The Duke's Passion

According to Lara, I didn't literally come out of her womb, my ancestor was. What she meant by I lived and died, she was talking about the core that was hidden within me. That core was akin to a bubble and within it was a concentrated power and knowledge of the Bloodfang clan and Lara. It was passed down from generation to generation until it could find a body, a suitable host.

After centuries, the core had finally had found its perfect host, and that was me. If it wasn't for me, my children would have to bear the responsibility. If none of my children could handle the core, then their children would. 

A never-ending cycle that would only stop until a suitable host was born. Once this happened, the core would stop in that person, in me. Whether I live or die, my core would stop in this body.

"In other words, the child who will have to carry the core is still my child." Lara smiled as she ended her explanation. "Since he or she will bear my blood and not your biological parents."

"Please, stop." My under eyes twitched as a shallow breath escaped my nose. "It's enough for me to know that my father is actually my father."

"But you don't have a mother."

"I didn't grow up with a mother, but that didn't mean I never had one," I argued, eyebrow raised. "Even if what you're saying about a part of your blood is running through me, that didn't mean you're my mother."

"Blood is thicker than water, my child."

"No." I shook my head, chuckling mockingly at her remarks. "Sharing blood doesn't necessarily mean we're family. Bond is stronger than blood, and family doesn't limit to blood relation."

"But I think we've formed a bond now, don't you think?" she cocked her head to the side, while my expression died.

"Let's not talk about it." I waved as I leaned back comfortably against the chair. "Is that all you can tell me? You really can't tell me your plans and my clan's plans? Won't you give me a hint, at least?"

"My child, what I had told you is a lot already."

"They are, indeed, a lot, but mostly, irrelevant." My eyes rolled as I huffed in dismay. 

"I don't think so, my child." Despite my rudeness, Lara kept her kind smile. It even brightened up. "But I can tell you one thing, from the human I had birth, I had passed down a hint that each and every one of them knew."

"A hint that is passed down…?"

"Yes." Lara smiled gently as her eyes softened. "Honestly, because of that, I thought your father was the one we had been waiting for. But alas, he is just as stubborn as you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Logan is a perceptive man, my child. He knew there's something within him just for that hint, but he kept denying its existence." Lara picked up her cup of tea and sipped elegantly before placing it back on the saucer.

She continued, "If he didn't deny it, he could've awakened Hell and that sit will not be yours to sit on." Pointing at the chair I was perching on.

"My father knew about our clan's will?" My brows furrowed as my mouth fell open.

"He knew, but only a little later. As I've said, your father is a perceptive man. I don't how it happened, but at one point, he started hearing voices and opened a connection with me. But that is right after he had you." She traced the rim of her teacup with her finger as she stared at her reflection. 

"Logan only realized his mistake of rejecting the core when the responsibility was passed down to you," Lara added as she raised her eyes to me. "I'm certain he had taught you everything he could. You just have to remember it, my child."

"His teachings…?" My voice came out weak as I gazed down, thinking of all the memories I had with my beloved father.

"Did he blame himself? Thinking he could've ruined his daughter's uneventful life?" I murmured, knowing Father, he would think like that. He was the type of person who would put me first, after all.

Lara remained silent, and we didn't talk for as long as I could remember. Until now, I thought Father was having a blast in heaven, but it seemed I was wrong. He died with a lot of regrets, and one of those was this curse.

"You should return now, my child." Lara finally broke the prolonged silence between us, making me raise my gaze to her. "If you want Logan to rest in peace, don't you think fighting instead of hiding in here is just the right thing to do?"

"I don't want to hear what is right and wrong from someone who chose death to pass their problem to someone else." I blurted out instinctively, but I didn't regret voicing out my thoughts.

Lara smiled bitterly. She couldn't argue with me about that. "Still, waking up is still better than staying in deep slumber. Don't you have a husband to return to?"

"I know. I changed my mind when I realized how talkative you are." I exhaled sharply, placing my palms against the table to push myself up. "Anyway, it was a pleasant talk. Do I have to take the same exit?"

I traveled my gaze around, searching for the exit of this illusion. It didn't take long to find it, as it looked exactly the same the first time I got trapped in this place.

"Bye." I cocked my head back to her before I marched out of the gazebo and towards the exit. Just as I did, I halted when I heard her calling for me.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this, Lilou." There was bitterness and sincerity in her voice, leaving heaviness in my heart. "If I can turn back the time, I would've fought differently… I'm certain the Bloodfang, your father, had realized that as well."

"Tch." All I could do after her remark was to snicker in dismay. Their regrets were futile now, as I was already in this situation of no return.

I continued on my stride without glancing at her until I stood at the exit of the garden. I was not sure if she could hear me from here, but I still whispered.

"All that I will do from this moment on is not for the Bloodfang or for your sake." I took a deep breath and turned my head back to her, seeing the distance between us. "It's for my sake. Let's not meet each other again, Lara."

And then I pivoted on my heel and left the garden of spring, only to wake up with Sam… kissing me?