White Tigress by Jade Lee Read Free Book Online

ridiculous. My hair and my skin do not dictate my personality."
    "Of course they do not dictate," he snapped. "It is a reflection."
    "But—"
    "Do you wish to challenge me?" he asked, and though his tone was matter-of-fact, she felt anger boiling beneath his surface. So Lydia dipped her head, looking to her hands as he eventually spoke. "I do not know if you can understand such things, but do not try to correct your betters."
    Her head would have snapped up then, if she had not exercised rigid control. The thought that this Chinese heathen considered himself her better was flatly preposterous. But, for the moment at least, he was stronger and had the keys to her jail cell. And so she would have to swallow her pride and keep silent, allowing him the illusion of dominance.
    "Because I am a generous man," he continued, "I will instruct you as I can. Learn, and you will profit. Ignore me, and remain a stupid animal. It is your choice."
    Her tongue got the better of her. Her head shot up and her hands clenched. "I am no animal! I am an Englishwoman, and you have no right to speak to me that way!"
    He shook his head, his grimace almost mournful. "No constancy."
    Fu De offered something from the background, his voice a quick-running river of Chinese sound, and once again the dragon nodded.
    "Yes. It is the fault of all water souls. No constancy." He reached out, lifting her chin so that he could study her face. Despite her best efforts, tears were already flowing down her cheeks. And still he continued. "You are a water soul, prone to washing from one thing to the next. The moment you resolve to be strong, your will washes away and you speak and say things you do not want to. Is this not so?"
    She tried to look away but could not. His eyes were too piercing, his words too true.
    "Answer me!" he snapped. "Is that not so?"
    "Yes," she finally ground out. "But if I am water, then you must be fire, for you snap and growl and burn!"
    She had meant to insult him, to strike out in the only way she knew how—with her mind and her words. But instead of the flash of fury she expected, the dragon pulled back, his eyes wide with stunned surprise.
    "You understand," he murmured. Then he glanced over at Fu De, who stood equally amazed in his spot in the doorway. She could not follow the Chinese they exchanged, but she understood the meaning. They could not believe she comprehended their primitive concepts.
    She didn't know whether to be amused or angry at their reactions, but either way she had momentarily gained the advantage. So she pressed her point, shifting to her feet to stand before the dragon.
    "So, now you know I am not a fool. Therefore it is wrong to keep me like an animal. It is wrong to hold me against my will." She hesitated, mortified that she needed to resort to pleading. But she did it anyway. And hoped. "Will you not release me? Please?"
    She didn't know what she expected. Certainly she could not expect such an intellectual appeal to hold sway with a barbarian. Still, disappointment cut deeply into her heart when the monster's face hardened, and he roughly shoved her back on the bed.
    "You are not completely stupid. But you are still a woman, and nine virtuous Chinese women are not the equal of even one lame boy. You, ghost woman, are worth even less than a Chinese woman. So you will obey me. And you will learn to the best of your ability. And perhaps when this is done, you will have profited more than you can imagine."
    Truly angry now, she straightened as much as she could. "I imagine freedom. Will you give me that?"
    She hadn't expected him to consider her request. But nothing in China went as she expected. She was stunned when he at last nodded.
    "When this is done, I will consider releasing you."
    She stared, hating the hope that sparked within her. It had already been extinguished so many times. "You will release me?"
    "If you give me what I want."
    Her blood chilled, but she forced herself to ask the obvious question.