Chapter 11
'the bloodletting'
Hong Kong was a city that never let go of its warmth, not in the lower valley of thriving downtown, anyway. Even at night, with the scant stars twinkling above, the moist salty air retained its heat.
Up this high, however, towering over the rest of the glittering city, there was a refreshing cool breeze. It ruffled Eric's damp bangs, lifting them off his forehead. His black button-down shirt whispered slightly with the movement, then settled again. The sleeves had been pushed up to his elbows so that the chain could be wrapped tightly around his forearms, tying him to the crossbeam in front of him and leaving his wrists bare and vulnerable. It was impossible to sit, or move very much at all, and all he had been able to do for the past half-hour was try to lean forward on the beam to get comfortable. It was a lost cause anyway, the heavy rusted chain had been wrapped twice around his arms and pinched his flesh cruelly, padlocked and securing him to the beam.
Trussed for slaughter.
Nobody was really paying attention to him, now that he was here, and most of his attackers were some distance away, running through a few drills and chatting. Jing Kun was standing a little closer, taking a swig of his water bottle and then glancing up at the sky.
"Not long now," he said conversationally. "We have to wait until it's reached the apex."
Above their heads, the softly glowing full moon moved steadily across the sky. Eric glanced around the jumbled construction equipment and exposed steel beams. At first it had been murky, but his vision was adjusting, and the light of the moon was bright enough to illuminate most of the surroundings.
"What, no incense or candles? No ceremonial robes?"
Jing Kun chuckled.
"You've seen too many movies." He moved over to an empty cable spool, and opened a small black box resting on its surface. "It's actually pretty simple. We pick a candidate, and we mark them. Let 'em go free for a couple days – makes it taste better. Like free range chicken, or some shit that you Americans are always going nuts about. Scry to find them again, bring 'em up somewhere high with a good view of the moon…"
He reached inside the box and pulled out a sharp, wicked-looking ornamental knife. Jing Kun smiled as he watched Eric's blue eyes focus on it, and began to casually clean it with a cloth.
"We cut open your wrists, drink every shiny drop, and that keeps us going 'til next time."
The callous tone coupled with the moonlight reflecting off the blade made Eric's stomach knot up in dread.
"How many times have you done this?"
"Every twelfth full moon. I joined…" Jing Kun tapped the knife hilt thoughtfully against his chin. "about a hundred and fifty years ago."
Eric dragged his gaze from the knife to its holder's eyes.
"So, you've killed a completely innocent bystander every year for a century and a half."
Jing Kun snorted contemptuously.
"They couldn't even defend themselves. It was pitifully easy to overpower them; why shouldn't they die? It's just survival of the fittest."
Eric shrugged and looked away, muttering under his breath.
"If that helps you sleep at night."
"What was that?"
He started to say 'nothing', then remembered that he was going to die anyway.
"Some life," he said louder, scornfully. "You've been on this planet all this time, and all you've managed to do is kill people. Congratulations."
Even in the capricious moonlight he could see Jing Kun's eyes flash with annoyance.
"You shouldn't talk about things you don't understand, gwei lo. After thieves killed my parents when I was ten, all I ever wanted to be was a warrior. And after training for fifteen decades, I'm the best there is. I'm honed. I've been doing something with my life, not like the pathetic stragglers I pick up every year." He smirked deliberately at Eric's glare. "Such as yourself."
When Eric didn't respond he continued, his tone gaining in superiority.
"I knew you were perfect the moment I saw you at that tourist bar. All alone, no friends, no one to miss you when you disappeared. All you could do that night was moan about your girlfriend and your father- poor little rich boy. I did you a favor when I carved the symbol into your back with this."
He jammed the knife point down on the wooden spool, digging into the surface slightly.
"What a waste of life."
Eric seethed, but he didn't drop his eyes, meeting Jing Kun's smirk head on.
"Maybe. But it's still mine. You don't have any right to take it. And for the record, my name is Eric."
Jing Kun didn't have an answer to that, but glowered silently at his prey. Both were quiet for a moment before someone else grabbed a handful of Eric's hair and pushed his head roughly to the side.
"What are you doing, letting him stand there and talk to you?" Deng snapped grumpily. "After all the trouble he's been? I wanna torture this one." Eric glanced at the white cast on this one's wrist and eyed him warily. "He should be screaming before he gets to die."
"Can't waste any of my blood," Eric pointed out, "remember?"
Deng gave him a level stare.
"Breaking every bone below your kneecaps won't spill a drop. It'll be worth it, after everything that little bitch of yours did to us."
Eric hesitated only a second before leaning back and smashing his forehead into the other's nose. Deng howled in pain as he collapsed against the concrete, holding his good hand against a sudden gush of blood.
"Ouch," Eric muttered, leaning over to press his palm against his forehead. That had really hurt.
Deng was a little more vocal about it, writhing on the floor and trying to stem the flow.
"Aaah! He broke my fucking nose!"
The others looked their way in surprise, but Jing Kun just bit his lip to keep from laughing. Deng had a murderous rage in his eyes when he sprang to his feet, and Eric gulped.
"Get ready to hurt," the Chinese man informed the American, and took a step toward his victim. Eric braced himself, but Jing Kun caught his fist and twisted it behind him, pushing Deng none-too-gently away from Eric.
"Back off, Deng, you'll heal. Besides, it's time to start."
A fresh surge of panic swept through Eric as Jing Kun closed his hand around the hilt of the knife, and waved the others over with it. Then he turned back to Eric with an odd combination of gloating and sympathy in his eyes.
"Shall I tell her anything for you?"
Eric felt his heart wrench a little, and for the first time since his capture, almost cried. Jing Kun was raising the knife, preparing to cut.
Please, he thought miserably. Tell her that I love her.
*****
It was so close, so dark. Meilin wanted to beat her hands against the walls with frustration, but it was hopeless. She was trapped… she couldn't move. She could hardly feel her arms at all, they felt dead and heavy, useless.
Hate- hate it. Trapped… tiny space… no room. Something bad will hurt me here.
She wanted to scream as she kicked the green walls of the maze. Walls everywhere, closing in, imprisoning her and sealing her away from the others. Why did she have to be the one separated from the group?
Alone… trapped… can't move… helpless… go-going to die…
"We're going to find you, Meilin. Keep counting so we can hear you."
"One… two… three…"
The walls kept closing in. She was going to die! She was all alone and the maze would swallow her up; ensnared forever and no one would even notice.
"Four… five… six…"
I have to get out of this maze. I have to find Eric.
Eric? Meilin stared uncomprehendingly at her green prison and wondered who that was. There was something nagging at the back of her mind, telling her that this prison had no power to hold her here. She was needed somewhere else.
"Seven… eight…"
But where? The memories skittered away again, leaving her with a vague, unsettled feeling.
"Nine…"
Somewhere, just beyond her vision, a bell rang. Its soft and sweet chime penetrated the murkiness, crystallized her thoughts and brought them into sharp focus. She was not going to die, trapped in this close space. Someone had rescued her. Someone was waiting for her to rescue him.
"Eric!"
Meilin jerked awake with his name on her lips, and winced at the rush of pain in her arms. She was still on the floor, feeling stiff, and staring at the underside of the bed. She couldn't move; her arms refused to obey her. Why wouldn't they move? She was stuck here, stuck in this dark space with no room to move!
She whimpered and kicked mindlessly at the floor, then remembered Eric. She had to calm down, she couldn't waste time panicking. Who knew how long she had been out.
Making an effort to slow her breathing, she squirmed and rolled onto her side. Now she could see that her hands had been tied above her head; securely bound to the bedpost with Jing Kun's red sweatband. A little extra insurance, in case she woke up too early, something to delay her just long enough.
No. She would not let him imprison her like this, she could get free. Carelessly tossed against the wall, under the window, was Eric's backpack. Wriggling across the floor like an earthworm, she managed to come completely out from under the bed, which brought immediate relief. Her foot could just barely reach one of the straps, and unsuccessfully she tried to hook it.
The cloth strip was beginning to bite into her skin, but she willed herself to stretch out, forcing her legs to grow just a little bit longer…
There. She had it. Drawing her knees to her chest, she dragged the backpack closer, then pushed it toward her hands with her knees. This was taking an undue amount of physical exertion, and for a moment her vision blurred.
She bit her lip, trying to wake up with the sharp pain. She couldn't let herself pass out again, there wasn't any time. She might be too late already, but Meilin tried not to think about that. Finally her face was level with the backpack, and she rolled onto her knees to take the zipper in her teeth. It was the small outer pocket, if she recalled correctly, unless he'd left it somewhere else. Please, please, don't let it be somewhere else.
After a considerable struggle, she managed to unzip the pocket with her teeth. Jostling the backpack with her knees spilled out the contents, and she almost cried out with joy when Eric's familiar lighter fell with a plunk on the floor. It had fallen just close enough for her to reach, and impatiently she pressed the latch.
Once, twice, and finally she coaxed a spark. The sturdy cotton was slow to catch at first, but then it began to blacken and char, and finally small flames licked upwards. Anxiously she watched the flames creep toward her hands. If the fire reached her skin before burning through the band, she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. But the symbol of the Everlasting Dragons gave in first, and just in time she pulled her hands free of the bedpost.
Whew. She beat out the small flames and took a moment to catch her breath, very aware of how labored and unsteady it sounded. Who knew what she had been breathing in, and how long it had been since. She was in no shape to be starting a fight.
As if she had a choice. A card was lying on the bed where there had been none before, and she opened it. It was blank, with no printed greeting. Nothing at all, except an address scribbled across the bottom, signed with the kanji character for Jing Kun's name.
He would be waiting for her there. Whether Eric was still alive or not, he would be waiting, and expecting her. Fit and ready to go, while she was still having trouble standing straight.
She could just go. It was probably too late anyway, and she could just go back home. Forget about Eric and Jing Kun and the whole mess, and go back to being the ignored girl in the corner. Maybe it wasn't fun, but it was easier.
There is no one else that can save me. Only you. You're my hero.
She only took a moment to tie her running shoes more securely, and then she was out the door.
She didn't have a cent on her for a cab. It woudn't have mattered anyway, traffic was at its usual standstill. Instead she just ran, pounding down the sidewalk and weaving in and out of annoyed pedestrians. This wasn't the time to pace oneself, or worry about lasting for long distance. The moon was almost directly overhead.
Instead she sprinted for all she was worth, begging her body not to quit on her, dredging up every tiny reserve of strength and endurance that she had until she reached the commercial district.
Even if he hadn't told her the address, it would have been easy to guess, looking. Towering over the other office buildings, the half-completed skyscraper loomed over her, no shadow now that it was directly under the moon. In a city where leaning out the window had one half in the next apartment, it was about as much privacy as anybody was likely to get.
Panting hard, she got in the construction lift and pressed the highest button available. The stitch in her side hurt so badly. She hadn't extended herself like this since first training for the fourth grade marathon. And her vision kept blurring. Holding a hand over her heart, she listened to its unsteady beat with sick dismay. She'd never gone into a fight worse prepared in her life, and he was the best. Why was she doing this again?
Eric. He needs me. Maybe it's too late, but I couldn't do anything less than try. I made a promise.
The lift door slid open. She had guessed right. They were all there, standing in a group in front of Eric, who was chained up helplessly but still very much alive. Jing Kun was saying something, as he raised the knife. The blade gleamed in the moonlight. A moment passed, and Eric opened his mouth, looking as if he was about to reply to the other. They were both still, and Meilin took a deep breath.
Here we go.
Right in front of her was a short length of iron pipe. Not even stopping to think about it, she strode forward and ducked to pick it up, took careful aim, and hurled it at Jing Kun's hand. There was a clang of metal on metal, Jing Kun's startled exclamation of pain, and both knife and pipe went flying across the concrete.
Everyone whirled around to face her.
Eric couldn't believe his eyes, sure that it must be some kind of hallucination, some fantasy. She was there, breathing a little heavily but holding her chin up high, her hands planted on her hips and that long black hair blowing in the breeze. It had to be a fantasy, she couldn't be there. It was impossible.
"Oh my god!" Jing Kun wailed, shaking his hand in pain. "I don't believe it. Were you faking, you bad girl? You're early!"
Meilin shrugged nonchalantly, as everyone's eyes flew back to him.
"What's going on, Jing Kun?" Hu demanded. "How the hell did she find us?"
"You told her!" Deng shouted hysterically. "You were supposed to kill her, and instead you invited her! What in hell were you thinking?"
Jing Kun's eyes never left her face, ignoring the mutinous glares of his friends.
"Minor setback," he declared calmly. "She's not up for a real fight, can't you see? Just get the knife. I'll take care of this."
For a few seconds nobody spoke, or moved, still glaring. Jing Kun hissed slightly and snatched Peng by his collar, dragging him close.
"I said, find the goddamn knife." He pushed his underling away and brushed past the others, not deigning to make eye contact with any of them. Instead his gaze was on Meilin alone, scrutinizing her, studying her obvious weakness and growing sad because of it. They both knew she was not up for this.
"You won't be able to save him," he said quietly, but loud enough for Eric to hear. "And now I'll have to hurry. It won't be special, like I wanted it."
He shook his head, stopping just out of range of her kick.
"Why did you have to go and do it like this?"
"I'm stubborn that way."
Meilin's eyes flicked past Jing Kun for a second. She could see Peng in the shadows, in a half crouch as he reached for the knife under a wheelbarrow. The others were spreading out, but not leaving Eric unguarded. This was going to be a very interesting fight.
"I might have to kill you."
"Bring it on."
Dizzy though she was, she was prepared for his first strike and threw herself to the side, rolling across the hard concrete to keep clear of his attack. Maybe she wasn't up to any combat against someone like him, but perhaps she could get around that. All she had to do was get Eric out.
Her hands snatched a coil of chain and she righted herself on her knees, flicking it out like a whip. Just in time it knocked the knife clear from Peng's reaching fingers, and the blade skittered into the darkness. Though she would have dearly loved to, there was no time to stop for breath. Instead she turned around in time to catch Jing Kun's fist and trap it in the chain. Wrapping and twisting, she threw him over onto his back and jumped to get clear of him. It was more momentum and instinct that led her to block the next man's attack than quick thinking, and she kicked him clear of Eric.
"You have really excellent timing," Eric praised, when they were face-to-face.
"Where's the key?" she shouted frantically.
"By the box!"
Box? She half turned in time to see a small black box resting on the cable spool, but then someone was on top of her and dragging her away from Eric again. An arm snaked around her neck, trying to put her in a chokehold, and she gasped for air. In front of her, Hu smirked as he found the key and dropped it safely in his pocket.
Meilin's vision was getting fuzzy again. Angrily she stamped on his foot, then kicked straight over her shoulder to catch him in the nose. Deng hollered out loud as he crumpled to the ground, unable to see for the sheer pain reverberating in his nose. She paid no attention as she leapt for Hu, but someone intercepted her and dealt a ringing blow to her face.
"Uh-uh," Jing Kun chastised. "Just me, babe, focus on me."
She'd hardly found her balance when he kicked her solidly in the solar plexus. It was so hard and brutal that she flew a short distance, tumbling backwards when she hit the cement.
Eric cringed.
Meilin pushed herself up to her hands and knees, wheezing. Her lungs protested every time she tried to inhale, and she could see her hands trembling in her blurry vision.
"Ready to sit back and be good?" her attacker inquired.
"Never." She jumped to her feet, using her momentum to deliver a sharp strike to his throat. He just barely managed to jump clear, then sprang back with a high jump kick. The others watched the pair battle their way savagely across the floor, not much inclined now to assist. Hu eyed his leader, then turned back to the American with an ironic half-smile.
"Maybe they'll kill each other." Hu had been working with Jing Kun for a century now, but if anything did happen to him, Hu had a good chance of assuming control. "Could somebody please find the fucking knife already?"
Jing Kun heard him and snarled, snatching Meilin's punch and throwing her over his shoulder. She crashed into a stack of plywood with a squeal of pain, and he turned back to his men.
"Don't you start without me, don't even think about it!"
Peng scrambled out of the shadows and passed the all-important knife to Hu, who didn't break Jing Kun's stare for a second.
"Why should we wait? This is all your fault!"
"I will be done," came the terse reply, "in a second."
Meilin righted herself, only to have Jing Kun rotate into a reverse turning kick and smash his heel into her temple. This time she cried out in pain as the force of the blow knocked her aside. She crashed into something hard and metal, and then there was the dizzying rush of empty space beneath her as she slid off. Distantly, she heard Eric shout her name and she opened her eyes.
Just in time her hands gripped at the cable to halt her freefall. Preoccupied with the near-open rebellion among his men, Jing Kun had not been paying attention to how close they were to the edge. That last kick, made stronger by sheer irritation, had thrown Meilin clear off the floor and onto one of the protruding beams. There, if she had been more than half-conscious, she might have been able to save herself. No one had better balance than she. But so close to passing out, she had rolled right off, and now she had only the dangling cable of the safety winch to cling to.
Shocked, Jing Kun returned her stare from the lip of the floor and realized that he was now faced with a decision. Left alone, she would climb up and renew the fight. Take the time to confront her, and Hu and the rest would begin the ritual, and perhaps not leave any for him.
It was time to make a choice.
Her hands slippery from sweat, Meilin felt her grip slide a bit as she tried to climb up. Her enemy was staring at her, and shaking his head.
"It could have been different, firecracker. Didn't have to be this way. I'm sorry."
Numbly she watched him reach for the pulley above his head, watched him reach for the cable's clasp. She should scramble back up to the beam, some part of her mind was ordering, but there wasn't enough time. Not enough time to react, not enough time to save herself.
Jing Kun unhitched the clasp, and she plummeted downwards.
"NO!" Eric screamed.
With a regretful sigh, he turned away from the edge and took a deep breath. It was too bad, really, he'd so looked forward to having the perfect fight with her. But if the price was missing out on the ritual, then so be it.
"It's done. Let's get this over with." Grouchily he marched back to the others and extended his hand for the knife. As the strongest and unofficial alpha of the group, the privelege had always been his to first cut into the offering's flesh.
Hu hesitated a moment, then saw the dangerous look in Jing Kun's eyes and placed the knife in his hand.
Eric barely heard them. He was still staring past them, couldn't tear his eyes away from the beam where Meilin had lost her life. It couldn't be true – no, it couldn't have happened this way! She couldn't be dead, it couldn't end like this!
Jing Kun raised the knife to cut, then saw Eric's expression. Placing the flat of the blade against Eric's jaw, he turned the blonde to face him and spoke quietly.
"Don't worry. You'll join her soon enough."
Eric couldn't respond. He was still too numb, the horror had not really assimilated itself yet. There was the light pat of cold metal on his cheek, like some kind of bizarre affection, and then Jing Kun lowered the knife to his wrists again. Unwillingly, Eric's eyes flew back to the spot where she had died, and he almost fainted at what he saw.
Jing Kun heard his startled intake of breath, realized that the American was looking at something, and curiously turned to see. There was a sharp clatter of the knife falling to the concrete below, and then everyone turned to look.
**
In a way, when she felt the cable snap and her body drop earthwards, Meilin was almost relieved. It was over, and she had lost, and now she was going to die. There was no more worry, no more pressure of being the hero and saving Eric. It would be quick, and painless. For so many years, huddling under her blankets in the middle of the night, the dark thoughts of suicide had brushed Meilin's mind. Nobody loved her, her parents hated her, it would be so much easier to just die.
But never had she given in to such thoughts. She was too stubborn a fighter to give up, even when it seemed her life would be a neverending hell of abuse. Now that death was coming so swiftly, rushing up to meet her, she was glad she'd held out for as long as she had. It had all been worth it, for these past few days with Eric. She felt almost honored that she had died trying to save him.
I did it because I love him.
That was the last thought she had before closing her eyes and preparing for the inevitable. And then there was a faraway-sounding shout of alarm, and someone crying her name. A familiar voice shouted an English word, and Meilin felt a rush of energy shoot through her blood. It was like no other sensation she'd ever felt before, but it swept away all traces of dizzines and fatigue, erasing the aches of her disastrous fight as effectively as a week of rest.
Her eyes snapped open and she decided that she was not quite ready to die yet, not when she still had a chance of surviving. It did not really occur to her to wonder why she still had a chance of survival. Instead she angled her body to glide laterally across the ground that had nearly killed her, and reached for the stars to begin the climb. Up, up until she perched on the beam from which she had fallen.
Her hair and the white wings on her back ruffled slightly with the breeze.
I flew.
It seemed so impossible, so miraculous, that it was difficult to think anything more than that, even though she knew it had happened because she still had a job to do, still someone to save. For now, all she could do was reach out and stroke the silky softness of the feathers, to feel their precious texture. One loose feather came off at her delicate touch, and she fondled it between her fingertips as if it were a sacred jewel.
The wings glowed a faint blue, then disappeared. They had served their purpose. Now it was her turn. Looking up, she saw that everyone else was still staring at her, every bit as stunned as she was.
Eric thought she must be an angel. She had died, and come back to save him as a beautiful winged angel. Or she had been an angel all along and kept it a secret from him, as his chosen divine protector. At that moment, someone could have told him that she was God incarnate on this earth and he would have believed it. But all that mattered was that she was here, and that she was not gone forever after all. She was not going to let him die.
Jing Kun was, for the first time in over a hundred years, shocked into immobility. He'd known from the very start that Meilin was special, that she was exciting and had the potential to save him from his boredom. But he'd never suspected anything like this. She had overcome even death, sprouting wings and returning to finish this. He wondered if she had been sent to punish him for all the murders he'd committed in his life, if she was the agent of some vengeful god above. In his heart, he almost welcomed it.
Silently he watched her cross the floor with long and confident strides, then reach back and strike him across the face so hard that he hit the ground.
"Let's do it again," she said clearly and coldly, brazenly turning her back on the others to face just Jing Kun. The blow hurt, but it also cleared his head of any superstitious and fatalistic thoughts. She was no spirit; the sharp crack of her hand on his face was real, and tangible as any person. She could hit, and she could be hit.
He coughed and pushed himself up to a standing position, fists raised. Somehow, the knowledge that their leader still intended to fight galvanized the others into action as well, shaking them out of their stupor. Ling gathered himself with a war cry and leapt for Meilin, preparing to knock her down with a high jump side kick. She turned her head and watched him soar through the air towards her, but did not flinch or even move to defend herself. Very calmly, she watched as a great golden beast slammed into him and tackled him to the ground. Dazed, Ling opened his eyes to find himself staring into the blazing eyes of a lion. The lion growled, displaying sharp teeth. And Ling screamed.
That, it seemed to Eric, was the cue for absolute chaos to erupt on the quiet construction site. The lion looked up from his prey and snarled, then crouched and leapt for the others, his wings – his wings? – folded flat against his back as he bounded past Eric. Terrified, they all scattered, screaming bloody murder as they tried to escape his pounces. Peng was closest to the lift and sprinted for it, forgetting in his panic that to leave Eric was certain death. But he skidded to a stop when he found himself facing a young Japanese woman, eyeing him coolly and pointing a crossbow at his chest.
"Back," she ordered in accented Cantonese. "Or I shoot."
"There's a monster!"
"I know. And he has not played much video games this week, so he very much wants to see blood tonight."
Imperfect though her Chinese was, the meaning of her words was crystal clear, and Peng raised his hands in surrender.
"Sakura! This is so much fun!" Kero shouted in delight, roaring and pouncing on another. "It's about time we saw some action in this city!"
"Watch out, Kero-chan," she warned. One of them had found an axe in its safety case and lunged at Kero, swinging. Kero just barked with laughter and exhaled, dousing Deng in flames. Deng screamed and tried to roll across the ground, beating out the fire as Kero loped to his next victim.
Jing Kun was vaguely aware that some new faces had invited themselves to the party, and that from the sound of it, the Dragons weren't doing so well. But there wasn't anything he could do about it, not right now. Meilin launched into another side kick, making it a double to get both his groin and solar plexus. He grunted and stumbled back, just managing to avoid the brunt of the attack.
"You think you can make your plans to use me, try to predict me and control my actions? You think I'll submit and take direction from someone like you?"
She spun on one foot and planted a back kick on his chest, pushing him right back as he gasped for breath.
"You've been immortal too long, Jing Kun, you got arrogant. I've never fit into anyone's plans. And nobody tells me what to do, not anymore."
Just in time he dropped and rolled under her kick, keeping out of range. His hand fell on something and he sprang to his feet, swiping at her head with the heavy iron pipe. She ducked and grabbed her own, straightening just in time to block his blow. The metal clang carried across the floor to Hu, forgotten and crouching not too far from Eric. The girl with the glowing blue arrows and the flying lion had cornered the others against the opposite edge, but their hands were full. For the moment, he was free, and the sacrificial knife was still lying where Jing Kun had dropped it.
Eagerly he scrambled for it and stood to face Eric.
"Looks like I get you all to myself," he sneered, and jammed his foot down on Eric's to prevent him from kicking. No need to bother with the slow-bleed wrist cuts, not when he was in a hurry. All he had to do was cut the neck and drink as much gushing blood as he could before making his getaway. He raised the knife, then froze at the feel of cold metal bracing itself under his jaw.
"Drop the knife."
Someone else had come to the American's rescue. Where were they all coming from?
"Who are you people?"
Li twisted the sword just slightly, to rub the sharp edge into the other's flesh.
"You chose the wrong girl to pick a fight with," he answered grimly. "Now drop the knife."
Hardly daring to breathe, Eric watched Hu pull his hands away and into a position of surrender, then let go of the knife.
"Key," Li prompted. "Where is it?"
"I've got it," Hu replied cautiously. "Let me just -" He dropped his left hand to his pocket, and Li put more pressure on the sword.
"Slowly," he reminded the other, and Hu nodded. Very, very slowly, he began to turn around to face Li, searching for the key in his left pocket. He was almost there when his right arm touched Li's sword and shoved it aside, aiming for Li's eye with the key in his left hand.
Li reacted instantly, bringing up his right arm to block the stab. So close, the sword was limited in its effectiveness, but that was just the sharp end. Twirling it expertly in his left hand, he jerked upwards and popped Hu in the chin with its heavy gilded hilt. His eyes rolled back in his head, and just for good measure, Li dropped to the ground and swept him off his feet. The key ring went flying up in the air and, still acting on the adrenaline of the fight, Li stabbed at it.
It all happened so fast that Eric never had a chance to flinch, but there was the key, dangling on the tip of the sword, just an inch or two away from his nose.
For a long moment, the two stared at each other, Li breathing heavily while Eric tried to remember how. Those brown eyes were still bristling with hostility, and Eric wondered for a moment if he was inclined to finish the job. Then, reluctantly, Li straightened and sheathed his sword, holding up the key.
"Um, thanks?" Eric tried diffidently. The brunette scowled and opened his mouth to say something when they both heard a female gasp of pain, carrying easily across the floor.
Meilin, they both thought, and Li shot one last withering look in the Eric's direction before dropping the key into one of his hands. And then he was off, racing toward the pair dueling by the edge.
"Thanks," Eric said again, a little wryly. He had the stupid key, but it was going to be next to impossible to unlock himself. The padlock swung below the beam by his waist, mocking him with its closeness. At his feet, Hu groaned slightly and Eric kicked him in the head. The girl and her lion friend were fairly busy on the far side of the floor; he was on his own for this. Grunting and squirming, he twisted his arms to reach.
On the far end of the floor, a forest of vertical steel beams rose up from the cement, precursors to the office walls that were to be constructed. Equipment was littered everywhere, hard to see in the thicker darkness. Meilin and Jing Kun could not be bothered to care, too swept up in the fight. One pipe collided against the other in the repetitive staccato of combat.
Slash, block, slash, block. Swipe, downward strike, block, block, block. Clang. Clang. Jing Kun managed to trap her weapon against a crossbeam for a moment, and struck her on the side of the head. It was so hard that she banged into the beam next to her, but she didn't pause for a second before sliding down and away and swiveling around the beam to catch him in the back of his head with her heel. He grunted and stumbled forward, and she planted a side kick in the small of his back.
"This is everything you wanted, Jing Kun," she gasped. "Alone, private, the two of us at our best. So why aren't you smiling anymore? Not happy with the way things are going?"
"You don't stand a chance of winning," he snapped. "You've got fifteen years training against my one hundred and fifty. I beat you once tonight, I'll do it again."
"You won't." Warily they circled one another in the darkness. It was becoming so much more difficult to see him, and Meilin smiled grimly to herself. "I won't let you. You had the advantage before, you had your friends and I was dizzy. But now they can't help you, and I feel fine. And I can take you."
He replied with a battle yell, skipping forward into a high kick, faking to her head before catching her in the ribs. She gritted her teeth, but managed a parting shot of her own before darting back. Unfortunately, in the gloom she couldn't quite see well enough and tripped over a sack of cement. She fell so hard that she couldn't quite help the loud gasp of pain, and her weapon flew out of her hand. Jing Kun lunged to strike, but she was quick enough to pull her legs up and brace her feet against his chest. Grunting with the effort, she pushed upward and sent him crashing into the bricks behind her.
Li heard the crash, though he couldn't quite see what had happened, and hurried through the obstacle course of construction gear. Then there was another sound, a dull thud like something heavy being thrown against a beam.
Meilin hit the ground and rolled, nearly catching another missile as Jing Kun hurled bricks. He must have been getting a little desperate, and the thought bouyed her.
"Where are you?" he snarled. "Get back here and fight, you little bitch!"
Li heard him and almost cried out her name, then clapped a hand over his mouth. Calling out to her would only distract Meilin, and could get her hurt. Anxiously he scanned the area, but could see no sign of her anywhere. The one she had been fighting was some ways ahead of him, but had not spotted Li in his fixation on Meilin. Warily Li drew his sword out of the back scabbard. It was a safe bet the other man wouldn't see him in time. He could run fast, and impale him before he had a chance to react.
Eric was beginning to get a little light-headed, upside down like this, but he was almost there. At last he'd hit upon the idea of balancing on his stomach over the beam and pushing the padlock toward his hands with his knees. It was impossible to see anything now and he was getting dizzy, but finally the key found its slot and slid in.
Yes! There was a satisfying click as he turned it, and the padlock popped open. He clawed the tangled chains apart, feeling them loosen around his arms, and in his eagerness, forgot his precarious position. With the final tug, he lost his balance and tumbled to the floor in a heap. Fortunately, Hu broke some of his fall, but it still smarted a little. Cautiously he stood and tried to rub some of the feeling back into his arms. On the far side of the building, a girl yelled.
Meilin! Eric took off at a run.
Neither of them saw it coming, and Li jumped with surprise when Meilin swung down from the rafters above with a feral battle cry. He'd never heard her make noise when sparring before. But Meilin couldn't help herself. Swinging through the air had a more exhilirating feel than ever now, and before her feet even connected to the back of Jing Kun's head she knew that she was going to win, knew that she was going to triumph.
And so she kicked him clear across the floor, releasing her hold to somersault and land easily on her feet. Casually she flipped her long black hair over her shoulder before striding up to her shaken opponent. He'd barely looked up before she kicked him solidly in the chin, knocking him back again.
Li heard the crack and hurried forward, promptly tripping over a coil of cable and hitting the ground with a grunt.
"Forget all the training," Meilin said loudly. "Forget your experience. I'll win because I have one thing you don't – something worth fighting for."
Eric scrambled over a pile of bricks and rushed toward the sound of her voice. What was going on? He could hear her talking but he couldn't see a thing.
It was almost time. She kneed him in the solar plexus, making him gasp for air, then grabbed him by his hair and rammed his face into the nearest beam. And when he was thoroughly stunned, she pinned his arm behind his back and pressed him against a horizontal crossbeam. They were facing west now, and she wanted to be sure he had a good view.
"Have to drink the blood by moonset, huh?" It had been getting more difficult to see because the full moon was almost completely out of sight behind the mountains. With his fanatical devotion to the fight, he'd lost track of the time – but she hadn't. Helplessly he watched the last silver edge gleam over the ridge. Meilin jerked his head back to whisper in his ear.
"Time to say goodnight."
The moonlight disappeared completely, and Jing Kun shook slightly in her arms. She felt a twinge of worry, but before she could let go and step back, the ancient and proud warrior burst into ash. Lying unconscious on the concrete, Hu did the same. And before Sakura and Kero's astonished eyes, all four of their restless captives exploded. Like tiny blizzards the fine gray dust sifted to the floor, before the cool breeze scattered them.
Meilin shuddered, then promptly coughed as she almost inhaled part of Jing Kun's body. Hastily she backed away from the spot and started brushing the ash off her clothing.
I did it. I- I won! I held my own against a man with every advantage of magic and power, and I beat him.
At that moment, Meilin felt something more than pride. It went deeper than that, more humbling, somehow. No matter what, for the rest of her life, she would always have this. She would never consider herself stupid or worthless again. She was a champion.
Li and Eric watched her smile in a secretive way, then look up and gaze at the stars. Both hung back, afraid to say anything or approach her. She seemed busy with her own thoughts, for the moment, not inclined to company. But then she turned her head and saw them, and there was such relief and happiness in her eyes that Li almost melted. He'd been scared stiff there, for a little while he'd been sure she was done for, but she was all right. She'd won, and she was safe. He sheathed his sword again and held out his arms as she came running –
Running right into Eric's waiting arms. He laughed as he picked her up and whirled her around, and she shrieked joyfully.
"You did it! I knew you could do it, I told you! You are the best!"
This time she didn't bother to deny it, but giggled uncontrollably. And then she was sliding back down to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself close. For the first time, she sought his lips, and Eric thrilled at the soft touch. Forgetting their surroundings, overjoyed to be alive and her alive too, he let her capture his mouth. And they kissed.
And kissed.
And kissed.
Finally a slight tug on his sleeve tore Li's aghast stare from the passionate couple, and he turned to see Sakura smiling sympathetically.
"Will I suffice?" she asked quietly, and opened up her arms. She was trying so hard, and he could not deny her. Li relented and hugged her, happy that his cousin was safe, relieved that it was over, even if he wasn't entirely sure what 'it' had been in the first place. It was Sakura that had figured everything out and dragged him here, just in time, apparently. She'd done everything. He was so lucky to have her in his life, and he squeezed her again gratefully.
When Kero coughed impatiently, both couples pulled apart. Meilin looked not at Li, but at Sakura, almost tearing up again in gratitude.
"I didn't know you could use the Fly Card on other people."
Sakura gave a tiny shrug.
"Neither did I, until twenty minutes ago. But I'm so glad you're safe, Meilin."
"So am I. Arigatou," she added. "Arigatou gozaimas."
Eric felt her clutch at him a little more tightly, and wondered what language they were speaking in. It didn't sound like Chinese, though it was hard to tell. The other man was silent still, and Eric had the prickly feeling that he was staring at him. He kept his gaze riveted on Meilin, just to be safe.
"Meilin? How about it? Are you ready to come home?"
Meilin shivered at Sakura's gentle invitation, risking a glance at Li's face. He was glaring at Eric, but flicked a glance in her direction at the question. Even in the near darkness, it was easy for her to read his expression, and those eyes were full of troubled hurt. Even after everything that had happened tonight, there were still some things to resolve.
But she wasn't tempted to run away again, not tonight. She had won, and she had proved herself to everyone. At last, at long last, she was ready to face him.
"Hai. I'm ready to come home with you."
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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters