She nodded, silent, and move away with a stiffness in her stride. His hope began to fade, leaving him to briefly consider going after her. To regret giving her the chance to move away.
No, he would not chase and he would not press. All he could do was let her be free and choose to come to him.
After doffing his heavy outer robes so that he wore only the light, silken undergarment, he took a seat at the foot of the bed, legs folded, and closed his eyes. His strength had grown, little by little, day by day. He woke earlier and returned to his prison a little later, granting a few precious hours of additional freedom to spend with Mulan.
Cheng reviewed the words spoken to him by Yüying from a new angle. Without his uncle actively draining him, his power had returned in leaps and bounds.
Water thundered against the tub in the adjacent space, splashed off the polished surface and became a tranquil rhythm.
Could he become his other self?
He channeled power to his fingertips and imagined the power burning through him to his hands. Power sizzled through each digit.
Cheng opened his eyes to find them both alight with green flames, clawed and scaled in jade.
The power rippled over him, but he pushed back against it and kept it at bay. The room was too small for a complete transformation, his dragon body too enormous. He squashed the urge and dimmed the magic again until human skin returned.
That he could do as much without feeling drained was an auspicious sign, and he released the pent-up breath he hadn't realized he was holding until his chest burned. They had a real chance at success, but they would be in more danger than ever before once he revealed himself to the empire.
He fell into quiet reflection again, the occasional lap of water intruding upon his meditations. More than once he thought to call out, to ask what was on her mind, but he held his tongue and granted her the space she needed.
If I rush her, I’ll lose her. If she comes to me, it must be on her own.
If she comes to me, it must be without fear of the emperor I must be.
“Cheng?”
Her voice came from directly before him, startling him with its nearness. He hadn't heard her emerge. Opening his eyes, he was presented with a vision of beauty and grace, thin silk clinging to her damp body. The sash was loosely tied, revealing a teasing glimpse of her breasts and a long strip of skin down to her navel.
His body reacted precisely how he wished it wouldn't. Arousal scorched through him and reignited the lust he'd tamped down several times while in Mulan's company, while beside her at night in bed, while listening to her quiet breaths and the rustle of silken sheets against her skin.
He breathed. Meditation had always been his strong suit, and those skills came to his advantage in resisting the near-insatiable urge to rip the robe away and pin her beneath him in bed.
His mouth watered.
“Yes?”
She remained where she was, watching him, until he wondered if she was waiting for him to say more. Then her hands moved to her sash, silk sliding through her fingers as she pulled it free, allowing the robe to fall open. His breath caught in his lungs; his heart felt as though it stopped in his chest. She shrugged the silk from her shoulders, letting it fall away, and stepped forward.
“Mulan—”
A single finger pressed against his lips. “Tonight is my choice.”
All her life, Mulan had never done anything so reckless.
And she never would. Seducing an emperor would forever rank near the top, if not the greatest, of all accomplishments. As Cheng’s glowing gaze swept over her with pure desire, the nervous butterflies in her stomach vanished. Courage and confidence rose in their stead.
Cheng made no protest when she pushed him to the bed and crawled atop him, her every motion slow and purposeful. She marveled over him, fingers tracing the corded muscles of his abdomen, the chiseled angles of his strong chest and arms before she unfastened his underrobe. She pushed it back from his shoulders and revealed him in entirety. Then her hands traveled back down to the true prize and she took hold of him, awed by how something could be so hard and yet so soft all at once. The strangled moan he made further encouraged her study, as she explored every vein and velvet ridge to learn what made him gasp in pleasure.
“If you keep this up, I’ll be worthless to you,” he said on a ragged breath.
“I want to take my time. To commit everything to my memory.”
Mulan never wanted to forget the way he looked at her with admiration in his eyes, as if their roles were reversed and she were the dragon empress instead.
“Mm.” Cheng gripped her hips and then the world spun. Suddenly he was above her, his smile full of promise and sin. “Trust me when I tell you that nothing from this night will escape your memory, Mulan. We have all night, and I plan to make use of every minute.”
He drew her arms above her head and pinned them there with one strong hand. Then he kissed his way down her body, starting at her throat, trailing kisses to her breasts. He lingered there, giving each aching nipple the same attention. Heat scorched through her, as though her veins carried fire rather than blood. She reached for him, but Cheng stopped and pushed her hands back over her head.
“You will remain still, my golden flower.”
Still? How could she possibly remain still when his fingers caressed her body and his lips set her skin aflame? She tried to reach for him again, but he stopped every touch until she settled again. It was as maddening as it was thrilling, her every breath coming quick, her heart racing with anticipation.
“Tell me what you want.”
“You,” she said quickly, hips lifting from the bed.
Cheng chuckled and his kisses stopped until she stilled against the sheets. Then he was stretched over her again, warm and all hers. He took his cock in his hand and teasingly dragged the tip against her.
“Is this what you want?”
“Yes!” she blurted. “And…and no.”
“No?”
She pushed against his chest until he sat back, his bewildered look actually making her laugh. Then she crawled into his lap, straddling him, and once again took his stiff cock in her hand. “I would have you like this. Face to face, neither above the other.”
The green glow in his eyes brightened and he lifted her, a strong arm curved around her waist and a large palm on her ass. He squeezed the soft flesh while she brought his crown to her slick entrance, and then he lowered her. It was pain and pleasure, the soft burn of her body being stretched in an unfamiliar fashion, and yet it filled her with a sense of completion. Cheng didn’t rush her. He let her set the pace, lifted her slightly then lowered her again, until another delectable inch filled her. Then another, and another, until their bodies could be no closer and she thought she might die of happiness.
“Ride me,” he whispered, his lips at her ear. His tongue flicked the sensitive curve and his teeth scraped over her lobe.
It seemed an impossible task at first, the thickness of him stretching her, filling her body with such girth it required all of her focus to raise. Then she fell again, a wet glide that introduced her to sheer pleasure winding tight in her core. Cheng touched her intimately and brushed his thumb against her. Their position exposed her, left her at the mercy of each teasing rub of his thumb pad over the tender bundle. She shuddered in his arms.
“You like how I touch you, sweet flower?”
“Yes.”
Sweet merciful gods, yes.
Their hips moved together in a sensual rhythm, joining and parting their bodies in a sinuous glide that took her closer and closer to rapture. As she neared climax and picked up the speed, she snaked her fingers into his dark hair and seized his mouth in a desperate kiss.
Pleasure mounted inside her, twisting and soaring to new heights with the promise of carnal delight.
“Like that, beloved,” he urged her between deep and hungry kisses. “Don’t stop.”
She couldn’t stop if she wanted to.
His groans filled her ears, and he pulsed inside her, throbbing wildly with every thrust. Their union was bliss and satisfaction, the culmination of weeks spent in craving.
Mulan’s head went fuzzy as orgasm swept through her. One moment they were a choreographed dance, in the next, they were lunging together and thrusting with their hips. He churned through her climax, and made a sound that human men didn’t make.
“Mine. You are mine. Mine,” he growled against her mouth, touching her again. Her skin tingled at the point of contact, at the delicate pearl he teased and rolled with his fingers.
Something scorched her soul-deep. A claim. Magic imprinting, burning, enriching her soul in a way that was as thrilling as it was terrifying.
What’s happening?
In a blink, the stirring sensation in her chest evaporated, and only the pleasure of her orgasm remained, still throbbing inside her with ferocious intensity.
“Cry out for me,” Cheng muttered against her throat, clamping with his teeth. “I feel it within you.”
“I…”
Why wasn’t it ending?
“Tell me you’re mine, Mulan.”
Her body trembled involuntarily again, a ripple fluttering through her and cresting into a second climax. This time, she did cry out his name, throwing her head back as his lips abused her neck and his teeth delivered fleeting moments of pain to temper the satisfaction. “Yes!”
The words that left her next came of their own volition, as if her mouth no longer belonged to her.
“And you are mine.”
With a primal groan that filled her with joy, Cheng thrust into her a final time, stiffening before going still.
The entire inn must have heard them.
Mulan found, for once, she didn’t care.
16
Mulan roused the next morning to find Cheng still beside her, his sleeping face peaceful against the pillow. When she nestled closer, his arm automatically slid over her back and a strong palm squeezed her ass.
“Morning.”
She could have stayed beside him forever, but the unpredictable nature of his curse meant their limited time couldn't be squandered.
Just one minute more.
One minute became several minutes of idle kissing with the sun’s warm glow against their naked skin, and another session of lovemaking that flushed her cheeks.
The allure of remaining another day tempted her.
Mulan suppressed that desire in favor of donning her traveling attire once more and assisting Cheng with his blindfold.
Going without it was no longer an option. His eyes shone brilliantly, twin points of jade flame that practically illuminated his cheeks, reflecting off his long lashes too. They were so striking she found herself lost in them despite spending an entire night gazing into their beauty.
Tell me you’re mine, Mulan.
It meant nothing. Only sex. Just words.
“I hate covering these,” she muttered, her face suddenly hot.
“It’s necessary. Come, we should hurry. If I change where others see, then we’ll have bigger problems on our hands.”
“I know. I know.”
She led the way from the room and through the main house. Thankful she had settled their tab the evening before, they were able to leave without interruption. Their kind hostess pressed a satchel of food into her hands for the road and wished them a safe journey. Mulan thanked her for her kindness and promised to visit again. It was a promise she hoped she could keep.
“Can I remove this yet?” Cheng muttered after they were on the street.
“No,” she hissed under her breath. “Come on, we'll use the side streets. Do you feel anything?”
Cheng’s progress slowed a moment. Despite the blindfold, concentration set his features, pinched his mouth, and tightened his jaw. "No," he spoke seconds later as his expression relaxed.
Mulan didn't trust removing the blindfold until they were out of the city. A bad feeling set in.
It isn’t safe. Agents of the emperor could be anywhere.
Once, while they explored the city, she'd seen a vendor selling shades for the eyes made of volcanic glass panes designed to dim light for wearers with sensitive eyes. If she didn't fear the glow would permeate even that, she would have purchased a pair.
"We're almost there."
The sun rose higher above them as they traversed the city outskirts. Her heart picked up an unsteady rhythm.
Any moment now. Cheng had never remained human so long.
They left the city behind them via the main gates, but once they were beyond the outer markets and the traffic had slowed, she veered them off the road and into the bordering jungle. It wasn't uncommon for travelers to seek shelter beneath the trees, so she didn't worry about anyone seeing them. But at least now she could remove Cheng’s blindfold.
“Better?”
“Much,” he replied, turning and gazing around them in obvious wonder. “I’m still standing.”
“You are. By the grace of Yüying, you are.” She smiled, wondering if perhaps it meant things were changing. That his strength meant he would no longer revert to an inanimate form. "How does it feel?
"I feel like a man again," he admitted.
Before she could reply, Cheng curved one arm around her lower back and swept her close to him. His mouth descended for a kiss she greedily accepted, all while alarms sang in her head and told her it was irresponsible to seduce the future ruler—the true emperor—of their nation.
Her body told her something else. She plunged her fingers through his hair and kissed him again, savoring the taste of his lips.
When it ended, he took her hand and led her through the growth.
“What…what was that about?"
“What? Kissing you?”
“Yes.”
He looked down at her, grinning, his eyes bright. “I enjoy kissing you. And I have never enjoyed the honor beneath the sunlight.”
“You kissed me inside.” When we made love.
“It doesn’t count without the open breeze against our skin.”
Heat flushed her cheeks, pleasure rushing through her. She shouldn't enjoy it, but she did, treasuring each moment with her hand in his as they made their way through the jungle. Even though his clothes were ill suited for the journey, he never complained.
“How far, do you think?” he asked.
“A day's hard walk is what I was told. We should reach the camp sooner, cutting through the jungle this way. That will give us time for a short rest while we wait for nightfall.”
“Why wait when we could fly there now?”
She stopped, turning to face him. “Do you think that wise? What if you lose this form when noon approaches?”
His expression sobered. Mulan hated that she'd robbed him of that euphoric smile. “You are once again correct.”
If only she wasn't.
They hiked through the jungle with little effort. Despite the long centuries of stasis, Cheng remained in excellent shape and kept pace beside her. Every so often, she saw him gazing at his hands in amazement, or staring up at the sun through a break in the jungle foliage.
“It’s past noon,” he said. “I’m still me.”
“You are.”
If only he would remain that way, but with the collar still around his neck, she didn’t dare hold such a hope. They needed to rid him of the infernal thing.
“We should make a small camp ahead, eat and rest,” she suggested. “The camp can’t be much farther, and we don’t want to risk discovery before it’s time.”
“All right. I see some rocky outcrops ahead; they should provide some cover. We can settle in and you can sleep while I keep watch.”
“We can both sleep.”
“And if a patrol passes by?”
She held up the blindfold and smiled. "Why, we are newlyweds, unaware the falls are occupied, just taking a rest on our journey.”
“And if that isn’t enough?”
Mulan gestured to h
is sword then smoothed her thumb over the hilt of Qi Xing.
The sweltering humidity took its toll and exhaustion settled over Mulan the moment she settled on the ground. They may as well have slogged through soup, the air so thick sweat poured down her face. She felt messy and disgusting despite the lovely enchanted dress remaining beautifully pristine.
“I would kill for a bath,” she murmured.
Cheng chuckled. “You have marched through worse for years.”
“It’s different.”
“After we finish with the gate, we'll find somewhere to meet your wish for a long, lengthy soak."
“Then on to the capital to reclaim your throne."
“My throne… Yes.”
She glanced at him, startled by the subdued tone in his voice. “What is it?”
“Nothing important for now.”
“Cheng—”
“Truly, Mulan. It is something to speak of later, when—” An arrow whistled through the air, slicing past their heads and striking a tree with a sharp thwack. A second should have struck dead center in the small of her back. Instead, it caught flame. A plume of colorful fire, pink and lavender streaked with gold, consumed it.
For the briefest of seconds, she stared until training took over and launched Mulan into action. She jerked to her feet and drew her sword from the scabbard in one smooth motion. The magic ensconced her in warm ribbons of gilded light twined with jade, and the heat of the armor returning to her body swam over her from head to toe.
Jade and metal encased her torso. Hugged her. Magic hummed with life and draconic energy. The next arrow should have plunged into her shoulder. Instead, it struck an invisible barrier.
“Cheng!”
He was already on his feet and moving toward an enemy she didn't see.
She felt them, dark and malevolent, just within the thick of the trees.
The army wouldn't have positioned scouts out this far, and even if they had, they wouldn't shoot at unarmed civilians. No, this was something different, and the twisting, nauseous feeling in her stomach told her she knew exactly what this was.
Mulan and the Jade Emperor: an Adult Folktale Retelling (Once Upon a Spell: Legends Book 1) Page 14