Welcome Duchess

A Night Together

I followed the servants to a room containing a large clawed bath. I undressed and stepped in, as the maid poured warm water in as well what seemed to be bubble bath. I let out a soft sigh sinking down into the bath as bubbles began to form and the smell of lavender filled the room.

This...was nice...a lot nicer than the shower crammed into my tiny studio apartment. One of the maids began brushing a comb through my hair as I soaked in the tub. Another handed me a mirror,

"You're quite fetching my lady. No wonder our Duke has chosen you." she smiled.

I examined the mirror closely and found a stranger looking back. Well to be clear it was me, but I definitely didn't look this elegant back home. Was this the famous immortal vampire beauty half the teenage girls in the United States craved? I'm starting to see a speck of logic in their brains. But still I don't remember having a beauty mark underneath my left eye, and my face looked far more enchanting that I'd even known it. This was suspicious indeed, did this world give me an upgrade or something?

After I finished soaking they helped dry me off and clothed me in a light pink nightgown with spaghetti straps. Which to my understanding was the equivalent of lingerie in this time period. After getting my hair combed through once more and a bit of perfume sprayed on they determined me ready. Mary came quickly to pick me up.

"Thank you for your care." I bowed, much to their surprise.

"Ah- No worries about your lady! We're simply doing our jobs!" one of the girls protested a faint blush on her face.

"I see, and your name is?" I questioned.

"It's Ellen my lady." she said sheepishly and I smiled, her shyness was amusing.

"You seem quite shy Ellen." I raised an eyebrow with a slight smile.

"...It's just your ladyship is very beautiful and well proportioned. But it is presumptuous of a maid like me to see you as such." her cheeks flushed even darker.

She did seem like a gentle, hardworking girl. Her face and figure was immaculate however...she was like a shining gem with gentle white hair. I smiled softly, and turned away to walk out the door.

"Good work Ellen, I'll need a hard working maid like you in the future." I complimented her.

I have no doubt within these walls there would be resistance against me. A new lady of the house arriving and taking over the same day? With all the enemies just waiting to harm me I'd need someone I could trust by my side.

"My lady. We will be late to meet his lordship in his resting chamber." Mary warned, urging me to hurry after her as she stepped out the door.

Mary took me up a flight of stairs and down a long hall to a large set of mahogany doors. She opened the door a crack and slipped inside. My anxiety intensified as I stood dumbly outside the door waiting. I was going to have to share a bed with him wasn't I? Would he make due on his earlier promise to not listen to my warning about touching me, maybe this is hell after all-

Mary came out and bowed to me, "The Duke will see you now."

I walked in to find him in a white shirt that was tucked into what seemed like 18th century black slacks. His feet were bare and he rested on the left side of the bed that faced the bed reading a book. He raised his head as I approached, he took my hand and lightly kissed it before hoisting me up on top so I was forced to straddle him. My face heated up and I'm sure it was all kinds of red.

"...My lord-" I tried to protest.

"Vincent." he cut in.

"What?" I questioned.

He pressed me down against his chest, "My name is Vincent. I'd like you to call me as such."

Looking at his face up close like this...it was really smooth and attractive...from an objective standpoint...I mean there's nothing wrong with appreciating a guy's looks after all. I definitely don't fancy a guy like him at all.

Vincent brushed back a piece of my hair, "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Nothing my lord...with your permission I'd like to sleep now. This has been a far from normal day for me." I said.

He nodded and picked me up by my waist with little to no effort. He placed me on the right side of the bed, I burrowed under the sheets embarrassed, as he continued to read his book with little to no reactions.

"Get some rest. Tomorrow you'll begin learning basic dance and etiquette of Solterra to prepare you for the banquet I plan to host announcing you as my chosen wife." Vincent said.

"...Again this isn't weird is it? Two strangers getting married on the principle of a contract..."

"No? It's not uncommon here. Usually there can be an appointed third woman to bear the family heirs if necessary, but other than that there's nothing else strange about it. Your home world is truly odd."

My ears perked up, "So then we'll be choosing a woman?" if that was the case then I wouldn't have to worry about having sex with this troublesome Duke.

"Did I purchase not only an ugly vampire, but a stupid one as well? We're vampires. I have no need for an heir when I will live forever." Vincent rolled his eyes.

"B-But children are nice! They're cute and soft!" I protested, puffing up. How dare he call a beauty like me ugly. If I was ugly I wonder what that made me him.

Vincent put down his book after marking the page. In what seemed like seconds, he had me pinned down firmly. I felt heat rush throughout my body and I avoided his piercing gaze.

"Then would you like to bear me an heir, then? A little child of our own?" I shivered feeling his soft breath on my neck.

"M-My lord...please release me." I pushed at his chest a bit.

"Hmph. Whatever you please, it's not as though you can go anywhere." he let me go before returning to his book coldly.

The absolute nerve of this man.

"Good night." I whispered before turning over in the bed.