Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 72: Before the hunt

The corridors grew silent as the guests began to retire to their assigned rooms.

Ruelle had been led to where Lady Maxine was sharing her room with her, but the vampiress hadn't returned to the room. Unable to rest, she had decided to take a short walk. The silence around the place made way for her thoughts. She reflected on the reckless and defensive promise she had made in the dining room.

"Brilliant, Ruelle. Truly brilliant. Why not promise to wrestle a werewolf next while you are at it?" she muttered to herself.

Pride had tripped her tongue and now it left her pacing the corridors like a ghost. Just because she had been given a seat at their table did not make her one of them. She would always be a lowly human in their eyes.

If she survived tomorrow, she swore not to open her mouth when vampires were involved.

Ruelle paused near one of the tall windows, her reflection faint against the glass. Beyond the window, a single lantern burned in the direction of the stable, its light swaying with the wind.

Walking into a room, she found the back door of the mansion. Her hand reached for the doorknob and she was about to turn it when a voice stopped her.

"Miss Ruelle."

Ruelle turned and caught sight of the head of the servants, Maude. The woman stood in her dark gown, her face expressionless but composed, as she stared at the human.

"Do you need something?" Maude inquired.

"No. I was just taking a walk," Ruelled answered before adding, "I couldn't sleep."

The older woman didn't respond, but her gaze stayed on the young woman. And the silence only made Ruelle feel as if she was in a place she was not meant to be. As if the housekeeper disapproved of her presence.

"You shouldn't be out like this," Maude stated, her eyes void as her voice, which carried a touch of discipline in it.

"My apologies. I didn't know it was off-limits, I—" Ruelle's words halted when Maude walked to one side of the room. The woman then picked up a shawl before walking back to where she was.

Without warning, Maude draped the shawl around Ruelle's shoulders. "The weather at this hour is colder than it feels inside," Maude said, adjusting the shawl with surprising care. "And your shoulders are nearly bare at this hour. It might bite you."

The gentleness beneath the scolding surprised Ruelle, causing her to blink. She murmured, "Thank you…"

"If you must walk, stay near the lanterns and not go beyond it," Maude suggested with a stern voice before offering a bow and disappearing out of the room.

Ruelle then stepped out of the back door and felt the night chill brush against her cheeks. She made her way towards the stable, listening to the rustles of the leaves and the wind.

Reaching the stable, she was quickly greeted by the scent of hay and wet ground, which felt familiar and comforting. There were several stalls which had magnificent looking horses tied to them. Coming to stand before one of the stalls, where a dark brown-coated horse lifted its head, Ruelle whispered, "Hello there."

She carefully placed her hand on the horse's neck. The horse accepted her touch without complaint.

"You are far braver than I am," Ruelle murmured. "You're probably used to being chased by vampires."

It wasn't as if she hadn't ridden horses before, but the thought of vampires hunting her down like a rabbit tomorrow worried her.

kept her hand on the horse's warm coat as she glanced over her shoulder. At the far end of the stable, half-shadowed by a hanging lantern, she spotted a workbench cluttered with tools like axes, a saw,

being alone and only in the company of the horses, she moved towards the tools and picked up the crossbow. There was a bullseye hanging

stabbed in ten seconds," Ruelle whispered

she had expected. She had seen some of the seniors use it and

string, and when she released it, the arrow flew for half a second before plummeting to

your bravery. Confidence without competence is a rare combination," a

Lucian witnessed that. She cleared

to mock me?" she asked

skills?" Lucian stepped into the stable, each footstep crisp against

too…" she muttered under

bent, picked up the fallen arrow, and examined it with cool detachment. "Too?" he echoed

be part of the hunt," Ruelle

this while ignoring her earlier words. His hand reached for the crossbow she was holding and took

bow with a practised ease and then released the string in a single fluid breath. The

if you didn't take part, it wouldn't help," Lucian remarked, handing the crossbow back to her. What did he mean

did, he stepped behind her shoulder. He instructed, "Don't lift your elbow so high. Keep your wrist firm.

the wood as she tried to steady her breath. Staring ahead

you mean… it wouldn't

nonchalantly, his eyes fixed on her posture. "The more Dane would have tried to keep you out of it, the more those vampires would have taken interest.

and drew the arrow back

heard Lucian speak behind her. She turned startled when she felt his cold fingers brush her elbow,

didn't plummet into the ground like last time, neither did it hit anywhere near the

asked, remembering he had said

things to do than watch you get caught in the first minute," Lucian didn't

supposed to cheer for your brother's team?" she muttered, frowning as

one of his eyebrows and asked, "Are you asking me to

else here to support her. She knew Sawyer, but he would cheer for his sister. Her gaze dropped without meaning to. Noticing this, Lucian

Better than most of them, at least." After a pause, he said, "Now pick another arrow, Belmont. Let's see

Lucian had used moments before. She released

she asked, "What were you

into his coat pockets, his stance relaxed as he watched her struggle.

hole into her head, she explained about the minister, the wine and the pot to him. "...and that's what

his gaze on her unreadable. He

her reposition her hold on the crossbow. His right hand then held her hand that gripped the arrow. The touch

squirrel," Lucian stated, his breath brushing her cheek as he

through the air and struck

even though it was achieved

she

in the obvious way. His eyes narrowed by a fraction, pupils tightening as if her sudden joy had

clipped. "Go get some sleep. You will need

Ruelle said