Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 175: A Place at the Table

At the hour of midnight, a blizzard had started outside the Slater mansion.

Snow struck the windows until all the glass frosted into blindness and the world had been reduced to white noise. Inside the mansion, the corridors were deserted while candles burned, nearing their last breaths, leaving some corridors dark.

On one of the floors, Peyton stood against the wall with her eyes closed, with her hand resting against her dagger. Even though she was a vampiress, she wore a coat, as the chill from the outside had seeped into the corridors.

Beyond the other side of the door, the coals burned in the fireplace, emitting heat and light, while the rest of the room remained covered in shadows.

In the bed, Ruelle was fast asleep. One of her hands stretched across the warm bedspread, her forearm hanging at the edge of the bed, her breathing slow and even. The strain that lived in her expression during waking hours had smoothed away, leaving her looking softer than usual.

Lucian watched her breathe as though confirming she remained there each time her chest rose. The distance had started becoming intolerable.

Since last night, the urge to climb into the bed beside her had only grown worse.

Zhenya, who had earlier curled up on the bed, had gotten off to rest in front of the fireplace as if it had only meant to accompany Ruelle until the owner arrived.

Lucian sat on the ground next to the edge of her bed, with his shoulder resting lightly against the wood.

To think that while he drowned himself in blood, she had been breaking somewhere far beyond his sight. Her family had reduced her to the point where death had looked gentler than continuing and the thought refused to leave his mind.

Killing Harold Belmont had done little to settle the violence beneath Lucian’s skin.

Ruelle had endured all of it while still remaining unbearably soft, forgiving people he would have buried without hesitation. He knew her well enough that she would never have truly wished for her father’s death. Perhaps she would grieve once she learned.

With Ruelle’s hand resting loosely near the edge of the bed, Lucian stared at it for several quiet seconds before finally taking it into his own. He guided her hand slowly against the side of his neck, letting it rest there without waking her. It was almost like a creature soothing itself through contact with what it considered its own, as the tightness beneath Lucian’s expression eased slightly.

As time passed, the room fell quiet save for the fire crackling and the storm raging beyond the frost-covered glass.

Out in the corridor, the vampiress heard the sound of something click from inside and her bright red eyes snapped open. Her hand quickly pulled the dagger and she entered the human’s room. Her eyes looked around the room, noticing the wolf sitting next to the fireplace, watching her.

Peyton looked at Ruelle, who was still sleeping, before her eyes fell on the curtain that had just stilled. There was a faint scent of snow that had seeped inside the room, but then the vampiress frowned.

"Human blood..."

Was it from her? The vampiress questioned, her gaze returning to Ruelle, who stirred under the blanket. Moving closer, she didn’t catch it, as the scent of blood disappeared.

When morning arrived, the blizzard had weakened sometime before dawn and snow settled heavily across the grounds surrounding the Slater mansion. But beyond the estate walls, the towns and villages had already begun to stir. The newsletters from the courthouse had arrived. The headline read—

ROYAL COURT ANNOUNCES RESTORATION OF THE TREATY. ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCED BETWEEN LUCIAN SLATER AND RUELLE BELMONT.

"Ruelle Belmont is marrying into a pureblooded family," one of the women remarked while standing at the shop early in the morning.

"Not just any family," another quickly corrected. "They say he belongs to one of the oldest bloodlines. The lord’s son himself. You must be rather surprised hearing this, Mrs. Webb."

The question was directed at a woman who had remained quiet until now, though the fact she had lingered without buying anything suggested otherwise.

"Surprised? Hardly," Mrs. Webb replied. Her lips pursed slightly. "The girl must have pleased the men in Sexton. Everyone knows what sort of things happen inside that place."

family broke the engagement in the first place. You know what happened last

sympathy, though

back home now." Mrs. Webb departed, as if she was

regretting making Mason break off the engagement with Ruelle," one of the women spoke in a lowered voice. "I doubt she or her son thought that Ruelle was worth anything with Harold Belmont’s mounting

same women had once

to spread like wildfire through the lands. A pureblooded vampire binding to a lowly human was gossip no one could resist speaking about. The news soon reached

and was holding a duster while staring at a broken vase which was said to hold a fortune, noticed Hermes moving through the hallways of the castle, his steps wobbly. The newsletter in his hand was crumpled from

in a

about the marriage," Hermes said a

like the last three days. The prince frowned and muttered in a grimace,

married?" Hailey blinked in

"No, Your Highness. "It

his eyes swept through the heading.

they have to announce it to the world?" The prince’s question came out tight,

announcement would draw unnecessary attention towards Ruelle.

immediately lit up at the news and she

eighteen days," Hermes informed

delight before asking the attendant, "Do you think I can get my wage sooner for this month

king about it and let you know," Hermes responded to which the young woman nodded in

on Edward’s face and he demanded, "What

let the prince know, "Your Highness, there’s still

act calm and composed. Hailey, who

exchanged glances at

to make it," Hailey spoke casually. "But that’s alright. I mean there’s Kevin who will

spot will be taken?!" Edward demanded. "I am still the bestest friend

to the wedding even if he didn’t like it, thought

corridor with Peyton right behind her. When she arrived near the dining room, she caught Maude overlooking the servants who carried trays of food

she had arrived before everyone else—until she caught Lord

in his hand while the blood tea

table while

sleeping in? The thought flickered through her mind as

Lord Azriel," she greeted the man with a

At the

Does my presence

was a lord and there was a slight air of intimidation that radiated from him. How could she forget how he

Though she didn’t know what had prompted the question. Did

Azriel raised his hand to point to the immediate chair on

Azriel, it belongs to Brother Dane," Ruelle’s

had been the elder daughter in her own family, the seat closest to her father had always belonged to Caroline

directly looking at

such a gap as though you were a stranger. Dane would not

the servants to quickly pull it out for her. She quietly took her seat

cup of milk tea beside Ruelle just as Lord Azriel

second year, I see no reason for your studies to end because of it. I spoke about it