The Duke's Passion



873 Fear of heights

A series of coughing fits echoed on the surface above the underground space where Tilly and the Demon fought. Thick fog surrounded the surrounding, ascending into the lightless sky. The private estate was pretty much destroyed as half of it crumbled into the underground space. COUGH!

Samael had his hands and knees on the ground. The series of coughs came from him, spitting out blood to the side after catching up to his breathing. When he recovered, his nose flared as he turned his head in a particular direction.

"Tilly, you jerk! Why did I even bother clearing up the path if you're going to crash on me in the end?!" he yelled angrily, recalling the events just moments ago.

When Tilly threw him up, Samael obliged to shatter all the rocks falling on them. Clearing a path for them while keeping his momentum was a piece of cake. However, just when the problem ahead was resolved, Tilly's body crashed into his back. The two of them came flying out of the underground, landing on the ground surface unpleasantly.

"Damn it." Samael hissed, stretching his sore back. He snapped his eyes once again in Tilly's direction. "I thought she could stop it - ahh! That caught me off guard!"

The spot Tilly landed on created a hollow that outlined her body. Unlike Samael, Tilly had her eyes open while staring at the black sky. She ignored Samael's series of complaints as she dragged herself to sit up.

"Ah." She touched the side of her head and then checked her palm. Blood trickled down her temple, displaying how badly she took that last blow from her opponent.

Tilly didn't dwell on it, though. She turned her head in Samael's direction, only to see him already on his feet.

"Ugh..." Samael held his shoulder while moving his arm in a circular motion. Upon sensing Tilly's gaze, he arched a brow and looked back at her. As soon as he caught the blood trickling down the side of her head, his face turned hard.

'Damn, he cursed inwardly. 'She's right when she says the congratulation was too early. Samael was a bit annoyed, but that didn't mean he was solely annoyed at Tilly. Ile knew Tilly was sent flying and because he was ahead of her; she crashed into him.

What truly infuriated him was the fact Tilly was sent flying. If she couldn't stop the attack, it only meant allowing herself to be sent flying was the only way to inflict less damage. If the person who stopped the demon's attack was not Tilly, Samael was certain that the person would've died.

In a way, Tilly saved him, even though their landing was unpleasant.

THUD.

His expression sharpened upon hearing a faint thud from behind him. He kept his gaze on Tilly while the latter stood up ever so slowly with some dirt falling from her.

"You still smell the same." Samael slowly turned around to face their opponent. "But all my senses tell me you are more dangerous than when you are in that balloon body"

His pair of crimson eyes shone menacingly as soon as they landed on the man standing on the edge of the huge hole they all came from. A hiss slipped past Samael's lips as the surrounding fog cleared up because of the strong wind the demon created.

"So that was the point in taking that guy, huh?" Samael narrowed his eyes, recognizing the face of that man.

Quentin Zero Moriarty.

Aside from Zero's body and face, there was something different in his appearance. His skin. Zero's skin was just as black as the skin of the demon carlier. Samael deduced it was the result of the demon's energy.

"Damn... I never thought I'd feel this way before that face." A short, mocking laugh slipped past Samael. "How hilarious. It makes my blood boil.'

"Pride, you surely hate it when someone surpasses you." The demon, now using Zero's body and face, sneered. "The only thing that makes you Pride is that pride of yours. Other than that, strength, wit, and skill, you are lacking"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Tilly, care to explain how come this guy is still alive?" Samael ignored the demon's mockery, looking back at Tilly with his finger pointing at the opponent in front of them. "And why, even after chopping him, why did he come back stronger? Didn't you know that before chopping him into many pieces?"

Tilly marched in his direction until she was standing beside him. She kept her attention on the opponent ahead, her countenance cold and pale.

"Sustaining that huge body requires a lot of energy," she explained, making Samael scrunch up his nose. "Thus, he's slower and weaker. Fighting while maintaining that body is too much."

The demon was already weak in that state? Looking back, Samael's expression turned sour. The demon surely beat him good in that 'weak' state.

"Then why did you chop him?" Samael gasped in disbelief. "Why do you sound like you are being considerate of him?! Ile chose to have that huge body - it's his problem if he has a problem in fighting!"

Tilly frowned, facing him squarely. "I have a fear of heights. Flying while fighting is scary"

"..." Samael was rendered speechless.

In other words, she chopped him off to force him to take a smaller form where the demon was stronger and faster?! And her reason was that she had a fear of heights?!

Unbelievable!

"Ilahaha!" The demon, Zero, burst out in laughter. "Sloth, you truly don't disappoint! I low hilarious and considerate of you but alas, do not think I will spare you just because you were

considerate."

Zero grinned from ear to ear, revealing his razor teeth as if all his teeth turned fangs. "I kept this boy's body just in case." He spread his hand open, gazing down at his palm.

la

"As much as possible, I didn't want to use this body as it hurts my pride to use such a lowly body of a small fry. They call themselves noble vampires now if I remember correctly" Zero clasped his hand into a fist, setting his eyes back on Tilly. "You are amazing, Sloth. I give that to you. You forced me to use this boy's body to fight you. I'll surely return the favor -"

The demon stopped mid-sentence as he sensed danger on his back. Meanwhile, Samael's eyes went wide when he noticed Tilly had already disappeared from his side.

"Now that I am not flying, I can fight you properly. Tilly's voice came from Zero's back with her weapon ready to assault.

Vole