Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 113: An Innocent Misunderstanding

When Ruelle felt the sting of Lucian’s teeth on her neck, her fingers curled faintly into the sheets beneath her and her eyes closed on instinct. The place where he bit throbbed with warmth and not pain exactly. Like a heat that bloomed and slowly began to spread beneath her skin.

Her hand rose without thinking, trembling as she touched the spot. But it was dry and she saw no blood. He didn’t drink from her? Nothing about this situation was making sense to her.

Lucian reached for a strand of her hair where it lay against her collarbone and drew it slowly through his fingers. The touch was careful, almost reverent but the look in his eyes was anything but that.

Ruelle gulped, her throat tight before she managed to speak, "W–why did you bite me?"

"Why... shouldn’t I?" Lucian murmured.

Was he asking or telling her??

Somewhere in the back of Ruelle’s mind, alarm bells began to ring. She should move, she thought to herself.

But the moment the thought began to form, he leaned closer and her breath caught helplessly in her throat and her body went still beneath the weight of his presence.

"Did something happen in the ball?" she whispered, her voice barely there. "You don’t seem yourself..."

For a second, his eyes shifted to something deeper, like something behind them had finally stepped forward instead of holding back.

And right now, Ruelle wasn’t sure if she should fear or lean into the look in his eyes.

"I’ve never been more myself than I am right now," he said with his voice low and unguarded. "You have a talent for finding trouble, always testing my restraint. Watching other people touch you when I’ve taken such care not to touch you myself. Do you know what that does to a man who’s trying to behave?"

Lucian watched her stare back at him, wide-eyed. A week ago when he had opened the door, he had found her standing on the chair with her skirt tied up, revealing her ankles without guard.

He had turned away not from the sight, but from the quiet, unwelcome image that had flashed in his mind— of fastening something around her dainty ankles.

His fingers now loosened on her hair, letting the strands slip through. His voice lowering near her ear as he asked,

"Tell me, Ruelle... would you rather I locked the door or burn everything outside it?"

"B-burn?" Ruelle stuttered, her eyes swirling in haziness when she felt his cool breath on her ear. "Why burn?"

"So you don’t mind being locked?"

He pulled back just enough for their eyes to meet. Ruelle’s thoughts ceased at the sight of a smile ghosting over his lips.

Lucian was possessed!

Before she could say another word, his eyes slowly slid shut. The next moment, his body tipped forward, like the tension had been cut loose all at once and his forehead came to rest against her shoulder.

"Lucian?" she called, worry slipping into her voice.

Ruelle turned carefully, catching sight of his closed eyes and the slow rise and fall of his chest. "Did you fall...asleep?" She blinked, especially after what he did! Or did the ghost leave?

She had never seen him asleep before at least not this close. His hair was slightly dishevelled now, nothing like how it had looked earlier when she’d danced with him. The usual frown and sharpness in his eyes were gone.

Flustered, she tried to move and awkwardly rolled to her side, slipping out from under his weight. Her heart was still racing for reasons that had nothing to do with fear anymore.

She sat on the couch for five whole seconds before springing back up again. The memory of his lips against her skin sent a fresh wave of warmth through her, right down to her toes. Blood rushed right back into her cheeks.

No. No. Stop thinking about it, Ruelle!

"I need air," she muttered to herself, pressing her hands against her burning cheeks.

Opening the door, she felt the icy air greet her and she picked the first and closest thing her hand could grab, which was the grey coat. She slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

It was only after two minutes she realised she hadn’t changed her gown.

room and paused at the sight of stacked wooden boxes against the wall. Gemma Gilbert stood nearby with a liquor bottle in

a box with the

some room here." Reaching into a cupboard, she pulled out two glasses

taking

a sip, closing her eyes briefly before she remembered and gossiped, "Minister Griswold threw a fit tonight about Mortis sending him a

"I can imagine." He swirled the drink lazily, adding, "Still... surprising

the wrong name," Gemma said, tipping her

hummed, faint amusement flickering in

the boxes and pulled out a worn book, flipping through

some breakers," Gemma replied absentmindedly, watching Dane flip

a love potion, considering where they are

usually a bit of memory haze for

with Veilbreaker?" Dane

of inhibitors," she replied, downing the glass and pouring another

definitely stay away from it," Dane joked while reading the ingredients the

yet to fill with most of the students

night. She was too flustered and had spent the night at Hailey’s instead. Blake hadn’t come back, so there had been

sleep-in this late. But when she stepped inside the room, she caught him sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows braced on his knees, his

he’d woken with a splitting headache. When he heard the door open, he slowly raised his head. He caught Ruelles’ gown from

with a quick smile before moving past him. She quickly walked to the

her in silence, noticing her acting

reached for the basin. Her mind was too occupied to look at the mirror and she splashed the cool water over her face and changed

divider and moved to walk past him, she caught Lucian’s narrowed eyes and he looked

he angry? She should have been the one to be upset,

looking at her right now reminded her of last night and the look in his eyes was

"The—"

didn’t get to eat last night. I should go before the food is cleared," she blurted, before

thoughts to notice it. The same thing happened when she stepped inside

table and sat

his face turned pale and he dropped his gaze before sitting down without meeting her eyes again, shifting

her friend eat much

am just hungry," Ruelle replied, waving it

if he carried a dark cloud that was ready to strike anyone. But when he sat

other students’ eyes on her, she looked

they haven’t seen me before?"

flicking toward

frowned and beside her, Kevin

her own neck while staring at the dark

her. She stood so fast that her spoon clattered. She blurted, "I’ll

she hurried off,

Prince Edward already did

since last night. It must

The murmurs drifted, spreading like smoke

the mirror and froze. There

eyes shut and let out a muffled groan, "I could just

forgotten earlier and wrapped it around her neck, making sure the

and skip class, she thought. But for how long? Taking a deep breath, she stepped back into

this. I can

end with a few of his friends beside him, who were busy talking but his

she felt as if she had a

and started walking the way she came, as if she had suddenly remembered something urgent. And Lucian, who caught this, a faint muscle ticked near

hour, the students of the final year were seated in the

a test tube between his fingers, but all he could see was the dark bruise. She hadn’t bothered to hide it this morning

come to class and the urge to knock—the test tube cracked in

celebration. Did you have a good time?" the instructor joked. But the look Lucian gave in return was enough to make the instructor clear his throat and say, "Looks like a hill..." he glanced at

Lucian like it always did. Only today, there was no dreamy softness in her eyes. It