The Duke's Passion

"Sam..."

He snapped his head, drawing his lips away from my hands, and faced me. The side of his lips curled up into a gentle smile as his eyes softened.

"Did you miss me?" he asked in a low tone, guiding my hand to his lips with his eyes on me. "Because I do, and words aren't enough to describe how I longed for you."

His voice went past my ears, as I could only stare at him like a fool. He truly looked like Sam, speak like Sam, and felt like Sam.

"Wake up, Lilou," I whispered, laughing under my breath as I grip his hand tightly. His brows arched briefly as I smirked.

"Your ability... it's great," I commended, and he frowned. "It is so great that it shouldn't have existed."

"Love, it's -- "

"Lakresha." I closed my eyes so as not to see his face while I rip him apart. A large scythe formed under my hand. "Be thankful. Your death will be quick and relatively painless."

My eyes remained closed as I swung my weapon down to his arm. I would chop him limb by limb — I didn't need to open my eyes, as I could feel his presence to do all that.

"Ah, wait —!" he yelled, pulling his hand away from me to avoid my attack. "Goodness, my love! If you cut my arm, I can't even sew it back!" 

"You don't need to sew it back since I will chop your fingers," I replied coldly, launching another attack, but it landed on the nearby shelf instead.

"Lilove!"

I ground my teeth and continuously attacked him. This time, I went fiercer and faster, not caring if this small bungalow would be nothing but rumbles. As I did, his complaints went shorter until he was too busy dodging instead of speaking.

If I knew it was an illusion, I wouldn't feel too mad about it. Perhaps I would let him live for a little while and interrogate him to death. However, his abilities felt too real that I thought killing him now was better than giving him an opportunity in the future.

'It felt so real that I nearly believed it.' I thought, hearing the desk split in half as Lakresha landed on it, eyes still closed. 'I will kill him for sure. I'm glad to hear Sam's voice again, but before I waver and get trapped by someone's else ability... before he drags me to death... I will end him.' 

My resolve to end this person grew stronger by the second. I slowly opened my eyes and my gaze immediately caught him from the corner of the room.

"Is that all you can do? Just dodge?" I asked, followed by a ridiculing chuckle. "I know someone who had a strong illusion ability, but that's all he can do. His head rolls to the ground when faced with someone who wouldn't fall to that illusion."

"My wife, let me exp --"

Before he could finish his sentence, I flashed towards him and unhesitatingly swung Lakresha down to him. His eyes widened upon sensing that I was coming to kill him.

"Holy fuck!" He cursed, gritting his teeth as he slammed his elbow against the wall which immediately shatters and he leaped away. I missed him by a second, but that only made me smirk.

"Stop running, you fool." I held the upper part of the hole, tilting my head as I walked outside languidly. 

"Wife! Please, hear me out!" My eyes glinted as I charged towards him, swinging Lakresha from left to right, then up to down, and he dodged them all.

"My wife, my darling, my love!" He called while dodging my attacks. "I know you're angry and you want to kill me. I will gladly offer my neck and sharpen the butchering knife for you, but you see --"

"Stop." I halted, gazing at him with no emotions in my eyes. "You had avoided all my attacks, which means you are more skilled than you actually look like."

"But I look like your husband! What do you mean I look more skilled than I actually look like?" His nose scrunched up, not even bothered by the wounds I had already inflicted on him. "I look strong!"

"Hah... you copied even his arrogance that is frustrating to the core," I muttered, gripping the scythe tighter.

"What? I never thought you think my arrogance is frustrating to the core."

I ignored his remarks, taking deep breaths. "Say, you foolish man, what is it you want from me?"

"Uhm... you?"

"And what will you offer me?" I asked, and he furrowed his brows. "Do you think you're the only person who wants me? I'm asking, what kind of benefit will you offer me to have me?"

This time, he went into silence as we gazed at each other. It felt strange to look at my husband's face as my enemy. However, I convinced myself this was not my husband. This was not Sam.

"If you think this ability of yours is enough, you're more foolish than I thought." I chuckled, shaking my head lightly. "You can copy my husband's face, mannerism, and everything, but you will never be him, and you showing yourself with that face is simply an insult that is punishable by death."

My eyes glinted as my aura thickened. For reasons unknown, since he bore the face of my husband, I felt like saying things I wanted to tell him.

"I'm not over you, Sam. I will never be." I paused, raising Lakresha as the ground I stood cracked. "However, I am over it."

In a beat, I disappeared from my spot and appeared in front of him. "I'm done playing with you," came out a bitter remark as I thrust Lakresha that shifted into a sword to his chest.

The only reason I hadn't killed him was that I had to take some time to convince myself killing this person didn't mean killing my husband. But now that I was fully convinced this person wasn't my Sam, I felt no mercy to him.

"See? You're strong." I smirked, gazing at the sword as he stopped it by a hand. Blood trickled down the blades of my sword, making me lock eyes with him. 

His eyes grew solemn, narrowing them into slits. "But I'm not done playing, Lilove. Please forgive me, but I think I can only talk to you once you've calmed down." 

To my surprised, he pulled my sword to him. Since I was holding my sword tightly, his force swept me towards him. Before I knew it, he had snatched my Lakresha while he carried me on his shoulder like a sack of wheat!

"What are you -- "

"Your Grace!" Suddenly, I heard Klaus's voice, making me raise my head. Once our eyes met, I saw his eyes dilated. 

"I told you before, remember? I will abduct you." The man who was carrying me muttered, and before I could react, he dashed towards the cliff and jumped.

"Your Grace!!"