Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 12: Scars of love

Ruelle's nerves trembled like leaves caught in a strong wind beneath the scrutiny of Lucian's intense gaze, each pass of his dark red eyes seeming to weigh her very soul. Her heart pounded within her chest as the gravity of his demanding demeanour left her thoroughly disarmed.

At the same moment, a sudden breeze swept through the woods, stirring her blonde locks, which brushed against her cheeks and fell softly across her face as she stood in front of the Elite vampire.

"What are you doing here in Sexton?" Lucian questioned, his tone sharpening by an edge she couldn't quite place.

"Attending class like everyone else," Ruelle replied, her voice small and uncertain. In that moment, she felt exposed, her carefully guarded inadequacies laid bare under his scorn. His annoyance was an unspoken accusation, echoing the clumsy moments that had earlier earned his contempt, leaving her to question every flaw she had tried to conceal. "To make a living..."

Lucian's brow furrowed ever so slightly, his eyes flickering with a flicker of something Ruelle couldn't quite decipher. For a moment, he seemed caught off-guard by her response, before his usual aloofness reasserted itself.

"Of course. What else would have brought you here?" He murmured, his voice laced with mockery.

Ruelle blinked, confused as her palms began to sweat. Wasn't that the reason everyone came to Sexton—to make a living? Yet, beneath his seemingly simple statement, his words hinted at an implication she couldn't grasp.

"What are you two doing there?" Mr. Jinxy's voice cut through the tension, his eyes narrowing at Hailey, who rested casually against the rough bark of a towering tree, and Ruelle, who appeared engrossed in a conversation with Lucian. "Both of you, follow me. We are going to the shed to fetch the weapons used for Hunt and Stake."

Ruelle didn't think twice before bolting out of there with Hailey, hot on Mr. Jinxy's trail. As they fled, she couldn't shake the sensation of eyes boring into her back, but she dared not glance back.

Over the next three days, life at Sexton resumed at its relentless pace. The peculiar classes came and went, during which Ruelle dutifully scribbled down every word the instructors uttered until her wrist ached from the constant note-taking.

During this time, a routine began to form with Hailey and Kevin, where they shared meals and discussed their unusual subjects.

Now, in the quiet dining room, which was nearly empty save for a few lingering souls, the scent of dinner hung in the air. Ruelle found herself seated at a corner table, overlooking Hailey's writing, while Kevin sat across from her. It was then when she suddenly sensed someone's eyes on her. Her heart fluttered with unease as she glanced up, bracing for that familiar, intense gaze.

But Lucian was nowhere to be seen, nor did she find anyone looking at her. She couldn't shake the way he looked at her, almost as if it haunted her. And although she was worried about running into him, she hadn't caught sight of him for the last three days.

exclaimed with a small grin, looking up from his

on quickly," Ruelle

seat. "I wonder if we could ask Mr. S for some books out of pity," she sighed wistfully. "Yet we would still be far

their shoes," Kevin explained, rising from his seat and gathering his belongings. "What about you, Ruelle?" he

I return home for the weekend. I'll borrow some wool and knit sweaters or scarves to sell to

for the help, Ruelle," he said with a grateful smile before waving goodbye and heading

with a wistful longing. She

wavered at Hailey's words, the warmth of her friend's fond memories casting long shadows across her own heart. "That's very

she never questioned her family's love—it was the only kind she had ever known. Deep down, she clung to the

upset with her and would understand that coming to Sexton wasn't her choice. After lingering a few moments longer in the dining room, the two friends left

swallowed by the encroaching darkness. Just as Hailey opened her mouth to speak, a figure suddenly lunged from the shadows, shoving her with force. She fell

cold stone wall. The impact jolted the

gleaming like shards of ice in the dim glow. She loomed over Ruelle, her presence suffocating.

"How bold of you

corridors!" Hailey protested, her voice trembling with defiance. One of Alanna's lackeys responded by yanking her hair

Groundling. I've been observing you two, and you seem to not understand your place. Not an ounce of

go. We just want to return to our rooms," Ruelle pleaded,

you were too special to undress in front of the other first-year Groundlings in the forest? It's

the corridor, milady," suggested one of the mean girls, eager to please.

and with a frantic movement, managed to break free. As she did, the vampiress snatched at her dress sleeve, ripping it with a harsh sound that echoed around them

before Alanna's laughter rang out again. "I thought you were preserving yourself for the prince with how modestly you acted, but you don't even

her back against the unforgiving stone wall. Her eyes, previously defiant, now flickered with discomfort and a deep,

fabric from the other side of Ruelle's shoulder, leaving her even more exposed. Simultaneously, the other vampiress ripped the front of Hailey's dress, sending the

looking like this..." Alanna's voice drawled with smug satisfaction as her eyes fell on another scar. "You're