Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 134: Crossing lines

Ruelle glanced down at the bandage wrapped around her, fingers still resting where she had just secured it.

"But... Lucian, the bandages will get wet," she said, turning her head slightly over her shoulder.

He had already taken a few steps away, his back to her, when he paused.

"I meant for myself," Lucian corrected, his voice steady despite the faint tension in it.

"Oh, okay." Ruelle watched as Lucian moved around the wooden divider and turned the faucet. The faint rush of water filled the room before he reappeared.

Now that she thought of it, she had never once seen him make use of the bath. In the beginning of her stay, she had thought to step out whenever he needed the bath, yet each time she woke, he was already gone.

The thought barely settled when Lucian’s shirt slipped from his shoulders, the fabric loosening, before falling soundlessly to the floor. Her gaze traced the breadth of his shoulders before following the slow narrowing of his frame to his waist.

She felt guilty when her eyes caught the red lines she had made on him.

"Careful," Lucian remarked, his voice low. "Keep looking at me like that, and I may forget why you’re dressed at all."

Having been caught red-handed, she didn’t deny his accusation. She asked softly, "Won’t the water be freezing at this hour?"

"It is. I need it colder than that," Lucian replied. His gaze lowered slowly along the outer line of her bare back before lifting to her again. As if measuring something in her silence, he asked, "Are you cold?"

Ruelle shook her head. With the way he was watching her, it felt quite the opposite, she thought to herself. He watched her a moment longer, as if considering something.

"I will keep the water shallow. You can join me," Lucian offered with a straight face that one would have thought he was speaking about the weather.

"We wouldn’t fit together there," Ruelle blurted the first thing that passed her mind. Blood rose to her cheeks as she realised what left her lips and she bit the inside of her cheek.

Lucian’s gaze sharpened on her instantly. He then said, "You’d be surprised."

Heat sank deeper beneath her skin the longer he looked at her. And for a fleeting moment, a strange ache formed beneath her skin.

"P–please forget I said that." She closed her eyes as though that might undo her folly. Bury me now, she thought to herself. She was far too aware of him.

Lucian stood there for a second before he picked up his clothes and stepped behind the wooden divider, leaving her breathless.

Foolish, she scolded herself as she made her way to the trunk of her clothes.

On the other side of the divider, Lucian stepped into the bath. The cold water rose around him as he lowered himself beneath the surface and for a moment, there was only silence before he emerged.

Water slid along the sharp lines of his face as his hand passed through his hair, pushing the dark strands back. Drops of water gathered at his jaw before tracing the length of his neck and shoulders, disappearing beneath the surface once more.

His eyes remained closed for a second longer before they opened, the darkness in them no longer held back.

The scent of Ruelle’s blood lingered in the air and the edge of his fang cut his tongue. He welcomed the taste of his own blood to steady what threatened to turn elsewhere.

the movement and he caught Ruelle through the narrow gap of the divider. Just in time her dress slipped from her shoulders and pooled at her feet, making his hand that rested on the edge of the

exhaled, murmuring, "Still not cold

slipped

like the calm after a storm. Though since she had set foot in Sexton, storms seemed to be one of

And at that thought,

flickered through its broken windows and smoke escaped. The passengers were three instructors who were returning after a late drink

there a celebration going on in there?" Mr. Savantique leaned forward while squinting through the glass to get a better

toward the window and he

the mansion on fire." Hearing this, Mr.

they caught sight of two carriages still

The last time was disastrous," the potion instructor huffed as they

his face. He carried a bucket of water in

is under Sexton’s care," Mr. Savantique demanded. "Where are the

one on the first floor.

heels striking sharply against the floor as

of liquor bottles right into the flaming room. Mr. Savantique and Dane continued toward the den, the Halfling following close

fire was completely put out, Mr. Savantique crouched beside Orpheus, who lay unconscious with blood smeared along the

all playing here? And to

Bowen lay groaning, clutching his side. His shirt was soaked through, and the wound along his

pissed..." the

to earn it?" glancing

grabbed Lucian’s roommate... and Bowen tried

Slater?" Mr. Savantique asked, raising his eyebrows. He then turned to Dane. "I thought you were a menace back in the day of your student life, but your

as a grin touched

shouldn’t be a problem. And we all know Sexton allows everyone to have their fun, so the responsibility falls back on the students for how they thrive

offended in the slightest. He remarked, "Sexton prides itself on practical education and Lucian

Orpheus over his shoulder. "I’ll take

the older instructor left, Dane turned back to Bowen. He then rose to

his fingers pressed into the wound. This had Bowen jolt

smile, "My apologies. Everything is so bloody, it’s difficult to tell where one should and shouldn’t touch." He then patted the wound, making

edge of her bed, gently massaging the hand Bowen had squeezed earlier that evening. The bones still ached when she moved her fingers, but nothing seemed broken. She supposed she was fortunate considering

was fortunate for something else too. Neither she nor her friends had been made to attend the vampires’ soiree in the past. If they had, she doubted she would have had the courage to ask for Lucian’s help. Or if he would be

night when he had opened the cupboard when Alanna and her minions had locked her in it. Her fingers slowed, her gaze resting on her

to her. She had long accepted that she

And yet Lucian had.

looked at her. The thought lingered with her

a servant, who held a trolley of food before him.

Lucian nor she had pulled the calling bell, she wondered if it was Claude, who

the servant

Ruelle replied politely before stepping away from

next to the table. When he started to set the