Michael’s grin didn’t shift. ‘Pak Gai! Mgoi, hui mun!’
The domestic helper unlocked the gate.
Michael grabbed the gate and threw it open, and Leo and I moved quickly. The three of us stormed into the apartment, pushing past the domestic helper, who shrieked and ducked.
Mrs Leung sat in the dining room, reading the newspaper. She saw the three of us and shot to her feet.
‘We won’t hurt you,’ I said. ‘Come with us, we want to talk to you.’
Her English was perfect. ‘Who are you?’ she said, obviously trying to control her terror. ‘It’s not a good idea to mess with me. I have friends.’
‘We want to talk to you about a little pink stone turtle,’ Leo said.
‘I have no idea what you are talking about,’ she said, but her face was ashen.
‘We won’t hurt you,’ I said. ‘We just want to ask you some questions.’
She cast around, looking for a way to escape. Then she gave up. ‘Please don’t hurt me,’ she whispered.
An elderly Chinese lady came in from the hallway. She stopped when she saw us.
‘Go inside, Mummy,’ Mrs Leung said in Cantonese. ‘I can handle this.’
The old lady squeaked and scurried back down the hallway.
I turned and gestured. ‘Please, come with us.’
‘Who are you?’ she said once we were in the car and Leo was driving us back to the Peak. ‘What are you?’
‘Wait until we get there and then we can talk,’ I said. ‘Will Helen be okay if this takes a while? If you need us to, we can collect her from school as well.’
‘Don’t you go near her!’ Mrs Leung snapped. ‘I have enough trouble with that Kwok woman as it is! You stay away from her!’
‘Thought so,’ Leo said.
When we reached the front door to our apartment I stopped and studied Mrs Leung carefully. ‘There are seals on this apartment,’ I said. ‘Big ones. If you’re a demon, then tell me now. I don’t want you destroyed by trying to walk in the door.’
‘I am not a demon,’ she said stiffly.
‘Michael?’ I said.
‘She’s not,’ Michael said.
Leo opened the door and we guided her in. We all kicked off our shoes, even Mrs Leung.
John charged out of his office, slamming the door loudly behind him. He stormed up the hallway towards us, his face a grim mask of fury. He raised his hand and Dark Heavens sprang from its clips and flew into it. He quickly drew the sword, throwing the scabbard aside, and charged towards us.
Mrs Leung changed into a fox, ran into the living room and hid behind one of the sofas.
John walked into the centre of the living room, still holding the sword.
Leo softly closed the door behind us and we all moved to stand behind John.
‘What is your name?’ John demanded loudly.
‘Leung Hong Wai Lam,’ Mrs Leung said. ‘Please don’t hurt me. I had nothing to do with it, it was way before my time. My Lord, Celestial Highness, please. Mercy.’
‘How old are you?’
‘Fifty-seven.’
John lowered his sword. ‘You are only a child.’
‘Your Celestial Highness,’ Mrs Leung said softly, ‘I didn’t know you were Simone’s father. Please don’t kill me. I am with child.’
‘This is why you have been allowing the demon to control you?’
‘I am not working with any demons,’ she said, indignant. ‘Kitty Kwok is human. She occasionally takes Helen. I don’t know why, but she never hurts her, so I let her. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate.’
‘Kitty Kwok is in league with a Demon Prince who wants to take my head,’ John said.
Mrs Leung was silent.
‘Come out, I won’t hurt you,’ John said with resignation. ‘Leo.’ He held Dark Heavens out to Leo, and Leo took the blade, collected the scabbard, and returned the sword to the wall.
Mrs Leung came out from behind the couch. She was a small red fox with a white tip on her tail. She cowered as she walked.
‘Take human form,’ John said. ‘I want to ask you some questions.’
She changed back to a normal-looking Chinese woman in her mid-thirties wearing a smart pair of slacks and a designer polo shirt.
‘Sit,’ John said, gesturing towards the couch. ‘I give you my word, I won’t harm you.’
Mrs Leung gingerly turned and sat.
‘Leo, take Simone to school,’ John said. ‘Make an excuse for her. Michael, go too. I will talk to this . . .’ His voice went cold. ‘Child of Daji.’
Mrs Leung stiffened. ‘I had nothing to do with that. I am not related in any way to that vixen.’ Her voice softened and she looked down. ‘My husband is human. I am attempting perfection. I live as a human. I have children.’ She looked back up at John, desperate. ‘You know what my husband would say if he were to discover my true nature.’
‘Very well,’ John said, sitting on the other couch across from her. ‘Tell us the whole story.’
I moved to stand behind John, leaning on the back of the couch.
‘Not much to tell,’ she said with a shrug. ‘Kitty takes Helen and returns her unharmed.’
‘Completely unharmed?’ I interrupted. ‘She doesn’t have any minor injuries or small wounds when she’s returned?’
Mrs Leung’s eyes went wide. ‘Helen has no memory of how these wounds occur. What is Kitty doing?’
John and I shared a look.
‘Biotech,’ I said. ‘Demon hybrids for the one hundred and twenty-second son of the King of the Demons.’
‘Holy shit,’ Mrs Leung said softly. She glanced at John. ‘He wants your head?’
‘The King of the Demons will promote anyone who brings him my head,’ John said. ‘To Number One.’
Mrs Leung smiled slightly. ‘A grand prize.’ The smile disappeared. ‘I am sorry, my Lord, you can see I had no choice. She knew I was a fox. She threatened to tell my husband and his family if I did not let her pretend to be my friend, and let her take Helen occasionally. She vowed that she would not harm Helen, and until now she has kept her word.’
‘That particular demon is not a creature of its word, and I doubt if Kitty is either,’ I said. ‘I think it would be a good idea if your family were to go into hiding.’
Mrs Leung lowered her head. ‘I don’t want my husband to know,’ she whispered.
‘Bring him here after work this evening,’ John said. ‘With your child. I will talk to him, then I will arrange a safe place for you. Don’t tell anyone you have come here. Try to make the rest of the day as normal as possible so that they don’t know you’ve been here. I will provide a guard for you. Come directly here after your husband returns from work and we’ll arrange safety for your family.’
Mrs Leung glanced up, her face full of hope. ‘You would do such a thing? After what Daji did to all of you?’
‘You are not Daji,’ John said. ‘All creatures deserve a chance at perfection. All of creation is one with the Tao. To search for the Tao is