Tricks and Treats

Xuefeng felt a faint tremor ripple through him as Ling's Qi surged, swiftly purging the toxin. In that suspended moment, the Queen's question dug into his mind, an insidious force compelling him to respond. His lips parted instinctively—but in the blink of an eye, the intrusive thoughts dissolved, leaving only clarity.

Ling's voice murmured in his mind, I've gathered the toxic mist that seeped through your skin. You can release it whenever you like to turn the tables on her. The tricky part is I had to store it in your lungs, or else it'd lose potency. You'll need to breathe it out—through your mouth—to use it.

A spark of grim satisfaction flickered in Xuefeng's eyes. So I can use her own trick against her. All right… Let's play along. 

He widened his eyes, feigning rising anger, only to let it drain away in an instant—mimicking the intended effect of the Queen's red mist. His pupils dilated, his expression smoothing into eerie stillness, as though every trace of emotion had been wiped away.

In a monotone voice, he replied patiently, "I don't want to hurt the person I love."

The Queen's delicate brow arched in mild surprise, though she quickly recovered. "It worked faster than I expected," she said, studying his blank features with interest. "I thought Dream Bloom needed at least a minute to activate. So, you fancy someone already? Care to share her name?"

Xuefeng's gaze turned distant, as if searching his memory. "Her name is… actually, I don't know."

"How can you not know the name of someone you claim to love?" The Queen's eyes narrowed, curiosity intensifying. She loosened her grip on his chin, taking a step back.

"I only met her recently…" His voice retained that empty lilt, as though responding from a script.

The Queen regarded him carefully, the tension of unsolved mysteries edging her posture. "So she's here, in my realm? One of my people? I'd love to know who holds your heart over my own daughter." A faint flash of annoyance crept into her tone.

Xuefeng took a measured breath, his posture steady, his expression unreadable. Then, with sudden intensity, he locked eyes with her.

"When I walked into this chamber," he murmured, his voice low and deliberate, "and saw your silhouette against the window, something stirred inside me. I wanted to embrace you… And when you turned around, revealing that regal face, that soul-piercing gaze…" He let the words linger, his tone laced with quiet reverence. "I knew—you were the one I'd been waiting for."

Reaching out, he took her hand with practiced ease, his thumb brushing lightly over her smooth skin. His voice caught, ever so slightly, on the final word.

"W-what are you saying?" The Queen's composure wavered for an instant, but she reminded herself—he was under the red mist's influence. If he was speaking, it had to be the truth… right?

Xuefeng lifted her hand toward his lips in a tender, deliberate gesture. "I fell in love with these delicate arms and hands, longing to hold and kiss them for eternity." His lips brushed along her forearm, each kiss placed with reverence, as though worshiping something sacred.

A tremor ran down the Queen's spine. He's enthralled by the Dream Bloom, she reassured herself. But… why did it feel so real? So intense? She swallowed, warring with the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

Xuefeng's voice dipped lower, huskier. "And… your body. Perfectly balanced. I want to admire every inch, day and night, forgetting food and drink." His palms glided over her hips, warm fingertips tracing the bare skin peeking between the folds of her dress. Each movement was confident yet measured, an almost reverent study of her form.

She gasped quietly when his thumbs skimmed near her breasts, a tingling current igniting across her skin—a feeling long forgotten. Has it really been twenty-five years since I felt a man's touch? A faint flush crept over her cheeks, but she couldn't—wouldn't—pull away. Her pride wouldn't allow her to reveal weakness, yet the way he touched her, so assured, so enthralled… it stirred something dangerous within her.

Her voice came out softer than she intended. "What else… draws you to me?"

Xuefeng's gaze darkened, a predatory gleam flickering behind his eyes. "Your perfect, round backside," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "I want to squeeze and knead it until I lose all sense of self."

His hands slid lower with slow, deliberate intent, fingers curving around her waist before pulling her flush against him. The Queen inhaled sharply, half in shock, half in something far more dangerous. Her palms pressed against his chest—solid and warm beneath his shirt. His heartbeat thundered under her fingertips. Without thinking, she gripped his shoulders, her body responding instinctively to his closeness.

A soft moan escaped her lips as Xuefeng kneaded her rear, sending an electric jolt through her neglected senses. Heat pooled low in her stomach, memories of passion long past resurfacing against her will. Why does this feel… so right? Her face burned with embarrassment at her own reaction, but a deeper, more primal hunger coiled beneath the surface.

"I…" she began, but the words wouldn't come.

Her body betrayed her restraint, pressing closer to his warmth, her mind drifting in a haze of need.

Finally, Xuefeng's voice cut through the charged silence. "What I crave most," he whispered huskily, "are these sweet lips… they look so tender I could devour them all day."

He raised a hand, fingers tangling in her silky hair, cradling the back of her head. Inch by inch, he guided her forward, his gaze locked onto hers.

Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, his mouth claimed hers in a soft yet insistent kiss. She stiffened, eyes widening. I shouldn't— But the moment his lips molded against hers, hesitation crumbled beneath a wave of intoxicating warmth.

She wanted this.

Had yearned for this.

For too many lonely nights, she had longed for something, someone, to reignite the fire buried deep inside her.

But as her inhibitions crumbled, she missed the faint hiss of vapor escaping his lungs—Xuefeng's exhalation of stolen toxic mist, intended to dismantle her defenses.

Yet, to his surprise, the Queen seized control.

Her tongue swept forward, tangling with his in a battle of dominance. A soft groan escaped her as she hooked her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The plan to keep the kiss measured—to simply deliver the mist—shattered under her sudden intensity. She wasn't just responding; she was devouring him, her body pressing against his, her short dress riding dangerously high against his thighs.

Oh god. Xuefeng reeled from her unexpected hunger. Did I overdo it? He had intended to maintain control, but she seized him in a way that made it impossible to politely withdraw.

The kiss stretched on—a slow-burning crescendo of heat and urgency—until, without warning, the Queen pushed him onto the polished wooden floor.

Kneeling astride him, she pinned him beneath her hips, her lips still moving against his with feverish need. Xuefeng lay still, waiting, half-expecting the red mist to finally overwhelm her… but nothing happened.

When she finally pulled away, panting softly, her aquamarine eyes glittered with unmistakable heat. For a moment, she simply stared down at him, fingers tracing idle patterns across his chest. Then, with deliberate intent, her hand drifted lower, gliding over his abdomen until she found the outline of his stiffening arousal.

Her fingers tightened.

Xuefeng sucked in a sharp breath, a strangled groan escaping his throat.

"So, boy," she murmured, leaning in until her breath ghosted against his ear. "What really stops you from ravaging me? Could it be… you're lying?" A knowing smirk played at her lips.

Shock flared in Xuefeng's expression. "You— you knew?!"

A low, smoky laugh spilled from her throat. "I suspected eventually. When you tried exhaling your little mist, I realized you meant to turn the Dream Bloom's effect against me." She nibbled at his jawline, reveling in the way he stiffened beneath her. "But I always take an antidote beforehand."

Her confession sent a jolt of alarm through him. Damn it.

"That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it." Her voice was like velvet, smooth and laced with amusement. "I'd nearly forgotten the sensation of a man's hands on me."

Xuefeng tensed, instincts screaming at him to move—but when he tried, his limbs remained frozen. A faint glow shimmered around his body, locking him in place.

Panic surged. "What is this?!" His voice came out sharper than he intended, edged with barely restrained alarm.

The Queen sighed, as though he were being unreasonable. "I can't let you run," she said simply, as if they were discussing the weather.

Despite the composed tone, her breath still came quicker than normal, and faint tremors ran through her body—lingering aftershocks of desire.

Her palm stroked over the bulge at his crotch again, teasing another strangled hiss from him.

"Not after you tried to trick me," she continued, voice dipping into something almost dangerous. "I can't remember the last time I felt so… alive."