Qwang Gui permitted himself a grim smile. His expedition against the Silvani had not gone as well as he had hoped. The casualties inflicted on his army did not reflect well on his leadership. But his Dragon Warriors had carried the day. Even as his forces were retreating from their encounter with the Silvani the five black clad assassins had returned with the Green Heart. In spite of the defeat of his army he had won the war. Without the mystical gem the Silvani would lose their mastery over the forest. They would be no more than an ordinary barbarian tribe and would be easily subjugated.

He would have liked to have finished the job against the forest tribe, but events in the Shang capital of Chinwa had made the conquest of the Silvani relatively unimportant. A messenger had arrived from the capital with news of the death of the emperor. This changed everything. The imperial throne was there for the taking. Qwang Gui had spent years building up support for his candidacy for the Throne of Heaven. Now only his presence in the capital was necessary to secure absolute power. But he would have to move fast. The message he had received had mentioned that his enemies were organizing a movement to replace him with the only other person who had a legitimate claim to the Throne of Heaven; his own sister.

He smiled again. His own sister. His enemies must be desperate indeed to think that they could use her against him. Che Sha was hardly a match for him. She was little more than a girl, barely sixteen years of age. Without a doubt her supporters sought to place her on the Throne of Heaven and then manipulate her from behind the scenes. A girl of such limited experience would be easily influenced. Little did his enemies realize that he already had knowledge of their plans. He had known of their little plot for months. Ever since the emperor had become ill. His spies had kept him well informed of their activities and even now his Dragon Warriors were on their way to stabilize the situation until he arrived in the capital. Che Sha was in for a rude surprise.

The Red Dragon moved silently through the darkened corridors of the palace. A few feet behind her were the other four Dragon Warriors. They had ridden hard to reach the palace. Three horses had died under her in the two week journey, and the other Dragon Warriors had killed at least that number. She hated to abuse such fine animals, but Qwang Gui was not to be ignored. His orders had been explicit. Reach Chinwa as quickly as possible and eliminate opposition to his rule.

Upon reaching the city, the five Dragon Warriors had waited until dark and then had scaled the outer wall of the palace. It was heavily guarded, but none of the guards were prepared for intruders as silent and deadly as the Qwang Gui’s highly trained assassins. So far the Red Dragon and her comrades had not had to kill any of the guards. Stealth was much more effective than force. Their quarry was much more important than any guard, and it was best if she and her guards had no advance warning of their presence.

The Red Dragon raised a hand, signaling caution. Just ahead were the private rooms of the Shang princess. Four heavily armed guards were posted outside the impressive double doors. Rushing them was not an option; there were too many other guards nearby. The Red Dragon was not so much concerned about the odds, but she did not want to alert their real prey and give her a chance to escape. There seemed no option. She would have to find another way.

Moving back down the corridor she halted beside a side door. Placing her ear to it she listened. The sound of slow regular breathing came through the door. Gently, she tried the handle of the door. It moved and a small click told her that it was unlocked. Quietly she crept into the room followed by the four other black clad figures. The room seemed to be a dormitory of sorts for servants. A row of beds along one wall held a half dozen sleeping women. She gave them a quick look to ensure that no one was awake and then made for the window on the other side of the room. Swiftly she climbed out the window. Just outside was an ornamental ledge about four inches wide. About a foot over her head was a similar ledge. Stepping onto the ledge, the red Dragon anchored herself by turning her body to the outside wall and holding on to the top ledge by her fingertips. It was a precarious situation at best, but it was enough to provide her with the alternative route to the princess’s room.

Slowly, she worked her way along the ledge. Taking a quick glance behind her she saw that two of her companions had followed her out onto the ledge. The other two waited their turn. Turning back she continued on her way. She was almost past the section of the palace where the four guards were stationed. In only a few more feet she should be next to the windows to the princess’s room.

One more step and…bars! She should have expected that. At least they provided a better handhold. She hung onto the bars while she tried to think of her next move. She thought of checking another window, but suspected that they would all be similarly barred. Her companions were almost up to her now. She shifted down to the next window to give them something to hold onto. As she had thought, it was barred as well. She sighed. This complicated matters. She might have to try to fight her way into the princess’s quarters anyway.

All four of the other Dragon Warriors were on the ledge now. She shifted down to the next window. Holding onto the bars, she leaned out and looked for any sort of opening in the wall. Her eyes narrowed. About ten feet up was a grating. There were actually several of them, no doubt used to improve the air circulation in the princess’s suite of rooms. It was possible that the grating might be less secure than the barred windows. She motioned to one of her companions to move closer. Using hand gestures she signaled her intentions. The other Dragon Warrior nodded and signaled to the next black clad figure. The two warriors moved together. One held tightly to the bars on the window and the other stepped on her shoulders. Once they were in position, the Red Dragon climbed onto them and using them as a human ladder climbed up to the grating.

The grating was made of iron, but was badly corroded. With a little bit of effort she might be able to work it loose. The only problem was the amount of noise she would make. But there seemed to be no other way. Hoping that her companions could hold her long enough, she began to work at the first bar. With a slight scrunch it came loose. Carefully she tucked it into her belt. It wouldn’t do to drop it. Then she went to work on the next bar. One at a time she worked the bars loose. Three bars seemed enough. It provided an opening just large enough for her to squeeze through.

Wriggling through the opening, she found herself about ten feet up in a room lit only by a single candle. Swinging her body around she lowered herself until she was hanging by her fingertips and then let herself drop. She hit the floor almost silently, landing lightly on the balls of her feet. She looked around the room. There were two small beds, probably for the princess’s personal servants. Gently breathing came from both. There was no large bed that might be suitable for a princess and she guessed that it the princess’s sleeping quarters were probably in a separate room.

She tiptoed across the room toward a set of double doors. Opening one of them she slipped inside. A few moments told her that the large bed in the centre of the room was occupied. Crouching low, she approached the bed and then stood up so that she could view the occupant.

Although only sixteen, Che Sha was one of the most beautiful women the Red Dragon had ever seen. Jet black hair cascaded like a dark waterfall over the silken pillows, framing a perfect oval face. Slender eyebrows arched over almond eyes that were now closed in sleep. High cheekbones and a small delicate nose highlighted a perfect rosebud mouth. She stirred slightly as she slept, her small pointed breasts rising and falling rhythmically.

The Red Dragon sighed with relief. She had found her quarry. Quickly, she removed a small vial from her belt and poured a few drops onto an absorbent cloth that she produced from within the folds of her gei. A pungent odor assailed her nostrils, but she held her breath and pressed over cloth to Che Sha’s nose and mouth. The exotic almond eyes opened wide in shock and fear. For a second her hands flew to her face, tugging at the cloth, but she had already taken a breath. Slowly her eyelids closed and her excited breathing slowed once more.

The Red Dragon rolled the unconscious girl over. She had to move fast, the sleeping drug would not last long. She produced a ball of cloth that she stuffed into Che Sha’s mouth to prevent her from screaming if she should awake. She tied it in place with a length of cloth. By this time two more Dragon Warriors had found their way to the bedroom. One of them took out a long black sack and slipped it over Che Sha’s feet. Together the Red Dragon and her companion pulled the sack the length of the sleeping girl’s body until she was completely covered. Then she wound a long cord around the sack, tying the girl inside so tightly that she would be unable to move.

The three Dragon Warriors picked up the bound princess and carried her over to a set of balcony doors. Like the windows, these were barred, but they could be opened from the inside. Che Sha would not smother in the short time she would be in the sack, but it would keep her quiet.

They carried her to the balcony, and using another length of rope lowered her over the side. By this time all of the Dragon Warriors had arrived in the bedroom. Once Che Sha was safely on the ground each of them followed, the Red Dragon going last. As she clambered down the rope she allowed herself a sense of satisfaction. She had done her job well. Qwang Gui would be pleased.

Che Sha trembled in fear. She had been in a continual state of terror ever since she had awakened in total darkness. For a few seconds she thought she was drowning. She could not draw a breath, nor could she move a muscle. It was only the sensation of being carried that brought her back to a sense of reality. She knew then that she had been kidnapped and bound and gagged. A hood had been placed over her head to keep her from seeing what was happening to her or where she was being taken. The sudden realization of her plight had caused her to struggle desperately. But her efforts were futile. She was being carried by at least three persons, and her feeble efforts to escape did not slow them down at all.

Her captors had carried her quite a distance. She heard doors being unlocked and felt the sensation of being carried down several flights of stairs. Then there had been a loud clang, as of a large door being pulled open and she had been set down. The sack covering her head had been removed, but the gag had been left in her mouth. She saw that she was in a grim stone cell. A guttering torch dimly lit the small room. Blinking in the sudden light she could only watch helplessly as several figures dressed in black quickly left the cell and slammed the huge barred door. She did not even have time to call out before they were gone.

She struggled into a sitting position and examined her bonds. She saw that a single length of rope encircled her body several times, confining her tightly in a sack. The rope effectively pinned her arms to her body and prevented her legs from moving. Taking a deep breath and exerting all her strength, she sought to stretch the rope. It gave just a little. She tried again and felt the rope stretch a little more. Encouraged by her slight success she kept at it. Bit by bit she loosened the ropes. Eventually she was able to work one arm free, pushing it out the top of the sack. After that she was able to slide the ropes down her body and slip out of the sack. She then examined her harsh prison.

The cell she was in was only about eight feet square. It was bare of any amenities. There was not even a bed of straw to lie on. A hole in one corner served as a lavatory. A damp chill told her that keeping warm was going to be one of her main concerns. She wandered where she had been taken. The featureless walls offered her no clue as to her whereabouts. She tried to peer through the bars of the cell door, but the corridor outside was completely dark. She listened but could hear no sound other than the dripping of water. She shivered. Already she was feeling the cold air of the cell beginning to drain the warmth from her body. Picking up the sack she had been tied in, she used her teeth to work loose the threads at the bottom. Then she slipped the sack over her head. It formed a crude but serviceable dress. At least it would help to keep her from succumbing to the cold. Sighing, she sat down on the cell floor to wait.

Without any natural light it was impossible to tell how long she spent in the cell. Her meals were brought at irregular intervals and were passed in to her through a small opening in the bars. The main cell door was never opened and the guards who brought her food and water, and removed her empty food bowls refused to speak to her. There was only one improvement in her condition. On her second day in the cell one of the guards tossed a coarse woolen blanket into the cell. Che Sha was very glad of this gift. She had been suffering from the cold as she spent most of her time sitting on the stone floor wondering who had ordered her kidnapped and what was going to happen to her. She feared the worst. She knew that with the death of the emperor she had become part of a power struggle and that rival factions were hoping to use her to gain access to the Throne of Heaven. She also knew that she was in deadly danger. She would be kept alive only as long as the person who had kidnapped her thought he could use her for his own ends.

The time passed. She had no idea how many days she had been in the cell, but she kept track of her meals. She had been fed twenty seven times. She was so hungry that she guessed that she was being fed only once a day and that gave her some sense of time. And then one day things changed. The meal brought to her was much larger than her normal meager ration, consisting of a full bowl of soup and a plate of rice mixed with meat and greens. Che Sha ate eagerly; glad to have her shrunken stomach full for a change. But at the same time, she was apprehensive. She was certain that this change in routine signaled something more ominous. She was proven right an hour later. Her cell door was flung open. There waiting for her were five dark-clad figures. Che Sha’s heart leapt into her mouth. Her worst fears were realized. The figures facing her were the Dragon Warriors, the personal assassins of her brother, Qwang Gui. It was her worst nightmare come true.

From the time she had been a little girl Qwang Gui had terrified her. Her father had died shortly after she was born. Qwang Gui, who was already a young man, had taken over as head of the household. As the ruler of a noble Shang family he possessed great power and he was not afraid to use and abuse it. She had learned early of her brother’s perverted tastes. He had paraded his female “playthings” openly and their screams had echoed though the private areas of the palace as he entertained himself. Although her brother had never touched her, he had often given her a look that sent chills through her. That look had become more and more frequent as she had gotten older. She had eventually made every effort to avoid her brother whenever he was in the palace, secreting herself away in her own quarters and trying to ignore the cries of his victims. Fortunately, his rank in Shang society required that he be away frequently. He was often absent for months at a time. But with the decline in the health of the emperor a new problem had arisen. A faction in the Shang court, fearing Qwang Gui’s cruelty, had organized to prevent him from succeeding to the Throne of Heaven. They had proposed that Che Sha become empress instead, believing that they would be able to manipulate her once she ascended the throne. That plot seemed to have gone horribly wrong. It was obvious that Qwang Gui had outmaneuvered his rivals. His Dragon warriors had kidnapped her, thus eliminating her as a rival. Now she was at his mercy, and Qwang Gui was not known to show mercy.

Che Sha was escorted from the cell, still clad in only her filmy nightdress, and the crude sack covering she had made for herself. She was marched up a long sloping corridor and several flights of stairs until finally reaching a heavy iron-bound door. It was opened by the one of the Dragon Warriors. Che Sha saw to her surprise that the warrior opening the door was not Shang. A long red braid hung from her head, clearly indicating that her origins were foreign. Che Sha wondered at this for a few seconds but then forgot all about it when she realized where she was. She was in the imperial palace, the seat of the emperor. She had been in the palace on one previous occasion and was able to recognize its splendid architectural style. She knew then that Qwang Gui had probably seized absolute control.

Her escort took her to the upper levels of the palace, where the emperor and members of his family had their private rooms. She was finally ushered into a large room. To her surprise she saw that it was one of the royal suites and that a dozen handmaidens awaited her. All of the Dragon Warrior escorts left except the one with the red braid. And then as she wondered what was going to happen to her, the handmaidens surrounded her. In short order she was stripped of her filthy clothing and placed in a warm bath. Then every inch of her body was thoroughly scrubbed in perfumed water. It was the most thorough cleansing she had ever received, and it went on for over an hour.

Satisfied that she was clean enough, the handmaidens helped her from the bath. Her gleaming black hair was combed out and she was dressed in the white and green robes of a virgin princess. Clearly she was being prepared for some special event. Then, jeweled sandals were placed on her feet and she was ushered to the door of the room. Waiting for her were four slaves with a sedan chair. She settled into the cushioned seat, and accompanied by the lone Dragon Warrior was carried through the palace toward the emperor’s quarters. All the while Che Sha’s brain was whirling as she tried to understand why she was being accorded such special treatment. The knowledge that she was in Qwang Gui’s power caused her heartbeat to accelerate. She was sure that she would soon be in his presence and that thought filled her with fear.

Qwang Gui rose from his seat as Che Sha was carried into the room. “Greetings, sister,” Qwang Gui leered in mock courtesy. “I have been looking forward to this meeting ever since I heard of your treachery.”

Che Sha’s mouth went dry. The room she had entered was not typical of the royal apartments. It was bare of all furnishing except for several strange machines. She shuddered as her eyes swept over them. They were clearly instruments of torture. Swallowing, she slipped from the chair and prostrated herself before him. “Merciful brother,” she said “I ask for your forgiveness if I have been any source of opposition to you. I am innocent in this matter and know nothing of it.”

“I believe you sister, but I fear that my enemies may still make use of you to bar my way to power. You are a source of potential opposition that must be eliminated. Fortunately, I have discovered a solution to the problem that should be mutually agreeable to both of us.”

Che Sha held her breath for a second. She raised her head, trying to master her fear. “I will help in any way I can to further my brother’s desires.” Perhaps by cooperating with Qwang Gui she could avoid his anger, but she knew as she spoke that what he would want of her would not be something easily given. If it was he would not have imprisoned her in such harsh conditions.

“I am glad you have seen the wisdom of cooperation,” replied Qwang Gui. “It will make things so much easier for both of us.” The Shang lord sounded genuinely pleased as he spoke, and for the first time since she had been kidnapped Che Sha felt a spark of hope. But her hopes were moderated by knowledge of her brother’s character. She sensed that Qwang Gui was playing with her. He wanted something important from her but she feared to ask him what it might be and so she waited for him to tell her.

Qwang Gui seated himself in the only chair in the room and rested his hands on the arms. With a gesture he waved the guards from the room, except the red-braided Dragon Warrior. As the last man left the redhead closed the door after them.

“There,” said Qwang Gui, “that will give us a bit more privacy for what I must do. I would not want anyone other than the Red Dragon to witness my sister’s sacrifice.”

“What sacrifice, brother?” quavered Che Sha. “What would you have me do?”

“You are my only serious rival for the Throne of Heaven. I now control the throne, but wish my claim to be absolute. That can only be achieved one way. You, my sister, must become my wife.”

Che Sha felt ill. “My brother, such a thing is forbidden. A brother cannot take his sister to wife.”

“Oh, but he can. During the time you were confined as my ‘guest’ I had my scholars study the matter. There is a precedent. A very ancient one. During the time of the first Shang emperors two rival claimants to the throne resolved their differences through marriage, thus incorporating their separate claims into one. It is a simple solution, and one I intend to put into practice.” As he finished speaking, Qwang Gui pulled a bell cord. A few seconds later a high priest of Zhan, goddess of marriage and fertility, entered the room. He was dressed in his ceremonial robes.

“My brother, you cannot do this,” Che Sha protested. It is a violation of ancient custom and tradition.”

“But emperors make their own customs and traditions.” Qwang Gui gestured to the priest. “Proceed.”

“No!” cried Che Sha, moving back toward the doorway. But she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. The redheaded Dragon Warrior Qwang Gui had called the Red Dragon was there. With steady pressure she directed the trembling girl into the centre of the room, and then forced her down on her knees. Qwang Gui moved beside her, but did not kneel. As he moved into place the priest began to chant the marriage ritual.

Held on her knees by the Red Dragon, Che Sha sat in mute horror as the ceremony continued. Qwang Gui had chosen well. The particular ceremony being conducted was an ancient one and required no input from the bride. All aspects of the ceremony could be completed by the priest and the groom. All that was required of Che Sha was that she be present to hear the proclamation of the marriage.

The ceremony finished. Qwang Gui turned to his bride. “Now my beloved, we will consummate the holy union that has been proclaimed between us.” He nodded to the priest of Zhan, signaling that his presence was no longer needed. Che Sha looked desperately around her, looking for a way out. But the grip of the Red Dragon on her shoulder tightened slightly as if signaling that such thoughts were futile. She was trapped. There was no way to go from the room she was in, even if by some miracle she could have overcome her brother and the Dragon Warrior. But such thoughts were foolish. As a Shang princess she had been given a little martial training, but nothing to rival that of the trained killer who served her brother.

“You do no know how much I have longed for this moment, Che Sha,” said Qwang Gui. “I have thought of little else since I first conceived of our marriage three weeks ago. Your beauty has overflowed my mind. Now you will be mine. I will impregnate you and secure my position on the Throne of Heaven with our child.”

“Please,” begged Che Sha, “do not do this. It is a sin against the gods and nature.”

Qwang Gui smiled, and Che Sha saw the mad glint in his eyes. Only then did she understand. “You are insane,” she said. “I will not do this.”

Qwang Gui’s face clouded. In a voice tense with controlled rage he answered. “You will see how insane I am, sister. I had hoped to have your cooperation in this matter, but you have chosen to fight me. So be it. Your conquest will be even more pleasurable. With a jerk of his thumb he gestured to the Red Dragon.

Che Sha gasped as the women seized her arm in a painful submission hold. Helpless in the grip of the black clad assassin she was forced toward one of the strange machines she had noticed upon entering the room. In sudden terror she realized what it was. “No! Please no!” she pleaded.

“Too late sister. You had your chance. Now I intend to enjoy myself.”

Che Sha struggled to escape from the Red Dragon’s iron grip, but the Dragon Warrior was far too strong. Step by step she was forced toward the machine until she was close enough for Qwang Gui to lend a hand. The torture device was simple enough in construction. But it looked painful. It consisted of a post about eight inches in diameter. Attached to either side of the post about a foot from the floor were two horizontal crosspieces about four feet long. These were connected at each end to that they could \be moved vertically up and down the post. Heavy metal rings were screwed into the wood at each end of the crosspieces. Across the top of the post was a padded wooden beam measuring two feet in length that was placed at right angles to the lower crosspieces.

Qwang Gui and the Red Dragon arched Che Sha across the wooden beam. Then while the Red Dragon held her, the Shang lord first tied Che Sha’s hands to the rings at one end of the lower crosspiece, and then secured her ankles to the other end of the crosspiece in the same way. The result left Che Sha arched painfully across the padded wooden beam, with her arms and legs pulled toward the floor so that her body was bent in the shape of an inverted letter “U.” After Qwang Gui and the Red Dragon had tied off the last rope they stepped back to admire their handiwork.

Che Sha struggled to escape from the painfully uncomfortable position. It was her worst fear come true. She had been terrified of what might happen to her if she fell into the twisted clutches of her brother. Now she was to share the same painful torture he had meted out to so many other helpless women. She found that if she pulled hard enough she could move the crosspiece at the bottom of the post upward, but it took all of her strength to hold it for any length of time. But letting the weight of the crosspiece pull her arm and legs down left her with all of her weight in the small of her back, and terribly vulnerable to whatever Qwang Gui might want to do to her.

In her struggle to escape Che Sha’s jeweled sandals had been kicked off leaving her feet bare. Her long legs were bare to the knee as her white and green robe had been pushed up when she had been bent across the padded beam. Her bosom heaved from the exertion created by her painful position, emphasizing the perfect shape and firmness of her still developing breasts. A low moan of terror escaped her lips as she visualized what was about to happen to her. “Please,” she begged, “her trembling voice on the verge of breaking, “do not do this. Let me go. I will not challenge you in any way.”

“You misunderstand me, sister,” replied Qwang Gui. “I do not do this because I fear you. I do it because it is my will. I want to do this. I want to delight in the look of fear and humiliation in your eyes as I take your virginity. I want to watch you weep in shame as you beg for mercy.”

“But why?” Che Sha gasped. “Why would you do this to your own sister?”

Qwang Gui moved close to the trembling princess. Deliberately he began to run his hand over the tightly stretched silk that covered her belly. “I do it because I have desired you ever since you began to blossom as a woman. I do it because I delight in breaking a woman to my will. Soon you will be my obedient slave. It will take a little time and effort but eventually you will be as subservient as is the Red Dragon. It took me months to break her. But now she is little more than a highly trained slave.”

Che Sha gave a despairing sob as Qwang Gui’s right hand settled on her left breast. Her eyes rolled toward the impassive figure of the Red Dragon as the redheaded woman watched, her eyes revealing no emotion as she watched her master slip his hand beneath the robe to the satin soft skin beneath.

Che Sha tensed as Qwang Gui’s fingers slid down the V neckline of her robe and between her breasts. Her lower lip trembled as his hand cupped the soft flesh of her right breast rotating the palm over her taut nipple. Then he withdrew his hand and in a leisurely manner undid the ties that held her robe closed. The shining green trimmed white fabric fell open, revealing her perfect body. Qwang Gui suppressed a gasp of admiration. His sister’s body was exquisitely beautiful. Her peach-coloured skin was flawless, perfect, unblemished. Her legs were long with strong rounded thighs. Her hips were well-formed even though still a little narrow, having not yet attained their full womanly maturity. Her waist was tiny and served to emphasize the perfect shape of her small delicately rounded breasts crowned with their dark prominent nipples. Her neck was long and swan-like. Her thick ebony mane swept the floor as she moved her head from side to side in a vain attempt to find a more comfortable position.

Qwang Gui licked his lips. He had a sudden urge to remove his gold and green robes and take her immediately. But he resisted the temptation. He had to play with her first. He wanted to watch her squirm. Soon she would be screaming in pain. Then he would delight in watching her face as he took her virginity.

The Shang lord placed both hands over her breasts and rotated his palms over the nipples. The feel of the tender buds as they hardened under his palms caused his loins to ache. He longed to take her, but he controlled his urges. There was more than one way to enjoy a women and he intended to explore as many as possible.

Che Sha whimpered in fear. He body was covered in sweat, and she was almost shaking in terror. She tried to control her trembling, but maintaining her composure was almost impossible. He was violating her most private places in the most painful way possible. She gasped as his fingers tightened on her breasts, squeezing the flesh between his fingers. All the time his eyes were on her face, gauging her reaction. She saw a hint of a smile twitch at the corner of his lips, as he enjoyed her discomfort. Then he took her nipples between his thumb and forefinger and twisted hard.

Che Sha cried out, her resolve to show no pain gone in an instant. She wanted to be brave, but was just a frightened girl caught up in the most horrifying of circumstances. “Please,” she begged one more time, her voice breaking in terror. “Please let me go.” Qwang Gui’s only reply was a twisted smile and a tightening of his fingers on her tender flowerets as he pulled her breasts into a sharp point.

“Ugnh!” Che Sha’s grunt of pain spurred Qwang Gui on. He was having great difficulty controlling himself. Already his erection was more impressive that anything he had experienced since he had last raped the Red Dragon. He moved his hands lower.

The Red Dragon watched impassively as Qwang Gui fondled and tormented his own sister. Any feelings that she might have had for others had been driven out of her in her three years of training under Chang Jao. The day that she had learned of the death of her lover something had died inside of her. She had learned to respond instantly and without question to the commands of the Shang lord. Chang Jao had turned her into a finely tuned killing machine. Strangely, she had taken to the Shang martial training with an enthusiasm and skill level unmatched by any of the other trainees. Within a year she was the foremost student in Chang Jao’s classes. Within two more she was able to almost match the Shang master himself. Her progress astonished both the martial arts master and Qwang Gui. It was almost as if some mystical force drove her to succeed. Her prowess and her devotion to her new lords had placed her in the forefront of the Dragon Warriors. Qwang Gui had soon learned that he could trust her with any mission.

Some of the things the Red Dragon had been ordered to do had not been pleasant. Qwang Gui had chosen the missions carefully, testing his latest disciple. She had met or exceeded his standards in every case. He decided to make her his personal attendant. This appointment served two objectives. First, the redheaded warrior was the perfect bodyguard. Second, he took great pleasure in having such a beautiful and exotic woman close to him. He had never seen anyone more beautiful, and in spite of her new status as a Dragon warrior there were times when he invited her to his apartments for a special private “meeting.” On these occasions he took great delight in humiliating her in every way he could. She was so submissive that she would have been the perfect bedmate had he simply wanted a compliant slave. But he had broken her too completely. The defiant spirit that had made her so entertaining before her complete degradation was gone. She no longer offered any sort of resistance and so he had taken to inflicting as much pain upon her as he could, short of disfiguring her magnificent body. But nothing had worked. She remained unresponsive, going into some sort of dreamlike state where she remained until he had finished with her. Qwang Gui found her lack of response infuriating, but there was little he could do about it. Still, it did not stop him from trying. She was repeatedly ordered to his suite of rooms, where he entertained himself at her expense. These sessions were always painful and quite degrading. They stopped just short of injuring her. Only the fact that she was so valuable to him as an assassin kept him from performing even more brutal acts on her.

Today, however, Qwang Gui had come up with something new. Never before had she been permitted to attend one of his private torture sessions. No hint of emotion crossed her face as she watched the Shang lord run his hands between his sister’s legs. She understood fully the pain that the Shang princess was suffering. Only a few weeks ago Qwang Gui had confined her in the same device. It had been a most agonizing experience, but one she had suffered without a display of emotion. This was not the case with Che Sha. The beautiful young woman was trembling in pain and fear, her back arched brutally across the top crossbeam and her limbs stretched painfully. Her expressive almond eyes were rolled wildly as her brother’s fingers began to explore her most intimate places. Her sweat-soaked body heaved as Qwang Gui inserted first one and then two fingers into her vagina. A low moan escaped her lips and she panted from fear and the exertion of trying to escape. Again and again she plaintively begged her brother to stop, but her pleas only spurred him on. The Red Dragon could tell from his body language and sweating face that he was fully aroused. It was only a matter of minutes before he would take his sister’s virginity.

And then the Shang lord dragged himself away from his victim. He turned to the Red Dragon. “It is time, dai zhu,” he said still using the derogatory term with which he always referred to her. “Come here. I have something I want you to do.”

The Red Dragon stepped toward Che Sha’s glistening body. Qwang Gui took her right hand and paced it on the arched belly of the Shang princess. A strange sensation ran through the Red Dragon’s body. The girl’s skin was like silk. She had never touched another woman like that before. Qwang Gui seemed to sense her reaction. “Beautiful isn’t she? Now run your hand toward her breasts.” Hesitatingly, the Red Dragon obeyed.

The Red Dragon’s hand swept slowly toward Che Sha’s quivering breasts. Beneath her fingers she could sense the panicked beating of the young girl’s heart, and feel the warm dampness of her sweat soaked body. “Please,” the girl whimpered, “don’t hurt me.”

The Red Dragon did not reply. Her fingers came to rest on the soft mounds of the girl’s trembling breasts. She seemed to feel an electric tingling as her palm cupped the soft mounds. Deep within her mind something stirred, a feeling that was so remote that she could not identify it. Gently she closed her hand slightly, kneading the soft, firm flesh.

“That’s it,” said Qwang Gui. “Now use your mouth. Take her nipple between your lips.”

The Red Dragon lifted the cloth that covered her face, bent her head, and kissed Che Sha’s erect nipple. The frightened girl gave a squeak of fear as she felt the black clad assassin’s tongue flick over her stiffening rosette.

“Excellent,” exclaimed Qwang Gui. For some reason he found the sight of the Red Dragon sucking on his sister’s teats incredibly erotic. He could feel his hard shaft thrusting against his robe. “Now,” he said, hoarsely, “use your tongue to explore her petals of passion.”

The Red Dragon shifted her position so that she was kneeling between Che Sha’s splayed legs. Running her hands over the girl’s trembling thighs she maneuvered her mouth into position. As she neared Che Sha’s virginal vulva, she could smell the sweet musky odor of the girl’s sex glands. It was a scent she found strangely attractive. Her tongue flicked between the folds of the girl’s vagina eliciting a despairing moan from the captive princess. “No,” the girl groaned, “please don’t.”

The Red Dragon ignored the girl’s pleas, snaking her pliant tongue deep into the princess’s nether region. Incredibly, Che Sha actually managed to arch her back even farther than the brutal contraption she was lashed into already had. Her breathing became laboured as the Red Dragon probed deeper, swirling her tongue within the girl’s supersensitive vaginal area.

Qwang Gui smiled. It was obvious that in spite of her pain and terror, Che Sha’s body was betraying her. The Red Dragon’s tongue had managed to do what he had not; stimulate the flow of his sister’s vaginal juices. She was almost ready, but first he wanted to give her a little more pain. “Enough,” he ordered. “Now it is my turn.”

The Red Dragon stood aside as Qwang Gui approached. He was holding a familiar metal device in his hands. Che Sha saw it too. “No!” she protested, her voice rising to a scream. “No, don’t!” Aagghh!” Che Sha screamed as the gold ring pieced her labia majora just below her clitoris. The blunt ends of the ring clamped together, ripping through her flesh. She had been ringed like some farm animal.

But Qwang Gui was only getting started. He held up two more rings and the special pair of pliers he had used to insert the first one. He beckoned to the Red Dragon. “Pierce her breasts,” he ordered.

The Red Dragon reached out to take the brutal instrument of torture. And then something inside her made her stop. She looked at her master and then at the trembling, weeping young girl she was being asked to torture. A memory flooded into her mind. One she had long suppressed. Of a young girl held down by three men and raped on a tabletop in her own home. Then the image faded to be replaced by one that was even more vivid, of a young woman allowing herself to be raped to save someone she loved. That image too dissolved, only to be followed by a series of painfully brilliant mental flashes, each one of a redheaded girl being raped again and again in positions of severe bondage and torture. He hands dropped to her side. Looking Qwang Gui directly in the eye she uttered a single word, “No.”

Qwang Gui’s face reflected a range of emotions, from disbelief, to anger, and then fear, as he saw something in the eyes of his personal assassin that made his blood run cold. He stepped back quickly, his hand reaching for the bell rope that would summon his guards. But even as his hand closed on the rope, the Red Dragon moved catlike across the space that separated them. Fingers like steel spikes drove with frightening force into the Shang lord’s solar plexus ripping into the flesh like the edge of a knife. For an instant, while he screamed in pain and horror, he felt the Red Dragon’s fingers close about his beating heart. The woman he had thought his slave looked into his eyes. “This is for Vandar,” she said. Then she closed her hand.

Qwang Gui managed only half a shriek before his heart burst, and then as he fell away, the Red Dragon twisted her wrist, ripping the still pulsing organ from his chest. Then, with calm deliberation, she turned to face the dead Shang lord’s guards who had burst into the room.

The guards halted, looks of bewilderment and horror written on their usually impassive faces. With calm deliberation Melissa, now no longer thinking of herself as the Red Dragon, tossed Qwang Gui’s heart onto the floor in front of them. “Cut the girl loose,” she ordered. Her tone was flat, unemotional, but there was a hint of menace behind her words that sent a chill down the spines of the men who faced her. Hesitatingly, one of the guards lowered his gisarme and with the reverse side of the razor edged blade cut through the ropes binding Che Sha’s hands. With a sob of relief, the Shang princess rolled herself forward and with her ankles still bound pitched toward the floor.

Melissa caught her as she fell. Nodding to the guard she watched as he cut through the ropes around Che Sha’s ankles. “Can you walk?” asked Melissa as she helped the girl to stand.

Che Sha nodded. Melissa turned to the guards. “Provide escort to the princess.” She turned back to Che Sha and helped her refasten her robe. The girl’s trembling fingers could barely tie the silken cords.

Che Sha put out a restraining arm on Melissa’s shoulder. “Aren’t you staying with me?” the girl asked.

Melissa shook her head. “I have other things to do. I must correct another wrong.”

“I cannot go with the guards,” said Che Sha in a low voice. “Qwang Gui would have filled the palace with his supporters. I would be dead or imprisoned within a week. And this time you might not be around to save me. I must go with you. I cannot stay here.”

Melissa nodded. She knew Che Sha was right. Only the fear and awe surrounding a Dragon Warrior had kept the guards from attacking her. But soon, they would react to the death of Qwang Gui. And then there were the four other Dragon Warriors. They would not be far off and would take a dim view of the death of their master. It was important that she leave the palace as soon as possible. But she would have to take Che Sha with her.

Melissa took the girl by the arm. “Clean up this filth,” she said to the guards, nodding her head toward Qwang Gui’s bloody corpse. The four armored warriors looked blankly at her, but made no effort to impede her passage as she led Che Sha from the room. Their progress was not rapid, as Che Sha was having difficulty walking after her ordeal, but the girl seemed to gain strength as they progressed and soon they had almost reached the outer door of the palace. It was at that point the Dragon Warriors caught up with them.

“Stop, Sha zhu,” ordered the lead warrior. Melissa recognized him as Sha Xin, the Green Dragon. “You may not leave.”

Melissa turned to face the four black-clad assassins. “I wish you no harm,” she replied, “but if you seek to stop me I will kill you.”

“There are four of us and one of you. Surrender and live. Fight and die.”

Melissa pushed Che Sha behind her. “I am leaving. Stop me if you will.”

Sha Xin nodded and his three companions spread out on either side. Together they came at Melissa, but their intended victim did not wait for their attack. She moved with blinding speed toward Sha Xin. The Dragon Warrior, moved with almost equal speed, adopted a defensive stance. He had sparred with the Red Dragon before and knew of her formidable prowess as a martial artist.

But at the last instant, Melissa changed direction, moving to the right of Sha Xin before he had time to react. The move caught the single warrior on that side completely off guard. Expecting Melissa’s attack to carry her into Sha Xin he was maneuvering to come at her from the side when she ducked under his guard and drove her right leg into his knee. A scream and the crunch of ripping cartilage told Melissa that she now faced only three opponents.

The highly trained assassins, however, did not wait for her to move again, but came at her in a well coordinated assault, Sha Xin in the centre and the other two flanking her. Melissa arched herself back, and leaving her feet performed a backward somersault over the Dragon Warrior she had just disabled. The sudden move stopped Sha Xin in his tracks, as he would have been forced to leave his feet the engage Melissa. Taking advantage of the situation, Melissa moved to her left and struck at the assassin coming at her from that side. She exchanged a flurry of punches too quick for the untrained eye to follow with the adversary on that side. Her opponent’s blows did not make contact, but Melissa’s did. A satisfying crunch told her she had broken the nose of her foe. As the Dragon Warrior staggered away from her Melissa’s foot drove hard between his legs. The agonized scream told her that she now faced only two opponents.

Made cautious by the fury of Melissa’s attack, the remaining two Dragon Warriors circled her at a distance. Melissa stepped back. “Let us go, Sha Xin. There is no reason to force me to kill every one of you. Your master is dead. Seek someone else to serve.”

Sha Xin shook his head. “I must avenge my master. The honour of a Dragon Warrior is at stake. Surrender to me or I must fight you.”

“There was no honour in serving that scum,” replied Melissa. He lived only to torture and rape and I gave him a better death than he deserved. But if you will not stand aside then I must defeat you.” She moved forward. There was little time to waste. Already a crowd of palace guards had gathered to watch the strange sight of battle between Dragon Warriors. Soon, however, they would learn of the death of their lord and then there was no telling what action they might take.

Sha Xin and the other Dragon Warrior seemed to sense that if they waited long enough they would soon have overwhelming numbers on their side. As Melissa moved toward them they stepped back, cautiously waiting for an opening. It was Che Sha that provided the opening. Forgotten in the fight, the Shang princess realized Melissa’s dilemma. If they did not escape quickly it was only a matter of minutes before they would be captured. With a loud shout she launched herself into the fray.

Lacking any real training, the young girl could not hope to defeat either of the Dragon Warriors, but her unexpected attack provided the distraction Melissa needed. For just a split second Sha Xin and the other Dragon Warrior glanced in the direction of the princess. In that brief instant Melissa struck. She executed a perfect flying side kick, catching Sha Xin in the throat, and then even as he fell, she tore into the last of the Dragon Warriors. For a few seconds he stood up to her attack, intercepting all of her blows, but Melissa struck with lightning speed. Her opponent was simply overwhelmed by the barrage of kicks and punches directed at him. Several struck home and he went down in a heap, his ribs broken in several places, and his nose and cheekbone shattered.

Even as the last Dragon Warrior fell, Melissa turned to continue her flight from the palace. But the way\was far from clear. The palace guard, which had watched the encounter between the Dragon Warriors without interfering, now moved to surround them. There were several dozen warriors, all armed with the deadly double edged gisarme, a weapon capable of disemboweling a man in seconds. The razor sharp points of the murderous pole axes were directed toward them in a closing ring of steel. Melissa looked quickly for some place where she could get her back to a wall, but saw that she was already cut off. She would have to face a simultaneous attack from all sides.

Che Sha saw that if there was to be any chance of escape it would be up to her. Skilled as the Red Dragon was, she could not hope to fight so many soldiers at once from such an indefensible position. Assuming what she hoped was a calm demeanor she stepped forward. “Do you not recognize your princess?” she asked, in a voice tinged with anger. “I am Che Sha, sister to the emperor.”

A slight murmur went up from the encroaching guards. For a brief second they halted their advance. The soldiers in front of her exchanged uncertain glances. Che Sha saw her chance. “Who is in charge here?” she demanded. Stepping forward, she advanced directly toward the lowered point of the gisarme directly in front of her, daring the soldier to skewer her. As she had hoped, the soldier, bewildered by her boldness, raised the point of his weapon from her breast and stepped back. Turning her head quickly right and left, Che Sha made a great show of looking for the officer who commanded the guard. Toward the back of the ranks she noticed movement. Then the soldiers parted and a soldier wearing the red cape of a captain stepped forward. Che Sha recognized the man. He had been in command of the escort the last time she and Qwang Gui had visited the old emperor on the occasion of his eightieth birthday. Her only hope was that he would remember her and be ignorant of the cruel fate that Qwang Gui had planned for her.

The officer moved to within a few feet of her. Che Sha saw his eyes narrow as they swept over her figure. Would he recognize in the young woman before him the skinny teenager who had been present in the palace two years ago? Then she discerned a glint of recognition. With a bow of his head he signaled his acknowledgement of her authority. “My lady,” he said, “what is your wish?”

Che Sha took advantage of the opening. She knew that the captain’s confusion would not last long. She had to act decisively. She knew what was churning through the captain’s mind. What was she doing in the palace? And why had Melissa attacked the other Dragon Warriors?

“Captain,” she said. “Elements hostile to the emperor have infiltrated the palace. The emperor Qwang Gui has been killed and I was attacked while visiting my brother. Members of the emperor’s personal guard have betrayed him and even now may be moving against me.” She pointed to Melissa. “This Dragon Warrior saved my life when it was threatened by the others. Take action immediately to secure the palace.”

With relief Che Sha saw the captain turn and move to carry out her orders. If she could deceive the palace guard for just a few minutes it might be long enough to allow her and the Red Dragon to escape. But at that point one of the injured Dragon Warriors screamed at the soldiers around him. “Stop them!” he shouted. “They have killed the emperor!”

The soldiers that had been moving away suddenly stopped. Che Sha’s face reflected the truth of the Dragon Warrior’s accusation. The captain whirled back toward the two women. “Hold them!” he ordered.

Melissa, who had been controlling her urge to strike out the whole time they had been surrounded, now acted. Her speed was blinding. Exploiting a slight gap in the ranks of the soldiers as they had moved away, she moved among them, striking right and left with incredible power and rapidity. Into the even wider gap now created, Che Sha followed. Within seconds the two women were through the disordered ranks of the soldiers. Before them was the outer door of the palace and a clear path to the gardens beyond. If they could reach the gardens they might have a chance of escaping.

Che Sha had never run so hard in all her life. Her bare feet pounded the marble floor as she and the Red Dragon hurtled toward the door. But behind them came over a score of the palace guard. The men were so close that Che Sha could hear the individual footsteps of the soldiers behind her as well as the panting of their breath. Only the fact that the palace guard wore heavy ceremonial armor gave them any chance of escape at all.

Bursting through the open door, they entered the gardens. A few more steps and they might have a chance. Gasping for breath, Che Sha followed the Red Dragon as she hurtled a low hedge. Now they were moving among the ornamental shrubbery and trees and their heavily armored pursuers began to fall behind. But Che Sha was almost done in. Her sheltered life as a princess had not prepared her for such strenuous activity. Gasping for breath, she began to fall behind, and her pursuers gained. Suddenly the Red Dragon darted to one side. Staggering, Che Sha followed and found herself on a path lined with eight foot hedges. The Red Dragon had halted, waiting for her. As she caught up the redheaded assassin reached out and pulled Che Sha behind her. “Keep going,” she said, “I will delay them.”

Che Sha shook her head. “You saved me from Qwang Gui. I will not leave you.” Stepping forward, she moved beside the Red Dragon and waited for the approaching guards.