Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 138: Forgetting To Behave

"Teach the humans?" one of the Elites repeated, running his tongue slowly over the edge of his fang as if already tasting the idea. "With pleasure."

A few Elites chuckled under their breath, the sound low and amused, like men entertained by a private joke.

"Wonderful," Gemma said brightly, clapping her hands once. "Now if all of you would go ahead and find your partners. The first-year groundlings are shy, so I ask you to go ahead and pick one yourself."

The humans stared at Gemma with gobsmacked expressions.

When some of the Elites began to move, some humans were quicker and perhaps even wiser by hurrying forward to approach the vampires who looked much more agreeable than others, as if choosing their own executioner might at least make the outcome kinder.

The room filled with the shuffle of shoes and soft laughter from the Elites who seemed like predators ready to toy with their prey.

And in the middle of all that not a single male approached Ruelle. It was as if there was an invisible boundary around her, a space no one dared to step into. She saw Sawyer offer her a bright smile, but then walk right past her. One of the Elite students muttered,

"She’s been chosen by Lucian." The words were not meant for her, but she heard them anyway.

Ruelle awkwardly stood in her place, watching her friends being chosen by two other Elites. While Hailey seemed a little confident about the situation, the same couldn’t be said about Kevin, who turned to look in her direction.

Suddenly, she felt a weight that came to rest on her shoulder, which was neither heavy enough to hurt nor light enough to ignore with the way some people looked at her now.

"Looking for someone you are interested in partnering with?" Came Lucian’s calm voice, low and close to her ear.

A faint tremor ran through Ruelle’s body before she could stop it. She could feel the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing near her neck and the faint brush of his hair when he shifted slightly.

Lucian had stepped in close behind her, so close that she could feel the faint warmth of him at her back. His chin rested on top of her shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world, drawing several people’s attention to them.

Ezekiel stood to the side and saw everything. His face remained calm, but his fingers curled slowly into his palm, his jaw tightening just enough to betray what he thought of the sight.

When she didn’t respond, Lucian’s gaze shifted past her shoulder to the person staring. The look carried enough warning that the curious onlookers quickly turned away and busied themselves with their chosen humans.

"Lucian..." She began quietly, not entirely sure what she was going to say.

"You’re with me."

His voice sent a faint vibration through her shoulder, the sensation travelling slowly up the back of her neck.

Lucian was going to teach her how to kiss? Ruelle swallowed. This was fine, she told herself. Just a normal day in Sexton which was educational, right?

Before either of them spoke, a hesitant voice rose from somewhere to the left.

"Shouldn’t we not kiss, Ms. Gemma?" a groundling woman asked, her voice small. "Especially us women—our chastity is meant to be saved for a higher price, isn’t it?"

Gemma looked at the person with patience. She answered, "Maybe if you were in a brothel, then yes, your chastity would be sold for a high price but this is Sexton. Here, we provide skills and tricks," she continued, "so that you know how to deal with your masters and mistresses."

the Elites looked unbothered, the humans lowered their heads as if reality had finally

merely had a better reputation. A place where vampires of high standing sent their children. It was wrapped in elegance and sophistication, and that refinement alone made it seem

show how it is done,"

returned the look with a tight smile of his own. But before he could say something,

marry each other for a quick peck. Besides, from what I’ve heard, she’s already been set to bed the minister. I doubt Minister Cavendish

from Caroline’s face instantly. Her husband had told her he did not have enough to buy her freedom. So he had offered her another way

something twist in her chest. Marriage was supposed to mean safety, wasn’t it? Not this. And as spoilt as Caroline was...

should find another pair," one

show you how it is done," the Elite who had spoken earlier about

him by the chin and pulled her forward, pressing his mouth to hers without any readiness. He forced his tongue into her mouth while she made a small, startled sound, her hands instinctively

young woman’s eyes watered

humans’ faces turned

it again until it

to another room... a kiss is a

that needs to be done will be right here." The

standing where they were and forcing the humans to come to them instead. From a distance, Ruelle noticed Hailey’s partner scrunch his face and glare at her while her friend

second. When she turned to meet Lucian’s eyes, she found him already looking at

tense," Lucian stated, observing

little good when she was suddenly far too aware of the number of people around

heart hitched, feeling him so close. As if feeling the need to chatter and prolong the

topics are

slightly as he looked at her. He responded,

that," Ruelle answered with an awkward

said,

never came and her eyes flew open to catch him frowning. When he pulled his hand from her back, she caught sight of her blood and

instructor to turn toward them. When she did, he informed, "Ms.

placed it over Ruelle’s shoulders.

the next moment, they had stepped out

wasn’t it?" someone whispered in interest. "Juniors really don’t

He then turned to look at the

Tess replied in a disinterested tone

because Ruelle had told her she was fine and now suddenly she was bleeding. She was going to look for Kevin when the

Hailey responded

the rest of Sexton, with no one present, as the person in charge of the infirmary had just left the room

"Sit," he said.

of the mattress. She shifted slightly before her hand reached her back where the wound was and brought her hand forward. The blood seemed to have dried on

was strange though, Ruelle thought to herself. "I think maybe the bandages

of her and then

the soft metallic scrape of curtain rings being pulled along a rod and she looked up. Lucian had drawn the white curtain around the bed, the fabric sliding across in a smooth motion until the rest