Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 80: Where mercy ends and begins

Ruelle's heart continued to beat loudly in her chest as she met Lucian's dark red eyes that were too calm in contrast to the man groaning behind her. To think she had earlier hoped not to run into a dangerous vampire, forgetting that the ones she had grown accustomed to sat far higher on the ladder of predators.

And though deep down she had already known, her lips still parted, trembling as she said, "T–There's an injured man."

"I know," came the cool and collected voice of Lucian. His gaze shifted past her briefly, assessing something behind her, while her own eyes drifted away from his lethal face and noticed the drops of blood splattered on his collar and sleeves, along with his gloves.

She then heard him exhale slowly, the sound restrained rather than weary. He asked her, "Weren't you supposed to head home?"

Ruelle found it difficult to pay attention to him with the person behind her bleeding and groaning in pain.

"I—the tailor wanted to take my measurements and I stayed behind," she explained, her voice unsteady. "Mr. S said you would collect me…"

Lucian's hand suddenly shot towards her, pulling her in his direction. Her breath hitched briefly as they switched positions. He remarked dryly, "My brother appears to believe I possess a talent for sensing where you wander."

When Ruelle looked down, she caught the man trying to crawl closer than she had noticed earlier. She swallowed and asked, forcing the words past the tightness in her throat,

"Why did you do that to him?"

There was no reason to ask if he had done it when the signs were clear. Ruelle had seen Lucian fight before. She knew well enough that if he wished, he could have ended the man's life instantly. Instead, he had chosen something cruel, something that would last a lifetime.

"Because he earned it," Lucian replied, his tone detached. When he turned away from her, there was a faint tension in the line of his shoulders as though he hadn't imagined her to witness this scene.

He crouched before the bleeding human with controlled ease.

The man screamed when Lucian bent two of the man's fingers backwards. The sound was sharp and ugly, making Ruelle flinch. There was no one to witness the man's pain except for the two of them.

"Did winning the hunt make you think you were suddenly invincible," Lucian asked calmly, "that you thought this was a clever hour to wander through town?" His question was not rude but it carried a tinge of displeasure in it.

"No…" Ruelle winced as another finger snapped. "I was looking for you. I thought you were there."

Lucian didn't answer but for a fraction of a second, the pressure on the man's hand eased as though her words had intruded where they weren't meant to before he broke the last finger.

The man collapsed into incoherent sounds. All that time, Ruelle stood frozen, realising that making Lucian an enemy was a fate worse than death. She then mustered courage, asking softly,

"Why?"

When Lucian finally straightened, he turned to her with his gaze searching her face. He caught the fear dancing in her eyes, her lips trembling. His lips set in a thin line.

"Why?" he repeated, his head tilting slightly. "Are you wondering whether you should be afraid to sleep under the same roof as the bloodthirsty monster who hunts down humans?"

shook her head and tried to hold her voice, "You must have had a reason… and technically, we

pureblooded households have been erased entirely because of people like him. Killing people who have nothing to do with what they

alley which was covered in shadows. And then it hit her. There were others that she couldn't see, weren't they? She heard him

answer

didn't stop. She had never seen anything like this before and she wondered how Lucian had learned to stand so calmly in the presence of

seen his mother die

years since the conflict had ended, but its marks had never faded. Humans now shrank from vampires, while some vampires despised humans

said,

"What about him…?"

paused just briefly. He replied, "Someone will remove what's left. You

down the street and away from the man, who continued to groan and whimper on the ground as if he wanted to be shown mercy, but the pureblooded vampire had none left to give. Soon the sounds from the alley

passed by them, with the sound of its wheels

slowed near Mr. Carcas's shop and informed

fabric carefully covered,

you after all, Master Slater," the man said pleasantly. "Your order is ready." He retrieved a small, neatly wrapped parcel from the side table and handed it to Lucian. The pureblooded vampire looked at it briefly. The shopkeeper

his coat and produced a small leather pouch, placing it into Mr. Carcas' waiting palm. The soft jingle of

"Thank you," Lucian said.

Then his attention shifted to Ruelle and he

her eyes briefly flicking to the

was the first to step outside the shop. Lucian paused briefly behind her, pulling off his bloodied

the lamp post, with the lantern

it. Softly swallowing, her brown eyes finally moved to look at him where

his voice didn't

she subconsciously touched the side of her face. She murmured, "It must be the

didn't comment on that. Instead, he extended the small package towards her.

drew together as she asked,

until

was already in preparation

agreed, a thoughtful look crossing his

to gifts turning into expectations? You

her for a moment before replying, "They do. Which is why I'm telling you in

the package lighter than she

his gaze toward the street. "Do what

then pulled out a dark, woollen scarf. The wool's texture was finer than she had ever possessed, as if it was made to last many

here it was in her hands. She looked

take good