The Last Concubine (13 page)

The two soldiers fell in beside her and presently Lan’xiu caught sight of them carrying umbrellas to shield Second Wife as she returned to her home next door.

“Lan’xiu, I apologize on Second Wife’s behalf for that extremely vulgar display.” Mei Ju gave a delicate shiver. “If only Ci’an could find some comfort in the company of the rest of the wives. I fear she is a very miserable woman.”

“Or deranged,” Huan snapped.

“In which case there should be some provision made for her. Perhaps she should be removed to a home for lunatics,” Fen said seriously. “What do you think, Alute?”

“Oh yes,” Alute agreed vaguely. She had been looking at her reflection in the shiny silver tray on the table.

“
What
a party!” Bai crowed. “Fen, have I ever told you about the time—”

Lan’xiu stifled a giggle. Despite the disagreeable way Ci’an had expressed herself, she seemed to be sadly correct about the predictable dullness of the household parties.

L
AN
’
XIU
tried not to be obvious about it, but he had taken to standing at his window, watching for the servant who lit the lanterns. He had not seen Hüi Wei nor had any message from him since their first and only night together, when Hüi had taken his flower. This night no torch had been borne into the harem square and no lantern had been lit. He sighed with disappointment mixed with a tiny bit of relief. At least he would not have to watch Hüi Wei enter the house of another wife and torture himself with thoughts of Hüi making love to anyone but him.

He wondered if, after all, Hüi had found him revolting and resolved never to return to him. Perhaps death would be preferable to rejection. To have known physical love for the first time, to have felt that powerful body against his, taking him… he shivered as a thrill went through him. Their one night together had been heaven. If that night were all he would ever have to remember, it would have to do. It was more than he had ever hoped for in his life, even if he was destined to spend the remainder of it sequestered behind these prison walls, alone, but somehow the memory didn’t seem very comforting in the face of his yearning.

Alone except for Ning, of course. Ning was a comfort but also a goad, pushing, chattering, wondering, and gossiping.

Earlier that day Ning had decided that Lan’xiu needed to brush up on his swordplay and made him breathless in their practice session.

“Is it I or you who needs to practice?” Lan’xiu had asked tartly.

“Perhaps both. I do not wish to get fat,” Ning said complacently. “Eunuchs are prone to gain weight, you know.”

“And so you torment me to achieve your own ends,” Lan’xiu grumbled.

Ning merely grinned at him, making a hole between his thumb and forefinger and sliding his other thumb in and out. “Not all exercise is the same, is it? It takes two to—”

“Shut up!” Lan ordered crossly. “Go away. I want a bath. Prepare hot water for me.”

“Very well. I will have the fires lit.”

Ning left the room, and Lan’xiu was able to put off his false smile. He hoped that even Ning could not guess what terrible thoughts haunted him. In his own home, before his mother had died, Lan had been permitted to ride his horse free through the long grasses, the wind in his hair, going where he pleased. Slowly the nets of intrigue had been drawn more closely about him, and he realized too late what fate his brother planned for him. And now here he was, trapped in a harem where, if the truth were known, he had no right to be, waiting for a man who likely had never given him a second thought. Lan had worn his chosen disguise for so long that until Hüi had ripped it off, Lan had almost forgotten who he truly was. Now his body was alive with need and want, and his soul craved the love he thought he had felt in Hüi’s arms.

It was a poor comfort to rejoice that no other wife enjoyed Hüi Wei’s company tonight either, but it was all he had to cling to. Lan wondered where Hüi was and what he was doing, envying the freedom that allowed him to come and go at whim.

The door opened, and expecting Ning’s return, Lan’xiu did not turn around. Terror flared within him when hands larger than Ning’s grabbed him roughly, squeezing his shoulders so hard they hurt.

He was spun violently to face his captor, struggling feebly to free himself until he saw it was Hüi Wei. A welcoming smile died on his lips at the intent look in Hüi’s eyes.

Hüi ripped the hanfu down, trapping Lan’xiu’s arms and baring his throat and shoulders. Then he bent his head and bit sharply into the crook on Lan’s neck, soothing the sting an instant later with his tongue.

Then Hüi drove his tongue so deep into Lan’s mouth, he thought he might suffocate. Lan breathed hard through his nose, allowing Hüi to ravage his mouth, bite his lips, suck his tongue so hard it hurt.

“On your knees!” Hüi ordered in a deep, thick voice when he ended the kiss. He forced Lan down.

Lan swayed, his arms still trapped in his hanfu, his face inches from the bulge Hüi was struggling to free from his trousers. Lan could smell the musky scent of arousal. He could feel the heat on his cheek.

Hüi succeeded in freeing his cock and pushed it against Lan’s lips. Obediently, Lan opened his mouth. He felt a hand on the back of his head, forcing him to take in the hard shaft. He relaxed his throat, breathing through his nose so as not to gag, afraid that Hüi would push his cock right down.

Hüi set up a rhythm, pushing his cock between Lan’s lips, forcing the young man to swallow it all. Lan tried desperately to give pressure with his lips and tongue, instinctively divining what his master desired. Some demon of lust seemed to be driving Hüi, and Lan didn’t understand it, but it made him happy to feel so desired.

Abruptly, Hüi withdrew from Lan’s mouth and gave another order. “Bend over. Stick your ass in the air.”

Lan struggled to free his arms but felt his face pushed into the carpet and his hips lifted. Hüi lifted the skirts of his hanfu, and there was a ripping sound as he rent the silken panties Lan wore. Lan flinched when a hand landed hard on his ass, and the sound of the slap was sharp in the quiet room.

He gasped at the feel of something hot and wet against his hole. He was in no position to look, but it had to be Hüi’s tongue, licking at him, pushing inside him. He had never felt anything like it. Hüi’s hands and cock were hard; this invasion was soft and velvet, setting up soft waves of unknown pleasure. Soft lips applied suction and the humming started. The vibration nearly drove him mad with arousal. Lan became aware that his cock was hard and aching, dripping. He wanted to be fucked so badly, but Hüi seemed intent on teasing him. His tongue danced over Lan’s throbbing hole, licking, then stabbing at it, sliding inside. Finally, he added two fingers, driving them in and out in a steady rhythm.

Lan gasped for breath at this sudden assault, but he loved every minute of it. He would gladly pay with his imprisonment to be held captive by his lover in such a fashion.

The fingers were withdrawn and he felt Hüi’s thighs pressed against his. Lan braced himself and felt his entire body rocked forward as Hüi roughly pushed his cock all the way inside Lan’s clenching channel. Lan let out a cry at the burning pain and moaned when Hüi pulled out all the way, dragging the biggest part of the head out of Lan’s hole with excruciating slowness.

Lan gasped once more at the exquisite pain when Hüi penetrated him again, entering him with equal force. Then Hüi began to pound him, hard and fast, chasing his own orgasm with no thought to Lan’s pleasure. Lan tried to work a hand free to touch himself; his cock ached and he needed to come so badly.

Hüi stopped his fucking and used Lan’s sash to bind his hands behind him. “Not until I permit you.” Then he began thrusting again, holding Lan’s slim hips in place.

Each thrust rocked Lan’s whole body, and he was helpless to resist the movement. He enjoyed the pummeling, each stroke ravishing him with pleasure, Hüi’s cock filling him and making him quiver with sensation.

Hard fingers dug into his hips and Lan knew he would have bruises tomorrow, but he wanted them. Any mark to remember this and to remind him of who he belonged to. Hüi’s strokes grew shorter but harder, and with one last thrust, he buried himself to the balls.

Lan could feel the fire of Hüi’s release fill him inside and rejoiced that he had served his lover’s needs in this new mood. After a moment, Hüi grunted and, still embedded within Lan’s ass, rolled onto his side on the carpet, pulling Lan with him, keeping him impaled on his still hard and throbbing cock.

With one hand he pulled Lan’s chin to turn his head and ravaged his mouth again. When he released Lan, his hand wandered down to pinch and twist at one of Lan’s nipples, sending a frisson of pleasure straight to his groin. Lan groaned in frustration and struggled in his bonds.

Hüi’s hand roamed still farther down, and finally he wrapped his fingers around Lan’s straining cock.

“Yes,” Lan hissed.

He felt Hüi’s chest move and heard the rumble of laughter, but Hüi merely spat on his hand and stroked Lan’s cock, rubbing his thumb in the fluid at the tip to tickle the head and ridge.

Lan’s hips were moving urgently. Hüi held him imprisoned against his chest with one arm while he stroked with the other. Lan arched his neck and felt teeth nipping at his throat. Hüi moved his hips, reminding Lan that he still had a cock up his ass, adding to his pleasure. Finally, with a hoarse cry, Lan erupted like a fireworks display, sending pearly drops of liquid over Hüi’s hand. He was panting when he came to rest.

“Hello, my little Lan’xiu,” Hüi said softly into the skin of Lan’s throat. “I missed you.”

“And I you, my Lord,” Lan breathed. “You forgot to light the lantern. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I didn’t forget. I snuck in,” Hüi said, sounding pleased with himself. “It was more fun that way.”

“Do you—” Lan stopped short. He would not ask anything about what Hüi did with the others.

“Only with you. Everything is different with you.”

Lan felt the bonds around his wrists loosen and stretched his arms. “You will soon need to buy me a new wardrobe. This is the second hanfu you have ruined.”

“And well worth it. I will buy you a thousand robes if I must, for the pleasure of tearing them off you.” Hüi kissed Lan’s bare shoulder before letting his cock slide free. “I wish we could have a bath.”

“I sent Ning to prepare one for me. Perhaps the water is ready,” Lan said hopefully.

“Shall we go see?” Hüi got to his feet and helped Lan up. In contrast to his previous roughness, he undressed Lan gently, kissing the satin skin as he exposed it. When he came to a scar, white against the skin of Lan’s back, he traced over it with a fingertip. “What is this scar from?”

“A knife went in, wide but not deep enough.”

For the second time there was steel in Lan’s voice. Hüi turned Lan to face him. “Who did this to you?”

“My brother, Wu Min.”

Lan’xiu did not wish to speak of it, and Hüi seemed to respect his reticence. “I am sorry,” he said.

“It doesn’t bother me anymore,” Lan’xiu said, and then he claimed the right to undress Hüi in his turn, running his hands over firm biceps, hard chest, and rippling stomach muscles.

Then Hüi took Lan’s hand, and they went together into the bathing room. “Did you like it?” he asked almost shyly.

Lan smiled. “I enjoyed it very much. Feel free to announce yourself that way anytime.”

“I also like it slow and gentle at times,” Hüi said, taking Lan’s lips in a soft kiss.

“I like that too,” Lan whispered, his lips resting against Hüi’s.

Soaping and rinsing before entering the bath turned into a pleasurable ritual as Lan’xiu was permitted to explore the general’s muscular body. He shivered as Hüi did the same for him, cleansing him with tender wonder.

Gently, Hüi picked Lan up, lifted him into the steaming bath, and then stepped in himself. He slid down to rest against the sloped back and pulled Lan to sit between his legs, leaning back against his chest.

Lan’xiu relaxed against the warmth of Hüi’s body, watching the ripples of water lap at his thighs. He could feel Hüi’s chest lifting him out of the water slightly with each breath. He was sleepy, and he listened to Hüi’s voice as if in a dream.

“Have you cast a spell over me?” Hüi asked softly, as if lost in the same dream. “Are you some sorceress sent to steal my soul? For I feel that I am only half a man when I am apart from you. When I sleep you enter my dreams, but I cannot grasp hold of you. I reach for you and you disappear like the early morning mist, a beautiful phantom, and then gone in the golden sunlight.”

“I am no phantasm, my Lord. Wrap your arms around me, feel my flesh pressed against yours. I am real.”

“Tell me, do you love me as I love you?”

“I cannot say, for I know not how you feel about me. For myself, I can only say that I am but half-alive when you are not here with me.” Lan’xiu reached up to touch Hüi’s cheek and found it damp with tears. “I never knew I could feel so much love.”

“Nor I,” Hüi murmured. “If you are not a witch or a dream, then I must thank the gods for sending you to me, a treasure I did not know I wanted.” He tightened his arms about Lan’xiu suddenly. “Oh, Lan’xiu, somehow I must engineer events so that we can be together more often. Can you be patient with me? When I have the lanterns lit elsewhere, I feel I am betraying you, but we must be careful.”