Chapter 147 - 4.12 Morning Wood
For the first time in forever, Heimo woke up naturally and he couldn’t even remember the last time he had felt this...serene. Before, he used to be jolted awake because of harmless rustle from small animals around, or the faint sound of conversation afar or his own limbs that slid off the ground or simply the sunshine that pierced through the fold of his eyelids.
Or recently, he would be shocked awake by the weird images in his dreams; another version of him in a different appearance and different era he had never seen before. Sometimes, he was mourning. Another time, he was living a blissful life. And in every single one of them, there would be someone standing by his side although the dream would always dissipate everytime he woke up. What remained was a strange sense of longing and hollowness that made his heart ache.
Basically everything and anything could shock him awake and he wasn’t surprised anymore to shoot up standing with his body being all defensive before his eyes opened and his mind even registered what was happening. It was a habit that had been formed through years of bitter experience.
But it was different this time.
He felt so comfortable as if all his bones had turned into liquid and his mind was quiet for once. His head was groggy and all he ever wanted to do was to go back to sleep. Screw everything. Ha! It was such a laughable joke. He, Black Demon Weeping Blood, couldn’t get enough sleep? His shijie would think he had succumbed to madness if she ever heard of it.
He sighed and snuggled closer toward the source of heat. It was just the right amount of hardness and silkiness. Perfect. Heimo couldn’t resist running his palm across the smooth surface only to feel it rising and falling regularly. Up and down. A rhythmic movement that couldn’t possibly come from his pillow. Or any pillow in the world.
Hmm...? Something was off. Alarm bells rang through the fog in his mind and he forced his brain to start working again. Right... he had wanted to kill Jingxue-Jun yesterday but instead, he ended up injuring himself instead. The subsequent memories came back like a crashing wave. The narrow cave, the crackling fire, the savory meat of the celestial phoenix, the pain that tore through his whole body, the agony, the warm embrace, and the voice that kept whispering into his ears. "Good boy. Good boy. You’re doing so well."
Heimo’s eyes snapped open abruptly and all the drowsiness dissipated like smoke. Damn it, Jingxue-Jun! He had fallen asleep without even realizing. How could he lower his guard so easily around that man?! What happened last night?! What if... What if—
His frenzied imagination, and practically all the thoughts in his head in general, screeched to a halt as he registered what was in front of his eyes and he took in a sharp breath. Someone’s broad chest, he noted, and rumpled collar that gave hint to a glimpse of the sexiest collarbone he had ever seen. The strangely familiar scent of winter and sweetness he couldn’t name surrounded him from all directions, making his head spin hazily like he was drunk on liquor.