Barbara Faith - Kiss of the dragon (7 page)

"Can you handle it?"

Bethany looked at Chang and summoned a smile that she hoped was more confident than she felt as she said, "Yes, it's a superficial wound."

As quickly and as efficiently as she could, Bethany cleaned the wound, applied an antiseptic, then bandaged Chang's leg. When that was done she gave him two aspirin and one of the antibiotics she found in the kit and covered him with a blanket.

"Try to sleep," Tiger told Chang.

"I will be all right in a little while," Chang said as he closed his eyes. His face contorted with pain and he turned toward the bulkhead.

"Was the leg bad?" Tiger asked in a low voice when Bethany came to stand beside him at the wheel.

"I'm not sure. I don't think so, but my knowledge of bullet wounds is pretty limited." She looked at him, then after a moment's hesitation said, "I recognized one of the men, Tiger. He was the same man who tried to grab my purse on the dock in Hong Kong."

His dark brows came together in a scowl. "Then they've made the connection between us. They know we're after the dragon."

"But who are they?"

"I wish I knew. Perhaps they have some connection with the warlord our fathers smuggled the dragon out for forty years ago." He checked the heading and
turned the wheel a little to the right. "Whoever they are, I don't think we've heard the last of them."

Bethany stepped closer to him. "Can we outrun them?"

"Yes, with any luck. We'll stay on this course tonight. By daylight, if we're lucky, we will find a cluster of islands. If we can slip in among the islands we stand a good chance of eluding them." Tiger put his arm around her and squeezed her close. When he let her go he said, "I'd like you to go aft and stand watch, Bethany. If you see lights behind us come and tell me immediately."

Bethany nodded. She left Tiger, and after she had checked to see that Chang was asleep, she went aft. Now that the emergency was over she felt weary. She yawned and went to stand by the rail because she knew she would fall asleep if she sat down. The lights from shore had already faded. There were only stars and a thin slice of moon that drifted in and out of the clouds to guide them.

So much had happened to her in such a short space of time that even now all of this seemed like a dream. She'd come to Hong Kong a little over two weeks before. In that short time her life had changed. She'd fallen in love with a man named Tiger Malone. She'd been mugged, robbed, shot at, and she'd survived a typhoon. Bethany stared out at the white wake of the sea. Never before had she experienced even the slightest hint of danger. It seemed so incredible to be standing here, thousands of miles from home, looking for the lights of a boat that was chasing them. Two weeks ago she hadn't known the difference between forward and aft, port and starboard. She'd known what a galley was, but she'd never been in one. And love was something she'd read about in books, but she'd never been in love. Until now. Until Tiger.

Through the long night Bethany stayed at her post. At dawn she went up to the wheelhouse. "There's nothing on the horizon," she told Tiger.

Chang was sitting up. She gave him two more aspirin and another antibiotic when he said his leg hurt.

"I'll make some coffee," she said, "and whatever I can find for breakfast." She grinned at both Tiger and Chang. "I'm afraid you're stuck with my cooking until we reach China," she told them. "Just don't expect Chateaubriand and chocolate mousse."

"With you a cheese sandwich will taste like gourmet cooking," Tiger said. He smiled as Bethany saluted him and left the pilothouse.

"She is a remarkable woman," Chang said. "It was not my place to say, but when we began this journey I thought you were wrong to bring her. I thought she would be trouble, that she would complain at the first sign of hardship. But she did not. Last night..." He winced with pain and shifted his leg to a more comfortable position. "I am not sure I could have made it to the ladder by myself. But her arm was strong around me. She is a most unusual young woman, Tiger. Now, if you will help me up I will stand watch while she is in the galley."

A most unusual young woman. Tiger ran a tired hand across his face. He thought that he loved her. At least he knew that he loved being with her and that he cared what happened to her. But he wished she was safely back in Hong Kong or in that town in Ohio she
had come from. He was not sure who their pursuers were, he only knew they were dangerous and that he must protect Bethany from any harm.

An hour later Tiger found the group of islands he had been looking for. He guided the boat in among them, and when he found a place where he knew they couldn't be seen, he dropped anchor.

They would rest here for the day. When darkness fell they would press on for China.

Chapter 7

T
he air was so still that even the birds seemed suspended as they glided from tree to tree. The
Dragon
barely moved in the water. Just before dark, while Chang stood watch from a lounge chair on deck, Tiger and Bethany slipped over the side of the boat for a swim.

"Why is it so hot and still?" Bethany asked as she swam alongside Tiger. "The air feels almost too thick to breathe."

"It's possible that another storm is brewing but we're too far away to pick up any weather information."

Looking troubled, Bethany brushed the wet hair out of her eyes. "Couldn't we just stay here if there's a storm?"

Tiger looked at her as he trod water. He wanted to reassure her, to say that there would be no storm, that
there were no men looking for them, that he would keep her safe from whatever danger lay ahead. And he would keep Bethany safe, he vowed. Once they were in Kwantung with his mother he would breathe more easily.

Tiger thought now of his mother. He had written before he left Hong Kong to say that he was coming but he hadn't told her he was bringing Ross Adams's daughter with him. Nor had he said that he was coming for the dragon.

Su Ching disapproved of the dragon business. The only arguments Tiger ever remembered occurring between his parents had been over it.

"Men have died to possess it," Su Ching protested each time his father brought up the subject. "It is an ancient object of great beauty that men have made into a thing of greed and violence."

"It's worth a fortune," his father always said. "A damned fortune! Ross and I risked our lives for the dragon; it belongs to us."

"No! It belongs to China!"

Tiger still remembered the look of his mother's face whenever she said those words. She had never been the docile Chinese wife of legend, and when she was angry hundreds of years of proud mandarin heritage and the blood of royal empresses showed in her face. Those were the times that his father—half in anger, half in jest—had called her the Dragon Lady. She was a formidable and indomitable woman, too much of a woman for his good-natured, easygoing father to handle.

His father had always backed down before Su Ching's wrath, and even now Tiger wasn't sure
whether it had been because Bill Malone feared or loved his wife. But Tiger wasn't his father. His mother's blood ran in his veins, too. Almost from the time he learned to speak, Tiger had asserted himself. There had been endless battles while he was growing up, and if as he grew older, he sometimes let his mother have her way, it was because, like his father, he loved her.

In a few days Tiger would see her. He had never before introduced her to a woman and he had no idea how she would act. He had seen Bethany's bravery, but he didn't think she'd be any match for his mother. He had no idea what his mother's reaction would be when he told her that he and Bethany had come for the dragon.

Now as Tiger looked at Bethany he thought how soft, how vulnerable she was. He knew he should warn her about his mother, but he didn't want to harm whatever relationship might develop between the two women.

"You look tired," he said. "You should rest."

"I will later. I slept enough this morning." Bethany looked at him. "But you haven't had any sleep since we left the last port. You must be exhausted."

Tiger turned on his back and closed his eyes. "I am. Chang insists he's all right, so perhaps I will let him take the helm when we leave. Do you mind taking the first watch?"

"Of course not."

"I wish you didn't have to. I would much rather have you sleeping next to me."

Tiger flipped over and reached for her. Wrapping his legs around her body, he pulled her to him and kissed her, a long and lingering kiss. With his mouth
still pressed to hers they drifted beneath the surface of the water.

Bethany's body was slick against his. He pushed the bikini top aside so that he could cover her breasts with his hands. The feel of the cool, erect peaks stirred him and he felt the urgency of passion warm his blood. Breathlessly they rose to the surface. Bethany clung to him for a moment, then quickly covered her breasts.

But Tiger wasn't ready to let her go. He kissed her again, more urgently this time, and pressed her close.

Bethany felt the hardness of him against the thin swath of cloth that covered her and knew that Tiger wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Breathlessly Bethany broke away. "Chang will see," she whispered. "You have to rest. You..." Her voice trembled. Tiger's eyes, as green as the sea, were warm with desire.

He urged her close again and covered her mouth with his. As they sank once again beneath the water his hand slid down her body, under the bikini bottom. His fingers were water-soft as they caressed her, inflaming her so her body was weak with desire by the time they surfaced. So weak with desire that she barely noticed that the sky had darkened until she felt the spatter of rain on her face and saw a flash of lightning split the sky as Tiger led her toward the boarding ladder.

"I'm going to rest," he told Chang when they were aboard. "Bethany will relieve you in a half hour."

Chang nodded. "I doubt they will find us here, Tiger. Nevertheless, it is wise to keep watch." He smiled at Bethany. "There is no hurry. Rest too if you wish."

"No, I..." Her legs trembled so much that she could hardly stand. "No, I'll be up in a few minutes. I just want to shower and change."

"If you want to shower," Tiger said when they were in the companionway, "then we will shower together." He opened the door of his cabin and when they were inside he quickly stripped off her suit, then his own, and led her to the shower.

A warm stream of water coursed down on them as Tiger took a bar of soap from ledge and began to lather his hands. Slowly he ran them down Bethany's shoulders to her breasts. Even more slowly he rubbed his hands over their rounded fullness, lingering on the erect nipples, gently tugging, flicking the soap away so that he could see the apricot buds.

"Wait." Bethany took the soap from him and lathering her own hands rubbed them across his chest and around his back. As she did so, Tiger turned so that the full spray of water hit her, rinsing the soap from her body. Then, as her soapy hands moved lower he began to kiss her breasts. She moved to cup his buttocks, running her hands over them before she slid around to touch his maleness. Frantically his tongue flicked against her breasts and his teeth closed on a ripened bud.

Her desire mounting, Bethany whispered, "Oh, darling."

The sound of her voice inflamed him. Quickly he dropped to his knees. Droplets of water clung like tiny pearls to her springy blondness as he parted her legs. Her hands curled in the midnight blackness of his wet-slick hair. She closed her eyes and felt the jet of water once more as Tiger's mouth, his sensual, demanding
mouth consumed her. Almost too weak to stand Bethany clung to him, whispering his name over and over again, "Tiger, Tiger. Oh, please." And did not know what it was she pleaded for as wave after wave of pleasure flooded through her.

When her legs trembled and her body began to tighten, Tiger said, "Not yet, Bethany. Not yet, my love."

Bethany's body was on fire as she whispered his name in a frenzied litany of desire. She was lost, a prisoner of the hands that held her and of the mouth that so sweetly tortured.

Suddenly Tiger let her go. He came up beside her and together they stood under the cascading water. Then quickly he turned the water off, and not even taking the time to dry either of them, he picked her up and carried her to his bed.

Before she could speak he entered her. "Bethany!" His breath rasped against her throat. "Oh, Bethany."

Tiger's body was thunder and lightning against hers, as primitive and uncontrolled as the elements. For a moment Bethany was overwhelmed by his intensity, then her body responded. She was lost in him, a part of him as he carried her higher and higher on a sweeping tide of passion.

It was more than she could bear. Her body tightened just as Tiger cried out and covered Bethany's mouth with his in that final rending, glorious moment of fulfillment.

Lingering, pulsating, their two hearts beat as one as they slid slowly, sleepily, back to earth.

When Tiger finally slept, Bethany slipped away from him. She dressed quickly in a pair of white shorts
and pulled a T-shirt over her head. Barefoot she stood by the bed, gazing down at him, filled with the love she felt for him, knowing nothing would ever be the same for her again. "I love you, Tiger Malone," she murmured, "I'll always love you." Then she went up on deck to relieve Chang.

They left the protection of the islands that evening. Cautiously Chang maneuvered the
Dragon
out through the rain to the open sea. Bethany stood on the bridge, wearing Tiger's yellow slicker over her shorts, the binoculars to her eyes, scanning the horizon. There was a sail in the distance, headed east of them, but nothing else.

In spite of the rain the sea was calm. Bethany felt no fear now. It was as though all of her fear of the unknown, all of her uncertainty, had been washed away by the rain and by the realization of love, a love that had shaken her to the very depths of her being.

Bethany lifted her face to the rain, exultant in her love as she whispered his name once more. For more than an hour Bethany kept to her post. When her eyes grew tired she went to the wheelhouse. Chang's face looked strained. She knew that his leg pained him, but in spite of it, he had insisted on taking a turn at the helm. She went below to prepare a light meal, then had him show her how to take the wheel so that he could eat and rest for a few minutes.

"Do you think there'll be another storm?" she asked.

Chang shook his head. "Only rain." He took a sip of his coffee. "But it will slow us down. If it clears up we should reach the mainland early tomorrow morning." He took a sip of his coffee. "I will stay with the boat while you and Tiger travel to Tsingyun." He hesitated. "Have you ever met Madame Su Ching?"

Bethany shook her head. "Do you know her?"

"Last winter she came for a two-month visit to Hong Kong. She is a most... unusual woman, of French and Chinese heritage I believe. She is very beautiful and she is very strong. Poor Lee Tung was terrified of her."

Bethany looked at Chang curiously. "Why?"

"She is a formidable woman. She turned Lee's galley upside down and fixed it the way she wanted it. There is no doubt it is more efficient now, as is Lee, but Tiger had to give Lee a substantial raise to keep him from leaving."

Bethany took a sip of her coffee as she digested this bit of information. She hadn't given much thought to Tiger's mother, but now she felt a sense of unease; she knew that Tiger planned to leave her with his mother while he went in search of the dragon. Chang's words only strengthened Bethany's resolve not to be left behind in Kwantung.

The rain stopped a little before midnight. At twelve-thirty Tiger came out on deck.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked Bethany. "You must be exhausted."

"I'm a little tired but I can hold out for a few more hours. Chang needs to rest more than I do. I'll stand watch while you relieve him."

"No." Tiger looked up at the sky still covered with clouds. "We'll drop anchor and I'll stand watch. You and Chang go to bed."

Bethany moved closer to him. "Do you really have to stay up on deck? I'd sleep much better with you beside me."

"You wouldn't sleep at all, sea witch," he said with a low growl. "Now get below before I clap you in irons."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Bethany said as she saluted, and with a smile turned and went down to his cabin.

When Bethany awoke at daylight she heard the hard slash of rain against the portholes. She threw back the sheet, stepped out of bed, and found herself running sideways across the floor. She hung onto a bolted-down chair and tried to regain her balance. The room was too hot. Her stomach quivered. She lurched to the closet, grabbed her jeans, a shirt, and sneakers, quickly put them on and headed for the door.

The sea was gray; foam-topped waves spewed over the
Dragon's
bow. Bethany took a deep breath and ordered her stomach to behave as she made her way to the wheelhouse. Tiger was at the helm, an almost fiendish look of pleasure on his face.

"A foul weather day," he said happily. Then he saw Bethany's face. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I will be." She took a deep gulp of air.

"Perhaps if you eat something you'll—"

"Please." She held up her hand in protest. "Please don't talk about eating."

"Did you take one of those pills I gave you the first day?"

Bethany shook her head. "I don't think I could swallow water right now."

"You don't have to." Tiger reached behind him, opened a drawer and brought out a box of pills. "You
can chew these," he said as he handed them to Bethany. "Take one and you'll feel better in a little while."

Tiger knew how terrible she felt. To take her mind off her stomach he pointed to his right and said, "You can see China, Bethany. We will reach land in an hour or two."

"Fine," she said between clenched teeth.

Tiger's dark brows came together. He wanted very much to take Bethany in his arms, but he knew that wouldn't help. Instead, in a firm voice, he said, "Chang has been on watch for almost three hours. I'd like you to relieve him."

"But I'm..." Bethany's shoulders straightened. She shot him an angry look and said, "Yes, of course. I'll go down at once."

Tiger handing her his slicker, said, "Put this on," then turned back to the wheel.

Bethany staggered down the ladder mumbling, "Aye, Aye, Captain Bligh," knowing how Mr. Christian had felt just before the mutiny. She zigzagged her way to the bow and when she reached Chang he fastened a safety line around her waist and said, "Rough day."

Bethany nodded as she gripped the rail. "Are you all right?"

She took a deep breath and felt salt spray on her face. "Yes," she said, "I'm all right."

I'm all right, all right, all right, Bethany repeated to herself for the next fifteen minutes. And suddenly it was true, she
was
all right. She even felt a thrill of excitement. China loomed in the distance; this part of the journey was almost over. Today she would set foot
on that ancient land, the land that was a part of Tiger's heritage. The search for the golden dragon had begun.