Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 115: Under Whose Protection

Ruelle’s heart was racing so loudly she was certain Lucian could hear it, and that only made her more conscious.

"I thought you were going to be mindful..." came her soft words.

"I am," Lucian answered in a composed voice. It was then that Ruelle understood that the calm in his voice was not the same as gentleness.

If Lucian didn’t do or say what he did, Ruelle wouldn’t have paid attention to the way his fingers where his palm rested against the wooden door held a faint tension. His sleeve was drawn back just enough to reveal the subtle lines of veins beneath his skin.

When his hand moved, her eyes followed without meaning to. Only after turning did she realise how close Lucian stood and her back pressed against the wood. Her lips trembled as she uttered, "I—I am trying to make sense of it..."

Lucian’s eyes hadn’t left Ruelle since they had arrived here. He knew she had never looked at him that way and that some things were worth waiting for.

"I won’t rush you, Ruelle," he said quietly and he saw brown eyes look up to meet his gaze. A breath passed between them before he added, "But I won’t be retreating either."

Ruelle swallowed at his words. She reminded him, "I am a human."

Lucian tilted his head briefly before he raised his eyebrow, "I know. Did you take Griswold’s words to heart about my knowledge?"

"No, that’s not what I meant," Ruelle clarified with a nervous smile. She placed her hand on her chest to emphasise, "I mean, I am a human and you don’t like humans."

"I guess strawberries on you made quite the impression," Lucian murmured.

For a moment, Ruelle blinked. Hailey’s strawberries... She answered back, "If you want strawberries—it is being served in the dining hall."

"Are you sure about it?" Lucian asked her. He stepped closer, his hand settling over hers where it rested on the doorknob. His voice lowered. "Be careful what you offer so lightly...I don’t know how to take it halfway."

At the same time, the tower bell rang, signalling the end of classes. The corridors outside began to fill with voices and footsteps, life moving on as if nothing had changed while Ruelle stood there, staring back at Lucian.

She felt his hand move clockwise over hers where it rested on the doorknob. The movement was slow, almost guiding, until the latch gave a soft click.

"You must be hungry. Go ahead," Lucian said, his voice calm. "I will leave in a while."

To Ruelle, it might have felt like he was done talking to her and letting her go. But it was a false space, as if she had been given the choice when the concept didn’t exist. But she didn’t need to know that, the pureblooded vampire thought.

"Okay..." Ruelle murmured.

Her gaze lowered as she opened the door, slipping into the corridor quickly. She hurried through the passing students, placing her hands on her warm cheeks.

On the way, her shoulder bumped harshly with Caroline, who gave her a stare as she walked past her. It seemed that her sister had resorted to passive aggression towards her while she hung around with Halflings.

When Ruelle reached her classroom to retrieve her belongings, she spotted Hailey and Kevin near the door. Before her friends could speak, she asked, a little too quickly,

person who came by earlier. Did he have something important to

before answering, "Not really. I thought he was here to pick one of us,

into each other when I first visited Slaters’ Mansion." Ruelle’s eyebrows furrowed. "I panicked and gave the first name that came up in my mind. Alanna’s name. I didn’t want him looking for me." But men with higher ranks were

then that Lucian came to get you," Hailey’s lips pressed into a thin line,

notes. His notes. He was asking where I had left them," Ruelle murmured, feeling terrible that she

accepting the explanation without further thought, though Ruelle felt Kevin’s gaze linger on

something happen?"

reassuring smile. He suggested, "We should head to

faint smile tugged at her lips. "I won’t lie, that does sound tempting," she

giving Ruelle a light pat on the back. "Look at her being

had little to do with courage. She had avoided Lucian once and he had stepped into her classroom. She

humans didn’t show up to class this morning?" Hailey asked as

he answered. "They were bought," his voice was quiet. "It’ll keep happening. There’s a

jabbed her elbow

of the reasons why no vampire or vampiress had come for her was because she had danced with Prince Edward. There

Kevin said under his breath. "A senior told my roommate that Mr. Henley has been offering his wife

sighed. "I mean giving your wife like

Ruelle noticed at once that

he had carried that morning was gone. Though he did not smile as openly

had felt her looking, his

Look, they made blueberry muffins!" Hailey exclaimed in delight. "And they are warm

"Ruelle!"

interrupted through the noise of the hall. Heads turned as Edward strode in through the doors, his usual charm replaced with a deep frown. His gaze locked onto

to talk," the prince

Everyone seemed to want a piece of her today, she

toward the

way out. Across the hall, Lucian wore the same calm expression as he sipped

his back facing her, one hand braced against

as she approached. She asked, "What did you want

The usual brightness in his expression was gone, replaced with something far too serious for someone like him. He apologised

"Ruelle, I am sorry."

Huh?

his hair as if struggling with his pride. He took

rowing you to the

to listen to what Edward had

returned to my quarters, I drank. Quite a lot." He cleared his throat. "Hermes tried to stop me but I may have chased him with a knife. You must have

stared at him. How in the world had he come