In a comfortable bed, after too much to drink
The fox was gone the next time Xie Lian woke up.
Everything else in the room was the same as before – the curtains didn't let any light through, but he could hear the chorus of birds from outside like they were inside his bedroom.
Xie Lian suspected that Hua Cheng had done something to enhance the sounds from outside, so that he wouldn't have to wonder whether it was daytime or nighttime, and he wouldn't feel disoriented and confused like back in the cave.
Despite his headache, he smiled to himself as he scratched his ear and looked at the red hairs covering his blanket, remembering the way that fox had so enthusiastically licked him to comfort him. It was a shame that he was gone. It was just so good to hold another living creature again.
He looked up at the black ceiling tiles with golden dragons, rubbing Ruoye's white scales. The python was still rolled up into a ball next to him. While he was a good friend, and he gave great hugs, they were always pretty one-sided. As much as Xie Lian had always loved snakes, they weren't ideally shaped to snuggle with at night, after all.
The fox had been so soft, and just big enough to fill his arms, and while it wasn't as good as hugging Hua Cheng –
Xie Lian groaned and closed his eyes when flashes from the night before flooded his mind again.
No matter what, how could he cling to his host like that?! And even worse; he had practically pulled Hua Cheng into bed with him! What shameful behaviour!
"San Lang, stay."
Shouldn't he just leave this time? Hua Cheng had been so good to him; he'd nursed him back to health, fed him, dressed him, and protected him. Meanwhile, Xie Lian just took it all without even giving a drop of blood in return, and now he'd embarrassed himself like this.
And then there was Wu Ming.
With every touch, every smile, every laugh and fluttering of his heart, Xie Lian felt like he was betraying his beloved.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Wu Ming, I'm still trying. I'll never forget you, I promise.
He pictured himself taking Ruoye, climbing out the window, and leaving the Nameless City behind. He should probably do it. He should do it, except… didn't he owe it to Hua Cheng to at least say goodbye to him? For all his insistence that saving Xie Lian was not something that needed to be repaid, he still felt like – No, no matter how embarrassed he was, he couldn't just sneak away.
Just then, the door opened and Hua Cheng came in, carrying a large tray made of dark oak.
"Good afternoon, gege."
Xie Lian sat up and for a moment he could only stare, all his worries temporarily forgotten.
Hua Cheng was dressed in new expensive-looking red robes embroidered with gold. His undershirt was black, with golden embroidery along the edges of its high collar and a golden chain closing it at the top. More gold dangled from his ears, thin chains with rubies shaped like drops of blood at the end. There were golden rings on his fingers, and even little chains on his boots.
He looked every bit the vampire lord. Except that, on his head, he still wore the red and pink flower crown.
It wasn't until Hua Cheng got to the bed and put the tray down that Xie Lian found his voice. "Good – good afternoon, San Lang."
The tray had golden peonies painted on it, barely visible under everything that was on it: a bowl of congee, a steaming teapot and cups, a comb and a collection of little jars and flasks.
Xie Lian tore his gaze away from the display of items clearly intended for pampering him and gave Hua Cheng a remorseful look, his ears drooping.
"I'm so sorry about last night, San Lang."
With a happy grin, Hua Cheng sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to fix Xie Lian's flower crown.
"Sorry for what? Gege was delightful company last night."
Xie Lian blushed and quickly looked down at his hands, fiddling with the blanket.
"Clinging to you, demanding to see the inside of the Manor, and… That's not how guests should behave."
He froze when Hua Cheng's hand stroked his ear.
"I really like the way your ears also turn red when you blush," he said softly, his voice so tender that Xie Lian's heart ached. He didn't dare look up to meet the vampire's eyes. The same tenderness would be reflected in them, and Xie Lian simply didn't think that he could bear it.
Hua Cheng sighed and scratched the shell of his ear with his long fingernails. "So that's why you never asked if you could have a tour of the Manor. I thought you were just so happy to be outside, but I should have realised… Gege, can you do this San Lang a favour? Think of this place as your home."
Xie Lian's head snapped up as those words took his breath away. Hua Cheng had to softly remind him to pull air into his lungs.
A home. A place where he would be safe, and not alone. After so long, could he accept it? Wasn't this too large a betrayal?
He was supposed to keep trying to get his magic back, to keep searching for a way to guide Wu Ming home… but then again, hadn't Hua Cheng offered to help him find a way?
Maybe he really didn't have to do this by himself.
"You can leave whenever you want to," Hua Cheng continued in a soft murmur. "I would never keep you against your will, but – until the day you wish to move on, can you think of this Manor and this city as your home?"
Xie Lian nodded wordlessly, caught in the net of the vampire's gentle gaze. He couldn't speak – there were no words that could convey his joy and his ache and his gratitude anyway.
A home.
Looking happy and relieved, Hua Cheng took one of the vials from the tray.
"Forget all the old rules from the fae realm about being a guest. You live here now. Go outside when you want to. Come back inside when you feel like it. Sleep during the day, or at night. Explore all the rooms. Make a mess. Sneak into the kitchens to get food you crave. Run through the hallways, laugh loudly, make demands. Ask me all of your questions. Cling to me if you need to."
He poured some green tea into a cup, before adding a few drops of blue glistening liquid from the small vial.
"Nothing happened last night that you need to be ashamed of. If anyone should be ashamed, it's this San Lang – I gave you too much wine. Your head must be hurting."
When Xie Lian nodded, Hua Cheng handed him the cup of tea. "The medicine in this was made by Yushi-daifu. It will help."
The blend of tea and medicine tasted sweet and floral, and Xie Lian's headache was gone in an instant. "As always, jiejie's medicine is the best," he said gratefully, placing the cup back on the tray.
"I'll make sure to let her know. Please eat your congee, gege. It will make you feel even better. I promise you'll get your tour after."
So he ate, while Hua Cheng put the white and yellow flower crown aside and gently and patiently combed his long hair with jasmine oil. Every now and then, his hand would brush against one of Xie Lian's ears, making it twitch in delight.
When Xie Lian's bowl was empty and the flower crown was back on his head, Hua Cheng kicked off his boots, the small chains jingling, before moving to sit in front of him, taking a jar that smelled strongly of ginseng and goji berries when it was opened.
Hua Cheng folded his legs under his robes and put a hand on his knee, palm up. "May I have gege's hand?"
Xie Lian put his hand in his, and sighed softly when Hua Cheng started to rub nurturing cream over his green fingernails and nail beds.
His nails had been neglected for so long. When he had first arrived, they had been chipped and cracked, torn and dull. Under Hua Cheng's care, they were looking healthy again.
"San Lang," he murmured, as Hua Cheng started carefully smoothing the edges of his nails, "are you sick?"
The vampire glanced up at him and gave him a half-smile before turning back to his nails.
"It's nothing gege needs to worry about."
"What is it? Maybe I can help. If I know what's bothering you, I might know what flower you need to get better."
Hua Cheng was silent for a moment, just holding on to his hand.
"It's just my memories. The first thing I remember is wandering around as a nameless, aimless vampire. I don't remember where I was born, nor if I was born a vampire or turned. I don't remember my name."
Xie Lian looked at Hua Cheng with wide eyes, while he calmly continued taking care of his nails.
"I was nameless for a long time – lost and feral. When I needed to feed, at first I hunted and killed my prey, but for some reason the blood made me sick. The only blood that I could drink was the blood of a red-eyed fox that had been following me from the beginning and one day came close enough to let me feed."
"E'Ming helped you."
But Hua Cheng frowned and took his other hand. "He did and he didn't. From the beginning, I've suspected that he knows what happened to me, but he's never told anyone. He's never said a word, not even to the ones in the city who would be able to hear him."
Xie Lian bit his lip. So that was why Hua Cheng looked angry whenever E'Ming was mentioned, and the two of them seemed to avoid each other.
"The first citizens of the Nameless City were animals who had cultivated a human body. They offered me their blood in exchange for my protection from the ones hunting them. Next, Yushi Huang found me. She had left her clan, because they could not accept her beloved, who is an ox shapeshifter. They told me their story, and listened to mine, short as it was. After they let me feed, I felt so much stronger, and spiritual energy rushed through my body. That night we started making plans to further expand this city for the lost."
Finally happy with how Xie Lian's nails were looking, Hua Cheng gently put his hand back in his lap.
"There was one more thing that I remembered from the very beginning, though it was more a feeling than a memory: there was someone I needed to find. Someone I needed to remember."
Xie Lian felt his heart sink. Of course. Of course Hua Cheng would have a special someone. He was so amazing – it was hard to imagine that he'd been less amazing before he lost his memories.
He swallowed heavily. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe now he could stop feeling so… He would get his Wu Ming back, and Hua Cheng would get his person back, and then everyone would be happy.
"So you founded a city for the lost, hoping that…"
"If I was lost and looking for them, I thought it might be the same for them. They may have lost their memories too. I always had these naive fantasies that I only needed to see their face in order to remember everything, but it's very possible that they've been living in the city for decades, and I just never realised."
Xie Lian didn't really want to talk about this anymore. He was starting to feel quite depressed. He took up the comb.
"Can San Lang turn around for me?" It might help to not look at his face for a little while. Besides, Xie Lian really wanted to be the one to pamper him for once.
Hua Cheng raised his brows, and Xie Lian saw the ghost of a blush on his cheeks. It matched perfectly with his flower crown. He truly needed to turn around as soon as possible! Xie Lian's heart couldn't take this.
"You said I can do whatever I want. I really want to do San Lang's hair."
The vampire obediently turned around, looking very pleased. Xie Lian let out a quiet sigh of relief as he looked at the back of his head. He took off the flower crown and freed his hair from the ponytail, brushing his fingers through it and earning himself a satisfied hum.
"What about the flower?"
"A phoenix told me about it. Said that the most beautiful flower in the world will restore my memories and free me of the pain of longing without knowing what it is I'm longing for."
Putting aside his own complicated feelings, Xie Lian's heart ached for his friend. He knew something of longing, but it must be so awful to feel so empty without knowing why. He really did wish that he knew anything at all about that white and gold flower.
"Did the phoenix not say anything else?"
"Nothing. Every time she visits the city, she simply says the same thing. She never tells me where the flower grows, or what time of year."
Xie Lian gently dragged the comb through Hua Cheng's long, silky locks. Slowly but surely, the vampire's shoulders relaxed completely, and when he next spoke, his voice was languid and soft.
"Others have told me about different cures. There was a centaur who said that I would remember when I heard my beloved person's name. A mermaid claimed that it would not be a flower, but a kiss that would help me remember. A seer told me the flower blooms at night, a woman descended from dragons told me the flower would find me."
For several long moments, Xie Lian thought hard about every flower he had ever seen in his life, in the mortal realm and in the fae realm. But he could not think of any that matched the phoenix's description exactly, nor any that came close that weren't already growing in the garden of Paradise Manor.
He was so distracted that he didn't realise that he had buried his other hand in Hua Cheng's hair and started rubbing his scalp with his fingertips until he heard the vampire make a sound that sounded suspiciously like a purr.
What had gotten into him?! He couldn't even blame the wine anymore.
Though he blushed, Xie Lian didn't snatch his hand back – instead, he patted the top of Hua Cheng's head.
"I'm sorry I don't know the flower," he murmured.
Hua Cheng pushed up into his touch like a big cat.
"It's okay, gege. It might simply not exist. Or maybe it existed once, when both the world and the phoenix were young, but not anymore. Maybe the phoenix is confused. Maybe she's wrong about what it looks like. Maybe the cure is something else entirely, not actually a flower, and I've been wasting a lot of time."
Xie Lian was overcome by the sudden urge to throw his arms around Hua Cheng from behind. To hold him and tell him everything was going to be alright. And why shouldn't he? What could be wrong with comforting his friend?
Hugging him had felt so good, the night before. So good. Xie Lian craved more. He wanted –
Just as Xie Lian was starting to move forwards, there was a knock on the door.
Hua Cheng turned towards it, his back straight and tense, and oh how Xie Lian regretted no longer having him under his hands in that soft and pliant state.
"Yes?" the vampire lord snapped.
Yin Yu entered, his arms full of flower crowns. He froze in the doorway when he saw the two of them on the bed – Xie Lian kneeling behind Hua Cheng, one hand on top of his head.
Though Xie Lian couldn't see Hua Cheng's expression, he felt the tension coming off him in waves, and he saw Yin Yu go pale.
"Chengzhu, I – a sprite named Shi Qingxuan delivered these flower crowns for my lord Liang Xing. They expressed their regrets that something so unpleasant happened while he was shopping at their stall, and they hope he's feeling better."
Xie Lian perked up, his ears wiggling. The strange mood between him and Hua Cheng was pushed out of his mind by the abundance of colours in the other fairy's arms. Red, pink, blue, yellow, purple, orange, silver, gold.
Smiling happily, he climbed out of bed and practically skipped over to Yin Yu, who was lingering close to the doorway. As he went, he couldn't help but notice how soft the carpet was under his feet.
"Just how many flower crowns are there?"
"There are twenty, sir."
"Twenty! That's too much, can we really accept this? And please don't call me sir. My name is actually Xie Lian."
Yin Yu looked a little overwhelmed at being told his true name out of the blue like that, but he pulled himself together quickly. "They are a gift. It's best to accept gifts that are offered from a place of sincerity – especially gifts that you didn't expect. It will make the sprite happy."
Xie Lian nodded in agreement. When he turned around, he saw Hua Cheng sitting there, alone on the bed, re-tying his ponytail and still looking rather annoyed at the interruption. However, when he saw Xie Lian's bright smile, he couldn't help but smile back, like the sun emerging from behind a cloud.
He walked over to them and looked at the flower crowns in Yin Yu's arms. "Did the sprite request anything in return?"
For a moment Yin Yu was too distracted to answer, staring at the flower crown on his employer's head. He cleared his throat.
"Nothing. They only hoped for the honour of another visit."
"Of course we'll visit again!" Xie Lian exclaimed brightly, gesturing for Yin Yu to lay his burden down on the low table. The flower crowns covered the surface, and then Ruoye was there, looking interested, his tongue darting out.
"Don't get on top of them, please," Xie Lian told his friend. "They might get damaged."
The python looked disappointed, and then slithered over to Hua Cheng, climbing up his legs to drape himself around his torso. Yin Yu's eyes went even wider.
"He likes you," Xie Lian said fondly.
"I'm glad he changed his mind about me," Hua Cheng murmured, stroking Ruoye's head with one finger. "You should have seen our first meeting, gege. I think he planned to squeeze my head off."
"He's a good friend."
Yin Yu softly cleared his throat again. "Do you require anything else?"
"No, Yin Yu, thank you," Hua Cheng said. He looked like he had forgotten that the other fairy was even there.
"Thank you!" Xie Lian happily called after Yin Yu as he left the room, before kneeling beside the low table and taking a closer look at the flower crowns. There were big flowers and little flowers, magical ones and normal ones. All of the flower crowns looked like they were exactly his size.
He picked up one made with pink azaleas and enchanted purple violets. Pink silk ribbons dangled down from the back, and when Xie Lian tickled the violets, their petals closed shyly, and they became red.
While he played with the flower crowns, Hua Cheng walked to the wardrobe, with Ruoye still coiled around him. He opened the doors and brushed a hand over the collection of fabrics inside.
"Would gege rather wear something more in the style of the fae realm? There are several shops in the Nameless City where we would be able to find you something like that."
Xie Lian shook his head as he put the flower crown down and picked up another, made with orange blossoms and golden lilies. "Thank you, San Lang, but no. I would feel strange in fairy clothes now. I'd feel… exposed."
He would get cold, without magic to warm him, and his lack of wings would be even more obvious.
"I understand," Hua Cheng said softly. "Then, how about this?"
He pulled out a robe, and for a moment, Xie Lian thought that the sunlight had gotten inside somehow. His heart jolted in fear for his vampire friend, but then his eyes fell on the robe, and his jaw dropped.
Rather than white with golden details, the robe was gold with white details. The edges of his sleeves and collar, and the leaf pattern on the shoulders and waist – those were white. The rest of it was gold, except for a belt of white flowers.
Xie Lian opened and closed his mouth a few times before he found his voice. "San – San Lang, this… this wasn't made for me, was it?"
How was he supposed to accept this, on top of everything else that Hua Cheng had done for him?
"Don't worry, gege. It's just something that I've had for many years, but it doesn't really suit me."
Well, that was simply not true, Xie Lian thought. Hua Cheng would look good in any colour. He would look like an emperor in gold.
"Ah, I don't know, San Lang, I haven't worn gold since… I don't know if it suits me anymore."
"I think it will suit the Prince of the Nameless City just fine."
Xie Lian flushed as red as the robes he'd been wearing since the night before. Just when had he become the Prince of the Nameless City?!
Hua Cheng let out a low chuckle. "I'm just teasing gege. Will you do me the honour of simply trying it on? If you're really uncomfortable, you don't need to wear it, I promise."
After a moment of hesitation, Xie Lian nodded, and was instantly rewarded with a dazzling smile.
"We should find a place to display your new collection of flower crowns. I already have an idea. For now, which one do you think will look the best with these robes?"
This time, there was no hesitation. Xie Lian answered instantly and honestly. "The one San Lang made is the best."
Hua Cheng was still grinning happily as they walked arm in arm through the hallway of Paradise Manor, with Ruoye still coiled around him. He had been like this ever since Xie Lian had blurted out his preference for his flower crown.
Xie Lian had his cane in his free hand, and the little voice at the back of his mind that always came up with excuses for why he had to stay so close to Hua Cheng while walking was silent that day. He felt comfortable and safe, and wasn't that enough of a reason?
They must look like royalty, he thought – one in red and gold, the other in gold and white, both wearing flower crowns on their heads.
To his surprise, Xie Lian didn't feel uncomfortable in his new robes at all. He felt spoiled and pampered, sure, but more importantly, he felt like a person who might live in a place like this. Someone who wasn't just a guest, passing through, expected to move on before long; he felt like someone who would call this Manor his home.
When Hua Cheng looked at him, he felt beautiful.
The vampire pulled up a brow, and Xie Lian blushed when he realised he must have asked him a question.
"Um," he said.
Hua Cheng puffed out a laugh. "I asked what part of Paradise Manor gege would like to see first."
"Oh! Uh, the kitchen."
"I will lead the way."
The hallway was long, with thick, dark shutters between red support beams keeping all daylight out. Still, it was not dark at all. There were lanterns everywhere – one even followed them playfully.
"I was wondering…" Xie Lian began, only continuing when Hua Cheng looked at him with an encouraging smile. "Why does Paradise Manor need a kitchen? Don't you… uh… I mean…"
Hua Cheng turned an amused grin on him. "It's an important part of the Manor. Every home needs a place where food is prepared. For Yin Yu, for Yushi Huang, for anyone who visits. Where else would I make congee for a beautiful fairy who had too much to drink the night before?"
Xie Lian widened his eyes. "You made that?!"
"There's no kitchen staff, gege. There's simply not enough work to do."
Feeling rather overwhelmed, Xie Lian thought back to all the food he had been served since he'd first woken up in this place. Everything had been so delicious! And to think that it had all been made by Hua Cheng, the lord of the Nameless City…
He took a step away from Hua Cheng and bowed in his direction. "Thank you so much for the food!"
Hua Cheng shook his head with a fond smile and hooked their arms again, leading him around a corner and through a large set of doors, into a spacious kitchen.
"I really like cooking. You're right, of course; as a vampire I only need blood to survive. But the truth is, it gets very boring."
Xie Lian nodded in understanding, unable to tear his gaze away from the counters made of dark wood, and the collection of utensils and pans of different sizes on the walls.
He moved around the large space, opening drawers and cabinets and marvelling at all the ingredients.
Hua Cheng strolled along behind him with a happy smile on his face.
After Xie Lian had spent some time inspecting his assortment of pickled vegetables, he straightened, biting his lip.
"San Lang, do – do you have blood at the Manor?"
"Of course. Why does gege ask?"
"It's just… I've never seen you drink any. You can drink blood in front of me, you know. I won't mind."
Hua Cheng looked uncertain, his brow slightly furrowed. "I don't want to offend gege."
Ruoye finally released his new friend and went to inspect a large bowl of fruit.
"Why would I be offended?" Though he had been an unwilling guest of a vampire sect for a while, that was over now. He'd seen how things worked here, and he knew Hua Cheng was different. He wouldn't even take Xie Lian's blood when offered! He shouldn't have to hide this part of himself like it was something shameful. "Could San Lang show me?"
Hua Cheng still seemed hesitant, but he slowly turned around and led Xie Lian to the other side of the kitchen, where he opened the door to a small room. There was nothing in this room except one wall of shelves upon shelves, from the floor to the ceiling, filled with black bottles with red markings, and talismans to keep what was inside fresh. They looked like wine bottles, but Xie Lian knew there was no wine in them. The faint smell of blood came from the room.
As the scent seemed to grow stronger and enveloped Xie Lian, his vision became blurry. He drew in a shuddering breath, and he tasted blood. He heard it dripping on the stone. He felt it on his skin, sticky and warm. There was blood on him, somehow – he needed a bath. He should tell Hua Cheng. But when he opened his mouth to speak, no words came out. Was his shackle too tight?
The cane with the spider handle clattered to the ground.
He didn't move when two of them walked into his cavern, boots scuffling softly on the rocks. He lay on his side, and waited. They grabbed him and forced him onto his knees. One of them pushed between his shoulder blades to make him lean forward, his chains keeping his arms stretched behind him painfully. The other tied his hair back, before sliding a knife across his throat. They collected his blood in a bottle. How many bottles did they fill this way, over time? Xie Lian had lost count. Enough bottles to fill shelves upon shelves, from floor to ceiling.
His chest hurt. He couldn't see. Were his eyes bad again? Had they ever really recovered?
Long before the cave. The smell of burning flesh. Agony and loss pouring down his back. Muffled whimpers. Desperate, furious screams. A similar bottle.
"Put him out of his misery. Take his blood."
"... ge. You… safe here…"
Something cool was touching Xie Lian's face. Instinctively, he knew it was safe. It was comfort. He leaned into it. Why couldn't he see?
"It's okay, gege, you… open your eyes."
San Lang? He tried to say his name, but only a strangled noise came out. His lungs were burning.
"Shh, you're okay. Try to breathe for me."
He couldn't. He didn't think he could. It hurt. But San Lang was asking, so he tried. He sucked in some air – too quickly, not enough.
"Slowly, gege. Please try it again. Take a deep breath."
Xie Lian took a deep breath. And then he took another. As awareness slowly returned, he felt that Ruoye was wrapped around him, tightening and loosening in a steady rhythm, to help him breathe. Something was nudging at his legs and whining softly. E'Ming, he realised.
"Shut up," Hua Cheng hissed. "I'm trying to help him. Don't look at me like that, it's not like I meant to–"
"San Lang," Xie Lian breathed.
"Gege?" the vampire stroked his thumbs back and forth over his cheeks. When Xie Lian blinked his eyes open, he was met with an expression of sweet concern. Hua Cheng had placed himself between Xie Lian and the door, as if to shield him from what was inside.
The door was closed.
For an instant, they simply looked at each other, and then Xie Lian took a step forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Hua Cheng, not offering room for escape.
Ruoye quickly slithered away to avoid getting crushed. He and E'Ming sat a couple of paces away, watching them.
Xie Lian put his head on Hua Cheng's chest and slowly breathed in his scent. After a moment, Hua Cheng put his arms around him, right where Xie Lian needed them.
"Sorry," he whispered. "First I cried on you, and now… It's stupid. I feel so safe here, I don't know why I…"
"It's not stupid," Hua Cheng said in a low voice, and Xie Lian couldn't help but smile at the vibrations against his cheek. "Gege has been through so much. It's because you feel safe here that you can show me more than just your sweet smile. I feel honoured."
Hua Cheng rested his head on top of Xie Lian's.
"Never apologise for showing me your pain. I already told you – cling to me if you need to. I don't mind. I'll never mind."
"Thank you," Xie Lian whispered. Though the words didn't seem big enough to convey his feelings, they were the only words he could speak just then.
They stood there for a long time, simply holding each other, neither of them in a hurry to pull away.
Eventually, Hua Cheng spoke again. "This is why I didn't want to show gege."
Xie Lian did pull away then, putting his hands on the vampire's shoulders.
"Actually I – could I take another look?" When Hua Cheng opened his mouth to protest, he quickly continued: "It's okay! I – I know what to expect now. And I know you're not… not like that…"
He was losing himself a little in Hua Cheng's eyes, very aware of his hands on his waist.
Xie Lian cleared his throat.
"I overreacted. I'm very impressed by the way you do things here in your city, and I'm interested in how you feed. Can I see it again?"
"I don't think you overreacted. But of course, you can."
Slowly, Hua Cheng turned around and opened the heavy door made of oak. As Xie Lian stepped around him, the scent of blood drifted towards him again, but this time he was ready.
This time, he kept his breathing slow and steady. This time, there was a grounding hand on his shoulder, and enchanted lanterns flooded the small room with light in mere moments.
It was bright – so bright, nothing like a cavern. Xie Lian threw his friend a grateful look over his shoulder, before turning back to the bottles.
The red markings had to be characters… but they were completely illegible.
"San Lang, what…"
"It's to record who gave the blood and when. Drinking from them directly is too intimate and personal for my taste, but I don't want to take them and their gifts for granted. They all have names, and those who are comfortable sharing theirs will be remembered by me."
Gifts…
Xie Lian's heart fluttered. Even if it was someone Hua Cheng didn't know, he didn't see them as just a blood source. He had been lost and he didn't even remember his old name, but he'd founded this city and he actually cared about his citizens.
He was utterly amazing.
"Can I see you drink?"
Hua Cheng squeezed his shoulder. "Gege…"
"I'd really like to see it."
So Hua Cheng chose a bottle and steered him back out of the room. He put the bottle on one of the dark wooden kitchen counters, before lifting Xie Lian onto it as well and getting him a cup of water.
Xie Lian dangled his feet happily as Hua Cheng stepped between his slightly spread legs and took the bottle in his hands.
"So…" Xie Lian started, making him look up. "So with this whole system you have here, does that mean that the songs are all lies? San Lang doesn't kill?"
Hua Cheng gave him a wry smile and shook his head slowly. "Don't think too highly of me, gege. The songs aren't lying. My claws are dripping with blood."
Xie Lian didn't shudder or shrink back. He merely tilted his head curiously, his ears twitching as he lifted one hand to adjust his friend's flower crown.
"In the Nameless City, did you see the woman with the blue tail and horns? A human cultivation sect was experimenting on her, torturing her. I killed those cultivators."
That poor woman, Xie Lian thought. He hoped that she didn't have to endure such torment for long. He hoped that she was living happily in the city.
"A group of vampire hunters came to my gambling hall and killed one of my croupiers and one of my waiting staff. I will never know if they had underestimated me and my city or overestimated their own abilities. I pulled their hearts out of their chests before asking."
"I killed a king that forced a fox spirit to be his pet. I killed a group of humans that chopped down a forest nymph's hiding places, one after the other, just to get their hands on her. Close to the coast, I killed a merchant captain who planned to get rich by selling a mer to the highest bidder in a nearby city. The man was transporting him in a far too small box filled with water."
Hua Cheng's eyes searched his face, but if he was looking for a hint of disgust or distress, he found none.
"I wiped out a sect of vampires, who kept a fairy chained up in the dark," he said softly. "I killed them all, except for the coward that got away." Hua Cheng reached up and stroked Xie Lian's hair. "I regret not making them suffer more."
"It's okay," Xie Lian whispered. "It's okay, San Lang."
"Gege is not disgusted by this one?"
He shook his head. "No. Not at all." A deep breath. "San Lang, when you killed the sect, did you… did you notice one of them who was younger than the rest? He would have looked a little younger than you do right now."
Hua Cheng thought for a moment. "I don't know, gege. Maybe he was there, maybe he wasn't. It was over fast. Was he your friend?"
Xie Lian was silent for a moment as he thought about it.
"No. He wasn't."
Hua Cheng gently brushed a lock of hair out of his face, behind his ear. "Then don't think about him anymore."
He turned his attention back to the bottle in his hand. The scent of blood rose between them when he opened it.
"Whose blood is it?" Xie Lian asked softly.
"It's a mer's blood. He called himself Huang Taoran. He was only visiting the city."
After one last glance to check if Xie Lian was really alright with this, Hua Cheng lifted the bottle to his lips and took a sip. Then, he tilted his head back and drank deeply.
The more he drank, the longer his nails grew. But Xie Lian wasn't looking at his nails. He was staring at Hua Cheng's throat – at the slight protrusion moving up and down with each swallow.
When Hua Cheng lowered the bottle, his fangs were longer and his eyes were brighter. But Xie Lian didn't feel afraid. No, he felt… annoyed.
"The unimaginable strength of a connection between beings created through mutual agreement, without violence or force."
Xie Lian knew all about this connection. And the thought that Hua Cheng had now formed a bond like that with a random mer that he didn't even know… it simply annoyed him!
Admirable as this kind of feeding without victims was… his friend was so wonderful, he deserved to share that connection with a special someone. Where was that beloved of his? Why hadn't they come to find him yet?
"Gege?"
Hua Cheng sounded tentative, and when Xie Lian emerged from his thoughts, he realised that he was frowning. He quickly smiled.
"Thank you for showing me, San Lang."
Whoever his special someone is, they don't deserve him!
After the kitchen, they went to the library, where Xie Lian marvelled at the largest collection of books and scrolls he had ever seen. The room was high and wide, and shelves covered every wall entirely.
At first glance, he thought that there was a large tree in the centre of the space, but as more lanterns lit up, he saw that it was another bookshelf, reaching all the way up to the ceiling.
There were books from every realm, scrolls from every species. Every language in existence had to be somewhere in the library of Paradise Manor.
Xie Lian hurried from bookshelf to bookshelf, his cane tapping against the wooden floor in a quick rhythm.
"San Lang! It's a human guide on how to grow your own vegetables!"
"A scroll about troll weaponry!"
"Some of the songs in this book are new to me!"
Hua Cheng was leaning against a table with folded arms and a fond smile on his face. The large lantern hanging above him had strings of red rubies dangling down from it, sparkling in the light like blood rain.
"Take anything you want, gege."
"I couldn't possibly," Xie Lian protested, though he was beaming and hugging the books and scrolls in his arms, his cane tucked under his arm.
"Why not? You live here."
Xie Lian didn't protest again, and held on to his treasures.
"Can you read everything here?"
"Most of it."
"San Lang is so smart!"
Hua Cheng shrugged, though he failed to hide his smile.
"Gege is also smart. You translated songs from the fae realm yourself, right?"
Xie Lian flushed pink, his ears wiggling up and down. "San Lang noticed?"
"En. You're very talented." He caught one of those happily moving ears in his hand and rubbed it gently. Xie Lian swallowed a noise of pure joy, blushing even harder.
Hua Cheng smiled and held out his hands to take his books and scrolls, slipping them into his sleeves.
"I'll carry them for you. There's one more room that I want to show gege today," he murmured. "Are you ready to go?"
And though his legs felt slightly like cooked noodles and his heart really couldn't take much more of this, Xie Lian nodded.
"San Lang! Why didn't you tell me about your armoury!"
Xie Lian's eyes were wide, and he giggled in delight as he took a few running steps inside the large room, steadying himself with his cane when he swayed.
"I didn't know gege had an interest in such things."
Hua Cheng walked into the room as well, his arms folded behind his back, his ponytail swaying from side to side.
"I do!" Xie Lian said happily.
Neither of them brought it up, but Xie Lian knew that Hua Cheng had done something to protect him from the effects of the staggering amount of iron in the room.
Right before opening the door, he had lightly touched Xie Lian's shoulder, and warmth had spread through his body. Now, the presence of iron only made itself known as a light tickle.
Xie Lian smiled at Hua Cheng over his shoulder before hurrying to a corner where he saw a collection of fairy swords.
The blades were made of snow white bone, and blooming vines coiled around their hilts.
Xie Lian took a sword with honeysuckle vines and swung it a few times, letting out a delighted laugh at its perfect balance and grip.
"That sword is yours now," Hua Cheng informed him from the side.
"San Lang! It's too much!"
"This is your home. It's your armoury. The Prince of this city needs a sword."
Ah, Hua Cheng was relentlessly teasing him again. He was really –
Xie Lian's eyes became impossibly wider.
"Is that a giant's axe?!"
It was. The axe was so big that it had an entire wall to itself.
Xie Lian stared up at it in awe. "How did you even get this?"
"I traded for it," Hua Cheng said, with a satisfied half-smile.
"Are… are there giants living here?"
"En. But they live in the nearby mountains. The city is too small for them."
"Then have you had giant blood before?"
"I have."
"How was it?"
"Not much different than any other kind."
Xie Lian was a little disappointed. But he recovered quickly when his gaze fell on a case full of human weapons.
A kobold's bow, a centaur's spear, a troll's club, a cecaelia's golden trident – Xie Lian got to hold them all.
He was so happy that, once again, he felt the urge to run up to Hua Cheng and throw his arms around him. This was becoming a problem!
He held himself back, only smiling brightly at the vampire while swinging an ink-black sword.
"Gege is very skilled. Once he feels stronger, I hope he will do this one the honour of sparring with him."
"I'd love to spar with San Lang!"
While he hadn't seen Hua Cheng fight yet, Xie Lian was sure that he would be a formidable opponent. He would have to be, as the lord of a city like this.
And with the vampire's speed… a match between them really would be quite interesting!
"Then gege should rest, so that he will make a full recovery soon."
Hua Cheng held out a hand, and Xie Lian took it without hesitation, following him to the garden, where night had fallen.
Xie Lian greeted the flowers, and then fairy and vampire sat together on the divan, eating large handfuls of berries and chatting about how Hua Cheng had obtained the weapons in his collection.
They talked and talked, until finally, close to dawn, Xie Lian slowly fell asleep, still holding his honeysuckle sword.
Years after the fall
In a corner of a cave in the forest, there was a nest of animal skins and thick blankets. In this nest lay a fairy and a vampire, their bodies entwined.
Wet little noises filled the air and mixed with the crackling of the fire as they kissed deeply, their lips moving against each other, unhurried and sloppy, sending liquid fire coursing through their veins that always felt so much like magic.
Tongue rubbed against tongue as Xie Lian chased that heady mixture of Wu Ming's taste mixed with the taste of his own blood, licking it off of his vampire's lips. It was something he could never get enough of; something he craved daily.
Xie Lian let out a soft, needy whimper, his lips pressing against Wu Ming's insistently. He tilted his head just so and coaxed his tongue into his mouth, suckling on it before reluctantly pulling away with a little sigh, a line of spit connecting their lips. Why did he need to breathe? It was such a waste of time that should be spent kissing his vampire.
He took a quick breath and dove back in, burying his hands in Wu Ming's hair and tugging lightly, his chest filling with joy and love at the lack of bandages around his head.
It had been a few days after his banishment, when they were in bed together just like this, that Xie Lian had stroked one fingertip over those bandages.
"Wu Ming, please show me your eye."
A sharp breath. A quick shake of his head. "Gege, I can't."
"Why not?"
"You'll be cursed."
"What if I don't believe that?"
Wu Ming swallowed heavily, before pressing a kiss to his bare chest. "I did bring you misfortune. Xianle… you tasted my blood that night."
Xie Lian was silent for a moment, his grief making it difficult to breathe, let alone form words. Wu Ming kissed him again, on his shoulder.
"You think your blood is powerful enough to influence the decisions made by those humans long before that night?"
It came out sharp. He didn't want that. He didn't want Wu Ming to get pricked by the thorns that seemed to push up through his skin sometimes.
"Wu Ming," he said, softer, "I love you. Will you let me love all of you?" I'm cursed either way.
"I love you, too." The words were whispered against his skin. Then, Wu Ming slowly reached up and removed his bandages, revealing an eye that was tightly squeezed shut.
Xie Lian kissed his eyebrow. "Please, show me."
Finally, Wu Ming opened his eye. Save for the vertical slit pupil, it was bright red; red as a ruby; red as blood. It was the most beautiful eye that Xie Lian had ever seen.
Yet the vampire's breaths were coming in short pants as he stared up at him, awaiting his judgement. Expecting his rejection.
Xie Lian kissed the corner of his eye. He kissed right under his eye, and then right above, before pulling back and looking into his beloved's mismatched eyes.
"You're beautiful, Wu Ming," he said, speaking slowly.
The eyes in question filled with tears, as Wu Ming shook his head, again and again.
"You are," Xie Lian insisted, using his princely tone. "I was a prince of the fae realm – I know about beauty. Your eye is prettier than any gemstone. Prettier than any flower that grew in Xianle."
Wu Ming let out a sob, and when Xie Lian kissed him, he tasted the salt of his tears.
"My sweet flower," he whispered against his lips.
Now, Wu Ming hummed and kissed his jaw, before licking over the spot on his neck where he'd bitten him before, again and again, lapping up stray drops of blood.
As he licked him, he stroked his hands over Xie Lian's wings, draped over his naked body. He rubbed the golden edges and markings, and petted the white parts that were like thin silk, as far down as he could reach.
Without warning, he moved his hands under the wings and grabbed Xie Lian's ass cheeks, pulling them apart slightly.
Xie Lian whimpered as he felt some of Wu Ming's seed leak out of him – but just then, Wu Ming gently took Xie Lian's chin and recaptured his mouth, feeding him some of his own blood.
Xie Lian's eyes rolled back into his head and he moaned, grinding his hips desperately.
The hand that was still on his ass petted him soothingly.
"It's alright, gege," Wu Ming murmured against his lips. "I'll take care of you again soon."
Again. How long had they been here, in this little corner of their cave? Xie Lian had lost all track of time. His body ached pleasantly, and there was a sticky mess between their bodies.
"Wu Ming," he breathed. Not wanting to wait, he chased the vampire's mouth, planting a kiss on his chin, and then the corner of his mouth, as Wu Ming moved his head with a smug little grin.
Xie Lian frowned at him, offended.
"Okay, okay," Wu Ming said softly, placating him with a sweet kiss, before putting a hand at the small of his back and flipping them over so that he was lying on top of Xie Lian. One more peck to his lips, and then Wu Ming was moving down, trailing butterfly kisses over the marks on his neck, his shoulder, his chest.
He stayed where he was for a few moments, taking his time as his fingers played with Xie Lian's nipple, smiling against his skin when he arched his back with a soft whimper.
Wu Ming moved even further down, thoroughly cleaning up the mess on Xie Lian's stomach with his tongue, before kissing around Xie Lian's belly button and moving on, ignoring the place where Xie Lian needed his touch the most.
"My sweet flower," Xie Lian gasped, as Wu Ming sucked a mark into his quivering thigh.
Wu Ming shivered in pleasure, laying his head on his soft thigh for a moment, his eyes half-lidded as Xie Lian tugged on his hair.
With a content sigh, the vampire lifted his head and nuzzled the mark he'd left, before finally, finally licking a stripe from the base of Xie Lian's cock to the tip. Then, he swallowed him down – took him all the way into his mouth, and kept going until the head of his cock pressed against the back of his throat.
Xie Lian's toes curled into the blankets under him and he pulled Wu Ming's hair with one hand, holding the other over his own mouth to stifle his moans.
Wu Ming released his length with a wet noise, pressing a quick kiss to the tip when Xie Lian whined.
"Let me hear you, gege," he murmured, lapping up the precome leaking from Xie Lian's cock. "Don't hold back. You know I love your songs."
Xie Lian's stomach shook with his sudden giggle, his ears perking up. Suddenly, it was laughter he was stifling behind his hand.
"Ah, gege, is it that funny?"
Wu Ming was pouting up at him, though his eyes were full of joy.
Xie Lian nodded happily, lowering his hand from his mouth and giggling freely while taking Wu Ming's waiting hand and lacing their fingers.
"It's not a song, Wu Ming!"
The vampire tilted his head, a serious look on his face. "It's not?"
He leaned in to lick and suck at the base of Xie Lian's cock, smirking when his giggle turned into a moan.
"It sounds like a song to me."
Wu Ming wrapped his plump lips around the tip of Xie Lian's shaft again and sucked. He moved his head up and down, taking him a little deeper every time, lips brushing against the base, but still Xie Lian wanted more. Something greedy and insatiable had come alive inside him since they had started finding pleasure in each other like this.
He tried to thrust his hips up to make Wu Ming go faster, but his vampire knew him well – he pinned his hips down with one arm while he moved at his own pace, moaning softly around Xie Lian's cock.
"You're – you're so good, Wu Ming," Xie Lian said weakly. "Always so good for gege."
Wu Ming moaned a little louder, the vibrations around his cock bringing his release ever closer.
"Sweet boy. Sweet boy, please, ah, just a little more. Look at you, taking me so well."
His beloved's eyes, dark brown and red, found his own, shining as he stared up at him through his long lashes.
"You're beautiful. You're so beautiful, Wu Ming."
Suddenly, Wu Ming stopped moving, and just when Xie Lian wanted to protest, he felt it. Sharp fangs lightly scraping against the skin at the base of his cock with Wu Ming's heavy breaths, just short of drawing blood.
That was all it took. Xie Lian came with a sharp cry, his ears vibrating, and Wu Ming greedily swallowed everything he gave him.
Many kisses later, when they were both clean, Wu Ming massaged Xie Lian's wings. He did this for him every day – though Xie Lian could move his wings, he could not fly. No magic flowed through them, and so, they became stiff. The constant ache was a reminder of what he had lost.
But Wu Ming's gentle touch helped; whenever they made love, some spiritual energy would be transferred into Xie Lian's body, and through a massage, Wu Ming could push it into his wings.
Xie Lian sat with his legs pulled up to his chest, his arms around his shins, resting his head on his knees, as Wu Ming's strong fingers rubbed the base of his wings, stroked the outer edges and carefully brushed his hands over the most fragile parts.
"Gege, there's not a lot of fairy dust left," his beloved said softly after a while.
"Mm," Xie Lian hummed, without lifting his head, scratching Ruoye's chin. The python had come in from outside a little while ago. "I know. I think we should stop using it to trade from now on. Keep some for ourselves." He sighed softly when Wu Ming's fingers found the place where it hurt the most that day. "It's already good that it lasted us this long."
Wu Ming kissed the back of his neck, and Xie Lian's drooping ears perked up just slightly. "We'll manage. We have all the gear and the clothes we need for the winter. I can hunt. I have enough spiritual power to keep us warm."
He wrapped his arms around him from behind, and Xie Lian leaned back against his chest, laying his head on his shoulder.
"En, we'll be okay. And if we do need to buy something, I can always go and sing my songs in the city. Ruoye can dance. We can go busking together."
"Gege doesn't have to do that. If we need money, this Wu Ming will get work."
"What work will you do at night?"
He shrugged. "There are establishments in the city that need people to keep their workers safe. Or, if we go to a seaside town, I could work at the docks."
"But why would you have to do that, if I can just go to the market and sing a few songs?"
Wu Ming kissed Xie Lian's temple. "Maybe I just don't want to share your songs with others."
Xie Lian puffed out an exasperated laugh, his ears wiggling.
"My Wu Ming is very silly. Does he want to hear a song now?"
"Yes, gege. I'd love to hear one."
Blissful days at the Manor
As the days passed, Xie Lian settled in at Paradise Manor. He slept outside on most days, and inside when it rained, or whenever he felt like it. No matter where he slept, there was always a fox keeping him company.
He usually slept during the day, and napped a lot at night, dozing off on Hua Cheng's shoulder after sharing a meal more than once.
He ate a lot too. He ate fruit from the garden, snacks sent to the Manor by citizens, and food made for him by Hua Cheng.
Sometimes, he joined the vampire in the kitchen, looking over his shoulder. One morning, he made his own congee while Hua Cheng gave him instructions. (He only burned it a little.)
Every night, they took walks together. Every day, Xie Lian felt a little stronger.
Whenever they took a bath, Xie Lian looked down and saw that there was a little more of him than before.
Hua Cheng, meanwhile, spent most of his time in his company. Xie Lian wasn't sure if he ever slept during the day, or if he needed to.
He sometimes wondered if being in charge of a place like the Nameless City truly allowed for so much free time. Did Yin Yu do most of the work? Even on nights when Hua Cheng was urgently called away, he always came back within a shichen or two.
The vampire lord seemed to truly enjoy brushing Xie Lian's hair, grooming his nails, dressing him in beautiful robes, chatting with him, and rubbing ointments infused with magic on the scars on his back.
Lying on his back in the grass one morning, the leaves of the maple tree above him rustling in the wind, Xie Lian compared himself to a plant that had been snapped and trampled on – one that was growing strong again under Hua Cheng's tender care.
He had cared for plants like that once, a long time ago, back when he had his magic. There was something rather magical about what Hua Cheng was doing for him, too.
As he lay there in the dappled sunlight, he made a little flower crown of daisies that fit inside the palm of his hand. When it was finished, he put it on top of Ruoye's head.
"We've come to a good place, haven't we, Ruoye?"
The python swayed from side to side in happy agreement, making the flower crown drop to the grass.
Xie Lian smiled and sat up, putting Ruoye's flower crown back on before absent-mindedly dragging a hand through his hair.
He should go see if Hua Cheng was awake inside the Manor. He was feeling strong enough to spar.
Not much later, the two of them were in the training hall close to the armoury. The space was brightly lit with lanterns – it was almost like the sun was shining indoors.
Hua Cheng twirled the wooden stick between his fingers as he looked Xie Lian up and down.
He had stripped down to his sleeveless black undershirt and pants, and the fairy was rather distracted by the way the muscles flexed in his pale, bare arms whenever he moved the stick in his hand.
"Is gege sure he's up to this? There's no rush."
Except that there absolutely was. Despite how happy and content he was, there was a nervous energy inside Xie Lian these days, and he needed an outlet. He needed to move, to fight – to get back the strength in his arms.
"I promise to go easy on San Lang," Xie Lian said seriously. Hua Cheng blinked in surprise, and then grinned.
"This one is grateful. Whenever you're ready."
"I'm ready," Xie Lian said, before rushing towards Hua Cheng, stick in hand. He saw a flash of a smile, the swish of a ponytail, and then they were exchanging dozens of blows without interruption.
Their sticks clacked together, again and again, as they moved through the room in an intricate, lightning-fast dance.
Full of energy, Xie Lian dove and parried and struck, his sleeves flying as he turned in place, moving his feet as quickly as he could to keep up with the vampire's fast pace.
Having crossed to the other side of the training hall this way, Xie Lian thought he finally saw an opening and went for it – only for his wooden sword to slash through empty air.
In the blink of an eye, Hua Cheng had vanished.
And then he was right behind him, capturing him in his arms and pulling him against his body. Xie Lian's arms were pinned to his sides, and his stick clattered to the ground.
He struggled for a moment and then leaned back against Hua Cheng, laying his head on his shoulder. He was panting, and his heart was hammering – not from fear, but from exertion, from exhilaration, from the thrill of their fight.
How could he be afraid when it was Hua Cheng who was holding him safe? Xie Lian's stomach fluttered, and suddenly he remembered their talk in the Gambler's Den, about vampires and other citizens who played certain games together. For the very first time, he felt like he was starting to understand.
What would it be like to play at being hunted by Hua Cheng? To try to escape, only to be caught and held just like this, unable to break free?
Hua Cheng's expression was still and neutral, but Xie Lian could see that he was watching him closely, taking in every twitch of his brows, every wiggle of his ears – he was watching every little movement and change in his expression, to make sure that he was feeling alright.
And Xie Lian knew that if they ever played a game like that, Hua Cheng would always stop if he asked him to. He smiled softly at the knowledge, and Hua Cheng smiled back at him.
"Hi San Lang," he breathed.
"Hi gege. Do you know how to break free from a hold like this?"
"Um."
It wasn't that he didn't know. It was just that, for a moment, he couldn't think of a reason why he should break free from Hua Cheng's arms. Why would I want to leave?
Hua Cheng's mouth twitched. "Gege handled it perfectly in the city that time. Distracting the vampire with your blood was very smart. I hope nothing like that ever happens again, but if it does, and tricks like that don't work, there's still a way you can free yourself."
Oh, so that was what they were doing. That made a lot of sense. Xie Lian blushed slightly, relieved that Hua Cheng didn't know what he had been thinking about.
Though it was quite a different game, he still got rather into it as Hua Cheng talked him through his moves. Grabbing the vampire's hands, getting one leg behind his, pushing with his knee and pulling with his arms. And then he was free, with Hua Cheng on the floor. Xie Lian gave him a triumphant grin and put one knee on his belly.
"Well done, gege," Hua Cheng said softly, something in his voice that made Xie Lian shiver.
Before he could blink twice, Hua Cheng had wriggled out from under his knee and he was being pulled to his feet. The vampire was behind him again, and this time one of his arms was around his throat.
Xie Lian's ears trembled. Suddenly, he felt even warmer than before, and he was starting to feel a little lightheaded. The vulnerable position; his overwhelming trust in Hua Cheng; the knowledge that despite appearances, he had the power to stop it all with a single word – all of it together made Xie Lian feel a little like he had finished at least two cups of wine.
Before Hua Cheng even said a word, his body was already moving, and then Hua Cheng was on his back again, with Xie Lian on top of him, his hands on his shoulders.
Hua Cheng's eyes were wide, and he swallowed and licked his lips. "Good. That was good, gege. Now, grab your stick."
Xie Lian tore his gaze away from those pretty eyes and looked to the side, reaching out for the wooden stick.
"Put it here," Hua Cheng said softly, tapping the place right over his heart.
Xie Lian sat up, straddling his hips, and put the end of the stick where he showed him.
Hua Cheng stared up at him. "If you have a vampire on the ground like this, don't hesitate. Stab them straight through the heart with a silver blade."
Xie Lian was breathing heavily, looking from Hua Cheng's eyes to his lips and back again. A breath, and another. He pressed the stick against his chest until the vampire's eyes drooped slightly – and then he threw it aside and leaned in to capture his mouth in a fierce kiss.
Hua Cheng froze under him, but it was only for an instant. As Xie Lian sucked on his bottom lip, his arms came up around him, holding him tight. He kissed him back, and Xie Lian sighed, parting his lips for Hua Cheng's tongue.
His tongue was warm, the slide against his own smooth, making the fire burning in the pit of Xie Lian's stomach burn even hotter.
He'd been alone for so long, and he'd been subjected to so many touches that he didn't want, that desire had become a complete stranger to him. And while he knew that he should stop, that there was a good reason why this couldn't be, his desire was back, and it was finally boiling over.
As it did, something changed. The body under his suddenly felt different. It felt different, but so familiar that his heart throbbed painfully. The shape of the vampire's body, the curve of his lips, the feeling of his canines under Xie Lian's tongue…
Xie Lian's breath stuttered, and the next moment there was a gentle but firm push against his shoulder, and Hua Cheng moved away from him in a rush, kneeling a few paces away from Xie Lian and leaving him to sit there staring at his side-profile.
He looked the same as always. There was only a pretty little blush dusting his cheekbones.
Xie Lian put a hand over his own heart, feeling the way it beat frantically against his ribcage. What had happened? He was still waiting for Wu Ming, and he knew that Hua Cheng also had a special someone, so had what he'd felt simply been a manifestation of his guilt?
Wu Ming… Maybe his longing had overwhelmed his senses.
Whatever had happened, he had to get away – he needed some time to calm the chaos in his mind and heart.
He jumped up and bowed in Hua Cheng's direction. "Sorry, San Lang. I'm very sorry. I'm – I'm sleepy now. Yes, I'll get some sleep. San Lang should also rest."
"Gege –" He was already backing away, and there was something like panic in Hua Cheng's eyes as he watched him go. But then he closed his eyes for a few seconds, and when he opened them again they were calm and understanding. "Rest well."
Right before Xie Lian fled from the hall, he looked over his shoulder to see Hua Cheng still kneeling in the same place, looking lost.
Xie Lian didn't sleep at all. He kept thinking about the kiss, about the surprised little puff of air against his lips in that first instant, about Hua Cheng's body under his own.
He thought about the way he'd held him tight, as if he was afraid that he'd disappear.
Xie Lian groaned and pulled the covers up over his head. A few incense times later, he pushed them away and turned onto his side, staring at the rack of flower crowns that Hua Cheng had made for him. He had built it in the shape of a small tree, with branches growing in all directions.
Was Hua Cheng angry with him? Xie Lian wouldn't blame him if he was. He'd made it very clear that there was someone he was searching for, and still Xie Lian had –
He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.
The fox found him still lying like that, and enthusiastically pushed into his arms, licking his ear.
When Xie Lian opened his eyes, all he saw was red fur. He rubbed his cheek over it. "Do you think he's mad at me?"
A lick over his ear.
"Really?"
The fox licked him twice more.
"Thank you. You're a good friend."
Outside his window, the day passed and turned into night while he held the fox in his arms.
Hua Cheng did not come to check on him.
As an owl called outside his window, Xie Lian bit his lip, thinking of Hua Cheng kneeling in the middle of the large training hall, all alone.
Finally, he set his jaw and sat up. "I'll go find him."
The fox jumped off the bed and hurried out of the room without looking back.
Xie Lian roamed the halls of Paradise Manor, pleased that he could find his way around so well. He was dressed in his favourite gold and white robe, with the white and yellow flower crown that Hua Cheng had made for him on his head. His bare feet moved over carpets and smooth stone as he made his way back to the training hall first.
Hua Cheng was no longer kneeling there in a daze. Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief before moving on.
His friend wasn't in the armoury either. Without Hua Cheng's spiritual power shielding him, the iron in the room made it difficult to breathe, so Xie Lian hurriedly closed the door again.
Hua Cheng wasn't in the library, and he wasn't in the garden.
He found him in the kitchen, kneading dough. When Xie Lian entered, he greeted him with a pleased half-smile.
"Good evening, gege. Did you sleep well?"
If he was offended or felt awkward at all, he hid it well. He looked well-rested and perfectly happy to see Xie Lian, his ponytail swaying playfully as he tilted his head.
Maybe he'd been worrying too much, Xie Lian thought. Maybe it really hadn't been such a big deal. He felt himself relax slightly, returning Hua Cheng's smile.
"I… My bed is very comfortable. What is San Lang making?"
It was a little funny, to see him kneading dough so diligently in his red and gold vampire king attire, golden chains shimmering in the lantern light and rubies dangling from his ears. Upon his head, he was wearing his red and pink flower crown.
"This one is making mantou, since he knows gege likes them so much." Xie Lian's ears perked up happily. "I was wondering if you would like to visit the city with me after we've eaten."
Xie Lian smiled and rushed to join him behind the counter. "I'd love to!"
So they made mantou together, and Xie Lian giggled when Hua Cheng started shaping them like pretty white flowers. Whenever he glanced at his handsome face, his eyes lingered on his lips and his heart fluttered, but although Hua Cheng was able to hear this, he was gracious enough not to comment.
Later, they walked through the crowded streets of the Nameless City, Hua Cheng wearing his bat mask while Xie Lian wore his owl mask.
It was a warm summer night, and Xie Lian wore golden slippers that matched his golden robes.
Instead of his silver-tipped cane, Hua Cheng had given him a silver dagger, elegantly engraved with butterflies, which he wore on his belt.
The streets were busy, but like the last time, the citizens made way for them wherever they went – it was clear that they knew who Hua Cheng was, even though he was masked.
Xie Lian held on to his arm so that they wouldn't be separated, and as they walked he excitedly pointed out everything he saw – a unicorn having flowers braided into its mane; a house that got so bothered by a noisy group of goblins that it got up on short, scaled legs and moved to a vacant spot on the other side of the street; a young girl riding on the back of a bear spirit.
Xie Lian breathed in the unique mixture of scents filling the air around them, as his ears twitched and picked up countless noises and languages and accents that blended together, forming the voice of the city.
Innumerable stars shone above them when they arrived at the Gambler's Den. Just when they were about to ascend the steps leading to the front doors, Hua Cheng stopped, his head slightly turned. Xie Lian's ears twitched.
"– Chengzhu's fairy. You haven't heard? It's been the talk of the city for days – do you live under a rock?"
"I do, actually. On the other side of the lake. That fairy without wings is his?"
"That's right. Some vampire was executed for touching him. Everyone in the city is quite jealous; Chengzhu has never accepted a blood source before. This one is his precious treasure, they say."
"He certainly looks like one. It's a shame about his wings. Still, I daresay he's the luckiest blood source in the city. Chengzhu – uh… is looking this way. Let's – let's go."
From the corner of his eye, Xie Lian saw a tall, thin skeletal figure and a short frog-man hurrying and hopping away, blending in with the crowd.
But he wasn't interested in them. He was looking at Hua Cheng, who looked angry behind the mask – jaw clenched and eyes flashing.
"San Lang," he said soothingly. Hua Cheng glanced at him. "Can you show me how to roll the dice?"
A smile appeared on the vampire's face, and his eyes softened under the black lace mask. "It will be my pleasure."
As they climbed the steps, Xie Lian still felt tension in Hua Cheng's body. He'd have to reassure him that it didn't bother him that the citizens thought of him as their Chengzhu's property. He was the one who had started that rumour after all.
This time, the two of them sat on the dais behind the red curtains. There was a single seat there, like a throne, that seemed a little big for one person, but not wide enough for two. Hua Cheng insisted it was fine, and they squeezed in together.
And for half the night they sat there, Hua Cheng guiding Xie Lian's hands, showing him just how to move the dice cup.
Xie Lian was already warm from sitting so close to him, and every time he moved his hands just right Hua Cheng praised him softly, and he got even warmer.
The vampire's hands on his were cool and strong. His fingers were long and beautiful, and he was using just the right amount of pressure.
Xie Lian felt like he was in the warm bathhouse of Paradise Manor, as all the noise of the Den faded to the background. The bets continued, blood being wagered and lost, the occasional sponsorship or favour won, as behind the curtains there was only Hua Cheng's closeness, and his touch, and his warm smile.
"That's so good, gege," he praised in a low voice when Xie Lian rolled two sixes. "You're doing so well."
Xie Lian swallowed, wishing there was room to spread his legs a little.
"Isn't – Isn't it just a matter of luck?"
"No," Hua Cheng insisted, shaking his head for emphasis. "There is a right way of rolling the dice, and gege is learning fast."
Those long fingers squeezed his own lightly.
"Shall we play a few rounds? Highest number wins."
A smile tugged on Xie Lian's lips. "What are we playing for?"
Hua Cheng considered it seriously. "Whoever wins gets the rest of the mantou when we're home."
Xie Lian giggled. "Alright."
He rolled a five and a four, and Hua Cheng a six and a two.
They spent some time playing like this, rolling for all kinds of small things: Hua Cheng won a new flower crown made by Xie Lian, Xie Lian won the privilege to ask Hua Chengzhu for a song. When Xie Lian rolled two sixes, he won his heart's desire of a swing installed in the garden, and the next round Hua Cheng won a hair-brushing session.
"San Lang," Xie Lian laughed, "I would have brushed your hair either way!"
Hua Cheng winked at him. "And I would have given you a swing either way. But it's fun to play anyway. One more round?"
Xie Lian nodded, thinking of something to ask for. Or…should he offer something in case he lost this time instead? Should he bet some of his blood? Wasn't that what they did here?
But Hua Cheng was faster. "If I win, I'd like the privilege of creating adornments for gege's beautiful ears."
Xie Lian blushed and quickly looked down, his gaze falling on Hua Cheng's hands around the dice cup.
He spoke before he could stop himself. "If I win, I want to kiss San Lang's hand."
For an instant, Hua Cheng froze, but then he agreed. He rolled two threes. Xie Lian rolled a six and a five, and gently took the vampire's hand.
He pressed a soft kiss to the back of that cool hand that had saved him, helped him recover, protected him and touched him the way he needed to be touched; that had offered the kind of touch that had brought the warmth back after so many years of cold.
He kissed Hua Cheng's palm. He kissed each of his long fingers.
"Thank you," he whispered when he was done, looking at him through his lashes. "Thank you, San Lang."
Hua Cheng swallowed and looked at him for a long moment, before nodding once and lacing their fingers.
"Come, gege," he said softly.
When they stepped through the curtains, the hall fell silent, just like it had when they had first entered.
Hua Cheng stopped at the top of the steps.
"I hope you are all enjoying yourselves in my gambling hall. I'd like to introduce you to Liang Xing. He is one of us now. You will respect him like you respect me. You will protect him like you would protect me. You will treat him like the Prince of this city." Xie Lian reached out to touch his wrist.
"Refer to him as my property or blood source again, and I will be very displeased. I trust that you will spread the word."
As they descended the stairs and crossed the hall, the crowd started talking again – softly, at first, and then louder. Some of them, like an elderly harpy, a youth with cat ears and a nymph with flowers growing all over his body, came to greet Xie Lian. They bowed and called him sir, and my lord, and even Your Highness, making him blush and wave his hands in front of him.
When they escaped outside, Xie Lian took Hua Cheng's arm. "You really didn't have to. I didn't mind."
"I did mind. I will not have them disrespecting gege."
Xie Lian smiled helplessly.
Upon his insistence, they visited the sprite called Shi Qingxuan. When they saw the flower crowns on their heads, they narrowed their eyes. "That's not one of mine. Nor is that one."
They fluttered close to Xie Lian's face, pouting a little. "Did you not like the ones I sent you?"
"I did! I like them very much. All of them are beautiful and unique. You're very talented!" Xie Lian scratched his cheek awkwardly. "San Lang made this one."
"San–?" Shi Qingxuan glanced at the one standing behind Xie Lian and widened their eyes. "Oh, I see. San Lang." They shook their head, looking rather baffled. "Never heard anyone call him that before," they murmured, more to themselves than to Xie Lian. "Never heard of him making flower crowns either. Better not be planning to put me out of business."
They fluttered a little higher to look at Xie Lian's flower crown from up close – they clearly didn't dare get that close to Hua Chengzhu.
"Hmmm, not bad," was their verdict. "Not bad at all. And I have to say, it matches your robes perfectly."
They flew a little lower again, so close to Xie Lian's face that he was going a little cross-eyed.
"That was pretty scary, the other night. One moment you were at my stall and then you were just gone. Are you alright?"
Xie Lian nodded gratefully. "I'm alright. Thank you for your help."
"Ah, it was nothing. There wasn't much I could do – I'm very small. But I've always been good at talking." Shi Qingxuan turned serious. "Did vampires like that one hurt you before?"
"Yes," Xie Lian said softly. The sprite flew even closer, and… pressed a tiny kiss to his cheek. Hua Cheng stirred behind him, and Xie Lian blushed furiously, before remembering that this was the customary way for sprites to express the wish to be friends.
"We'll protect you from now on," Shi Qingxuan declared.
In the end, they left with five more flower crowns, and a little bag full of blooming tea flowers.
Before going back to the Manor, they paid a visit to the lake, where mers and sirens came to greet them, and even a giant squid came to peek above the surface of the water.
A young, handsome siren swam closer and opened his mouth, but Hua Cheng narrowed his eyes and snapped: "Don't you dare." The siren closed his mouth again, cleared his throat and smiled.
It was Xie Lian who started to sing instead, sitting on the sandy lakeshore. He sang about the mighty black and red dragon and his human prince, and about the bird whose song woke up a sleeping god. His singing drew even more water-dwellers to the surface, their ear-fins twitching curiously.
When he looked at Hua Cheng over his shoulder, beaming, his voice suddenly faltered. Just for an instant, he imagined that one eye behind the mask was red.
Later that night, the two of them were on the divan in the garden – Hua Cheng lying with his head in Xie Lian's lap, eyes closed. Xie Lian's hand hovered above his face as he hesitated. He hesitated for a few moments more, and then he softly brushed his fingertips across the vampire's pale face.
His skin was soft and smooth, and shone like fine white jade in the moonlight.
"San Lang's skin is very nice."
Hua Cheng beamed at the praise, keeping his eyes closed.
"I'm happy gege thinks so."
"But this is not your true form, is it?"
Two dark eyes stared at him. Hua Cheng's face was still and unreadable, but the smile returned when he saw that Xie Lian was not upset.
"How did you know?"
It might be nothing. Maybe you just remind me so much of him that… But I felt you. I saw you. I felt you when I kissed you, though my guilty heart wouldn't let me believe it then, and I saw a shadow of you at the lake. Is it you? Is it really you? Or did I truly lose my mind in that cave?
Xie Lian's heart started to beat a little faster, and he swallowed heavily, resting his hand on top of Hua Cheng's head just to ground himself.
"You're a handsome young man, just like in all the songs I've heard about you. But the songs also say that the only ones who have seen your true face didn't live to tell anyone what they saw. The mortals say you're cursed, that you're a monster."
"Oh?"
Though Hua Cheng kept his face impassive and the corner of his lips turned upwards, Xie Lian saw the mixture of fear and pain in the depths of his eyes. He knew this particular look too well not to see it.
"But they're only songs, and stories. Sometimes, mortals use songs and tales to make themselves and others happy. Sometimes they like sad songs, to help them process their feelings. And a lot of the time, they like to scare each other. And there's very little that they fear more than things they don't understand."
"They could be right. I could really be a monster. I could be cursed."
"Is that what you believe? Is that why you haven't shown me your true face?"
"You like this face." It wasn't a question. They both knew that he did.
"I do like this face. Very much."
"Then isn't it good like this?"
Hua Cheng sounded impossibly young, and he looked so vulnerable in his lap as his unaffected facade slowly crumbled.
"Although I like this face a lot, San Lang is my friend, and I think it's important to know my friend's face. But you don't have to show me now, or tomorrow, or within a week. Can you just think about it?"
Hua Cheng sat up slowly. He was silent for a few moments, his eyes searching Xie Lian's face.
"I don't want gege to be cursed."
"I'm not afraid. How could I be? It's your face we're talking about. I don't believe that seeing the face of someone I care about will get me cursed. Don't be afraid, San Lang."
His friend closed his eyes and shuddered. Xie Lian petted his head.
"Who told you that your true face was cursed?"
"It was mostly… a feeling," Hua Cheng murmured. "Something I knew to be true, like a memory from a past life. And humans told me. The sect I killed, the king, the merchant captain. I can't usually see my reflection, but when I became strong enough I made the pond show me and I wondered if this was why I was alone. Why I didn't have a sect. Why I didn't have any memories."
Xie Lian played with the flowers of Hua Cheng's flower crown. His mind was in disarray; his thoughts rushing from hope to doubt and back again. Is it you?
Despite it all, he kept his voice steady.
"The first citizens of the Nameless City weren't afraid of being cursed."
"They didn't have anything to lose."
Xie Lian cupped Hua Cheng's face and stroked his thumb back and forth under his right eye.
"No matter what you look like, I'll like it. Because I like you."
"I like you too."
For several long moments, they sat there, surrounded by the scent of the flowers and the sounds of the garden at night. Xie Lian wasn't in a rush. He just smiled, and waited.
Hua Cheng's eyes fluttered open.
And then he started to change.
His face became unfamiliar, and then more familiar then it had ever been. His features became a little sharper. He grew taller. His hair became longer, wilder.
Xie Lian stared into his eyes. One of those eyes was almost unchanged. The shape was slightly different. The lashes were a little longer. But the colour was similar. It was still dark brown, and beautiful.
Hua Cheng's right eye was red. It was bright red, and Xie Lian knew it well. He had dreamed of this eye for so long. He'd seen it every time he closed his eyes. The world shifted.
He knew this face. He knew it oh so well.
My precious flower.
Wu Ming.