Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 162: Fall Of The Youngest

Ruelle’s footsteps slowed when she caught sight of her parents in the corridor. Her feet froze. It had been three weeks since they had last seen each other.

Her father stood slightly crouched and rigid, his grey hair perfectly combed but he didn’t seem to be carrying a cane and he didn’t carry the same arrogance of pride he usually did. He wore a look of disgust, one that had followed Ruelle through every moment of her childhood.

’Why are you so useless?’

’I think you should leave. Leave this house and do not come back.’

Though she had tried not thinking about it, remembering that day still made her heart and bones ache. Her parents stood there looking at her as if she were a stranger.

On the other hand, Mr. Belmont froze at the sight of the pureblooded vampire and his face twisted in hidden fury. What was he doing here? And Ruelle, what was she thinking, standing there beside him?!

"Why are you still here instead of the main hall?" An instructor’s impatient voice came through the corridor as he approached the Belmont couple. "The bidding began forty minutes ago. Follow me. What’s the student’s name?" he questioned as they were led away.

The older couple nodded at the instructor, already turning to follow, but not without glancing over their shoulders with a look of disgust.

Ruelle’s body turned rigid even though she knew she was safe in Sexton. That she wasn’t alone like in the past, but her body only knew the old fears, the old ways of surviving. She felt the corners of her eyes beginning to darken and then—

Cool hands came to rest on her cheeks.

"Breathe, Ruelle," Lucian’s voice was steady like an anchor in the storm of her unravelling. Her lips parted and air rushed back. "That’s it."

His words steadied her.

"I thought I wouldn’t be affected by them," Ruelle confessed, managing a small smile which only faltered. Her fingernails dug into her palms to keep her voice even. "After everything... But I feel an uneasy. I—"

"Emotions doesn’t work the way we want. You spent years learning how to endure your family. That doesn’t disappear because you’ve stepped away," Lucian responded, his gaze dropped to her hands. "It’s not weakness, Ruelle. It’s a bad memory."

Without a word, he let go of her face and found her fists. His fingers were gentle but insistent as he uncurled hers, revealing the small crescents her nails had carved into her skin. He said,

"They’ve hurt you before. They won’t again." He then looked up to see her and asked, "Do you want to sit out of the auction?"

With them standing this close, Lucian could feel everything. Every emotion that crashed through her like waves against cliffs.

Ruelle shook her head and answered, "No. Let us go attend the bid. They are here for Caroline... and they will leave." For years, she had swallowed the pain like medicine. But she wanted to do better.

you wish," Lucian said, and they

number of people. There were groundlings’ parents clustered

led her towards the front where the Elites were seated. There

when Ruelle was about to sit, she risked a glance and caught her parents staring at her. But then she realised they weren’t watching her, but Lucian. The look on their faces was clear, as if demanding what she was

it, Ruelle’s mind whispered and she sat

you sitting together, and that you aren’t with the prince, Ruelle," Sawyer remarked as he leaned forward to meet Ruelle’s eyes. "Lucian was going to light up the entire place. Hell, we almost got lit up

his cousin with a quiet warning in his

of amusement in his voice as he glanced toward

leave without trouble,"

to Blake. "You’re

their year in Sexton ended and take a position under the queen who lived in the East Land. She doubted her mother would ever change her mind, and

Lucian’s question

some good. It isn’t too far. I’ll return when the time

conversations, and the next groundling had yet to be brought to the dais, Ezekiel sat not far

had followed the carriage, only to realise it carried someone else. Where had they gone? What had they done? The

ago. You should have been here

before adding, "About Kevin and Hailey. Did their

Both of them were bought by King

the king was nowhere to be seen. Why? He wasn’t planning another trick, was he? He did seem to enjoy keeping people on

the thousands. One

"Hailey will live, right?" When a servant brought a tray of glasses with blood and juice, she picked

won’t harm her. Unless she doesn’t follow

Mr. Mortis made his way

"Ruelle."

"Yes?"

the word escape her lips soft as snowfall, accompanied by a slow blink with

the edge of his

question was almost rhetorical. The chairs were carefully placed apart,

she could say something, his hand moved and the next moment he grabbed the bottom of her chair and

better," Lucian murmured,

them from the sound of the wood

to the front. "Caroline Henley. Below-par intellect, below-par fighting skills. Blue blood

her chin lifted up. She realised how