Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 94: The Favoured and the Obedient

Ruelle's breath caught in her throat and her body refused to move from the fear that had been instilled since she was young. Her father stood over her with the cane in his hand.

"Please," she pleaded, her voice barely audible. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"How dare you lie after being caught?" Mr. Belmont snapped, his face twisting with fury. "Have you no shame left? Or has it left you after serving those blood-sucking vampires?"

Ruelle flinched at his words, forcing herself to explain to resolve the misunderstanding. She said shakily, "You were the one w—who sent me there. I never asked for it."

Mr. Belmont's eyes widened in disbelief and questioned, "Are you talking back to me…?"

"I wasn't," Ruelle answered quickly. "I—I only meant—Father, I truly don't earn any money there. I—I have been studying hard–I—"

"The lies. You did always associated with the wrong people," he spat.

Her chest tightened and she uttered before she could stop them, "Father, if you hadn't gambled—"

"What did you just say?" Mr. Belmont asked in a low threatening voice, his eyes darkening and Ruelle swallowed.

"I only meant… perhaps if we were more careful with money—"

"Careful?" he repeated. "You think you can lecture me in my own house? You spend your days living comfortably among vampires and return here to tell me how to manage my affairs?" he demanded. "Who are you to speak to me like that? I put food on the table so you could eat, you useless child!"

"I wasn't trying to—"

The cane came down at her before she could finish. Pain exploded across her shoulder and ripped a cry from her throat before she could stop it. "After all we have done for you," he shook in anger and raised the cane once again.

and a sickening ache shot through them. She bit down on

again, her voice cracked.

long-learned habit than fear. The living room felt smaller with

disappointment on her face

threw the cane aside with

his voice thick with bitterness. "First you took your mother's life and then I ended up in poverty.

him leave the room. She remained where she was, head

made to stand by her mother, who led her to the bathroom to fix her appearance. She felt the ache

stay quiet?" Mrs. Belmont murmured once they arrived at the front of the bathroom. "You know he doesn't mean it," she added, not

her attention away from the pain. Ruelle lifted her eyes from the floor

stopped the moment she felt them throb, reminding her not to. "You said Father was asking for me…." She searched her mother's face and asked, "Was it because

was worried about you, Ruelle. Sharing a room

has a class called Seduction Techniques, Mother?" Ruelle asked quietly. "Mr. Henley teaches it. So

Mrs. Belmont froze.

continued, her voice shaking at the end. Then

snapped, her tone turning hostile.

whispered. Her father had beaten her until she could barely move. It hurt

Mrs. Belmont defended. "Debts, worries, the shame of it all while he was trying to keep us alive. Anyone would

quietly for a long moment. She heard her mother

and try not

who was ready to leave. "How do you feel… when Father beats

the bitter truth she had tried not to look at was

are those?" Mrs. Belmont turned back with a