Jia-yun

This story is copyright Kathmandu (David White) 2003 and is intended for readers over 18 only. Under no circumstances will this story be used in any sort of adult pay site or used for any commercial purpose without my written permission. It may be reposted to forums and newsgroups where it is relevant and on topic as long as no changes are made and is credited to Kathmandu (David White). kathmandu@cableone.net Comments are welcome.

Note: If you are looking for stories to flail your primate to, you may want to pass this up. It has sex and violence galore and it should provide a good read but it has a plot and an involved storyline. It is marginally furry as it involves Chinese dragons in a small way but it is primarily a human story. It does involve transformations. It also explores a particular kink called aquaphillia which involves people who are turned on by being or watching others underwater. Remember, it is just a story.

Jia-yun

The sea was calm and sparkling clear that morning, the weather was warm and the day promised to be beautiful. Jia-yun was a slender and lithe young Chinese woman who had grown up living on a junk like many other men and women on the southern coast of China. After she had finished making breakfast for her family and after clearing the dishes, she decided to take her morning swim to wash off the smell of cooking. She normally didn't eat breakfast until after her swim and that morning was no exception. She stripped off her shirt and dove from the side of the family's junk into the sea. The water was cool but she quickly became used to it as the water slid over her body like silk. She made a small prayer to the goddess Matsu for protection as she swam in the clear water. Soon she popped to the surface and took a few breaths then dove down again.

As she did whenever the water was clear enough, she inspected the bottom of the junk for any problems. The hull had some of the long strands of grass- like algae growing on it but it wasn't bad enough to be a problem yet. She remembered the last time she and her three brothers had to scrape it off. It was awful work that required them to be in the water for hours, taking a deep breath and working underwater to scrape and scrub for a minute or two then take another breath. It did prove one thing: she could hold her breath far longer than her brothers and stay in the water without getting cold seemingly all day.

She asked her father about it once and he explained that women were different from men when it came to the water and it was this reason that women were better pearl divers than men usually. He said he had heard of a woman in far away Japan who could hold her breath for six minutes easily and dive down to the deepest oysters. He also said that her mother was a good swimmer like she was before she became ill. Jia missed her but it had been so long ago time had dulled the pain, a little. Her father had told her she could hold her breath for five minutes before she became ill.

Since then she had tried to hold her breath for as long as she could, trying to beat five minutes but never quite could. Her little brother Kim would time her with the clock in the wheelhouse and she could almost do four and a half minutes but no more. She pushed herself to do better but she never could quite do it. She did know her bothers were jealous and tried to beat her times but they were always at the surface panting long before she was even uncomfortable. Her older brother Wu learned the hard way not to play too rough with her in the water because she could easily drown any of them without much effort and they lived precariously on a boat. Not that she ever would, she loved her family deeply. The respect didn't hurt though. They may be good at martial arts on the surface but they were no match to Jia’s skill as a swimmer.

She finished her quick inspection with nothing too terribly wrong except the pitch between the timbers was getting old and the junk needed dry docking to fix. It had been like that for years and unless it got much worse, it would continue to stay that way until they could afford it. So far she and her brothers had been able to keep it patched for the time being and it was of no big concern. She surfaced and took in a few breaths and was about to dive back under when she noticed someone watching her from a modern looking yacht anchored near them in the harbor. She squinted up at them trying to see who it was but all she could tell was he wore expensive clothes and had long braids in his hair. He was probably some rich merchant or something, a common occurrence here in the prosperous south. Something about him made her uneasy so she dove under and swam to the other side of the junk for privacy. She was young and pretty so she was used to the stares of men and wasn't above flirting on occasion but this one made her nervous.

She pushed all thought of him out of her mind as she surfaced. She swam to a hanging bucket and retrieved a lump of coarse soap and washed herself. She took off her pants and thong and put them in the bucket as she washed. When she was done she turned to her clothes and gave them a good scrubbing as well. She cherished this time, her time alone in the sea. The rest of her family thought she was a little crazy but they never the less respected her time and except for the occasional prank or teasing, pretty much left her alone. They knew since their mother died she did more work than any of them and she never complained once. That and the fact they didn't feel like being poisoned by their own cooking since no one else onboard could cook. She smiled at the thought of her brothers cooking; they would probably burn up the junk in their first attempt.

Once she was done with the clothes, she put them back in the bucket and decided to do a deep dive. She loved the feeling of swimming in the nude, especially when she went deep. She took several deep breaths then dove under. As she swam downward she could feel her heart slow and a sense of calm surrounded her. As she always did when she went deep like this, she sent up a prayer of thanks to the sea goddess Matsu for letting her be one with the ocean. She often wondered what it would be like not returning to the air but to stay in Matsu's arms here in the deep blue sea with the fish and whales. She smiled to herself knowing it would mean a quick death but it was still fun to fantasize. As the sea around her grew dark, she stopped and just drifted, enjoying the thrill of being really deep. She had not been under very long and her lungs were feeling fine so she lingered there, letting the water caress her body. Soon her hands wandered, finding the source of the fire that smoldered in her young body. Her fingers rubbed and teased the delicate folds of her sex while the other caressed her slight breasts.

She hung almost motionless in the depths, pleasuring herself and offering herself to the sea goddess. She leaned back and stretched letting the sea enter her nose, uncomfortable at first but soon she grew accustomed. Her pace grew faster as the race to orgasm started. She worked hard to peak before she had to return to the air. Her lungs began burning but she ignored them as her orgasm built deep within her. Soon the race was over and she shuddered and her body thrashed as her inner fire exploded in a shower of sparks like a new year’s rocket. She screamed out in pleasure, sending up a cloud of bubbles. In her euphoric state, she forgot where she was and breathed in. A small amount of water entered her lungs before she realized what she was doing. She was drowning.

The idea she was drowning actually triggered another, more intense orgasm. She fought the urge to cough because she knew she would surely die if she did. This wasn't the first time this had happened so she was far from panicked. She could feel the water burn in her lungs, the desire to cough almost overwhelming. She grew calm as she accepted the water, not expelling it like her body cried out for her to do. She could feel it bubbling in her lungs as her diaphragm heaved, trying to make her cough and breathe. She stroked steadily for the surface and the life giving air as her body threatened to pass out. She again offered a prayer to the sea goddess.

As she swam up, she looked up at the junk and noticed in her blurry vision that there was a small boat next to the junk. Odd; father wasn't due back from securing cargo until lunch. Soon she broke the surface and drew in a ragged, gurgling breath then began coughing up seawater. She dry heaved as she coughed, grateful she didn't eat beforehand. Of course, that is why she didn't eat, this happened fairly regularly. It was like opium she thought, addictive. It was probably more so in fact.

Her coughing soon subsided, far sooner than it did the first time she had mistakenly let that happen. She had been sick for days afterwards and her lungs had burned and hurt terribly. Now it didn't bother her much beyond expelling the sea from her body. Also, unlike opium, she felt stronger as time went by, not wasting away like an addict. She lay back in the water catching her breath and savoring the sweet air. She gave thanks for another day of life and looked forward to a nice, calm sea tomorrow. She smiled at the thought.

As she lay there on her back with her eyes closed she heard a splash and she looked around. Probably the youngest Kim jumping in, he loved the water almost as much as she and was brazen enough to jump in with her swimming nude. She looked but realized who ever it was didn't move so she dove under and swam up to her brother to investigate, not knowing who it was or what was going on.

She could tell it was her oldest brother Wu by his double braids and blue shirt. Something was wrong as he just floated there, sinking slowly. She swam up to him, thinking it was some sort of prank at first until she saw the knife sticking in his back. He was staring blankly, death had already claimed him. She was devastated and in shock, what…? Then she remembered the boat and the merchant from earlier, he was no merchant, he was a pirate.

She knew then what had happened, Wu had been ambushed by pirates as she was swimming and they were probably killing her other brothers as she mourned over Wu's body. This she couldn't let happen, she pulled the knife from Wu's body and swam underwater to the ladder that hung from the side of the junk. She was about to climb up the ladder but then thought better of it. She put the knife between her teeth, tasting her brother's blood on it as she swam under the hull to the stern where she could peek around the corner without being seen. She surfaced quietly and breathed silently as she looked around the side. She saw that the small boat was empty and no one was on the pirate's yacht nearby so she swam to the bucket and used the rope to climb aboard, the knife blade cutting her lip slightly but not feeling the pain at all. She just kept seeing Wu's lifeless eyes.

She silently pulled herself up to the gunwale and peered onto the main deck but saw no one. She climbed aboard, water running off her nude body in the warm tropical sun. She crept around the deck, wondering where they were. She slipped silently around to the wheelhouse and peered into the window and found it empty. She opened the door and entered silently. She made her way to the radio and tried to call for help but it did not work. She then made her way over to the hidden gun locker and was overjoyed to find it hadn’t been discovered. She opened the hidden compartment and pulled out the Russian made AK-47 her father kept for just such emergencies. Her father had trained all of his children in its use and care. Just so happens she was the best shot in the family. She chambered a round as quietly as she could and stole out of the wheelhouse. She wanted to take several spare clips but she didn't have any pockets. Pity.

As she crept looking for the miserable whoresons who were responsible for Wu's death she prayed to Matsu for protection and justice. She found them soon enough, they were in the galley. She could hear Kim crying. She crouched down and peered into the galley window. There were two Japanese men dressed in western style suits, one held Kim at gunpoint while the other watched the door. Le-hoa, the second oldest, lay in a pool of blood, he was probably dead as well. She clicked the weapon to single shot and eased over to the open porthole and pointed the gun inside and shot the pirate holding Kim then before the other could react, she shot the other. As she stood up, something struck her behind the ear without warning, causing her to lose consciousness and fall bonelessly to the deck.

She awoke in pain, her head throbbing. She was confused at first, what was going on? Why was she tied up on a strange boat in a musty rope locker? Soon enough the answers came back to her as the memories of her dead brothers came back to her. She suddenly cried out in grief, the tears flowing down her face as she sobbed. The grief and fear poured from her until she could cry no more. Her heart was empty of all emotion except vengeance.

Exhausted and in pain, she drifted to sleep. She dreamed she was in a great temple filled with monks chanting prayers and burning incense. She stepped toward the central dais; the monks parted as she walked, opening an absolutely straight isle to the center. She walked but made no sound. In the center of the temple stood her family, her mother and father and her brothers Wu, Le-hoa and Kim. They were all dressed in white robes. Her heart filled with joy seeing them all together and she tried to run to them but as she tried the monks closed up the isle and impeded her progress. She cried out but they did not move; her family apparently could not hear her. She felt so alone and terrified, she fell to her knees and sobbed. The monks then came up to her, one by one and placed their hand on her cheek briefly then another would take its place.

Soon her heart filled with the compassion the monks were showing. Her tears stopped as each monk touched her, showing her kindness and the torn and ragged hole that was in her heart slowly healed, scarred but whole again. She felt a powerful presence and she looked up. There before her was a woman dressed simply in a yellow dress and her hair braided and wound around her head. She was quite beautiful.

Jia-yun did not recognize the woman at all and began to ask who was she and where this place was? Before she could speak, the woman smiled and said, "You do not recognize me? I am so disappointed."

"No, I haven’t met you before. Who are you? Where am I?" Jia asked, surprised she could indeed speak.

"You are in a temple within a dream Jia, it is not real." The woman walked up to her and placed her hand on Jia-yun's cheek just as the monks had done. "Don't be afraid and take heart in the knowledge that your family is with me and they are forever safe from harm. They send you their love."

"My family is with you, I don't understan… Matsu? Oh Goddess!" She fell upon her knees instantly.

"Come now, one doesn't grovel at the feet of one's lover. Stand, Jia." She placed her hand under her chin and lifted her head so she would look her in the eye. "Jia, you are among friends here, please stand and speak with me."

Jia brought herself to stand, her knees weak and her body nervous. Here she stood before the empress of heaven herself, the goddess of the sea who said she was her lover.

"Jia, come with me." Matsu placed her arm around Jia's shoulders and guided her toward the middle of the temple. She looked around and noticed the monks were gone and the chamber was empty. Suddenly the room began flooding, filling quickly with seawater. The air in the room was gone so quickly she couldn't react beyond holding her breath. She floated there, her body on the verge of panic looking for some air pocket along the ceiling. Matsu swam to her and placed her hand on her cheek and said, "Jia, do not be afraid, nothing here can hurt you. It is just a dream but your body needs for you to breathe. Go ahead child, enjoy it. I know you want to. You cannot drown here; in fact death can not enter this temple without my permission. Trust in me as you have done almost every day since you were old enough to swim Jia."

Jia was hesitant but then she realized she was with the sea goddess herself and if there was anyone in creation she could trust with her life, it was her. She began exhaling her air until her lungs were empty and then she opened her throat and allowed the water to enter her lungs, filling the empty void in her chest. The water suddenly felt like air and indeed she could breathe it easily. She smiled and laughed at the wonder of it. She sniffed and realized it smelled of a musty rope locker. Matsu had said it was a dream and her body was still tied up in the locker. Of course she couldn't really be doing this but it felt very real.

"See, no harm can come to you here. Your body is asleep but you are here with me so we may speak together. Jia, I am truly sorry for what has happened to you and your family and there was nothing I could do to stop it. There is, however, something I can do to stop this from happening again and allow you vengeance. You see Jia, I can't directly interfere with the world but I can talk freely to my avatar."

"A...avatar? My lady, you wish me to be your earthly presence? I am honored and I am terrified..." Jia swam up to the sea goddess and bowed her head. "I don't deserve the honor my lady, I was never that devout and I am far from pure, there must be some one more deserving of the honor."

Matsu smiled, "Yes, Jia, there are those more devout and pure than yourself, but they are not you. It is you I choose because you have the heart of a warrior tempered by compassion. You are strong enough to bear the burden of being my avatar where few others could. You also have the motivation. Jia, the men who killed your family work for an organization. The organization is very powerful and it twines itself like a snake but it is weak in that its leader is the head of the snake, cut off its head, the body dies. Cut it anywhere else and it will strike and kill."

"What do you want me to do my lady? I am a poor, uneducated girl who has lived most of her life on a boat. What can I do against such powerful men? I am tied up naked on a strange boat with no hope of rescue since my family is dead, probably on my way to be drugged and sold into prostitution."

"You now have two very powerful weapons, the first is that you know for an absolute certainty you are on intimate terms with a goddess and death is nothing but a transition. It holds no fear for you and more importantly, my other gift is actually one you have started to give yourself by swimming almost every day. From this day forward Jia; you are safe when you are with me in the sea. Water will not harm you. It is only fitting for the sea goddess' avatar. I wish I could give you more but I am restrained by laws older than mankind. The only other thing I can give you is my love, Jia-yun." The goddess swam close to Jia and placed her hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "Jia, I know you crave the touch of a man but remember that such concerns are beyond the gods. As my avatar, we share a bond far beyond the flesh." Matsu pulled Jia close and gave her a very chaste kiss on the cheek and whispered, "I am the sea, Jia. When you are in the water, you are with me. Come to my arms when ever you can and share yourself with me."

"Why have you done this? Why me Goddess?” She then realized the goddess knew what she did when she swam each day and was embarrassed.

"Call me Matsu; my avatar is a part of me and has no need for formality. I give you this gift so you can cut the head off of the snake that killed your family and who have hurt and killed many, many others. I give you this gift as a sword of vengeance but you must use it as a scalpel to remove the cancer. You must wait until the time is right to strike and chose who carefully. Misuse my gift and I will show no mercy, make no mistake."

"But who is this person? How can I possibly do this?"

"You are being taken to him now. You are very valuable to these men, enough so as to kill. His name is Lo-pok but he calls himself Dragon Lord." Matsu turned into a beautiful and powerful dragon and said, "He is no Lord over dragons Jia, he is not even a lord over flies. Be sure to tell him that as the light fades from his eyes. Tell him I await his arrival." The dragon swam effortlessly around Jia, her tail came close to Jia and she reached out and touched it. The scales were warm and smooth. She wondered if she were breaking some unknown protocol about touching a goddess, but then she was on a first name basis with the Queen of Heaven, her avatar and apparently her lover so she risked the encounter and was rewarded by a laugh from the large golden dragon.

"There is something else, Jia," Matsu said as her dragon body made an elegant turn and faced the floating girl. "Jia, I know you lost your virginity long ago and I do not consider it wrong and neither should you. You were old enough and it was done for love." Jia-yun blushed with the memory of that night with a boy who she loved and was going to marry. She cried for days when she found out their junk was lost in a storm. She would still wake up in tears with the memory. "What I do now is but a tool to help you gain entry into Lo-pok's lair. Do not grieve over its loss nor protect it too much. You will most likely loose it by him but most importantly it will allow you to strike. Remember, it has no importance other than to get you into his presence alone where you can strike."

"What is it Matsu? What is this thing you give me?"

"You will know, don't worry. I must go now, time is short," Matsu turned into her human form again and swam back to Jia with a grace unmatched by any earthly swimmer. "Remember Jia, I am with you always but I cannot interfere. Trust in the gift I have given you. You are impossible to drown in water; the sea is your home. If you are hurt, the sea will heal you. If you seek my company, I will come to you if I can. If you fail in this or are killed, do not fear my disapproval for it is a dangerous game I play. They will tell you they have your family as hostages, it is a lie. Remember that most of all."

"Yes, my lady, I mean Matsu. I will do as you ask but I am afraid."

"Do not be, my love, you have nothing to fear, not even death. You will suffer pain and humility in doing this, and they may very well kill you before you can seek justice in my name but it is only concerns of the flesh. The flesh is but a shirt that is cast aside once it is no longer useful. Do not worry overmuch about it."

Jia smiled and said, "I happen to like this shirt, I hope I can wear it for as long as I can."

"Of course, it is a very fine shirt indeed." Matsu brushed a strand of hair from her face and leaned in and kissed her on the lips briefly then disappeared. Jia blinked and looked around to see nothing but darkness, the goddess' kiss still on her very confused lips. She started to cry out but a feeling of calm descended upon her and she could hear Matsu's voice, "Sleep now my dear, you will wake soon enough." Jia then faded into a dreamless sleep.

Jai-yun awoke hours later, still bound and hidden in the rope locker. She remembered fragments of a dream involving the Queen of Heaven saying she was her avatar and lover. She sighed through the gag. Too bad it was just a dream. She lay there in the stifling darkness trying to remember her odd dream. She did remember seeing her entire family in the temple with the goddess. The pain was still there but she was not devastated as she had been earlier. The image of them there in the temple did much to allow her to live with the pain. The only emotion she really felt was anger at those who had done this.

She tested her bonds again for the hundredth time but she was bound too tightly. She was hot and thirsty, the ropes bit into her flesh. She passed in and out of consciousness as the hours slowly creped by. She became alert when the sound from the engines changed and they seemed to slow down. She heard a couple of thumps then they sped up again. Not long after she heard yelling above decks then the door to the locker was flung open. She was buried under the ropes but still the light hurt her eyes. She heard a man say, "I can not believe you idiots, she will die in there. My boss does not pay for corpses. Get her up here."

Two men jumped down into the locker and dug her out of the ropes then hauled her tied and naked body up onto the deck. Moments later her gag was removed and water was poured onto her lips. She drank greedily; the water was tepid but sweet. She became more alert as she drank, the light no longer hurting her eyes so much so she opened her eyes slowly. She quickly regretted opening them because before her was perhaps the loudest, most garish Hawaiian shirts she had ever seen. Her older brother Wu had a few but they were muted formal dinner attire compared to this. She drank her fill then indicated she could drink no more. She began whimpering and said, "The pain, oh goddess the pain."

The man in the loud shirt leaned over her and asked, "What is it, where does it hurt? I am a doctor."

"My eyes, they hurt, please." He looked at her eyes a moment, lifting her lids and checking them intently.

"I don't see any trauma, where do they hurt?"

"That shirt, it's hurting my eyes. Please, the pain." He looked down at his shirt then back at her. She laughed quietly at him, her lips cracking as she did. Several of the crew who were close by added to her laughter.

As the laughter died, the doctor said, "You are very spirited or very stupid, either way, it makes no difference to me. Take her to a bunk, I need to examine her." He looked at her again, "Other than my obvious lack of taste in clothing, is there anywhere else giving you pain?"

"I have a sizable lump on the back of my head and there is no circulation to my legs or hands."

"Well, that is unavoidable considering. Take her to the cabin and I will be down shortly. Do not damage her further as the price goes down considerably, I am considering cutting 10% just for principles."

The pirate captain looked upset, good. "We lost two good men getting her and incurred many expenses as well..."

"My boss doesn't care in the least and he does not reward incompetence. You have come close to killing her and her cooperation will not be good. Be glad I pay you at all."

The two crewmen who hauled her out of the locker proceeded to lift her and carry her into a cramped cabin. He put her into a bunk and left, locking the door. A few minutes later the doctor came in carrying a canvas sports bag. He plopped it down on a table and pulled out a stethoscope and some examination gloves and put them on. He walked over to her and began poking and prodding, checking her pulse and such. Jia remained cooperative since anything was better than the rope locker. Finishing the preliminaries, the doctor moved her bound ankles toward her. This caused her legs to open, giving him access to her privates. He used his finger to gently examine her, opening her and inserting his finger. They both were startled when he met resistance.

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing wrong, I just didn't expect you to be a virgin."

Jia just looked at him blankly, not giving him the slightest emotion but inside she seethed in confusion. How could this idiot think she was a virgin, she had gladly lost it years ago. That's when she remembered her dream. Oh Goddess, it wasn't just a dream. She had actually stood before the Queen of Heaven, Matsu; the goddess of the sea. She had swum with the golden dragon herself. She had said she would give her a tool to get to Lo-pok. What a surprise.

"Keep that to yourself or I will drug you to unconsciousness."

"Why have you done this? Why murder my family?"

"Your family’s death was unfortunately caused by these idiots. This band of cut throats were instructed to kidnap you discretely, as in grabbing you from a bad part of town or making it look like an accident. They grew impatient since you never left your family’s junk. Your foolish brother tried to fight them and was killed as was your other brother. The youngest boy survived and is back in Hong Kong, held to insure your cooperation. Do as we say and no harm will come to him. Your father died in the same explosion that sank your junk from what they tell me. Idiots; but resourceful and thorough idiots though. My condolences, for what they are worth."

"My brother Kim is alive?"

"Yes, that is what I am told. It is frequently done to ensure cooperation."

Jia mulled this over. The Goddess said they would lie, and it would be in their interest to do so. She decided it had to be a lie, why leave a witness? She agreed with the doctor, idiots. "What do you want with me? Why do this?"

"I don't want anything from you; it is my boss who does. I merely examine and agree to the transaction or refuse. As to why, that is the job of others to tell you. I can only tell you that you are now the property of a very powerful man. Cooperate and do as he asks and you will be treated well, otherwise you and your brother will suffer, your brother more than you."

"Slavery is forbidden by the state! You cannot do this!"

"You are not in Chinese territory any longer my dear and unfortunately for you it is very legal on the island of Pia-neh."

"Pia-neh? Never heard of it and I've been to just about every port near here."

"It is inside of a North Korean weapons testing range. Leased from them years ago and my boss has built a very impressive estate there. He gets protection from the military and he pays for a high percentage of their military budget. Convenient, to say the least."

"But why? What does he want from me? I'm not even that pretty. There are plenty of whores who would gladly sleep with him for far less than what he is paying for me. It is a lot of money; I know because they sank our junk and they risk execution many times over if they are caught. What does this rich man want with me?"

"He wants you to entertain him. That is all I know. I do not want to know. I am forced to do this for him because he has the life of my family in his grasp. His power is unbelievable and he is unafraid to use it. It also insures my loyalty so I must do as I am told. You are reasonably healthy and a virgin, I believe you will do. Tell me, I noticed you have very strong lungs, how long can you hold your breath? They tell me you can stay under for a very long time."

She looked at him for a moment, something told her to tell the truth even though her instincts told her to lie. "I can sometimes do three and a half minutes, depends on my mood and how I feel, other times I can do two easy enough. Right now I would drown in less than thirty seconds. Why?"

"Just curious. My boss seems interested in finding women who can hold their breath for whatever reason. Anyway, I shall find you some clothes so I may hope to get you to Pia-neh with your virtue intact. Remember, cooperate and it will go better for you and your brother. I will be back shortly."

With that he picked up his bag and left. She was alone in the locked cabin and soon the doctor returned with a shirt. It was a shirt even more horrible than the one the doctor wore, the fluorescing green parrots clashed with the pink and yellow foliage. She rolled her eyes.

"It is courtesy of the captain, seeing how you love such attire."

"Matsu help me. I would rather go nude."

"Sorry, I have to protect the merchandise. Give me your hands." She presented them to him and he unlocked the handcuffs. She rubbed her wrists then struggled to put the shirt on. When she had it on he moved to put them back on.

"Come on Doctor, I'm on a boat filled with cutthroat pirates who have my brother as a hostage, what am I going to do? Besides, I need to go to the toilet."

He grunted then opened the locked door of the cabin and led her to the toilet. He snapped the cuffs around her left wrist then around an exposed pipe. "Sorry, you escape, I pay for it and so does my family. It won't be for long, we will transfer to one of the yachts soon enough."

"I can't wait, is that where the raping starts?" Jia asked, her calmness at the prospect amazed her as she said it. It didn't matter to her as long as it allowed her to get to the Dragon Lord himself.

"No, that is an honor reserved for your new master. No one would be fool enough to touch you. You are worth more to him than the life of one of his associates and would not hesitate killing anyone who violates his property, especially one who is untouched such as yourself. "

"Pardon me if I don't sound enthusiastic over my future."

"Not a problem, I don't blame you a bit. Now shut the hell up and do your business." He walked out of the cramped stall and closed the door but did not latch it.

She looked around and noticed the port hole was open and it was probably large enough to wiggle through. She examined the pipe she was attached to and noticed the screws were loose and would probably pull lose with just a little effort. Didn't matter to her, they could let her free in her home port of Hong Kong, she wouldn't attempt escape. There was no way she would lose her chance for justice against this monster who even the Queen of Heaven wants dead. She was the Goddess's assassin now; although how she was supposed to kill this slave master she had no clue at all. It was in Matsu's hands now. It gave her peace and she would endure. She finished her business and called for the Doctor.

He came in and unlocked the cuffs, then led her back to the bunk. She sat down and he snapped it on a bed rail. He opened up a bag and pulled out a bottle of an American sports drink and told her to drink it. He opened it for her then handed her the bottle. She drank it down greedily. She had tasted the stuff before and it always reminded her of lime flavored bilge water. Now it tasted like heaven. The Doctor pulled at her arm, “Easy now, that’s all I have and we have several hours to go on this tub and I don’t want you drinking their water. Last thing I want is you coming down with dysentery.”

Jia stopped drinking and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She handed it back to him and he put the lid back on the bottle then set it within her reach. He got up and walked out of the cabin, locking the door behind him. She stretched out on the bed and was soon asleep.

Again her dreams found her in the water; she was swimming under a warm and gentle ocean. She was not alone, a dragon swam with her. She stopped and reached her hand out and touched the golden scales and smiled. The dragon spoke to her then, its voice rich and mellow. “Jia, I am glad to see you.”

“Goddess, I am blessed to be in your presence again.” Jia said, bowing her head.

“So formal, my love?” Matsu curved her sinuous body around Jia, lightly touching her nude form. “I am not a goddess within your dreams, Jia. I was born a peasant girl much like yourself. Here, you are sovereign not I.” The dragon curled tighter around Jia, wrapping her in warm coils that made her feel safe and loved. She snuggled against the dragon’s scales, surprised at how soft the scales actually were. “Matsu, they said my brother Kim was still alive. My heart tells me it is a lie but I need to hear it from you. Is he with you?”

“Jia, death is a transition, nothing more. Life is what forges a soul; experience hammers it into a useful shape. Love is what makes it a work of art. Kim is perhaps a bit unfinished but he is a magnificent soul and I am proud to have him with me, the love he has for you and his family makes him more beautiful than the finest jade. You still live Jia and that is a barrier that Kim and you cannot cross, even as my avatar. I will tell you he is afraid for you and asks that you not suffer for vengeance in his name.”

Jia was shocked to hear this. Her entire reason for doing this was vengeance for what they had done to him. “I am but a simple peasant, Matsu. I don’t pretend to understand the motives of gods and such but I know my heart will not know peace again until I bring the monster to justice. Tell him I must do this to keep it from happening to anyone else. Tell him I love him and can’t wait to be with him again.”

“He said he is proud of you, as are the rest of your family. Your father says he wants to see you again and your mother said not to hurry.” Matsu smiled at that. “I must go now, your mind needs to rest as does your body. I will return again.” Matsu coiled and uncoiled around Jia, sometimes spinning and teasing her in the water. “Before I go, I must warn you. You will be tested Jia, you must not let them know of me or my gifts.”

“I don’t understand, what will they do? I…”

“Peace, my love. It will be clear when the time comes. To tell you more could tip our hand to them and get you killed needlessly.” The dragon vanished and Matsu appeared floating next to her, wearing a yellow and gold dress that drifted gracefully in the water, her hair splayed around her head in a halo of obsidian. Jia suddenly felt embarrassed about her nakedness before the goddess. Matsu smiled and suddenly she was there naked too, her body as perfect as her face. The goddess reached out and took Jia’s hand, “Jia, never feel embarrassed about yourself in front of me. There is nothing there to be ashamed of. You have been my lover for years, even if you did not know it. I am the sea and there is no place I haven’t caressed your body. The sea flows in your veins, my avatar. There are no secrets between you and me; there is nothing I do not know. You are not perfect but I do not desire perfection. I desire you, Jia, because of your imperfections. They make you strong and resourceful; they make you interesting as a person.”

Of course Matsu knew everything about her, she was a goddess, Jia thought. She had a hand in creating her and the world long ago. Rather silly to feel embarrassed in front of her, but she couldn’t help it. The memories of her countless morning swims and realization she had been with the goddess each time she had pleasured herself made her face turn red.

Matsu took Jia’s hand and placed it on her breast, letting her feel the warmth and heartbeat. “Let there be no fear or doubt between us, my avatar. You and I are bound like no one else on earth, we are as one.” Matsu drifted closer and her lips brushed Jia’s very lightly, the touch like a feather. She closed her eyes for a moment. The contact created conflicted feelings within her, the idea she was being kissed by a goddess and the fact she was kissing a female. She opened her eyes and drifting before her was a very handsome young man, as nude as she was. Jia blinked in her confusion.

“I am not tied to one form my dear, I can appear as I please, dragon, woman, man or any animal. Does this appeal to you more than my true form? I can change to please you; perhaps a bit more penis would make you cry out from lust.” The man floating before her changed, his manhood expanded in size to ridiculous proportions. Soon Jia was laughing at the sight; the organ was almost as large as the body it was attached to. Soon Matsu joined into the laughter, making rude gestures and maneuvering awkwardly with the huge phallus. As she laughed at Matsu’s antics, it occurred to her that no matter what body she wore, she would always be the goddess of the sea, empress of heaven. To see her as a male seemed wrong to her, even if she preferred males to share her bed. Or did she?

It had never come up before, surrounded by males all her life and taught that a man and woman belong together. She did enjoy the touch of a man, but what of a woman? It was all very strange, these feelings were confusing her.

“Matsu, I think I prefer you as a woman. It feels false and contrived seeing you as a man. I may even prefer you as a dragon compared to...to that.” Jia then laughed even harder when Matsu turned into a dragon but still displaying the huge penis.

Suddenly Matsu appeared once again as the goddess, resplendent in her yellow dress and flowing hair. Jia looked down and saw she was attired in a similar dress, a subtly different shade of yellow compared to Matsu’s but not significantly so. It was a great honor to wear yellow in the presence of the goddess; it showed the status in which Matsu regarded her. It was all too confusing for her.

Matsu drifted to her and placed her hand upon Jia’s cheek, bringing her face close to her and whispered, “I must go, and your body needs rest.” Matsu then pulled her close and kissed her passionately. Jia stiffened at first then relaxed and soon she was returning the kiss, losing herself in the moment. Soon the feeling on her lips faded and she slept, a smile on her face.

Sometime later she awoke from a deep sleep to find herself face down on the bunk, her head pushed into a pillow. She struggled but found she was tied by both hands and was helpless. She screamed into the pillow as she felt something touch her from behind, something slick and hard. She struggled harder when she felt this thing touch her anus. “Oh goddess, they are raping me!” she thought as the penis entered her, stretching her painfully. He paused, waiting for her to open up so he could penetrate her further. She screamed again as a new wave of pain assaulted her as the attacker pushed deeper. She felt a sharp point at her throat, and then she heard a whisper, “Quiet, slut. Make any more noise and I will kill you!” She lay still as the knife made a small cut on her neck. She could feel the blood drip from the wound. Suddenly the knife was gone and that is when the fullness in her anus began moving in and out, a vulgar imitation of sex.

Jia endured the assault, reminding herself it was nothing but a personal hardship on her way to righting a great wrong. As long as it didn’t interfere with that goal, she really didn’t care. She knew she would be raped, drugged and beaten; she still didn’t have to like it. As her assailant continued to pump in and out of her, she distantly analyzed the sensation. She had never experienced anal sex before and she was trying to decide whether it was something she could learn to like or not. So far it just made her feel like she needed to use the toilet.

The door to the cabin flew open and she heard someone curse and then a gunshot deafened her. She felt her rapist stiffen, his penis deep within her pumping sperm into her in jets that seemed to go to her center. A second later, the lifeless body fell across her back and his still pulsating penis fell out of her. Blood and gore oozed onto the back of her head, runnels of it dripping onto her eyes and mouth. She smiled, “That’s one down,” she thought. She turned her head, “Couldn’t you have pulled him off of me, and then shoot him? I’m drowning in this whoreson rapist’s blood and brains!”

“Sorry, couldn’t take the chance he had a weapon.” It was the Doctor, a small caliber automatic in his hand. “We will have company soon. If I do not survive, I doubt you will either.”

“Cut me loose and give me a weapon, I will help you out, promise.”

The doctor was silent as he moved toward her. She couldn’t really see what he was doing and was about to say something when she felt his hand touch her, a finger probing her vagina. She squirmed a bit until she realized what he was doing. “You know, you could have just asked.”

“No time, I had to be sure. Lie still, I need the rest of the crew to see what happened so be patient.”

“Easy for you to say, you don’t have his brains dripping on your head.”

“Are you hurt? I need to know quickly.”

“Sore but I’ll live. I also got cut on the neck from lover boy’s knife.”

“Good, that will work. Moan a lot and don’t say anything. Maybe we will survive this.”

Just then the cabin door burst open, the captain obviously rudely awoken and not happy about it. Behind him was a couple of the other crew, each carrying pistols. They were pointing them at the doctor and he in turn was aiming between the captain’s eyes. “Captain, I found one of your crew damaging the Dragon Lord’s property. He does not tolerate such blatant disrespect. I suggest you lower your weapons, now!”

They hesitated then looked at the captain. The captain, regaining his composure, motioned for the crew to lower their weapons. “I see Lu couldn’t control his retarded brother after all. I apologize Doctor, this incident was unfortunate. They knew she was off limits.” He looked a bit nervous, “I hope the Dragon Lord will understand this was one crewman acting against orders and good sense.”

“He may be generous and let a few of you live since she is still a virgin. She is his property, you were paid.” He pulled out a cell phone and pressed a button, “This tells the Dragon Lord something is wrong and if there is any reason I don’t show up with her in one piece, you will be killed.”

The captain put out his hands, “Doctor, it was unfortunate. We do business with the Dragon Lord all the time; he knows we do not cheat him. If you had not killed him, I would have. We do not do business this way. Rest assured we will conclude our dealings openly and fairly.”

“I assume you will make restitution to the Dragon Lord my dear captain, to show your sincerity?”

“I… we are already operating at a loss on this deal, what would it take to settle this unfortunate incident?”

“Fifty thousand in cash may settle the matter.”

The captain paled, “I … understand.” He motioned to one of the crew and he left the cabin. “It will be here shortly, my good Doctor. In the meantime, I shall have my men remove this pile of offal.” He motioned to two more of his crew and they walked over and began removing the body. Jia did as she was asked and moaned pitifully as they pulled the corpse off of her.

Still tied, Jia turned her head and caught a glimpse of her assailant. Not much to see really, a lot of blood and matted hair on a very dead body. They carried him out of the cabin and she heard a splash moments later. He was with Matsu now, for better or worse. “Get this filth off of me please.” She whispered to the doctor.

“Captain, I need to wash her off and treat her wounds.”

“Certainly, Doctor, you can use the shower in my cabin. In fact, go ahead and move into it until we rendezvous with your people in the morning. I’m sure you do not want to use this cabin anymore.”

“Very generous, Captain. I’ll be sure to mention the gesture to the Dragon Lord personally.

“Again I apologize for this, my crew will not forget this lesson I promise. Ah.” A crewman arrived with the same suitcase that the Doctor had turned over to the Captain earlier. Lighter but not significantly so. He opened it and he flipped through the stacks of bills showing the doctor the money. The Doctor nodded and the crewman closed the case then handed it to him. “Is all in order Doctor? Can we put this behind us?”

“I believe so Captain; let’s get her out of here.” The doctor produced a key and unlocked the handcuffs then cut her other hand free with a knife.

Jia got up and pulled the shirt that was her only clothing over her as best she could and stood unsteadily. The cabin smelled of blood, feces, urine and sweat. It was too much and she threw up. Her stomach was empty so it was dry heaves mostly. The Doctor put his arm around her and helped her walk out of the cabin and over to the captain’s shower. He stood her in the cramped stall and washed her off, shirt and all. After getting the majority of brain and blood off of her, he stripped the shirt off and threw it to the corner of the stall. He then lathered her up and washed the remaining filth and gore from her. As he washed her he examined her wounds and was sure to clean her thoroughly around her genitals.

A half hour later she was clean and laying in the Captain’s bunk wearing another of the captain’s shirts. The Doctor had forgotten to replace the handcuffs somehow. eH He was sitting at a desk fiddling with a pack of cigarettes, his pistol in front of him. He looked over to her and said, “I wish things were not as they are, I am sorry you are being treated like this.”

Jia just lay there, wondering what he was thinking. He was treating her well; it was the others that seemed to have little regard for her.

“Remember this number Jia, 4136. That is a locker at the Hong Kong airport. I’m going to put this money in that locker; the key will be in the men’s restroom on top of the middle mirror near the locker. If, and I mean if you survive this, the money is yours.”

“Why? Why do you do this?”

“Ease my conscience I guess. Look, I do this because I have no choice in the matter. The Dragon Lord would cut the fingers off my children until I cooperated and he and his men would kill my family then myself if I ever crossed him. I don’t have a choice.”

“Well, Doctor, I can’t say I feel sorry for you. I will say it would do you well to pray to Matsu for forgiveness and guidance.”

“Matsu? I am not very devout and I don’t believe in such fairytales.”

“I have it on good authority she is no fairytale doctor. Besides, what harm would it do to ask for help from someone who could do you some good?”

“The daughter of a poor merchant instructing me on religion.”

“I am only suggesting Doctor. Tell me, why am I worth so much? The captain didn’t protest too loudly when you got $50,000 out of him for my violation, I am sure that would have bought a bedroom full of blond American women. Yet I am worth more than even that, why? I am not even that pretty. Not enough to murder my family and risk execution anyway.”

“The Dragon Lord is very powerful, rich and umm, shall we say very eccentric in his sexual tastes.”

“I am not surprised, but still doesn’t explain the price. What do I have that no other has?”

“I don’t know, there are rumors…” Just then the door knob to the cabin moved slightly as if someone were trying it to see if it were locked. The Doctor jumped up and opened the door quickly putting the pistol to the head of a crewman who looked like he was putting a key to the lock. “Tell the captain if I am disturbed again, I will kill the woman and tell the Dragon Lord he did it. The Lord will have all of you boiled slowly in oil until you are cooked then serve you to German tourists as sausage.”

“I… I’m sorry sir; I thought the captain was in here. I…”

“Save your lame excuses. I know what you were doing. Now get the fuck out of here and remember my words, they are a promise.”

The crewman ran down the passageway then was gone up the stairs. The doctor closed the door then leaned against the frame. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand then shakily returned to the desk. “I wonder if we will survive the night,” he muttered.

“Interesting threat, ‘boiling slowly in oil and feeding them to German tourists,’ you have quite the imagination.”

“No, not my idea, I’m happy to say. He has done it before.”

“Oh Goddess… no wonder he ran away.” Jia blanched, “Do I face a similar fate?”

“I honestly don’t know. I have heard things but it isn’t like that.” The Doctor sat back down and began playing with the pack of cigarettes again. “I cannot let you escape; my family would suffer if you were to do that. There isn’t much I can do.”

Jia looked at him and smiled, “Escape? I have no intention of escaping. You would be hard pressed to make me leave doctor; I want very much to reach our destination.” To illustrate her point, she threw the knife she had palmed off of her dead attacker earlier and buried it into the desk in front of the doctor, neatly pinning the pack of cigarettes to the wooden surface. She smiled and said, “Being raised with three brothers who did little else other than study martial arts and a father who was also a master of several disciplines had its advantages. I want to try to get close to him so I can break his neck.”

“I see.” He pulled the knife out of the desktop and extracted the pack of cigarettes from its tip. “I do believe these idiots captured the wrong girl this time and I think the Dragon Lord may actually pay a much higher price than he expects. Much higher. I do wish you luck.”

“Thank you doctor, I’ll need it.”

Jia was awoken early the next morning by the doctor. After a meager breakfast of rice and water, he had her dress in another of the captain’s tacky tropical shirts then put on the handcuffs and escorted her on deck. They were dead still in the water and next to the yacht was a smaller power boat, it looked fast and expensive. Perhaps 500 yards away to port stood one of the biggest yachts she had ever seen, probably as large as a small cruise ship. It was pure white except for two entwined dragons painted near the bow. It was an impressive sight to say the least.

The doctor was met by another man, looked Korean to her, and he spoke in low tones for a long while then nodded his head. They then walked over to the side and they climbed into the powerboat. After they were settled, the Korean started the engine and they pulled away.

They rode in silence, the wind and engine noise made conversation impossible anyway. The yacht loomed ahead, its bulk hiding the sea and sky within her field of vision. She idly wondered why she didn’t see any of the pirate crew before she left. Not that she missed their company in the least. It did cause her to turn her head and look back at the pirate’s boat and found the stern underwater and the bow rising into the air as it sank.

She looked at the doctor who returned her glance. He then looked at the sinking ship. A few seconds later he looked at her and winked. He pulled her over to him and shouted into her ear, “Looks like the captain won’t be wanting his shirt back.”

She smiled at that, the knowledge that the actual murderers of her family were themselves being given over to the sea goddess for judgment. She would feel even better when the one responsible for their deaths was himself feeling the Golden Dragon’s talons and experiencing Matsu’s justice for eternity. She pulled the doctor over to her and asked in his ear, “How…?”

“The drugs I was supposed to knock you out with until we arrived at the Dragon Lord’s island. I told the High One that I feared reprisals and decided to use the drugs on the pirate crew instead. That’s why you had no tea this morning. I told him we have your brother as hostage, so you were very cooperative. He feels I did the prudent thing and decided he needed to do some corporate restructuring concerning those fools. I did not try to change his mind. I also told him I wasn’t doing any more of these pickups alone anymore. These “loyal associates” were not above tossing me to the sharks and running.”

“Can’t say I’m happy for you.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“Give yourself to Matsu; ask for forgiveness and for help. Mean it with all your heart and Matsu will hear, I promise.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

“Who else then? The worst that can happen is she says no. If you don’t ask, you already have that answer. Take the chance Doctor.”

He remained silent for the rest of the short trip to the yacht. They approached the side of the huge, opulent ship. A door was open in the side, the bottom edge just under the waterline allowing the powerboat to enter a compartment. The door closed as soon as the boat entered and once the heavy door locked, the water was drained and the boat settled in a custom cradle. It was all very neat and easy, a lot better than using a rusty winch and davit cranes like they had on her junk. They exited the powerboat and went through a pair of watertight doors.

They were met by several men; they looked like they were Chinese or Korean. It was hard to tell since they were dressed in western clothes and said nothing. Two of them grabbed Jia by the arms, handcuffed her wrists and dragged her along a passageway then through several doors and stairways. Soon she was hopelessly lost in the maze of the huge ship. Presently she was pushed into a room that had nothing but a bed. The men removed the handcuffs then before she could react, one of them forcefully pushed her to the bed. They both left the room and closed the door and locked it.

She got off the bed and walked around the small room, taking stock of her predicament. The room was made of steel and mostly featureless, the bed was not much more than a cot with a blanket. There was a light bulb incased in a glass and metal enclosure and gave off a dim glow that was almost painful to the eye. She sighed and resigned herself to spending a lot of lonely, boring days in her new prison. She took comfort in the fact that she was closer to her goal though.

She thought about the Doctor and her brows furrowed, he was very strange. He fully embodied the teachings of Toa, the intertwining of good and evil. She knew given different circumstances she would have liked the man. She wondered if she could believe his story of being forced to do the bidding of such an evil man as the Dragon Lord. She wondered if there were others like him, trapped by threats to their families. It was probably so, considering they were using the same threat to keep her cooperative.

Since she had nothing better to do, she lay upon the meager cot and closed her eyes. Soon she entered that dreamlike state that Matsu used to appear to her. The goddess did appear, dressed in a yellow swimsuit. She found they were sitting near a shady lagoon, the sea a clear sky blue that was utterly calm. Jia looked down and found she was dressed in the green swimsuit she wore when she swam in more public places. For some strange reason, it made her feel much more relaxed and at ease. Matsu leaned over from the chair next to her and placed her hand on Jia’s, “I am sorry about that Jia, but it was necessary. You gained a powerful ally and it allowed the destruction of those who murdered your family. As I have said, there are rules I must obey to prevent chaos but when opportunities occur I must take full advantage so that I may carry out my plans.”

“I hope the whoreson is feeling his punishment, Matsu. I find being raped most disagreeable.”

Matsu squeezed her hand again and looked into Jia’s eyes, “My dear, I will not cloud the issue. The man was a simpleton. His brother brought him to the pirate band and put him to work on the decks. He did not realize he was working for bad men Jia, until he saw what they did to you and your family. He wanted away from them; he wanted his brother to leave the bad men. His brother would hear none of it and he knew he could not live by himself because he was not able to. He prayed to me Jia, asking me to take him away. He was going to jump into the sea but I changed his mind.”

“You told him to rape me instead?” She pulled her hand away and Matsu looked hurt.

“No Jia, I couldn’t. He wasn’t capable of performing the act.” The Goddess bowed her head and said quietly. “Jia, there are wheels within wheels at work in the world, far more complicated than any mortal mind can comprehend. It was I that raped you.”

Jia stared at Matsu for a long moment, letting it sink in. “You raped me?”

“Yes, Jia it was me guiding his body and it was also me who let him feel no pain when he died. It was an opportunity I had to use to allow circumstances to fall into place. Remember Jia, I said this could happen; you could very easily die attempting to do this thing. If killing you lets me attain my goal, I will not hesitate. Jia, I am a goddess and I am responsible for all who are in my domain. I must make choices, hard choices that benefit all.” Matsu stood up and helped Jia to her feet.

“Your body is much like a plant that produces a glorious fruit; the mind. The plant is of no substance, something to be plowed under once it bears its fruit, nothing more. The farmer does not mourn the passing of his crop after the harvest, he celebrates the bounty instead. You, Jia-yun, are that bounty and I celebrate you. I wish I did not have to do this to you for I knew it would cause you much trouble and it would come between us.”

“Did… did you enjoy raping me?” Jia asked in a quiet voice.

“I will not lie to you, I enjoy sex. I am the mother ocean and the creator of life. Life is sex Jia; it is the way life exists. To say I did not enjoy the sensation would be a lie, but it would also be a lie to say I do not regret having to do it to you. I hope to be your lover Jia, but I do not force myself upon you, not here. I knew you would be upset when I told you this but you deserve the truth. The event has far reaching effects that at the very least allowed the actual murderers of your family to receive their dispensation in my embrace. Yes, Jia I used you but you are my instrument. Remember, you are not my pawn in this place, but in the world where your heart still beats, you are mine to use.”

“I am sorry to doubt you, my goddess.” Jia lowered her eyes and bowed her head.

Matsu lifted Jia’s chin to make her look at her, “Jia, I am sorry you were hurt and humiliated. I truly am. I also regret the things that will happen to you in the future as well. You will most likely be murdered by a very evil and sick man. I have no control over that. What I can control, my love is the way your body reacts to being within my waters. As my avatar you are not harmed by it but, Jia, a knife in your ribs will still your heart in or out of the water. Remember that.”

“I will remember. Forgive me for questioning you.”

“Never be afraid to question me, my love but keep in mind you may not like the answers.”

“That too I will remember.” Jia looked at the sea then said, “Matsu, what of the doctor? Is he as he said; a victim of the Dragon Lord as much as I am?”

“Ah, the good doctor. He is complex and he is not all he seems. He is as he said, trapped by Lo-pok. He is also a spy for America caught in a very tangled web.”

Jia’s brows shot up in surprise, “American spy? Why has he done nothing to stop this monster?”

Matsu sighed, “He cannot tip his hand because they gain invaluable information through him from the Dragon Lord, information that has so far prevented war. I do not want to close this window to them but I also want to stop the Dragon Lord. The doctor cannot help much more because to do so would expose him and America’s involvement. This could lead to a conflict that may involve nuclear weapons. I must walk a tightrope to attain my goals in this. That is why you are involved and now my avatar. I must consider the needs of the whole of the world my love, not just my desires or yours.”

“I do not envy you, my Goddess.”

Matsu laughed at that and took Jia’s hand in hers. “It is a responsibility I gladly take, Jia for I am the best qualified to do it.” Matsu pulled Jia close to her and breathed lightly into her ear, “My desire is to make love to you.”

Jia looked at the Goddess in shock. Her eyes wide with apprehension, she stepped back and put her hand to her mouth.

“You see, I cannot have all that I desire, although I am the Empress of Heaven.” Matsu seemed to melt for a fraction of a second then was transformed into the most handsome man she had ever seen. No, she thought to herself, the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He was perfect, like a god. Or a Goddess, to be precise. She stepped near Jia and took her hand, “Does this please you?”

Jia could only stare silently as Matsu changed. The man standing before her was perfect, too perfect. He was like a doll or painting, not real to her at all. She found her body was involuntarily reacting to the beauty before her. “I am confused and I don’t know what I feel.” She sat down in the sand, noticing the dark wet spot on the front of her bikini bottoms as she did. She covered herself with her hands in an attempt to hide her body’s betrayal. Matsu looked at her then sat down beside her, his muscles rippling sensually as he sat in the sand.

“Jia, what can I do to help you to ease your mind? I know you are attracted to me, why do you hesitate?”

“I am afraid. I am afraid that once I have made love with a god, I will want nothing else; no one else. I’m afraid of the power you have over me. I am afraid that once you are through with me, I will be left a mortal pining for the touch of a goddess who has moved on.”

Matsu looked at the young woman before her and said, “You are wiser than you will ever believe Jia. You are no simple fishmonger’s daughter; that is for sure. I understand your fears and they are not completely unfounded. Well, my love, if you will not take on a new lover, how about visiting with an old one? Come, swim in my ocean then.” With that he got up and walked to the calm sea and stepped into it. Suddenly the man changed back into the familiar form of the Goddess. She waved to her then disappeared.

Jia watched Matsu vanish. She looked for her to reappear but there was nothing. After a while Jia came to the conclusion the goddess had left which was just as well since she was still sorting things out. After a while of thinking about her situation without coming to any decision, she realized she was hot and considering the mess her bikini was in, she decided a dip would be a nice diversion.

She walked to the water’s edge and stepped into the almost non-existent surf. The water was cool and inviting so she walked in deeper. She ran her hand through the water and found it absolutely clear. She dove in once it was to her waist. She opened her eyes expecting the salty burn she had long ago learned to tolerate but found no discomfort at all. She parted her lips and tasted the water and found it only slightly salty. Of course, she was sleeping in a locked room aboard a private yacht and this was all in her mind.

She swam deeper into the lagoon, enjoying the lucid dream. Small, colorful fish swam by her, seemingly unafraid. She soon felt the need to breathe so she swam up to the surface then stopped. Why? She asked herself. She wasn’t really swimming so she couldn’t drown; besides Matsu said she would be safe in the water.

The thought of drowning herself suddenly made her excited and a fire ignited between her legs. She found it quite distracting while steeling herself to let the water enter her body. She tilted her head back and allowed her nose to flood. There was no pain or discomfort what so ever so she let a small amount trickle down her throat and she swallowed it just before it could enter her lungs. This caused her sex to burn even brighter and she could deny it no longer. She plunged her hand into her bikini attempting to cool the fire but only making it worse. She stroked at her clitoris madly while letting the remaining air stream from her lips to the surface. She sank down to the bottom and settled into the soft sand. She felt the water caress every inch of her body then as she poised on the brink of drowning.

The burning in her lungs grew in time with the burning in her loins. Both were driving her to orgasm as she lay at the bottom of the lagoon. She screamed out in pleasure as the orgasm overwhelmed her. She lost all sense of where she was and breathed in the cool, clear water. She didn’t really notice when she started drowning as the second and third orgasm hit her.

The water coursed in and out of her with no more concern than air. It was like the temple, she felt comfortable and as though she was a child of the sea. As with the temple, this wasn’t real either. It was just a dream. Still, the idea of living in the sea was a powerfully erotic idea to her. The thought of breathing water and coming to no harm actually caused her to orgasm again. She caressed her breasts and threw her head back as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her.

Once the orgasms subsided she opened her eyes and saw a golden dragon curled up on the sea floor looking at her. Jia was shocked and a little embarrassed by its sudden appearance. Jia covered herself and the dragon rolled on its back and laughed. It was Matsu of course, enjoying the show. Jia tried to talk but nothing came out but a fine stream of tiny bubbles.

Matsu turned her massive head and looked at her. “Don’t bother trying to talk my avatar, you cannot speak. This is not a dream like the temple; we are in a special place where we can meet in the flesh, so to speak. This is real and you are here with me.”

Jia looked shocked as she realized she was actually drowning. She covered her mouth with her hand and looked to the surface. She started to swim up but Matsu touched her ankle with a claw tipped hand and stopped her gently. “There is no reason to fear my love; the sea is not your enemy. Are you in any discomfort?”

Jia considered it for a few seconds then shook her head. She felt good actually; the water caused her no problems at all. “Excellent Jia, the changes have been successful. You are a part of the sea now, just as I am. I wanted you to try it in safe surroundings. I want you to be comfortable using your gift before you have to use it.” Matsu the dragon swam around Jia looking her over then said, “I must tell you Jia, you cannot live for long in the sea as a human, your body is not designed for it. Too long in the water and you will change so if you do not want to look like a monster you may only spend a short time in the sea.”

Jia became horrified at the prospect of becoming a monster. She thought to ask how long when Matsu curled around her in a graceful movement. “Do not fear, it would take many days for you to notice any change.” The dragon playfully swirled around Jia, whiskers gently touching her and gliding smoothly across her body. The sensation brought forward conflicting emotions within her. She was still upset about being raped but the feeling of the dragon’s touch excited her too. She wanted to give in to her desires and let the goddess do as she pleased but still there was doubt and a tinge of fear.

The dragon turned and curled once again bringing her body under Jia’s. Matsu then gently enveloped Jia in its arms and hugged her gently to its chest. Jia could not believe how warm and safe she felt in the goddess’ embrace. It was intoxicating in a way. “My love,” the dragon said, “do not feel pressured, I understand.” They settled to the sandy bottom. “That which you give is more than enough, I cannot ask any more.”

Jia felt so contented and calm in the goddess’ embrace that she soon was dozing. The dragon lay there holding the woman to her and contemplated the fragile mortal who she cradled in her arms. She had hoped to bind the woman to her physically but it seems that wasn’t to be. She was sad at the thought, the knowledge that she would most likely grow to hate her as mortals usually do. The manipulation, the way they feel they are but puppets on her string is what drives them away. They are so limited in their understanding of the universe and she couldn’t blame them for their attitudes. It is hard to understand that the spear in your heart is for the good of all. The starving children of today will spur the next generation to end hunger forever. The wars of yesterday and today will prepare the world for desperate battles of survival in the far future.

The golden dragon sighed and watched tiny bubbles escape her mouth and drift lazily up to the surface. She always liked her dragon form; it was her first choice for the people of the world. Unfortunately after 200 million years of trying, she just couldn’t steer the great dragons towards sentience. She still felt bad about wiping them out and starting over with mammals so long ago. She was satisfied with humans as they were though she wished they could live in the sea with her like Jia could now but she knew it wouldn’t work. Jia was now a creature of magic, not of the world. If not for a goddess’ touch she would die of far too many reasons underwater, oxygen depravation being only one of many. That is why she will change form if underwater too long, the magic can only do so much before it unravels.

Far too soon, Jia was aroused from her watery nap. She blinked and looked around to see Matsu the dragon watching her. She remembered where she was and looked up to the surface then touched her body to reassure herself it was real. She then touched the dragon, feeling the oddly soft scales on its body. “Yes, my love, it is real. It is also time for us to part. We must leave this place and return to play our assigned roles in the upcoming drama. Come, let’s return to the sunshine.” Matsu grabbed Jia’s hand they drifted slowly to the surface.

Jia awoke to find herself back in the cramped cabin on Lo-pok’s impressive yacht. She stretched and yawned, reflecting on the wonderful dream she had just experienced. Something felt odd as she yawned and it caused her to cough. As she did, a great amount of water spewed from her mouth. She leaned over the side of the cot and heaved. Her lungs emptied the sea water that had flooded them onto the deck. She was surprised by the quantity of water that she expelled. She also noticed there was no discomfort to speak of. After the last of the water left her body, she sat up and sneezed a few times. She wiped her face with a corner of the meager blanket and rubbed the sand from her eyes. She looked down and noticed she was still wearing her green bikini and it was still wet. In fact, her whole body was still wet including her hair. “Matsu!” she yelled quietly, “They are going to want to know where my clothes are and why I’m wet…”

She heard a familiar laughter and looked into the puddle in the floor. Matsu the dragon’s reflection shimmered on its surface. She blinked and the puddle was gone, Jia looked and saw she was again wearing the ugly shirt and she was dry. She marveled at the magic involved and smiled.

She was still smiling when the door to the cabin opened and the two men from before entered along with a third man. The new one walked into the room with the air of a captain or general. He walked over to Jia and looked intently at her. Jia, in response, covered herself with the blanket. He was a cruel looking man, his hair black and cut short. His face looked as if he had just tasted something bitter. He grabbed the blanket and yanked it off of her and threw it to the floor.

“This is deplorable. Get her some clothes and something to eat. I imagine she is starving. Why is she still in this cell?”

One of the large men spoke, “She was asleep, the doctor instructed us to leave her alone and not wake her. He said she needed the rest.”

“I see. Get her out of here and into her room. Lo-pok doesn’t treat his “guests” this way.”

Jia was surprised as she realized this man was not Lo-pok. He certainly looked the part. He extended his hand, “I am Joe and I am your overseer. I ensure you are well cared for and make sure you do not get into trouble or escape. There are two ways of doing things around here, the easy way and the hard way. For example, the easy way involves you taking my hand and I escort you to your room so you may shower and put on some clothes and when you are ready we can get you some food. The hard way involves the two men over there dragging you to your room and locking you in until you change clothes or starve to death. The hard way is always unpleasant and unnecessary for the most part. I really hate the hard way, especially when it gets to the part where they start sending body parts to you from family members.”

Jia put her hand in his and said, “I much prefer the easy way for now. I may decide to change my mind later.” She stood up and straightened the shirt that was her only clothing.

‘That is understandable my dear, I only ask that you choose wisely. Lo-pok is a powerful and ruthless man but he is not cruel unless he has to be. “

“Oh really? It’s hard to believe remembering the knife in my brother’s back…”

“That, my dear, was not Lo-pok’s doing. He only makes his desires known and puts a price on the item, in this case you. He was very specific in the manner of your capture so as to arouse no suspicion. Those that took you acted in haste and stupidity. They paid the price for their actions it seems.” The two of them stepped out of the room and walked down the passageway followed by the two goons.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, ascending a couple of staircases and soon they were standing in front of a very ornate door. Joe opened it and motioned her inside. She hesitated, looking at them in apprehension. “We are doing things the easy way, remember? There are no traps inside; it is only your cabin.” She shrugged and walked in. She was taken aback at the opulence of the room. There were paintings on the walls, a huge bed strewn with pillows and countless vases filled with flowers. The deck was covered in deep carpet and the ceiling had magnificent hanging lights. It was beautiful and extravagant. “This is the easy way; the hard entails your old room and other unpleasant things.”

“I’m liking the easy way so far, I think I will try it for a while longer.” Jia wondered about the room looking at the wonderful things. “Still a cage though,” she said.

“I never said it wasn’t, but it beats the alternative.” Joe entered the room and motioned for the goons to wait outside. “Now, my dear, here are your clothes for this evening.” Joe handed her a very expensive silk dress, the color was a deep blue with gold trim. “There is a variety of lingerie in the drawers here and the shoes are in the closet.” He pointed to a door on the far wall. “The shower is in here as is the toilet, I advise you to use both before dinner.” With that, the men exited the cabin and locked the door behind them. She tested the handle just to see and found it locked solidly.

She wondered around the room for a while, looking her new prison over. There were drawers filled with a variety of under things, ranging from simple panties to elaborate lacy things she had no idea what they were for. She settled on some simple underwear and bra that had a chance of fitting her. She took the things into the bathroom and put them on the sink. She then stripped and stepped into the shower.

Thirty minutes later she was drying herself off with the luxurious towels provided. They were scented with a hint of lavender and felt wonderful against her skin. It was a shame to use them for a towel they felt so good.

She finished then put on the underclothes she had chosen then entered the other room. The dress was where she had left it; draped over the end of the lovely bed. She put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked absolutely stunning in it but her hair was a mess. She looked through a drawer or two until she found an assortment of brushes and combs. She grabbed a brush then proceeded to salvage her hair. It took a while but she finally had it smoothed out and tied in a bun. She learned long ago that untied hair could get you hurt or killed if you expected trouble. She would probably go the rest of her life with tied hair. The way it looked it may be only a few days anyway.

The very moment she finished dressing and putting on her shoes, there was a tapping on the door then it opened. Joe was standing there dressed in a dark western suit and tie. “Excellent. You look lovely in that dress. The absence of makeup is an outstanding choice for you in this case.” Joe extended his arm, “Join me for dinner?”

“Am I likely to survive it?

“Oh, certainly you will. We are just going to dinner.” She extended her hand, a little hesitantly. “Don’t be afraid of me, as long as we are on the easy path anyway. Come on, let’s eat shall we?”

Jia walked with this strange man down the passageway and then up a staircase. At the top they passed through a set of fancy trimmed doors that entered into a large dining room. There were several tables set around one large one in the center. There was a group of ten or so seated at the main table engaged in quiet conversation. Joe guided her to a smaller table off to the side. They sat down and within moments a waiter appeared. He handed them both a wine list and said the meal tonight was braised sea bass.

Jia looked at the list of wines and quickly came to the realization she had no idea what any of it was. Being from Hong Kong, Jia knew some English, and could read well enough to get by; this was completely beyond her though. Considering it was in French, Joe was not surprised to find her looking at it with a confused expression. “Do you like wine my dear?”

‘I don’t know if I do or not. My father was very strict about alcohol and I never tried it. I would prefer water and some tea if possible. The last few days have left me a little unwilling to try new things.”

“I understand my dear. I’ll order a glass of white wine on the off chance you would like to try it. The sea bass is excellent, by the way. The chef is one of the finest in the world.”

‘With the obscene display of wealth I have seen so far, I am not surprised. I would be disappointed if he wasn’t, in fact.”

“Good point.” The waiter appeared and took their order. Jia ordered a bowl of lo mien noodles with her bass in case she didn’t find it to her liking. The waiter scowled but dutifully took her order. Joe just smiled. He leaned over to her and said, “I do believe your order will have the staff in a panic I fear, Shubuka Kawasaki isn’t used to anyone not finding anything he makes absolutely wonderful.” He smiled, “I suspect he will do his up most to make sure your meal is the best ever made. I will have to try that trick sometime.”

“Sorry, I am a simple woman. I have simple tastes and I have spent a lifetime developing them. I generally find fancy food to be nothing more than ordinary food with a higher price, an unpronounceable name and far too many spices. A simple meal cooked by someone who loves you is far better for you that the finest gourmet delicacy.”

“Yes, well, that may be true but in the absence of that we make do. Ah, here is your drink.” The waiter brought the tea and a bottle of wine. He poured them both a glass of wine then poured Jia a cup of green tea. He set out some appetizers then left.

Jia tried one of the meatballs and found it swimming in garlic and curry. She was tempted to just spit it out but she decided to swallow it instead. She was starving so she didn’t want upset the cook just yet. She washed it down with some tea. “That is umm, interesting.”

“Not to your liking? Just as well, I can’t stand them either. Lo-pok loves them so we are treated to them quite often. Try the wine; it may wash away the memory of those meatballs.”

She took a sip and her face showed confusion as the flavor struck her tongue. The wine was both tart and sweet with just a little alcohol. She was undecided about liking it or not. It was tolerable either way though. “I like that much better than those meatballs. The wine may take a while to get used to.” She sipped her tea and her face lit up, “Much better, Very good in fact.”

“I was wondering if we would find something you liked. You remind me of my ex-wife. Never satisfied”

“Good to know I have so much in common with her,” Jia said while sipping her tea.

“So, tell me what happened with the pirates. It sounds like quite the adventure. I hear you killed two of them while you were naked. Are you combat trained?”

‘I was lucky, that’s all. They were watching the door and forgot about the port holes. My brothers were into martial arts and my father was a good teacher. I learned enough to hold my own with them but I never formally studied as they did. I was too busy running the household after my mother died.”

“I see. You did manage to kill two of them and that is quite unusual. How did you manage it?”

Jia related the story to him, of course leaving out the part about becoming an avatar and her desire to get close to Lo-pok. “The Doctor was quite nervous after they tried to sneak into the room and slit our throats. He watched the door all night long. Woke the next morning and we got on a speedboat. I noticed the pirate boat sinking as we left. He said they were a liability to the Dragon Lord. I do not mourn their passing…”

“I would imagine not. Unfortunately, the Dragon Lord has very little choice but to use such people from time to time. “

“He needs to find better playmates.”

“I agree… ah here is our food. The waiter set their plates in front of them then refilled their wine glasses and left.

Jia tasted her noodles first and found them to be wonderful. She then tried the fish and found it to be edible but nothing to write home about. Too burnt and sweet, nothing like the fish she cooked almost daily back on her family’s junk. Or did, she corrected herself. She was starved so she assaulted her bowl of lo-mein and only picked at the fish.

Joe noticed and asked, “I take it you don’t like the sea bass.”

“My little brother tried cooking some fish once and it was very similar to this, burned on the outside and almost raw on the inside. Little did I know it was a delicacy, we threw it out. Shame too since my brother used much better fish than this.”

“Oh really, and what sort of fish is this?”

She looked at the tail and said, “This is mai-mai, not the highest quality fish available but not the cheapest either. I usually pass it over in favor of the grouper.”

“Interesting. How are the noodles then?” Joe asked as he ate his fish.

“Those are surprisingly good.”

“You know, you are refreshingly honest. Most who have been in your position have lied or said nothing so as not to anger their captors.”

“I am resigned to my fate I suppose, I don’t care if I anger you are not. I suspect I won’t survive long. I have my faith to help me as well.” She took a long drink of tea, considering her options. “My family is dead, I am alone in the world now and I really don’t care what happens. No, I take that back, I hope someone stops Lo-pok and brings him to justice.”

“Hmmm, I see. Could that someone be you perhaps? I really wouldn’t shed a tear over him if you were that someone.”

She looked at him for a moment and realized this was part of the test Matsu warned her about. She looked at him like he was crazy and said, “Unless Lo-pok is extremely stupid I will never get the chance to get near him. At least not bound and chained anyway. He knows I killed two men when I was captured so he knows I’m dangerous and he would be a fool to allow me near him.”

“I suspect that would be true. I find it hard to believe you are a simple daughter of a tramp merchant though.”

“Oh yes, you are right. I am a secret super spy and I am really Jackie Chan in a dress. I have a license to kill issued by the Queen of England herself. I am agent double oh seven and three quarter in fact on loan to the Hong Kong police. I have been posing for the last twenty three years as a poor sailor’s daughter waiting for the day pirates would kidnap me.”

“Ok, ok I believe you. I was just saying you seem to be able to handle yourself. That is all I’m saying. Makes me think there is something more there than meets the eye.”

“I was raised with three tough brothers who were into martial arts,” Jia said hoping to end the conversation. “Had I been better I would have made sure there was no one else on deck first, I was just lucky.”

“Well, be that as it may, I believe you are dangerous and a threat to my master. If it were up to me I would wrap you in chains and throw you overboard to ensure his safety. Nothing personal you understand. I have my instructions and I will follow them although I will recommend your stay with us to be brief.”

“Glad to see I have made such an impression,” Jia said with a sinking feeling, realizing she would probably not get anywhere close to Lo-pok.

“Come, if you are finished it is time to return to your cabin, I will be back later. In the mean time, there is a dress laid out on the bed for you, please put it on.” The two goons showed up and took their places on each side of her. She pushed her chair back and stood as did her escort. They walked back to the cabin in silence.

Joe opened the door and motioned for her to enter. She walked in and turned as he closed the door. He hesitated and said, “Thank you for a pleasant meal, it isn’t often I get to do this. I regret I will not have the opportunity to do it again. I will return in an hour.”

She didn’t say anything as he shut the door and locked it. She went to the bed and looked at the dress spread on it. It was yellow with a finely embroidered dragon that wound around the silk dress in a pale imitation of what she and Matsu had shared in her dreams. It seemed vulgar somehow but she couldn’t put her finger on why. It was a pretty dress and worth as much as what her family had made in the last two years. She removed the fine dress she was wearing and put on the new one. She walked to the mirror and looked at her reflection and shrugged. “Good as any to die in,” she thought to herself. She looked at the dragon sewn onto the dress and was startled when she saw the eye of the dragon wink at her. A sigh escaped her as she considered the fact she was likely to fail her goddess.

The remainder of the hour was spent sitting on the edge of the bed thinking of her family, hoping their reunion would be a happy one. Knowing there was life after death still didn’t make dying easier. All too soon the odd man named Joe entered the room and took her arm. The two goons were outside the door waiting patiently.

She got up and walked where they lead her, not making any protest. They walked down passageways and stairs until they reached a very ordinary door. Joe opened it and led her inside. The room was not that large and held some rather opulent and expensive chairs and small tables that faced what looked like a glass wall. They walked by the furnishings and then entered a door to the right of the wall. On the other side of the wall there was a set of stairs leading up to a platform.

They climbed the stairs and stopped by an open hatch welded to the platform. She looked down and saw a small ladder leading down to a well lit area. Joe looked at her with a sorrowful expression then said, “I am sorry my dear but I must ask you to enter the hatch. I would rather you go with dignity but I am prepared to toss you in. I would prefer things to be different as I do find you interesting and I delight in your company but my master has commanded me and I cannot disobey.”

“What is this?” Jia asked as she descended the ladder.

“The Dragon Lord fancies himself a warlord much like the olden days and he heard of a rather odd form of entertainment and being the man he is he has renewed the tradition. You will find out the rest soon enough. My advice is to end the evening quickly.” Jia reached the bottom of the ladder and before she could react the ladder was removed. “Fair well my dear, I wish our meeting was under different circumstances.”

Jia stared up at the hatch as it was lowered and she could hear the latches slam home. She then diverted her attention to the chamber. The back and side walls were painted black but the front wall was clear glass looking onto the small room she had just entered through. She wondered what Joe had meant by an old entertainment and how was she going to end it quickly. She could see someone enter the room and sit in one of the chairs near the glass. Joe and the two guards walked up to him and he spoke for a few seconds then they left the room closing the door behind them.

Jia looked at the man seated in front of the glass. He was neither old nor young, his age indeterminate to her; it could range from 30 to 50. He was richly dressed in traditional Chinese robes in the finest imperial yellow. Years ago he would have been executed for wearing such colors; they were reserved for the emperor only. His face was not remarkable; he could have easily been lost in a crowd. His eyes were another matter, his eyes were hard and cold, the eyes of a predator.

She knew she had failed. She would never get near him and she only felt empty inside. To be this close yet trapped in a glass cage he might as well be on the moon. She could only watch helplessly as Lo-pok bent down and picked up an ornate box from the rich carpet in front of him. He opened the box and removed what looked like a TV remote and pressed a button. He then removed a small plastic bottle and set it on a small table next to the chair.

Jia heard a few clicks then from vents in the bottom of the chamber then seawater began filling the tank. She looked at the water filling the tank with an expression of confusion then stared out at Lo-pok. She watched as he removed his robes and sat back down, his manhood at full attention. He took the plastic bottle and smeared its contents into his hand then began masturbating.

Jia looked at him then down at the rising water and suddenly she started laughing hysterically as the situation dawned on her. This pervert was getting off on watching her drown. Although how this could possibly help her get the monster currently spanking his monkey on the other side of the glass, she found the idea of the joke Matsu was playing by making her undrownable incredibly funny. She laughed until the water came up and covered her head.

She floated to the surface and rode the rising water to the top of the chamber. Her head touched the ceiling and before she could take another full breath she was underwater. She looked at the top of the tank and found the air was completely gone. She contemplated what to do next.

She let some of her precious air out and sank towards the bottom of the chamber. She looked out and saw Lo-pok was still masturbating, perhaps a little faster now. She wondered if she could somehow entice him to come into the tank with her. She thought a moment or two then she pulled up her dress and began touching herself. She could make out Lo-pok’s blurry image as she began a rather erotic dance as she pleasured herself. She let out a few more bubbles to ease the burning in her lungs then she slowly removed her dress and let it lazily fall to the bottom. Her hand soon returned to her sex, plunging into her panties and she began stroking herself in time with Lo-pok.

Her other hand soon found her breasts and rubbed them seductively. She did this for a while then she removed the remainder of her clothing then settled to the bottom on her knees and continued to pleasure herself even as the burning in her lungs became unbearable. Although she hadn’t planned on actually getting off with her performance, she found she was on the edge of orgasm. She noticed Lo-pok had gotten up from his seat and was standing next to the glass as she threw her head back and released the remaining air in her lungs as she orgasmed. Fire hot impulses streamed from her sex as she furiously stroked herself.

The orgasm was so intense she never felt herself breathe in the seawater. Once the orgasm subsided, she felt the water coursing in and out of her body just as it had in the lagoon. She smiled at the wonder of it. She continued stroking herself as she began to pretend to drown. She slowly fell forward putting her arm out as she landed against the glass as her other hand still stroked her enflamed womanhood. She was sure to let Lo-pok see she was actually drowned and gasping the water. She orgasmed again, sending small milky clouds into the water from her convulsing sex.

She let her hand fall from her clitoris and she started staring straight ahead. She let herself settle quietly to the bottom, her jaw jerking spasmodically as she made her final gasps. She turned over and raised her hand toward the glass and weakly clawed at it until she became still.

She lay at the bottom of that tank, the perfect imitation of death. She thought about her performance and wondered if it was all in vane. She waited for what seemed like hours but was likely just minutes. She found she could breathe the water well enough, she was glad she didn’t need to do more than barely circulate the water in order to breathe so as not to raise suspicion.

An eternity later the water in the tank began to drain and the hatch opened with a clatter. Seconds later the ladder dropped down into the partially drained tank. The water in the tank had drained to about a meter and a half. A minute later Jia could make out a naked man descending the ladder as she lay still. Soon Lo-pok was in the water with her, his manhood painfully erect. She bided her time waiting for the moment to strike.

He reached down to her and grabbed her ankles and pulled her up towards the surface. He then spread her legs and entered her forcefully, breaking her hymen for the second time in her life. She did her best to remain still despite the sensations. She was fighting the building rage she felt as he violated her. The bastard not only had a hand in the murder of her family, kidnapped her, drowned her, stole her virginity and to top it all off he was currently raping her apparent dead body. He was soon moving in and out of her at a steady pace as she seethed in anger.

After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and lowered himself underwater and continued to violate her as they settled to the bottom. She waited, enduring the assault until he headed to the surface to breathe. Before he could take a breath she pulled him back under and punched him in the stomach driving air from him in a cloud of bubbles. She then wrapped her arms and legs around him, effectively pinning him as they drifted to the bottom. She maneuvered herself as he struggled and impaled her sex on his still erect penis hoping he would feel as violated as she and his other victims felt.

His eyes were wide in terror and disbelief as she rode his manhood while he struggled. Lo-pok lunged with his head trying to butt her off of him but she easily avoided him. He then tried to bite her but again he was in a bad position and she could avoid his teeth just as easily. Time passed slowly but eventually his tortured lungs forced him to breathe in the water he was trapped in. His struggles soon grew weaker as he tried to extract oxygen from the water in great agonal gasps. She merely held on and continued to plunge his penis in and out of herself as he drowned. Soon his movements became weaker and uncoordinated. She released his legs and pushed to the surface. She lifted her head out of the water and cleared her lungs then pulled Lo-pok to just beneath the surface making sure to deny him the life giving air. She could see the desperate longing for the air just out of his reach.

“The goddess Matsu sends her regards and says she awaits your arrival and it appears it will be rather soon. She also wanted you to know you are the lord of nothing Lo-pok; you are not the Dragon Lord. You are not even a lord of worms or flies.” His struggles intensified at the mention of Matsu’s name but they were weak and only added to Jia’s pleasure as they remained coupled. She dove back under sending them both to the bottom once again. Lo-pok began convulsing a few seconds later, his movements driving Jia to the most intense orgasm of her life and then again as she felt warm fluid fill her vagina. The convulsions tapered off then eventually Lo-pok became still.

She pulled herself off of his body and pushed his lifeless corpse away from her as a great wave of exhaustion washed over her. She had attained her goal and the adrenalin began to dissipate leaving her weak and shaking. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out the horror she had just witnessed. Her body could take no more and she slipped into unconsciousness.

Some time later she regained consciousness and she found she was still in the tank floating just off the bottom. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Lo-pok’s body was gone and she was alone. She looked out the clear wall of the tank and she could see several men standing around something covered with a sheet. She imagined it was Lo-pok lying there on the expensive carpet. She saw the doctor come over and raise the sheet for a moment then two men with a stretcher entered the room and loaded him up and carried him out. The others followed except for the doctor, leaving him alone in the room. He walked over to where Lo-pok had dropped the remote and picked it up off the deck and pressed a button.

Jia felt the water drain from the tank and soon she was back in the air again like a fish stranded on a riverbank. She remained still as the doctor walked up and entered the tank. He stood over her for a moment then said, “I don’t understand how you managed it but Lo-pok, the most powerful and best protected man in Asia, is dead.” He reached down and felt the pulse in her neck and said, “You can stop pretending my dear, we are alone for the moment.”

She was shocked to find the doctor had seen through her ruse so easily. She turned her head and expelled the water from her lungs and watched as his eyebrow raise as he watched her. “How did you possibly know I was still alive?”

“It may surprise you to know I followed your advice and prayed to Matsu for forgiveness and guidance and she answered them in my dreams. She told me that you were more than you seemed and you could survive your time with Lo-pok where no other could.”

“Did she now? Did she happen to mention how I was supposed to get off this ship or what I was supposed to do next? She seemed to neglect that part when she charged me with this task.”

“In fact she did. She told me to throw you overboard no matter what and she would take care of the rest. She also told me to do something else I really don’t want to do but she was very specific about it.” He pulled something from his pocket and before she could react he injected her with a hypodermic needle causing her to fall limply to the tank floor.

She regained consciousness sometime later. She felt awful, her head was a swirling mass of pain. She was confused and didn’t know what was happening to her. She tried to move but found her arms handcuffed and her legs bound together with heavy chains. She did find she could move her head so she looked around. Too late she remembered she was supposed to be dead and hoped no one had seen.

Her luck was holding, in that regard at least, because she was alone at the moment. She looked around and saw she was lying on the deck of Lo-pok’s yacht still naked and tied up. She sighed and hoped Matsu knew what she was doing as this was very uncomfortable. After what seemed like an eternity she heard footsteps behind her. She heard Joe say, “Why is this body still onboard? We need to eliminate all evidence.”

“The doctor said we needed to dump the body in deep water and he was mixing up an injection to speed up the decomposition.”

“Well, go find him and tell him to hurry. I want this ugly business over with. As the new head of this organization I will not tolerate this sort of depravity.”

“Yes sir, I’ll go find him,” the crewman said as he left the area. Joe walked over to Jia’s body and looked at her.

“I’m sorry my dear, I wish I had a choice in the matter. What a waste. At least you will be the last.” He turned to walk away but stopped and said, “I don’t know what happened in there; I don’t want to know in fact but for what it is worth, thank you.” He walked off then only to be stopped by the doctor. “Do this last thing for me and I will release you. Make sure she gets a proper funeral when you get back to Hong Kong. It is the least I can do for her.”

“Her and her unfortunate family will be honored, be assured.” He moved over to Jia and said, “I must prepare her for burial at sea. I am sure you do not want to watch this as it is unpleasant but necessary.”

“I understand, please hurry though. It breaks my heart to see her like this.” He walked away, his head down.

Moments later she felt a needle stick into her arm and she flinched. He noticed and said, “I see you are awake. Sorry about the injections but Matsu had hoped you would not wake up until you were with her in the sea. She had me to inject you with a sedative so you wouldn’t awaken but I was delayed. Matsu said we wouldn’t meet again so I just wanted to say goodbye my dear and say thank you.” With that he lifted her up and kissed her lightly on the cheek, “My family also thanks you, Jia-yun.” He dropped her over the side as gently as he could. He watched her sink out of sight, a stream of bubbles trailed from her lips as she sped quickly to the bottom.

The End

Epilog:

Jia walked through the Hong Kong Airport with a limp. She tried not to look too conspicuous as she made her way to the men’s room near that locker he had told her about. She had located it and was now heading to the nearby restroom. She had dressed in androgynous clothing so perhaps no one would notice. Not that she would care too much, her gills were itching and the shoes she wore were cramping her flippers mercilessly so she wasn’t in a good mood. She gritted her teeth and continued to the door and walked in. She looked around and waited until she was alone then checked the mirrors. She used a claw to check the gap between the mirror and the wall and was rewarded with a locker key. She looked at the key for a moment then as she was about to leave she saw movement in the sink. She looked down and found there was some water at the bottom and in the water was a reflection of Matsu looking up at her.

“We have nothing to discuss Matsu. Your plan to have me tied up and sedated until I changed so much I couldn’t return to the land failed. I cannot believe you would have done this to me. You didn’t count on the key to the handcuffs I had hidden under my tongue did you?”

“Jia, I had hoped you would have wanted to remain in the sea with me as my lover but you were reluctant so I had to keep you there somehow. You are too powerful to live among humans Jia, too different.”

“Enough Matsu, I am tired of hearing it. I heard nothing but this the entire three months it took to swim to land. I still turned into a fish even though I tried to prevent it.” She crossed her arms and said, “You would not even give me a ride to shore. I don’t know much about how gods conduct their business but on earth you don’t treat your ‘lover’ that way.”

“Return to the sea Jia, I promise you will enjoy your life there.”

“Matsu, I have no choice but to return to the sea now,” she held up her hand and looked at the webbing between her fingers, “but it will be on my terms, not yours. I refuse to spend my life in a stupor being mind-fucked by you while I turn into a monster shambling across the sea floor.”

Matsu sighed, “I could just kill you.”

“No, you can’t. I know the rules my goddess and so far this is nothing more than a lover’s spat. As long as I play by the rules you must as well. Besides, I am too valuable to you as I am.”

Matsu turned into her masculine form and said, “I miss you Jia, I really do.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll return to the sea soon enough thanks to you and these gills. I just have some matters to take care of.” She pushed the key into her pocket and headed for the door. She stopped and turned around and said, “Besides, I want to try it in your orca form next time.”

“Pervert!” She said with a broad smile.

“Goddess!”