Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 6: Misunderstanding blow up!

If looks could kill, Ruelle would be six feet under in the dining room by now. The vampire's glare pierced through her with an intensity that would have silenced anyone else.

The young man who had caught her from falling wore a disarmingly gentle smile. Chuckling softly, he shook his head. "That must have been quite the ordeal. What business could a vampire have possibly wanted with someone as lovely as you?"

Adrenaline surged through her veins, pulsing like a drum in her ears and sending her heart racing. She couldn't help but babble her way out.

"Oh, it was all just a big misunderstanding!" Ruelle exclaimed, waving her hands animatedly. "I meant in the forest, not the market—the forest! Actually, he wasn't that bad. It was entirely my mistake." Her words tumbled out in a rush, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she bowed slightly and hurried to the table where other humans like herself were seated.

Spotting Hailey waving at her from the Groundlings' table, Ruelle felt immediate relief. She quickly plopped down beside her.

"I can't believe you ended up with that Clifford girl," Hailey said after swallowing a mouthful, her tone a mix of disbelief and sympathy.

"Neither can I," Ruelle replied with a nervous chuckle, feeling the weight of her situation pressing down on her. "How about you? Will you be okay?"

Hailey met her gaze with a reassuring nod. "I hope so. It would have been nicer if we shared the same room."

Ruelle felt the same and managed a weak smile. Although a gnawing anxiety clung to her, at least she wouldn't be sharing a room with a vampire. How bad could sharing a room with June Clifford be, right?

After a moment, Hailey nudged Ruelle with her elbow and whispered, "I think they're looking at you..." just as Ruelle was taking a bite of her food. Glancing up, Ruelle noticed a few senior human girls and a few others from the Halfblood table watching her intently.

Her heart began to race anew, a surge of panic washing over her. She swallowed quickly and asked, "Did I miss something?"

"I think it's because you spoke to an Elite," Hailey murmured, her voice dropping to a cautious whisper.

Ruelle felt their stares piercing through her, and her palms grew clammy as she tried to ignore the mounting pressure of their scrutiny. She had unintentionally drawn unwanted attention. Being here felt like a bad dream that she couldn't wake up from. She had never wanted to come to Sexton, but here she was.

In this vampire-dominated world, being human felt like playing a pawn in a game of deception, where choices were mere illusions dancing just out of reach.

On the other side of the room, at the Elites' table, Sawyer, who had caught Ruelle earlier, finished off his glass of blood. "Looks like we have an interesting crop of humans this time," he declared to his friends. "Since we're in our final year, I think it's wise to start making our selections soon."

The vampiress across from him responded, "I'd rather wait. I can only wonder which of them will be shooting stars—burning brightly only to fizzle out."

with her charming clumsiness, Blake?" Sawyer

the dark-haired vampire seated next to Sawyer, focused intently at the mention of Ruelle. Though his expression remained impassive,

bullseye on?" Blake inquired with an amused arch of

head in curiosity. "Anyway, I

His red eyes, darker than most at the table,

amusing?" Lucian's voice was low and laced with disdain. "Humans are remarkable only in their ability to make fools of themselves.

a pout. "You're as harsh

as a future Duke, your focus should be on their competitiveness and potential rather than merely

drawing the students' attention. Ruelle's gaze shifted to a vampire standing at the head of the table, who appeared to be in his fifties. With a short beard and piercing grey eyes, he wore a smile that did little to soothe Ruelle's unease. She sensed that

the wall, causing a shattering crash that commanded immediate silence. "Much better. It seems we have a batch that responds to action more effectively than words," he remarked

tightened her grip on the spoon she held as some of the students jumped in their seats from the

returning and new Elites, Halfbloods, and Groundlings. Sexton was established to

place in our society. Failure to complete them will ensure you remain at the bottom. Your families have been compensated for assisting the vampires, and in return, the vampires will

own devices, wild and unchecked. This lack of structure and clear guidelines left not just Ruelle, but many

that her situation didn't look that great. Some of the students began

The room was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate two students, with a bed on each side against the walls, with study desks positioned nearby. The room was stocked with an ample supply of candles to illuminate the space, and a cushioned bed awaited

fresh start with June, especially given the more pressing concern of navigating a world filled

frowning at the sight of Ruelle's things occupying the right side of the room. "You can't just unpack

but you weren't here to unpack," Ruelle replied, trying for diplomacy in an attempt to keep the peace.

with a hint of annoyance, "I didn't even want the window! You can have it. Move

Ruelle

first night was far from easy for Ruelle. The mere thought of someone entering the room and the shadows that danced on the walls kept her awake for a long time. When she finally did manage to fall asleep, it

arrived, Ruelle forced herself out of bed as she needed to prepare for her classes, which started at eight. To her surprise, the other bed was already empty. After waiting for an hour with no sign of June, she decided to knock

out, her concern growing. Maybe she fell and hit

came the sharp response from inside. "Can't you see I am

her voice, she insisted, "It's seven

ten minutes," June replied dismissively. She stepped

seemed June Clifford was intent on turning this into