Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 128: Price of Insolence

Footsteps echoed and soon Orpheus returned to the corridor with another vampire, catching sight of only the two humans and the wolf.

"There they are!" Orpheus shouted as they charged forward.

When Lucian stood up, the other vampire tried to stop his feet from moving forward. But it was too late as the pureblooded vampire caught the person’s head before ramming it right into the wall. The force was enough to knock the person out.

Orpheus’s mouth fell open. He didn’t understand how Lucian had ended up here, but he turned to leave—

"Orpheus," Lucian uttered and Ruelle’s classmate froze in his tracks.

"I didn’t do anything!" Orpheus’ words faltered, and his earlier bravado began to evaporate under the eyes of the pureblooded vampire. "It was Bowen and the others!"

"If it weren’t for you, none of this would’ve happened!" Kevin snapped and this had the vampire sneer at him.

"Fucking human shut yo—" Orpheus began only to be interrupted by Lucian.

"Bring everyone to the den."

Orpheus blinked at Lucian’s command.

"You don’t need to tell them why," Lucian said, his voice dangerously calm. "And Orpheus... don’t run. I’m already in a poor mood."

The younger vampire looked torn but he hesitantly left the corridor.

"Go find your friend and get back to Sexton," Lucian spoke to Kevin.

But when Kevin approached Ruelle, Lucian stated, "She stays."

Kevin’s eyebrows furrowed and he responded, "She’s hurt—she needs aid and should get back with us."

When Ruelle watched Lucian’s hands shoot up to her friend, her eyes widened and she uttered, "Lucian!"

Lucian caught the chain attached to Kevin’s collar and Kevin’s hand grabbed his in return.

"Sending a bleeding human would leave a scent trail for miles." Lucian’s gaze hardened, "And before you say you’ll protect her... you’ve done quite enough tonight."

Kevin’s jaw clenched. With a sharp pull, the chain snapped in Lucian’s grasp and the broken metal fell to the floor. The human male hesitated, his eyes moving to Ruelle. He decided, "Then I’m not leaving either."

Lucian regarded him for a moment. "Don’t get in my way." He then turned to Ruelle and offered his hand. He noticed her offer her non-dominant hand as she stood up with a shaky breath. For a moment, her fingers tightened around his. He remarked, "Bear with it a little longer." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Ruelle gave a nod.

They began to move through the corridor, Kevin trailing close behind them as he stared at the back of Lucian’s head before his eyes darted at Ruelle. Soon they heard hurried footsteps echoing from a nearby passage and a moment later, a familiar figure appeared around the corner.

"Ruelle!" Hailey exclaimed in relief as she rushed toward them. Her face was flushed from running, strands of hair clinging to her temples. "This place is like a maze. I’ve been looking for both of you!"

"We were looking for you too," Ruelle replied, glad to see Hailey was unharmed.

When Hailey’s gaze fell on Lucian, she quickly offered a bow. Only then did she notice a wolf standing nearby with blood staining its jaws. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the animal.

"T–There is a w–wo– wolf..." Hailey wore a bewildered look.

"Miss Elliot."

Hailey looked quickly at Lucian, asking, "Yes, senior?"

"Gather the humans near the carriage. You will find my coachman there," Lucian instructed with a blank expression. "We will be down there soon."

"Can she take Zhenya with her?" Ruelle asked him, just wanting her friend to be safe. He gave a small nod, and she turned to the wolf. "Go with Hailey."

The wolf moved immediately, padding forward with silent obedience.

Hailey looked between the animal and Ruelle with a worried look but when the wolf began to walk forward to lead the way down the corridor, the young human quickly followed.

Lucian’s gaze briefly shifted to Kevin before he turned away as they continued to walk.

Back in the room where the vampires liked to lounge, the Den was far from quiet after Ruelle and Kevin’s escape. Some of the vampires who had earlier been indulging themselves now watched Alanna and Bowen fight.

Alanna stood with a metal vase in her hand, her chest rising slowly with fury. She had a cut on her cheek, while Bowen wiped the blood from his temple.

"It would be better if you stayed back, Bowen. You were at fault," Alanna pointed out with arrogance.

"Were you born delusional?" Bowen scoffed. "You started this and I will end it."

When Bowen went to attack Alanna, the vampiress threw the vase and Bowen ducked aside. The vase never reached the wall and a hand caught it mid-air.

As it lowered, Lucian Slater stepped into view.

Alanna was the first one to notice and the others did too. The vampiress’s eyes brightened at the sight of him, until her eyes fell on the human standing right behind him. Bowen gave a crooked snicker and he commented,

"Lucian Slater. What a surprise to see you here. If one didn’t know better, they might think you were the loyal dog of the human—"

Bowen’s words were cut short when Lucian threw the vase back. The vampire barely managed to dodge in time, and the vase slammed into the wall behind the vampire with a violent crack, embedding itself deep as cracks spread through the wall.

"Now...which one of you decided it would be clever to invite Ruelle here?" Lucian asked, his gaze moving slowly across the room.

While every eye remained on him, Ruelle and Kevin slipped into the room and quietly moved to the corner.

"It wasn’t me," one halfling said quickly, lifting the woman’s hand beside him. "Kiera was the one with the humans. She was the one talking about cutting the human’s hair," he jerked his head in the vampiress’s direction, who had stepped on Kevin’s back.

"Me?" the vampiress laughed, her lips faltering from the pressure that exuded from the pure-blooded vampire. "I never invited her."

"Right, you just came with her," someone in the room added.

At the same time, a couple of footsteps were heard right outside the room before Orpheus returned with another vampire who had earlier left the room.

"Fucking Orpheus," the vampire breathed. "I just came here to get some fresh blood. Now I would like to continue with my evening—" he turned to step out of the room.

Suddenly, dark smoke seeped from the floor and spread across the doorway where the doors had earlier been broken down, sealing the exit.

People’s eyes bulged from the sudden sight of it, not knowing where it came from, while Ruelle didn’t seem fazed, as it wasn’t the first time she had seen the black smoke appear near Lucian.

The next moment happened before anyone could blink. Lucian crossed the room and seized Kiera by the back of her neck. A startled cry barely left her lips before he dragged her across the floor and straight toward the fireplace where the flames burned bright.

"I didn’t do anything!" the vampiress panicked. She raised her hand in Orpheus’ direction and fretted, "He was the one who—"

But before she could speak another word, Lucian forced the vampiress’s head down toward the hearth. The flames sparked violently as her hair caught the heat, and her scream tore through the room while strands turned to crisp ash.