The Last Concubine Read online

  With that thought, Lan’xiu felt his palms start to flutter. He never knew what to expect when Hüi showed up. Last time his clothing had been ripped from him and Hüi had taken him roughly, making him a prisoner by using his ruined dress as a restraint. Later he had made love as gently as if Lan had been untouched.

  It was too soon for Lan to know the moods of this man; perhaps there were too many for him to ever be able to anticipate. So far he had enjoyed all Hüi had chosen to do to him, and it was his part to wait and to accept.

  His inexperience made him anxious that he did not possess the arts to please Hüi, but asking one of the other wives was out of the question, especially after Ci’an’s cruel jibe. He would have to rely upon Hüi to guide him to do what he enjoyed.

  His cock was getting thicker, pushing against the silk of his panties. He could feel the fluid form at the tip and dampen the fabric. He moved his shoulders to feel the heavy embroidery of his corselet rub over his nipples. Lan liked that feeling, too, it added to the anticipation of waiting for Hüi.

  His breath was coming shorter and his heart pounding when he heard the click of the door as it opened. Lan looked up, not realizing his face wore an expression of joyful anticipation.

  TO HÜI, Lan’xiu was the picture of beautiful submission as he sat waiting before the bed, as if suggesting his willingness to either sit and converse or to be thrown upon the mattress and fucked as hard as Hüi Wei wished.

  Say what one would about the willingness of women, there was a strength to Lan’xiu that made his submission that much more pleasurable for Hüi. He was a strong man, and he was uneasily aware that his passions could make him lose control. With Lan’xiu he never worried about hurting him.

  The roughness of their last encounter had been much on his mind. In fact, rather than visiting with another wife to take care of his need, he had preferred to be alone with his memories and imaginings until his yearning grew too strong to resist.

  Speaking with Jiang and finding acceptance of this different choice had calmed Hüi. He had come to Lan’xiu not to ravage this time, but to ravish. All his plans flew from his head when he saw the beautiful young man awaiting him with every evidence of being as eager as he was.

  “Lan’xiu!”

  “My Lord,” Lan replied and made as if to rise and bow.

  Hüi raised a hand and motioned to Lan to remain seated. “When we are together in private, call me Hüi.” He crossed the room and sat beside Lan’xiu upon the bench, who shifted slightly to make room upon the cushion. “I missed you,” Hüi said as he had the last time they saw each other.

  “And I you, Hüi,” Lan said with a shy smile.

  Speechlessly, they gazed at each other, as if the hunger was too great to move.

  Slowly, Hüi put his arm around Lan, stroking his shoulder with his fingers. Lan’xiu responded by leaning in against him. Hüi could smell Lan’s perfume and a clean, sweet scent mingled with it. Underneath it all was just a hint of male arousal.

  Controlling himself, Hüi slid his other hand along Lan’s thigh and was rewarded by a slight widening of Lan’s legs. Hüi drew his hand up to Lan’s chest, insinuating it between the silken layers of outer robe and inside the inner robe. He felt the softer silk of the corselet and felt the erect nub of a nipple poking against the satin. Hüi slid his thumb over it, enjoying the feeling of the firm, flat chest under the silky fabric and the hard tip of the nipple protruding from the silk as he pinched it gently.

  Lan’s chest rose and fell swiftly, his breaths gentle sighs near Hüi’s ear, but he made no other sound. Hüi moved his hand to find the other nipple, tugging on it as he lowered his lips to kiss the base of Lan’s throat, sucking hard enough to leave a mark. He could feel Lan drop his head back to give him better access.

  He withdrew his hand from the robe to embrace Lan and hold him closer. He felt Lan’s arms go around him, clutching at him. He kissed his way along the elegant jaw line to Lan’xiu’s lips, inserting his tongue to explore the willing mouth open to him.

  His hand crept lower, working between the edges of Lan’s robes till he found the smooth skin of his inner thigh. His fingertips were gentle as he slid his hand under the silk, finding Lan’s erection straining against the silken panties. He rubbed the hardness softly, hearing the catch in Lan’xiu’s breathing.

  Running his thumb over the dampened silk, Hüi moved his other hand to cup one rounded buttock, squeezing it rhythmically as they kissed. He disengaged from the kiss, breathing hard into Lan’s scented hair. “Have you ever ridden a horse, my Lan’xiu?”

  “Yes, my Lord,” came the whispered response.

  “I want you to ride me,” Hüi said, his big hands trapping Lan when he felt a tremor as if the young man intended to rise. “No, don’t disrobe.”

  He put both hands under Lan’s cheeks and lifted him bodily, pleased when Lan lifted one leg as if mounting a horse and sat astride him with his knees supported on the bench, facing him, looking at him questioningly but with a little smile on his face.

  Immediately, Hüi took his rosy lips in another kiss, his hands sliding under Lan’s skirts and up his firm thighs. He could feel the hard shaft pressed against his belly when he slid his fingers inside the silk panties, finding the dark valley between the globes of Lan’xiu’s ass, his fingertip teasing over the pulsing entrance.

  Lan’xiu arched against him, wreathing both arms around his neck and moving gently as if riding a horse. The feeling of their groins rubbing together made Hüi groan in pleasurable frustration at the layers of clothing between them. It was frustrating but at the same time heightened the forbidden feeling of the act.

  “I want to feel you inside me,” Lan whispered, his breath hot on Hüi’s ear.

  “I want that too,” Hüi replied.

  “How can we do this?”

  “A good general is always prepared,” Hüi said. He withdrew one of his hands from under Lan’s robes and retrieved the small vial of oil he had placed in readiness in his pocket.

  Lan giggled as he opened the bottle, helping Hüi slick his fingers. “Most superior strategy, my Lord.”

  “You bring out the best in me,” Hüi replied.

  Lan’s eyes closed, and he drew in a sharp breath when an oiled finger found his hole and pressed against it. “A good general knows… how to claim… what is his own.”

  Hüi didn’t know which was more enjoyable, watching the expression of pleasure tinged with pain flit over Lan’xiu’s face or the sensation of sliding his fingers into the tight, hot hole, past the guardian ring of muscle to feel the smooth inner channel clench about him.

  With his teeth gripping his lower lip, Lan rode the fingers, his hips undulating with the thrusting movement.

  Seeing the profound effect he was having reminded Hüi of his own aching cock, hard and in dire need of attention. “Take me out,” he murmured in Lan’s ear.

  He sighed at the feeling of Lan’s hands fumbling under his long vest, finding the opening to his trousers, undoing them and at last the slide of skin against the palm of Lan’s hand.

  Keeping his fingers within the narrow passage, Hüi urged Lan to kneel up and lifted the barriers of clothing between them out of the way. At last he moved the silk panties as far to the side as he could and withdrew his fingers. “And now, my beauty, mount me and I will take you for a gallop.”

  LAN’S thighs trembled with the effort as he held himself above Hüi’s lap. Hüi positioned the tip of his cock against his pulsing hole, and Lan could feel the familiar protest of his tight muscles. He bore down just as Hüi thrust upward, and the head penetrated, sending a thrill of burning pain though Lan’s body. He gasped at the sudden stab of pain but knew it would soon pass.

  Hüi was patient, holding him up, his hands cupped around the cheeks of his ass, waiting until Lan began to breathe again. Lan felt his muscles relax with the passing of the pain and all at once felt as if his very being sucked Hüi’s cock inside him. He was fully impaled as he slid down the thic
k shaft until his buttocks rested against Hüi’s rough trousers.

  If anyone had entered the room at this point, it might have seemed indecorous to witness the two lovers in such a close embrace, but their clothing covered them completely. No one would have known that Hüi was fully buried within Lan’s body, if they could have overlooked the sensuous sighs that filled the air.

  Hüi’s hands tightened on his cheeks and lifted him. Lan rose and sank again upon the cock filling him completely. He felt completely and utterly possessed, taken and owned. When Hüi raised him again and he slid down upon the throbbing pole once more, he was filled with the exquisite sensation echoing throughout his body.

  Then Hüi raised him up and held him motionless in the air, inches above his lap, thrusting hard up inside him. “You are mine,” he growled, his hips moving faster and faster. Lan felt as if he might be sundered in two, but if his beloved desired to take him this way, he was willing. The feeling of submitting to Hüi’s pleasure only increased his.

  Finally, Hüi slammed up inside him three last times before the heat of his release flooded Lan’s channel. The hands gripping his buttocks relaxed their grip, and he came to rest, panting against Hüi’s neck although he had not come himself. But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was Hüi and his pleasure.

  They rested like that against each other for some minutes while Hüi’s breathing calmed. Then Lan was startled to feel one of Hüi’s hand leave his ass, traveling around his body under his clothing to grip his erection through his silk panties.

  “Shall I give you pleasure now, my Lan’xiu?” Hüi whispered, stroking his fingers lightly over the firm hot flesh hidden within the folds of fabric.

  “If it pleases you, my Lord.”

  “It does please me. It pleases me to make you await me and submit to my desires. I like seeing the pain I cause you on your face, knowing that you submit to it because I would have it so. I enjoy seeing that pain turn to pleasure, knowing you will bear it for me each time I enter your sweet body. I enjoy feeling the tight clench of your ass on my cock, knowing that you need this as much as I do.”

  Lan’xiu convulsed helplessly as he spurted within his panties as Hüi stroked him, cock still embedded within him, feeling used and yet valued and loved, though Hüi had spoken those words only once.

  He rested his head against Hüi’s shoulder and drifted in the dreamy afterglow, Hüi’s arm supporting him while one hand still curled around his limp cock.

  Finally, he felt Hüi start to shake. “What is it, my Lord?”

  “You’ll have to get off me. My leg is getting a cramp, and I’m going to fall out anyway.”

  Lan giggled and the tightening of his muscles made Hüi’s cock slip out. Stiffly, he moved to get up, with Hüi’s hand supporting him. “I should wash.”

  “No, don’t,” Hüi ordered, staring at him intently. “I like the idea of my seed wet against your silken panties, dripping out of you while we sit and converse.”

  “Very well, my Lord.” Lan gave him a demure smile and sat beside him on the bench again while Hüi adjusted his clothing.

  “Do you like that too?”

  “Yes,” Lan said softly. “Anything that makes me feel I am yours. When you leave marks upon my body, I touch them the next day and remember—”

  Speechlessly, they stared at each other once again, until Lan’xiu sighed with regret. It surely must be time for Hüi Wei to leave him.

  “Would you like tea before you go?” Lan made as if to rise to ring for Ning.

  “Wait, my love.” Looking embarrassed, Hüi handed Lan’xiu a small package wrapped in red silk.

  It was surprisingly heavy in Lan’s hand. When he unwrapped it, he gasped at the sight of glittering diamonds and rubies. “These are so beautiful! These are… for me?”

  “I had them made for you,” Hüi said almost shyly. “I noticed you don’t have much jewelry, even though what you have is very nice—” He broke off in confusion but relaxed at the delighted smile on Lan’s face. In a rush, he said, “You should have something as beautiful as you are, something that draws attention to your exquisite face.”

  “Thank you.” Lan lifted the earrings to admire them in the light. “The rubies are like fire! And the diamonds sparkle like the stars at night.”

  “Put them on so I can see them on you,” Hüi suggested.

  Lan removed the turquoise earrings and ran to his dressing table to put them in their box. He put the new earrings in the holes in his ears and tilted his head to watch the graceful sway of the jewels in the mirror.

  A diamond lily framed an oval ruby at the top, joined by a chain to a bell-shaped center medallion. A larger ruby held the center, surrounded by pear-shaped and round diamonds. The bell had two pearls dangling from the bottom, while at the center another chain led to a cup-shaped ornament studded with diamonds. This cup was turned upside down and from the bottom, ruby beads circled the circumference.

  He turned to let Hüi see the effect.

  Hüi smiled with pleasure. “The diamonds light up your face with happiness.”

  “It is not the diamonds that make me happy,” Lan replied, casting his eyes downward, trembling at his forwardness.

  “What is it, then?” Hüi got up and came to Lan’xiu and took him into his arms.

  For minutes that seemed without end, Lan was content to simply remain within the embrace of the strong arms that circled him. He could feel the thump of Hüi’s heart and realized that his was beating in time. His emotions threatened to overwhelm him, and he didn’t know how to answer. That he was happy to be with Hüi? That Hüi had wanted to give him a present? Finally, he answered simply. “You. You make me happy.”

  “As you have made me happy, my Lan’xiu,” Hüi answered.

  Lan laid his head on Hüi’s broad shoulder, all thoughts of the earrings forgotten. Hüi was happy with him, and all else had no meaning in time.

  Hüi cupped his chin and made Lan look at him. “I don’t really want to hurt you. What I said before about the pain on your face, I would never truly harm you. I don’t know why I like it.”

  Slowly, Lan said, “I do, my Lord. It is a sign by which you may measure my desire for you. I know it will hurt and yet I cannot help myself; my need to be possessed by you outweighs the pain.”

  “Yes. That is it.” Hüi sighed in satisfaction. “You understand me as no one ever has. And will you let me see that exquisite expression when I first cause you pain to give you pleasure?”

  “Whenever you like, Hüi,” Lan answered, love glowing in his eyes. “I love belonging to you.”

  “I believe you mean it.” Hüi said. “You have not asked me for jewels, or power or money. I cannot give you children. You need nothing from me.”

  “Except your love.”

  “That you have, my Lan’xiu. All that is in me is yours.” Hüi held Lan close. “The others want something from me. And I have done my best to give it to them, but with you, I feel that all that I am is enough for you.”

  “And I never expected to find anyone who would love me as I am,” Lan’xiu whispered back, clinging to Hüi’s broad shoulders. “I thought I would go to my grave and then to the afterworld scorned and despised as something unnatural—”

  “Hush, my beautiful Lan,” Hüi said. “We have found something to celebrate between us, and that is all that matters. I love making love to you as I have never done with any woman. I will love you until the day I die.”

  “I love you as I have never loved anyone,” Lan said.

  They sat within their safe embrace until Lan’xiu yawned.

  “Boring you already?” Hüi laughed.

  “No, you are… very vigorous, my Lord, in your lovemaking.” Lan giggled and yawned again. “Will you stay with me?”

  “Is that all you want from me?”

  “I love to sleep within your embrace. When I am alone I wrap my arms around myself and pretend it is you, but that is small comfort compared to being held in your arms.”


  “Then I will stay,” Hüi said.

  Lan rubbed his cheek against Hüi’s. “Let’s go to bed.”

  Chapter 14

  WHEN Ning entered the bedchamber by the early light to rouse the general, he found that Hüi Wei had already gone. Anxiously, he examined the pile of Lan’xiu’s clothing on the floor. They certainly needed to be washed, but other than that, they showed no signs of the usual destruction Hüi tended to leave in the wake of his visits.

  Lan’xiu slept with a happy smile upon her face. Ning approached the bed to pull up the sheets to hide her exposed nipples and stopped dead in his tracks at the gleam of red in the tangle of her hair.

  The most magnificent ruby and diamond earrings shone in her ears. He almost gave out a shout of triumph and settled for pumping his fist in the air silently, not wanting to wake her. Finally! That spiteful cat Ci’an would swallow her piddly jewels in a rage when she saw these earrings, and he hoped the stones would scratch her throat bloody on the way down.

  Although, in his opinion, the general could easily have afforded to give Lan’xiu another set of earrings. Two was a measly number for the most beautiful concubine in all of China—nay! Not just China, all the world—

  “What are you doing, Ning?” a sleepy voice asked.

  Recalled to his setting and place, Ning composed his face. “Admiring your new earrings, Lan’xiu. It appears someone has found favor with the master.”

  “Go away.” Lan’xiu rolled over and covered his ears with his hands, which likely enabled him to ignore Ning’s squeals when he made the next discovery.

  He had found a parcel upon the bench at the foot of the bed, neatly tied up in a length of printed cotton. When he opened it, he found a new set of silken underthings, exquisitely delicate and embroidered with ghostly cherry blossoms, and two new cheongsams. The first was a glorious crimson, the perfect color to set off the new ruby earrings, with white and purple dragons embroidered on the sleeves and hem. Gold cloth edged the neckline and hems, and golden waves were embroidered into the fields between the dragons, as if they were emerging from an ocean of gold.