Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 205: When Morning Turned Dark

The following morning, pale rays of sunlight struggled through the clouds as Ruelle rode through the forest with Lucian seated behind her. His arms rested loosely around her as he held the reins, enclosing her within the quiet warmth of his body while the horse carried them deeper between the trees. Though Ruelle knew she could have ridden a horse perfectly well on her own, she didn’t mind sharing one with Lucian.

Though they weren’t alone.

The steady rhythm of hooves carried through the otherwise quiet forest, mingling with the occasional rustle of leaves and distant calls of birds. Dane, Lachlan, Hailey and Caroline had ridden farther ahead, while Edward and Hermes remained within Ruelle’s view in front of them. Somewhere behind, Peyton followed at a more leisurely distance.

They were all out here because Edward had suddenly declared during dinner that they ought to go hunting in keeping with tradition. By the time anyone had thought to object, the prince had somehow managed to involve half the people in the room.

"It was unfortunate that our last hunting trip was cut short. I’m glad we’re able to continue it now," Hermes remarked before glancing over his shoulder at Ruelle with concern. "Is your leg better, Miss Ruelle?"

Ruelle had barely opened her mouth when Edward answered for her.

"Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be when I tended to it myself?" A smug smile tugged at the prince’s lips as his gaze slid deliberately past her towards Lucian before looking ahead.

Ruelle caught the exchange and was about to clarify what had actually happened when she felt Lucian lower his head behind her. His chin came to rest against her shoulder, the gesture deceptively lazy, before his teeth caught lightly against the edge of her earlobe.

Heat immediately rushed into Ruelle’s face.

"That didn’t happen," the words left her more quickly than she intended, and she wasn’t entirely certain whether she was correcting Edward or protesting what Lucian had just done.

A quiet amusement entered Lucian’s voice beside her ear, "I remember." Only then did he lift his gaze towards the prince riding ahead of them and speak, "How fortunate she no longer requires your assistance."

Ruelle could hear the faint satisfaction beneath the otherwise indifferent words and realised, with some embarrassment, that Lucian hadn’t needed her clarification at all.

Edward scowled at those words before rolling his eyes. He chastised, "Lucian, you should have brought Ruelle something more impressive. Something that required actual effort. A white tiger’s hide, perhaps, rather than a stone in this winter." He harrumphed, casting the pureblooded vampire a pointed look. "One needs to be thoughtful when courting a woman."

Ruelle’s brows drew together slightly. She defended, "I think I prefer the stone. I’m not sure how I would feel receiving the corpse of an animal."

Lucian appeared entirely unbothered by his cousin’s criticism. Ruelle felt his hand settle casually against her thigh, the warmth of his palm immediately raising goosebumps along her skin. Heat crept swiftly into her cheeks and she heard him remark,

"Perhaps you should save that advice for your own bride, Edward. Mine appears quite satisfied with my lack of skill."

"Ha! If it were me, I would have caught the wild animal myself and cooked it for the woman I loved," Edward declared, looking rather pleased with the picture he had painted of himself.

Ruelle turned her head slightly. "I didn’t know you knew how to cook."

"Hermes can taste it first," Lucian remarked from behind her. "To make sure it’s edible."

Hermes’s head snapped around so quickly that Ruelle had to press her lips together to keep from laughing. The poor man looked genuinely alarmed by the prospect, while Edward’s expression soured at having his grand declaration questioned.

Ruelle then responded, "I think everyone has different ways of showing their love." Her amusement softened as the thought turned towards the man seated behind her. "Truthfully, I haven’t been able to cook anything for Lucian yet."

Edward couldn’t exactly refute it. Ruelle had already told him that her heart belonged to another man, and he had, with considerable dignity in his own opinion, accepted her choice. But did that man really have to be Lucian Slater? His father had casually revealed that he and Lucian were cousins, as if it wasn’t bad enough losing Ruelle to the man, fate had to mock him.

"Ugh, my eyes have turned sour," Edward muttered before getting his horse to move forward, leaving the couple behind.

Ruelle turned her head slightly to Lucian and said, "You don’t have to worry about what Edward said last night. You don’t have to cook for me."

"I know," the answer came without hesitation from Lucian. "Why would I waste my time cooking when I would rather eat you or feed you?"

Before Ruelle could decide whether she had heard him correctly, his lips pressed against her temple and heat burst across her face.

She lowered her voice immediately, suddenly conscious that someone might

his bed again, and Lucian had

face until she lost count, his lips wandering from her cheek to the corner of her mouth before finding her neck, only to return to her lips again as though he couldn’t quite decide where he wanted them most. Something inside her seemed to awaken, as if she felt restless and wanting more, without

the faint amusement she could hear

opened her mouth, but no answer came. Lucian’s arm tightened almost around her, bringing her back against him as the horse continued its unhurried pace

I showed it

heart stumbled

you like that?" Lucian’s words fell low like a hushed whisper that tickled her

struck her across the face, she had refused

me how to ride, and my brother and I

childhood, Miss Elliot," Lachlan replied with an easy smile. "We had two horses ourselves, though they were already quite old. Their owner had passed away, and there was no one left willing

Mr. Hawksley spoke with surprising gentleness. Combined with the chestnut hair that the morning breeze kept pushing across his forehead, she couldn’t help

was very kind of your family," Hailey said, before asking, "Do your parents still live in the north

Caroline spoke from behind. "Mr. and Mrs. Hawksley died three years ago. Corrupted

and before she could say something, Lachlan said, "It’s quite alright. It’s been some time now." He absently brushed the windblown strands from his forehead before

conversation without appearing to while holding the arrow against the bow. There was nothing remarkable about the conversation. Except that

"How naïve..." he murmured.

It was the human’s complete inability to notice them. While she searched for another question to

seemed to command more of his attention than the

way, Mr. Hawksley..." Hailey hesitated just long enough to gather her courage. "Are you free tomorrow? I was wondering whether perhaps we might go into town together. To buy Ruelle’s wedding

his expression open with

whistle interrupted them. Several arrows struck the ground barely a horse’s length from Hailey’s mount,

Hailey, clutching at her arm so violently that Hailey nearly lost her seat. Her horse tossed its head in alarm,

Hailey gasped, fighting to steady

eyes drifted towards her sister, who looked like

I was sure I heard it right," Edward complained, twisting in his saddle as he searched the forest with his eyes moving. "Damn it. I was certain I landed a shot

hares that we caught earlier," Dane remarked as his horse moved lazily towards them, the

to look at Edward with

who sat behind her, remarked, "Perhaps your eyesight

eyes at those words. "They are

She lowered her eyes, unable to look at anyone directly. "Please." She had never joined a hunt with vampires before, as even her halfing husband had

if he had been startled by the sudden arrows.

we will continue to look for the

mansion," Lachlan said with a smile,

Hailey continued to draw her cousin’s attention, she said,

direction of

Lachlan truly came to like one another, they would become sisters

disappeared beyond the thick trunks. He asked, "Didn’t the witch say Miss Elliot would marry

"She did..."

thought Ruelle. After Uncle and Aunt Hawksley had died, he had admitted that remaining in their old home had made the silence feel far

work...?" Ruelle murmured with a frown,

of the others gradually faded until all Ruelle could hear was the rhythmic crunch of hooves against the thin layer

Lucian raised the bow. The string pulled taut beside her before the arrow

Ruelle asked, turning her head

down with effortless ease. "Stay here," he told

she blinked. At first, she thought a

pale rays of sunlight filtering through the trees vanished as though someone had

seated upon the horse and she was standing alone. A thick