Chapter 8 A bite of affection

Aurelia wiped the windowpane with a wet piece quietly. Maria had warned her to always obey the Duke's command and to abstain from gossiping like the rest of the maidservants. Aurelia wasn't allowed to mingle with her fellow maidservants in the mansion as she was deemed different from them especially when the Duke was involved unknowingly to her.

' Meow '

Sarafina meowed lazily while sitting at the foot of the staircase. Aurelia was less concerned about the cat and focused on her duty. If it wasn't done properly, Maria might scold her.

It has been three weeks of her stay in the mansion and the Duke treated her well.

"What are you doing?" Louis' voice echoed in the cast corridor.

"I'm cleanig the window. Maria says the due had dulled it." She replied and dropped her hands to her side. She could clearly see the displeased expression on his face.

"Come with me." He ordered and left.

Aurelia felt goosebumps crawl on her skin. Quickly, she dropped the napkin into the bucket and rushed off in the direction the Duke headed towards.

"I've repeated this severally Maria, she's my slave. Not a maid." Louis said in a light scolding manner.

Maria eyed Aurelia and bowed her head in apology. " I'm sorry sire. I'm sure you give her a less stressful duty." She replied with shaky breath and sweaty palms.

" She's not a house maidservant, this will be the last time I repeat myself. As for you, go and wash the feline."

Aurelia gulped down an invisible lump on her throat and rushed away with Diana Else; she would be the one to be scolded by the Duke.

As soon as Aurelia left, Louis' eyes became bloodshot red. Maria became tensed as she watched her master walk away from the spot he was standing few seconds ago.

***

Aurelia toweled the cat to the extent that no tiny speck of water could be found. After that, she brushed the feline's fur with less difficulty as Diana was a friendly cat.

"Why is your master always angry? Oh....my bad. Our master." Aurelia said to herself subconsciously as she patted the cat's white fur.

' Meow '

Diana meowed as if telling Aurelia something. Aurelia picked up the cat and placed it on the floor, "now off you go." She said and walked out of Diana's room.

She gasped in shock when she saw the Duke standing outside the door with a stoic expression which reminded her of Adolphus and his brother.

A pang in her heart made her sigh lightly. Of course, Louis didn't fail to notice the sad expression that appeared and faded within the span of five seconds.

" Stanley got you a new set of clothes. Come try it on." He said and walked off. Leaving Aurelia to trail behind him.

Despite having done many things to make her happy, he could still find sadness in those crystal clear eyes that could drown one's soul. Even at that, he would still try his best by surpassing her expectations.

While Louis was engrossed in his thoughts, Aurelia was admiring him from behind. Perhaps he isn't as bad or scary as he portrays to be.

" You don't smile behind a man," he said and veered around to look at her. Her beautiful face and eyes were second to none.

Aurelia brought down her head. She has been caught red-handed by her master. " Yes, master." She replied in a low voice while her fingers ran through the lace of her dress.

"Good. Now go into your room and find a suitable dress among the ones Stan bought." He added and left without another word.

Diana pured while raising its full furry tail to Louis' nose. Louis chuckled softly and turned to another hallway. Meanwhile, a person suddenly moved from the back of a large pillar towards the staircase which led to Aurelia's room.

.

Aurelia arrived at the drawing room an hour later after the Duke had sent Maria to inform her about visiting someone. She was putting on a slightly faded blue dress which fitted her perfectly. Her dark hair stood out from the dress she was putting on but it gave her a lively sensation.

For a second, Louis was stunned. Although Aurelia looked small in the dress, it revealed her curves perfectly despite she was still young.

Maria saw the expression on Louis' face which didn't last more than two seconds and it vanished. "I'll see you in the mansion soon."

The housekeeper nodded in understanding.

Aurelia trailed behind the Duke who wasn't richly dressed today. Her small short legs couldn't match up to his long legs and it almost made her laugh when she missed her step on the staircase.

Before Aurelia could figure out it wasn't a laughing thing, she tripped again for the second time.

"Ah." She cried.

Louis frowned and looked behind him. His dark red eyes squinted at the clumsy girl who must have missed her stepping. Almost for her head to touch the ceramic floor, she stopped falling. Aurelia gasped in fear as hot sweat gathered on her forehead.

Louis held her dress on the neck and pulled her up like a young child. " You won't be so lucky next time."

Aurelia nodded and brought her head down like a guilty child. Louis continued walking but that didn't stop him from being conscious of his surroundings especially when it comes to Aurelia.

Stanley was dumbfounded when he saw what happened. The master he knows well would never help a lady no matter what situation. He could clearly remember in one of the soirees they had attended a decade ago.

Many ladies were so obsessed with Louis because he was beautiful. That fateful day at the soiree, a lady named Sloane missed her footing when she was rushing towards the Duke. Although she was close to him, Louis pretended as if he didn't see her falling. After that action, many people started being seen as a wicked fellow especially to a lady of caliber.

Recalling the event, a small smile crawled on to his lips.

" Don't smile and forget your duties." Louis said and closed in on him. " You saw nothing." He added and walked away leaving Stanley in an awkward position.

Aurelia remained quiet even after getting into the carriage that was standing at the front of the majestic mansion. Inside the carriage was spacious and expensive especially when it comes to the Duke.

A nostalgic feeling envelops her. When she was in Reeves, her parents would often visit different kingdoms and they usually travel in similar carriages. Lifting her head, she saw the Duke's sharp eyes on her.

Then she thought of it again, how would the Duke react if he knew he was riding with a former princess in the same carriage.

"I heard about the war in your land. My cousin must be too bloodthirsty this time." He sighed and leaned against the carriage seat.

"Your cousin? You mean the King?" Aurelia asked with her eyes wide open. Subconsciously, she touched her face where King Cassius had whipped her.

Does this mean the King knows about her living in the Duke's mansion? Why would the King's cousin buy her as a slave?

Louis noticed her new reaction after finding out a little about him. Probably she had a bad experience with Cassius, he thought.

"Is there something I must know? Or something you're hiding?" Louis asked and leaned towards her.

The air suddenly turned hot and heavy as she tried to draw back from him but there was no way she could.

"No...nothing at all." She stammered.

Louis tilted his head in question and moved even closer to her. "I'm your master. It's time I know about your past, Aurelia."

Aurelia felt like digging a hole and hiding inside it but it wasn't possible. Her expression must have told him something about her and to the extent of calling her name.

Louis smiled inwardly to himself and touched her face with his long finger. Trailing it on her pale skin, going down to her neck before stopping at her sweet spot. Louis could feel the tension rising in her

Without prior notice, he pulled her to sit on his thighs. It seems time has frozen for Aurelia as she didn't expect this sudden turnaround.

Louis leaned to her neck and licked her sweet spot. Aurelia cringed as she felt his hot tongue on her neck. She felt a small pain on her neck followed by dizziness.

Her fingers which were curled into a fist loosen. Louis still has his fang sunk into her neck as he sucks from her sweet blood.

Wiping his lips with his tongue he licked the droplet of blood remnant on her neck and pressed her into his embrace. One could clearly see the jealousy written in his fiery red eyes. Aurelia mentioning the king in his presence is enough to stir his jealousy.

Trailing his fingers on her face, "you're mine Aurelia. Don't think about running from me." He said and placed a lingering kiss on the spot he bit her.

Aurelia tried to keep her eyes open but her thinking and strength seemed as if it had faded away and she dozed off.

Louis raised his head revealing his eyes which had turned red as fresh blood. If Aurelia refuses to tell him about her past, he knows someone who will.

And if Cassius had messed with his precious jewel, it wouldn't be a free game especially if he finds out about her family background.