The Duke's Passion

"This person is Hell, your husband, and I killed him." He repeated, making sure that I would understand his words. "No matter how you deny the truth, he will never come back to you."

Pain.

I raised my shaking hand, clutching his collar. "What did you…" my voice cracked as his words were like stakes stabbing me right through my chest.

"I killed him, sweetheart." Stefan cupped my jaw, wiping the tears on my cheek with his thumb, his eyes on me. "Can you understand my pain now?" 

All kinds of emotions surged in my heart, but neither of them could overwhelm my grief. There was this strong urge to kill every single one of them, but I couldn't move a muscle.

My body, my brain, had gone into shock with the death of my heart.

And everything… just went blank.

*****

Stefan stared at Lilou and how the life in her eyes dimmed. He withdrew his hand, standing up. She was too shocked, so there was no need to talk to her.

"Drag the Duchess to the dungeon and seize the Duke's accomplices for interrogation." He ordered coldly. "We will begin cleaning up this mess."

"You will not touch her." Yul hissed, as there was nothing he could do but to protect her. Samael was dead, and he must take Lilou with him no matter what. 

"Yul, your action makes me wonder why are you so overprotective of her." Stefan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I'm curious."

"My relationship with Lilou is none of your business, Stefan." Yul's eyes darkened as his fangs grew longer. "I won't let you do what you want with her."

Pain, desperation, rage… were just some of the many other emotions that surged in his heart. Samael's death was painful, but seeing Lilou go into shock amidst the situation they were in, he couldn't grieve. 

He had to take her away from here.

"Is that so?" Stefan raised a brow, shifting his eyes to Klaus, who suddenly stood next to Yul. "Are you going against me as well, Klaus?"

"This woman… I won't let you touch her, Stefan. Hell died for her. I won't let his death and that lunatic Fabian's death go in vain." Klaus ground his teeth, eyes bloodshot, as he knew Samael's death also meant Fabian's death.

"Call this treason, but you we will take back Hell's body and Lilou with us." Silvia also chimed in, standing side by side with her brothers. "You are not our king, Stefan. You are never our king nor our brother."

"You three…" Stefan chuckled aloud, not expecting how bold would these three become after Samael's death. "And what can you do?"

He raised his chin up, annoyed at this disobedience. Were they doing this because of Samael? No, Stefan knew the answer. Samael was just one of the reasons. Now that Samael was gone, they had chosen Lilou.

"Of course, you can put up a fight. The La Crox's blood is running in your veins after all." Stefan let out a sigh, stretching his neck in a circular motion. "But at what cost? Hell is dead, and you little children… no one will protect you anymore."

His remarks made them grit their teeth as their weapons trembled under their grip. Stefan just stressed that Samael, their big brother who protected them since birth, had perished. 

"Alistair, you're here?" Stefan cocked his head to the side without looking away from the three. 

A man suddenly slinked out of the shadows, revealing a tall and lean man with hair that had a streak of black and silver. Yul, Klaus, and Silvia's eyes widened as they set their eyes on the man.

"I've been watching the fight. It was a good one." Alistair smirked as he glanced at the pathetic Lilou, who had her head hang low. "These three, Your Majesty, what are you planning on doing with them?"

"Alistair… you bastard!" Klaus grumbled as he seethed in anger at the sight of him. 

"Oh, Klaus, how are you? Too bad Hanz died, but oh well, we can only blame that he is a weak creature." Alistair shrugged, not a bit sorry for Hanz's death. 

"These three had declared their defiance against the king and are now the enemy of the state." Stefan ignored their brief reunion as he scanned everyone, but his eyes lingered on Yul longer. "Execute them."

This order did not even surprise the three of them. Samael was dead, and they all had this silent agreement to protect Lilou, the person their brother loved and protected. 

"His death and ours… will not be in vain, Stefan." Silvia's expression sharpened as she was prepared to die.

"You guys are always cute." Alistair chuckled, licking his fang as he stretched his neck as a warm-up.

As the atmosphere in the throne room thickened once again, and at any moment, another battle would ensue, they stopped. All eyes slowly drifted to Lilou as she spoke.

"Lilou?" Yul called, creasing his brows together.

Klaus was also in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"Lilou…"

Lilou stared at Samael, her thumb caressing his cheek as a bitter smile resurface on her lips. She bent over, planting a soft kiss on his stiff lips.

"My husband's death will not be in vain," she whispered before she gazed up at Stefan. "Drop your weapon, Yul, Silvia, Klaus."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Klaus grumbled through his gritted teeth, but that didn't faze her.

Lilou didn't take her eyes off of Stefan. "Klaus, it is my husband's duty to ensure that his beloved siblings get to live. Now that he is gone, that responsibility falls on me."

"What nonsense…!" Klaus tried to argue, but she cut her off.

"He had lost the fight, and we must accept and honor his defeat," Lilou stated firmly, clenching her hand tightly as she slowly stood up. Her eyes remained on Stefan with no human emotions.

"You... will touch none of my people anymore, Your Majesty." Lilou raised her chin, pointing her finger, and one knight who was trying to launch a sneak attack on Klaus dropped dead.

"Never again, Lexx."