Immortal's Petal

Chapter Eight

The Duke had Wren by her chin, his grip soft unlike the harshness in his eyes. Despite his actions during dinner, Wren was happy to see him. He had saved her once before and here he was again. She would have mistaken him for her guardian angel if it weren't for the murderous glint in his black eyes.

Duke Kazimir looked Wren up and down, observing her arm sliced by the vampire's teeth, the straps on her dress that had been ripped, and her exposed wound in the crook of her neck. If possible, his eyes seemed to darken.

He lifted Wren's chin higher. "Daphne. Who did this to you?"

Wren's lips wobbled as she pulled herself away from his grip. She tried holding up her dress awkwardly. "One of the cooks," she whispered, looking around the hallway as if mentioning him would make him return.

"He touched you?"

Wren didn't answer. She kept her eyes averted from him and stood up. She held her broken nightgown firmly and thought about running back to her chambers. But, Wren didn't feel safe anymore. Not without the Duke.

"Princess," the Duke growled impatiently. "Answer me. Did he touch you?"

"I'm fine," she said, avoiding the question. "I'm fine." She finally looked up and met his gaze. "He didn't kill me or ruin my purity, Kazimir."

"But he touched you? He left those new marks? He ripped your dress?"

Wren nibbled on her lip and nodded her head.

The Duke closed the gap between Wren and him, cupping her face with his hands. She was surprised by how soft they were.

He leaned into her ear. "I'm going to fucking kill him," he growled.

The Duke went to turn away, but Wren, without thinking, grabbed onto the back of his shirt. "No," she whispered, and with that, she couldn't contain her tears. "Don't do it. Not now. Don't leave me alone."

"He touched you," The Duke snapped, turning his cold gaze upon her. "I won't let him get away with it. He will die."

Wren's face faltered as she tripped to wipe away her waterfall of tears. "If you must, then do it. But please . . . I don't want to be alone again. Not tonight. Please," she sobbed, one hand gripping his shirt and the other trying to hide her weeping eyes.

The Duke patted her head awkwardly. When Wren looked up at him, he was looking away from her with an uncomfortable scowl on his face. "Okay. Okay." With a heavy sigh, he took over his shirt and handed it to Wren. "Put it on," he muttered, still looking away.

"Thank you . . ."

Wren released her grip on her dress and put the Duke's shirt on. It draped around her like a short dress, but Wren would rather have the Duke see parts of her leg than breasts.

With a heavy sigh, the Duke led Wren to the other side of the manor. He took her to the waste shaft and after led her to his own chambers. When she walked inside, he locked the door behind them before taking Wren's candle from her and setting it on his nightstand.

"You'll stay here tonight. Then, tomorrow, we'll have your chambers changed to the one beside mine; that way I can keep you safe." He frowned towards Wren who hadn't moved from her spot beside the locked doors. "Come sit so that I may examine your new wounds." Wren sat down on his bed and stared down at her cold feet. The Duke used some cloth to stop some light bleeding before clicking his tongue. "Dammit. It's going to be harder to keep you alive than I thought. When Caspian finds out—" The Duke slammed his fist into his wall and Wren flinched.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked out.

"You're sorry? What the hell do you have to be sorry about?" Kazimir knelt in front of her and lifted up her chin. "You have nothing to apologize for. Except maybe dinner," he smirked.

Wren pushed his hand away and quickly stood up. She hugged her body and stared out the Duke's window to the wasteland of a garden. "Kazimir. Your garden is hideous."

"That's the second time you've said that."

Wren looked towards him, confused. "I don't think I've mentioned your gardens yet."

Kazimir chuckled while fixing his bed sheets. He slipped under the covers and used her candlelight to better read his book. "Not the gardens," he said tiredly. "My name."

"What else am I supposed to refer to you as?"

"According to your earlier words, I'm a butthead." He looked over his book at her with a teasing grin before flipping a page in his book. Wren wished she knew what he was reading. "It's informal, you must realize, to refer to someone without their title."

"I apologize. I must have let it get the best of me."

"It's alright, princess. I don't mind it, truthfully."

Wren puffed out her cheeks. "So you did all that teasing just to say I could refer to you without your title?"

"Mhm. It's amusing how easily your face reddens."

Wren shook her head before strolling over to his bed. She looked for a sofa or lounging chair, but his chambers were as empty as hers. "Pardon me, Duke, but if I am to stay here for the night, where am I to sleep?" The Duke tilted his head and grinned, patting the spot next to him. Wren scrunched her nose and sighed. "Please, tell me this is another cruel joke."

"Haha, come now, little princess. I'll stay on my side while you sleep, I promise."

"Hmph." Wren shook her head and stubbornly sat on the floor. She stole one of the Duke's pillows he wasn't using and laid it out, turning on her side away from him. The sound of his chuckle vibrated against her heart.

When he didn't say anything, Wren thought she had won this minor argument until his cold arms wrapped around her and proved her wrong. She pushed against his chest but he didn't care. Kazimir placed her roughly onto his side of the bed, covering her with the blankets and creating a barrier with the pillows. He climbed into the other side, looking less comfortable than he had on his own side, but he didn't say anything. He looked down at Wren with raised eyebrows.

"Satisfied?"

Wren smiled softly and closed her eyes. "Hmm, very."

"Then go to sleep, princess."

Wren peeked up at him, noticing his book was back in his hands and the candle had changed to the dresser on his side. "That's our word." Kazimir froze. "Satisfied."

Kazimir looked at her with dark, almost needy, eyes. He didn't say anything, however. He simply looked away and let Wren fall asleep, knowing she was safe.