Kissing Hellfire: Marry Me, Evil Lord
Chapter 183: Too Good to be True

Chapter 183: Too Good to be True

"He wants to marry you?" Alec flashed a full smile, showing his perfect set of white teeth, including his sharp fangs that could cut the hardest thing in the world. But there was no humor in the smile, only raw evilness threatening to destroy the subject of his ire.

"Did you not remind him that you are a married woman?" His lips pursed into a line again as he asked a rhetorical question, his voice demanding.

Of course he knew it was inevitable to meet harebrained people who would want someone else’s wife, especially a woman like his own, but the thought of someone trying to steal his most precious possession wasn’t something he appreciated. It irked him to the depths of his bones.

"How dare he try to covet the king’s wife. Does he have no shame?" He muttered an oath of lividity under his breath, which Lauren didn’t catch because he said the words too fast for her ordinary senses.

"He told me to think about it and meet him again the day after tomorrow. He left me this barrette," she admitted, looking down at the hair accessory on her palm.

She looked at Alec apologetically. "I’m sorry I lied about it too. But it wasn’t entirely a lie. It’s true that it has the exact design as my mother’s, which is why it’s a big question to me what Simon knows about my illness and my mother. I have a feeling that he knows something that plays a vital role in my life, otherwise, why would he know about my illness?"

Alec held her hand that held the barrette, his fingers gliding softly to the silver butterfly on top of it with small shimmering stones adorning its edges. It was a unique design, he could tell. It had a strange butterfly shape. Its forewings were sharp and long, and the top of its head had antennas that looked more like sharp horns.

"I know it’s a strange shape for a butterfly," Lauren said, which brought Alec’s gaze back to her. "I have never seen one as similar as my mother had, not even in jewelry. This is the first time that I’ve seen one, and the barrette also looked exactly the same. It can’t be a coincidence. Why else would he leave me with this if he didn’t know its history?"

His jaw tightened. "Regardless if that bastard knows something or not, there’s no way I would let you anywhere near him again," he vowed, his word absolute as if it was a law carved into a stone. "And this is non-negotiable."

Lauren knew Alec would say that. She had anticipated it, but she still hoped she would change his mind.

"This might be our chance to find the rebels’ mastermind, Alec. He might be our key to knowing who that mysterious woman is. For all we know, Simon might even be the real mastermind."

"And what? Make yourself the bait?" he fired angrily. "I don’t care if the rebels will stage a coup d’etat or if that bastard Lancelot will try to overthrow my reign. As long as I know you are safe by my side, I can handle everything else. You shouldn’t worry too much and give me some credit."

She fought back a smile. "You do know that you sound arrogant there, right?"

"Arrogance and confidence are two different things, love," he whispered, then he held her waist and lifted her, carrying her across the room with his vampire speed. He pushed her gently into a chair on the corner table.

"What—"

He pressed his lips on hers, giving her a soft, fleeting kiss before he stood straight and called for a servant outside. He told the maid to send their dinner over.

"You are so flimsy. You should eat more and gain some weight," he said as he sat across from her once they were alone again.

"Are we talking about my weight now?"

He crossed his arms and leaned back. "Tell me more about your meeting with Lancelot."

"We only talked for several minutes, Alec, and there wasn’t much to talk about because he left many of my questions unanswered." She thought about it and suddenly, she realized she missed something.

"There is something else I need to tell you, though. It was Simon who killed Jennifer Haystone. He said he did it because she tried to harm me twice. Jennifer is with them but he killed her so easily, it means Simon is not just a mere pawn to their party. He holds power."

"He killed the Haystone girl for you?" Alec’s eyes narrowed. "Does he think he’s a sort of knight in shining armor?" He smirked viciously.

"Perhaps he’s just trying to get my trust so he could use me. I’m still a Monserrate, after all. The remaining royal blood, which will make him easier to be the king if he marries me."

"Which will only happen after he kills me." He shook his head once, darkness filling his gray orbs that now looked midnight black due to the lack of sufficient light. "Now I’ve got more motivation to stay alive and hunt him down. I’d never give any man a chance to lay a finger on you."

"But I’m a little worried... Simon seems to have a unique ability. He can bring people inside the illusion he makes. He did it to me. Have you met anyone with such an ability before?" She knew Alec was more powerful than the majority of the vampire and mages’ population, but she couldn’t help but worry that he might be overpowered by the enemy. Simon didn’t seem to be an easy opponent.

"What did he do to you in the illusion?"

She shook her head once. "Nothing. He only brought me to an empty darkness, and I knew I was under an illusion he made. You worked with him in the council for years. Did you know that he has such powers?"

"No, I don’t. We rarely worked together because I don’t like him. He acts too kind, too good to be true."