Chapter 1

The Master

"Please Mrs., I mean, Ms. Stevens. You need to be protected."

"Why? What would my ex-husband and his lover want to hurt me for? I did not stop them, nor made it hard for them to be together." Airanda spoke as she folded the clothes from the dryer. It was Sunday and the only day off she had this week. She had been to a competition with her students yesterday and she was exhausted, but there was no one else to do the work since her husband had walked out on her, handing her divorce papers to sign, as he flew across the continent to live with his new lover.

Aire let out a sigh. She could understand the FBI though. Her husband had decided to become the lover of the head of the mafia of the Chinese government, and as such, he had inadvertently put her in harms way if it got out that he had once been married to her. They would use her to get to him, to get to Lucas, the second in line for the power of the Chinese mafia.

Why did he have to fall for that particular man, she wondered. It was crazy enough that he had fallen for another man, but for a mafia boss? She would not have believed it, except that she had walked in on the two of them.

She could only shake her head. What had happened to her happy, peaceful life?

"Please Ms. Stevens, we have even found the perfect protector..."

"I prefer the title companion and I have not agreed to the job, Mr. Adams. Please do not make such brass assumptions."

Airanda turned from the dryer to see a new face in her laundry room.

Over the course of the past six months, she had gotten used to Mr. Adams and Mr. Lee, her present bodyguards, following her everywhere. They carried a certain aura around them, but this man's was completely different.

He was of Asian descent with dark hair braided neatly down his back and the traditional, Chinese? Japanese? Kimono? Katana? What did they call it? Oh well, it mattered to her not one bit, but she did wonder what was up with the 'companion' title.

She stared at his slim frame. He was not much taller then her 5 foot frame, but he radiated confidence and yet, seemed to blend in with the area around him at the same time.

"I will tell you, as I told them," Airanda stared directly at him, not backing down from his gaze. "I do not need anymore bodyguards. I am nothing to these people. They do not even know I exist. So please let me continue on with my life. I am tired." Airanda turned and continued with her folding.

"I see." The man had a deep yet soothing voice. He spoke just loud enough for her to understand his words and no more. She could tell he was sizing her up and she did not like it one bit. He knew nothing of her or her situation.

"Ms. Stevens. May I introduce you to Mr. Lei San? He is what is known as a companion. They are people who choose to... How would you put it Mr. San?" He asked, turning to Lei to explain.

"We chose to serve one person, and only one person, with our entire being, till our death."

He was a servant?

She had thought that he was a bodyguard.

"We are not servants, Ms. Stevens." He was obviously a mind reader too, it seemed. "We are much more then that. We are trained to handle any style of living and any situation. That is why the two gentlemen here approached me for this job." Lei San continued, "However," He stepped forwarded, catching her full attention now. "We chose who we wish to bond with. That is why I informed you that I had not taken the job yet. If I agree, you and I will create a bond that will not be broken. It will last until death parts us. Do you understand?"

"Not completely, but I get the jest of it. If you accept the job, even if I am no longer in 'danger' from my husband's enemies, you will still be with me. Yes?"

"Correct."

"I refuse. Have a nice day." Airanda went back to her folding.

"Ms. Stevens!"

"I do not need someone for life."

Lei held up his hand to stop Mr. Lee from speaking again.

"May I ask for 24 hours?" He asked respectfully.

"For what?" Airanda asked.

"To observe you. I want to know if you are worthy of me."

"I already told you. I refuse your services. I can also tell you, I will never be 'worthy' of your services. I am not rich or famous or in DANGER." Airanda gave the other gentlemen a pointed look.

"That is not your decision to make."

"I beg to differ."

"That is fine. I will observe you whether or not you wish it, but I would like you to know that there are two men watching this house and they are not here to protect you."

"WHAT?" Mr. Adams bellowed. "Where?" He grabbed his phone and made a phone call as he exited the room.

Airanda mentally rolled her eyes and went back to her laundry. She did not need anymore alpha males in her life. "Please," she begged. "Just go away."

"No." Lei replied. "Give me 24 hours to observe and then, if I agree to take you on, I will train you to be the perfect master as I am the perfect companion."

"My, my, my, aren't we a bit full of ourselves."

"He is not full of himself." Mr. Lee spoke up, "He speaks only the truth. He is considered the perfect companion, sought by all and refusing all. Even The Emperor wished to have him."

Airanda finally stopped and truly looked at the man in front of her. She had taken in his general looks, but now she looked closely at his eyes and body noting that, though he was of slight build, he was well defined under his clothes and he was quite aware of his environment.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"Two years older then yourself."

She raised her eyebrow. "You know my age?"

"I know quite a bit about you. I was given your history before I came here."

Airanda sent Mr. Lee a glare. "I see. So glad to know how my information is being used."

"What would you like to know of me?" Lei countered. "I will gladly tell you anything you ask of me. That is one duty of a companion."

Airanda took the basket of clean clothes and tried to head up the stairs to the bedroom to put them away. As she passed the gentlemen though, Lei reached out and took the basket from her with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Another one of your 'duties'?" She asked.

Lei nodded, following Airanda up the stairs.

"I have no questions for you." She dismissed him with a hand. "You will be gone in 24 hours."

"You are not curious about me or my way of life at all?"

"I am curious." Airanda admitted, "but no sense learning about someone who will be gone soon."

"Is this how you teach your students?"

Airanda spun around and glared at him.

Lei set down the basket. "My apologizes. I should not have made such an assumption."

Airanda let out a sigh. He may have offended her, but he was right. She was being rude.

"Where are you from?" She decided that since he wanted her to ask, she would ask any and all questions she wanted answers to. He had offered after all.

"China."

"Where were you before coming here?"

"China."

"Why become a companion?"

"My father was one and I wanted to continue the tradition of my family as being the perfect companion."

Airanda asked no more, this was more of an interrogation rather then a conversation.

"You do not approve of my reason?" Lei asked in the same quiet voice he had used since the beginning.

"Nope." Airanda tried to bite her tongue, but could not help but add; "You should be doing it for yourself, not for your father." She started to put her clothes away and Lei started handing her the clothes from the basket.

"I did do it for myself, but my father was the one that I watched growing up and he is the one that inspired me to become the perfect companion. I would be doing him a huge disservice if I did not give him credit for my becoming one."

"I see... And your mother?"

"She was his master."

"Did he love her?"

"Very much."

"Did she love him?"

"...No."

Airanda paused before continuing. "Were they married?'

"Yes."

"Why? If she did not love him..."

"She wanted him to have control over parts of her... property... that he could not have control over as a mere companion, so she allowed him to court her and then mate with her. I was the result of that mating."

"'That mating?' They only mated once?"

"Correct."

"Ouch."

Lei let a sarcastic smile cross his face for a second before answering.

"Agreed. She was not happy to have born me and did not wish to have me in her presence. He raised me."

"Why not abort?"

"That is not allowed in our culture."

"She does not seem like a very... nice? Person." Airanda continued when Lei did not correct her. "How long have you been 'the perfect companion'?" Airanda asked as she finished putting the clothes away and headed back downstairs.

"Fifteen years."

"Is she the reason why you have not found a 'master'?"

"Correct." Again with the one word answer. He was not a real talkative person, even though he was giving her information readily. He surprised her though when he continued.

"I watched my father love a very cruel master and swore that I would never follow the same path as him. I would chose the perfect master. One that is gentle and kind and would never take a companion as her, or his, mate without truly loving them."

"Sounds like you know what you are looking for."

"I do, but I have yet to find it."

"Fifteen years is a long time to search."

"I am very patience."

Airanda gestured for him to put the basket back where it had been in the laundry room and headed for the kitchen.

"How long did you train before becoming the 'perfect companion'?" Airanda asked as she started cooking supper, making sure that she cooked enough for Mr. Adams, Mr. Lee and Mr. San.

"Five years."

"So you started at the age of ten and finished at the age of fifteen. No?"

"Your math is good. I did not tell you when I had started." Lei handed her ingredients, staying next to her side, rather then sitting down at the counter.

"It was not hard to figure out." They fell silent for a few moments before Airanda asked another question.

"What is the normal amount of time?" She asked as she fried up broccoli and potatoes.

"Ten years."

"Prodigy?"

"Some say that. I merely state that it was determination, not skill, that got me here."

"Sounds like you think you also have some skill."

Lei smiled. She was quick.

"I think that skill had something to do with it." Airanda continued with her cooking as she spoke. "Determination will take you far, but you must have some skill to become the best and it seems that you are thought of as the best."

"Thank you My Lady."

"For what?" Airanda asked as she stole a glance at him as he finally sat down at her bar, watching her cook. And do not call me 'My Lady'. I do have a name."

"For your acknowledgement." Lei replied, ignoring the second half of her statement.

"Do not take it as a compliment. I did not say I believe you. I would have to see for myself if you were truly perfect at what you do."

"Then allow me the chance for you to believe in me. After the next 24 hours are up, whether I feel you are worthy of me or not, I will give you 24 hours having the perfect companion. Would that work for you?"

"Is that not what you are doing now?"

"No, I am merely observing your habits and your personality."

"Then why are you helping?"

"Is that wrong?"

Airanda thought about it, "As long as it does not interfere... I guess not."

"Then we have a deal?"

Airanda put the meal on plates and set the table. "All right."

Mr. Adams and Mr. Lee entered.

"Perfect timing. Supper is ready. Please sit and eat."

They bowed. "Thank you Ms. Stevens."

"No big. You are here to protect me. It is the least I can do."

Airanda did not want to know what they had been doing and she did not know what else to say to Mr. San.

"Thank you for the food Ms. Stevens. It is different from what I am used to, but quite well made." Lei spoke after they had finished and Airanda was cleaning up.

"You are a guest and I am sure that you have traveled a fair distance to arrive here. It is the least I can do." Airanda looked at him. "I am assuming that you will be here for the night."

Lei nodded. "Do not trouble yourself though, I am fully prepared. You need not do anything."

"Are you sure? I have plenty of beds and blankets and things. I can easily make up the spare bed for you."

"I am sure."

"Alright then." After she cleaned the kitchen up, she spent the next several hours working on her computer as the men paced the rooms and discussed various things quietly. Lei sat on the couch beside her, watching her work.

"What do you do?" He asked at one point.

"I teach."

"What?"

"Music."

"For how long."

"Eight years."

"Why are you leaving it?"

"Because it will help hid me I guess." Airanda stood and stepped into the bathroom. "If you will excuse me for a few minutes." And shut the door.

Lei returned to the living room.

"Well?"

"She is interesting." Lei replied to Mr.. Lee's question.

"Will you take the job?" He asked.

"It is too soon to say."