Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 74: Hunt that no one played fair

One side of Ruelle's body struck the earth with a dull thud that knocked the breath out of her lungs as she fell to the ground. The ache spread through her ribs, but there was no time to ponder on it as Renard's servant screamed for his attention.

"How sneaky of you," the woman laughed. "Sitting up there like a bird and watching us."

Ruelle forced herself onto her feet, wincing as she reached for the fallen crossbow. "Aren't you supposed to be helping us humans?" she asked, her voice coming out strained.

"Why would I?" The woman blinked at Ruelle as if genuinely confused before she scoffed. "If anything, I should only help my master. Not you." Her eyes swept over Ruelle with mocking curiosity. "I wonder if a cut on your face would look good. You are a human like me, there's no need to act high and mighty."

The woman turned her head as if expecting Renard to appear at any moment.

If she ran now, the woman would chase her like a ghost. The only way to fix this was by quickly exorcising the situation. She had promised to fight this for the Slater family, especially for what they had done for her so far.

"Your family is born to kneel. There's no need to struggle but accept your fate," one of the debt collector's voice echoed the back of her mind.

Ruelle's fingers tightened around the crossbow. She raised it, slipping an arrow onto the string, praying under her breath. She tried to remember the angle Lucian had nudged her elbow at last night. Up a little, firm wrist and breathe before releasing.

The woman began her slow advance, saying "I can tell by just looking that you—"

Ruelle released the arrow at the same time. By accident or by luck, the arrow sliced the air and moved right next to the woman's face, close enough that the woman jerked back with a startled gasp.

"You little—!" she shrieked, fury twisting her face as she lunged forward. The woman pulled out another stake she had hidden in her dress.

Ruelle's fingers trembled as she fumbled for another arrow. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, barely managing to keep the bow steady. She then pulled the arrow and released it. This time the arrow found its mark in the woman's shoe and into her foot.

A scream tore from the woman's throat, which was enough to draw every vampire in the forest like wolves to blood.

Seizing the opportunity, Ruelle bolted out of there. Her feet kicked against the ground as uneven breath spilled out of her lips. Sweat clung to her forehead now, and her vision widened with a prey's awareness.

Then she heard it. A horse's neigh, not far from ahead of her.

Her footsteps faltered and her shoulders tightened.

"Move…" Ruelle whispered to herself, though her feet felt as though they had glued themselves to the ground.

One part of her mind tempted her to stay. If she remained where she stood… it would all end. The terror, the running, the humiliation. She would not have to struggle anymore. But another part of her refused the idea. To stop here would be equal to handing her fear over like an offering. To confirm what so many of them believed of her: that she was weak. And she didn't want to give them the satisfaction.

Her foot shifted backward. Then the other. Breath by breath, she coaxed her legs into motion.

And while she fled through the forest, the vampires who had gathered earlier to witness the start of the hunt now lounged at the forest's edge as though it were a festival.

They sat on chairs which were placed under umbrellas that shielded their pale skin from the afternoon sun. Glasses of blood-wine clinked. The guests drank and dined as if nothing in the world were more entertaining than seeing humans run like chickens.

"Seven humans have fallen in the forest, yet only six have crawled back out," a vampiress remarked, shading her eyes with a delicate fan as she peered toward the treeline. "How slow."

"Shall we wager on which unfortunate creature comes out next?" a vampire nearby asked, his voice light with amusement.

"I'll pass. Gambling is unbecoming," Sawyer replied and that only had Lady Maxine turn to look in his direction. A reluctant grin tugged at his mouth and he added, "Well… not on this particular hunt."

"Very unlike you," Lady Maxine murmured, settling back against her chair. "You sound like Dane."

Sawyer's smile deepened. Of course he was conflicted, he thought to himself. His sister's beloved servant was somewhere in those woods and so was Ruelle.

"Wouldn't you be?" he asked quietly.

Lady Maxine leaned back against her chair before speaking, "Not really. "However, you appear to be quite cordial with the little human."

"She has a face like a porcelain doll. I cannot blame Dane for inviting her to his celebration," another vampire chimed in, having overheard.

she was plain," another vampire said with a bored expression. "Pleasant,

is fortunate Lucian sat out the hunt. He would have put an arrow through a human than chase sport. His or

rippled through

heard it as clearly as any spoken word.

Lucian grown soft with

before he replied, "No. He despises them just as fiercely as ever." Just that this human was an exception, he thought to himself. His eyes carefully

in the forest, Ruelle continued to run as if her life depended on it. Her lungs burned with every passing second. When she heard the neigh of a horse, it was

as the branch was about to smack her across the forehead. Oh God,

suddenly

Her back slammed into the rough bark of a towering trunk,

wildly against her ribs as her vision began to clear and she saw who stood before her. Her brown eyes were wide open as she

moved past her, almost predatory, like he was listening to something she couldn't. He

forest fell silent for a brief moment before she heard the sound of hooves approaching. Ruelle turned her head just enough to see the horse she had lost earlier had returned with another rider. She noticed it was a woman with blonde hair, which was loose and all over her face.

same time, Ruelle heard a whistling sound in the air before an arrow

Ruelle flinched.

The horse reared, hooves raising high

more than confused and she looked

vampiress, her words aimed to provoke as her eyes followed the

belonged to Renard, who now surveyed the clearing with narrowed eyes and

mouthed behind Lucian's hand with

A flick of disgust. "She smells dreadfully common-born. Well, I am bored and am heading

deciding whether to follow the lowly human he had shot. Leaves rustled as someone limped into view and it was none other than his

saw Lady Angelina's servant fleeing

Renard responded and the

happy to repay the—"

should have retaliated when she attacked you," said the vampire, causing the human servant to flinch at his obvious

looked around before he left the place with his servant following him with a limp. When they were out of sight, Lucian withdrew

as incompetent as I

She asked him, "What is

his lips and

replied, eyes still sweeping through the trees.

didn't expect fairness," Ruelle murmured, though she didn't know these would be

his voice calm. "Renard and a few others

carried the blonde woman slumped over its back, her let down hair hiding her face. And Ruelle's own clothing hanging off the woman's frame. The shawl that Maude had given her last

thought that arrow should

her—?" Ruelle's voice cracked in

yourself over her," Lucian replied in a nonchalant tone, as if the matter were beneath discussion. "For now,

woman, guilt prickling in her mind. The sight felt wrong, no matter who the woman was. Blood dripped down from the woman's shoulder, falling on the ground. Ruelle's lips parted but her throat

"Belmont."

mind. Her eyes lifted to his, meeting his fearless red eyes that grounded her thoughts. He stepped just close

you trust me?"

"T–this

he remarked, his eyes piercing into

couldn't tell if the woman was alive or dead, or why this stranger had been chosen as her double. But Lucian didn't spare the

heading toward its end," Lucian stated, raising a hand toward the reins

She placed her hand in his, letting him steady

left," he continued. "Most

on the reins

where she belongs," Lucian stated, glancing at

ask Where? and her expression must have betrayed her, because one corner of Lucian's lips tugged upward. She

a woman's scream that echoed through the forest, sharp enough to pull Ruelle's attention back to the

but look back, and when she did, she saw Lucian drag the woman from there. She was aware that though he had grown tolerant with her,

wondered if Renard's servant was wounded or if she was faking it again. She rode away from the scream she had heard, but the trees