Twenty-Five

"I DON'T HATE THEM. IT'S NOT HATRED, ALRIGHT? It's more like… aversion. Not hatred. That's a strong word to be used to regard my thoughts on who I haven't even met, and who never did anything against me personally."

"Hatred. Aversion. Different words, same meaning. The way you avoided all of them, even the low-ranking nobles under them, proves that. It's as if you would catch a disease if you come slightly closer." He tilted his head, "You know that's kind of xenophobic, right?"

Sigh, "I'm not lying when I say that I don't hate them," how could I? "Yes, I avoided meeting or even getting slightly closer to them like a cat avoids water, but it's self-preservation, alright? It's an aversion, as I said. And I'm not xenophobic," I exclaimed offended. "Want an example?" He nodded. "I knew you were northern the second my eyes landed on you, and I didn't avoid contact with you, did I?" I whispered, bringing him closer, brushing my lips on his, teasing.

"How did you know?" His voice was a breath on my lips.

"Hmm, your hair, of course. You also have a soft northern accent, that can't go unnoticed if you are good at linguistics like I am. But it was mainly your hair," I passed my finger through it. "Just like red hair is only a thing in the south, and lilac hair is a western feature, silver hair is only seen in the north. Kind of rare to see, but not uncommon. The Duke also has silver hair, doesn't he?"

His hand went to the bottom of my hair, and he kissed me softly, "Now, how do you know that if have never met him?"

Of course, I read about it in the book. He was said to be that typical hot silver-haired cold northern Duke we used to see in those Asian fantasy-romance novels. But instead of the typical ruby-red eyes or ice-blue, his were said to be a deep shade of melted gold, rarely ever seen before, as he had overall perfect features. The only thing different about him was the thunder marks on his arms, which he was said to have gotten from the God of the Skies when he was a kid, which was also what began to make him famous as a powerful mage who would save the world one day.

Kind of cliché, hm? The female lead was also that badass type, and gorgeous as hell. Long wavy blonde hair with dark pink eyes, and tall as well, very much like a model. Having fire magic, light magic, and the power to speak with animals (now THAT is cliché). And as I said before, she's around a year older than him.

They first met when they were kids but back there it didn't spark anything. But after Luc's sister died before he turned 19, only a year after their parents had died both from a terrible fever that ended up with him becoming the Duke of the Von der Meer Dukedom, making him despair and so he swore to kill all the monsters of this world (yes, I forgot to tell you that there are fucking monsters here, but I never encountered them, since they are more present on the borders of the north and not on the south). So, a little before she turned 24, there was a hunting contest in the Royal Capital where an "accident" happened and a stronger beast appeared there and tried to attack Alina, but Luc saved her. Again, because of the vow, he made after the death of his sister by a magical beast.

She fell in love with him, but he didn't. And so, their actual love story only began when they met again when he was 24 and she was 25, and he went to spend a season in the Royal Capital. He fell in love after spending more time with her, and then she broke her engagement with Duke Dylan Reverdin to be with him. This was troublesome, because Dylan already had a bad relationship with Luc since they were kids, and it got worse after Luc killed Dylan's dad, the previous Duke Reverdin after he attempted to kill him.

Well, the rest you can imagine. It was overall cliché.

"People talk," I rolled my shoulders. "Especially about that northern Duke," he's the male lead after all, so it's not surprising. "I heard Lady DuBlanc talking about it once, so yes, I know he has silver hair."

He hardened his grip on my eyes, pressuring himself onto me again, making me let out a low moan. "Off topic, but you are the sexiest woman alive," then he kissed me again and I didn't let it go, making his tongue dance with mine. "You get easily turned on, it's funny."

"It's not that I'm easily turned on, devil, is that you can turn me on as if you are switching the light on," I whispered annoyed. "And you keep torturing me with it," sigh. "Alright, tell me the rest, before I lose my mind because of your teasing again." When he giggled, I couldn't help but close my eyes for a second, "I'm really beginning to love the sound of your laughter," I whispered.

"That warms my heart," he whispered and kissed my neck. "You are making me lose focus," how is it my fault? "So, you knew I was from the north because of my hair and kept going forward. Why?"

"Too hard to resist," I said with a mischievous smile. "Besides, I had never met anyone with silver hair, since I avoid people from the north. It was… enchanting. And then you began to show how amazing you were, and I began to check in all the requirements I had, in you. That's why I proposed so impulsively in an unladylike moment," I touched my forehead to his. "I'm glad I did. If I had avoided you just because you are from the north, I would be losing all," I made even more pressure on him, "of this."

He gasped, and I could tell how his heart raced, "How can you be so naughty? You are really shameless, you know that?"

But as the tone of his voice was playful, I chose to provoke him instead. "If I wasn't naught, horny, and shameless like this," I moved my hips with a lot of desire, making sure to fully wake him up again, "we wouldn't be here right now. Shouldn't you be thankful?"

"Mmm…" He tightened his grip on my hip, making me go forward, instead of stopping me. "I am… I wasn't complaining at all, since I actually find this boldness of yours hot. As I don't know how far I should go, you help with that. Even if you are quite reckless yourself," he held me by my throat, in a very possessive and sensual touch.