White Tiger (33 page)

We walked out of the lift and through the open-roof area of the shopping mall to the hotel. An upmarket Japanese restaurant was situated directly next to the hotel entrance.

‘Here,’ Bai Hu said. A large number of people stood around the entrance to the restaurant, obviously waiting for tables. The reception desk was deserted.

Bai Hu strode up to the desk, banged loudly on it with one hand, and shouted something extremely coarse in Cantonese that would require a great many four-letter words to translate into English.

The people standing around the entrance stared at him.

The receptionist stormed out from the back of the restaurant as quickly as she could in the constricting kimono, her face a mask of fury. Then she saw Bai Hu
and her expression changed completely to one of warm welcome. She stopped and bowed very low to him, and gestured for him to enter without saying a word. He waved us in front of him.

He walked very close behind Louise as we went inside and she flushed through her freckles. I tried to kick him on the shins but he moved out of the way before I could hit him. He grinned at me, then pushed past me to guide Louise by the arm to a private room.

The waitress was servile, bobbing and smiling at Bai Hu. She opened the shoji screen to the private room and indicated for us to go in. We left our shoes outside the room and walked to the table set in the centre of the tatami mats.

Bai Hu threw his sports bag into a corner of the room, then moved to sit as close as he could to Louise. She nestled into him and gazed up into his eyes. He smiled down at her and took her hand.

‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ I said, but they ignored me. He lowered his face to hers and she closed her eyes.

I raced out of the room, through the restaurant and into the telephone alcove next to the rest rooms. I pulled out my mobile phone and called home.

‘Chen residence.’

‘Quick, Leo, I need to talk to Mr Chen right now! Put me through!’

‘Are you in trouble, Emma?’

‘No, I just need to talk to Mr Chen
right now
!’

‘Yes, Emma?’

‘John.’ I sighed with relief. ‘You have to help me. I’m here at Sha Tin with Louise, and the White Tiger followed me. He’s in the room with her, putting major moves on her. Help!’

‘Wait.’ He was silent for a moment. ‘He said he was just there to play tennis with the general manager of the hotel. It was a coincidence.’

‘But he’s putting the moves on Louise!’ I wailed softly. ‘I don’t want to lose her!’

‘Hold.’ Silence again. ‘Emma, I’m sorry. If she decides to go with him it’s her decision. He says she’s actually…’ He hesitated. ‘Well, let’s just say he didn’t need to put any moves on her at all.’

‘But she won’t know about all the others.’

‘Yes, she will,’ he said. ‘He tells every single one of them exactly what they’re getting into before he takes them. They all agree to go, fully aware of the situation.’

I stopped dead at that. ‘I do not believe this. They agree to go and be one of a hundred?’

‘I don’t know how he does it.’ He sounded amused. ‘He doesn’t hypnotise them, he doesn’t cloud their minds. All he does is look at them. He’s remarkable.’

‘How can I get her out of this?’

‘I have no idea.’ He sounded unconcerned. ‘Is it any of your business anyway?’

‘She wouldn’t have met him if I didn’t know him already.’

‘Yes, she would,’ he said. ‘He goes to Sha Tin all the time. He owns the hotel. They would have run into each other eventually.’

‘Damn!’

‘If she’s going out with someone already then he will keep his paws off her. That is the only hope she has. Otherwise, he will regard her as fair game.’

‘You are absolutely no help whatsoever, you know that?’

‘Sorry,’ he said, without a hint of remorse. ‘Is that all? No demons or anything otherwise?’

‘Good
bye
,’ I snapped, and flicked the phone shut.

I stormed back to the private room.

Bai Hu and Louise were gazing into each other’s eyes, their faces barely apart. There was a dish of
sashimi on the table that both of them completely ignored.

‘All right, you two,’ I said. ‘Bai Hu, get your ugly paws off my friend. I will
not
lose her to your harem. Louise…’ She ignored me so I went to her and shoved her shoulder. ‘Don’t get yourself mixed up with this bastard. I know him and he’s
bad news.
’

Louise snapped out of it and smiled up at me. ‘Did you know that Tiger owns this hotel?’

‘Don’t get involved with him, Louise. I don’t want to lose you.’

‘Stay out of it, Emma,’ the Tiger said, without looking away from Louise. ‘It’s her decision to make. And I could give her more than she could ever want.’

She gazed up at the Tiger with adoration. ‘You’re just jealous. You have your Mr Chen, leave me alone.’

The Tiger’s head snapped around to me. ‘What’s this? You and him?’

I turned away and sat in a chair on the other side of the table. ‘Nothing.’

‘Look at her,’ Louise said, still holding Bai Hu’s hand. ‘Head over heels for her Mr Chen.’

The Tiger dropped Louise’s hand. She didn’t seem to notice. ‘I thought he was joking.’

I ran my hands through my hair. ‘He was. Nothing there.’

Bai Hu rose and came around to my side of the table. He sat next to me and studied my face.

I looked at Louise. She sat frozen, smiling at us. ‘You’ve done something to her.’

‘Of course. We need to talk.’ He saw my face. ‘Don’t be a fool, Emma. You know it can’t happen.’

I dropped my head with misery. ‘Too late, Bai Hu.’

‘And him?’ His eyes unfocused. He snapped back to me and smiled sadly. ‘Damn, but you are a pair of fools.’

I shook my head. ‘We know.’

He glanced at Louise. ‘I’m sorry. I won’t contact your friend again. I think you need her.’ He turned back to me. ‘What are you going to do?’

I sighed with defeat. ‘I’ll take each day as it comes. I’ll enjoy the time I have left with him. I’ll be strong when he goes, and I’ll survive. And when he’s gone, I’ll look after that wonderful little girl for the rest of my life.’

‘And him?’ His eyes unfocused again for a moment. ‘He says pretty much the same thing you do, Emma. He says he’ll enjoy what he has with you until he goes.’ His voice broke. ‘He wishes he could tell you how he feels to your face without hurting you.’ He shook his head. ‘What a pair of fools.’

‘Are you communicating with him now?’ I whispered.

He nodded without looking up.

‘Could you tell him…’ I hesitated, searching for the words. ‘Could you tell him that I know? That he doesn’t need to say anything? Because words aren’t really necessary between us.’

‘Is what’s between you really that true?’ the Tiger whispered.

‘Yes.’

He smiled. ‘He said yes too.’ He waved one hand.

Louise jerked upright. ‘What’s going on?’

The Tiger pulled himself to his feet. ‘I just remembered, I have somebody I have to meet, but don’t worry, lunch is on me.’ He smiled down at Louise, who appeared bewildered. ‘You’re absolutely stunning, Louise, but there’s somebody else right now and it wouldn’t be right.’

‘No, please, Tiger, stay,’ she said, desperate.

He grabbed his sports bag, went to the door and pulled his tennis shoes on. ‘Order anything you like.
And tell him that next time I see him, I’m going to punch him in the nose.’ ‘Who?’ Louise said.

‘Bye, Louise, it’s been a great deal of pleasure,’ he said, and went out. As soon as he was outside the door, he looked around and disappeared.

Louise rushed to the door. ‘Wait!’

‘He’s gone, Louise.’

She sighed. ‘God, he was wonderful.’

‘He already has a lot of wives,’ I said. ‘
Lots
of wives.’

‘So?’ She turned back to me. ‘You know his number?’

‘No. I have no way of contacting him, and even if I did I wouldn’t give it to you. Come on, let’s order something.’

‘Suddenly I’m starving.’ Louise’s eyes sparkled. ‘Owns the hotel, huh?’ She sat down and looked at the sashimi. ‘Raw fish? Did we order raw fish?’

‘No,
you
ordered raw fish.’

‘Oh.’ She picked up a menu as if nothing had happened. ‘Did you hear about April?’

‘I heard she’s in some trouble,’ I said, wondering how much Louise knew, and how much I could give away.

‘Her husband has another wife. That’s why he didn’t go to Australia. Did she tell you?’ ‘Yes, I know all about it.’ ‘Baby too?’

I nodded. ‘She didn’t have an abortion, did she? I’d hate to think she aborted the baby just because her husband didn’t want it.’

‘She negotiated with him and they came to an arrangement. He’s paying for her to live in a flat in Discovery Bay, a long way away. She’s going to have the baby, and he’ll pay for the flat and a domestic helper for
her. Apart from that, they have hardly any contact at all.’ She sighed. ‘God, Emma, her life’s a wreck. But you know what?’ ‘What?’

‘She’s
happy
,’ Louise hissed. ‘She says that Australia was too boring. She’s looking forward to having the baby and going back to work.’

‘Well,’ I said, picking up the menu to find something vegetarian, ‘women do incredibly stupid things for the love of a man.’

‘I wonder if Tiger comes past here often,’ she pondered quietly. ‘Owns the hotel, huh?’

T
he train taking me home rattled along the outdoor line, through the Lion Rock Tunnel and into Kowloon. Kowloon Tong station was next, and the interchange with the MTR.

I stepped off the train and joined the crowd heading into the MTR station. I felt the coldness behind me and knew immediately what it was. I didn’t bother looking back; there were thousands of people all around me, the post-lunchtime crowd.

They followed me all the way to the MTR train; four of them. They stood in the middle of the train and ignored me. They looked like salesmen, in their mid-twenties and wearing cheap suits. I stood at the end of the carriage, next to the driver’s cab. I called Leo as the train rushed through the darkness of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel.

‘How far away from the pick-up point are you, Leo?’

‘I’m already waiting for you. Hurry up, I could get booked again.’ Then he inhaled sharply. ‘You got some?’

‘Four,’ I whispered into the phone. ‘About level fifteen or twenty. Too big to take by myself.’ ‘There should be a lot of people around.’

‘There are. I’m okay. I’m glad you’re there, though.’ ‘So am I. Stay on the phone—keep me informed. I’m coming down to the platform to wait for you.’ ‘What about the car?’ ‘To hell with the car.’

The train stopped, the doors opened and just about everybody piled out to take the Island line. I stayed on the train to go to Central. I stole a glance through the nearly deserted carriage; there were only three or four other people left now.

The demons saw me looking at them and wandered up to me, smiling, acting like they knew me.

‘They’re coming for me, Leo,’ I hissed.

The train stopped at Central station and the doors opened. The remaining people left the carriage. The demons stood between me and the doors. I realised I should never have stood so far from the exit; I hoped I’d have a chance to learn from my mistake.

The doors closed again. Trapped until the next station.

Leo charged through the demons and they scattered. He grabbed my arm and dragged me down the carriage aisle. There were no partitions between carriages on MTR trains, to make it more difficult for muggers. We walked as quickly as possible to the middle of the train, where an elderly couple sat together, asleep on one of the side benches.

The demons followed us.

As we approached the elderly couple they rose. I realised with an ice-cold shock that they were demons too.

I looked back. The other demons were right on top of us. The ones in front of us stood and waited.

The train stopped and the doors opened. We hustled off the train and along the platform to the exit. The demons followed us.

‘Damn,’ Leo whispered.

Sheung Wan was one of the quietest MTR stations. We had five storeys of escalators and stairs to go up to reach ground level, with endless corridors in between. And nobody around.

We took the escalator, running up the steps to reach the top faster. A long corridor with a curved tiled ceiling lay ahead. Three demons, appearing as young office girls in pastel business suits, waited for us.

Leo and I stopped. The demons behind us came up the escalators and stopped as well.

Leo and I moved back to back. I faced the office girls: they were smaller, only about level ten. Leo faced the others, the four salesmen and the elderly couple. They were about level twenty.

‘Looks like they’re going to get their answer,’ I said.

‘Not much we can do, is there?’ Leo said.

‘Nope.’

The three girls threw themselves at me and I didn’t have time to think. I grabbed the closest one by the outstretched arm as she came for me and flung her into the one directly behind her. I kicked the third one in the abdomen at the same time, and I was through her. She dissolved.

The remaining two crashed into each other and staggered back, then recovered and dived at me again. I ducked the roundhouse fist that came at me, hit one of them in the abdomen with my own fist, then dropped and spun, taking the feet out from under the other one.

The first demon exploded. The second hit the floor and stayed there, obviously dazed. I fell on top of her and ran my fist through her face.

I ducked instinctively without even realising. The elderly woman had tried for my head. I grabbed her hand, flipped her over and ran my fist through her face as well.

I quickly checked around me: quiet. Leo pulled himself to his feet. I rose as well.

‘Are you okay?’ he said.

I wiped my hands on my jeans. ‘Yep. Fine. You?’

He shrugged. ‘They didn’t lay a finger on me. Not even a scratch.’ He raised his hands. ‘Just filthy.’

I raised my hands as well. ‘Me too.’

Suddenly we fell into each other’s arms and held each other, laughing fit to burst. Then we pulled back and wiped our eyes with our shirts; the demon stuff was stuck to our hands and would sting like anything if we rubbed it into our eyes.

‘You were great,’ he said, gasping.

‘So were you.’ I took a deep breath. ‘You think the car’s still there?’

‘Not a chance.’

‘We’ll have trouble getting a taxi looking like this.’

‘I know.’ He wiped his hands on his slacks. ‘Damn. Another pair ruined.’

He pulled out his mobile phone and gingerly pressed the buttons, trying not to get too much black stuff on it. ‘Mr Chen, please, Monica.’

He paused, then, ‘We were attacked by demons in Sheung Wan station, my Lord. It’s highly likely that the car’s been towed…Theatre Lane, I went down into the station to meet her. She was being followed…Nope, we’re both fine.’ He spoke with more force. ‘Sir, we’re
fine.
They didn’t lay a finger on us, we’re okay. Really.’ He sighed in exasperation and handed the phone to me. ‘Talk to him, Emma.’

Mr Chen sounded desperate. ‘Are you sure you’re okay? Is Emma all right? She hasn’t been hurt?’

‘John,’ I said, and he went silent. ‘I’m just fine. Both Leo and I are okay.’

‘Thank the Heavens,’ he said.

‘But we need to find a way home—the car’s probably been towed. We’re both covered in demon stuff and we’ll have trouble finding a taxi.’

‘Hold.’ He was silent for a while. Then, ‘There will be a white Mercedes waiting for you at exit B of Sheung Wan station. The driver will bring you home.’ His voice softened. ‘Are you sure you’re okay, Emma? You’re not hurt?’

‘John, I am absolutely fine, and the sooner you stop talking to me, the sooner I can get home and get this disgusting stuff off me.’

‘Hurry home, Emma,’ he said, and hung up.

‘Does this car belong to Bai Hu?’ I asked the driver of the white Mercedes.

‘Yes, ma’am,’ the driver said. ‘I just brought it round from the hotel in Western.’

‘Sorry about the demon stuff,’ Leo said.

‘Not a problem, sir. Happens all the time.’

‘All the time?’ I said.

‘I often take the Lord Bai Hu’s sons out demonhunting, and they usually return in a far worse state than you are now.’ He glanced in the mirror and smiled at Leo. ‘It’s an honour to be driving the Black Lion.’

Leo hesitated, then, ‘Thanks.’

‘Why do they call you that?’ I whispered.

‘Because they all hate me.’

After we’d showered at home we met in the dining room and told Mr Chen all about the attack.

He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. ‘Well, we knew this day would come.’

‘You’ll have to cut back on the social activities, Emma, until you can handle about six or eight level twenties yourself,’ Leo said. ‘Until then, I think you’re probably a major target.’

‘He’s right,’ Mr Chen said. ‘Don’t go out by yourself any more, at least not until you have the energy work mastered. It’s too dangerous.’

‘Damn,’ I said softly. ‘Will I be able to go out with Jade when she comes back?’

‘Absolutely. But I’m afraid you should only see your human friends if you invite them up here.’

‘Well, then,’ I said briskly, ‘let’s get stuck into the training, so I can defend myself if they come after me. I don’t want my social life on hold for any longer than absolutely necessary.’

They both stared at me.

‘What?’

‘You are an extremely remarkable woman,’ Mr Chen said.

‘To hell with that. You are the most cold-blooded chick I’ve ever laid eyes on,’ Leo said.

‘You say that like being cold-blooded is a bad thing,’ Mr Chen said.

‘Sorry, sir.’ Leo looked sheepish.

‘What on earth for?’ I said.

‘Yes, Leo, why are you apologising?’

Leo was obviously desperately embarrassed. Mr Chen and I shared a sly look.

‘Dismissed, Leo. Emma, stay.’

Leo rose. He saluted Mr Chen, ‘Sir,’ and went out.

As soon as he was gone Mr Chen and I collapsed over the table, laughing.

‘His face was priceless,’ he wheezed.

‘We are
so bad
.’

‘I’ve never managed to make him call me a Turtle to my face,’ he said.

‘Oh, a challenge,’ I said. ‘Let me work on it.’

He stopped laughing and smiled. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

‘No need to say anything, John.’ I rose and opened the door. ‘And it’s mutual.’ I went out.

‘What’s this—demon training?’ I asked Leo when we met outside the training room the next day.

‘No idea,’ Leo said, and tapped on the door.

‘Enter,’ Mr Chen called, and we went in together. Leo closed the door softly behind us.

‘Good,’ he said when he saw both of us there.

Leo and I saluted, then waited patiently.

Mr Chen went to the staff rack and pulled out two staves, one slightly heavier than the other. He tossed the heavier one to Leo and the lighter one to me. He gestured. ‘Leo this end. You both warmed up already?’ We nodded. ‘Good.’

He linked his hands behind his back as Leo and I moved into position. ‘This is not a test of ability. It is a test of skill. Attack the staff, not the opponent. Leo, don’t hold back. Emma, I think you’re ready.’

I stiffened. This was my first time sparring with Leo. I wasn’t worried, though; in fact, my immediate reaction was:
yes!

Mr Chen looked from me to Leo, his eyes burning. ‘If either of you feels it is going out of control,
call immediately.
If either of you is injured, it is your own fault. Now,’ He moved to the corner, leaned on the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Even though I know it’s a total waste of time, I’m giving both of you the opportunity to back out now. Call now if you don’t want to go through with this.’

Leo and I looked at each other. Then we both grinned.

‘Bring it on,’ I said.

Leo spun his staff and flicked it under his arm, putting his left hand out into a guard. I held mine in front, defence. We nodded to each other, ready.

‘Go,’ Mr Chen said quietly. Neither of us moved.

Leo came for me first. He attacked with his staff straight out in front, swinging it to hit mine right in the middle. Confident. Thought he could take it in one.

I used my staff to block his, twisted my body, and sent him lurching to the other side of the room with a quick flick, using the staff as a lever. I didn’t give him time to recover; I went in after him and tried to sweep the staff out of his hands with an upward attack. He only managed to hold onto the staff because he was stronger.

‘Good,’ Mr Chen said from the corner.

I let my staff slide up Leo’s, spun and jumped back, guarding, ready for him. He put his staff out in front of him and came straight at me. Once again I used my staff as a lever, sweeping along his and trying to swipe it out of his hands. Again he managed to hold it.

I suddenly knew that although he had the edge in strength, I had the edge in speed.

Holy shit. I was faster than Leo, and he was one of the fastest I’d ever seen, short of Mr Chen.

I jumped back, spun my staff with delight, snapped it under my arm and put my right hand out into a guard. Come and get me, Lion. I can take you.

He didn’t think. He came for me. He did exactly what I wanted. I watched him carefully as he swung his staff at my lower legs, trying to sweep my feet out from under me. I easily stepped over the staff. I used my own and helped it along, giving it a good push in the direction it was already going, then spun mine in my hands and used it to twist his foot from under him. He fell with a thud.

He flipped himself upright and moved into position again.

‘Hold!’ Mr Chen shouted from the corner. We immediately halted, turned and snapped to attention, the tips of our staves on the floor next to us.

‘Having fun?’ Mr Chen growled.

Neither of us said anything. Then we both stiffened with horror.

Oh my God, he said
attack the staff.
Both of us went for
each other.
We were in
big trouble.
I could see from Leo’s body language that he was thinking exactly the same thing.

‘Emma, you will sharpen every single sword in this room until it will cut a silk scarf dropped on it from the height of a metre. I will provide the silk. Leo…’ Mr Chen scowled. ‘You went for Emma first. You will sharpen every other bladed weapon in the room to a similar edge. I will come back in two hours and you will each demonstrate your work.’

He stalked away from the wall, then stopped between us. ‘Emma, you are absolutely the fastest damn human I have ever seen in my entire life. I knew the minute I had you sparring with Leo I’d see it. Faster than Li. Faster than anybody. I must start you on larger demons immediately. With that speed you could probably take a level fifteen without difficulty.’ He grinned broadly. ‘You’re amazing,’ he whispered. Then his face closed up again. ‘Go and get the stones and sharpen those blades. And next time, both of you,
try
to do what I tell you.’ He sighed with resignation. ‘I really don’t know what to do with the pair of you.’

We each saluted, staff in hand. ‘Yes, sir.’ But I couldn’t control the huge grin on my face. Leo was grinning as well.

‘He’s right. I’ve never seen a human that damn fast before either,’ Leo said as we went through the kitchen to the storeroom to find the whetstones. ‘I never knew Li when he was training with Mr Chen—he was gone long before I was here—but everybody knows how fast he was, he was almost inhuman. And you could take him.’