Red Phoenix

You need to talk to Monica, and I have to phone James. Get a move on.’
    We smiled and sighed together. Things to do, worry later. We rose almost in unison and he hung back to let me through the door first. I went into the kitchen to find Monica. He went into his study to phone James.
    Poor Monica. She’d only just become accustomed to the idea of the White Tiger and now she had to livewith him for a while. I made a mental note to warn him to keep his paws off her.
    I stopped in the hallway. I was being completely cold-blooded again. The thought made me feel slightly ill. But John and the stone were right. I had too much to do to worry about it. Provided everyone was safe, it didn’t matter what I was. And besides, I had parents. I had a family. I’d grown up normally. I was a normal human being.
    Wasn’t I?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    T wo days before we left for Paris, Leo drove me, Michael and Simone to the school to buy their uniforms. We wouldn’t have time to buy them when we came back. Leo waited outside while I took the kids in. Several domestic helpers already had children there trying on uniforms.
    One of the volunteer mothers helped Simone find the right size in her little dress.
    Michael slumped, miserable, as I selected a uniform for him. When I held the PE shorts up he backed away and raised his hands. ‘Oh no. No way. This is stupid.’ I pushed the shorts at him. He stood his ground. I moved closer and hissed in his ear. ‘Try these on, and that’s an order.’
    He glared at me, snatched the shorts out of my hand, and thundered to the change room.
    ‘You know I don’t need PE anyway,’ he grumbled as he moved inside the room. ‘You know what I can do.’ ‘Shut up and try them on,’ I said loudly. ‘They’re all like that,’ one of the assistants said as she came out of the change booth with Simone.
    Simone clapped her hands with delight and twirled in her uniform.
    ‘You look adorable, darling,’ the assistant said. ‘You and your brother are really cute together.’
    Simone scowled and put her hands on her hips. ‘He’s not my brother.’
    ‘Cousins,’ I said. ‘Large Chinese family.’
    Michael came out and shoved the shorts at me. ‘They’re okay.’
    The assistant looked from Michael to me, then moved closer to me to speak softly. ‘He won’t be able to dye his hair. He’ll have to dye it back to its natural colour.’
    Michael snorted with disdain and stomped away. ‘That is his natural colour,’ I said. ‘He’s a natural blond.’
    ‘You’d better tell his teacher then, otherwise he’ll be in trouble for dyeing his hair.’ ‘Thanks.’
    She nodded and returned to the counter.
    A Chinese woman entered the shop with a small boy. Simone stiffened and squeaked, then scurried to me and hid behind me. Michael also came swiftly to me, very alert, and I knew what was up.
    ‘Michael, go to the door, poke your head out and tell Leo to get in here right now ,’ I whispered.
    The female demon ignored me completely, talking to the little boy about what uniform to buy. The boy behaved like a normal child. They paid no attention to Leo and Michael as they came back in.
    ‘What do you think they’re up to?’ Leo said softly into my ear.
    ‘I have no idea. You have more experience than I do,’ I said, just as softly. ‘What should we do?’
    ‘They can’t do anything with so many people around,’ Leo said. ‘Keep Simone close, buy the rest of the stuff, and let’s get out of here.’ He stationed himself against one of the walls and watched the demons.
    I took Simone into the booth to change out of her uniform. Michael posted himself outside and guarded, completely professional.
    We went to the counter to pay. Simone stayed very close and quiet. Leo didn’t move or speak as he leaned against the wall and watched.
    I paid for the uniforms and nodded to Leo. He opened the door for us and I guided the kids out.
    The demons dropped what they were doing and followed.
    It was still school holidays and the school was deserted. We passed the school cafeteria next to the uniform shop, then stopped. A large open balcony overlooked the playing field. A deserted play area next to the playing field would be a good place to face them.
    ‘Emma, take the kids down to the car,’ Leo said. ‘I’ll deal with them.’
    ‘No, there might be more of them at the car.’
    ‘No more right now,’ Simone said.
    ‘But they might appear any time. We should stick together, deal with