CHAPTER 69: FIREY LOVE

(Hi there! Author’s note: This Chapter contains a slightly more explicit erotic scene, though nothing too graphic. Reader discretion advised. I also want to thank you for reading all the way up to this point and for supporting what I do. It really means a lot to me, thank you so much 3)

Ayame called out to Rouhuo, telling her to get over to the unconscious Yuecheng. The half-lioness nodded, then lifted the boy into her arms and placed him gently into his mother’s embrace.

"Yue..." Ayame whispered in a trembling voice as she hugged him tightly. "Yue, sweetheart, it’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m sorry... it was my mistake, letting Hoshizuma control your consciousness for so long."

"M-my lady," Rouhuo whispered, clearly moved.

"I hope he’ll be okay," Yuri said, worried.

"We... we’re leaving," Ayame said, looking at Haru. Haru noticed another tear sliding down her cheek. "I’m glad you got your sight back, brother, but we’re not staying here any longer. I just want to go home and take care of Yue."

"If you think that’s best," Shion answered, then gave her a nod. Haru flinched a little. Shion’s voice had changed just a bit – barely noticeable, but lower.

Haru sighed.

Probably only I noticed that, he thought, before replying to Ayame:

"I get it. You have no idea how grateful I am, Ayame. You helped us again in such a hard moment," he said with a smile. "Once Yue recovers and things calm down, we’ll invite you all to a grand banquet so you can rest and celebrate with us." He smiled at her even wider.

Ayame only nodded, then said:

"Thanks, Haru. Sorry, I’m not in the mood to talk. Yan Mo, Rouhuo... we’re leaving. Yan Mo, carry Yue."

"As you command, my lady," the guard replied with a bow.

Lánshuò followed them with her eyes, then turned toward King Shion in his new body.

"My lady," she said to Yuri, "I suggest we return to your chamber. I think it’d be best to give your parents some time alone."

"Huh? Oh... right, Dad must’ve missed seeing Mom and wants to give her a big hug..."

"Something like that," Lánshuò replied dryly.

"We’ll go in a moment, but first..." Yuri walked up to Shion and hugged him. "I’m glad you’re okay and got your vision back, Dad!"

Shion smiled and tousled her bangs.

"I’m glad too. You’ve grown and gotten prettier since the last time I saw you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Yuri burst into a bright, childlike laugh.

"Yaaay! I’ll go now to my room. I want to... play chess with Shion" she added with a grin.

With a happy smile, Yuri left the throne room and headed toward her room. At the end, Lánshuò glanced at Shion as if she wanted to say something, but she walked away in silence, following Yuri.

King Shion wore a black kimono embroidered with golden leaf patterns, while Haru wore a red one with white flowers. Together, smiling, looking at each other and enjoying themselves, they went to the children’s chamber.

*

Shion and Haru exchanged glances.

"Honey..." Haru began, but Shion didn’t let him finish. He kissed him hard on the lips, with his tongue, then wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close. "Shion..." Haru gasped between sharp kisses.

"Oh, Haru," Shion groaned, panting like an animal, "you don’t even know how often I’ve dreamed of seeing your soft, beautiful body again. I want you. I want to enjoy your body. I want you here, now."

Their eyes met, full of love and desire.

Shion lifted Haru up and kissed him once more.

He carried him to the bedroom and laid him on the bed, half tenderly, half driven by raw desire.

"A-ah, my love," Haru gasped, heated and surprised. He’d never seen his husband like this – so full of so intense desire that it seemed to steal all his senses.

Shion untied and pulled back his kimono, kissing him even more intensely than before. He started at his lips, moved to his neck, and finally reached his nipple, sucking it as hard as he could. Haru moaned, feeling Shion’s large hands explore his fragile, delicate body – touching him in different places, sometimes gently, showing how much he loved him through touch, sometimes harder, more confidently, showing just how much he wanted him.

"Aaah, Shion..." Haru gasped, feeling Shion suck even harder, eventually biting. Shion’s head rested on Haru’s chest as he looked up at his husband.

"I love you. You’re so beautiful and sexy, Haru," Shion said, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Ohh, Shion," Haru gasped, grabbing his head.

Shion kissed every inch of him and explored him hungrily with his hands. Haru moaned, lost in pleasure. He looked into his husband’s eyes, full of a new sparkle and even more fiery desire, piercing straight into his soul.

Shion stood, caressing Haru’s thighs and, especially, his ass, using his skilled, quick hands to drive him wild.

Shion panted from the constant kisses and caresses, like a beast driven insane by love.

Haru looked at his own, soft thighs, still wrapped around the prince’s waist.

"Please," he whispered seductively, "take me. As hard as you can."

Shion didn’t need to be told twice...

*

When they finished, Haru felt like he was in a completely different world. He looked at Shion lying next to him, but it was as if he was somewhere else. They hugged tightly, their naked bodies pressed together in a warm embrace, eyes locked.

"Shion... that was amazing. I want to do this again, as soon as we get the chance..." Haru whispered.

Shion kissed him on the lips with his tongue, then placed his hand on Haru’s face.

"Me too. But remember, we still need time for other things," he joked, laughing softly.

"Oh, you," Haru replied, nibbling his ear. "Not now. I just want to be with you. It’s just us now, like it used to be."

"Haru, you’re so naughty today," Shion said, and Haru felt him grab his butt.

A soft, heated silence wrapped around them, broken only by their steady breathing. Haru snuggled deeper into Shion, as if to make sure he was still there – his, in love with him, full of love for him.

Shion ran his hand over Haru’s back in a small caress.

"I haven’t heard such peace in your voice for a while. You were always worried about someone or something," Shion said, then kissed his husband again.

"Because only you, and only in moments like this, can settle me. But apparently, you have to tire me out first so I don’t have the energy to think about anything, Shion," Haru said, laughing, then kissed him deeply again.

"You don’t even know how much I missed this," the king said tenderly.

They held each other for a while longer, exchanging kisses and gentle and stronger caresses, until they finally stopped after about an hour.

Shion wanted to spend some more time with their children, as did Haru – to give them as much attention as they gave each other. Before that, they both washed and changed into fresh clothes.

King Shion wore a black kimono embroidered with golden leaves, while Haru wore a red one with white flowers. Smiling at each other, enjoying the moment and holding hands, they went to the children’s chamber.

*

"My lady, it’s going to be okay. Yue is breathing calmly and he doesn’t have a fever, you’ve already checked that," Rouhuo said, worried, seeing Ayame on the verge of losing it, her growing anxiety fixed on the unconscious Yue sleeping in her arms.

"But he’s not waking up! He’s been asleep for hours!"

"I’m guessing he just needs a break. Maybe that... entity controlled him for too long and pushed him too hard, so he needs to rest," Yan Mo suggested.

Stop whining if you want your son to come back in one piece, Hoshizuma’s distant voice echoed in Ayame’s mind. I’m patching up his mind and body right now, and, damn it, it takes some time.

I swear, no matter what, I won’t let you take over my son’s body again!

Heh, forget it. That’s not up to you.

Rouhuo watched her lady closely. Out of anger and frustration, Ayame clenched her teeth and stared furiously into the void.

*

After the laughter, lively conversations, and above all – time spent playing together, Gari, Maldie, Haru, and Shion returned to their rooms

It was late, deep into the night.

Lánshuò sat on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed where Yuri slept peacefully. She glanced at Asahi and the Second Shion – also sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, Lánshuò noticed something trying to get into their room through the floor, forming a puddle of shadows from below. Before the puddle could fully materialize, Lánshuò thrust her hand into it and pulled out a small god of darkness.

The deity began shaking in fear as it met Lánshuò’s gaze.

"Thanks for the meal," she said in a sinister, slightly mocking tone.

Her mask split open, revealing fangs. She devoured the small god in one gulp, then quietly burped. The puddle vanished faster than it had appeared.

Only those foolish or unaware enough not to sense my aura would dare to come here. The rest of the lesser gods have probably already spread rumors about me.

Well, I hope I can eat most of them. After all, there are so many flavors I haven’t tried...

Lánshuò tried to hold back a laugh, but couldn’t.

She chuckled softly, careful not to wake the sleeping children.