Love & Death

She is stirring in her sleep. Her eyes are stained with tears and her heart in an inexplicable pain but she cannot fathom why she is feeling so sad. The uneasy sleep is uncomfortable and she vaguely realizes that she is moving in her slumber.

Roseanne slowly wakes up. A bright light blinds her and for a moment she panics. The memories of the auction return to her and she backs away in fear, feeling as if she is back at that accursed place.

“Ah!” she yells and scrambles to a corner. To her surprise, she is inside a carriage which is unlike anything she has ever seen before. As a servant at the Royal Palace, she has seen many carriages but never rode in one. Now that she is riding in one, her eyes marvel at the beautiful golden calligraphy which adorns the interior. The artwork is abstract but precise and the carriage is quite spacious. There is only one window which overlooks the unfamiliar scenery outside.

“I see you are awake.”

Roseanne is startled by the deep voice. She was so mesmerized by her surroundings, that she did not notice the Duke sitting across her. Last night, she was too dazed and confused to take a good look at him but now, she is able to see him clearly.

The Duke is sitting right across from her.

For a moment, her heart stopped at the sight of him. He has enchanting red eyes of almond shape which are quite different even for a Lycan. There is a certain charm in them as if he can look directly into her soul. It was not evident last night because of the hat but he has taken it off now, letting his long dark hair fall till his shoulder. He has a chiseled jawline with a devilish smirk which will capture the heart of any maiden.

Any maiden but her.

The Duke picked up his hat and put it on his chest before giving her a small curtsy.

“Forgive me, my darling,” he said in his deep Slorian accent. “I should introduce myself. I am Dmitri Daskov, the Duke of Sloria.”

“D-Duke of Sloria…”

Roseanne’s heart is now pounding in fear. She has heard many rumors about this man and his ruthlessness.

Sloria is an independent nation which is not just surrounded by snow capped mountains but rather off limits to everyone. People who travel to Sloria never return and it is rumored that the Duke who rules it is the deadliest man in the world. Rich and extremely influential, the Duke quickly made his way up to the top. Many people are astounded by his meteoric rise and it is common knowledge that he is a dangerous man who will do anything for power.

What Roseanne did not expect is for him to turn out to be so...young.

She is defensive by his honey coated words which only made Dmitri grin.

“You believe all the rumors,” he pointed out. “Am I right, darling?”

“I…” Roseanne is ashamed. Maybe she is judging him. After all, rumors can be wrong-

“The rumors are correct,” he stated. “I am dangerous to everyone.”

Roseanne’s eyes widened in shock but Dmitri went on.

“However, I promise you that you will not be harmed,” he said. “After all, you are the future Duchess of Sloria and my fated mate.”

Mate...That word is disgusting to her. She loathes being his mate. In her heart, there is no one else but Alexei!

“No,” she said firmly. Dmitri raises an eyebrow.

“Reject me,” Roseanne says in a clear tone. “I am not your mate! I-I am only a lowly servant for the royal family. A human with no family background or connections! I cannot be your mate...my lord.”

She is trying to keep her voice steady but with every word, Dmitri’s gaze darkened. He studies the girl with interest.

“You have beautiful hair,” he suddenly says. Roseanne blinks at him. Huh?

Without warning he leans over to her side. Roseanne is unprepared and taking advantage of her distraction, he pins her to the carriage’s wall. He grips her delicate hands with his strong hands. Roseanne tries to free herself but Dmitri’s eyes are now flashing a strange reddish brown hue. She can see the glimpse of his wolf but he does not transform.

He leans close to her, their face only inches away. Roseanne is too shocked to do anything. She can feel her breath on her face. His musky scent is engulfing her mind, amplifying the pull of the mate bond. Her heart is beating fast, betraying her emotions while her cheeks turned red. The Duke chuckled at her reaction.

Roseanne closes her eyes and slightly turns away when he leans closer, thinking that he is going to forcibly kiss her. But he merely moves towards her ear.

“I did not tell you one thing, darling,” he whispers in a seductive tone. “I am a very possessive man. If you are my mate, then I will not let you go. I will give you my love, my heart and my soul. Whatever you want, I will give. What I refuse to do, is let you leave me. Understand?”

The coldness in his voice made Roseanne shiver. She is not sure what to feel. Is he going to mark her there?

No! I don’t want the mark! I-I…

He lowers himself towards her neck and Roseanne whimpers. Her eyes are watering up and tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She is going to be forcefully claimed by this evil man who will torment her for the rest of her life!

Moon Goddess, help me! She begs. Please!

She feels a pair of soft lips kiss her cheek and slightly lick her tears. Gulping, she dares to turn towards him and is once again looking into his beautiful eyes. He is gazing at her with an unspoken affection, something which she never received from any man.

The pull is now stronger but Roseanne is fighting it. Her body wants to give in but her heart is not going to surrender to the mate bond. She is relieved yet surprised when he slowly backs off and retreats to his side.

He is not going to mark her?

Thank you, goddess, she thinks in relief.

“The Goddess didn’t help you,” Dmitri said as if reading her mind. “I do not want to mark you when your heart belongs to another. But I know you will give in to me soon.”

Roseanne stares at him. How did he know that she is in love with someone else?

“How…” she begins but the Duke only laughs.

“Alexei, dance with me,” he quoted her. “You talk in your sleep.”

Roseanne purses her lips and looks away but the Duke keeps on taunting her.

“Alexei...the former Crown Prince who was killed, right?” he questions her. “You love him?”

“He is the love of my life,” she claims. “I can only love him-”

“It is a futile love,” the Duke states outright. “The dead do not come back.”

“But their memories remain.”

She glares at him. Dmitri is amused by her boldness but he does not back off.

“I am a jealous man,” he said. “But if my rival is a dead person, I guess my conquest to win your heart is now easier.”

“Death doesn’t kill love!”

“No,” Dmitri said in a quiet tone. He looks outside the carriage. They are now passing the Kingdom’s borders, heading for the frosty forest.

“Love is the only thing that can kill love,” he simply said.