White Tigress (45 page)

"Very well, then. We will go find another country, another place."

She shifted, chewing on her lip as she thought. "Nowhere I know will treat you kindly, Ru Shan."

He nodded, having expected that much. But it did not matter. "I am the Cheng family mountain and an Immortal." He took hold of her hand, drawing her back into his arms. "I am strong enough to weather anything." He tilted her face toward him. "So long as we remember together who we are."

She smiled, her face lighting with the joy of Heaven. "I loved you before we became Immortal, Ru Shan. I will not forget now." Then she kissed him, her heart and her love easily flowing into him, just as his joy melted into her.

They might then have begun their practice, merging into one another in the way of all lovers, but she pulled away from him, a frown on her features. "What of your family, Ru Shan? What of the Chengs?"

He sighed, hating to bring them into this moment, into their joy. "They will not leave China. And I cannot abandon my son." He lifted his gaze, searching her face. "Will you love him, Lydia? If you—"

She cut off his words with a swift kiss. "I love everything that is from you. Your son will be the easiest of all."

He shifted uncomfortably. "In truth, he is not from me. He is my half-brother."

Her answer came without hesitation. "Then I will love him all the more."

He reached up, stroking her face, feeling the long slide of her body against his. His yang fire had already heated, his dragon was strong and eager, but he did not move. Instead, he simply touched her face and luxuriated in the whisper of her skin against his.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked, her voice playful despite the rosy flush of yin in her cheeks and lips.

"How strange that a ghost woman has taught me the one thing of substance that I have needed all my life." He brushed his lips across hers. "Loving you has given me Heaven." He pulled back, looking directly into her eyes. "You are everything, my love."

She grinned, nipping at his mouth. "And how strange that the man who bought me as a slave has shown me how much I am truly worth. Together, my love, we are worthy of Heaven."

He sobered. "The future will not be easy for us, no matter where we go."

"Wrong, my husband," she said. "Heaven and all its glories lie ahead for us." Then her eyes sparkled with mischief as she began to slip lower on his body. "That is, as long as we get busy practicing."

The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.

—Yasutani Roshi

~

Epilogue

Shi Po sank behind the curtain of her sedan chair, tapping her long nails in irritation. Ru Shan's ship had just sailed, taking him and his white pet to America. It was rumored that he took his son with him as well, but that the rest of the Cheng family had refused to sully themselves by living among the barbarians.

They had not disowned him, though, in the hope that he would send barbarian gold from across the sea back to support his family. In the meantime, the servant Fu De had charge of the Cheng family store. Worse, he was running it well. The English people flocked to buy the clothing patterns the white pet had left behind.

The Chengs would be able to repay their debt to her husband after all.

That, of course, was not what caused the steady
tap, tap, tap
of her long nails against her seat. She cared little for matters of business. Her husband did not need to add the Cheng store to his ever-growing interests. Neither did they require the money repayment would bring. Either way, Shi Po had enough wealth to live in comfort while she pursued her studies.

What truly incensed her was that Ru Shan and his ghost pet had both achieved immortality. Ru Shan had come to see her before his departure, the tendrils of Heaven radiant as they swirled around his serene face. Even her unenlightened husband had noticed his calm, his joy. But she with her tutored eye had seen more than joy. She had seen glory and beauty and immortality.

And then the white pet entered the room.

Cheng Lydia was her name, Ru Shan's second wife. But Shi Po was required to call her Immortal. Worse, Shi Po had been required to write that barbarian name in the tigress book.

How could a barbarian woman achieve what she had not? How could an English pet succeed where years of dedicated study had brought precious little to Shi Po?

A full day's meditation had not brought her closer to an answer. Neither had a night's fasting nor another two nights' practice. It was maddening. And now, Ru Shan and his ghost bride had sailed to America where Shi Po could not even learn from their achievements.

She grimaced, lifting the curtain to stare again at the retreating ship. She wished Ru Shan well with his barbarian bride in a land wilder than Mongolia. She supposed the Enlightened had no need for culture or refinement.

She ought to feel grateful. She should be pleased, because Ru Shan's departure assured her own success. Normally the Immortal Ru Shan would now be China's foremost teacher in the dragon/tigress practices. But in his absence, Shi Po remained the preeminent one. All knew that he had been her pupil. If they could not learn from him, she was the one they would turn to now.

But how would she lead where she had not gone? How could she teach where she was but a pupil herself? She had no answers, no guidance, and more students knocking upon her door every day.

She stewed upon the problem all the ride home. But when her chair was at last deposited before her front door, Shi Po was no nearer an answer. And her frustration became fury the moment she learned that another young pupil waited for an audience.

"I have nothing to tell him," she snapped at no one in particular. "Not yet," she suddenly added. She had been a serious tigress practitioner before, but now she felt the strength of zeal flood her body. It was like yang fire, only more potent. And with it driving her, she knew nothing would prevent her from her goal now.

She would become an Immortal if it took everything she had.

The End

Page forward for exciting excerpts from Jade Lee's
 

Hungry Tigress

Desperate Tigress

Burning Tigress

Excerpt from

Hungry Tigress

The Way of The Tigress

Book 2

by

Jade Lee

9 January, 1896

Dearest Kang Zou,

Our distance weighs heavily upon me, my brother. The garden is dull, the birds are silent without your voice to wake them. Father reminds me that your studies take diligent care, but I see only that our beautiful family flower is incomplete without all its petals.

Have you attained Heaven yet? Can you return for the New Year's celebration? My poetry is ever dull without your help.

Your devoted sister,

Wen Ji

~

Decoded translation:

My son, you have been gone a long time without word, and powerful people have begun to ask me for a report. Our family's fortunes depend upon your success. Have you found the conspirators yet? Report immediately. Resolve this matter by the end of January and our family success is assured.