Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 205

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.

"Don’t—" She lowered her voice immediately, suddenly conscious that someone might have heard him. "Don’t say things like that."

It had been two nights since they had begun sharing his bed again, and Lucian had done little more than hold her while they slept.

He would kiss her 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 knowing what exactly she was asking for.

"Then how would you like me to say it?" he asked. Judging by the faint amusement she could hear in his voice now, Lucian knew precisely what he was doing to her.

Ruelle 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 through the trees.

"Or would you rather I showed it to you?"

Ruelle’s heart stumbled at his words.

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

Not far from where Ruelle and the others rode, Hailey guided her horse alongside Lachlan’s while they conversed. Behind Hailey, Caroline sat quietly. Ever since Lachlan had struck her across the face, she had refused to look in his direction. Nor did she have any desire to speak with Hailey, whom she had never managed to get along with since their first meeting.

"Oh, we had a horse when I was little. Father taught me how to ride, and my brother and I used to spend hours wandering through the meadows," Hailey smiled at the memory.

"That sounds like a lovely 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 to care for them."

For someone who spent his days hauling timber and raising buildings, Mr. Hawksley spoke with surprising gentleness. Combined with the chestnut hair that the morning breeze kept pushing across his forehead, she couldn’t help but look at the man.

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

Before Lachlan could answer, Caroline spoke from behind. "Mr. and Mrs. Hawksley died three years ago. Corrupted vampires ambushed them."

Hailey turned awkward, 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 offering the same polite smile.

Not far behind, Dane listened to the conversation without appearing to while holding the arrow against the bow. There was nothing remarkable about the conversation. Except that Miss Elliot kept finding reasons to continue it.

"How naïve..." he murmured.

It wasn’t Miss Elliot’s intentions that amused him. It was the human’s complete inability to notice them. While she searched for another question to prolong the conversation, Lachlan’s attention wandered elsewhere, his eyes drifting through the surrounding trees.

Even the wind seemed to command more of his attention than the woman riding beside him.

"By 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 gift, of course."

"Tomorrow?" Lachlan turned towards her, his expression open with polite curiosity.

At the same moment, a sharp whistle interrupted them. Several arrows struck the ground barely a horse’s length from Hailey’s mount, spraying the ice into the air.

Caroline screamed. In blind panic, she threw herself towards Hailey, clutching at her arm so violently that Hailey nearly lost her seat. Her horse tossed its head in alarm, sidestepping as Hailey tightened both hands around the reins before she could be thrown from the saddle.

"Caroline!" Hailey gasped, fighting to steady both herself and the frightened horse.

Ruelle and the others arrived at the place. Her eyes drifted towards her sister, who looked like a ghost.

"Where did the stag go? 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 this time. Though... I do smell blood."

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