Chapter 3 - You Are My Wife

'This… this had to be the worse moment of my life,' he hung his head, as they carried the prison he was in toward wherever this Ghost King was. He was so tired, he just wanted to lay down and sleep to dream of his lover. He was sure as soon as he tried, someone would come with a bucket of water to pour on his pathetic life. Red veil over his face, he could barely see a thing and sighed. The entire time on their travel, those in gold were telling stories out loud so he could hear them.

"I heard the Ghost King was offered a woman from the East sector," someone would say, "... and the Ghost King ate her up!"

"I heard a woman from the North sector seduced the King, but when he found out she was a liar, he tortured her to death and even has her ghost be tortured still. It is said at night you can hear her screaming!"

"I heard the animal that is with him is his pet! He used it to kill and one time, it killed over 40 people with just a swipe."

"I heard he had many women with him to please him because he is insatiable."

"Someone told me every 20 years, the sectors alternate to send the most beautiful woman as an offering to the Ghost King in hope that he does not come to kill their people."

"I heard he made the entire village into his own palace where ghosts roam free at night. If any living thing comes then it is free reign for the ghosts. He would not even stop them."

He felt the movement stop and he felt his heartrate picked up. The carriage was settled down and he cried inwardly.

"Ghost King, your benevolence," the hair dragging bastard spoke up like an announcement, "We have come with a special gift, a wife, from our Sect Leader Feng."

Bai Lan felt his entire body tensed up.

'Why would you say it like that!' He was so scared. He was too young for this and he was going to die. He-

"Oh my…" he heard them say as gasps escaped their lips, "Let's go! Go!"

Footsteps running away, even that hair dragging bastard, was scared of the Ghost King which only made him even more dreadful of what was to come. An insatiable, hungry, cold killer was to be… his husband! He was pretending to be a woman for goodness sake! He had to tell him straight up that this was a mistake. He was just forced into this and he would kick all those people's asses when he got stronger.

The red flap was pushed aside, and he looked over to see a hand embellished with three loose bracelets held before him. His eyes followed down the length of that arm covered in black to the slight revealing chest. Staring at it, he noticed a black tattoo peeking from the opening of the Ghost King's robe. Necklaces adorned with gold and light colorful jewels hung from his long thick neck.

Bai Lan felt his face getting warmed and he almost slapped himself if it weren't for the hand pulling away from him. Making a decision, he quickly grabbed the retreating hand as it helped him out of the cage. Looking, he hoped whoever this Ghost King was, Bai Lan was going to tell him who he was and that this was a misunderstanding. Simple, right?

'I am not a girl, I am a guy,' he practiced, 'I was forced to come here dressed like this. Please do not get angry with me. If you let me leave, I will beat them all for lying to you.'

The veil lifted over his head and his eyes widened so wide, he felt it would literally pop right off or burn.

'This was no real human! There was no way!'

He must be a God! That was the only reason, the only justification for how beautiful this man was. Bai Lan felt those long, smooth fingers lift his chin. The Ghost King was a head taller with eyes of silver and hair as dark as the midnight sky. Parts of his hair were braided loosely holding emeralds and rubies. There was a mark wrapped around his left eye, like the river splitting to connect once more. His lips were thin, yet he wanted to-

Face flushed deeply from the tip of his ears down to his neck, Bai Lan pulled back to hide himself behind the veil again.

'Holy shit!' He took a deep breath, 'How can anyone be this gorgeous! Heart! Stop beating so fast! He can kill me.'

He could feel his heart pounding, wanting to reach the man before him, the man that he was forced to marry. He had never felt this before, this strong connection that pulled him toward the man with silver eyes. 

'No! I... I can't feel this way for the Ghost King. Only the man in my dreams. Only him.'

A cold hand grabbed his sweaty warm one and pulled him forward, jostling whatever he was just thinking. He was too scared to pull away, both from what the Ghost King could do to him and how his heart seemed to sing when they touched.

As they walked, he regretted covering himself with the veil. He couldn't see much, but he could hear what sounded like music being played, but it suddenly stopped. He wondered why, until he heard voices.

"They offered you a wife this time, my king?" He heard a female say.

"Oh, she must have done something truly despicable to be brought here like this. They always seem to send people here to be punish," The second voice sighed.

"I shall have her clothing ready," The first voice offered.

He could hear a few murmurs amongst the females before the music started again, but the tone was lighter and uplifting. He soon heard water as they seemed to stop. Confused as to why, he suddenly felt something soft ran against his unoccupied hand.

'Huh? What is this? It's so soft…' he thought as he moved his hands to feel it more.

"Purr," A sound emitted from the petting and Bai Lan screamed clinging onto the Ghost King.

'It's the pet! The one that killed 40 people with just a paw! Oh no, no, I don't want to die!' He inwardly cried clingy harder.

Staying attached to the one before him, he left no room between them as they moved. Bai Lan figured if the animal were to kill him, his master will go down too!

'Hah! I am so smart!' He felt himself grinning, as if he came up with the best plan.

He heard a door slide open and the air around him was warmer with the smell of plum blossoms. Loosening his hold, he relaxed a bit knowing that scary animal would not be in the room. He soon felt the bed against his back, and he bounced with it. Wanting to get up, he felt breath near his face and his eyes widened.

His veil was removed over his head and he was back to staring into silver eyes and pretty lips. That hand left featherlight touches down the side of his face and he swallowed the saliva building in his mouth. He felt his heart beating so loudly in the room, like the beating of the climax of a drum. The Ghost King leaned in closer, breathe against his lips and Bai Lan felt his eyes flutter shut.

The God-like man's chest was close to his but not touching, as his necklaces hung tickling his exposed neck. Nose glided softly over his cheek to his ear, before moving to smell the curve of his neck. A low hum was heard and Bai Lan found his body ignited in flames.

"Please," he whimpered quietly.

His entire body was shivering as if he had just been dunked into freezing water. He was graced with the inhumane face once more as those silver eyes searched his face. The longer the man looked, the more he wanted to hide himself again and never crawl out of it.

"You are my wife," the Ghost King said, and it made the shivering even worse.