Hua Ren’s arms trembled as he pushed himself off the ground, his legs barely holding under him. The room spun around him, his vision blurred by the haze of exhaustion and pain. He gritted his teeth, willing his body to stand, but his knees buckled, and he collapsed back onto the cold, uneven floor.
"Y-You did something to me." Hua Ren coughed, shuffling backwards. He knew that there was no way he would easily lose to the Emperor. They Emperor must have done something to him. Was it the incense? Was it the tea? Or was it when he was touched?
The Emperor’s silhouette loomed closer, framed by the dim light of the lanterns. His dark eyes glinting like shards of ice. "So what if I did?" He sneered, crouching before Hua Ren. He reached out, pinching Hua Ren’s chin between his fingers.
Hua Ren jerked his head away, but the Emperor gripped his jaw hard, forcing their eyes to meet.
"Look at me, Hua Ren." He growled. "I trusted you. I named you my general and bestowed upon you privileges other generals never enjoyed but all along, you’ve been colluding with the rebels. You betrayed me. You’ve fed me nothing but lies, spinning tales of loyalty and devotion, whispering sweet words about staying by my side for all eternity. And the moment you had your chance..." His grip tightened, his nails biting into Hua Ren’s skin. "You tried to kill me."
It hurt to hear such words from someone he had feelings for, someone he admired more than anyone but Hua Ren already knew that there was no point in defending himself and he didn’t even want to. There was use trying to explain the truth to someone who didn’t see the evil in his own actions.
He sat there, his snow-white hair disheveled and matted with sweat. His light gray eyes met the Emperor’s glare and he refused to flinch even as the pain from his grip sent a dull throb through his jaw.
Then, without warning, a familiar, unwelcome heat began to surge through his body. It started as a faint warmth in his lower abdomen, spreading like wildfire through his veins, searing his skin from the inside out.
His breath hitched and he began to panic as he recognized the sensation. ’No, not now. Not here.’ He desperately prayed.
He couldn’t believe his heat was starting again. His heart raced, the world narrowing to the suffocating heat crawling through his body.
“No, no, no,” he muttered under his breath, fumbling with the sleeves of his robe. His trembling fingers searched desperately for the extra suppressant he had hidden away. He had to find it before—
A cold hand clasped over his, halting his frantic movements. “What are you looking for?” the Emperor asked.
Hua Ren’s breath hitched, his wide eyes snapping up to meet the Emperor’s gaze. The heat in his body intensified, but the Emperor’s touch still disgusted him. He tugged weakly at his trapped hand, but the Emperor’s grip was too firm. He just wanted to get away from the disgusting touch. He wanted something else. No. Someone else.
The Emperor was confused. One minute Hua Ren was glaring at him like he would rip his head off and the next, he went so pale and looked so scared that one would think he was looking at a horrifying monster.
The voice in the Emperor’s head began to laugh. ’Get ready to thank me you useless fool.’
’What are you talking about.’ The Emperor asked, confused.
’Are you stupid?’ The voice asked, exasperated. ’Observe the Warlord you fool.’
And the Emperor did as the voice said.
His dark eyes narrowed as he took in Hua Ren’s flushed complexion, his snowy-white hair disheveled and clinging to his damp skin. His light gray eyes, framed by impossibly long lashes, had turned hazy and dilated, their usual sharpness dulled by his rising temperature. Hua Ren’s breath came in uneven gasps, his chest rising and falling as he weakly shifted, trying to cross his legs.
A wicked grin tugged at the Emperor’s lips. “You’re in heat,” he murmured, his tone laced with both surprise and amusement. He leaned even closer, marveling at Hua Ren’s ethereal beauty, a beauty he had never noticed for far too long. The Ivory Warlord, a man feared and revered by many, now looked so vulnerable, pitiful and exquisitely seductive.
He reached out, but Hua Ren flinched and quickly shuffled back, his trembling hands pressing against the cold floor to create distance. “Stay away,” he hissed, his voice strained. “Don’t touch me.” Every time the Emperor touched him, it felt like creepy insects were crawling on his skin and he hated it.
The Emperor tilted his head, his grin widening for he found Hua Ren’s resistance amusing. “Why the struggle, Hua Ren?" He asked, moving closer. "Why punish yourself this way?”
His presence was dominating the small space as Hua Ren attempted to rise. But his legs betrayed him, wobbling like jelly, and he collapsed back onto the floor with a soft thud.
The sight made the Emperor laugh, a low, cruel sound that echoed in the room. “Hua Ren,” he chuckled. "The way I see it, this is very easy. You can still fight for me, for my kingdom. You can still stay by my side. All you have to do is say yes. Marry me. Become mine, and I’ll forget this ever happened.”
He reached out and took Hua Ren’s hand, his grip firm and possessive. Hua Ren shivered at the contact, his stomach twisting in disgust, but the Emperor’s smirk only grew. “That’s it, baby,” he crooned, mistaking Hua Ren’s shiver for pleasure. “Give in to the feeling. Let yourself enjoy it. Let me have you.”
“No,” Hua Ren breathed, his voice barely audible. “No. Don’t touch me.”
Summoning what little strength he had, he yanked his hand away, but the Emperor’s expression darkened instantly.
In one swift motion, the Emperor grabbed Hua Ren and hoisted him off the floor. Hua Ren struggled weakly but his body was too drained to fight back effectively. The Emperor carried him effortlessly and threw him onto the bed, the force bouncing Hua Ren slightly against the plush mattress.
“Don’t touch you?” The Emperor sneered, his voice cold as he began to untie his robe. “Oh, Hua Ren, I’m going to do more than touch you.” He climbed onto the bed, looming over Hua Ren, who for the very first time, in front of the Emperor, trembled with fear.
The Emperor reached down, his fingers brushing against the silken strands of Hua Ren’s snow-white hair. “I’m going to mark you, Hua Ren,” he murmured, twisting a lock around his finger, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. “Permanently.”