Be Gentle, Immortal Master

This kiss was nothing like the one I had demanded from him weeks ago. All the hesitation and uncertainty was gone, and he enveloped me with the full offering of his affection, his passion. His lips were warm and soft against mine, and so was his palm as he caressed my cheek, replacing the cold sensation of my tear tracks with his gentle touch.

I parted my lips, inviting him in. This time, he no longer tasted like blood. The fresh scent of him danced on the tip of my tongue, and I had almost forgotten how enticing, how addicting that beautiful feeling was. I let out a sigh, slipping my hand behind his nape, pressing him closer into me.

He obliged, deepening the kiss. His hand started sliding down my shoulder, behind my back, and I felt the heat of his palm burning me through my nightgown. I followed suit, tracing my fingers down his spine. His body was still bare—because I hadn't bothered putting clothes on him last night after the bath—and I marveled at the effect of the cure as I grazed over his finally warm skin. I let my hands glide over his shoulder blades, past his ribs, reveling in that smooth touch pulsing with liveliness.

It wasn't until I reached his waist that I remembered something. "B-Bai Ye," I broke our kiss, speaking a bit unclearly because of my stuffy nose. "Is my spiritual power still dangerous to you right now?"

He looked at me in a slight startlement, as if that was the last question he expected me to ask. "No … Not without the meditation to guide the demonic power." Please visit f𝗿e𝗲𝘄𝚎𝐛𝚗𝐨𝙫ℯl. c𝗼𝚖

"Even when it's so soon after the bath?" I persisted. "It takes time for the different flows of energy inside you to reach a steady balance. Wouldn't a new fluctuation of power interrupt the working of the cure?"

He paused, and I saw from his hesitant frown that I was right. "Bai Ye!" I glared at him. "When are you going to stop being so careless with yourself? If you—"

"Qing-er," he interrupted me almost innocently. "I was only going to kiss you. That was how you told me to beg for forgiveness last time …"

With that soft, coaxing voice, his lips met mine again. Maybe it was the cure of his eyes, or maybe it was the ray of hope that finally led him out of the darkness … something seemed to have reverted the Bai Ye that would shy away from a peck on the lips back into his usual, shameless self. His kiss was long and lingering, patiently but irresistibly claiming every inch of territory inside my mouth, provoking the heat that quickly started to sizzle inside me. A moan escaped my throat. It had been too long since he kissed me like this … I missed it, wanted it. And I wanted more …

But I managed to listen to that small piece of reason in my head. "Bai Ye!" I grunted into his mouth and pushed him, glaring even harder this time. "Stop tempting me!"

He looked at me, his lips curled into a naughty smirk, and I suddenly wondered if this was the deadly temptation he saw in me every time he called me "little devil". I sighed helplessly. "Bai Ye … Do you not realize how precarious your situation was, and still is? This is a matter of life and death, and I'm not taking any risks. Not even if it's only one in a million chance. If we let this opportunity slip by, we might not be so lucky to find another cure before it's too late."

"I know." To my surprise, he acknowledged it. Reaching behind him, he plucked my hand off of his back and brought it over to his lips, dropping a kiss at the center of my palm. "I swear to you, Qing-er. I've learned my lesson, and I won't make the same mistake a second time. I will never think lightly of life again …" He shifted, wrapping his arms around me. "I'm sorry for everything. For making you worried, for being so stubborn and not listening. In all seriousness, I want to make it up to you … for the rest of my life, which I promise will be a long time."

His words eased me a little. "Do you really mean it?" I asked. "Will you really learn to take good care of yourself from now on?"

Loosening his hold on me and looking into my eyes, he nodded solemnly. But I only gave him a suspicious look. "Then stop kissing me like that," I mumbled. "We need to make sure you recover fully. Properly. You're still too weak—"

"Qing-er—"

"Didn't you say you want to make it up to me? I'll make you a deal then: for the next month, you will listen to me and do everything I tell you to do, because I can't trust your judgment on what is safe for your life at this point. You will stay with me in my room and let me look after you, and you need my permission if you want to change your medicines or your lifestyle. You will also need my permission if you want to kiss me … or go any further than that, because I can't risk falling victim to your temptations and making regretful decisions myself."

His eyes widened, as if I had just spoken in a language he couldn't understand. He opened his mouth to argue, but before he got a chance to speak, I flipped us over, and I pinned him to the pillow just like what he did to me earlier. "Every time you remain stubborn and refuse to listen to me, the deal extends for another day. Whereas every time you put extra effort into nurturing yourself back to health—" I said in the same coaxing voice he used a moment ago, "—I can consider rewarding you …"

With a gloating smile, I sealed our lips together again.