The Duke's Passion

"Haha!" Sam chuckled, tapping the surface of the table lightly. "Well, will you drink mine then?"

He then leaned forward, propping his jaw on his palm, flashing me a mischievous smirk.

"Ah?"

"*sigh* The only person I want to drink my blood never even consider having a sip." Sam smiled brightly. "It never even crosses you, did it?"

I pursed my lips into a thin line. Well, why would I drink a vampire's blood? I'm a mortal.

"Do I have to drink your blood? But isn't that dangerous?" I asked, out of pure curiosity.

"It is dangerous. But I think you won't die now that you have lakresha. You'll just get sired to me once you turned into a vampire. Isn't that romantic?"

"I don't need to get sired to do everything you want, though." I let out a heavy sigh, taking this discussion rather lightly. 

"Also, I don't want to become a vampire." 

For reasons unknown, I hung my head low. Was it too selfish for me to say those words?

"Why do you look so dejected, silly? I don't plan on turning you into one unless you beg me." Sam chuckled, reacting as the complete opposite of what I expected.

I lifted my head and let out another sigh. Sam and I never discussed about it. He never even proposed of turning me into a vampire or how this love between a human and vampire would last.

"Say, Sam." I leaned my arms on the edge of the table. "I'm asking out of pure curiosity. But, how will you turn me into a vampire? I know drinking your blood is an act of intimacy and has effects like getting sired. Will I turn into one if I drink your blood?"

I queried in one go. I had been thinking about this long ago and only now I asked.

"Oh? Curious, I see." Sam raised a brow, nodding. "Let's see."

He then rubbed his chin, ruminating on his explanation. When our gaze met, Sam snapped his finger.

"To turn you into a vampire, you have to die. I mean, you have to be at the death's door. Although it sounds simple, the process is utterly excruciating since a vampire's blood will eat all your human blood. Also, only few can actually survive that. That's why there are only a few cases of successful turned vampires." Sam explained in a knowing tone.

"What happens if it's a failure?"

"You will be an abnormal. Although, it's guarantee you'll become strong, you won't control your thirst. You'll end up just like a mindless, blood sucking monster with a brief span of life."

"Short span of time?" I tilted my head to the side.

"Most abnormal have one hour or half a day to live. The only successful turned vampires are products of pure-blooded vampires. Most abnormal are products of nobles; the abnormal produced by the purebloods have longer life span, though. They can live for at least a week or a month without ever seeing sunlight."

"That sounds… complicated." I murmured, knitting my brows as I parsed his explanation.

"To put it simply, pureblooded vampires such as the royal family have a high probability to turn human into a vampire. But that didn't mean they were successful all the time. Noble vampires can only produce failures. It's actually better to have turned vampires as servants, since no one can bend their loyalty. They will kill themselves if you order them to." Sam nodded, agreeing with his own last remarks.

"If its so convenient, why didn't the royal family turned everyone a vampire?" I asked with a frown.

The side of his lips curled into a smile. "Because there's always a hitch, Lilove."

"Huh?"

"You see, turning a human into a vampire is not as easy as breathing. If you turned someone into a vampire, it takes up a lot of energy and life span. If I turn you into a vampire, I'll have to give you at least a hundred years of my life. In other words, I have to sacrifice something to gain something. Do you think my arrogant brothers will just generously sacrifice something for mortals?"

"It sounds more complicated than I thought…" I nodded, still a little confused. But somehow, I grasped the idea. "How about blood pact, then? It sounds less complicated."

"Of course, Lilove. However, the bond between a pact and turning human to vampire is different. A pact is less complicated, but they're less effective. A person bound by a blood pact has a free will to disobey their master and betray them. As for the turned vampires, they're practically sired, slaves, and see their master as a god."

Sam shrugged nonchalantly. And then added;

"Who is in their sane mind to do a pact if a human who can betray them in the end?"

I pursed my lips, staring at him. Sam was shaking his head, sighing.

Who was in their sane mind to agree into a pact if the other part could betray them? Well, I'm staring into one.

I shook my head and let out a faint sigh. My sarcasm didn't matter now, right?

"I see." Instead, I just nodded as he answered my questions.

"If I don't love you, I'll let you drink my blood. If so, my Lilove will swoon at me day and night~!" Sam giggled, as he seemed to enjoy the thought.

"Will you prefer a substantial affection than actual love?"

"Hehe. Does it seem it matters to me?" A smug grin turned up on his lips. "But, the latter is better, obviously. I don't think it'll be as fun as this if it's the former."

"Don't tell me to drink your blood then." I looked away. The tip of my ears burning.

"Yes, yes, ma'am. I won't mention it." Sam chuckled as he watched me picked up the cloths on the table.

Just as I picked up the last piece of cloth, I halted and faced him.

"Sam?"

"Hmm?"

"That night… three months ago, where did you go that night?" I asked out of impulse. Even I didn't know why I asked such a question.

No, that's not what's strange. What was even stranger was, why did I never ask him?

"Oh?" Sam tilted his head innocently. "I picked flowers for you since I didn't think we will stay here this long. I thought I should give you flowers that only bloom in Cunningham. They were in the season."

Huh? What's this?

"I helped the townsfolk set up your sacred place. I made a sketch of you so they could worship your beauty... properly."

Those words suddenly hovered inside my head, being uttered by the same voice and same lip. I stretched my neck slightly, having this discomfort sensation out of nowhere.

"It's not because you made a sketch of me so others can 'worship' me properly?" I asked, shrugging my tangled thoughts away.

"What nonsenses is that? If you allow me, I'd pluck out everyone's eyes who had laid their eye on my precious bride!" Sam's face scrunched, expressing his resolve.

"Why would I make a sketch of you for everyone to see? I'd rather have you all for myself!" 

"Oh…" I nodded as it made sense, considering his character. Sam overly proud about me, but his possessiveness far exceeded one's imagination. If I let him be, everyone around us had gone blind already!

"Wait. Did you…?"

"Well, I think I remembered something like that. Don't worry. You'll be the first person to know if I recovered all my memories." I sported a reassuring smile.

I gathered all the cloth and hugged them, carrying them to wash them. Before I left, I turned my head back to him.

"You should rest first, Sam. I will be back." 

Sam just nodded mindlessly and waved. I smiled at his heedless reaction and went off.