Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 170: Within the Pureblood Town

As embarrassed as Ruelle had been after the examination, she was relieved it was over. No one brought it up, as if it had never happened, and the seriousness of the Slater mansion was something she found herself quietly grateful for.

Right now, four of them approached the carriage as they were heading into town, to the seamstress’s shop. Ruelle climbed in first, followed by Lucian. Dane had come along as well, and before getting inside, he turned and offered Peyton a polite smile that stretched longer.

"Apologies, but the interior seats are only for family. You don’t mind sitting beside the coachman, do you?" Dane asked her.

Peyton stared at him for a brief moment, then glanced at Ruelle before making her way to the front to sit beside Claude.

Ruelle frowned slightly as she watched Dane climb inside and close the carriage door. Upon noticing her gaze, he tilted his head.

"She’s only doing her job," she murmured.

"I know," Dane replied with a sly smile. "I thought she might appreciate a bit of fresh air outside."

Was this about Peyton pointing out they weren’t siblings? Ruelle wondered. Dane didn’t strike her as someone who cared for such social distinctions. Soon the carriage lurched forward, the wheels rolling into motion as the horses pulled them away from the Slaters’ mansion.

"By the way... about Caroline," Ruelle spoke, looking at Lucian. "If what you said is true, shouldn’t Ezekiel be questioned?"

"He will be if he turns up to speak with Caroline," Lucian replied. Ruelle’s eyebrows drew faintly together. "Let us visit your sister later."

"You want to meet her too?" Ruelle asked him.

"I have some questions of my own," Lucian answered.

Dane exhaled lightly before speaking, "I couldn’t trace any suspicious movement between Sexton and the village where the body was found. If he’s the one, he’ll either run away... or stay and hope no one looks too closely at him. Even though we shared the staffroom, there wasn’t anything particular we talked about," he chuckled. "Any new bodies?"

"Not the ones related to this case. Clifford’s was the last," Lucian responded. There was a possibility of bodies rising again depending on what would happen to Ruelle’s sister. "But there is a rise in Halflings’ death."

"I thought Halflings had better luck of the two kinds. Looks like a change in balance," Dane hummed in thought. "Again?" he asked, the look in his eyes turning serious.

"The timing is a little too convenient," Lucian said. "Gaile is taking a look at it."

And while Lucian and Dane spoke about the cases, Ruelle tried to remember instances of Ezekiel, if there was a time when his crimes had peered through the cracks. Most of their interactions had always been brief, even in Sexton. It was probably the last two weeks that had turned messy.

She turned her gaze back to the window, watching the passing snow-covered trees turn into a blur.

After a while, Ruelle’s gaze fell on the approaching large stone wall ahead of them. Her mind calculated the distance and speed with growing alarm. Weren’t the others seeing it? She said,

we are going

a dark tunnel before there was light again. Soon the carriage arrived at a town she had

the pureblooded vampires," she heard Lucian explain. "A lone human or vampire cannot pass through it

magic?" Did that mean if a human was kidnapped here, the person wouldn’t be able to get out without a

ability," Lucian corrected. "The town was built years ago by one of the old pureblood family members. As a refuge,

carriage finally rolled to

air felt different here. The men and women appeared refined, belonging to the high-status as they moved. The streets carried more people than

fathom, and luxuries like animal hide designed for people. There was no way a human could even think of

who had wandered into a den of wolves when people around caught the whiff of

mind," Lucian remarked,

ceilings were higher than most of the shops she had seen, though the path between the tables was narrow, lined with fabrics and garments. The place was warm with a fireplace

I take your coats?" asked a

with her coat, as the seamstress would need to

it up on Sunday then," came a female customer’s voice from the room inside before the person stepped out. "I didn’t expect

Stelaris," Dane greeted, before he said, "Let me go speak to the

Lady Stelaris, Blake’s mother, whose eyes fell on Ruelle and she added, "And your guest.

his tone polite. "I’m afraid

Lady Stelaris responded,

Lord Azriel, to revisit the conversation concerning her daughter and the youngest Slater. The eldest would have been the obvious choice...

murmured. "I had heard Sexton concluded its bidding. It seems you’ve been bought by a

her after Dane’s birthday. She met the vampiress’s gaze with a

Lucian placed it on

her composure faltering before she

told her that he would consider her daughter. Taken aback, she asked, "I thought

was the one who arranged it," Lucian said. He stepped

vampiress looked tongue-tied as if she lacked words

way out of

pleased." Ruelle watched the woman storm

room. "A lot of families like to have their children married into equal or higher status. For the next few days, others may come

any closer, Peyton will report it," Ruelle joked, turning to look over her shoulder where the minister’s assistant walked behind them with a blank expression.

muttered dryly with a hint of annoyance underneath

Ruelle’s eyes fell on Dane who was talking to the seamstress—who looked like a man. But the seamstress had long brown hair which moved past his waist and he had a quill stuck into his hair while his face was powdered and his

one’s the bride, hmm," the person hummed long. "She seems quite taken by my

"My apologies, I didn’t mean to

people can appreciate my looks," the person chuckled lightly. "I was wondering who caught the attention of the aloof Lucian when Dane said his brother was going to get