Hi: It'll be getting hotter


Chapter 19 Sisters

Two young women

Bai's home sat on a small hill overlooking Zhenghe. Though in a distance, the route from town followed a one-lane path to her door. The scenic trip could be quite enjoyable for a foreign visitor to this remote mountainous region.

"Hills, hills," This foreign visitor grew annoyed at the panoramic view. "All I see in this damn Fuji whatever country is rolling hills." Exhaling to show her discomfort, "and it smells like some Manhattan tea store."

The non-English speaking driver continued to look straight ahead. His smirk widened as the white house grew larger. After all, this could be the home of Mistress Bai Suzhen, local proprietor and possessor of an American lover.

Pondering further concerning the aftermath of Bai meeting his volatile passenger the middle-aged cabbie sighed, glad that he would not be near during the unavoidable explosion.

"My precious, your friend from America has arrived." Bai's casual tone did little to settle the anxious Angelo. She peeked through the beige drape with a smile on her face. Dressed in a modest light blue top, her blue jeans held a shade deeper in color than the blouse. That black as night hair touching her hips hung in a tight braid resting over her left shoulder.

Angelo rushed to the door. His awkward movement added a deeper grin onto Bai's expression.

Bai bit her lower lip hoping to stifle girlish giggles brewing to burst forward. His attempts to walk more than a few steps without wringing his hands or stopping to steal a glance at her, humored the confident woman.

My sweet angel, he is so lost without my guidance. She thought.

Waiting for the knock on the white portal, the hesitant man hoped it would never come.

Banging the doorknocker, Janet squinted at the design.

"What is that? Some kind of snake or two snakes?" The words forced under her breath.

Bai decided to add the figure of a pair of intertwined serpents to the original device. A snap of her fingers and it was done.

The door opened and Janet's arms wrapped around Angelo. Her black handbag sporting the gold colored crest swung from her elbow onto the uncomfortable man's back.

Angelo became rigid after the jolt.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, baby. Did I give you a bruise?" She reached around and pulled his dark blue t-shirt up. "Let me see if you have a big M and K on your back." Janet's chuckles continued till her eyes glanced at Bai.

Standing silent she presented a cordial smile for the visitor.

Janet placed a kiss on his cheek. "Oh, how I missed you. You are so unlike any man I ever knew."

"You are so lucky my dear." Bai stated. "Welcome to our home." Bai invited her new guest inside, as Angelo could not speak.

"Yes, I am lucky. And who are you?" Turning tensed eyebrows toward a terrified looking Angelo. "Our home?"

"So lucky to know so many men. In so many different ways." Bai's eyes glistened and the emerging grin underlined her words.

"What do you mean? So many men?" Janet released the hold on Angelo to stiffen her neck sending blond shoulder length hair whipping into the air. "Who the hell is she? Angelo, fire her." Janet's slender nose became taut. "Hire someone else."

Sweat poured from his hairline. Lying in a Philippine jungle turning the green flora red with his blood did not instill the horror he faced before him.

"What is wrong with you, Angelo?" Janet threw her purse on the off-white couch. Delicate polished fingers grabbed him by his muscled shoulders, "snap out of it. You look like your gonna faint." Her tensed eyes sent a glance to the silent woman still wearing a smirk. "You bitch! You're fired. A maid having sex with her boss is nothing new." Janet sneered as she spoke. "Just because a boss screws you doesn't mean your special."

"Are you speaking from experience? Asked Bai.

A snort from Janet's strained nostrils expressed her revulsion at Bai's question. "You, Chinese bitch."

A calm expression met Janet's words. Bai remained mute.

"What kinda magic you have…" She became too flustered to speak.

Hearing the word magic had Bai gritting her teeth.

Janet regained her composure, "in that Chinese pussy of yours…" The young blond rambled on about how Angelo belonged to her. Though the irate woman's venomous descriptions of this Immortal could be offensive at any other time and incur the wrath of the White Snake, Bai controlled the bile of rage floating up her throat.

Stupid American, a good thing you think it is my body that enslaves him. And not my magic. Bai's thought surged with anger.

Should a human discover the true identity of an Immortal, death would be their reward.

"Angelo, tell this whore of a bitch to get out." Several other derogatory descriptions of Angelo's maid filled the house for several minutes.

Angelo collected himself and after a few deep breaths, he decided to act as a one- time member of Special Forces that possessed a Silver Star.

"Janet!"

The young woman froze at his strong declaration.

"Bai is not my housekeeper." Through a sweat soaked face, he continued. "She is my," hesitating at the exact words to use. "We live together, I love her," he turned toward the confident looking woman.

"Love her?" Janet's pale skin took on a deep shade of red. "This slanty eyed," needing a moment to control her ire. "Old bag, Angelo she must have ten years on you," sending her red polished nails gliding through the air. "These Asian whores look young even when they're old and dried up."

"Oh, my dear," Bai's tone remained tranquil. "When my little angel touches me," she took a breath. "Nothing on my body is dry."

A sinister smile stole Bai's expression; her words caused the irate Janet to raise her hands as if wanting to squash the figure a few feet from her.

Angelo stepped in front of the huffing and puffing woman.

"I think it's time for you to tell your friend it is time to leave." Bai's patience reached its limit.

"Really?" Putting both hands on her hips, Janet struck a pose in front of Angelo. Tilting her head to the side, she battered her long lashes. "Tell me to leave, hah Angelo." Her smirk grew as she expected him to falter at such a request.

"Please leave." His head drooped as the words snuck from his mouth.

"What did this bitch use a love potion on you?" A rush of air form a flexed

nostril showed Janet's revulsion with the condition of the man she hoped would be her future.

"One night with me and your slanted pussy will be forgotten." Said as she stared at Bai.

The Immortal's expression turned solemn. Her face tensed as the fury over Janet's remark caused a whirlpool of emotion thundering through her mind.

She knows. This stupid American slut knows. Bai's mind tore at the thought.

Bai's eyes split down the middle. She turned to walk to the downstairs bedroom. She needed to control her wrath. Entering the master bedroom, she looked into the mirror.

We will see whose pussy will be forgotten.

Bai moved to the door and placed the brass key in the keyhole. She knew Angelo could not see her in such a state. Looking back into the mirror, she saw the reflection of their bed. As she tried to envision their love making, another vision became cast in the mirror.

"Love potion, spell?" Mumbled Bai, as the image of a gigantic white snake ripping a frail blond woman to shreds took control of the mirror's reflection. "She has figured out too much for her own good." Closing her eyes, the woman filled with wrath could not shake the horrific panorama of human body parts rend to obliteration.

As her hair grew, whipping the air to her rear, black eyes rolled.

"This barbarian bitch is truly evil, for only the humans that live the life of demons could possibly know." Spread fingers were lifted to the face of the mirror, as white scales erupted on her skin. "I must free him from this evil wrench."

A shake of her head sent the involuntary transformation back to her soul.

"Tonight, tonight." She whispered as the vision of the giant white snake slithered away from the mutilated human body and back into the abyss of the looking glass.

Janet's continued tirade crept through the bedroom door. The boisterous exit of the irate blond did little to sooth the enraged Immortal.

"Tonight, yes tonight." A sneer took hold of her face. "This evil demon from the West," Bai controlled her rapid breaths. "Tonight."

In a distance, the small café took on a milder form of conversation. Though the contents terrified the listener.


"I have come on a mission from the most senior and wise Mhta-Thera." Fahai's sentence caused the dryness in Li Tao's throat to engulf the stiffened teacher's mouth.

"Here, take some water." Fahai waved to the young waiter. The round face of the young man smiled and advanced to the table.

"It is not water I need." Taking the small plastic bottle, Li Tao opened it and swallowed half of its contents. After a breath of relief, he continued. "I need to know why you are here? Why me? What could be of interest in this town to a," his uninterrupted questioning halted, as he bent over the white metal tabletop and whispered in a strained tone. "A Yin Xing Fo wu qi?" The teacher's hairline erupted in a down pouring of perspiration. A religious man, that realization at the identity of the person to his front filled him with awe and fear.

"In the tapestry of life," Fahai licked his lips. Hearing himself speak in such a manner stirred an uneasy feeling inside him.

What am I saying? I sound as if I am cross-legged floating in the air passing down knowledge. He took a sip of tea from the small round cup.

Knowledge I do not possess.

"Yes, holy one?" Li Tao hung on his words.

"Our life is woven and cannot be rerouted. Those chosen must act accordingly." Fahai stared at his new disciple.

"I believe in this also. The Great Buddha knows of our life and our choices." Li Tao spoke with a growing confidence. "He eats our sorrows to keep our stay on earth less hurtful than it is." He bowed before lifting his head with a smile. "That is why his belly is so big."

Both men laughed, unnoticed by the transient clientele of the small storefront café.

"Yes, a good description, my new friend." Fahai looked out the window as columns of returning workers marched from the tea-fields and into different shops. Payday in Zhenghe is in cash. The men would assemble for a respite from their arduous life and forestall the responsibilities waiting for them at their homes. This tea and coffee shop and the bar a few blocks down gave them a moment of peace. They knew the dinner waiting for them is just a prelude to work in their own field or a laborious night job.

"Li Tao…" Fahai hesitated. "Do you know of anything unexplained?" The monk inhaled through his nostrils, releasing words with his breath that brought the teacher's vision downward.

"Anything unusual connected with," he paused.

"Two young women?"

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