As soon as Lord Reign stepped out of his carriage, the sweet scent of peaches invaded his nose. With a heavy breath, his nostrils flared, the hidden scent of lavender hiding within the fruit .
"Pierre, do you smell that?" He asked the man next to him, voice a low rumble that escaped his throat.
The head maid of his household, Sir Pierre took a whiff of the air. It was mostly for show, to please his lord and show that he was listening. Like his master, he was a vampire, and smelled the sweet scent of peaches and the subtlety of lavender as soon as they reached the gate of Duke Foures estate.
"Yes, my Lord." Pierre answers.
"What is it that you smell, my beloved Pierre?" Reign continued to ask. He smirked at the blonde man, sharp fangs prodding at his lower lip.
"I smell peaches, milord." Pierre resisted the urge to smile back. "And lavender."
"It was wrong of me to have doubted Nicholas." Reign said, hands curling together behind his back. His red eyes scanned the large house before him. Double doors for an entrance, along with brick walls, and stone shillings. The windows were blocked with bars, an image that made him chuckle. His gaze continues to lift, a curiosity he couldn't tame.
Standing in front of a window, Reign could see the pink figure staring down at him.
Could that be her?
A smile as sharp as broken glass spreads across his pale face.
The beauty of which the Vampire Lord decided to visit this lowly human Duke.
He scoffed, the position was a joke. A means to meet an end, for humans to feel a resemblance of trust in them.
He licked his teeth, carefully gliding over his sharp fangs.
They all knew who had the real power now, and it wasn't them. Fear was what kept them in line. The fear in which he reveled in.
The picture of the Duke's daughter entered his mind. How Lord Nicholas got his hands on it was beyond him. The stubborn vampire wouldn't tell him. No matter, he was glad he had it and showed it to him.
Her beauty caught his attention. Her long black hair and big blue eyes. An odd combination of dark and light.
The doors to the estate opened and an older man with greying hair stepped out of the house.
Upon seeing the Vampire Lord, he bowed at his waist. His shaking hands grabbed at the sleeves on his trousers.
Reigns lips tilted up, it was obvious signs of fear such as this that made him happy. This was how it should always be.
Vampires were superior and it's mandatory that humans understood that.
"Welcome, Lord Reign Valentine to the Duke Foures estate." The man greeted him, still bowed at his waist. The shake in his voice was prominent, and inflated Reign's ego. "Please, right this way."
He turned away, hands curling and then uncurling at his sides, and led the Vampire Lord inside.
Sir Pierre followed him, leaving behind the horses and carriage.
"Duke Marcus was expecting you at dinner, so deep apologies for anything not to your standards." The man continued, his tone a pitch higher. He led them down a corridor, shoes tapping as he moved with less than obvious speed. No doubt eager to get away from him.
The maids in the hall quickly scrambled into the nearest rooms when they caught sight of him.
"That is not a Lord who has been here before," He caught a conversation from behind one of the closed doors, after a small group of maids scampered in.
"Do you suppose Lord Nicholas is aware of another Lord snooping at one of his Dukes?" Another mumbled.
"I couldn't wait until dinner," Lord Reign lost focus of their conversations, and offered his excuse. "It's a terribly long time to wait." He snickered at his own joke.
Time, the word had long ago lost its meaning for him when he no longer died of old age.
Sir Pierre snorted in return.
The human man stopped before two wooden doors, much like the front entrance. He opened it, and Lord Reign took in the sight before him.
Duke Marcus hovered near a bar, glass bottles of alcohol lined up neatly on the shelf. He poured himself a glass of whiskey, hands visibly shaking as he held the bottle.
On the other side of the room was his wife. She resembled her daughter, with the same black hair and blue eyes. She held her wine glass by the stem, eyes flying over as soon as the door opened.
The woman scrambled to her feet, "My Lord," She gasped, a faint smile on her lips. She kept her eyes on his as she bowed, giving a view of her ample chest.
Lord Reign raised an eyebrow, curious of her vast amount of bravery and lack of fear.
At the sound of his wife, Duke Marcus turned around, face visibly paling at the sight of him.
It was just as Nicholas described it. A short and stubby man with greedy fingers, and a beautiful and equally as greedy wife.
When Duke Marcus bowed his head, Reign bristled with dissatisfaction.
The blatant disrespect was obvious in Duke Marcus' eyes, and Lord Reign resisted the urge to snap his neck right then and there. He could easily be replaced. Did the Duke know that?
"Lower." The word escaped Reigns throat in a growl.
"I beg your pardon, My Lord?" Duke Marcus almost stuttered.
He still feared him yet he still challenged? A fool of a man.
"I said," His voice was snappy, hating that he had to repeat himself. "Bow lower." He ended with a smile, sharp canines flashing in threat.
Reign smiled when the Duke lowered at his waist, as he should have done the first time. He wasn't satisfied though, this wasn't enough from a disrespectful human.
"Lower." Lord Reign demanded.
When Duke Marcus didn't move, his jaw clenched. He walked toward him until they were toe to toe. With a heavy hand, he pushed the Duke onto his knees.
Sputtering out a gasp, the Duke cringed underneath his strength, a painful pulsing circled his shoulder at his tight grip.
"Better." Lord Reign smiled at him.
"I've only come for one thing," Reign said. He glared down at Marcus with disgust, "One I have graciously told you beforehand and you prove yourself to be very," The vampire paused as he searched for the word that will best taunt him, "Incompetent. Not to mention very daring."