Am I In Love With Her? (II)

The kiss was deep,

The lips were molded,

The love I have for you will never change,

As long as we were together.

***

THE YEAR 1904, a century away from the present time.

Qing Long was breathing along and slowly inched his face closer to her. He was whispering on his mind through his underlying thoughts, and he tried to send it through Althea. He closed his eyes and lifted up the corners of his lips towards hers.

Qing Long felt the waters drained down through the gap as he claimed her lips after. He felt her sweet lips on his, making him breathless, but he knew the purpose of this kiss was to bring air through her. Qing Long breathed while moving his lips and he knew it will do something. He tightened his hold through the sides of her face and breathed as soon as he could.

But he knew that it would not do any effect through her.

Qing Long separated his lips from her and he saw that it was not working. He pursed his lips and breathed with the last air that he could grab on while he hoisted Althea close to him. Althea's body was now lifeless, the cold temperature and freezing river could be the sign of the Nian beast coming.

Qing Long thought that they should hurry. He swam upwards with all his might, wagging his hands on the layers of the waters, with his hands trembling too, with fear and feeble mind. Someone must have been waiting at the rocks, but who knows? They could be in danger if they stay hidden, waiting for death to come by.

Qing Long resurfaced from the waters, found himself concealing their bodies on a huge rock by the side of the shore, and he caught his breath first before glancing at Althea. Her body looked like a rotten vegetable, her lips were bluish, and her cheeks were white. Qing Long swallowed as he looked around and held onto Althea's waist in a bit.

He was in need of a flat surface to revive Althea with all her might.

Qing Long felt his body was shaking with the temperature. He heard the shouts of the bodyguards hastily walking to the rocks, yelling, "Your Highness!"

He irreversibly swam on the side, towards the farthest corner of the river, where the mountains could be seen, away from his cave. He slowly and carefully swam by the borders of the rocks, stowing away from the bodyguards. Qing Long whispered, "Hold on, Althea."

Qing Long closed his eyes and concentrated on his mind. He felt that his long tail was appearing on a snout and his nose was lengthening itself. The fag of the wings was evident as he turned into an azure dragon. His teeth prolonged in a minute and his skin become scales.

The azure flame was bursting out as his aura could lighten up the whole Yangtze River. It was just a matter of a millisecond, but only those who had been cursed could see it.

He hid underneath the waters as Althea was on his clawed hands. The sharp nails of him could kill her, but he was holding Althea in a gentle way.

The wings helped him to swim on the cold waters while Althea was still lost in this world, not realizing everything. Qing Long grunted as a tear escaped from his dragon's shadow white eyes while he fumed and roared through his mouth.

Qing Long, like a dragon, tried his best to go far away as possible, not even knowing if he could explain to Althea in its simplest terms. He flapped his wings over and over again, the line of the azure flame was conspicuous at the river.

Meanwhile, Mei was still looking out at the lanterns, but she was flabbergasted when she saw something on the river. The transparent and clear cerulean light was showing itself underneath. She raised her eyebrows and opened her lips slightly. She swallowed as she whispered, "Qing Long would be far away for now."

She sighed and closed her eyes while mumbling, "Be careful, Your Majesty."

Qing Long hastily went to the other side of the river, panicking, as he resurfaced from the sand shore through the island no one knew about. The long tail and his snout disappeared after a while. His legs had been turned into a human one, and his teeth had grown back to normal. The sharpness of it dissipated through his mouth. His claws vanished into thin air in a while after, and he found himself cradling Althea close to his chest.

He was holding the back part of her legs and her neck was being supported by her forearms, just like what he did earlier. He fell down on the sand with his knees first and placed Althea in his front. He fell on the side, his back first, and caught up with his breath.

Qing Long looked at the skies, the lanterns were still floating away peacefully, and he knew no one could see them on that side. Althea was breathing in a weak pulse and a slow pace, and Qing Long stood up from the sand a little while.

He was drenched, but he inched his face closer to her. He pinched her nose in a gentle way and opened her mouth a little as he breathed in. He inhaled a large amount of air once again and pumped her chest in a heavy way.

"C'mon, Althea, wake up!" Qing Long cried out as he knelt down and do it over and over again. He was not losing hope on reviving her as she checked her breathing. He could feel the warmth on her lips and nostrils while Qing Long felt light and like a feather grip on his arms.

Althea opened her eyes slowly as she coughed up the water that she had senselessly drunk.

She sat up as Qing Long fell back on the sand and closed his eyes.