Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

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."

"The blood is probably from the hares that we caught earlier," Dane remarked as his horse moved lazily towards them, the corners of his mouth lifting with quiet amusement. "Unless His Highness has suddenly developed an appetite for the humans."

Hailey and Caroline turned to look at Edward with wary expressions.

Ruelle didn't spot the stag as Edward thought. Lucian, who sat behind her, remarked, "Perhaps your eyesight isn't as remarkable as you believe."

Edward rolled his eyes at those words. "They are perfectly fine."

"I—I would like to return..." Caroline's voice trembled as she spoke. She lowered her eyes, unable to look at anyone directly. "Please." She had never joined a hunt with vampires before, as even her halfing husband had not introduced her to such things.

Ruelle caught sight of Lachlan, who looked slightly tense and she wondered if he had been startled by the sudden arrows. He said, "I'll accompany them back to the mansion." The familiar smile appeared, though it arrived a fraction too slowly.

"Well then, we will continue to look for the stag," Edward stated with a nod.

"Enjoy the hunt. We will see you later at the mansion," Lachlan said with a smile, before he turned the horse around.

Ruelle watched the group slowly disappear between the towering trees. Noticing how Hailey continued to draw her cousin's attention, she said, "It looks like there may be another wedding before long. Hailey seems rather fond of Brother Lachlan."

Lucian followed the direction of her gaze.

If Hailey and Lachlan truly came to like one another, they would become sisters by marriage. Somehow, the idea felt right and Ruelle smiled.

Beside her, Lucian remained silent for a moment, his eyes lingering on the riders until they disappeared beyond the thick trunks. He asked, "Didn't the witch say Miss Elliot would marry a wealthy man?"

"She did..."

And Lachlan certainly wasn't wealthy, thought Ruelle. After Uncle and Aunt Hawksley had died, he had admitted that remaining in their old home had made the silence feel far too heavy to bear. So he had left for the north to work alongside a relative in construction.

"If that is so, then it wouldn't work…?" Ruelle murmured with a frown, not wanting their heartbroken.

Lucian gently pulled the reins, guiding their horse deeper into the forest. The chatter of the others gradually faded until all Ruelle could hear was the rhythmic crunch of hooves against the thin layer of frost covering the ground.

Ruelle held herself still as Lucian raised the bow. The string pulled taut beside her before the arrow flew, disappearing between the trees. He lowered the bow to his side.

"Did you get it?" Ruelle asked, turning her head towards him.

"Mm." Lucian brought the horse to a halt before swinging himself down with effortless ease. "Stay here," he told her, handing her the reins.

She watched him begin to walk, and just then the horse shifted beneath her. Something strange passed through her vision and she blinked. At first, she thought a strand of hair had fallen across her eyes but soon the trees ahead of her lost their edges and her vision blurred.

With one blink of her eye, the morning disappeared. The pale rays of sunlight filtering through the trees vanished as though someone had snuffed them out, leaving the forest swallowed by darkness.

Ruelle's brows knitted together as she looked around, her confusion deepening when she realised she was no longer seated upon the horse and she was standing alone. A thick fog drifted silently across the ground, curling around her feet before disappearing between the dark trunks of the trees.

What was going on?

Ruelle slowly turned around, searching for something familiar. The horse was gone and so was Lucian, who had only moments ago gone to inspect where the arrow had struck.

"Lucian?" Her voice travelled farther than she expected, echoing strangely through the forest.

Ruelle swallowed. Surely she couldn't be dreaming. She had slept well the night before, and only moments ago she had been surrounded by voices and the sound of horses moving through the trees.

"Lucian," she called again, louder this time. Once more, only her own voice echoed like that of a ghost.

The longer Ruelle stood there, the more the anxiety in the pit of her stomach began to grow. Something wasn't right. Her fingers curled into her dress as she stared into the fog ahead and she began to walk instead of waiting here.

"Where am I?" Ruelle whispered to herself, her eyes moving cautiously between the trees in search of something, anything that might tell her where she was. With no answer coming and no sign of Lucian or the others, she continued forward through the fog, her footsteps careful against the damp ground until a faint glow appeared between the trees.

Ruelle slowed when she caught sight of a small cottage with warm light spilling through its closed windows. She noticed the front door had been left slightly ajar.

"Hello?" Ruelle called softly but no one answered.

She reached the entrance and hesitated before placing her hand against the wooden door. The moment she pushed it open a little farther, she noticed a pair of legs with blood pooled around.

A sudden rustle came from somewhere behind her.

Ruelle spun around, her heart leaping into her throat, only for the tension in her body to loosen the moment she recognised the figure standing before her.

"Lucian, something strange happened. It almost feels as though there's been an eclipse—"

Her words slowly died when her eyes dropped from Lucian's face to his hands, which were stained with blood.

"I have to kill them all," Lucian uttered.

Ruelle's brows knitted together and she asked, "Kill... who?" She glanced at the body that was on the ground, and if she had pushed the door, she would have known. But her eyes returned to Lucian, when he said,

"All the witches need to die."

Ruelle went still because the intent in his eyes, which she had never seen before, was aimed at her.

Suddenly, a scream tore through the darkness and Ruelle flinched. She couldn't tell where it had come from, as it sounded too close. So close that, for one disorienting moment, she wondered if the scream had come from her own throat. Before she could understand, her vision darkened and she lost consciousness.

Back in the forest, Lucian had leaned forward to examine where the arrow had struck when he heard the change in Ruelle's breathing. His attention shifted towards her immediately.

She was still seated upon the horse, but all the colour had drained from her face. Her eyes had fallen shut, and her body tilted dangerously to one side. He moved before she could fall and caught her against him, one arm securing her body as he lowered her carefully to the ground.

"Ruelle?" Lucian's hand came to her cheek, which was cold, and his eyes hardened. He pressed his fingers against the side of her neck. There was a pulse beneath it, but it was weaker than it should have been.

The sudden pounding of hooves that belonged to Peyton approached before he pulled the reins of the horse and jumped down. The vampiress hadn't caught any sign of threat when the human had swayed and fallen off the horse.

"Did Miss Ruelle faint?" Peyton asked in concern, watching the human's chest rise and fall.

"She lost consciousness," Lucian's answer was clipped as he lifted Ruelle into his arms while still on the ground. "Hand me the water."

Peyton immediately reached for the water bag, uncorking it before handing it over. Lucian brought it to Ruelle's lips, but it merely slipped from the corner of her mouth and trailed down her chin.

Taking a mouthful of water himself, Lucian lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers and carefully passing a small amount between them. His fingers rested lightly against her throat, feeling for the slightest movement as he tried to coax her to swallow.

By the fourth sip, Ruelle's lashes finally fluttered and Lucian pulled away before she coughed, her body jerking against him. Her eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first before settling on the face hovering above hers.

Ruelle was glad to see Lucian and not the one she had dreamt of. She muttered, "That was one strange dream..."

"You gave me a scare," she heard Lucian murmur as he hugged her with a sigh of relief. When his eyes met Peyton's, he said, "Tell Carnifex we are going to meet him today at his place."