The Last Concubine Read online

  “The emperor might take issue with his opinion on the point. I am not the only barrier that stands between Wu Min and the sea,” Hüi said. He found his anger draining away and sat down at a safe distance from the girl—boy. “You appear intelligent enough. Why did you lend yourself to this plot?”

  “Lend myself? What choice did I have? A certain death awaits me either way, but I would extend my time in this world as long as possible. At home I was closely guarded. If I had tried to run away, my brother would have killed me then and enjoyed it.” Lan’xiu shuddered. “I should prefer a clean, swift death by your sword to enduring the long, painful tortures he tells me he has devised for me.”

  “And those calluses on your hand?”

  “My eunuch, Ning, is a sword master. He thought I should learn to defend myself.”

  “Or assassinate me?”

  “The swords are not within this room, my Lord. You may search if you choose, but you will not find any weapon here.”

  “So, you smuggled them in when you arrived.” Hüi arose and strode to the door, bellowing, “Ning!”

  The eunuch appeared so promptly, it was evident he had not followed the orders to retreat.

  “I thought I told you to go downstairs.” Lan glared at him.

  “I was still on the stairs, on my way down,” Ning said defensively, glaring back.

  “As slow as a tortoise in winter.”

  “You didn’t give me a specific time by which I had to arrive downstairs.”

  “You should have been a lawyer,” Lan said.

  Hüi’s lips twitched at the interplay between the two. Evidently, even imminent death couldn’t seem to interrupt their accustomed bickering. “Bring her—her Ladyship’s sword, Ning, if you please.”

  Ning’s mouth dropped open in alarm, and he glanced at Lan’xiu for guidance.

  “You heard my Lord. He gave you an order,” Lan’xiu said.

  Ning went and returned quickly, holding a delicately engraved sword with both hands.

  “Give it to he—him,” Hüi ordered.

  Lan stood up and held out his hand. Ning put the sword into it and then wheeled to face Hüi. “You’ll have to go through me to get to her!” he said defiantly, clenching his fists.

  “Ning, you fool,” Lan said, his voice exasperated but fond at the same time.

  “That will present no difficulty, seeing as I am holding a sword and you are not,” Hüi pointed out.

  “Ning, go away!” Lan put his hand on Ning’s shoulder. “If the fates intend me to die tonight, then let me die with honor. I will not hide behind you.”

  “Oh, Lan’xiu!” The misery in the eunuch’s voice touched Hüi, and pity moved within him as Ning sank down on his knees to kiss Lan’s hand. Then the eunuch stood up and cleared his throat, saying, “Fight well as I taught you. Don’t let him have it all his own way. Let your sword taste his blood even if he kills you at the last!”

  “Get out of here, you bloodthirsty little demon,” Lan said. He gave Ning a push. “Go now. Go quickly. All the way downstairs.”

  Glaring at Hüi, Ning circled him and left the room, closing the door.

  Both Lan and Hüi waited for the sound of his footsteps on the stairs to fade away.

  “My Lord, grant me one wish whether you slay me or not?” Lan’xiu asked anxiously.

  “What is it?” Hüi asked a little impatiently.

  “When you kill me, I beg of you, let Shu Ning live. He is a mere eunuch. He can do you no harm. He came here to serve me, knowing it would mean his death as well as mine. However much I value his faithfulness, death would be a poor reward for his loyalty.”

  Hüi considered for a moment. “Very well. I will not guarantee that he may remain here in my city, but I will spare him as a boon to you.” Then Hüi raised his sword. “At your pleasure.”

  “I will be yours in a moment.”

  Unaccountably, Hüi found himself wishing that could be true, and he watched as Lan set down his sword and tied his hair back before tucking the hem of his hanfu into his sash to free his legs. Then the boy picked up the sword as if he was familiar with its heft in his hand.

  They both knew Hüi would inevitably win. He was taller, broader, more muscular; but evidently Lan had some iron in his soul, despite his wearing women’s clothing.

  He circled Hüi cautiously, and Hüi had to laugh when he realized Lan was trying to get him into position so the light of the fire would be in his eyes. He interrupted that plan with a feint only to be surprised and pleased to feel the strong parry of Lan’s sword.

  The joy of the fight was upon Lan’s face, making it much more beautiful than when pinched with fear. Even though he knew he would die, it was apparent he meant to put up a good fight first.

  Hüi delivered a thrust in good earnest and drove Lan back. The boy had been well taught, and cleverly managed to parry or evade the majority of the blows, but Hüi was simply too strong for him. At one point Lan stumbled over a footstool and overturned it, distracted by Hüi’s sword passing through the silk of his sleeve without harming him, but he managed to find his balance again.

  Hüi drove him steadily back until Lan was fighting for his life, his back pressed up against the wall. With a trick double parry, Hüi flicked the sword from the boy’s hand and pressed his body against Lan’s, pinning him to the wall, holding the point of his sword to his chin. “I think I won this fight, don’t you?”

  Lan smiled valiantly. “My life is forfeit to your superior skill, my Lord. You have beaten me fair and square. Thank you for giving me a chance to earn my freedom.”

  Hüi strained forward, relishing the firmness of the slight body trapped beneath his, becoming aware that he was rubbing his manhood against another answering hardness. “I wanted to test my sword against yours,” he muttered.

  “I would have your sword pressed against mine,” Lan answered huskily, his breath coming faster, staring up into Hüi’s eyes. “I have dreamed of—” He broke off and turned his head away, saying harshly, “If you must kill me, I beg of you, do it quickly.”

  Hüi glanced at the sword in his hand, bemused as to why he was holding it. “I do not wish to kill you.” The sword fell to the carpet with a thud.

  Lan was gasping for air, Hüi was pressing so hard against him. “What do you wish to do, my Lord?”

  “I wish to take what is mine!” Hüi shouted hoarsely. He swept the slender boy off his feet and carried him to the bed, tossing him upon it.

  Lan lay there quiescent, awaiting whatever Hüi would choose to do to him next. His breath quickened while both fear and desire showed in his eyes as Hüi retrieved his sword and stood over him, looking down at the exquisite boy trembling on the bed.

  Lan flinched but didn’t pull away as Hüi slid the flat of the sword under the sash of his hanfu. With a sudden movement, Hüi ripped the sword upward, slashing through the silk. The edges of the hanfu slid away with a whisper, exposing the traditional silk corselet, embroidered with scarlet thread upon jade green fabric. Lan shuddered when Hüi slowly inched the sword under the thin covering, slicing it apart to reveal large brown nipples on the flat plane of Lan’s chest. Hüi set down the sword to take each nipple between thumb and fingers, rubbing them to hard little peaks.

  Hüi ran his hands along Lan’s skin, down his smooth, hairless chest and belly, under the waistband of the silk undertrousers where a bulge distended the front. Lan cried out in surprise when Hüi grasped the waist and ripped the trousers in two. When he had laid Lan’xiu completely bare he took in a deep breath and examined the beauty on display for him. Long limbs splayed gracefully, exposing the hard sex nestled in the curly hair between Lan’s legs, and angular shoulders tapered to a slim waist and even slimmer hips. “You are so beautiful.”

  “And yours, my Lord,” Lan whispered. He held out his arms invitingly, a yearning expression in his eyes.

  Hüi kicked his sword aside to divest himself of his own clothing in haste. He fell upon Lan, taking his mouth in a deep
kiss, driving his tongue inside the parted lips, exploring, tasting, conquering. He could feel Lan spread his legs to let Hüi’s hips rest within their embrace.

  He rocked his groin urgently against Lan’s, feeling their erections rubbing hard against each other. He could not bear to end the kiss, drinking in the infinite sweetness of Lan’s mouth. The kiss went on and on while Hüi could feel Lan’s arms around him, holding him with a strength and eagerness he had never felt from any of his wives.

  The slim naked body arched up beneath his, straining to meet his every thrust. If he could have stopped himself, Hüi would have preferred to be inside Lan, but it was not possible. It was as if every unfulfilled desire of his soul poured out in one earth-shattering explosion as he reached orgasm too soon. He tore his mouth away and looked down to see Lan’s face transformed with ecstasy as they shared the same moment of exquisite pleasure, liquid heat spilling between them.

  His chest heaving in a quest for air, Hüi eventually was able to lower himself to blanket Lan’s body completely. He became aware of Lan’s hands roaming up and down his back and the murmur of Lan’s voice in his ear.

  “What are you saying?”

  “Only that I am yours and I belong to you, my Lord,” Lan answered. His eyes were shining with happiness when Hüi looked at him. “I can die content now.”

  Hüi chuckled. “I didn’t put enough effort into it to kill you yet. That was just the opening engagement upon the field of battle.”

  “It was very well fought, my Lord,” Lan said demurely. “I surrender.”

  “You haven’t yet, but you will, I can assure you of that,” Hüi promised, his voice silky with seductive threat. He rolled off the boy and traced the line of dried blood on his throat with one finger. “I am sorry about that. You may have a scar.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Lan said.

  Hüi was amused. The boy was more ethereally beautiful than any woman he had ever seen, and—for some reason incomprehensible to him—enjoyed dressing and living as a woman, but that one offhand comment revealed him as the male he truly was. Any woman would have dreaded a scar to mar her beauty. Lan’xiu truly didn’t care, and it made Hüi even more curious. “Tell me what you thought your life would be.”

  “My mother was under no illusions about my half brother,” Lan said with reticent sadness. “She had planned to get me to a monastery before she died, where I might live out my days under another name. I had no other hope than that, but at least it would be freedom of a sort.”

  “But you had nothing else that you dreamed of,” Hüi persisted, drawing his fingertips over Lan’s naked body. He circled one nipple and watched the rise and fall of Lan’s chest quicken in response.

  “I wanted to belong to someone, to be loved,” Lan said. “Someone like you.”

  “You are attracted to men?” Hüi had certainly witnessed men loving men in times of war, but the wise commander turned a blind eye to such behavior. After all, a man had needs, even when women were scarce.

  “Yes,” Lan said tranquilly. “But I never thought this dream would come to pass.”

  Hüi’s hand traveled lower, caressing the defined line along the top of Lan’s thigh, skirting the genitals to stroke his leg. “It hasn’t come to pass yet.”

  “I suppose it was presumptuous of me, considering how many wives you have. But when I was sent here, I never thought to have even this much before I died.” Lan tried to sound cheerful. “I suppose you will kill me now.”

  “I don’t think I will,” Hüi said thoughtfully. “I have not yet ravished you, and I believe I promised to do so. I will possess you before this night is done and claim you so that you never dream of another man.” He cupped Lan’s balls firmly in his hand and squeezed gently, watching the young man’s hips start their movement in response.

  Stars shone in Lan’s eyes and he only said, “I think I would like that.”

  Chapter 6

  LAN rolled onto his side to watch Hüi’s face while he dozed. From the depths of despair to the heights of happiness was a dizzying climb in just a few hours. After enduring an entire day of dread after his lantern was lit, Lan’xiu had begun the evening hoping for nothing more than a mercifully swift death. Now, it seemed the heavens had opened for him and the good luck he had never known shone down upon him.

  To be held in Hüi’s strong arms and kissed until his senses were spinning, to feel that powerful muscular body pressing him into the mattress were things he had only dreamed of, and his dreams were but a pale imitation of what the reality had turned out to be.

  One of the benefits of long lashes was that even with one’s eyes lowered, one could obtain surreptitious glimpses through them, and Lan had been enthralled with Hüi from the moment he first saw him. The General Lord Qiang Hüi Wei was the biggest man Lan had ever seen, with powerful thighs and broad shoulders. He had the face of a conqueror and eyes that hid many secrets. His careless confidence proclaimed that Hüi was the victor of many battles, not only upon the field, and Lan had dared to hope that perhaps his brother, Wu Min, might yet be vanquished.

  Of course, Lan would not be alive to witness the defeat, but it gave him comfort to think of it after the havoc Wu Min had wreaked upon his family and his province. At least Lan’s death would not be in vain if it motivated Hüi Wei to exact revenge for the deception practiced upon him.

  And now… Lan sighed happily and ran his hand over the muscular shoulder and down Hüi’s arm, gently squeezing the hard bicep of the man lying next to him. Unthinkable that this man should desire him, too, but there was no mistaking the passion that had ignited between them. Perhaps for a time, Hüi would be intrigued, and then possibly he might get used to Lan with the sort of vague fondness one has for one’s pets and possessions. Of course, he would eventually return to his proper wives when the novelty wore off, but he might yet let Lan live, out of kindness.

  “And I will have this memory for the rest of my life,” Lan whispered.

  “Better wait until I’ve given you something more to remember,” Hüi growled, flipping Lan onto his back and pinning his wrists to the bed.

  Lan widened his thighs, enjoying the feeling of Hüi’s strong legs between his, the hard manhood stabbing his belly, his vision swirling as once again Hüi kissed him breathless.

  Helplessly, Lan arched up, trying to ensure that all of his naked body was pressed against Hüi’s. He had not much enjoyed being held a prisoner of his brother’s. It was better being one of the household here. Even though the women had treated him kindly for the most part, he had longed for nothing more than to make his escape and take Ning with him.

  But this experience was different from anything he had ever imagined. What he enjoyed most was Hüi’s weight trapping him, holding him prisoner to be used at his lord’s pleasure. He liked being helpless with Hüi. He enjoyed Hüi’s hands restraining him, exploring him, touching him at will without inquiring whether he enjoyed it. He knew Hüi had enslaved him with this new pleasure, and Lan could deny him nothing. Even when Hüi’s teeth nipped a bit too sharply at his nipple, the pain was a gift from his lord, to be suffered and enjoyed if it gave Hüi pleasure.

  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.