The Duke's Passion

"Do you like children?" 

I froze as soon as that question tickled my ears. Did he ask me if I like children? Wasn't it obvious? But I found my tongue rolling back, unable to answer his sudden and out of the topic question. 

"My wife," he whispered, stroking my hair, and my spine shuddered. I couldn't make anything out of the dullness in his eyes. 

"Are you pregnant?" 

His abrupt question made me instinctively punch him in the gut, and he hunched over with a light grunt. How dare he ask me such a question in a light approach? We didn't even consummate on our marriage yet and he didn't return for three weeks! For hell's sake! We haven't shared a night for over a month. So, how could he ask me that?

All this frustration came rushing down on me, it was quite stifling. "Don't ask such questions!" I grumbled, glaring daggers at him. "I like children, but apparently, I am not pregnant. How can I even get pregnant if my husband doesn't go home?" I pushed myself up against his chest but failed as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Oh no, wife. You stay with me," he crooned. "Although it baffles me how you never considered it might be impossible." 

For a moment, I froze as I never realized that until now. I never thought that a human and a vampire having a child could be impossible; I never heard a story of half-human and half-vampire. A sigh slipped past my lips when I recovered.

"Please, let me go or I'll punch you," I cautioned with a frown, but that didn't faze him as he replied, "Go on since it tickles." I ground my teeth and clicked my tongue in annoyance.

This was so frustrating, I thought, as I attempted to get away from his grip but failed miserably. So I gave up and leaned my body against his muscular physique. To be honest, as I succumbed to submission, I heaved a sigh of relief. 

I missed him, melting into his embrace. I've never felt so at ease for the past month since I arrived in this palace. In his embrace, all the tension in body, mind, heart, and soul seemed to face momentarily.

"Why didn't you return?" I whispered, clutching his chest as I bit my lips. "Can you tell me so I can understand?" I almost pleaded and wept, as all my pretenses suddenly crumbled down before me. Even the mask I wore since the time I came to know I was sired to Stefan was taken off. 

His deep and husky voice broke the brief silence between us. "I went to Mithava, a city in the far east, after getting an urgent report about the Undead. I came to check myself since everything is too slow for my temper."

"A city in the far east?" I raised my head, furrowing my brows. "Isn't that a little… too far?" I nearly gasped after my last question. Never in my mind, I fathomed he was that far, especially carrying out an order.

"Well, the journey will take at least a month and two weeks back and forth for a normal carriage."

I knew that. I've been studying not just here, but even back in Grimsbanne because Fabian dreaded how I considered this kingdom as the entire world. 

"I wanted to tell you before we set off, but Rufus advised me it'd be best if I didn't." I frowned, as I didn't expect Rufus was the reason. So, I asked, "And why did he think it'd be best?" my expression was solemn and quizzical.

Sam rolled his eyes, habitually stroking my back. "Because he said I will work more efficiently without delay." He clicked his tongue, annoyed, but this made me have a good grasp of the situation.

How could I blame Rufus now after hearing the reason? Knowing Sam, he would do things that were uncalled for and would delay everything on a whim or hasten things entirely in his mood. And they returned in three weeks — faster than the journey itself.

"So, you'd do better from now on?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes, observing every movement of his face. It didn't take him even three seconds when he nodded and answered with a low yet firm, "Yes. I speak no jest, my wife."

"But the way you speak makes me think you are," I muttered, shaking my head before I rested my head on his chest. I had noticed Sam's manner of speaking, and he kept going back and forth from speaking like usual to a little… sophisticated way of speaking?

"Pray, before you, before Grimsbanne, I was a prince," he chortled. "Have you, perhaps, forgotten you've married a millennium-year-old vampire?" 

I raised my gaze just to see his smirk. "Well, you're right," I said, "but why are you saying this now?" I cocked my head, blinking cluelessly. What made him recall he was a prince before everything? 

"I…" He trailed off, leaving his lips open. I raised my brows, why did he stop? To build up the suspense? "Sam?" I called, snapping him back as he blinked.

Sam closed his lips and stretched it wider, but not enough to reach his ear. "I was reminded of my dear brother," he said, and I blurted out, "Which one?" I instantly pursed my lips, as I didn't plan to sound rude.

But my query made him burst out in laughter, ruffling my hair until I winced in annoyance. What's so funny about that? They have a big family, so I wouldn't know which brother he meant.

"The second prince," he answered in between his chuckles, making me frown and furrow my brows. "He and I never got along. While I was in Mithaya, I somehow thought of him. Back then, we used to fight with words only, so, I thought of sharpening my tongue."

"Oh." I nodded my head in understanding, imagining what he meant by that. But I immediately shook my head, as it was of no importance. I stiffened when he suddenly tightened his grip around me and pulled me closer.

"Anyway, I'm glad you tamed Lakresha on your own." He seemed pleased as he moved me up, without straining himself as if I was a doll. "Now, we can spend more time together."

"Really?!" I cheered in my head, only to realize I spoke my thoughts aloud. But that pleased him as he explained, "I will recruit you." Recruit me? For? He seemed to understand my genuine confusion, so he added, "To hunt down the Undead, obviously."