Blue Dragon

and I want to do some training,’ John said. ‘Put Emma and Simone through their paces. Carrying, ordering, flying, things like that. Michael can do it too.’
    Michael glanced at John sharply. John ignored him.
    ‘Don’t know how much the boy is capable of, Ah Wu,’ the Tiger said. ‘He has some talent, but I’ve yet to see him do anything very interesting.’
    John still didn’t look at Michael. Michael was hard pressed to control his face. Rhonda didn’t miss it, but her own expression didn’t shift.
    ‘Are you staying here?’ I said.
    The Tiger and Rhonda both nodded. ‘Got a two-bedroom suite on the other end of the resort,’ the Tiger said. He leaned forward over his knees to speak intensely to John. ‘The Dragon claims to have put in blood seals, Ah Wu.’
    ‘Michael, leave us,’ John said. ‘I wish to speak to your father privately about this.’
    ‘I will retire,’ Ms Kwan said, and returned to her room without another word.
    Michael rose as well. ‘You want me to go back to our room? Mom? Dad?’
    ‘Anywhere in the resort is okay, except the bar,’ the Tiger said without turning away from John.
    ‘There’s a games room and business centre downstairs with broadband,’ I said. ‘The pool is very good as well.’
    Michael shook his hands in front of his face. ‘By your leave.’
    I had a sudden inspiration. ‘Leo!’ I yelled.
    Leo’s door opened. ‘My Lady?’
    ‘Show Michael around? Maybe take him downstairs and do some hand-to-hand? He could probably use the practice. You up to it?’
    ‘Just wait, I’ll put a shirt on,’ Leo said.
    ‘Good idea, Emma,’ John said.
    After Leo and Michael had gone out, John and the Tiger went grim. ‘Emma and Rhonda, could you leave us?’ John said.
    Neither Rhonda nor I moved.
    ‘Waste of time, Ah Wu,’ the Tiger said.
    ‘I want to know,’ I said.
    ‘Me too,’ Rhonda said.
    ‘I always knew he was a complete bastard, but this is way past the boundary of acceptable,’ the Tiger said. ‘It’s one thing to encourage Celestials to stay here, but blood seals… ’
    ‘Have you asked him about the source of the blood?’ I said.
    ‘He claims he bought it,’ John said. ‘He claims not to have harmed a single human.’
    ‘Oh, and sticking big needles in them isn’t harming them?’ the Tiger growled. ‘He’s taking advantage of you, Ah Wu. Don’t let him get away with it.’
    ‘He will keep,’ John said.
    ‘But he’s given us an awful lot of help this trip, John, you have to admit,’ I said.
    ‘Is there some rule about harming humans?’ Rhonda said.
    ‘More a matter of honour than a rule,’ John said. ‘Humans are weak. It is simply not honourable to harm them, particularly when they are defenceless. Andbesides, the Earthly is their plane. We are Celestials. This is their world, not ours.’
    ‘You talk as if neither of us is human,’ I said softly. ‘I’m not sure how I feel about that.’
    ‘Both of you are already more than human,’ the Tiger said. ‘Both of you are much, much more. I know for sure that Rhonda is well and truly Worthy.’
    Rhonda blushed furiously.
    ‘How’s Louise?’ I said, and instantly regretted it.
    The Tiger and Rhonda both stiffened. The Tiger scowled. ‘She had a girl, number two hundred and forty. Both mother and child are doing well. She says to say hello, and to come and see her soon.’
    ‘Maybe when my life has returned to something slightly less interesting,’ I said, and smiled at Rhonda.
    She smiled back. ‘Never going to happen,’ she said. ‘You will be cursed with an interesting life, I think.’
    ‘So what will you do, Ah Wu?’ the Tiger said, changing the subject.
    ‘Take this under advisement,’ John said. ‘In the past it was unthinkable; blood seals were only achievable through injury. Now, with modern technology, it is possible to harvest blood without harming the donors.’
    ‘You’re not actually saying this is okay ?’ I said.
    ‘Blood seals are impregnable,’ John said matter-of-factly. ‘Not even the Lady can pass through them unassisted. Not a single demon can enter this complex without a suitable escort. The Dragon does have a point.’
    ‘Trust a yin creature to say something like that,’ the Tiger said. ‘The use of blood is unthinkable. Not even that red-headed bastard would do something like this.’
    Rhonda stared at John, wide-eyed.
    ‘I don’t believe him myself sometimes,’ I said.
    ‘You are altogether too damn yin right