Embers of Love

Chapter 45

    The silver dragon slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling a constricting sensation in his throat as he watched over the sleeping figure. He unconsciously reached his trembling fingers out, fighting the urge to brush the cuts and scratches that marred her satin skin.

    He swallowed and rightened himself. With his hands hovering above her body, a thread of pale blue light escaped them. Runyu exhaled with the sensation of his cultivation leaving him.

    She could have died that day. The realization caused an anger to flow through the dragon spirit. Her shoulders bore the weight of such heavy responsibilities, yet she allowed her selfishness to put the entire world in jeopardy. The Fire Qilin clan would have lost its only heiress. The Six Realms would have lost its only Light Immortal.

    He would have lost her.

    So absorbed in his thoughts was the Heavenly Emperor that he failed to notice the Light Immortal beginning to stir. Peering up at the man who was tending to her very diligently, she felt that the situation was a bit odd. The last time they spoke... hadn't he been very upset with her? Yet, at that moment, he was sitting so close to her and even bothering to treat her with such tenderness. Had someone hexed him?

    "I must be dreaming," he heard the feathery voice and was jolted to his senses. Runyu glanced up to meet the fire qilin's half-lidded eyes. Warm pools of brown filled with mirth and teasing stared back at him. The world dissolved. His throat went dry.

    Abruptly tearing his gaze away, he frowned irately. "Don't talk," he stated coldly. "And stop moving."

    The Light Immortal smiled and attempted to prop herself up, defying his instructions. "You even sound real."

    Resting a firm hand on her shoulder, the silver dragon pushed her back down. Warmth seeped through the silky fabric and into his palm. "Stop being disobedient," he hissed, "Otherwise, I will have you bound and gagged."

    Infuriatingly, her smile only grew. "Well," she teased, "wouldn't you like to see that."

    In the hazy depths of his mind, the infelicitous image of reed ropes crossing her porcelain skin, rubbing it raw and red as she writhed against them, and a strip of white cloth pulled tightly over her lips surfaced, sending a flush of heat through him. He chased the unseemly thought away as quickly as it arrived. Runyu sent a silent prayer thanking Supreme Clarity Heaven for the dimness of the chamber that hid the redness creeping up his cheeks. "G-go back to sleep," he muttered.

    With a pout, Juying lamented, "Aw, you're no fun today. What's changed? You weren't this shy the last time we came down to the Mortal Realm together."

    He was taken aback. Mortal Realm? Did she not recognize her own room?

    She looked around curiously. "Speaking of which, there's only one bed again," the fire qilin observed. "Have you spent all our money away on drinks?"

    A scowl crossed the Heavenly Emperor's features. He hadn't stopped berating himself for his slip in control that day which led to an embarrassing display of vulnerability. Not to mention, the series of unspeakable, indecent acts that followed... All parts of his body worked against him.*

    Watching his brows knit together, the smile gradually slid off the fire qilin's face. "Oh... I've upset you," she observed with some guilt. Reaching out to brush his sleeves with her fingertips, she guided his attention back to her. "I'm sorry... I was only joking. The last thing I want is to make you feel like it isn't safe to grieve around me. It must feel so lonely having to carry around that much pain."