The Duke's Passion

I heard her heels click against the marbled floor as she approached. Deep down, I knew I shouldn't be listening to her or to the voices in my head. But I couldn't stop myself, nor I could stop myself from staring at the throne.

"What are you doing here, Your Royal Highness?" Yul inquired, alarmed at what was going on.

"What is going on is we are putting things back to where they should be." Now Alphonse had also entered the scene.

"Your Grace... Lilou, let's go." Yul held my wrist in panic, but that didn't faze me. "Lilou, what are you doing?"

Yul tugged my hand, but to no avail. My eyes were fixed on the throne, pulling my hand away from him as I took a step forward.

"Lilou!"

"It's no use, Yulis," Alphonse chimed in with a chuckle. "It had started."

"What had started?"

"The ritual. What else?" Beatrice humored gleefully.

"Cassara had only survived for one reason. That is to return what she robbed from her, and now that the Will had returned to its rightful owner we must proceed to the next steps." Alphonse's voice was laced with bottomless viciousness.

I could hear them all talking behind me and Yul calling for me to stop. But I didn't and soon stood in front of the throne. My hand, as if having its own mind, reached for the armrest to caress it.

[ The throne is yours to claim, little child. Kill every single La Crox and avenge the Bloodfang. The Moriarty is your only ally, remember that. ]

The voices in my head repeated that chant until I lost count. It was as if they were engraving those words in my skull, making my heart race.

"That is my purpose?" I whispered, and another wave of answers rang in my ear, making my head throb painfully. "Right... the Moriarty is my only ally and I shall kill every La Crox."

A subtle smile resurfaced on my lips as my eyes softened. There was a part of me that was screaming at me to get it together, but the dominant part of me told me otherwise.

"So, that is how you put things together." I nodded in understanding. "If I kill every one of them, everyone will be happy."

"Sis! What are you mumbling about?! Come!" Yul's enrage voice came in and he soon approached me.

He grabbed my bicep and forced me to look at him. His lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, he looked at me with disbelief in his eyes as his grip tightened.

"What is... going on?" he stammered under his breath.

"Yulis..." I cupped his cheek and smiled subtly. "I'm thirsty. I feel like I'm dying."

"Lilou." His breath hitched as his fangs finally grew. It was my first time seeing him reveal his fangs; they were lovely.

And his cerulean eyes slowly changed their color to red, reflecting me in them. The longer I stare into his eyes, my reflection grew clearer.

A pair of burning crimson eyes and short fangs...

Why do I have fangs in his eyes? I wondered.

"Yul," came out a soft desperate voice as my brows creased. "I... I'm thirsty."

His mouth opened and closed, holding both my shoulders while taking deep breaths. I could feel him tremble through his grip while hanging his head low. 

"Drink him."

"Feed on him!"

"He is your vessel, child. His blood and life that sustain him until now are yours, to begin with."

"Have him and become one of us, child."

I gnashed my teeth as the vicious voices screamed in my head. They wouldn't stop until I followed what they were saying.

"I don't want to hear them, Yul," I murmured, feeling my heart sink.

Yul raised his head and planted his palm on my ears. He stared at me deep in the eyes, smiling, closed-lipped.

"It's alright," he said, nodding encouragingly. "It's not your fault, hmm? Never blame yourself for this."

He didn't ask me any questions, nor did he berate Alphonse and Beatrice, who were watching us. Instead, he focused on reassuring me that everything would be alright; that this was not my fault.

"Do you remember what I said before? If it's necessary, my life is yours to take." Yul chuckled weakly. "I guess this was it."

I listened to him and stared at the determination in his eyes. It barely moved my heart, though, because all I felt was quenching this thirst.

"Come here, sis." Yul pulled my bicep to him, bending over while wrapping his arm around me. "Thirsty?"

"Mhm." I nodded, turning my head to him, and sniffed his neck. It was enticing, as I could imagine myself sinking my teeth into his skin.

Yul stroke the back of my head. I couldn't feel any reluctance in his touch, as if he had accepted this long ago.

"Be careful on your first drink, alright? There is also etiquette in drinking, sis. I should've taught you, but well, I will guide you now." His voice was calm as he instructed me how to drink properly without making a mess.

I opened my mouth and leaned closer to his neck. As I came closer, I felt his grip on me tightened slightly, embracing what was to come.

******

Meanwhile, in the middle ward of the palace, Stefan gazed up at the darkfield. Dominique approached him from the side, bowing with his fist across his chest.

"Your Majesty, is this the right decision?" asked Dominique with genuine worry in his voice. "She will become more troublesome if she becomes a vampire now."

"Hah… Dominique, does your arm hurt?"

Dominique furrowed his brows at the sudden question. "No, Your Majesty."

Stefan slowly turned around and faced him, hands behind him. His face bobbed to examine him. 

"Is that so?" he nodded in understanding, trudging towards him. When Stefan was a step away from Dominique, he bent over as a smirk resurfaced on his face.

"Then, how about this? Does it hurt?" Stefan inquired, arching his brow as he glanced at Dominique.

The latter's eyes dilated as his pupils constricted, turning his head at Stefan in shock. His hand wrapped around the sword's handle that pierced through his abdomen.

"What… who are you?" Dominique panted as he finally noticed that this Stefan wasn't the king he served.