The Last Concubine

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.”
    “Because of Wu Min?”
    “He is but one obstacle. I have always been careful not to show a preference for any of my wives,” Hüi said. “Lest some scoundrel scheme to slay one of them to wound me. If I should lose you now, having just found you—”
    Lan’xiu laughed joyously. “You will not, my Lord. I have a stake in this matter too. I will take great care to keep on living.” He startled when Hüi Wei stood up, lifting him with him, but turned to wrap his arms about Hüi, looking at him questioningly.
    Hüi got out of the bath, holding out his hand to assist Lan’xiu as if he were a delicate maiden. They stood dripping with their naked bodies pressed together. Hüi kissed Lan gently and reached for a cloth to dry him.
    Lan’xiu accepted the attention and then took the cloth from Hüi to dry him in turn.
    Holding Lan’s hand, Hüi led him to the bed, laying him down and staring at him in silence. He reached for the oil, and Lan spread his legs wide. Hüi stroked over Lan’s hole, teasing the tight entrance until he placed the tip of his finger against the opening and pushed slowly inside.
    Lan gasped and arched as the finger penetrated him. Stroking his finger in and out, Hüi watched Lan’s face for signs of discomfort, but there was none, only an expression of blissful pleasure.
    When Hüi bent to suck first one nipple and then the other to a point, Lan’xiu writhed on the bed in ecstasy. The sensation seemed to go right to his cock, and added to the finger up his ass, he was in heaven.
    Hüi withdrew his finger and crawled between Lan’s thighs, stroking them with his palms. He bent and took Lan’xiu’s cock in his mouth, clumsily, as if he’d never done this before. Lan put his forearm over his