Chapter twelve, A little problem under the moonlight

The Duke, Tiago was the one behaving like Calix the other night of his ball. He kept glancing about to see if any sexy lady was approaching him. He was sure he had scared that Matilda into bringing out that cheat card of hers.

'How could she be this late?' was what he had been asking himself the whole time. That old whore should not play him.

Thinking about that lady made him groan, he must have her! Even if she says she wants to be the Duchess!

"I see you are less busy these days Duke Tiago," Calix joked as he joined Tiago.

"I threw this ball for someone to come actually. I think I might have found the lady who could satisfy me," Tiago says with a grin.

"Are your sure? For all I know, you will be back to that business of yours after a week with her," Calix pointed out. No way Tiago could settle that fast, or even at all.

"You have to see her to say that," Tiago says. Calix was already surprised that Tiago could even think like this. Maybe he was real? Tiago isn't one to make such promises. "She'll be the Duchess even if she wants!"

"What about Duchess Dulcie?"

"She is not that important now, ours isn't love anyway, she can become the mistress or she can disappear."

Calix already knew, Dulcie might die soon enough. Now he really wanted to see this wonder woman.

"Oh by the way, I forgot to congratulate you on getting engaged to The Count's daughter," Tiago chirped. He was clearly in a really good mood.

"She has my heart," he smiles at the thought of his veiled woman. At this point, she has him wrapped around her finger. He could do anything for her at this point. Especially after he saved her at the lake. She seems vocal now, maybe she realised she needed to toughen up. Not that she wasn't tough before, but that she was too cautious.

She used to avoid him like a plague since she says he might distract her. Now she even initiates to go out alone with him. She is too cute. Cute is the word.

"She's here!" Tiago's excited voice snapped him to look at his surrounding. Veiled ladies in white walked in and started dancing. With their elegance, they looked like Swans. The candles were blown off, leaving only the middle ones.

The white clothed ladies danced in the most alluring way ever. They had everyone's attention. But the the ladies pose in a really good posture and the attention shifted to the front, where the seat that belonged to the owner of the hall was.

There, a lady in red sat on the chair in a seductive manner. She had a glass of red wine in her hand. She stood up slowly, walking in manner that left people in awe. She danced as she walked among the crowd that made way for her. She made to make eye contact with the men she landed close to as she danced.

While at it, she got to Calix, whom she placed her hand on his chest, her gaze intense just like her aura. She leaned into him and pushed him with a sweet giggle. On reaching the Duke, she handed him the glass of wine with a wink and made her way to the centre.

She moved her hips seductively, her whole existence being the center of attention.

Who didn't know her? She is the mysterious lady in red who attracted many with a snap of her fingers. Many even said she used black magic. There was no way there was such an erotic person like this. Erotic in a way you can't even critise her. While the white clothed ones danced at a low ground, the red one danced in the middle of them, her moves making many gulp.

"She is the one in red, I didn't expect her to see again," Tiago breathed. Calix had already guessed that much. Tiago wasn't being discreet with his drooling over her.

Calix himself was fighting himself. There was something about how she moved that made him hard. He knew he loved Astoria and this was just a normal reaction with how this lady just behaved with him.

No matter how sexy she is, she is no match to his cute fiance. Nothing's gonna change that.

"You called for me, Duke Tiago?" I asked, keeping my distance of two steps away. He led me to his garden, that was near the gate. His grin made me want to puke. I was still traumatized by Verbena. I caused it, but I didn't at the same time. Point is, I got disgusted the hell out.

"I think Matilda already told you what I want," he says with a grin that my fingers felt the urge to rip it off.

"I heard you have a wife," I state, swallowing down my disgust.

"She doesn't matter, you do," he rushed to tell me. Now I was more than disgusted. Was this how men in this era behaved? At some point, I think father was also like this. And it made my skin crawl. What the hell?

"You have a wife, I have a lover," I tell him off. His brows furrow deeply, but he immediately smiles.

"He can't give you powerful titles like a Duchess now can he?"

"I will be leaving this place soon. I am just but a traveller who loves dancing. But I didn't expect you to give Matilda a hard time because your can't keep it in your pants," I deadpan.

"Before you leave..." he starts and closed in the gap between us. I had expected it anyway, so I attempted to create another one, only to feel him pull my hand roughly, making me jump into his chest. I looked up to see his eyes clouded by lust.

"There is nothing that I want to do with you, Duke Tiago," I state, not even in the least intimidated, but I was disgusted. Come to think of it, I have been disgusted this whole evening. I have Verbena to thank for that. I can't believe this dude before me saved me indirectly. But now I need to save myself from him as well.

"But I want to, and we will," he states firmly. He leaned in for a kiss but I bumped my head into his lips, making him flinch in pain.

Fuck helping Matilda, I am out.

When his grasp around me loosened, I ran away, but he was just behind me. My dumb ass instead of running to the hall where my crew was, with Calix as well as many others, I ran into the garden. I was muddled that I didn't think properly. He reminded me very much about my end as Hollie. And you could imagine it wasn't good for my thoughts at this time. I felt really afraid as if it was repeating myself.

But I didn't stumble like the was they write ladies running away end up. I still don't know how one can fall while running, your body ahead of aware you are in danger, but you still stumble? What logic is that?

"come back here!"

I ignored all his shouts, not sure where I was running. I stopped to look around since the dude disappeared from behind me, that was when my fear rose. Did I just help him in ruining myself?

This is exactly what happened the night I died. They disappeared before they pranced on me.

I gasped when a strong hand grabbed mine and before I knew, my back hit a tree behind me so painfully that I felt my spine breaking.

My mouth opened to gasp louder at the pain and surprise and fear. Did I just get caught? I would have yelled but the idea disappeared as soon as I felt something warm in top of my open mouth over the red veil.

My eyes went wide went I realised what was going on, my first kiss.....

I made to struggle but the person made sure his lips prevented me from yelling, his hand on my shoulder, pushing me firmly to the wall, much to my pain, and the other on the tree to keep me from escaping from the other side.

I then heard disappointed grunts from a bit far from where we were. "She got away? Maybe she ran to the gate."

When the footsteps gradually died down, the guy let me go and stood away from me. I couldn't see him with all the darkness plus the tree's shadow on us.

Without a second thought, I slapped him hard, I was fuming. "Saving me by kissing me? As much as I want to appreciate, I feel violated!"

"Sorry," a deep voice vibrated making me gulp. I just realized he could take advantage of me as well. "I had no way of shutting you up, if I didn't you could have screamed and get caught," he added casually that it made my blood boil. But I knew better than to scold him lest he punishes me in his own way. But that doesn't make it okay.

"Thanks for saving me," I mutter.

He chuckled. "You still seem irreconciled, how about tell me what you want me to do to make it up to you?"

What could he do for me? I only want to live peacefully, if I should even live that is. Could he grant me that? How does he put it in a way that he is sure he could give me anything geez.

"It's okay since you saved me anyway," I say awkwardly. He chuckled and I had to fight how much that sounded attractive. For some reason, it even made me feel them butterflies. Ain't no way am still under that aphrodisiac.

"How about I take you home?" he offered.

"No no no, am good!" I immediately declined. What would be his reaction when he realises that I am a Count's daughter? As much as the shame could belittle father, I didn't want things like Calix situation to be affected.

"I have already guessed you are Count Edgar's daughter, are you afraid for that title?"

Thump!

My heart fell into my stomach. How did he know? Should I deny and walk away? Should I just run away?

"I- it's....." words died down my throat. Not even Calix who claimed to love me noticed me.