Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Threatening The Wrong One

Servants moved quietly through the dining room, replacing emptied dishes and pouring fresh tea before they had the chance to turn cold. The warmth from the fireplace spread through the room while they continued to have their breakfast.

The last time Ruelle had visited Slaters’ mansion after leaving home, she had been scared to show up at the dining table in fear of running into the lord and she had eaten her meals in her room. Especially with Brother Dane rarely home and Lucian having already returned to Sexton.

To sit like this felt strangely pleasant to Ruelle. While the men’s food comprised bloody drinks and meals, separate dishes had been prepared to suit her palate.

"The eastern merchants are threatening to delay shipments again," Lord Azriel remarked while setting his fork down. "Patterson must have offended them. He lacks the patience required for negotiations."

"He’s been offending everyone during the meetings. He will be replaced in the coming term for his lack of work," Lucian replied calmly.

Lord Azriel responded with a brief hum. "They should have done it sooner. Carnifex is lax with the man, as he is his wife’s brother."

Ruelle quietly listened to them speak, noticing how naturally the conversation moved around the table. Because of where she sat, it felt like she was part of the conversation.

Peyton had stepped outside the room a few minutes ago, and Ruelle could guess the vampiress was listening to them from the corridor. Yet none of the men at the table seemed concerned speaking so openly about Minister Carnifex despite Peyton listening from just beyond the doors.

"Dane, I need you to go visit the port today and get the merchants to renew the trade routes," Lord Azriel instructed. "I would have gone myself but I need to head to the courthouse along with Lucian."

"I will leave after breakfast," Dane responded without hesitation, leaning back against his chair. "Looks like you will have the entire mansion for yourself," he said to Ruelle with a smile.

"I doubt Maude would allow the mansion to feel empty for very long," Ruelle answered, returning his smile. "And there’s Peyton too."

Dane only gave a nod at the woman’s name before he continued to eat. He turned to Lucian in a nonchalant voice. "Are you attending the gathering this afternoon later?"

"No," Lucian answered. "Did you get the invitation?"

"Mm," Dane licked the blood tea off his lips. "I don’t know why they even bother to send it to me. It’s like they are offering me a seat at their minister’s table."

"They don’t know you well enough," Lucian responded.

Curious, Ruelle asked, "What are the qualifications to be able to work as a minister? Apart from being a vampire and competent."

"If it were competence, it would disqualify half the courthouse," Lucian responded.

"Usually political standing and family influence. Though neither remains useful for long," Lord Azriel explained to her. "Most ministers in the past inherited their positions through alliances between noble families. It was only a few decades ago since the exams were set up and one needs to clear them."

Ruelle’s gaze shifted toward Lucian, wondering if he had already completed them long ago, only to find him already watching her.

"Lucian and Dane are yet to take it up," Lord Azriel continued. "You first get the position of officer before being promoted to minister."

Lucian told her, "The rankings decide where one is placed for work."

How interesting, Ruelle thought to herself. "But you work for the minister," she pointed out. Had it been because he was the lord’s son? Before Lord Azriel said it, she had believed it was probably because Lucian had already cleared the exam.

"I accompanied Father during his work on occasion. There were matters I assisted with," Lucian replied but Ruelle could sense there was more to it. "And I corrected questions."

Ruelle’s eyebrows furrowed, not understanding what it meant.

Dane decided to explain, "The day Lucian was released from his vacation in the dungeon, the courthouse was going to conduct an exam the following week. Father and Minister Carnifex had to attend the council meeting regarding his release, and Lucian found the questionnaire sitting on the table and rewrote them all."

Her mouth opened, not knowing if she should laugh or not. She asked, "And then?"

"Well, Carnifex didn’t notice and he sent the questionnaire to have copies. For the record, none of them passed. Lucian is remarkably troublesome once people stop watching him closely," Dane chuckled, remembering how furious the minister had been afterward when he visited their home.

"I think Father saved it in his study. You should see if you can solve it," he joked.

Ruelle smiled at the thought of it. "The others couldn’t. I doubt it would be easy," and she had no clue about the courthouse or had been exposed to the system so closely.

"I will teach you."

Her eyes turned to meet Lucian’s serious ones. She asked, "To pass your questionnaire?"

"No, for the next exam at the courthouse," Lucian replied and Dane’s eyebrows rose.

"Surely, you aren’t telling her to work for you, are you, Brother?" the older sibling asked.

"If she is capable of passing it, I see no issue," Lucian’s response had the smile on Ruelle’s lips falter. Was he telling her what she was thinking?

Lord Azriel did not comment, as though he didn’t hear it.

Now that Ruelle knew a woman was working in the courthouse, it didn’t seem like she would be denied. But then again, she wasn’t a vampiress and in others’ eyes she was a human.

Dane hid his amusement behind another sip of tea. Lucian truly did intend to keep Ruelle near him in every possible way. Yet the courthouse hardly allowed people to choose their placements so freely. The no contact must have turned his brother irritated.

"You should pass on that, Ruelle," Dane whispered to her. "My brother has a reputation of working people to the bone. Wife or not, he would do the same to you."

Ruelle glanced at Dane, smiling at his words.

While the conversation shifted back toward work between them, Ruelle lowered her eyes to her plate, though her attention continued to drift to Lucian in glances in the presence of others.

He was dressed in darker formal clothing rather than his Sexton’s clothes, Lucian appeared older somehow. Without being rude for staring like an idiot, her eyes settled on the movements of his hand that rested near the porcelain cup.

Long fingers. Pale skin stretched over visible veins and tendons that shifted subtly with every movement. There was something fascinating and dangerous about them. She hadn’t forgotten its strength against her own hands.

Was this the sickness people spoke about? Somehow, knowing Lucian would return to the courthouse later only made him feel further away than he had moments ago.

Lord Azriel was the first one to excuse himself from the table, and after a minute, Dane got up and headed towards the exit.

Seeing them leave, Ruelle instinctively began setting her utensils down as well, despite not having finished eating.

"Finish your meal," she heard Lucian speak. Her eyes moved towards him, noticing him rise from his seat. "You barely touched anything."

"I did eat..." Ruelle replied while picking up the spoon.

"It didn’t seem enough. You missed the dessert," he pointed, walking around the table, each step closing distance. At the rate she was being fed, she would turn plump, she thought to herself. She heard him ask, his voice carrying that particular softness that made her pulse stutter,

"Wasn’t it to your taste?"

"No, nothing like that. I didn’t notice it," she admitted because she had been staring at his hands. She felt him stop beside her chair. She brought the wide teacup towards her. "Isn’t it a little—"

Her words faltered when Lucian leaned forward. His hand stretched to pick up the salt and the movement forced him close enough that Ruelle could feel the warmth from him near her shoulder.

Even his scent became clearer.

Lucian sprinkled salt into the cup, his hand steady while hers was anything but that. He said quietly, "Try it now."

Ruelle stared at the cup for several seconds, her thoughts scattered like the dandelions blown with him close. She picked up the cup and she took a careful sip before her head turned to see the detail in his wine-red eyes.

"How does it taste?"

The question came out low and intimate. Her heart raced as she tried to form words. She swallowed.

At the door of the dining room, Ruelle could faintly hear Peyton’s voice, "If you could move, Mr. Slater."

Dane ignored it and commented. "You are going to look like a raccoon’s relative with the way you look. I was wondering if it was a ghost that was prowling through the corridors."

Inside the room, Ruelle’s lips parted but she only nodded.

"Words, Ruelle," Lucian murmured.

"It was good," Ruelle answered, and she saw him pull away from her while she felt a sting at the distance.

"Finish it then. It will keep you warmer." A small ghost-like smile appeared on Lucian’s lips and he made his way to where Dane was standing.

When Peyton stepped inside the dining room, Ruelle sat at the table and sipped until the last drop of the dessert but she doubted it was what was going to keep her warm.

"Do you want to try it, Peyton? It tastes good with the salt," Ruelle asked the vampiress, who stared at her, before responding,

"No, thank you, Miss Belmont."

Ruelle didn’t force the woman and only gave a small nod, while her mind and skin sizzled with Lucian’s words and gaze. She said, "You do look tired. Perhaps a nap will do you good?"

Peyton gave a bow.

As if remembering something, Ruelle ran out of the dining room and headed straight towards the mansion’s entrance with Peyton quick on her heels.

She noticed one of the servants helping Lucian wear the coat. He turned to her and she asked him, "Lucian... what time will you be back?"

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify