Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 114: What I Touch, I Keep

The last thing Ruelle had expected was for Lucian to walk into her class and ask her to step outside. But then again, she hadn’t expected him to bite her either.

Maybe classrooms weren’t as safe as she had once thought.

As Lucian turned and stepped out of the room, she felt several eyes land on her, which were half curious and half carried a look of pity, as if she were a lamb being led to be beheaded.

Rising from her seat with stiff legs, she stepped out into the corridor. Glancing back toward the door of the classroom, she took ten hurried steps before walking straight into Lucian’s back, his broad frame swallowing her from view. For a second, all she saw was dark fabric and felt the solid heat of him through it.

She was going to apologise, when she heard someone else’s voice—

"Lucian Slater," came the mock concern of a man. "Struggling, are we? First-year lessons must be more your level. Best master the basics before involving yourself in work meant for adults. Or, if you need help, you can ask me."

The person’s voice stirred an uneasy familiarity in Ruelle’s memory, even though she couldn’t see who it was.

Lucian stared at Minister Griswold, who walked to where he was with Mr. Mortis’ attendant. He agreed calmly,

"I am struggling with something."

When Ruelle shifted out of reflex, Lucian’s hand reached back and clasped around her wrist. "If Sexton ever introduces levels below first year, Minister, I’ll be sure to recommend you for placement."

wrist, keeping her where she was. Heat rushed to her face as he was holding her hand in the middle of the corridor and when she tried to

moment, a sneer threatened to surface, but he smoothed it into a

drifted just past Lucian’s shoulder before continuing. "The human Dane brought to Slater Mansion. Who was she? She

and the realisation made her pulse

Lucian replied, his tone almost bored. "You’ll have to

Said her name was Alanna Beckett," Ruelle heard the minister’s words, fury creeping

deciding to end the conversation and

Lucian moved with just a small turn of his shoulders and a slight shift of stance. It was subtle, as though he were merely watching the minister,

had hidden behind Lucian, peeked just in time to see the minister disappear into the classroom. Her stomach dropped. If the instructor told him

pulled her down the corridor. They passed two doors, then three.

lot of things and she waited for him to reprimand her about how tiring it was to keep her out of trouble. She

the minister," she murmured, before saying, "That night the

hers. "Don’t speak about another man when you’re standing this close to me." After

that, the minister’s threat dissolved, overtaken by the far more consuming awareness of Lucian in front of

heart stumbled in her chest

it wrong?" Lucian’s eyes dropped briefly to the scarf at her neck. "I thought it might have

combust into fire and fall into ashes at the directness. She didn’t know what had pushed the aloof Lucian to say such things and he looked

the footsteps and the grumbling voice of the minister. Once the footsteps faded, she cleared her throat and

worth remembering. You shouldn’t too," she added. "It was just a b–bite. These