Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 126: A Den of Wolves

The coachman stepped forward and bent slightly, offering his hand. Ruelle watched as the vampiress placed her foot upon his hand and was assisted into the carriage before comfortably sitting inside.

"It would be improper for us to share the same seat as you." Ruelle politely tried to keep distance. "We will sit at the back."

"That is a fitting place for groundlings," the vampiress replied with a smirk. Her gaze flickered to Hailey and the brief relief that crossed the girl’s face did not escape her notice. "If either of you are thinking of leaping out along the way, I would advise against it. You wouldn’t wish for the puppy to suffer on your account, would you?"

Turning away as if the matter were settled, she gave a brief nod to the coachman. The coachman quickly shut the carriage door.

Ruelle and Hailey moved to the back of the carriage and took their seats. When the vehicle moved forward, they gripped the wooden sides. Within minutes, the buildings of Sexton faded behind the trees, swallowed by the darkening distance.

A moment later, Ruelle felt a gentle tug at her sleeve. Turning, she met Hailey’s anxious gaze as her friend silently mouthed, I am sorry.

Ruelle gave a small shake of her head. The Elites had used Hailey to lure them both, and Kevin had been dragged into it too. Reaching across, she squeezed her friend’s hand and offered a reassuring smile, though a quiet unease stirred beneath the calm she tried to show.

All she could do now was hope that the note would reach the person it was meant for. Because if it didn’t, she and the others were going to be in bigger trouble.

Back in Sexton, Leslie clutched the note in her hand while she searched for the pureblooded vampire it was addressed to. Finally, she caught him standing in the middle of the corridor on the lower ground while surrounded by his friends.

The young woman was nervous to approach Lucian Slater, mostly because of his reputation and the way he looked at people as if they were mere insects he wouldn’t think twice before trampling on. And maybe if she had mustered courage a second sooner, she would have begun walking before another final-year student came to stand before her.

"Have you turned deaf?" It was one of Alanna’s minions, a Halfling, whose bright red eyes narrowed at Leslie. "You were sent to pick up her satchel. No one gave you permission to loiter about the corridors."

The note crumpled slightly in Leslie’s trembling hand. She quickly shook her head and stammered,

"I was going—but I was given instruction from the instructor to—"

"What will you do when Alanna drains the last drop of blood from you, Les?" the Halfling vampiress asked, raising a brow in mock curiosity.

Right now, if she handed the note to Lucian or even to anyone standing near him, Alanna would surely hear of it. And the vampiress despised any female who dared approach him.

And it wasn’t like Leslie wanted to... but she had felt guilty over what had happened in the past and she wanted to be of use to Ruelle at least once.

"Start walking now," the Halfling instructed, and Leslie began to walk in the direction where Lucian stood.

When she came near where Lucian and others stood, her heart pounded in her head and her hands shook. This resulted in the note slipping out of her hand and falling to the ground. Her eyes widened and her footsteps paused. She noticed the halfling’s eyes fall on the folded piece of paper.

Before Leslie could reach for the note, the Halfling grabbed it and asked, "What is this?"

"It is nothing," Leslie smiled, trying to take it back but the Halfling turned and unfolded the note.

The Halfling began to read aloud, "The broken sculpture has been invited to a private tea evening. To—" Her voice stopped there. She lifted her eyes from the paper and stared at Leslie. Only then did she feel the weight of a pureblood’s gaze upon them.

"Where is she?"

The voice was cold and unmistakable, while Lucian’s eyes had narrowed.

"W–what? Who?" The Halfling stuttered in confusion, clearly unaware of the meaning behind the note or the question itself.

"T–the sculpture—" Leslie forced herself to speak, summoning what little courage she could. "The first-year Elites took, but I don’t know whe—"

Lucian did not wait for the rest. He strode past them at once, leaving the others staring after him.

"I wasn’t aware that the sculptures were being bought already," Sawyer commented, before adding, "Does Lucian want to buy his own?"

The halfling blinked, wondering if this note came from an instructor, but before more could be pondered, the human uttered, "I will go visit the staffroom," and she hurried out of there.

Away from Sexton, the carriage continued to roll through the mud before it entered the gates and moved through the cobblestones. When the vehicle finally came to a stop, Ruelle’s feet touched the ground as she stood up with Hailey.

The old mansion looked abandoned from outside and just when they were about to step inside, they heard a loud scream echo from inside, freezing both Ruelle and Hailey.

"What was that?" Ruelle questioned completely alert.

"Someone enjoying pain," the vampiress smirked.

"We don’t enjoy pain. Just tea will do," Hailey murmured but her words went unheard as the vampiress continued to walk without turning to look behind her.

Ruelle raised her hand to her lips, signing Hailey to stay quiet. Because something about the vampiress didn’t sit right. As if their words could be used against them.

The corridor was dark and it didn’t help that the light from the sky had been stolen by the night, due to which they had to rely on their ears to follow the vampiress. When they finally arrived at the double doors, Ruelle heard the chatter coming from inside.

As Ruelle stepped inside, her eyes fell on the room which was lit up by the light coming from the fireplace and the burning candles. A light smoke filled the air coming from cigars. The floor was carpeted with what seemed like fur. There were some humans she had never met before and her eyes caught Kevin, making her stomach drop.

"How lovely, you got the leash already," the vampiress remarked as she moved towards Kevin, who was seated on the ground with a leather collar which had a chain attached to it. The vampiress went to place her hand on his head, but Kevin only jerked his head away which had the vampiress turn displeased.

The next moment, the vampiress’ fingers found his hair and she gripped it tightly, making him growl in pain. The vampiress declared, "I will enjoy teaching you to obey me."

Ruelle’s hands turned cold because none of the humans here appeared to be in favourable positions. Her fingernails dug into her palms to keep herself calm and not fall apart from the pressure.

"AH!" came a cry from a female human, where a vampire’s mouth was buried into her thigh as he drank her blood.

In one dark corner, a couple were stuck to each other, and Ruelle looked away, not wanting to see and questioning if the vampires didn’t know what privacy meant.

"Ah, Hailey," a vampiress drawled, seated comfortably with an empty glass in her hand as though waiting for it to be filled with fresh, warm blood. "How lovely to see you again. I have missed you."

Tess, the vampiress was someone Hailey had once served for a few coins.

"I... would have visited if I had known you wanted my company," Hailey replied, though the stiffness in her face betrayed the lie.

"Is that so?" Tess asked with a faint, amused smile. "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me. Your eyes seem very fond of the floor whenever I pass." She then ordered, "Fetch the bottle of whisky."

Ruelle watched Hailey follow the order right away as it seemed like an easy task.

"Well done bringing them here, Orpheus," another vampire remarked from the opposite end of the couch. His gaze remained fixed on the blonde human as though studying with curiosity. "I have been rather eager to see this group here. Especially her."

His eyes lingered on Ruelle before he lifted a finger and pointed toward her, ordering, "Come here, human."

Ruelle’s steps felt heavy as she crossed the room and came to stand before the vampire, whose eyes brightened at the sight of her.

"Well, it appears Bowen has already chosen his drink for the evening," someone remarked with a chuckle from one corner of the room.

Soft moans and whimpers drifted through the room, sounds that might have turned the humans mortified. Yet none of the humans present could worry about such things as their own positions were far too precarious for that.

"You know," the vampire named Bowen spoke, not to Ruelle in particular. "Last week I went to the office to check your price. But they wouldn’t disclose it. Funnily, they did reveal about another groundling a day before it."

"Sexton must expect the bidding to be lively for this one," a nearby vampiress stated. "They are likely waiting for the prince to place the first bid considering how he has been hovering around her." She then turned to Ruelle and questioned, "What did you do to get him wrapped around your finger?"

"Some of us wanted him to turn to look at us, but annoyingly he has been hanging around a lowly human," the vampiress named Tess looked at Ruelle. "But then again, mistress is what you can be most."

The vampires and vampiresses were too intent on dissecting Ruelle with their eyes and words, but she tried to stay quiet. She didn’t mind if it was just insults being hurled for the rest of the evening—

"Sit. My neck hurts from craning," Bowen ordered, and Ruelle stared at him in suspicion. He commanded, "I said sit."

Ruelle racked her mind before sitting on the ground while knowing the vampire had meant for her to sit next to him. Maybe the best way to deal with the situation was by playing dumb, she thought to herself. Her eyes fell on the platter of fruit and cheese, next to which was a fork.

What was the point of having Hunt and Stake game when it couldn’t be applied in real life? She thought to herself, while her eyes moved to the corner where the fruit platter sat untouched. But they were at a disadvantage. Not here, but because the Elites had connections outside these walls while she and the other humans were handicapped, giving them the leverage over them.

"At least she knows her place," came another comment, which was followed by snickers.

But Ruelle’s action didn’t change her position, as the next moment, the vampire left the couch, sliding down to move towards her.

"You haven’t uttered a word. Saving your voice for when you cry out in pleasure?" Bowen questioned, and his hand moved so close to her face that, out of reflex, Ruelle swatted it away, turning the room dead silent while the vampire scowled.

"The invitation was for tea," Ruelle reasoned, her voice steady as she met his gaze. "We have not been bought."

Suddenly, the vampire seized the hand Ruelle had placed against the floor. His fingers tightened mercilessly, sending a sharp jolt of pain through her arm. She saw him bring his cigar to his lips, taking a long drag as he stared before blowing the smoke right into her face and making her cough.

"You treat groundlings well and the next minute they think they are the same as us," the vampire said coldly. His other hand moved to her neck, pushing her hair to view the mark. He said, "Prince Edward must have really enjoyed your blood to leave such a mark. Let me sample you too."

Alarm bells rang in Ruelle’s head as the vampire leaned closer. From somewhere across the room came the sharp rattle of chains. Before the vampire could bite her with his fangs bared, she blurted, "It wasn’t the prince—"

"Hm? It wasn’t him?" the vampire murmured, pausing briefly.

"It was Lucian," Ruelle revealed and her words seemed to work, as the vampire pulled away to stare at her.

A few vampires in the room shifted their attention toward her, their interest sharpening.

"Lucian Slater?" Bowen questioned and Ruelle nodded. "So it was never the prince?" and a chuckle escaped from his lips. "I thought it was rather odd for the sudden shift in personality, but it seems like he was only protecting his meal."

With his grip loosening, Ruelle pulled her hand free. The urge to bolt was high, but with these many vampires, one of them was bound to catch and drag her back. She crawled back, putting distance between them, while inching closer to the nearby coffee table.

A nearby vampiress laughed as she wiped the blood from her lips. She said in amusement, "Perhaps you should choose another human tonight. If what she said is true, Lucian will not appreciate this, and he will certainly want to know who brought her here."

"She’s probably bluffing," her classmate Orpheus responded with a roll of his eyes.

"Or maybe not?" Tess questioned, taking a sip of alcohol from her glass. "You weren’t in our class to see what happened."

For a brief moment, the room grew noticeably quieter.

Then Bowen scoffed though the sound carried more irritation than confidence.

"Like the prince he doesn’t own her," he said coldly as his gaze flicked toward Ruelle. "According to Sexton’s rules, humans are free to be chosen and used until someone buys them. Perhaps I should taste what made him break his own rules."

Ruelle cursed herself inwardly. She had hoped Lucian’s name would give her leverage but she had miscalculated. Her back hit the coffee table. Seeing the vampire move towards her with his fangs in view, she blurted the first thing that crossed her mind,

"You seem eager to prove. Is Lucian’s shadow so large that you must taste what he has already discarded?"

Someone snickered in the room, "Careful, Bowen. Wouldn’t want people thinking you’ve developed a taste for his scraps, as the groundling says."

Bowen’s eyes flashed with fury, his hand shot out to grab her hair, making her wince. He hissed, "You think hiding behind Lucian’s name will save you? I will show you how little it matters."

"Let go of her!" Kevin shouted across the room. When he tried to lunge forward, the chains rattled as the collar around his neck jerked him back.

"You are agitating my puppy," the vampiress sighed. "Sit quiet, boy." The word puppy made Ruelle’s stomach twist.

When Kevin didn’t obey, the vampiress gave the chain a sharp yank that sent him crashing to the floor. Before he could push himself up, she placed the heel of her shoe on his back and pressed down.

"You should stay where you are if you don’t want to be hurt," the young vampiress tutted while letting her heel dig a little more.

Suddenly, Ruelle heard faint footsteps echoing from the corridor outside the room, which caught others’ attention. The glimmer of relief that had flickered in her chest thinking the help had arrived, vanished the moment she saw who stepped through the doorway.

"I told the damn groundling to fetch my shoes, but she went missing," Alanna grumbled as she entered the room. When her eyes fell on Ruelle, one brow lifted.

"Alanna, welcome. Look who we have today? I was just saying how pretty her hair is," said the one whose feet were still pressed on Kevin’s back.

Alanna glared at the younger vampiress. "As if my eyes weren’t sore enough watching her in Sexton, you have brought her here?"

"But I thought you would like to even out the events after what she did," the younger vampiress answered.

"Then go find a pair of scissors so I can do it," Alanna said and soon a halfling was sent out of the room to fetch a pair of scissors. "Are you excited, Ruelle?"

"Your hair needs a haircut more than mine," Ruelle spoke through gritted teeth.

"You bitch—I will make sure your lesson is well learnt," Alanna’s jaws tightened.

Bowen let out a dry laugh before saying, "You’ll have to wait your turn, Alanna. I’m not done with her."

She needed a second, Ruelle thought to herself. Seeing how these vampires didn’t care about consequences, she could only assume that they could go to any extent.

Hailey had turned pale from where she stood. "P–Please stop this—We don’t deserve this—" she pleaded.

And while Alanna and Bowen debated who would go first, Ruelle’s hand inched towards the fork, hoping no one would notice. It wouldn’t kill a vampire, but it might buy her a second.

Just then her eyes met the nearby vampiress’s gaze. Tess had been watching her as she took a sip from her glass. Suddenly, the vampiress stood up from her seat. "Follow me, Hailey," she ordered.

Hailey suddenly looked like a ghost, torn between obeying and risking the same treatment. Unable to refuse with everything falling apart around her, she reluctantly followed.

When they reached the main doorway, Hailey began to fret. Tess walked ahead, she finally dared to ask, "Where are we going?"

The vampiress turned and looked over her shoulder, studying Hailey for a moment before replying, "To Sexton."

Hailey’s eyebrows furrowed and she repeated, "To...Sexton?"

"I only came to kill time, not to ruin it. I’ll finish the rest back in Sexton," Tess answered nonchalantly. "You can come along or are free to stay." The vampiress had no interest in getting caught up in the storm that was going to hit the place.