The Duke's Passion

Cassara stood before him in her tight, revealing, silk nightdress, exposing her collarbones and upper chest that draped down to her legs.

"But, my worries will be far greater knowing you've been deprived. So, just take a bite, Hell. I do not mind and I'll keep this a secret between us." Cassara fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly, running her fingers across his shoulder. 

She had longed for him for a long time. Cassara never wanted a man other than Samael. Even when she was a child, she had admired him and promised to stand beside him and be the source of his happiness.

It was a simple dream, an ambition she wanted in this life. Throne? Power? She didn't have the slightest interest in those. What she only wanted was for Samael to find her desirable. Was that too much to ask?

"Take a bite…" Samael repeated as his eyes narrowed, scanning her with disinterest.

Cassara stared at him straight in the eye, planting her hand on his chest. "Yes, don't you want to?" Her eyes sought for even the slightest affection in his eyes, but nothing.

"Is that an order, your royal highness?" Samael inquired, eyebrows raised. 

"If I say it is, will you obey?" 

Samael smiled, closed-lipped. "No."

Cassara let out a short scoff as she took three staggering steps back. She already predicted this would happen, but she still went in here, wearing almost nothing, and he didn't show the slightest interest.

"Why?" she whispered under her breath, "why won't you look at me?"

"Am I not looking at you right now, my dear, naughty sister?" Samael cocked his head, gazing at her from head to toe as if he was merely staring at a lump of meat instead of a beautiful woman. "You've lost weight and grown taller. That's some improvement." He nodded approvingly.

"Hell!" Cassara yelled, grinding her teeth as she clenched her hand tightly.

"Why are you howling, sister? My wife is exhausted, I don't want to disturb her rest."

"Why?" she asked through her gritted teeth with her voice shaking in anger. "Am I not desirable? Am I not beautiful? Why won't you look at me the same way you look at her?" Cassara hastily approached him, clutching her hands on his chest. "I've lived this long, married Stefan just so I can stay, and prepared myself to be your wife, Hell. I've done everything, everything, just for you! You can't do this to me!" 

His eyes glinted as he placed his hand on her shoulder, pushing her back as he took a step back. Samael thought he had warned her enough, but it seemed Cassara's 'infatuation' for him was stronger than he thought.

"Cassara," He said, staring at her dead in the eye. "Shall I end your misery?" 

Cassara choked as a chill ran down her spine. Death was staring at her, waiting for her approval to embrace it. This couldn't be happening to her, she thought.

"I will do it quick, and I guarantee it'll be relatively painless, sister. Shall I save you?" he asked, pitying her for how she had fallen due to her ambitious desire. Just when he thought she got a hold of herself already.

"You are desirable and beautiful, sister. However, you're asking the wrong man for affection. Did you ask why I only look in her direction?" he smirked as he let out a quick chuckle. "That's because I can't take these fucking eyes off of her. Do you know how aggravating it is to see those gits flock around her? But I don't want to upset her. It's driving me mad."

Samael snapped to his senses when he heard a loud crack under his grip. He immediately released her shoulder, keeping his hands up.

"I broke your shoulders, forgive me." He apologized half-heartedly. Thinking of how a lot of people grew fond of Lilou and how they could spend so much time with her annoyed him, obviously. So much so he broke Cassara's shoulder as he momentarily got blinded with madness.

Cassara scoffed as her broken shoulder felt nothing compared to the pain in her heart. They were talking about her, and yet, his focus immediately shifted to Lilou. 

"Is it because of her blood?" she muttered under her breath, looking helpless. "Is it because she's…" Cassara trailed off as the temperature dropped and Samael's gaze instantly grew colder.

"Hold your tongue, Cassara." He warned in a piercingly low tone. "I never asked you to do whatever you did for me. I've humored you enough. This will be the last time I'll let you disturb me just to listen to your words of lust. Have some self-respect, sister."

Samael turned to walk away after saying his piece. Cassara understood that what he meant by this being the last. The next time, he couldn't guarantee that she would only leave with a broken shoulder. He'd kill her... for sure.

'I will kill her, Hell,' Cassara whispered internally as she gazed down, being left alone with not just broken shoulders, but a wretched heart.

'You'll feel my pain... you will feel my pain, Hell.'

***

As Samael departed the room, his steps suddenly halted when his eyes landed on the figure leaning against the wall. He raised his brow, tilting his head to the side.

"You're here?" he asked, watching her as Lilou raise her gaze at him. Samael remained silent for a moment, recalling the conversation he had with Cassara.

"Did you hear everything?"

"From the time she asked if you've been drinking," Lilou answered, and he furrowed his brows. He was being lenient and just went with the flow in the beginning, which could be easily misunderstood. Why did she stay?

"Why did you stay, then?" he asked instead of trying to figure out the answer himself.

Lilou pursed her lips. "Because I don't want to misunderstand?" she replied as she clutched her chest. "If I walked away when my mind told me I shouldn't listen anymore, I know I will never trust you again." She looked at him, resolve glinting across her eyes. "I don't want to doubt you or your love or our vows, my husband." and she was glad she stayed and listened more.

The corner of his lips curled upward as he trudged towards her. "My sweet wife," he whispered huskily, his eyes glinting, stroking her jaw with the back of his hand. "You are so precious."