Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 204: A Gentle Suggestion

Back inside the mansion, the sound of a sharp slap echoed through one of the quieter corridors. Caroline stared at her cousin in disbelief, one hand pressed against the reddening mark on her cheek. Tears welled almost immediately, more from shock than pain, her lips trembling as she struggled to find words.

"How could you..." she whispered before her voice rose. "I’m sick."

Lachlan’s expression hadn’t changed. If anything, it had become colder as he replied, "Then perhaps you should be resting in bed instead of wandering through the house accusing your sister."

The quiet disappointment in it stung far more than if he had shouted. Caroline laughed bitterly, shaking her head. She said,

"Father died because of a witch. Everyone keeps pretending none of it matters anymore! Am I not even allowed to say what I think?"

"No," the answer came immediately and Lachlan took one slow step towards her. "You are allowed to grieve. But you are not allowed to use grief as an excuse to become cruel."

Resentment flickered across Caroline’s face and her jaw tightened. "You always take her side!"

Lachlan stared at Caroline, knowing fully well that his uncle had never treated Caroline harshly. All those things were directed at Ruelle. He sighed before saying,

"Listen to me carefully, Caroline." Lachlan’s voice lost what little patience remained. "Whether you like it or not, Ruelle is part of the Slater family now. If you continue speaking like this, you’ll invite trouble you won’t be able to survive."

Caroline’s lips trembled. For a second Lachlan genuinely thought she might apologise. Instead, she glared at him through tear-filled eyes, turned on her heel and stormed away. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor and a moment later, a door slammed.

sound lingered long after

when the silence returned did he quietly rub the bridge of his nose. The slap still

from down the corridor. "Her father’s

leaning comfortably against the stone wall, one ankle crossed over the other. The smile that tugged at the corner of his lips was small, but it deepened by the

words were delivered so lightly that, for a fleeting moment, Lachlan almost mistook them for

in his voice. "There are

blinked once and asked, "There are?" His brows lifted with what looked like genuine curiosity

smile spread another fraction on the pureblooded vampire’s lips. "And who said anything about killing? You’re giving me rather creative ideas,

secretly mixing your so-called medicine into people’s food? I knew

pushed himself away from the wall. He

to stand in front of the human, "They simply weren’t prescribed for the intended

looked sane at first glance, but it was the eyes that gave it away. There was something profoundly unsettling there. It was obvious that this person wasn’t right in the head or maybe most of the pureblooded vampires carried that streak. He suddenly found himself

"Whatever."

back of his neck, he wanted nothing more than to find a bed.

problems. I’ve already invested in this and would like

wouldn’t be surprised

hand with suspicion. "If you’re serious about protecting them, keep watching them," his voice drifted back almost lazily. "You

either of them spoke again, the quiet