Red Phoenix

how pleased I am to be doing this. My Lord, my Lady, thank you so much. Emma, Simone, you guys stay alive, okay?’
    ‘We’ll do our damnedest, Leo,’ I said softly. ‘Fight well, my friend.’
    The demons approached us, slowly and menacingly. They probably wondered whether John could sense them. Simone rose from the corner and came to stand between us. She took up a guard stance as well.
    ‘Don’t you dare attempt to fight these, Simone, you stay out of this,’ I said. ‘You are far too little.’
    ‘I want to help. Besides, I have to learn, Emma,’ she said softly. ‘Daddy’s leaving us soon. And I don’t think Leo will last long against things this big.’
    Suddenly it all bubbled up inside me. All of the rage, all of the pain. I was about to explode.
    I glared at the demons. This is all your fault. If they weren’t there, we could be happy. I could have my man; this wonderful child would be safe; I could share lifewith my best friend; we could be together on the Mountain; we could be a family. I suddenly hated them all so much I wanted to tear them to bits. The rage turned to power. My shen grew until my entire body burned. My chi filled my veins with raw fury. My ching flooded through me and made me glow red.
    My blood was boiling ice. My head was ready to explode. Something tore in my brain. Something shredded in my gut. I clenched my hands into fists and thrust them forward. I wanted to rip the demons apart with my bare hands.
    The power grew inside me until I couldn’t hold it. My skin was too tight. My eyes were too small. I was huge and dark and merciless and I wanted blood and slaughter and death. Blood. Darkness. Destruction.
    Something at the base of my skull quietly went click.
    Ceiling. Lying on the floor.
    John’s head appeared above me. He smiled. His hair fell over his shoulder and brushed my face.
    ‘Come and help her up, Leo,’ he said, still smiling.
    There was silence. Simone whimpered. I sat up and looked around. Leo and Simone were curled up together against the far wall. She clutched him. He appeared to be clutching her just as tightly. When they saw me look at them they both flinched away.
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous, it’s just Emma,’ John said matter-of-factly. ‘Come and give her a hand up, Leo, she looks dazed.’
    ‘I’m okay,’ I said. The demons were gone. John knelt on one knee next to me, still with a broad smile on his face. He looked relaxed.
    I must have been knocked unconscious. ‘How long have I been out for?’ I rubbed my hand over my forehead. I didn’t feel like I’d been knocked out; I wasn’t dizzy and I didn’t have a headache.
    I pulled myself to my feet and had a proper look around. All the demons were definitely gone. Then I felt a shot of anguish. My parents were gone too. Jade and Gold as well. John rose to stand next to me. He was still smiling.
    ‘Where’s my mum and dad?’
    John’s smile disappeared. ‘Worry about them later.’ ‘No!’ I shouted. ‘Worry about them now! Where are they?’
    ‘They are fine. Jade and Gold took them back to the Peak in your car. It was better not to take them directly considering the state they were in.’
    ‘They’re not fine and you know it,’ Leo said. ‘Her mother was in hysterics and her father was almost catatonic with terror. Gold will probably have to heavily sedate them when he gets them home. I hate to think about the long-term psychological damage of what they just saw. Nobody should have to see what we just did.’
    ‘They were terrified by the demons?’ I said.
    ‘No,’ Leo rasped. ‘The demons were nothing compared to what they just saw.’
    My legs suddenly felt weak. I leaned against the wall.
    ‘You know I can’t touch her, Leo,’ John said. ‘She won’t hurt you. You saw what she did. She couldn’t possibly harm you. Come and help her.’
    Leo’s voice was a low growl. ‘Is that an order?’
    I heard what they said. I felt a shot of panic. Leo glowered at John. He rose and Simone clutched him around his legs. Both of them took a step back when I looked at them.
    ‘No.’ I sagged down the wall to sit on the floor. I wrapped my arms around my knees. ‘No.’ John’s face was full of compassion; he obviously wasn’t worried. But Leo and Simone were terrified. Of me. ‘No.’
    ‘We need to go home and help your parents,’ John said mildly.
    ‘I am not going in the car with that ,’ Leo said fiercely, pointing at me.
    ‘Simone,’ John said. Simone’s