The Last Concubine (9 page)

Evidently, it did, for Hüi alternated sucking at the hardened nub of flesh with tiny stinging bites. Lan squirmed under the attention, feeling his cock grow harder despite the pain.

While Hüi’s mouth pressed to his nipple, Lan felt Hüi’s hand move firmly down his body, over his hip, squeezing the roundness of his buttocks until the fingers slid within the dark valley, finding and caressing his most private spot. Tingles of pleasure flowed from his entrance over his body, and he spread his legs to give Hüi greater access.

Grinning, Hüi raised his head. “You like that, do you?” He stroked more firmly over the furled opening, gloating over the gasps of pleasure Lan could not hold inside.

“Yes! Yes, I like it!” Lan panted. He moaned in disappointment when Hüi moved his hand and then his entire body, missing the intimate contact. He heard the sound of a drawer opening and then Hüi lay upon him once more.

He startled at the feeling of a slick finger being pushed inside his nether opening and could not help letting out a small yelp of pain.

Hüi kissed his throat. “This will hurt a little just at first. But when I take you, you will belong to me fully. You will be mine.”

The feeling of the finger moving within him was strange, and yet Lan liked it after the initial shock. However, the feeling he’d experienced of wanting to do whatever would please this man who owned him—heart, body, and soul—would have made him agree even if it meant being split in two. “I am yours,” he assured Hüi. “I want to be yours.”

Lan’s hips flew up and he arched off the bed as Hüi’s finger stroked over hidden pleasure deep within him. A startling burst of pleasure rippled outward, shaking him to his toes. He thought nothing could feel better, and then Hüi did it again.

Lan knew Hüi was watching him, but he was lost in pleasure. He knew his eyes were unfocused and his mouth hung open, and he could only hope that Hüi enjoyed the sight. It was as if his lord had demanded not only possession of his body, but also the opening of his innermost soul, and he was powerless to resist.

He felt his knees being pressed back to his chest and knew himself to be exposed and open to Hüi. His legs were lifted to Hüi’s broad shoulders, and he felt the fingers leave him empty and yearning to be filled, then the nudge of something large and blunt at his opening. His eyes flew open in protest, but Hüi bent his head to take his mouth in a deep kiss and smother any cry of pain.

Lan moaned into the kiss as he felt the ring of muscle tighten and then yield under the assault of Hüi’s cock. It burned and hurt as Hüi slid his cock home in one smooth thrust. Lan’s muscles clenched helplessly, but now he knew what it meant to be a slave to another’s pleasure. He was helpless, impaled to the hilt, squirming under the weight of his master, unable to do anything about the giant intruder within.

He looked up to catch Hüi watching him closely and realized his face was contorted with pain. He tried to smile to reassure the other man, but Hüi shook his head, smiling as he said, “We will wait. It will get better, I assure you. Let me know.”

Lan felt his muscles begin to relax and the pain melted away, leaving him feeling pleasantly full. Experimentally, he reached down to feel where Hüi’s cock penetrated him, enjoying the tingles that radiated outward from his hole and the sensation of the firm shaft filling it.

Then Hüi moved his hips, sliding his cock out of the narrow passage before gliding back in, and Lan ringed Hüi’s shaft with his fingers, with wonder feeling himself impaled. This time Lan felt it when Hüi’s cock massaged the walls of his passage, and pleasure blossomed within him.

Once again Hüi withdrew and slid home, the movements of his hips getting faster as he thrust deeper. Lan let his legs slide off Hüi’s shoulders to wrap them around his waist, hanging on for dear life. Hüi lowered his body, trapping Lan’s rigid cock.

Between the driving of the cock deep within and the rubbing of their bellies against his erection, Lan was transported upon the wings of rapture. Hüi was slamming into him now, their flesh making an occasional slapping sound on contact, drowning out Lan’s moans and gasps of pleasure.

He squirmed and tried to reach his own cock, but Hüi slapped his hand away. “Not until I permit you to come,” he said.

“Yes, my Lord,” Lan answered, although he knew he would not be able to control himself. The feeling of Hüi’s cock inside him, rubbing and stretching him made him feel like he might actually be split in two, but he liked it. He arched in ecstasy when Hüi’s cock slid within him, heightening pleasure to the edge of pain.

Then the thrusts grew shorter and more erratic. Hüi raised himself from Lan’s body and his hips snapped in short, uneven strokes until he froze for a second. Lan cried out when Hüi’s hand found his cock. Two strokes and he spilled between them, making Hüi’s belly slide against his.

Hüi rammed home even deeper with a hoarse cry of triumph before pouring his essence within the narrow channel. Then he lowered himself to lie completely atop Lan.

Lan could feel his nerveless legs slide down to the mattress and turned his head into the crook of Hüi’s neck and shoulder. A feeling of contentment and peace came over him such as he had never felt before.

“Now you belong to me.” Hüi’s voice was muffled in the pillow.

“I do,” Lan agreed.

“And I will never let you go,” Hüi said.

Lan had never felt happier. His ass was a bit sore and Hüi’s cock was still buried inside him. Hüi’s weight also curtailed his breathing, but Lan never wanted to move from this position. This was the pinnacle he had yearned for. If Hüi felt impelled to kill him when he awoke, Lan knew he would sacrifice himself happily to pay for having this dream come true.

L
AN
’
XIU
lay awake most of the night, dozing now and then, but determined to enjoy the feel of naked skin against his for the first, and possibly last, time in his life. Lying on his side, curled into the sheltering bulk of his lord’s body, the dim light allowed him to see the strong sinew of the arm that encircled him, and Hüi’s breath blew warm over his shoulder. The occasional snore made Lan want to laugh, but he didn’t wish to wake Hüi and hasten his leaving. As intimate as their lovemaking had been, being held in Hüi’s embrace while lying together naked sparked some long suppressed emotion that overwhelmed Lan, like a tidal wave sweeping over him. He longed to drown in the pleasure of belonging to this man for the few hours of respite he had been given.

There was no doubt in his mind that by the light of day, Hüi Wei would return to his senses and recoil from him, put him to death for being the means of his humiliation. No man could endure the thought that others knew his household sheltered a man in the guise of a woman, and Wu Min would most certainly use that fact to his advantage when it came to light. Therefore, when he had time to consider, Hüi Wei would be forced to put Lan’xiu to death. Whatever steps Hüi took to silence Wu Min would naturally mean nothing to Lan’xiu, as he would be dead. The strain of his existence within the household and the day spent awaiting his inevitable death at the discovery of his secret with as graceful a resignation he could muster had taken its toll, however, and eventually Lan’xiu nodded off.

He awoke to the feeling of soft lips nibbling at his neck and a hard cock sliding within the valley between his cheeks, rubbing insistently over his hole. Sleepily he pushed back, signifying his willingness.

Slick fingers prepared him hastily, and Lan moaned when Hüi’s erection took their place, entering him ruthlessly enough to make his sore muscles protest the burning stretch.

Hüi remained still until Lan let out a breath and said, “Take me, my Lord.”

An inarticulate but possessive growl was his only answer as a hand slid under Lan’s thigh and lifted it, spreading him even more widely open to receive his lord’s pleasure. The feeling of the hard cock surging within him in the rhythmic dance of possession made him feel happy to be able to give Hüi something he obviously wanted. Hüi let Lan’s thigh rest on his forearm and reached between his legs to grasp his cock and stroke it. Only one specter lingered to distract Lan’xiu from the pleasure of being so thoroughly fucked.

“Are you going to put me to death this morning?” Lan gasped, snuggling within the circle of his lover’s arms.

Hüi stopped thrusting. “Will you cease asking me that?” Hüi exclaimed. “I assure you, I will give you plenty of notice if I decide to kill you. I am the master here, not you.” He drove his hips forward, causing his hard shaft to impale Lan’s ass even deeper.

“Yes, my Lord,” Lan said meekly, if a bit breathlessly.

T
HIS
time when Lan’xiu ordered Ning to go downstairs, he followed instructions to the letter. He found Jia, the housekeeper, lurking in the hallway below, listening to the sounds coming from upstairs and giggling with her hands covering her mouth. “At last! The Master is taking the princess! A fine time she will have being blooded for the first time!”

In a fury, Ning turned on her, snapping that she should remain in the kitchen if she couldn’t find a nearby barnyard where by rights she would fit in very nicely indeed! Preferably she might lie down in the sty with the hogs!

Jia was very understanding and did not take offense easily. “This is only to be expected when a young girl is as beautiful as the princess and untouched. It rouses the beast in the best of men. You have served her for a long time, but you mustn’t worry. She is young and she can take a good pounding.” Jia made the symbol for fucking with both hands clasped together, her palms making a rude noise when the air was squeezed out. “It is good luck for this house that he is between her thighs at last. I wondered why he delayed taking her for so long. She is as juicy as a ripe peach.”

“You are disgusting!” Ning spat.

“Don’t be silly! We are a robust people here and enjoy sex as a gift from the gods.” The sound of some piece of furniture toppling over interrupted her. Ning started toward the stairs but she caught him by the sleeve. “Begging your pardon, Ning-xiānsheng, but it is not your place to come between the master and his concubine.”

A faint cry sounded, and the lines around Jia’s eyes crinkled in mirth as she giggled again. “Ah! The princess has a bit more spark in her than I suspected. A lady in the sitting room but a tiger in the bedroom; the men always appreciate that. She is giving him a fine chase before she lets him catch her.”

“What if he hurts her?”

“He will not hurt her—much. A man always enjoys the kill more after a good hunt.”

Ning shut his eyes in horror. Jia could not know how truly she spoke. Even now Hüi might be sheathing the sharp blade of his sword within Lan’xiu’s body, watching the crimson lifeblood ebb away. And next it would be his turn. Hüi could not afford to let him live with the knowledge he kept locked within his skull. A high-pitched giggle made him open his eyes and glare at Jia.

“For all that she is a virgin, the princess seems to know how to excite a man. Her ladyship will most likely need a day or two to recover from the fine ride the master will be giving her. Ah well, she will soon learn to like it.”

“Get out of my sight before I do something we both should regret!” Ning hissed.

With another giggle, Jia followed Ning’s advice and returned to her kitchen, although possibly her step was quickened by his raised hand and the anger snapping in his eyes.

He had thought that nothing could be worse than to stand here helplessly listening to his precious Lan’xiu being murdered by that irate soldier, but that damned Jia had managed to increase the torment he suffered. Qiang Hüi Wei was so very large and strong compared to the slender princess; Ning could only imagine the violence being visited upon her person. Knowing how to use a sword could only take one so far. Lan’xiu had little experience of a real fight after only sparring with him, and he had always taken good care not to give her so much as a nick. Of course, Ning knew that a man of the governor’s position could not stomach having such a trick being played upon him, but he had hoped for some measure of mercy when Hüi Wei found out the truth. Surely,
surely
, he would understand Lan’xiu was no party to this deceit perpetrated by her brother.

When they had first arrived in this strange land and entered the audience room, ostensibly as guests but in truth prisoners of their seeming guard, Ning had examined the new lord’s face, knowing that nobody looked at a eunuch to see what they were doing. He could see the man was shrewd and strong, a man of innate power whether the emperor backed him or not, but the lines beside his mouth betrayed that he had a sense of humor. He had begun to hope Hüi Wei might yet forgive Lan’xiu and give her leave to immure herself within a monastery, but now all hope was gone.

If Lan’xiu had not said she would not hide behind him, Ning would have braved any fate to rush to her aid, no matter that he would die with her. He paced impotently, his fists clenched, biting his lips to keep silent whenever he heard another faint cry.

It suddenly occurred to him that although she had commanded him to go downstairs, she had not forbidden him to come
back
upstairs
! To think was to act, and Ning charged up the stairs to his room where he had hidden his own sword, a heavier one than Lan’xiu used. He crept to the adjoining door and placed his ear upon it to listen.