Bend. Stretch. Push. Yield.

“And Zhang?”

“The men who took me were Zhang’s sons. His own band of raiders. There were four of them then. He turned more as the years passed. His sons sired sons. Eventually, my father had over fifty wind vampires to do his bidding.”

“Why did he turn you?”

“For his men. They usually killed the human women they took, so Zhang turned me. He thought I would be more… resilient.”

Beatrice’s stomach twisted in horror, but she took care not to halt her steady movements. She could not comprehend the cruelty of Elder Zhang turning a young girl, just so she could be a plaything for his other children. No wonder the vampire disliked her sire.

Tenzin was still moving with her eyes closed, her face a picture of placid meditation as she practiced.

Bend. Sweep. Push. Yield.

“How long were you with him?”

“Two or three hundred years. Just long enough to kill off all of his children.”

Beatrice was speechless, but Tenzin never stopped moving through the complex combat forms. Eventually, she continued without prompting.

“They would take turns with me. At first, I was frightened. After all, I was a child. And I had no idea how to use my new body. But I slowly gathered more skill. I was probably twenty years immortal when I killed the first of his sons.”

Bend. Stretch. Push. Yield.

“Eventually, they avoided me. But I didn’t stop until I had killed them all.”

“What did Zhang do when they were all dead?”

“He laughed. Then he told me I was his finest creation, his fiercest warrior, and sent me out into the world with half of his wealth. He came to Penglai soon after that, and I was on my own. I never had another companion until I met Giovanni.”

Finally, she slowed her movements, finishing the routine before she bowed to Beatrice, who mirrored the movement. Tenzin opened her storm-grey eyes.

“Do not pity me, Beatrice De Novo. My life has been as fate dictated, and now I am master of it. Do not waste your regret on the past.”

Beatrice nodded as they moved to the benches that lined the room and drank from the pitcher of water that had been set out. “Why didn’t you kill Gio when you met him? He told me that he’d been sent to kill you. Why did you have mercy on him?”

She smiled. “I saw him. I saw his eyes in a dream. They were the same color as my son’s. I knew our fates were intertwined.”

Beatrice gulped down the water as Tenzin looked over her shoulder. She smiled just a few seconds before Beatrice heard the door open.

“Nightfall,” Tenzin said. “You boys will have to wait to play with her,” she shouted at the door. “She’s still mine for another hour.”

Beatrice turned to see Giovanni and Baojia leaning against the wall of the practice room. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the two handsome men outlined against the pale walls. Baojia wore a look of amusement. Giovanni’s eyes were narrowed at her; he looked hungry.

“Give me back my woman, Tenzin. You’ve borrowed her for too long.”

Tenzin rolled her eyes and turned back to Beatrice. “How do you put up with him? That’s so annoying.”

She laughed. “He just hates it when I’m not there when he wakes up.”

The small vampire lifted up and flew toward the two men, swiping at them and smacking both on the back of the head before she flitted back to Beatrice’s side.

“Well, they’ll have to learn how to be patient. You have more important things to be doing than entertaining his libido.” She looked up at Beatrice and gestured toward the mat. “We’re running out of time.”

Chapter Five

Penglai Island, China

September 2010

The longer he watched her, the faster his heart beat.

She was astonishing.

A vision of her transformed assaulted him. Lithe grace turned into preternatural strength and speed. Fangs gleaming in her mouth as she pierced his skin. Her smooth, pale skin crackling with energy when she touched him.

Imagining Beatrice as an immortal was undeniably alluring. Yet, it still filled him with guilt.

“She’ll be stunning when she turns,” Baojia said as he sat next to him.

Giovanni glared at him, irritated that his thoughts had been so closely mirrored by the other vampire.

“She’s stunning now.”

Baojia just cocked an amused eyebrow at him.

“She plans on it. Why else would she practice as she does?” He folded his legs and hands in a meditative pose. “I think it was in the back of her mind even before you came back.”

“Oh?”

“I remember the first martial arts class she took. Introductory tai chi. Ernesto was very pleased. Beatrice says Tenzin suggested it. Very forward thinking of your old partner; it will help immeasurably with physical control.”

Giovanni wanted the water vampire to shut up. He disliked being reminded of the years where Baojia had watched over Beatrice, and he had not. He decided to change the subject.

“What weapons do you plan on introducing?”

“I’ll start her with the jian and dao. She doesn’t have any experience with weapons yet, and those will be a good start for her.”

Giovanni nodded. The double-edged straight sword, or jian, and the curved single-edge saber, or dao, would be light enough for a human and versatile enough for Beatrice to carry regularly. Moreover, both were weapons he had some experience with and would be able to practice with her.