Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 86: Twenty days

Heat crept up Ruelle's neck and she shook her head too quickly.

"No. That is not—I do not…" Her words tangled between her tongue and worry. "I am not saving anything for him."

Did Lucian think she spoke with the prince to climb the social ladder? Someone desperate enough to cling to royalty?

"I wasn't trying to do anything like that," she went on despite him never asking. "Things just happened this morning. His hair was stuck in glue, he couldn't see, and I used oil—"

"Belmont."

The single word was enough to bring her words to a halt. His lips pressed into a thin line. Not in displeasure. He stated, "I wasn't accusing you. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

Ruelle's cheeks looked flushed as his intense gaze fixed itself on her. Yet, something quiet sat in her chest, tight and unspoken. The fear that had crawled in last night refused to disappear.

Against the music and the chatter, her lips moved, and though she didn't say it aloud, Lucian caught it. For a moment, something unreadable flickered across his expression.

'Are you… angry at me?' She didn't want him to resent her.

"Why is it that the first place your mind goes is self-blame?" Lucian's voice dropped a fraction, steady and unbearably calm. He raised his hand slightly between them. "Don't see yourself so poorly."

On the other side of the room, Prince Edward craned his neck and spotted Ruelle standing before Lord Slater's younger son. From his view, Lucian wore a severe expression as ever, while Ruelle had turned red. Edward's brows drew together.

"Instructor," he called out in earnest concern, gesturing dramatically for the vampiress to come to him quickly. "I think my partner is being scolded. She looks like she's about to cry."

"Prince Edward," the instructor replied flatly, giving him an exasperated look, "there are already several students crying. Perhaps Your Highness would like to arrange handkerchiefs for the entire class next time?"

"Of course, I can. Wait—are you being sarcastic?" Edward asked narrowing his eyes, but the instructor had already begun to walk towards a pair of students in the back, where one was limping. He turned to his attendant, "Hermes!"

"Yes, Prince?" The attendant bowed his head.

Edward raised his hand, drawing a line on his neck. He ordered, "See it be done."

The attendant reminded him, "Your Highness, the King has pardoned instructors and students, unless it is—"

"Do you want to die?"

"…me included." The attendant cleared his throat.

With the music filling the ballroom, Ruelle realised she had been standing quietly.

Before the ballroom instructor would notice them standing still, Ruelle lifted her hand and placed it into Lucian's. His palm was warm against hers, his fingers naturally folding around her hand.

no prior experience in this dance, she became self-conscious. She was worried about failing because she

voice murmured, low enough

step on you," she whispered back. "I have short

simply stared at her

I might slow you down," Ruelle informed him before he could point it out

Follow me," he said at last, his hand adjusting

achy. Ruelle's

her forward first. His presence wasn't loud or overwhelming. It was steady, drawing her into a rhythm she didn't know she had the ability to follow. She stepped

filling with chatter, laughter and tension, she found

for last evening. For

"You shouldn't be thanking me for that. It should never have happened to you in the first

she said gently,

sheepish smile tugged at her lips. She murmured, "Maybe if

quietly. "They just

and she sighed. She murmured more to herself, "Sometimes I wonder

do you want to change?" Lucian's tone turned

here. To have a better life," Ruelle replied. She then smiled and added, "Hailey said I finally have a shot in it after what she heard in the dining room," and she shook her

her. He said nothing, but his

Lucian moving with music. Lucian Slater belonged to the quiet shadows, to a world where warmth didn't dare exist unless he allowed it.

in a blur of light, velvet walls and sweeping dresses before she spun back to face him. The distance between them

instinctively to his lead. And when he leaned forward and she bent back beneath his hold, the movement drew him into her world and stole the air from it. Her

perfect blend of untamed and carefully styled, suggesting both wildness and

then felt him pull her and she rested her hand against his shoulder once

and latent power. Despite the rough edges that his appearance suggested, there was a certain elegance in the

how short or long your stride is," he remarked in a nonchalant voice. "The right partner will know

in her head had quietened. Something

keep that in mind,"

music carried them into the next sequence. Somewhere nearby, two

Lucian's hand tightened at Ruelle's waist and he drew her aside smoothly. The sudden movement

and she exclaimed,

a wince and clutching his ankle. He grimaced, "Ow—I

vampires—"take him to the infirmary," her gaze then moved

"do your feet contain marbles? Or do

stood perfectly straight with her cheeks burning. After being unable to pair with Lucian, she had positioned herself where she could

she had leaned too far, only to end up dragging the poor human partner with her. And like stacked cards, the human was the start of the domino and people next to

quickly, quick to place the blame elsewhere. "He tripped.

to," the human

the Groundling curtly, "Go sit on the bench. You look like you

"We should reshuffle. It isn't as though we'll be dancing with the same people during the