The Force of Wind (13 page)

“But Lu’s monks seemed to understand them?”

“I spent most of my time at the monastery learning Mandarin first, then translating the book from Arabic into Mandarin so Fu-han could read it. Then, I had to explain what a lot of Geber’s codes were, and all of his journals were written in Persian.” Stephen shook his head. “I had a feeling things were becoming clearer to him, but then I was called here. I’m still sending letters back and forth to him, explaining this or that word or phrase. And he and Zhang are the Spagyric experts, not me.”

“And that’s the plant alchemy, right?”

“Yes, which is a specialty even within normal alchemy. If Geber hadn’t written his findings in his journals, I’d have had no idea what the book was or what the formula was supposed to do.”

“But Lorenzo knows?”

“He doesn’t know what the formula is, clearly, but I believe he knows what it’s supposed to do. I saw him examining the journals and smiling that creepy, satisfied grin he has.”

Beatrice shivered involuntarily when her father mentioned his name. “Did he really torture you?”

Stephen’s eyes clouded in pain. “Beatrice, I don’t want to talk to you about that. It’s not… it’s just not something…”

She shook her head and looked back to the book. “It’s okay. Never mind. I know. Gio said it was probably pretty bad.”

He paused, staring down at the table where they sat. “It’s in the past. He can’t hurt me anymore. I’m too strong now.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t want you to worry about me.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. “You’re my dad.”

“Exactly. It’s my job to worry about you, not the other way round. You were always an old soul, even as a child.”

She snorted. “I must have been so obnoxious. Grandma always said she turned grey early because of me.”

“You were a joy. Just… headstrong.” He grinned. “And frighteningly perceptive for a cute little girl.”

Beatrice looked up at her father. She was still struck by how young he looked, frozen in time the same age he had been when she was young. “Was I?”

“What?”

“A joy? Was I? Was it worth it being a single dad when Holly left me with you? I must have been a surprise. And you couldn’t hit the clubs with your friends when you were twenty-two, could you? Not with a baby and no one to help you.”

“Oh.” Stephen shrugged. “I had Grandma and Grandpa. Who needed to go out dancing when I had toothless baby smiles at home? You made things plenty exciting.”

She thought of all the Friday nights when she was young when her father had taken her to the skating rink or the movies, instead of spending time with other adults. Though she hadn’t recognized it at the time, his whole life had revolved around her. “Thanks, Dad. For not… you know. When I met Holly a couple years ago, she said she knew I’d be better off with you. That you’d take care of me. So… thanks.”

His voice was hoarse when he finally replied. “You are completely welcome, Beatrice. Your mom is the one that missed out.”

A booming voice came from the hallway. “Agreed.”

Beatrice turned when she heard Giovanni. He walked over and sat down next to her, kissing her cheek.

“Hello, Tesoro,” he whispered in her ear. “I missed you.”

“Sorry, I got caught up here.”

“No problem at all. Let me help your father. Baojia is waiting for you in the practice room. More weapons training tonight.”

She leapt up. “Oh! He said I could try out the
dao
and maybe some other stuff tonight. Cool.” She was halfway out of the room before she turned back. She skipped over to Stephen and leaned down, brushing a kiss across his cool cheek. “See you later, Dad.”

“Bye, Mariposa. Have fun with the swords. Don’t stab anyone.” Stephen paused and frowned. “Well, unless you’re supposed to.”

“See? You’re still such a dad,” she said as she winked and darted out the door. She could hear the two men chuckle as she raced down the hall.

“T
he saber, or
dao
, has a different balance than the
jian
,” Baojia said softly as he circled her. “You must learn to carry it in a different way. Your stance will be different. Your thrusts will be different. Remember, the sword is not a weapon; it is an extension of your arm, and you must balance yourself with that in mind.”

She took a deep breath, moving slowly through the tai chi forms as he instructed. Painfully slowly. Her muscles were tense and quivering. Beatrice tried to focus on her balance and the weight of the blade in her hand.

“Would it be better if I just stayed practicing with the
jian
?”

“And be limited to one weapon? What do you think?”

“I think it’s always better to have options.”

Beatrice took a deep breath as her instructor stepped into her line of sight, eyeing her up and down as she moved. “Yes, it is,” he said in a rough voice.

Beatrice blushed, not sure if they were still talking about swords.

“So”—she cleared her throat—“after this, do I get to try out the pike? I’ve been curious about that one spear with the thick base.”

“So
many
jokes.” She heard him say under his breath. She burst into laughter and stumbled, shaking her head when she saw his eyes dance.

“Okay, I walked into that one.”

He laughed. “You, my dear, walk into them all the time.” He grabbed the saber from her and hung it back on the wall. “I’m just forcing myself to be on my best behavior.”

“Oh really?” She blinked at herself when she heard the flirtatious tone of her voice. What was she doing? She shook her head and turned back to her teacher.

Yes, Baojia was her teacher.

Her instructor.

Baojia was… distracting.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked over the weapons Tenzin had decorating the walls. She saw a devious smile cross his face as he walked to a rack of spears and chose two. He held them up for her.

“So, spears…” He lifted one eyebrow. “European or Asian? What’s your preference?”

She rolled her eyes and reached for the one in his right hand. “This is your best behavior? And European, if you’re asking.”

He shrugged. “Pity. You really should try both.”

“I’m sure the European will suit me fine, thanks.” She examined the weapon, enjoying the razor-sharp point and smooth wooden grip. Baojia brushed past her.

“Strange that you chose the Asian one, then.” He walked to the other side of the practice mat and bowed. “Now, watch, and I’ll show you how to handle this.”

H
armless flirtation was the furthest thing from her mind an hour later when she finally handed the spear back to Baojia. He had demonstrated the hook swords, or
shuang gou
for her, knocking the long wooden spear from her hands at a distance when he hooked the two lethal weapons together to demonstrate their reach. The spear had splintered in her hands as she held it, and she was more determined than ever to learn to wield the complex weapons, no matter what Giovanni thought.

Baojia was encouraging and smiled a little as they put the weapons away. “You’ll be ready within a year after you turn, I think. Given what you are learning now and your natural aptitude for weapons, you will be ready to wield these as soon as your reflexes catch up with your mind and your amnis.”

“What do you mean, ‘catch up with my amnis?’”

Baojia shook his head. “It’s impossible to explain to a mortal. Even a bright one like you would not understand it.”

She grimaced. “Oh, well, I guess I should be flattered you’re willing to teach a mere mortal like me anyway.”

“Yes.” He smiled and walked behind her to stretch her arms. “You should be. I usually don’t bother with humans.”

“So why me? Ernesto’s orders, huh?”

She couldn’t see him as he lifted her arms, stretching them before they moved into hand-to-hand combat practice.

“Why you?” he murmured. “What an interesting question…”

That I notice you’re not answering.

“Yeah, well, I’m Miss Popular for some reason. Even the bad guy wants to hang out with me.”

He lifted her arms, running a hand down her tricep to knead it. His fingers were cool and strong against her sore muscles. “I told you not to worry about Lorenzo. Take a bath later. Soak your arms, or they will be stiff.”

She cleared her throat. “Well then, I’ll just put all those icky thoughts about murdering him out of my pretty little head, won’t I?” She pulled her arms away and walked across from him. They bowed and began practicing. Baojia never
really
hit her. Not like Tenzin. He seemed more interested in teaching her how to attack. If he did manage to land the odd blow, he usually apologized very formally.

“You should leave killing him to Giovanni or Tenzin. Or me, if he threatens you.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

He frowned as if she was speaking Farsi, which was on her list of languages to learn after she turned. Come to think of it, she thought, it was entirely possible that Baojia already spoke Farsi.

“Why should you leave killing Lorenzo up to Giovanni, Tenzin, or myself? Because he’s a vampire and you’re not, foolish girl. Don’t kill yourself by being an idiot.”

“Now there’s the kind of sweet talk I expect,” she grunted as she struck his shoulder. She went to land a kick, but he grabbed her leg and held onto it.

“I’m serious, B.” He waited until she met his dark eyes. “Don’t think you can challenge him. Compared to Giovanni or myself, he’s not that strong, but he is
very
smart. He’s a survivor, and in our world, strategy counts as much as strength.”

She scowled at him. “It’s not like I’m going to go hunt him down right now. Let’s just say it’s… on my list.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Does Gio know you have a list?”

Did he?
Probably. She often thought Giovanni could read her mind, he knew her so well. Baojia and Beatrice went back and forth for a few more minutes until she heard the practice room door open. His scent reached her nose even before she turned.

“Hey,” she said, and a smile spread across her face.
Now there was a distraction.

Giovanni leaned against the wall of the practice room. He had changed into a pair of loose, black pants and a shirt that hung open at the neck. The sleeves were rolled up, and Beatrice could see the muscles of his forearms as he crossed them over his chest and watched her.

He smiled at her, a languorous, easy grin that made her insides melt. His eyes raked over her flushed body, and she felt her heartbeat pick up.
The things that vampire could do with a single smile…

He curled a finger, beckoning her. Beatrice walked toward him, making another list in her mind, when Tenzin darted into the room.

“Stop right there.” Tenzin held up a hand and nodded toward Beatrice. “You, practice. You”—she glared at Giovanni—“I told you not to distract her. You’ll get her back later. She needs to work.”

Giovanni narrowed his eyes, while Beatrice scowled. “Tenzin,” she said, “I don’t like you very much right now.”

“Nor do I,” Giovanni muttered. “Ignore her. You’ve practiced enough for one night.”

Tenzin pulled his collar. “She has not.”

“I really think…” Beatrice pouted when Tenzin shoved Giovanni into the hallway. She turned to see Baojia watching her with a smile. “What?”

“Options,” he almost sang as he picked up a long, wooden pole and tossed it toward her. “Always good to have options. Now, let’s talk about the staff.”

Chapter Nine

Mount Penglai, China

September 2010

“T
he water vampire is interested in Beatrice.”

Tenzin snorted. “Which one?”

Giovanni glared at her as they walked through the palace grounds. “You know which one I’m speaking of.”

“Well, Baojia is interested in her. Lorenzo is interested in her. I think half the palace is fascinated by the strange American girl, so you might want to specify.”

He stopped and watched her as she hopped along the top of a carved stone wall. “You know, I forget how irritating you can be when I don’t spend time with you for a while.”

She flew over him, stepping on his head once before she lit on top of one of the giant, limestone pillars. “I hate it here.”

“I know you do.”

“You know how you feel about Rome?”

“Yes, Tenzin.”

“That’s how I feel here. Everyone looking at me with expectations.”

“I know.”

“And my father is the worst one.”

“He cares about you.”

“That is… debatable.”

He continued walking as she flitted from one stone to the next. Finally, she set herself down on the grass to walk beside him. “You’re not jealous, are you?”

“Of Baojia? Not really, it’s just irritating.”

“She loves you very much. She wants to be your mate for eternity.”

He eyed her tiny form as she walked next to him. “And what of you and Stephen? I confess,  that—”

“Stephen and I are none of your business. Just because you confide in me does not mean I confide in you, my boy.”

He paused. “Who
do
you confide in, bird-girl?”

It was often hard to imagine how long she had lived, but when Tenzin turned her deep grey eyes on him, Giovanni saw millennia in her stare. “No one. I confide in myself alone.”

He had the strange urge to embrace her, which he had never once done in all their years as friends. “Are you lonely sometimes?”

She cocked her head and smiled. “I don’t remember.”

Giovanni shook his head and continued walking. “I am glad that Beatrice and Stephen have this time together.”

“He missed her very much. Family is very important to him.”

“It has become important to me, as well.”

“Family was always important to you. Why else would you look for your uncle’s books for so many years?”

“I suppose that is true.”

“You were always looking for a family. Now you have one. It is good for you.”