The Duke's Passion

"Ah!" I gnashed my teeth, blocking Alphonse's attack. "Goodness. Just how thick is your skin? No wonder you're unreasonably shameless." 

A light scoff escaped my lips, eyes glaring at him. Even though he didn't have a weapon, Catharsis couldn't slice through his palm, and it even trembled under his grip.

"My duchess, why do we have to fight?" he cocked his head to the side, tightening his grip around Catharsis' blade effortlessly. "We share the same goal, after all. Your death is not what I want."

"Yul's is?" 

"Heh. Just let him go, duchess. If you do, you will have everything you need!" 

"Everything? Do you even know what I need?" I scoffed before shoving Catharsis to him, making him hop back. "What you assumed is not what I need, nor what my clan wants. I am pretty sure these additional voices screaming at me right now are not part of the Bloodfang."

I swung Catharsis as if made a swoosh sound before I added, "I won't become your figurehead, Alphonse."

"Duchess, I am giving you an option." The side of his lips curled up into a sinister smirk. "Your husband is dead, and why is that? Didn't you want vengeance?"

"So vengeance is also your goal?" I chuckled softly, enduring the piercing pain striking my head. "I remember you telling me we will share the same goal. I didn't realize it will be this shallow!"

He didn't respond and simply smiled. I shook my head lightly and set my eyes on Beatrice, who I pinned on the wall with Lakresha moments ago.

"Pity," I muttered with a ridiculing laugh. "You are pathetic, Alphonse."

"Am I?"

My eyes veered back at him slowly. "For you to need me for vengeance means you can't do it yourself. I think I had overestimated you, Alphonse. How disappointing."

"I do not need you, Your Grace. I simply enjoy destroying everything in the most beautiful way."

"And you call this beautiful?" I raised a brow, scanning the throne hall, which looked as if it went through a storm. The only thing that remained unharmed was the throne.

"I guess you have a different meaning of beauty, Your Highness," I said while I set my eyes back to him. "I'm not judging. It's just..."

I trailed off as my vision zoomed in and out, staggering back to keep my balance. The voices were deafening, and it was only a matter of time before I lose my consciousness. 

I would be screwed.

"Oh? What happened, Your Grace?" Suddenly, Alphonse appeared on my side. 

Thanks to my reflexes, I was able to raise Catharsis to keep him from a distance.

"I am simply concerned, Your Grace. Even if you want me dead, I don't. I still need you." His tone sent a chill down my spine as his eyes glowed even brighter. He looked like a demon instead of just a vampire.

A monster, indeed. No wonder my husband was wary of him.

"I will kill you before these voices take over," I declared and heaved a sigh of relief upon sensing that Yul just got out of the darkfield. "Thank God."

"Thanking God, eh? You had taken too many lives that calling God should be a sin itself." He humored with a chuckle, taking a step forward while I thrust my sword as a warning.

"One more step and I will plunge my sword into your throat." I cautioned, but that sounded empty as my vision blurred once again.

Before I could react, Alphonse was already standing on my side. He immediately clutched my wrist.

"I guess playtime is over?" 

I turned my head at him slightly, grinding my teeth before wincing at the pain.

A loud scream escaped my mouth, scratching my throat with the sudden pain in my head. It felt as though someone was literally hammering, stabbing my brain.

This time, I was screwed, were my last thoughts before collapsing on the floor. All I knew next was I was screaming my lungs out, tugging my scalp while I writhed in pain.

I heard Alphonse's waves of laughter, along with my screams. 

"Take everything from the La Crox, child."

"Put things back into place, Lilou."

"Kill them all!" 

"Lilou, listen to us."

"No, no, no!" I panted as the hissing voices started screaming even louder, overwhelming those faint ones. 

It hurts so fucking much.

My body... my blood felt like boiling on its own, scalding my skin from the inside. I slammed my body against the floor to ease the pain until I left marks of blood on it. 

It didn't help.

Everything from the top of my head down to my sole just hurt terribly. Not to mention the pain from the inside, as if my blood were attacking me aggressively.

The pain went on for what felt like an eternity until I finally stopped.

I panted for air, catching up to my breathing while lying helplessly on the floor.  I blinked weakly, lying on my side, and watched the boots that were approaching me.

With all the energy I got, I moved my head only to see Alphonse squatting down beside me.

"Poor thing," he said, tracing my temple with the sharp nail of his index. "You wouldn't have to go through this if you absorbed Yul. Don't worry, Duchess. I will get him for you."

With all the screaming I did, I still tried to find my voice to speak. "Fu..."

"Fu?" he cocked his head, brows furrowed.

"Fu... ck you." I breathed out heavily, making him chuckle.

"Well, aren't you commendable? Until the end, you are still resisting. However, the more you resist, the more aggressive your blood will attack its host." He smirked, wiping off the blood on me, and raised his finger to his lips.

"I will test your blood," He uttered as if trying to ask my permission. "Please do not misunderstand."

The infuriating smirk on his lips remained before licking his finger. As he tasted the blood, his smirk slowly vanished while the corner of my lips stretched into a weak smirk.

"Gosh, my queen~! You could've been more gentle to me!" Suddenly, Beatrice's voice caressed our ears. My eyes veered to Beatrice, who stood behind Alphonse with a sword pointing at his nape.

"My back still hurts and my shoulder was dislocated!" she complained, but I ignored her as I gazed at Alphonse.

"Playtime is over, Alphonse," I muttered with a weak smirk.