Chapter 1
Chapter one- After the Battle
They had won. The relief that washed over Katy was imminent. She still hadn't released a full breath since the battle started and she was exhausted, thirsty and hungry but all she could think about was Shang or for her, Shaun.
People had died. She knew this in the back of her mind but the only person she cared about was currently getting off the back of a freaking ancient dragon. She hadn't been able to breathe since the fight started when Guang Bo told her to take a deep breath and now the poor old man was gone.
She had just started to like him too. Katy breathed for the first time that whole day when she saw Shaun emerge from the dragon with his sister seemingly unharmed. She realized then her true feelings for him. She couldn't live without him. She was head over heals in-love with the dude. Even though she denied it most of their friendship she knew there was something deeper there. Breathing a sigh of relief she nearly grabbed onto him when he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.
" Are you ok?" He asked concerned for her wellbeing. Still unsure of weather or not she could speak she only nodded and burried her head in his shoulder. He smelled of battle, sweat and grime but that didn't matter. He was real and alive here in her arms.
She winced as she let go of him and looked down at her side. "Your hurt!" He exclaimed upset. She quickly reassured him even though she did feel a lot of pain now that her adrenaline was wearing off. "I must have gotten a gash durring the battle." She said looking down at her right side.
There was a long red cut from the top of her back down towards her stomach, and it was freely bleeding. She didn't even remember getting it. "Let's go get you cleaned up." He said wrapping his arm around her. Xailing came up behind him and looked at Katy. "You ok?" She asked looking at her side. Katy nodded. "Just a scratch." She said reassuringly. She had come to like Xailing and thought of her as a sister already. She had never had one let alone a bad ass one like her.
The remaining members of Tao Lo gathered the dead bodies and were immediately cleaning up and preparing a mourning ceremony. Shaun took Katy to the healer's room where he laid her down on her left side. "I need to look at this." He said. She nodded not knowing what else to do so she just laid her head down on the red pillow. The healer came in a few minutes later. "It will need stitching." She said in her old ancient voice. Katy briefly wondered how old the lady was. She looked to be about Guang Bo's age.
" I can give you some pain medicine if you have never been stitched before, it is painful." She asked. Katy just nodded. She could use the sleep anyways. Shaun sat by her side and held her hand as the woman prepared the concoction. " We need to talk." He said after a moment.
Katy sighed. " What now?" She asked trying to force sarcasm in her tone. Shaun smiled. "It's not bad. I promise." He reassured her. A few seconds later his Aunt came in the room and asked if everyone was ok. Noting Katy's injury she patted her hand. "You were very brave today, Katy and we thank you for fighting with us. You are always welcome at Tao Lo. You have the heart of a true warrior." She praised. Katy beamed. "Thank you. That means a lot. I like you guys so it would suck to not be allowed back here to visit sometime." She said.
Shaun smiled at that and so did his aunt. She looked to Shaun and then said, " You were very brave also, the heart of the dragon is strong in you and your sister, and that is why it came when you fell into the lake. It sensed your presence. That was your mother's gift to you." She said smiling. After they had the mourning ceremony Shaun helped Katy get settled in the healer's room.
His Aunt looked at them all in the room and spoke "You are all welcome to stay here and rest for a few nights before you leave for him, I will go have guest rooms prepared for you." She said. Shaun nodded. He was exhausted. His muscles still rippled from the fight. He sighed as he realized he had alot of cleanup to do. His father's empire needed to be taken down that was first and fore most on his mind. What was he going to do with his father's army? He looked over to his sister and realized that she could help .She had ran her own underground fighting ring and she could find them some career's or something. He also had the rings to deal with now that his dad was dead.
They were his, the enormity of this responsibility weighed on him.
"What's wrong?" Katy asked looking at his furrowed brows. She always saw right through him. "Nothing, just tired." He lied. He couldn't tell her now when she was in pain. He would tell her later. She frowned that adorable frown when you knew you were introuble with her. "I know you are lying but I'll let it pass as my side is hurting like a bitch." She complained wincing. The healer brought over the pain medicine and she drank it like a shot, fast and furious.
Immediatley she got drowsey and Shawn patted her hand reassuringly. "I'll be right here when you wake up." He said.
She nodded before her eyes drifted closed in slumber.
The next morning she was all stitched up and resting in the guest room that had been prepared for her. Fifteen sitiches. That was going to be interesting explaining to her parents. Her mom was already going to kill her for skipping out on her job and her life. She could hear hushed voices outside the room and knew it was Shaun and his sister talking quietly. He walked in shortly after. "You're awake sleeping beauty." He smiled. Nodding she smiled awkwardly.
"This is going to be fun explaining to my parents." She sighed. "I will be there don't worry. Well think of something." He said as he sat down. "My sister is going to go back to my dad's compound and dismantel it. It's her's now. I told her my home was with you, in America and i just couldn't leave you." He said his eyes darting away nervously. Katy beamed instantly smiling and breathing another sigh of relief. She didn't want him to move all the way acrossed the country, she couldn't live without him. "Plus were a team, a package deal right?" He laughed. She nodded. "Yep, always." She squeezed his hand back. "How's your side, still painful, you were out like a light durring the stiching snoring like a truck driver, the healer asked if you were ok and I reassured her several times that you were just a heavy sleeper." He said. She laughed then winced. "Hurts when I laugh sorry." She said.
"I have a flight booked for us tonight for home and arranged for a hotel for us in Beijing. We'll be home in two days."