Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 24: One failed subject

Ruelle pulled out her book, placing it gently on her lap, though her attention was far from the open pages before her. She couldn’t help but glance at Ezekiel, who was currently engaged in a hushed conversation with their instructor, Gemma. Why now? Why here?

Ezekiel had never mentioned working at Sexton. As far as she knew, her family wasn’t aware of it either. He had spoken before about working for vampires in high society, but never did it cross her mind that his work would involve being an assistant teacher in a Seduction Techniques class.

"You girls fawn over every instructor," Kevin muttered under his breath, breaking into her thoughts.

"Oh, hush! There’s no harm in admiring something good-looking," Hailey chimed in, nudging Ruelle with a knowing smile. "Even Ruelle thinks he’s handsome."

But Ruelle’s eyes were on Ezekiel for different reasons. Her mind flashed back to the night he had hugged her behind the bell tower. No, don’t think about it, she told herself. There was no need to dwell on it. No one had seen, and it was a memory best left buried.

"As I mentioned last week," Gemma’s voice rang out, drawing attention back to the front of the room. "Your task for the first week was to observe your partner and document their characteristics—observe, analyse, and present your findings. We’ll now review your answers before moving forward." She clapped her hands, commanding the room’s attention.

As Gemma called on the first students to present, their words floated around Ruelle without truly registering.

"Miss Clifford, share with us what you have gathered," the head instructor said after a few students had taken their turn.

June, ever confident, stood up, holding her notebook like it contained the most insightful observations. But only she knew that it contained nothing as she flipped through the blank pages with ease that suggested they were filled with meticulous notes.

"Of course, Miss Gemma," June began, before casting a quick glance at the student next to her.

"I observed that Marcus," she started, "has a—well, a unique way of presenting himself. He speaks too loudly, which makes it hard to focus on what he’s saying. If his nose were smaller, he might be more appealing, but it’s hard to take him seriously with such... unfortunate features. And his posture—he slouches like someone who doesn’t care about how he’s perceived, which only emphasises his lack of confidence."

Some of the students snickered, while others, including Ruelle, exchanged wide-eyed glances. There was nothing kind in what June had said. Her observations were rude, cruel, even mocking Marcus instead of offering any real insight.

When June finally finished her false critique, Gemma’s face remained impassive. "Interesting observations, Miss Clifford. There’s only one problem," she said, stepping closer to June with a smile. "Your partner isn’t Marcus. If I recall correctly, your partner was Mr. Sails."

June’s confident smile froze, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

The classroom fell silent, and the tension in the air was palpable as Gemma reached for June’s notebook. The vampiress said, "I see how it is."

June stammered, her earlier confidence rapidly crumbling. "I—I can explain. You see—"

"No need," Gemma interrupted smoothly, returning the notebook to June. "I’m afraid this is unacceptable. Not only did you fail to complete the assignment, but you also lied. I’m giving you a failing grade for this test, Miss Clifford."

June’s eyes widened, shock and horror evident on her face. None of them had expected such a simple task to carry such consequences. They realised their performance in these assignments had more weight than they initially thought.

Ruelle’s heart skipped a beat. She had heard before that students could only afford to fail two subjects before risking their place at Sexton.

"Let this be a reminder to all of you," Gemma said, her tone never losing its composure. "This is Sexton. When you are given a task, you are expected to complete it thoroughly. Now, the next one to present—Mr. Reynolds."

Kevin stood, his face slightly pale. He cleared his throat nervously before beginning. "Ruelle. Well... I partnered with Ruelle." He glanced at her, offering a small smile. "At first, it was just about completing the assignment, but now I see her as a friend. She’s thoughtful and never hesitates to share her knowledge to help others. She listens more than she speaks, which makes her an excellent listener... and she’s hard-working."

As Kevin spoke, Ruelle’s face grew warm. She hadn’t expected such kind words from him. The sincerity in Kevin’s voice made her feel exposed to people. On the other hand, Ezekiel stared at Kevin with a false smile as the young man praised his Ruelle.

When it was finally Ruelle’s turn, her nerves buzzed with tension. She fumbled with her notes as she read her observations on Kevin. Her voice sounded distant to her own ears. Once she finished, Gemma gave a nod of approval, while Ezekiel didn’t acknowledge her at all.

"Remember," Gemma said, drawing the class’s attention back, "this class isn’t about physical appearances. It’s deeper than that—understanding others, learning to adapt. Mr. Henley, would you like to take over?"

Ezekiel stepped forward, his voice calm as though this was something he had done countless times. He began,

"Seduction, at its core, is not just about beauty or charm. It’s about influence, about holding power without needing to raise your voice. You can command attention without lifting a finger, simply by being aware of your surroundings—knowing how to use them. As some of you may know," he continued, his eyes locking onto Ruelle’s for a moment too long, "understanding another’s intentions is crucial. Sometimes, it’s not about the words they say, but the ones they leave unsaid."

Her fingers tightened around her quill, her heart pounding. Was this a veiled message? Was he trying to remind her of something, or was it just a coincidence? Or was she just overthinking this? His smooth voice carried through the room, captivating the students.

Gemma then clapped her hands, signalling a shift in the lesson. She said, "Let’s move on to the practical exercise. Mr. Henley will demonstrate with one of the students."

As Ezekiel’s eyes swept through the room, they landed on Ruelle, whose pulse quickened.