘Looking after the family wasn’t work, and she didn’t want a holiday from it because she enjoyed it so much. She really did love caring for everybody around her. Giving to you, to all of you, of her time, her energy — it wasn’t something you were taking from her, because she loved doing it so much. The joy that filled her face and her voice every time she talked about how much she was helping you was wonderful to see, and she never regretted not having children of her own, because she had all of you.’

They were nodding more now, and I breathed a small sigh of relief that I wasn’t being as tongue-tied and brainless as I felt I was.

‘Thank you for inviting us here today. Monica was a huge part of our family, just as much as she was a part of yours, and we are all richer for having known her.’

I left it at that, and returned to sit between Leo and Simone. I hadn’t broken down; in fact, I felt remarkably calm. Meredith had done something to me and I silently thanked her.

After the service, Leo drove us up to the Peak to have dinner with Martin and Buffy. He stopped the car at the gates when he saw a tall strongly built black woman in her mid-sixties standing outside the building entrance and arguing with the security guards.

‘Oh shit,’ he said softly.

He backed the car down the drive, but the woman saw us and ran towards the car. ‘Leo! Leo! Where are you going? It’s me!’

Leo banged his forehead on the steering wheel. ‘Oh
shit
.’

‘Who is it?’ Simone said. ‘She looks like … oh shit.’

‘Yep,’ Leo said. ‘That’s my sister.’

He took the car back up the drive and the guards opened the gates for us. His sister stormed along next to the car, yelling at him to stop and explain himself.

He parked the car in its space, got out and put his arms out to her. ‘Elise.’

That silenced her. She threw herself into his arms and started to sob. ‘We thought you were dead!’

‘I’m not dead,’ he said, holding her close. ‘Things happen. Come on up and meet the family.’

She turned to see Simone and me, her eyes glittering with tears. ‘Is this your family?’ She moved closer to me. ‘Is this your wife?’ She turned to Simone. ‘Daughter?’

‘No, but we’re like family,’ I said. ‘Are you explaining?’

‘I am,’ Leo said. He guided Elise to the lifts, past the grinning security guards who were enjoying the show. ‘Elise, I have a partner upstairs, and a daughter.’

She lit up. ‘We knew you’d come to your senses eventually. This is wonderful. Is she Chinese? I hope there’ll be a wedding soon. If you have a child you should get married and be a proper family.’

He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘The partner’s a he.’

She sagged with disappointment and followed us into the lift.

Leo sat on the couch with Buffy in his lap and Martin leaned on the couch behind them.

‘I saw someone that looked like you on Discovery Channel, so I came to see,’ Elise said from the other couch. ‘It was a show called
The Monk With A Thousand Children
, about this wonderful Chinese man who cares for the poor orphans. There was a shot of a playground in the background — I was sure it was you. Max didn’t believe me, but I checked the foundation, and it’s funded by the estate of John Chen Wu, so I checked again and that was your boss all the way back then, so I came anyway.’ She spread her hands. ‘And here you are. Alive. I can’t believe it.’

‘I’m happy here, I have a family,’ Leo said. He pulled Buffy, who obviously didn’t understand what was happening, closer to him. Martin reached over the couch to put his hand on Leo’s shoulder, and Leo covered it with his own. ‘I know you all disapprove, so I kept quiet. It’s good to see you, Elise, but please don’t judge me. I’m happy. Can’t you just let it be?’

She glared at Martin. ‘Who are you anyway? Did you lead Leo into this?’

‘I am John Chen Wu’s son.’ Martin gestured towards Simone. ‘This is my little sister, Simone. We inherited our father’s fortune and we’re running the orphanages together.’

Simone nodded, obviously desperately wanting Elise to understand. ‘Leo and Martin have looked after me since I was a tiny girl. Leo’s like a second father to me, and Martin’s the best brother I could ever ask for.’

‘Thank you,’ Martin said softly.

‘And you?’ Elise asked me.

‘I’m their stepmother. We’re one big happy dysfunctional family, all caring for each other.’

‘That’s what family is,’ Leo said. He dropped his hand from Martin’s and put it around Buffy’s waist. ‘And this is our newest member. She’s one of the orphans that the documentary was about.’

‘You should not be caring for a little girl,’ Elise said. ‘That is so wrong!’

Martin was confused. ‘Why not?’

‘Leave my Daddies alone,’ Buffy said. ‘They look after me.’

‘Look, Leo.’ Elise took a deep breath in and out. ‘I’m not Mom. I know you’re like you are, and I won’t try to change you. But you can’t be in a relationship like this and have a child involved. It’s just not fair on her. How will she grow up normal if she has no mother?’

‘She didn’t have a mother anyway. What’s important is that she’s loved and has a family,’ Leo said, sounding tired. ‘We’re all happy, don’t worry about us. And if you were to return home and tell everybody that I’m dead it would be the greatest favour you ever did for me.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she said. ‘You can’t just ship me off like that. I’m staying here for a few days to talk to this child. This little girl needs a proper family with a mother and father, not this perv—’ She stopped and spread her hands. ‘It’s not natural! I can offer her a safe family back in Chicago. She’d be much better off there with us.’

Buffy’s eyes widened and she grabbed Leo’s arm.

‘You can’t take Buffy away from the only family she’s known,’ Simone said, distraught. She rose and moved to stand next to Martin. ‘My brother would give his life for either of us in a second. He’s probably the most caring father a little girl could ask for.’

‘We’ll see about that,’ Elise said. ‘I want to talk to the little girl by herself, before you have a chance to coach her.’

‘Go right ahead,’ Leo said. ‘And when she tells you she’s being loved and cared for as if she was our own child, you can go straight home.’

‘I want to stay a few days and make sure.’

‘Very well.’ Leo rose and slid Buffy off his lap. ‘Come into Buffy’s bedroom and ask her anything. But if you traumatise this child and make any suggestions that will prey on her mind in later life, heaven help you, Elise.’

‘I would never dream of it.’

The intercom buzzer went off next to the front door, and Martin went to answer it as Leo and Elise took Buffy to her room.

‘Wei?’ Martin said.

‘Delivery from the supermarket’s here,’ the security guard said on the other end.

Martin unfocused, obviously asking Leo if he’d ordered from the supermarket, then turned to Simone. ‘Did you order anything to be delivered here?’

‘No, of course not.’

‘Me neither,’ I said. ‘Damn, they’re bold.’

‘Send him up,’ Martin said into the intercom. He summoned the Silver Serpent and waited at the door.

The doorbell rang and he opened it. A delivery guy stood on the other side of the metal gate, holding a large cardboard box full of groceries and grinning. He saw the Silver Serpent in Martin’s hand and his eyes widened with confusion.

‘Simone,’ Martin said without moving.

Simone summoned one of her short curved blades and stood next to Martin. ‘Damn, I have no idea.’

The language charm kicked in. ‘I’ll just leave this stuff here for you,’ the delivery guy said, obviously alarmed by the weapons as he placed the box on the floor. ‘It’s all paid for … uh … yeah. Bye.’ He spun and ran to the stairs.

Simone opened the gate and poked her head out. ‘We didn’t order anything!’

‘Just keep it,’ he yelled, his voice echoing in the stairwell.

Simone checked the box. ‘The order’s for one of the flats downstairs, they sent it to the wrong address.’ She knelt next to the box. ‘I’ll take it down for them.’

‘Don’t touch it!’ I said as she reached for it. ‘Have a look inside, it could be a bomb.’

Her eyes unfocused and she shook her head. ‘No, nothing but groceries.’

‘Yin it anyway. It could be something we haven’t encountered before.’

‘Ge Ge?’ Simone said.

‘Emma’s right, it could be a trap.’ Martin held his hand out to Simone. ‘Let’s yin it together — we’ll have more control.’

They concentrated and yinned the box without putting a dent in the floor. They came back inside and Martin closed the gate and front door. He went to the couch and sat on it.

‘Give me a moment,’ he said. ‘I need to let the Generals know that they may be targeting us and trying to send us to Court Ten.’

‘But was that a human or a demon?’ I asked Simone.

‘To be honest, Emma,’ she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder, ‘I have no idea.’

‘Holy shit —
Elise
,’ I said, and we ran to Buffy’s bedroom.

Martin threw the door open and the three of us charged in. Leo raced into the room from the bathroom at the same time. Elise was sitting with Buffy on the bed, sharing a picture book.

She looked up at us, confused. ‘What?’

Leo gestured towards us. ‘Ming, come and have a look and make sure. I see her as human.’ He gently led Buffy to the doorway.

Martin crouched in front of Elise and put his hands on either side of her face. Her face went slack.

‘Human all the way through, I sense no demon here at all.’ Elise’s eyes went wide and she squeaked with pain. ‘This is most definitely human. Do you want me to adjust her attitude while I’m in here? It would make our lives considerably easier.’