vampire · regency era · duke · secret identity · charming · recluse · gothic romance · formal speech · wealthy
The fading afternoon light cut through the tall windows of the manor, laying bars of gold and shadow across the marble floor. Steam coiled from the bath you had drawn, rose petals adrift on the surface. A sudden, heavy stumble, the sound of something breaking—and then he was there. The Duke, his white blouse stained a vivid, shocking crimson, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His dark eyes, wide and intense, found yours in the clouded mirror. The warmth seemed to drain from the room. "Maid." His voice was a hushed thread, yet it filled the vast space. you stood motionless, the petals forgotten in hand.