When the duke still remained silent and stoic, Alena’s patience finally reached its limit. Her fingers clenched, and she pressed her dagger against him, the blade now almost touching the skin of his throat.

“Now answer me, Duke. Or else, I will slit you throa–“

Before the threats could even fully escape her lips, Kaztiel reversed their positions in a lightning-fast maneuver. It happened with such startling swiftness that it left Alena breathless and wide-eyed.

Pinned beneath him, Alena immediately became aware of the way his body was pressing down against hers. But she refused to be distracted and shifted her eyes to his face.

However, she instantly regretted that move because now she felt like a butterfly trapped in the web of those mysterious eyes of his.

She was always told that her eyes were ethereal. Many even described them as jewel-like, certainly due to the pale ruby color of her irises. Everyone had been telling her that her eyes were the most mesmerizing eyes they'd ever seen. But right now, Alena couldn't help but think that if they saw this man's eyes up close like this… she was certain that they would change their minds. Because these… these eyes were the true definition of mesmerizing. She'd never seen eyes so beautiful and powerful that it literally felt like she was being swallowed right into their depths, even making her feel like it was impossible to break free from them unless she was released.

“I told you...” he said, breaking the silence. “You’ve missed the chance I gave you to kill me, Duchess.” His voice dripped with a seduction that was maddening. It was as if every syllable, every vibration of sound that emanated from him, was designed to ensnare, to captivate, to bewitch.

And just like that, his words, those eyes, and his body pressed against hers ignited a storm of sensations that she was never meant to feel again.

It was simply inexplicable, but every fiber of Alena’s being now felt alive. When he leaned in, the world around her seemed to stand still, and before she even realized it, her focus narrowed to his lips.

The warmth of his breath ghosted over her lips, and to her shock and disbelief, her heart thundered in her chest.

Her jaws worked. Her rational mind kept telling her that something was not right. What was happening was impossible in the first place. And now this... this strange reaction of her body towards him... no, there was nothing normal in this! Nothing! She needed to get away from this man to think and see what was truly going on right now! She can’t give in to this… Whatever this was… yes, all these just can’t be real! This man was definitely doing something to her. He was seducing her, confusing her, and making her lose her mind.

"Get off me and let me go," she somehow managed to say. She wanted to push him, but she felt weak. There was just no way she could actually do anything against this man. Someone like him, someone who could turn a ghost back into their human body, was definitely more than just a human being—if he even was one.

“Are you certain?” His sinfully dark and seductive voice echoed so pleasingly while his gaze continued to snare her. “You look like you wanted me to kiss you and ravage you right now, Duchess.”

The audacity of his words, combined with the intensity of his gaze, sent an unwanted shiver racing down Alena’s spine, instantly killing her rebuttal before a single sound could even come out.

“Tonight is our wedding night, so we have a duty to consummate our marriage,” he added, each syllable woving through the silence like a mysterious dance of shadows.

“Y-you’re sick, Duke Donovian.” She stammered. It was unbelievable how she, Alena Claveria, was actually being reduced to a stammering fool right now. Somehow, that thought hurt her pride, and her expression became fierce again. “I am a dead woman, and you know that,” she hissed, trying to regain some semblance of control over the disorienting situation.

“Right now,” he whispered, “you are under me, in flesh, alive, and... aroused, Duchess.”