Blue Dragon

an enormous ball of chi and shot it straight at Wong’s head.
    He held one hand up, smiled, and absorbed it completely.
    I changed back and sagged to my knees. I’d nearly killed myself. I was almost completely drained. I cursed myself for an idiot.
    ‘You okay, Emma?’ John said quietly.
    ‘I’ll live.’ I pulled myself back to my feet.
    Simone sobbed quietly. ‘Don’t die, Daddy.’
    ‘Do it, Emma,’ John said. ‘Give him the blade. I can’t hold the shape for much longer. Quickly. Do it. I’m gone anyway. Give him what he wants. Don’t worry, Simone, I’ll be back.’
    I moved back to John.
    ‘Don’t try to feed me,’ he said. ‘It would be a waste of time; I wouldn’t have enough to take him down anyway. Just let him have my head.’
    I crouched next to him. ‘I love you,’ I whispered.
    ‘I will return for you, Emma. I promise,’ he said, without looking up. ‘I would prefer you and Simone don’t see this. Take her and go.’
    I picked up the sword and took a deep breath. ‘Pass Simone to me and I give you my word. You can have the sword. I won’t stop you. Let us go, and you can have his head.’
    Wong let Simone go and she ran to me. I pulled her behind me.
    John lowered his head and closed his eyes, his face serene. ‘Do it.’
    I moved carefully to Wong and gave him the blade, preparing for him to attack.
    ‘No, Emma,’ Simone said softly.
    Wong took the sword and smiled viciously at me. He didn’t move to attack me, so I backed away until Simone was behind me. I held her there and backed towards the door.
    ‘Yes,’ Wong said. He turned the blade over in his hands, admiring it, then grinned at John. He moved beside John, and John stiffened but remained on his knees. Wong readied the blade. ‘About fucking time,’ he said through the grin.
    ‘I love you,’ I said, choking out the words.
    ‘Words aren’t necessary,’ John said without looking up. ‘Go. Hurry.’
    I grabbed Simone’s hand, spun and raced for the door. I heard the clean whisper of slicing steel behind me. Simone and I fell through the door into the darkness.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
    ‘ S he moved,’ a voice said.
    I tried to pull myself upright but was completely incapacitated. Again. I had to stop doing this to myself. I tried to open my eyes, and managed it. Okay; not completely incapacitated. I felt for John’s or Simone’s hand holding mine, but they didn’t seem to be there. First time for everything.
    ‘Quickly, restrain her. We haven’t finished.’
    Strong hands moved to bind my wrists and ankles. Hold on; that was wrong. What the hell was happening? I tried to struggle but the bonds were tight. I stopped struggling and attempted to focus.
    There was an enormous gleaming silver face right in front of mine. I felt a shock of panic and tried to escape. I couldn’t. I was about to struggle, then I saw it properly. It wasn’t a face at all. It was a huge hospital examination light, like the ones used in operating theatres.
    I looked around. Dark shapes…I couldn’t quite make them out. Green. Lights. Okay. I took a few deep breaths. Concentrate. Hospital. I tried to remember what had happened.
    Oh my God—John. I must have cried out becausesuddenly there was a grinning face jammed right in mine.
    ‘Hello, sweetie,’ Simon Wong said. He turned to my left. ‘Are we nearly finished?’
    I turned to see who he was talking to. It was a small humanoid demon in True Form, checking an IV bag. Kitty Kwok was behind it, looking smug.
    ‘Still a while to go,’ Kitty said. ‘We should knock her out again.’
    ‘Let me watch her first,’ Wong said. He moved his face very close to mine and nuzzled into my cheek. ‘Mm. Sweet.’ He bit me on the cheek, and I clenched my teeth to stop the sound from coming out. He dug his teeth in harder. I used the energy meridians to block the pain. There, eat that, demon. I couldn’t feel anything.
    ‘She’s used energy to block the pain, my Lord,’ the smaller demon said.
    ‘Damn,’ Wong said softly into my face. He licked the blood off my cheek, then pulled away.
    I moved my awareness back into my face and checked the damage from the inside. He’d torn a gash in my face. I quickly healed it using chi, but something didn’t feel right. There was a blockage. The chi wasn’t moving the way it should.
    ‘She shouldn’t be able to still do that,’ Wong said. ‘How much more?’
    ‘Still a while to go, I said, Simon,’ Kitty said impatiently.