Red Phoenix

for her.’
    ‘It was.’ He unfocused, remembering. ‘She didn’t take it nearly as well as you have. In fact she nearly left me on the spot.’ His eyes wrinkled up. ‘I can’t believe we’re talking about this.’
    ‘I like to think that there’s nothing we can’t talk about.’ I dropped my chin onto my arms where they lay on his chest. ‘What did she do?’
    ‘She said if I ever did it again, she’d kill me. So I let her.’
    I went completely still. His smile didn’t shift.
    ‘I gave her a little revolver, and showed her how to use it. She put it beside the bed. If my eyes went black, she’d shoot me. Right between the eyes. One minute I’m seeing the rich brown eyes of my love, the next minute it’s the ugly face of the Judge.’
    ‘Judge?’
    He shook his head, still smiling. ‘Your eyes are a very bright shade of blue, you know that? The first time I saw blue eyes I thought the European was blind.’
    ‘They’re more grey than blue.’ I pulled him back to the point. ‘She’d shoot you?’
    ‘I took the human form with me so there wouldn’t be a mess. I’d be gone for at least a day, sometimes more. I think she enjoyed it.’
    I dropped my forehead onto his chest; I’d had a sudden horrible thought. ‘If they come at us with guns we’re defenceless, aren’t we?’
    ‘No. I just fill everything with water, change the cartridge to water. Makes them useless. Never had a chance with her though; when I’d lost control I wasn’t thinking.’
    ‘Can you still fill them with water? Even now?’
    He nodded, and his body moved underneath me. ‘One or two, not a problem. There are other ways to disable them as well. Simone will learn a few tricks that will stand her in good stead against them. Don’t worry.’
    I relaxed. ‘When you come back I want to have a go too.’
    ‘You are welcome to try. If you can take me I will give you anything you desire, which is within my power to give.’
    ‘Not fair. You know I don’t want anything in the world right now.’ I pulled myself upright with delight. ‘Except an answer! I have you.’
    He glanced down to where I sat on him. ‘You certainly have me.’ He smiled back up at me. ‘What?’
    I fingered his hair. ‘Why the hell does it keep coming out all the time? And what’s the thing with the bare feet?’
    He laughed gently and I shook on top of him. ‘I thought you did some research on me.’
    I slapped him lightly on the chest. ‘Tell me.’
    He wrapped his arms around my back. ‘Is the water too cold?’
    ‘No. Tell me!’
    His eyes sparkled for a while. I was ready to slap him again when he smiled. ‘It’s a very simple story.’
    I leaned forward on his chest so that my face was right next to his and gazed into his eyes. ‘Tell me.’
    Bad move. He stopped to kiss me first and I couldn’t concentrate for a while. The water warmed up. Steam rose.
    He pulled back, still smiling. ‘When an Immortal is Raised, they are Raised as they stand. I was Raised directly after an enormous battle. My hair,’ he stopped and moved it to one side out of the way, ‘was in the standard style of the time, long and tied on top. But it was a mess after the battle; it usually is. My shoes were gone. So that was that. Stuck like it.’
    ‘That is totally ridiculous.’
    ‘That’s what happened. You’ve seen Iron Crutch—he was even worse off. I don’t have to keep the form; you know I can take any form I want. But despite myself, I keep reverting.’ His eyes sparkled even more. ‘It’s a damn nuisance.’
    ‘But you’re a Turtle. How can you be a human Raised Immortal as well?’
    ‘That is not for one such as you to know,’ he said sadly, but he still smiled. ‘Later you will know. Now is not the time.’
    I didn’t push it. ‘Give me plenty of warning before you Raise me. I’ll put some make-up on and make sure my hair is tidy.’
    ‘Doesn’t work like that. Sorry.’
    ‘I don’t think you are. I think you want us to be the scruffiest Immortals on the Celestial Plane.’
    He brushed his hands over my back. ‘You have found me out.’
    ‘Took your sweet time,’ the Tiger said. Dinner was set out on a long low table with a large number of cushions scattered around it. ‘I know what you two were doing.’
    ‘You know I hate Western food.’ John eyed the dishes with contempt. ‘You are doing everything you possibly can to annoy me because you know it will be along time before I can get you back with the thorough