Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 99: Hand that Held her

Hearing the bone crack, Ruelle’s heart pounded louder than before, her vision blurring with anxiety. For a fleeting second, she wondered if coming here had been a terrible mistake.

Gasps escaped from the other customers, yet no one dared to move after what just happened.

The vampire who had touched Ruelle before, now had his cheek pressed hard against the wall. He struggled to pull free but the hand holding him did not budge.

"Unhand me this instant! How dare you put your hands on me?" the vampire hissed, trying to gather his remaining dignity.

Slowly, Ruelle turned her gaze to the person and her breath caught.

Lucian.

For a moment she could only stare at him, her thoughts scattering like frightened birds. What was he doing here?

When Lucian’s gaze found hers, Ruelle stared right back at him with wide eyes, unable to form a single word. But then his attention shifted to the faint bruise shadowing her face and something in his expression hardened.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" the vampire snarled, "I–"

Without a word, Ruelle watched as Lucian pulled the vampire’s head back before driving it into the wall with ruthless force and then again. A chill ran down her spine. The vampire collapsed instantly, sliding to the floor in a limp heap, blood dripping down against the white wall.

The two companions of the fallen vampire, seeing him unconscious, stood up at once, their chairs scraping against the floor.

"You are going to regret this," one of them warned, though his voice wavered. "You—"

"Step out," Lucian warned, his voice devoid of emotion. "Unless you wish to join him."

Before either man could reply, one of them caught sight of an officer entering the inn and seized the chance.

"Officer!" he called out hurriedly. "This person attacked our friend for no reason and tried to kill him. You must charge him for it!"

Lucian did not so much as glance in their direction as he took a step closer towards Ruelle, his eyes smouldering.

The officer who had just entered paused. He was the same person who had accompanied Lucian into the town earlier that morning, before the pureblooded vampire had abruptly disappeared from his side.

"You seem to have caused a ruckus here. Come out. Also, someone get that fallen one too," the officer ordered, ushering the two men outside and within moments the inn was almost empty again.

Inside the inn, Ruelle didn’t meet Lucian’s eyes out of shame as she looked at the side even though he stood in front of her.

She wished he hadn’t seen her in this dishevelled and pitiful state. She hid her trembling hands behind her.

When Lucian’s hand moved to her face, Ruelle flinched with the instinctive fear of being struck again surfacing before she could stop it. His hand halted midair, his jaw clenching.

"Who did this to you?" Lucian asked, his voice hardened.

Ruelle forced herself to meet his gaze and the moment she did, the fragile composure she had clung to all day shattered. A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Ruelle..." Lucian said, his eyes softening.

The sound of her name on his lips was gentle.

Since she had left Sexton this morning, she had been spoken to with anger and dismissal. And now, standing before her, Lucian did not look at her as though she were a burden. He simply looked worried.

And that was all it took for her composure to break. A small, helpless sob escaped before she could stop it and tears followed faster than she could hide them.

Before she could think to stop herself, Ruelle stepped forward and her forehead pressed against Lucian’s chest as the weight of the day finally released. She had not meant to do it but she felt too broken.

Lucian went still.

For a heartbeat he did not move at all, his hands hovering uncertainly at his sides. He felt her tremble as she cried harder.

Then, slowly, his hand rose, careful and almost uncertain, before placing it on the back of her head. He let her cry until her sobs slowly faded.

When Ruelle’s emotions finally settled and her thoughts grew quiet again, she took a small step back, her lashes wet with tears.

"W–what happened here?!" the innkeeper exclaimed as he returned through the front door with two bags of onions clutched in his arms. His eyes flew to the bloodstained wall. "The wall is—Mr. Slater, what a p–pleasant surprise!" He bowed, before looking back and forth between the pureblooded vampire and the wall.

"I will have someone come to repair the damage," Lucian stated, offering compensation without hesitation.

The innkeeper bowed again and replied, "That is very generous of you, sire." Then the man’s gaze shifted to the young woman and he instructed, "Go and fetch a cup of blood tea for the gentleman."

Lucian turned to look back at Ruelle and remarked, "I would prefer she sit with me at the table. And bring something for her to eat."

"Oh? Oh..." The innkeeper blinked in confusion, clearly caught off guard.

Before the innkeeper could say something to offend Lucian by mistake, his wife appeared from the kitchen, took hold of his sleeve and dragged him back inside to explain what had truly taken place.

A couple of minutes later, Ruelle and Lucian sat across from each other at the table. The inn turned completely empty, where the customers had quietly gathered their things and left rather than linger in the presence of a pureblooded vampire.

Ruelle had placed her hands to rest on her lap, feeling Lucian’s intense stare that didn’t leave her. She heard him say,

"I didn’t know you worked here during the weekends."

"I don’t. It was just for today," Ruelle replied, her voice small. She looked at her hands on her lap. "I needed some shillings. To get back to Sexton."

A subtle frown appeared on Lucian’s face as he watched her carefully. He then suddenly asked, "Was it your family who did this to you?"

Ruelle took a long pause before she gave him a nod. She answered hesitatnly, "My father."

Lucian turned very quiet and the silence that followed was heavy as he continued to listen to her.

"The debt collectors came and Father got angry as I didn’t have money. Then... Caroline wore the earrings from Sexton." She paused before adding what he must have already known, "They wouldn’t come off. Mother said it was my fault. And... told me to leave. To never return," her voice turned thick at the memory, which was still fresh.

After ten minutes, the innkeeper came out with the food for Ruelle and placed it before her. He politely said,

"Here is the fresh cooked meat, Miss Ruelle," before adding, "You should have told me you were acquainted with Mr. Slater."

Ruelle offered a small, courteous bow and reached for the cutlery.

At the same moment, Lucian’s gaze shifted to the innkeeper, who continued to stand idly. The man felt it immediately and bowed once more before hastily excusing himself, leaving them alone.

When Lucian’s attention returned to Ruelle, his movements stilled. His gaze lingered on her discoloured and swollen fingers.

It was also when he caught the faint scent of blood on her, blood that didn’t belong to the unconscious vampire and his eyes narrowed.

"There’s more," he murmured.

"What?" Ruelle asked, lifting her gaze to catch Lucian’s eyes that had darkened. He questioned,

"Where else did he hit you?"

Ruelle was taken aback by his question, not knowing how he found out. The moment felt like nothing less than baring her soul to him, things that she had hidden and kept away from people.

She didn’t know how to answer it and replied, "I don’t remember..."

At her response, Lucian regarded it before he turned to look outside the inn through the window, his expression eerily calm now.

Returning to the food on her plate, Ruelle reached for the fork and knife. But when she tried to cut a piece, her hand trembled and the knife slipped. She tried again, but the knife sliped once again. Feeling mortified, she picked up the knife when the plate was quietly pulled away.

"The more you force it, the worse it becomes. Some things are better to be taken care by someone else," Lucian stated, taking the knife and fork from her. He cut the meat into small, even pieces before nudging the plate back to her and instructed,

"Eat. We will then head to Slater mansion," as though the matter were already decided.

Slater mansion? Ruelle echoed in her mind. She refused right away, "No."

Lucian’s eyes subtly narrowed. He asked patiently, "Do you believe that it is wise in your current state to head to Sexton?"

Ruelle knew he was right, yet the truth offered no comfort. She parted her lips and let him know, "You don’t know... I bring misfortune to people near me."

"Better. I am misfortunate myself," Lucian replied, his eyes holding hers without a waver.

Not long after eating, Ruelle’s trunk was placed at the back of Lucian’s carriage. She thanked the innkeeper and his wife with a polite bow. Then she climbed inside the carriage, the soft cushions welcoming her weary body. Lucian followed shortly after handing the inn couple a pouch of coins.

And soon Lucian and Ruelle left the town behind.

When they finally arrived at the front of the Slater mansion, Maude appeared at once, offering a deep bow.

"Welcome home, Master Lucian. Miss Ruelle."

Ruelle returned the bow. The housekeeper’s eyes never lingered on her as if everything was perfectly normal.

"Have her luggage placed in the East Wing’s room," Lucian instructed a nearby servant. He then turned to Ruelle and said, "You can follow him."

"Okay," Ruelle replied before following the servant to her room.

Once she reached the room and was left alone, Ruelle walked to the nearby mirror and studied her reflection. The bruise on her cheek, which had been faint earlier in the day, had deepened, turning an ugly shade beneath her skin.

It wasn’t new for her father to ’discipline’ her. But he had always been cautious to not hit her where one could see. Her bruises were always hidden.

It felt strange knowing that she didn’t have a family anymore. But then again, thought Ruelle to herself, she was the only one holding on to it and now it didn’t exist.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Miss Ruelle," Maude announced herself as she entered the room. She carried a neatly folded dress draped over one arm and a small wooden box in the other. "Your current dress appears to have been soiled. You may change into this one."

Ruelle accepted the woman’s words with a quiet nod, glancing at the box in Maude’s hand and guessing at once that it held first-aid supplies.

She couldn’t help but wonder how different this place was. Everything here was done without fuss, without questions, without prying eyes.

She wondered why Lucian had never told her the truth instead of hiding the earrings from her?

When the dress she wore finally came off, she drew in a sharp breath as the fabric clung to her skin that had split and bled, making her wince.

Fresh bruises marked nearly every part of her body. Maude had her sit while she dipped some cotton into a small bottle. The woman warned her,

"This will sting but please bear with it. The wounds must be cleaned."

The moment the liquid touched her skin, Ruelle hissed at the sharp burn. One by one, Maude worked by disinfecting each wound before helping her into the clean, loose dress.

"Is there anything you would like me to bring you? Food or perhaps some tea?" Maude asked once she was finished.

"No... I would only like to rest," Ruelle answered softly.

"Of course." Maude bowed. "Please pull the rope bell if you require anything."

With that, the housekeeper stepped out and closed the door behind her.

For a moment the vampiress continued to stand there, facing the polished wood as if weighing something in her mind. Then a voice reached her from the side.

"How is it?"

Maude turned to find Lucian leaning against the wall. He stood there, arms crossed, wearing an unreadable expression.

"The injuries will heal within a week," she replied in her usual composed manner. She then hesitated briefly and informed, "The bruising is extensive. Whoever struck her did so without restraint."

"There is something else, Master Lucian," the housekeeper wore a slight frown on her usual expressionless face and his eyes met hers. "While treating her, I noticed marks that are not recent. I believe they are old marks... belonging to almost more than a decade."

A faint muscle tightened at Lucian’s jaw. He then pushed himself away from the wall. He ordered, "See that she rests," and began to walk away from there.

"Of course, Master Lucian," Maude obliged, following him. After a brief pause, she asked, "Will you be going out this evening?"

The question seemed simple, but it was more than what it sounded like.

"Yes. There’s something that needs to be taken care of."