The Vampire Duchess's Secret Marriage Contract

7| Reunion With My Rival

As the highest-ranking female in the Empire since the emperor had no sisters or daughters, I held the honorary title of princess. Each of their eyes widened slightly in recognition. I was pretty infamous, after all.

“The Halfling Princess?” Diego mumbled, obviously not meant for my ears. I raised an eyebrow at him to signal that I did indeed hear his words. Dylan slapped Diego's back.

“My apologies, Princess. This boy is young and made a mistake. Please forgive him,” Raven said, speaking for the first time. His voice was pretty deep.

“I took no offense,” I said with a smile. It was obvious they didn't mean to offend me.

Dylan grinned, and Raven bowed.

“The rumours of your beauty do you no justice, Princess,” Dylan said. I almost snorted. I'm pretty sure the rumours were about me being a predator who killed humans for fun.

“You are quite handsome yourself, Beta Eclipse. Do you have any business in Kainosia other than the Imperial Ball?” I asked him curiously.

“He does,” A magnetic voice that was familiar to me answered. I flinched as I hadn't sensed his presence before he spoke and spun around to see my rival in business, Azrael towering over me with an icy glare in his enchanting gray eyes. I could see that Dylan was also startled from the corner of my eye.

He recovered before me, though.

“Mr Gvantsa, what a pleasure to meet you here,” Dylan said cheerfully.

“A pleasure indeed,” Azrael replied dryly, standing beside me. His delicious scent was overwhelming, and I had to fight my instinct to not lean into him and take a sniff.

“Are you acquainted with the Princess?” Dylan asked curiously. I was about to say no, but Azrael cut me off before I could even open my mouth.

“We had a surprising encounter a week ago,” he said, looking at me with a smile which didn't reach his eyes.

“Oh, I see,” Dylan said awkwardly and looked at us. I stared at him pleadingly.

‘I don't know him!’ I mouthed to Dylan, who looked at me in utter confusion. I slyly glanced at Azrael, who was already looking at me. Bloody hell! He had seen my cry for help.

“Beta Dylan, I will be stealing away the Princess for a moment. Please excuse us,” Azrael said, and Dylan nodded hastily.

“Of course Mr Gvantsa! The Princess would surely be in safe hands with you,” he said happily and walked away. I held back the urge to scream at the cowardly shifter who left me with the Fae.

I flinched as I felt a firm hand on my waist.

“What are you doing?” I hissed at Azrael low, trying to get out of his grip.

“I would advise you not to struggle, Princess. Unless you want me to walk over to your father and reveal your… nightly activities,” he warned.

I froze in his arms as he guided me through the ball, people eyeing us with curiosity. We had already reached a terrace and were behind curtains by the time I came back to my senses.

“I hope you have evidence to back up your words. Or I will have to sue you for slander, Mr Gvantsa,” I said stoically.

“Ah, yes, evidence. Is the fact that you are the guild leader of Erudice, the notorious information guild where you can buy anything for a price, enough? Or do I need to include that the Duke Kadirah has you disguise as his male secretary to take you on business trips?”

I bared my fangs, and my nails sharpened to claws in an instant. How much did this Fae know?

“Calm down, Princess. You were the one who trespassed on my property. Anyone who sees this would think it was the other way around,” he said, chuckling. I stiffened.

“What do you want?” I asked warily.

“That should be my question, since you promised to not open your mouth, but now somehow all my enemies know about my… origins,”

I shrugged at that.

“I swore to not say that you were behind the Gustav Enterprises, and it's your fault that you let me go before you made me swear an oath, Sir.” I could hear him gritting his teeth.

“Then I suppose I should return the favor in kind?” He asked, livid at my nonchalance. I shook my head furiously.

“I will pay any reasonable price, you ask. As a noble of the empire, it is my duty to reveal the involvement of other species in our empire, to His Majesty the Emperor. I did not mean to make an enemy out of you in any way.”

He answered me in cold silence. So I continued with my verbal nonsense to get myself out of this situation.

“You know that even though my father, the Duke, could have sided with the Mage Tower to subdue you, we did not do that and stayed neutral because we want no qualms with you,” I finished, rushing my words.

“And the fact that I am Fae finally prompted you to take a side?”

“It is the fact that you are a Fae of the Night Court, Mr Gvantsa. The Night Court is not on friendly terms with the Empire of Kainosia. We suspected you of interfering with the human real to cause trouble in the Empire. Of course, this had to be reported to the Emperor,”

I said firmly. What I said was right. And there was no way he could argue about it. I hadn't noticed it when I was talking, but he had gotten too close for comfort, so I tried to take a step back, but was caught by his arm around my waist as he pulled me closer.

My eyes widened as I pushed at his chest, and he didn't budge at all. He grabbed my chin with his free hand and made me look into his eyes.

“Halfling, tell me. How did you figure out that I am from the Night Court? Who leaked this information to you?” He asked in a seductive voice that made me want to answer all his questions. I felt myself becoming drowsy before I felt the sharp sensation of Fae magic in the air.

That cleared my senses in an instant.

I pushed him with all my strength, making him stumble and twisted out of his grip.

“Are you crazy? Using Fae magic in an Imperial Ball? The security alarms will go off at any moment!” I hissed silently.

Azrael just stood there and tilted his head in curiosity.

“You can sense magic,” he stated finally. I realised my mistake.

“No…” I trailed off unconvincingly.

He strode towards me, determined. I took a step back, startled, but he trapped me with one arm before I could escape.

“It seems you will be more useful than I initially thought, Princess,” he said as he leaned down, tilting my chin upward with a long finger.

I did not have a chance to ask what he was talking about, as his mouth fiercely enveloped mine in a kiss.

W/N

Oh my my, scandalous. Don't forget to vote, comment and share! 💕