Chapter 15

This was another difficult chapter for me to write. I had to debate in my mind what lines I wanted to cross or not cross. Whether I wanted to have this book become differently age rated or not. But in the end, I am happy with the result.

This week I mass released five chapters, well done to me!  

Lady Wei Li Lian
The Dragon Palace

Li Lian lay on the plush gold and white embellished bed and it gave way to her weight, accommodating her. It was so comfortable; if only she could say the same about her circumstances.

There were drawings of birds flocking on the frames of the bedposts. The bedposts had attached cream sheer curtains tied together. When a person slept, they would be let down.

Yuwen Hong stood over her, his lovely tall height domineering. "Li Lian." Her name was said in contempt every time he mentioned it on this night. "Where shall I stab you, you filthy fanny?"

He grabbed her hair harshly and she screamed in pain. They did well for him when they cut her nails.

"Can't you forgive me instead?" Her voice whimpered, breathing fast and eyes begging. She was not so good with begging. But her confidence came from the knowledge that if he drew any closer to her, she was going to kick his shin and make him cry for his mother.

He let go of her and gave her his back. For a moment she thought he was going to leave but he surprised her.

Throwing off his robe, he swiftly straddled her, his beautiful scent wafting the air. Never mind kicking him. How could she attempt anything with his face close to hers?

They were so near each other and breathing the same air, him hers, and hers his. It was weirdly intimate.

She blinked repeatedly when he had the knife's edge on her forehead. Any further force, it would hurt. Slowly, he dragged the knife down the bridge of her nose, mouth, chin, neck, between her breast, stopping at her navel. With his face iced and serious, she dared not say anything.

"Li Lian bed, Li Lian bed, Li Lian bed!" A squawk came from behind him. It was from the birdcage, a parrot repeating Yuwen Hong's earlier words.

Yuwen Hong grinned, a coquettish smile dancing on his lips as he rested on his free elbow and looked back.

Since she once stabbed him, she was surprised he still trusted her to look away when they had a weapon between them. She would laugh at the parrot with him if her life was not being threatened.

Li Lian grabbed the hand holding the knife and bit his thumb aggressively.

Yuwen Hong winced, his grip loosening. She took advantage of this by seizing the knife and mindlessly tossing it on the floor. It toppled, clattering to rest. Instead of continuously biting him, she began to suck on his thumb, appeasing his anger.

Looking at his hooded eyes, it was working. His eyes were slits of lust. Dirty thoughts, he had.

He hit his lip. "Being clever won't work."

"If you want revenge, mark my body by taking me tonight."

She was selling her body for peace. This is what her father saw in her when he first laid eyes on her. A peace offering for the sins of Huticah.

"I don't desire to sleep with a whore." He slipped his thumb from her lips and it traced her bottom lip, smudging her red lip wear. "You are a repugnance... to look at." Yet, the want in his eye said otherwise.

Her hands wrapped around his neck to push him closer to her. "Really? Then kiss me to confirm that you haven't the desire for this whore. I will let you kill me if you feel nothing."

His eyes were playful and glimmering. "Hmm. It's a deal."

He tilted his head and studied her for so long, making her doubt he would touch her. It sent shivers down her spine. There was also an odd little tug in her heart that she wanted to explore what it was all about.

Swiftly, he shifted up so they were head to head. He angled his head to the right and kissed her. Their first intimate contact; a feathery kiss.

Yuwen Hong rested on her forehead right after. If her lips did not feel wet she would have thought that she imagined it.

Again he angled his head, to the left this time and took the corner of her lips before repositioning on her forehead. Now she had all kinds of feelings bombarding her and she didn't know what to do with them. She was swimming in emerging folds of passion.

Li Lian wanted to plead that he take her mouth already, which was unlike her. She was not a weak person or easily brought into desperation. With each corner kiss he imprinted, she was left wanting more and more.

"Open your legs." He told her softly and she complied with no arguments, her mind was clouded for her to act prideful or stubborn.

He chuckled knowingly.

She had the same feeling she had had before; he was playing games with her and she was his helpless prey. Needing. Wanting. Losing control.

She lifted her head for his lips, but he lifted his head away from her with a smile that mirrored gratification.

"Please..." She surrendered. She had been losing to him from the beginning anyway.

"Please what?" his voice was hoarse. Was he a little bit affected? However, it didn't seem like he was losing his senses over her like she was over him.

"Please kiss me?" She shyly asked, red painting her cheeks.

He pulled her to him and her hot breasts crushed on his flat chest, his hard-on landing on her stomach. She gasped in shock at the effect she had on him. He did not spare her any more time to think before he took her lips right and centre. A tremor rushed through her as their lips brushed with one another. The air between their bodies, hot fire.

His hot tongue tried to push her lips apart. He wanted to have more of her mouth and she was more than happy to surrender. When she gave him access, he plunged his tongue, roughening their make out. He took advantage of her open mouth and dipped his hot and wet tongue.

Yuwen Hong unclasped her hands from his neck and held them together in his one hand over her head. With her wrists secured in one curled hand of his, he parted his lips and took her deeper and harder.

His other hand lowered down to her thighs and effortlessly he caressed her inner thigh. She couldn't help moaning. Instinctively, her legs wrapped around him and this time she could feel his member solid between her legs on the most delicate part of her being. She gasped to this foreign feeling and arched her back.

He nudged her legs to unwrap, which was peculiar how he was refusing her affection, her touch. But with her floating in the folds of passion she was not mindful of it. It was in the back of her mind.

His fingers slid inside her lady part where she was sleek and wet. She caught her breath, with wave upon wave of pleasure cascading her body. His lips were now working magic on her neck and it was there she got lost, mind blurring as all kinds of feelings were knifing through her.

It was later on when she was caught in between the searing pain of the love bite she was receiving, and screaming in the spiral of a climax coming down, that she started to regain her senses. Her lips were swollen, neck sore, the in-between of her legs wet. What was this heavenly place of ecstasy he just took her to?

A coaxing smile graced his face as he examined her neck. The pride his face carried was adorable. She wanted to kiss him. When she tried to pull him and plant one, he had her in a place of no movement with her hands still in his hands. An unknown feeling of abandonment surged because of how he was distanced, restriction on her to touch him.

His wet fingers that were in her thighs were placed on her lips. "Suck," he softly instructed, but the next words were said sternly, "Bite me and I will chop off that head."

She sucked on them, tasting herself and purposely twirled her tongue around his fingers playfully, getting satisfaction when he looked at her through his heavy eyelashes.

But just like that, his eyes transformed to pure thunder and she felt him recline emotionally, while he lifted from her physically. Her heart constricted at the retraction of the warm cocoon he made over her. As if she was under an adrenaline spell to not feel pain before, her neck became unbearably sore.

She sat up, touching her neck to find it soaked wet. The moisture was too marshy to be saliva. Recoiling her hand to look at it, her eyes bulged in shock.

"Yuwen Hong!"

He quietly picked his discarded robe and dressed. "I have to leave for the library." He sighed. "Too much work, I must catch up with. I wonder why." Sarcasm drenched his words.

"Yuwen Hong!" she screamed as she ran for the mirror. "You dog," she cursed looking at her divulged neck that was sopping blood from an open wound. It was a mess. Was he even human to do this to her? Her hand pressed to her neck again and she could feel her ripped flesh. This was definitely going to scar.

A red veil descended before her eyes, her ears flurrying hot steam. She scurried over, pushing him, and staining his nightwear in the process. "How could you?"

He scowled, pushing her back. "Should it not be me asking that?"

She was repulsed. "I am not a flesh-eater like you. What I did was a mistake."

"You don't stab a person by mistake, Li Lian."

Her neck was pulsing, pain gripping her. Now she was going to be scarred for life.

"Court Lady Nam," he barked, not allowing her to speak further. He was unable to stand Li Lian's presence by the looks of it.

The woman ran in but when she saw Li Lian naked, she abruptly turned her back to them.

"Take this murderer to the Frost palace. I will not have a scarred, used flimsy in my harem. And make sure you throw away the key because she must rot in there."

That was the place for abandoned harem women.

"Frost palace?" She lost it. "After what we just did, you choose to dispose me?!"

"Lower your voice." He touched his forehead in annoyance like she was causing him a headache.

"I will not be locked up in there!"

"You are in my empire. What I say goes whether you like it or not," he thundered.

"Yuwen Ho―"

"It's His Majesty to you."

"What?" They were hiding behind titles and formalities now? "Do we have to―"

He raised his hand to silence her, and she was sad to see him walk out on her. This is what things had come to. The other couldn't explain themselves well enough while the other didn't want to listen. Deaf ears and a mute.

She was about to run after him and try to set things straight when Court Lady Nam came to her side to put on a robe. Oh, right, she was naked. That was the last thing on her mind.

"Court Lady Nam..." Her throat was dry, tears threatening to break. No freedom again. She was a jailed bird to everyone. The Frost palace was a place where unwanted treacherous women of the emperor were cast away. Was she that to him even when she healed him?

"Forgive me, Li Lian. My loyalty is with His Majesty."

"I know," she looked up to push back the tears. "It's not your fault." She tightened her robe and went back to look at her wound in the mirror. Another tear dribbled. She couldn't be Empress now. All her hard work for what?

'Silly girl, don't cry now.'

She couldn't give up. Not after everything. It was impossible to become empress due to the wound, but at least she can be something. Surely, there could be some medicine, some way she could stay. She couldn't be locked away, not when she just discovered that Nameless was alive. There was more to her life.

Maybe she should go kneel before Yuwen Hong for mercy.

Aiya. Not that. He was too hot-headed to hear her out right now. It would just stroke his ego. She shook her head in contemplation. Yuwen Hong was too angry to see straight.

But what if...

"Court Lady Nam, I require to see the Grand Dowager Empress Wu."

Court Lady Nam stopped, from where she was collecting her garments for her. "Listen, Li Lian. You heard what His Majesty said―"

"Yes, I did. But isn't it the Grand Dowager who has the final say concerning the harem? His Majesty just took away my virtue. Didn't you hear me moan in pleasure through those doors?" Court Lady Nam blushed. Yeah, Li Lian was no longer just an amateur liar, call her a veteran. Yuwen Hong didn't bed her, he only played with her orally. "If that does not make me a woman of the Inner Court then I don't know what does. And according to what I know, shouldn't you address me as My Lady? I ceased being a commoner the moment he touched me."

Court Lady Nam narrowed her eyes, and they held a battle of ages with their eyes locked.

The middle-aged woman then resigned, going on her knees. "Forgive this impudent servant, My Lady."

Author's Note

Thank you so much to all who took part in the Meet & Greet and those who still are to do so. Your answers have made me realize how much love you guys have for this book. I loved to listen(uhm read) to you rant about what irritates you. I laughed so hard because I agree with you.

The questions you have that you shared will help me avoid plot holes. Also, I was surprised about some of the characters you hate lol. Hope some can change your mind and make you like them in future. Because gosh the hate list is so long and comes in various shapes and sizes lolol.

Back to my hole of writing until ... next weekend? Maybe sooner, depending on if I can write something.

Please, vote, comment and love love love this!

S.V