The Duke's Passion

"Lilou! Watch out!" Lilou froze momentarily, sensing this hot breath down her nape. Before she could think of anything, Lilou's body turned to save her. PANG!

Her eyes fell on the dark thread that fell on the ground, wide-eyed. When she raised her gaze, her breathing slowed down. "You…" she trailed off, gulping. "... who are you?"

Several steps away from her was a person so familiar to her. Platinum hair and those bright, malicious golden eyes. Zero. However, as this man stood before Lilou, she was certain Samael was also fighting this same guy. How come there were two of them? "It's me, dear, your fiance." Zero spread his bloodstained arms with a sick grin plastered on his face. "Can't you remember me?"

"I know your name, but how come there are two of you?" her grip on Lakresha tightened, growing wary of him as she could feel his growing aura. "Is that really important, my fiancee?" he cocked his head to the side, sighing. "Just think of it as, uh… my preparation so I won't leave you behind again?"

'What?' Another sigh slipped past Zero's lips, retrieving his hand, since she wouldn't run to his embrace, anyway. "That man, Stefan, blame him," explained Zero in a somber tone. "Back then, he betrayed me and let himself die in that insufferable Samael's hands. If he desired death so much, he shouldn't have implicated me and ruined my plans. Good thing I prepared a backup plan since I couldn't completely trust that soft-hearted boy."

Lilou gulped another mouthful of air, sensing this chill down her spine. She didn't know where this was going, but her gut feeling told her Zero still had cards up his sleeve. "My dearest Lilou, I will save you, do not worry."

"Save me?" Lilou let out a short, ridiculing laugh. "And who do you think you are to save me?"

"I am your fiance! Of course, I will come to your rescue."

"Don't make me laugh."

Zero frowned slightly, glancing in the air, and the attacks of another Zero on Samael grew fiercer. He kept Samael busy just so he could have private time with Lilou, and he planned to use this time to set her straight.

"My fiancee, my poor fiancee." He let out another deep sigh. "He brainwashed you so much that you are blind to what's right before you."

"I might be blind, but that same goes for you."

"I cannot deny that." Zero rocked his head in agreement. "If I'm not blind, I would've slit your throat a long time ago. But, perhaps, I am just as soft as Stefan. I already know my fiancee wouldn't behave, and yet, I still try so hard not to lay a scratch on you. Surely, love is a terrifying and appalling thing."

Love… Lilou could not help but laugh at the level of ridiculousness she was forced to listen to. "I died once and I cannot forget that moment in my life." Zero continued, spreading his fingers as he gazed at his palm. "Back then, I couldn't think of anything. I lost my people, my goal grew dim, my fiancee, and everything I hold slowly slipped away from my grip like grains."

"I told myself I wouldn't let that happen again, my fiancee." He slowly clasped his hand, lifting his glinting eyes back to her. "If I'm going to do it again, I will only rely on myself."

"That is why the moment I opened my eyes when my backup plan succeeded, I recreated myself," he added as his lips stretched until his teeth were showing. "You can kill me multiple times, but Lilou, are you certain the man standing before you or that person keeping that insufferable Samael busy is the real me?"

Listening to his calm and threatening remarks churned her stomach, tying the knot in it. Her heart thudded as realization struck her. Was that the reason Zero was so confident in letting them in the Spade Kingdom?

Lilou knew Zero well, and she had an idea of how sick and twisted he could be. Was he lamenting about losing his people? Deep in her heart, she knew he didn't mean it in an honorable way. Zero wasn't the type who would stop just because a close comrade died. Zero was the epitome of selfishness. Nothing could stop him from getting what he wanted. Back then, she thought death would, but now, she couldn't be sure anymore. "It seems you resolved the problem with death," Lilou breathed out with a short and dry laugh. "Oh, Zero. You are really persistent, and I commend you for that."

He smiled. "Your praise is truly one of a kind and gives me this inexplicable feeling."

"Don't worry." Her eyes sharpened, shunning her surrounding as she set her undivided attention on him. "I'll make you regret wanting my undivided attention. I will turn this kingdom upside down to find your real body. And I'm telling you, once I find your body, I will mince while you're alive enough for you to never wish you didn't exist in the first place."

"Haha…" Zero returned her threats with amused laughter. "Sure, my fiance. I deeply wish you good luck with that."

His eyelids drooped until they were partially closed. "Didn't I tell you? Love is such an appalling thing, my bride. I should've felt offended, but all I felt upon your remarks were good wishes. Although I couldn't deny that it breaks my heart that you speak so cruelly to me."

"I don't blame you, though, Lilou, my bride." Zero raised a hand, spreading his fingers. Lilou caught this faint dark shroud on his fingertips. As he moved and flexed his fingers, it look as though he was controlling something. "I can only push the blame on Samael La Crox. It's all his fault for seducing and taking what is originally mine. Not only he brainwashed you with his flowery words, but also claimed that body to produce his damn seed." His smile slowly faded while Lilou's breath hitched. "I will correct everything and put things back in their proper place. The Bloodfang… were mine, to begin with, after all."

Lilou took a step back for the first time as she had only been advancing without looking back. She gazed heavenward on instinct, and despite knowing it was already nighttime, the sky grew darker as this powerful shroud that almost felt like a dark field surrounded the entire Spade Kingdom.

"Hell's Gate," was all she heard from Zero, and before she knew it, Lilou felt stuck in a large gate.

******

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Read it, it's important.

Happy 800th Chapter!

I want to thank everyone who stuck with me until now <3 Really. Without you, I wouldn't be able to continue writing or reach this far. TDP currently has 900k+ words and we're halfway there to reach 1 million words. WoW! I said it before, I originally plan TDP to only have 60 chapters and a maximum of 80k words. So, I couldn't believe that this book is almost a million words. It's the longest novel I have at the moment. I planned to end it once we reach 1 million words or 1 thousand chapters, but that plan seemed impossible anymore. Unless, of course, there were still details that I haven't covered. But TDP will still soon reach its end and will be marked completed. Fret not. If you want to see our beloved characters, they will appear in my other novel that is also part of the Crimson Series, The Tyrant's Pet Volume 5: The Grimsbanne. Though I recommend you read The Tyrant's Pet from the very beginning. <3

This journey with you had always been a pleasure.

Always grateful,

alienfrommars

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