The Duke's Passion

Hours before the present time...

Samael and Lilou made a stop on the outskirts of the capital to rest. Laying on the open field without a care in the world, both of them were staring at the night sky full of stars.

"Sam?" she called without taking her eyes off of the sky. "Do you believe in heaven?"

"Hmm... now? Yes." He cast his wife a side-eye. "She's right here."

Lilou chuckled as she turned her head to him. "I'm saying the heaven where the dead go once they leave the world."

"Well, I don't know, my love. Be it then or now, I think the concept of heaven and hell is life itself. Some live a good life, while others live a living hell. Heaven and hell are just people's beliefs that extend their lives beyond their grave." Samael shrugged, using his arm as a head cushion. For me, once you're dead, you're dead. That's it."

She smiled subtly while listening to his remarks. "That's so you, but I believe in heaven and hell. I want to believe that those who are good go to heaven and are living the best. No more worries or hardship. Just pure paradise." Her eyes softened, thinking about her father that she had loved so much.

"It gives me peace thinking Father isn't being tortured somewhere else."

"Do you think you will go to heaven?" he quirked a brow, staring at his wife's side profile.

"If I think like that, then I wouldn't be afraid of dying, Sam." Lilou rolled to her side, propping her temple against her knuckles. "I am certain I will go to hell for the sins I had committed. But until then, I'll enjoy the heaven I am currently living."

Her lips stretched into a big smile, poking the tip of his nose with her index. Samael was her safe haven. With him, she was at her best. There would be good days and bad days, but she felt like she could do everything for as long as her husband had her back.

"Lilou," he called under his breath, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. "Come here, love."

Lilou crawled to him, resting her head on his chest. They were simply lying on the grass, but it didn't matter since their comfort was each other's warmth and affection.

"We came a long way, don't you think?" she whispered softly while he was patting her back. "We've been through a lot, and whenever I think about it, I can't help but be amazed and sentimental in a way."

"Mhm... we did."

"Being back in the empire brings back good and bad memories," she added.

"But here we are. We're freer than ever."

She smiled in peace. "Mhm. Never been this free. I love you, Sam. I really do."

"We should make out," Samael suggested as he rolled so he was lying on his side, facing her. A playful grin dominated his face, while Lilou suppressed her laughter.

"Not in here." Lilou clicked her tongue. "We're in an open space."

He frowned. "So what?"

"Have you forgotten why we're lying in this field? We're tired!" she brushed the apex of her nose against him while his frown grew worse. "How can you have the energy to make out all the time?"

"I always reserve my energy, duh?"

Lilou chuckled while watching the disappointment in his eyes. It was not like she was bothered making out with him out in the open. But she simply wanted to preserve this simple memory that was full of intimacy without going further. Another memory that they could prove they didn't need sex all the time to keep this marriage strong.

"Fine..." his frown remained while cupping her cheek. He stared at his wife's face as if etching it deep in his brain.

"I love you more, Lilou," he whispered. "Everything I did and all that I went through... I will go through them again just to be with you."

"Oh, Sam..." Lilou smiled and slowly closed her eyes as he bent down to claim her lips. Her hand on his shoulder blades tightened, smiling against his lips.

Meanwhile, Samael also closed his eyes to indulge in the warmth of her lips. Slowly and carefully, he drew his head back and opened his eyes.

However, when he opened his eyes, darkness welcomed him.

Samael blinked countless times, thinking he suddenly went blind. But nothing. It was just pure darkness. His mind went blank momentarily when he heard a very familiar voice.

"Hey, Hell." Samael froze as soon as he heard Stefan's voice. "How have you been, brother? Surprised that you're back in that coffin?"

'What the...?'

"Don't be surprised, brother." Stefan, who was standing near Lilou's father's burial mound at the back of her shack, laughed. He felt another strong gust of wind, taking it as Samael's responses, eyes on the duke's mansion.

"I will summarize what happened. Have you ever wondered why I took Claude in and didn't kill him with Lucia and Dyrroth? I kept him because I knew he would come in handy in the future," he explained calmly, holding his hand behind him. "Although that is the initial plan, I truly didn't want this to happen. I sincerely hoped Lena and the Nightwalkers will fail, so I can tell myself I did my best, but my best isn't good enough."

"But it truly seemed you had grown complacent just because I was dead already," he continued and shook his head lightly, feeling that the wind blowing past him was growing stronger. "Anyway, don't worry too much. I am just as tired as you. Just hope that Law will manage to help you since I chose him and gifted him the future. Until then, let me borrow your wife."

Stefan slowly turned around and faced the person clad in blood. A subtle smile appeared on his lips as his eyes softened.

"I told her I wished to never see her in my next life... because I don't know what I'll do if we did," he whispered, seeing the young Lilou look at him in surprise. There was no pity or hate in her eyes anymore. Just pure surprise and desperation after her first vampire kill.

"It's you?" she asked him, just like the question she uttered in the past. "You came?"

Unlike in the past, Stefan didn't speak. But the course of events followed through. Lilou rushed to him, clutching his cloak, and marveled at his breathtaking beauty.

She rested her forehead against his chest, looking down with soft eyes. "I'm sorry I'm late. Something happened on the way, but I'm home now," she whispered, almost on the verge of tears. "Don't leave me now, hmm?"

"I won't," he said under his breath, guiding her chin up to look at his dangerous eyes. "Not in this lifetime, sweetheart."

***

"Not in this lifetime, sweetheart."

Samael held his breath while listening to this conversation for the second time. Although Lilou uttered the same words before, Stefan's reply and aura were different.

"Stefan...!" he shouted, grinding his teeth as he forced himself to wake up but to no avail.

****

A/N: If you need a reference scene for this scene, it's chap 226.

This is the end of the epilogue ^^ don't buy priv next month since my upload for TDP will reduce or none at all. This is actually the real ending of TDP so... if you have questions, leave them in the comment section.

PS.. Please don't kill me >.<