The Duke's Passion

One of the things that I was grateful for at our estate's location right now was it was situated in an open space. If there were nearby buildings and houses, I was certain they would be just another piles of rubbles. Also, it gave me a better view of my surrounding. If there was anyone watching, I would surely know if they were just around the area.

CLANG!

Acheron and I had been exchanging blows for a straight ten minutes without a break, draining each other's stamina. I thanked Sam for training mine every single night. Else, I would be out of breath already fighting this man head-on.

After another clash of our weapons, Acheron hopped back, and I also did. His sword swooshed as if it was slicing through the air as he swung it down. Meanwhile, the end of Lakresha hit the concrete, producing a resounding pang.

"Madam — Your Majesty! Are you alright?" asked the people behind me, making me glance at them.

"Are you?" I asked back. Making sure they were alright was slowly becoming a habit now.

"Ye — yes..." I nodded at their response. Acheron tried to play dirty earlier by trying to hurt the people standing behind the line, but I stopped all of them. He was surely upset as he was trying to prove he could let his attacks go past the line. 

"You are one amazing lady, Your Highness," he nodded encouragingly, sighing as he did so while he locked eyes with me. "It is such a shame you had chosen to be our enemy. It's not too late, though. His Majesty will accept you if only you humble yourself."

"Haha! Acheron, that is the least I expect to hear from you." I chuckled loudly, as I genuinely found it hilarious. "Me? Humbling myself to Zero? Acheron, I will bow to the Earl of Minowa, but to Zero? Only when I am six feet under, I will."

I snickered just to taunt him, which was effective since his smile faded. I would rather die than conspire with Zero and warm his bed. That man was far wicked than anyone I had encountered, so I knew even five years ago that I would live a hellish life if I agreed to marry him. 

"I pity you, Acheron. To serve a man like Zero... so pathetic and stupid." I clicked my tongue continuously as my partially opened eyes glinted. "You remind me of what's his name? Theodore? He kept crying His Majesty's name, praying, begging, and..."

CLANG!

"... pleading, but to no avail," I smirked as I blocked Acheron's attack once again. "Zero never came... or maybe he tried, but where is Theodore now?"

Again, I repelled his sword as he jumped back. But as he did, I leaped towards him. Acheron still managed to block Lakresha while I was in mid-air above him. 

"Theodore is now rotting while the rats feed on him!" I stayed in the air for quite some time as I felt light, smashing Lakresha aggressively to break his defenses. Up until now, I was fighting him modestly to size up his strength. I knew he was doing the same, but the rebels were approaching. 

I would be at a disadvantage if everyone stayed behind the line. Once those rebels approach, they had to fight eventually. Even if I could handle Acheron on my own, I couldn't let these people fight with just them as they needed me in their fight. 

"It seems you are done playing... so am I," he said, repelling Lakresha, which made me jump back to create distance. As soon as my feet landed on the ground, it shook as Acheron pierced the ground with his sword. 

This time, my smirk also faded as my eyes narrowed. I could feel his aura growing stronger, making me grip Lakresha tighter. 

"Lakresha, let me borrow your strength," I whispered as my eyes glinted, prepared to attack with an intention to kill and not just to observe. He was already strong before unleashing his prowess, so I knew this time around, we wouldn't have a break unless one of us lost our lives.

That would definitely not be me. 

My jaw fell slightly open, inhaling through my mouth before clenching it. Acheron held his sword with both his hands, breaking it apart, making it two equally wide yet thinner swords. He held them with both his hands, eyes fixed on me.

"It was a nice fight, Your Majesty," Acheron uttered solemnly while I fluttered my eyelashes ever so slowly. 

"It sure was, Acheron."

The strange silence made us hear the soft whistle of the night breeze, silencing all other noises in the background. My senses all became sensitive, so I could even sense that the people behind me held their breaths. Even weaklings like them would know that this battle jumped to a higher level.

A fight for life. 

'You people better watch this,' I thought, taking another breath and carefully releasing it through my mouth. 'This is what it means to fight to protect something or someone.'

In a blink of an eye, the silence ended, replaced by the sound of metals clashing every few seconds. Acheron was fast, so I also picked up my pace. He didn't try on playing underhanded means by attempting to hurt the people behind me, so his attacks grew solid and stronger.

But so were my attacks until I could hear the devil within me whisper to mince him alive. I tried resisting it at first, but the more our swords clash, the more... this thrill slowly developed within me. Before I knew it, the corner of my lips stretched into a wicked grin while Acheron's eyes glinted.

"That is who you are, Lilou Bloodfang..." he muttered through his gritted teeth, exchanging blows with me. "... a person born to destroy, not protect."

That second, I finally understood his purpose, and that was to mess up with my head. To awaken the monster living deep within me. 

My wicked grin remained. "Too bad, Acheron. You are months late to manipulate me for I..."

CLANG!

One of his swords flew along with his arm as I moved even faster, making his eyes dilate. I indulged in the sight of him as I hooked his other shoulder, then used my other hand to grab his face, pinning the back of his head against the concrete ground.

"... for I had long accepted that monster, Acheron."

SPLASH! 

I hooked his entire shoulder off without batting an eye, smirking at this child's play. "I had been drinking my husband's blood for years, Acheron. How the hell --"

My eyes dilated as I felt a sword coming at my back.. I looked back, but it was too late, seeing his sword with his decapitated arm thrusting towards my head.