Bride To His Darkness-Chapter 352: Just Stop

"Do you think I care?" Draven’s jaw clenched at Duncan’s intimidating suggestion, hiding his fears by giving in to the bitter fury that consumed him. "Look all you want, you’ll find nothing! As I’ve told you three already, Viktor couldn’t come himself, Lucius is presently busy doing his own job, so they sent me instead! Do you think I’d come all the way here on my own free will? I’m not that dense!"

He tried to rise, but Ivan’s hand on his throat didn’t give him that chance. He knew the vampire must be enjoying this abominable sight of him, humiliating him before them and his guards, and he was unknowingly glaring back. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but if he survives this embarrassment, he would surely get back at all three of them for this.

"If you were indeed turned to Lord Viktor’s errand boy, where’s the book?" Ivan raised an inquiring eyebrow, "Lord Viktor must have given you the book I requested. Where is it?"

"Give me some decency and get your hands off my throat. I’ll give it to you."

"Book, now!" Ivan ordered, his gaze conveying how easy it would be to kill him right here and now if he tries to play smart. The whole tent became silent, and Draven was left with no other choice but to hand the book to Ivan. Stretching his right hand to the side, the thick purple-black book materialized in his grip, and Tobias did Ivan the favor by taking it.

He glanced at the cover and nodded his head at Ivan, as if saying it was the right book. Confirming the authenticity of the book, Ivan withdrew his hand from Draven’s neck, and it was his guards who grabbed hold of him this time. Unfortunately, Draven couldn’t summon his shadow slaves, this wasn’t the right time, not when he knew he would be endangering himself if he provoked Ivan further.

"Don’t forget this." Extending his palm forward, Duncan summoned two silver handcuffs that were used to nullify Draven’s powers, just in case, for everyone’s safety. He could see the silent fury in Draven’s eyes, and it gave him satisfaction. Duncan wasn’t a violent person in nature, he hated violence actually, despite having the ability to make all kinds of weaponry like his father, but Draven has stepped on his toes for far too long in the past, so he has to let off some steam now that he had the chance.

"Do you like my new toy?" Duncan inquired before explaining, "not only does it seize your powers, but you will incur severe internal pain if you try to free yourself. I wanted to give it to Ivan since it would be useful in taming Carmela, but isn’t it her pure luck that you got it first."

Draven could feel his anger rise, and he wanted to wipe that innocent smile off his lips. The guards eventually took him away, leaving the trio to themselves in the large tent. Finally gaining some privacy, Tobias opened the book and went through the content, brushing past every complex text and skipping to the part that spoke about how the last war between his people and Marius came to an end. He wanted to know if Draven was speaking the truth, or if his statement was nothing more than a fallacy.

Ivan took the book from Tobias, closing it before the vampire could detect the part where the real assassination was explained. He thoughtfully said, "Jumping to the last page won’t give us the answers we need. If we want to understand what we’re dealing with here, we’re going to have to read from scratch. I don’t want us to delay this any longer, so I’m going to read it."

"Are you sure?" Tobias gazed at the book, his eyes expressing his indecisiveness, "when will you finish?"

"Uhm... if we’re done here, I will retire to my tent. You can always send for my presence if you need me." Duncan uttered to the two of them before exiting the place, barely giving them a chance to reply. The cousin’s exchanged glances the minute he left, and they seem to have thought the same thing.

"What are we going to be about Duncan?" Tobias folded his arms as he asked, and Ivan stayed quiet for a while, his lips pressed into a thin line. He seemed to be pondering on the question his cousin asked him, and it was only natural to feel concerned.

"As much as I’ve always wanted to help him, I respect his decision to exclude me from his problems." Ivan answered with a weary sigh, "believe me I’ve tried, but he won’t receive help from anyone. He agreed to come here in the hopes that I would fulfill some unknown request of his, he hasn’t told me what it is, but I’m willing to lend him a supportive hand when that time eventually comes."

Meanwhile, Duncan already made his way to his tent, and the minute he walked inside, a familiar maid was standing at the entrance, with a cup of his herbal tea in her hand. Her sudden presence startled Duncan, and he froze upon meeting a smiling face watching him intently.

"Lucienne?"

"Here, I made you your medicine." Lucy extended the cup to him, "you never miss taking them in the morning and at night. I noted them down so I wouldn’t forget, including how to make them perfectly! I was surprised to find your absence when I came in, and it was starting to get past the time you normally take your medicine, any later than your arrival then I would have come searching for you."

Duncan had just recovered from her startling presence, and his head at the moment was unable to register all the words she kept spewing. Aside from the fact she made his medicine, the only thing he was able to grasp afterwards was her last phrase, where she said she’d come looking for him if he hadn’t shown up at the right time.

Receiving the cup from her, he turned around, avoiding her gaze, and he emptied the cup in a matter of seconds, swallowing its bitter content. His face contorted a little at the taste, and before he knew it, she was right in his face again, holding out two wrapped sweets.

"Here, it will reduce the bitter taste." Lucy softly instructed, handing the sweets to him, but Duncan only frowned at her. He’s been used to drinking this during his puberty stage, and no one has ever given him sweets before, he barely knew what they taste like. This girl, she was doing a little too much for him since the day Ivan assigned her to him, and she has been attentive to his needs quite a lot, even with weapons.

He wasn’t used to this kind of affection, and he... didn’t like it.

"I’m fine." He immediately turned away from her, still wearing the same frowning expression that worried Lucy.

Has she done something wrong?

"But it’s not fair that you have to take something so bitter everyday." Lucy persisted, "I know how bitter it tastes, not because I took a sip from it while making it, sounds so unlike me but anyways, " she blinked rapidly to change the subject, knowing she had foolishly exposed herself, "if you lick these sweets, you’ll feel better!"

"I don’t want it."

"I can’t let you go all day with a taste that reminds you of your ailment, please take them."

"Lucienne, stop." He said with a voice that sparked with authority, sounding shockingly serious for the first time. It sounded so unlike him, so much so that it prompted Lucy to stay quiet. He turned around to meet her gaze, staring at her startled expression.

"Your Majesty?"

"Whatever it is you’re doing," he uttered again before closing his eyes resolutely, and his voice softened tiredly, "just... stop."

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