Blue Dragon

honour did not have their heads taken completely off.
    The head fell forward and, to my surprise, blood gushed from his neck. He really was a very senior demon.
    The body collapsed forward and there was a concerted sigh from the gathered demons. The body didn’t dissolve.
    ‘Give me something to clean the blade,’ I said, then saw it. ‘No need.’
    ‘The Destroyer absorbs the blood of its victims,’ the King said. ‘It really is a very bloodthirsty blade indeed.’
    I put the sword away, turned and held it out to the King.
    ‘I tell you what, Emma,’ the King said with a small smile, ‘how about you keep it? A gift from me.’ He gestured with one hand. ‘The blade is yours. Use it well.’
    ‘Use it on him!’ Wong hissed.
    ‘One day I will use it on you,’ I said. I moved to stand near them.
    The King eyed the body with amusement. ‘Well, what do you know—he did have guts.’ He waved one hand. ‘Clean up.’
    The horse-headed demon nodded and disappeared, taking the disembowelled body with it.
    ‘What are you going to do with me now?’ I said.
    ‘I’m giving you to Simon.’
    ‘The hell you are!’ I shouted. ‘I vowed to stay with you ! You can’t do this to me!’
    ‘Do you want her, Simon?’ the King said mildly.
    ‘Hell, yeah,’ Wong said.
    ‘What if I made you vow not to harm her?’
    ‘I promise I won’t harm her,’ Wong said, eyeing me hungrily.
    ‘His word’s no good, you know that, King,’ I said desperately. ‘ You can’t do this to me !’
    ‘I want a blood oath, Simon.’
    Wong stiffened and his eyes widened.
    ‘Shit,’ I said quietly.
    ‘Will you swear not to harm her? In your own blood?’ He smiled at me. ‘If he breaks the oath he’ll be destroyed. Rather good, eh?’
    ‘I vowed to stay with you .’
    ‘Emma, dear, there is method to my madness. Just stay quiet and watch, please,’ the King said kindly.
    I couldn’t believe this. ‘Shit!’
    ‘What good is she if I can’t hurt her?’ Wong said petulantly. ‘I can’t even use her in the lab if I can’t hurt her.’
    ‘No suffering, physical or mental. You may have her, but she must remain unharmed and well cared for. I won’t expect her to be happy, being where she is, but I will expect her to come out at the end unscathed. Physically sound and mentally intact.’
    Wong glanced sideways at me, thinking.
    ‘No, you can’t even do that to her,’ the King said. ‘She is to stay exactly as she is.’
    ‘Why the hell are you doing this?’ I whispered. ‘What’s in it for you?’
    ‘Wait and see,’ the King said. ‘Well, Simon?’
    ‘Better than nothing, I suppose,’ Wong said. ‘Okay. I’ll take her. No idea what I’ll do with her though.’
    Raw fury filled me. I was not going with this bastard. ‘ You can’t do this to me !’ The Snake came out. The sword hit the dais with a clatter.
    Wong leaped back but the King didn’t move. I pulled myself up and hesitated, working out which one I should strike first.
    ‘Wonderful!’ the King said with genuine delight. ‘I was hoping I’d see this!’ He clapped his hands. ‘Perfect!’
    I struck at him. He was faster than me. He grabbed me around the throat, threw my head to the floor andheld it down with his foot. I struggled; my black coils writhed around us. He had me in a death grip. The pressure was killing me.
    I changed back and he raised his foot from the back of my neck.
    ‘Hop up, Emma. I don’t think I’ve hurt you. Thanks for that. I was really hoping I’d see the Serpent. Stunning.’
    I picked myself up and brushed myself off. Fortunately I’d missed the puddle of blood in front of the throne.
    The King looked me in the eyes with a smile. ‘You’d make the most tremendous Mother, you know that? The offspring you’d produce would be really exceptional.’
    ‘I’d almost prefer that to going with this bastard,’ I growled. I retrieved the Murasame from the floor and looked at it, then changed my mind. I turned and sat on the throne. I rested the blade across my knees.
    ‘Don’t worry, Emma, you’ll be fine. He won’t hurt you,’ the King said. ‘Just remember: I have ensured that you will not be harmed. I know what I am doing. Remember . My vow still holds: as long as you stay with him, Simone Chen will be perfectly safe.’
    He turned to Wong. ‘I won’t use Emma’s blade to draw the blood; just the touch of it would probably destroy you outright.’ He concentrated and a stiletto appeared in his