Seduced by Crimson (35 page)

It was empty. Where was Xiao Fei?

The apartment complex was squat, ugly, and had a bass beat that trembled through the walls. Xiao Fei shook her head. American students had no idea how to function in a war zone; they simply drowned themselves in music and pretended the world didn't exist. A moment later she smiled, recognizing a tune. Not her favorite, but her little sister loved it.

She quickly ducked into the building, keeping her head low as she moved. It was suicide to be here, completely unprotected while demons searched the city for her. But she'd heard Patrick's conversation with the head druid. She'd sat there and listened, and she finally understood with absolutely clarity that she would die tonight. Whether Patrick intended it or not, she would die. Probably by his own hand. When it came to a question between her life and the Earth's, he had to pick the Earth. Besides, she'd been raised from the cradle to be a sacrificial lamb. Somehow it felt right that Patrick would be the one to make the final cut.

But even knowing that, even accepting that she was living her last moments, she hadn't been able to handle it. The room had abruptly felt suffocating, the weight of all that… that academia… had sent her scrambling for the door. It didn't make sense, but then her panic attacks never did. She just had to get outside, had to breathe the air and see the sky.

So she'd left. Like a suicidal idiot, she'd dashed out into the middle of campus. It took some time before she realized she was heading for her sister's apartment, some moments more before she created a rational explanation for running there. She needed more fruit. She'd gone to get it. What could be more clear? Especially since she knew Patrick would be able to find her. They were so attuned now, he wouldn't have any trouble locating her. But just to make sure, she decided she'd call him from Sandy's apartment.

Xiao Fei mounted the stairs to the third floor grateful she remembered the code for the security gate. The music was louder here. The volume progressed steadily, growing louder as she walked down the hall. It couldn't possibly be coming from Sandy's room. The kid wasn't
that
stupid, was she?

Of course she was. The girl might look Chinese, but she'd been raised in the United States from the age of two. She hadn't the self-preservation of her race. She had the idiocy of her adopted country. Xiao Fei used her key and pushed though her sister's front door. She might have knocked, but no way would the girl have heard.

"Have you lost your mind?" she yelled.

Sandy was dancing, doing the dishes in the kitchen in skimpy shorts and a tank top. The girl was as oblivious to the world as any teen, even though she'd just turned twenty-five. You'd have thought it was just a day like any other in Crimson City.

Xiao Fei scanned the room, sighing in relief when she saw the phoenix persimmon plant at its spot near the window. She followed a trail of dirty clothes to the stereo. Two steps later, she was able to flick the thing off. The sudden silence echoed in her eardrums, and her sister spun around, a knife poised to strike.

"If I were a murderer, I wouldn't have turned off the music."

"Xiao Fei!" Sandy dropped the knife and ran at her full tilt.

Xiao Fei braced herself, then took the body check. In truth, Sandy wasn't all that large. Besides, it felt good to wrap her arms around her sibling one last time.

"I thought I told you to leave the city, brat," she admonished, even as she held her sister close.

"Couldn't. Quarantine. Haven't you been listening to the news?"

Xiao Fei frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"They've closed off the entire city, locked it down. No one in or out except military."

"So you choose to hide by blaring music at a thousand decibels?"

Sandy pulled back. "There have been no attacks here. Who cares about a no-account grad student?"

Xiao Fei touched her sister's sweet moon face. "Innocents die all the time in war." She looked at the persimmon plant. "And you aren't exactly innocent. Not as my sister."

Sandy's eyes widened—no small feat, given how elfin her features were. "What have you done?"

Xiao Fei gestured to the persimmon. "I gave you that plant, that's what. If any demons find it, they'll kill you on principle."

Sandy grew pale, and her gaze darted between Xiao Fei and the plant. Two breaths later, she laughed. "Oh God, you really had me going. Wow, that's so mean, you witch." She playfully slapped Xiao Fei's arm and crossed to her couch. She tossed clothes and books on the floor with typical flourish, then dropped into the corner against a Big Bird pillow Xiao Fei had made for her as a Christmas present aeons ago.

"So, what's up? What have you been doing during all this? Hey, I'm hungry. Want a sandwich or something?" She pursed her lips. "I got… uh… peanut butter and jelly, I think. Maybe just peanut butter."

"Sounds great," Xiao Fei said.

Her sister hopped up again, rushed to the kitchen, and began banging cupboards and slamming drawers. Xiao Fei winced at each sound. Her sister had always been exuberant; it was one of her most endearing qualities, but right now… She walked over and caught a cupboard door just as Sandy was slapping it closed.

"What—"

"I wasn't joking,
mei mei
." She used the Chinese term for
little sister
. It wasn't the Cambodian term, but then Sandy was Chinese, so the two of them had adopted that. "They will kill you if they find it."

Sandy swallowed, her entire body stilling. "So… let's throw it out. We'll put it down the disposal."

Xiao Fei shook her head. "It's too valuable, and it wouldn't make a difference. Not if they come looking. You've eaten the fruit, remember?"

"Not for years."

"Doesn't matter. You may not have my blood, but something happens the first time you taste it."

Sandy nodded, her eyes shining. "Yeah, I know. I've been studying the components in the fruit. It's got some really bizarre enzymes…" Then she was off and running: biochemistry in all its glory. Xiao Fei didn't understand a tenth of what her sister said, but she loved listening anyway. Academic passion was something she respected, even if it was something she didn't share. Unfortunately, she couldn't sit and listen all day.

"I'll take the plant, Sandy, and all your dried fruit. That'll make things somewhat safer for you." And with a little bit of luck, it'd all be over by tomorrow morning.

Of course, the only luck Xiao Fei believed in was the bad kind, so she leaned forward, her gaze firm. It was very big-sisterly. "I want you to lie low, Sandy. Disappear if you can until every demon is gone."

Her sister folded her arms across her small chest, and stuck out her chin. Lord, she looked like a cherub. "You can't have the plant," she said. "You'll be in as much danger as me. More, because you've got the blood thingy."

Xiao Fei grabbed a piece of notebook paper, talking as she wrote. "I'm giving you some information for after everything settles." Her handwriting was barely legible as she scrawled out bank account numbers and her last will and testament. It was one paragraph that identified her, claimed her of sound mind and all that, and gave everything to her sister. "You're going to have to get out of Crimson City, you know. Even after the demons are gone, the veil will be weak. And I don't trust whoever started this whole mess not to start it again."

Sandy looked at the paper. "What the hell is—"

"You'll have to take care of Mom and Dad, too. They're getting up in age even if Dad won't admit it."

"Wait a damn minute—"

Xiao Fei crossed to the window and grabbed the plant. "You've taken good care of this." Then she snatched the tiny notebook beside it, and squinted at the long list of notations. "What's this?"

A long silence followed. It was long enough for Xiao Fei to look up at Sandy to see the girl—the
woman
, she mentally corrected—with a stern expression on her face. Finally, Sandy said, "Is it my turn to speak now?"

"Not if—"

Suddenly, the front door shook on its hinges. "Open up! Damn it, open this door! Xiao Fei! Are you in there? Damn it!"

Xiao Fei frowned at the frantic note in Patrick's voice. Then her eyes widened as she saw the doorknob jiggle. Would he break in? Sandy grimaced and quickly opened the door. She was nearly flattened as Patrick pushed through. He looked frazzled, anxious—and really, really cute.

"Friend of yours?" her sister asked.

Patrick was across the room before Xiao Fei could answer. She barely had time to set down the persimmon before she was enfolded in his arms. He both hugged and frisked her. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Are you hurt? Bleeding? Geez, what were you thinking? It's a damn war out there." He abruptly lifted her face and took possession of her mouth.

Xiao Fei didn't want to stand there making out in front of her little sister. She didn't want to melt into Patrick's arms, either, but she did just that. Their kiss was frantic, possessive, and totally absorbing. To the point that she forgot her little sister was standing right there watching the hot and heavy
caress
.

At least, she forgot until Patrick broke the kiss to ask very clearly, "Are you all right?"

"She's fine," Sandy answered. Xiao Fei was still a little too breathless. "I'm her sister, Sandy." Patrick tried to speak, but he was cut off as she added, "And I take it you're the reason she's just handed me her last will and testament?"

Patrick's gaze had gone to Xiao Fei, but it leaped back to her sister. "What?" he asked. He turned back to Xiao Fei. "What!"

"Calm down," Xiao Fei said.

"She has quite the flair for the dramatic, doesn't she?" Sandy drawled.

"What?" repeated Patrick.

"I mean, she's always been the quiet one, but every once in a while, I think she likes to stir things up. She comes up with a whammy that just throws everything into chaos."

"I do not!" exclaimed Xiao Fei.

Sandy laughed. "So, your dropping out of grad school wasn't announced in the most dramatic way possible? During Thanksgiving dinner in front of everyone? So you could become an
acupuncturist
?" Sandy turned to Patrick. "I thought Dad would have a coronary right there. Mom dropped the turkey."

"She did not! She just bobbled it."