The Duke's Passion

In the end, I had to eat with an audience. My appetite gone under these intense gazes on me.

Please look away! Was what I wanted to say, but I kept silent. Hanging my head low, as I sliced the piece of meat discreetly.

"By the way, Silvia, did you know what my sister said to Yul?" As I ate in silence, Dominique broke the silence. "She told him to get lost! Ah… no wonder Hell had taken a liking on her."

"You should eat, Dom. You might not know when's the last." Yul clapped back calmly.

"Haha! Why? Will you kill me later?" 

"I can do it now if you like." 

"Then, why don't you…"

As Yulis and Dominique bickered, getting on each other's nerves, I peeked at them. What a close relationship they had. They loved each other so much they wanted to kill each other.

Was this how they show their affection to each other?

Gradually, all attention shifted to the two of them. Hence, I could finally eat in peace. 

I barely ate during lunch and breakfast. Although I still had no appetite, I need some source of strength. I need to be prepared at all times.

"You'd been staying with Alistair until recently. Did he teach you that kind of rudeness?" Pissed, Dominique scorned, playing with the fork between his fingers.

"…" Yulis didn't reply anymore as he continued to eat.

"I'm talking to you, little bro." This time, Dominique's tone sounded less interested. But Yulis didn't respond again.

*Clang!*

I jolted upon the sudden clatter of plates breaking against the table. Slowly, I raised my gaze — wide open. 

There, across from me, Dominique stood behind Yulis. He was pinning the back of Yulis' head against the plate, causing it to shatter with the foods on it.

The latter held his cutlery on either side of him. Yulis didn't move a muscle.

"Ahh… really. This is annoying." Dominique clicked his tongue, ruffling his hair in annoyance.

Instinctively, I gazed at the other individuals around the table. The princesses were eating with grace, as if they couldn't care less about the current occurrence.

Meanwhile, the other princes were still eating, but their eyes on Dominique. None of them seemed they wanted to intervene — as if they already knew it was all for naught.

"You're more annoying, Dom." Silvia finally broke her silence, wiping the corner of her lips with a cloth.

"Sivi, this is why —"

"Silvia." Silvia corrected as she raised her pair of sharp eyes.

"Hah. She can call you Sivi and I can't?" Dominique scoffed as he glanced at me.

I wanted to look away and avoid his gaze. However, I instantly froze and just stared back.

"Oh no, Dom. Don't tell me you're jealous?" Unfazed by the growing tension filling the air, Silvia chuckled in mockery.

Sivi, are you really just my temporary ally? Dominique will surely divert his displeasure towards me.

I bit my tongue secretly. I'm having a terrible premonition after this dinner. 

It was just one after another royal family. So far, my conclusion was Silvia was a hypocrite. Cassara was a spoiled princess. Yulis was the male version of Cassara. Dominique was a hot-tempered fellow. And the rest… they're just neutral for now.

They would be my in-laws. Hah… And they tossed me in this grandiose asylum.

'I think I really need to eat more.' I thought internally, eating in silence as I watched everything unfold before me.

"Get your hand off of me." Suddenly, Yulis muttered.

However, Dominique's grip tightened as veins protruded under his skin. 

"You just stay there if I were you. Or I'll really crush your head. I'm starting to have a terrible mood." Dominique advised cooly. His eyes on Silvia.

"Say, Silvia, did you have a lose screw in your head? Just not so long ago, you're begging me so you can drink my blood."

He added, sounding appalled at Silvia. Dominique didn't sound like he was lying. In fact, I felt his honesty with his words.

Alas, Silvia snorted upon his remarks. Her eyes glistened with ridicule, sullying Dominique's mood even more.

"So?" Silvia chuckled. "Did you get your hopes up?"

Aren't you two siblings? It sounded as if there's some kind of love affair gone wrong. 

On the second thought, why am I even surprised? They're vampires and this… was their life.

"Hopes up? Haha! Silvia, how cute!" Unexpectedly, Dominique's response was not what I expected. 

I thought he'd flipped or attack Silvia. But it seemed he wouldn't.

Honestly, though. If I'm just watching them, they're quite a sight to behold. Everyone was beautiful, albeit crazy.

But if I'm involved in this conversation, I didn't think I had the confidence to eat. Regardless, it was better that they were arguing by themselves.

At the very least, they seemed to forget my existence. This was better.

"Huh…" Silvia smirked after scoffing.

If I remembered correctly, Sam told me about his siblings sneaking behind their partners. Sometimes, with their cousins or other siblings. Was Silvia and Dominique had some sort of relationship?

Before I knew it, I had this strong urge to pry. Fortunately, I stopped myself before I raised my hand to raise a question.

Just then, I furrowed my brows. Was the table shaking? The second I asked myself, cracks suddenly appeared on the surface of the table.

Instinctively, I grabbed my plate away before it split in half. That very second, I held my breath as I froze.

The table broke in half! And in the middle of it, Yulis glided down — face first.

Was he dead? I gasped as my eyes widened.

"Ahh… my apologies." Dominique apologized halfheartedly, gazing down at Yulis.

My eyes slowly set on Dominique. He was pinning Yulis' earlier. Was it because of him this long sturdy table broke in half? Just like that?

Taking notice of my gaze, Dominique raised his gaze at me. As soon as our eyes met, he raised his brow. He gazed at the plate in my hand before a subtle smirk turned up on his lips.

"Now, that's cute, sis." Dominique chuckled in a low tone. His comment invited their eyes on me.

"Fufu! The Remington weren't lying, after all."

"I should invite sis to one of my tea party."

"…" One after another, their passing comments reached my ears. I… it was just my instinct to grab my plate away. It was a taboo for me to waste food.

"Silence." Silvia slowly assisted herself up. "I warn each and everyone of you. Don't even think of touching even the strand of her hair."

She gazed at them one by one. Her eyes warning them to forget what they were thinking. Silvia was a little overprotective. It felt reassuring.

I gulped down, biting my lower lip. I then glanced down at Yulis. My impression of him remained the same. However, was he alright?

"Lilou, let's g…" Silvia trailed off as a man's voice suddenly came in from the hallway.

"Oh! I'm a little late for our little family dinner, aren't I?" 

Before I could turn my head to who it was, my brows furrowed. Silvia's complexion suddenly paled as I noticed her ball her hands into a fist.

"Hanz." Silvia hissed, making my brows furrowed even more.

To appease my curiosity, I turned my head in the voice's direction. From behind me, a man with an eye patch and a long scar; from his cheek across the side of his lips, smirked at me.

"Lilou…" His deep crimson eyes glinted with blood lust as soon as our eyes met. "Nice to see… you."

And before I knew it, Yulis was already standing before me. His back facing me.

'What…' My eyes full of confusion and shock gazed Yulis' hand, holding Hanz's wrist up. The latter's fingers wiggled in excitement.

'Did he just attempted to attack me…? He's fast… if not for Yulis, I could've…'

"What do you think you're doing, Hanz?" Yulis tone grew colder as the temperature felt frosty.

"Tit for f*cking tat, Yulis. I'll pluck her eyes out just like what that damn Hell did to me."