Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 71: A Seat Among Predators

Lord Azriel's words were neither loud nor sharp. Yet they prompted quiet snickers along the table with guests relishing the joke at Ruelle's expense.

Hearing the lord address her as a gardener, Ruelle's fingers froze around her fork. Heat crept up her neck as she felt the eyes along the table, which were polite, curious and cruel. Of all the people sitting here, the Slater family had reason to despise her kind as the lord's wife had been killed by human hands. Still, she hadn't expected it.

"It seems you are collecting job offers tonight, Ruelle. First a cobbler, now a gardener," Dane drawled with a grin. He then turned to his father and asked, "Though I'm curious, Father. When did you witness Ruelle's talent of gardening?"

"She looks far too lovely to muddy her hands," Lady Maxine stated with a chuckle, who sat beside Ruelle.

Lord Azriel, who took a sip of the blood wine responded, "I could have sworn I heard a different name earlier this evening."

Ruelle's eyes widened with realisation. He had caught her pouring his expensive wine into one of his plant pots. "I—didn't mean to do that," she tried to explain and attempted a smile that only wavered at the edges.

"You shouldn't pour things when you do not know," came Lord Azriel's curt response as he set his glass down. Some of the guests wondered what he meant. "In gardens and in rooms, a misplaced pour ruins more than it feeds."

When Ruelle's eyes turned to Lucian, his eyes were already on hers. At the same time, he picked up his knife and fork, the metal catching the chandelier's light. She looked away before her gaze dropped to her reflection trembling in the water she raised to her lips.

"With respect, Father," Dane said at last, perfectly unbothered, "she's here as my guest."

"Guests from Sexton come with bonds," Azriel replied, his tone still mild. "Bringing her here today, do you intend to redeem her for yourself?"

Ruelle coughed, the water burning her throat. She dabbed at her lips with a napkin.

"Tempting," Dane murmured thoughtfully. "Some of my cousins enjoy their attachments. But my hands are rather full this season." His eyes flicked before him. "The opposite chair, however, looks bare. Perhaps my brother's evenings are freer than mine."

Lucian's knife halted mid-stroke. "Keep your amusements to yourself," he replied, not looking up. The blade resumed its work, though his knuckles had whitened against the handle. "Guests are not merchandise."

"Of course not," Dane said amused, turning his glass lazily in his fingers before meeting his brother's eyes. "You wound me, Lucian. I don't collar guests."

But by his tone and the glint in his eyes, it was hard for anyone to believe that. A ripple of chuckles was heard from the table.

"She's here under her own will. I only offered a seat not a chain. Isn't that right, Ruelle?" Dane stated as he turned to glance at Ruelle, while his smile softened.

"Yes, Mr. S," she managed a smile. As the laughter resumed, she felt like she was being watched through glass.

Beside her, Lady Maxine asked Lucian, "How are the preparations coming for your council seat? Howard said the date has been set."

Lucian looked up, a flicker of attention softening his expression. "It is," he replied. "It's going well."

The vampiress smiled, pleased.

"I cannot wait for him to join the council," Minister Gaile said not far from where they sat. "Lucian has already helped me with plenty of cases in the past two years even though he's yet to join officially."

"You are generous, Minister Gaile. I merely lent some help where I could. The credit as always belongs to the experienced ones who have carried the weight of the council far longer than I have," Lucian responded with a small smile.

"He is too modest," Minister Gaile chuckled, saying it to the people sitting around him.

Ruelle found herself studying Lucian, remembering last weekend, when he sat with a thick book in the dining room. She doubted the other elite students worked with such quiet resolve. Her gaze drifted to Sawyer, who was laughing at something one of the guests had said.

"You must be at ease, Lord Azriel," commented a gentleman farther down the table. "Considering both your sons have never given you cause for worry. It is certain they will one day surpass the legacy the Slaters have built."

"They have been responsible and independent," Lord Azriel replied, his words laced with quiet pride.

"It is good to have two sons," an older vampire nodded his head slowly. "One who will step into the council and another who will inherit the title of lordship. Both are needed to keep the walls steady. Though I had thought the eldest might have benefited more from joining the council first. But an instructor at Sexton…especially teaching humans," he shook his head as if he found it absurd.

learns better at the ground level than from a high chair where much is too easily overlooked, Mr. Ackerley," Lord Azriel answered in a composed tone. It was

beneath his rank, yet Lord Azriel did not seem to think

"Dane will inherit the estate and he must learn its reins. But will there be news of an addition to

"I think I am still too young to think of wedding bells. And alas, there aren't many like

went on, "But one needs a partner to bear and continue the lineage." Then her eyebrows furrowed in thought before she commented, "Weren't you once betrothed?

question caught most guests' attention at the table. Most of them looked unaware about it, while there were a few who had already heard it as if it were one of

was Lucian," Lord Azriel's voice

sound of

imagine him promised to someone. The

seem pleased with the intruding question about the Slater family's personal affairs. Ruelle noticed the faintest tightness near

and curiosity of the guests. He continued, "Things like marriage should be thought about

There's no need to be hasty about it," Lord

with

what caused the betrothal to fall apart. But soon her thoughts drifted to what time it was and her eyes moved across the room in search of a clock. Instead, they met Lady Maxine's dark

been

lightly, waving his hand to a maid as if to

Ruelle insisted quickly. "I should

responded, "But it's already late. And sending a fair maiden with no chaperone would not only be impolite but unsafe. You should stay the night. I promise that

smile, unsure whether to take his jest lightly or not. She had only intended to stay for the celebration and then return home afterwards. But asking for a

was she

uncertainty lingered as her gaze found Lucian's. The look in his eyes was unmistakable, as if saying this

between Ruelle and Lucian. She said thoughtfully, "Dane is right. It's unsafe to

should stay, Ruelle. It's only one

Dane drawled cheerfully. "Everyone wants you to stay. Let the maid prepare a room for

eyes widened and she shook her head. The vampiress continued, "My

Lady Maxine's smile, but something about

quietened along with the dinner almost complete, a servant bent close to Lord Azriel and whispered something in his

the rest of you will enjoy the evening," he

Lord Azriel," several voices

him, and the

first time she had ever seen a lord this close and she couldn't help but follow him with her gaze until he stepped away from the dining room. It seemed people at higher positions had their

their seats, bidding polite farewells. The younger ones leaned back in their seats, laughter swelling and spilling through the

saw one of the guests reach out to the nearest human servant, pulling the woman onto his lap. In less than two seconds, his fangs sank into the woman's throat, followed by a soft gasp that melted into the hum

you haven't chained your pet, Angelina," remarked a vampiress with lips painted the shade of blood. "Is he on

unlike her now stood near the wall and behind where his

back and

raised their glass and said, "To tomorrow's hunt. It's

never disappoint," another

you tire of chasing the same animals?" a young vampire asked, lounging in his chair. "Perhaps it is time we made the

amusement glinting in his eyes. "And how do you propose we

Instead of animals, why not humans?"

table laughed. Sawyer rolled his eyes before saying, "That's hardly

countered smoothly. "And we have enough humans of our own to make a fine game of it. It is simple. Each of us sends our chosen human into the forest tomorrow morning. The rule: no killing. A single wound marks a point and is considered down and the human is then of no use. The hunter with

excitement filled the dining room. Some of them began to question who would be taking part in tomorrow's hunt.

pointed out, "Humans are slow. Clumsy. They would

guests laughed, knowing fully well of Lucian's contempt

it interesting. The humans will ride on horses while we will hunt

murmured someone, their eyes gleaming as their

be your kind of sport,"