Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 45: Closed windows

Music Recommendation: The missing piece - Eleftherios

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Inside the room, Ruelle changed out of her dirt-streaked, disheveled clothes with trembling fingers. Her skin felt clammy, the memory of being locked in that dark, cramped cupboard still weighing on her chest. Buttoning up her nightdress to her chin, she felt a flicker of relief knowing Lucian hadn’t seen Ezekiel’s embrace. But why had Lucian assumed she was married?

When a flash of lightning split the night, illuminating the room with harsh light, she jumped on the couch, instinctively pulling the blanket up to her chin as the rumble shook the window.

Then, just as silence settled again, the door creaked open, and Lucian stepped into the room. For a brief moment, he simply looked at her, his expression unreadable. Closing the door, he spoke, his tone even, carrying just a hint of detachment,

"I informed Blake that you are safe. You should go to sleep. It’s late, and we have classes in the morning."

Ruelle nodded. "I...yes, I was about to." She hesitated, then added, "Thank you for letting Hailey know."

He cocked his head slightly before turning away.

Ruelle took her cue to lay down on the couch, while clutching the blanket and her gaze following her roommate. She noticed him sit on the edge of the bed, pulling out the laces of his shoe, before removing it.

His hand lifted toward the candle to extinguish it, but a sudden crash of thunder shook the room, making her flinch, her heart pounding against her ribcage. His fingers paused, curling back before dropping to his side, the candle left to burn.

Just as Ruelle began to feel herself drifting, she heard Lucian say something but didn’t quite catch it. She asked just above a whisper,

"Did... did you just say something?"

Lucian’s voice, low and almost hesitant, broke the silence. "I said I’m sorry." His red eyes flicked briefly towards her, distant yet intense.

Ruelle blinked in surprise. "Is this...about the cupboard?"

"It’s for assuming things about you," he replied, his tone clipped, but he averted his gaze.

Ruelle could only guess what he meant, but the apology itself surprised her. A soft smile formed on her lips. She replied,

"It’s fine, really. I’m just glad the misunderstanding is cleared and we can be friends now."

She thought she might glimpse something almost softened in his gaze, but it disappeared as he spoke again, his tone taking on its usual clipped precision.

"Don’t mistake this for friendship. You and I will never be friends," she heard Lucian respond, the words edged with a hint of his usual guardedness. "My opinion of humans hasn’t changed, and I still count your kind to be conniving and traitors, so don’t expect anything from me," his words were firm, creating an invisible wall between them. "Go to sleep."

Ruelle couldn’t help but wonder at his tone, at the way his disdain for humans seemed deeply rooted, beyond mere prejudice. As she lay in the couch, she felt an uncomfortable warmth creep up her neck. She shivered, then pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, as her eyelids grew heavy.

Morning arrived, and Lucian had already risen, moving quietly as he dressed and prepared for the day. He slipped on his coat, casting a brief, dismissive glance at Ruelle, curled tightly under her blanket on the couch.

"One might think all that enthusiasm for study would get her up on time," Lucian muttered, reaching for the door—but then he hesitated. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his features before he clicked his tongue in irritation and turned back.

"Ruelle Belmont," he called, his tone carrying its usual cool authority, "if you intend to make use of that diligent reputation of yours, you might consider waking up for class."

No she didn’t wake up. Her breathing was uneven and laboured, and his gaze narrowed, noticing the flush in her cheeks and the sheen of sweat dampening her brow. His eyes flicked back towards the door, instinct urging him to leave, but he found himself lingering instead, a crease forming in his brow.

"Ruelle," he called again, his tone more clipped.

Still, she didn’t stir. After a brief hesitation, he reached out, his hand moving reluctantly toward her forehead. His cool fingers brushed her skin, and he felt the unmistakable warmth radiating from her.

As Lucian withdrew his hand back, an image flashed in his mind that belonged to the previous night. Her fingers had clutched to his coat as though her very world had crumbled, while she stood close to him. A faint scowl crossed his features as he muttered, half to himself,

"How fragile and troublesome."

Hours later, Ruelle’s eyes fluttered open, her limbs heavy and her head spinning as she tried to sit up. She squinted against the dim light, noticing the curtains were still drawn, casting the room in a soft haze.

"Easy there, Ruelle." A familiar voice, light yet edged with mischief, broke through her fog. Dane appeared, his ever-present smile lifting at one corner. "You might want to take it slow. Seems you’re a bit under the weather."

"Mr. S...?" she murmured, her voice faint.

"Dane will do just fine," he replied, his eyes crinkling with an easy grace. "I’m just here to make sure you don’t get up to any more mischief while you’re down for the count."

A faint flush rose in her cheeks. "I—I’m sorry for causing trouble. I didn’t mean to be a burden."

Dane chuckled, shaking his head. "A burden? Hardly. You’re doing me a favour, actually. I had no classes today and was starting to get a bit bored." His gaze wandered to Lucian’s undisturbed bed, and he quirked a brow. "Seems my brother’s a bit shy when it comes to sharing his bed."

"Oh, the couch is perfectly fine. It is comfortable," she replied quickly, her face reddening further. Just sharing a room with Lucian was unnerving enough.

Dane’s gaze lingered on her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. After going to tug on the rope to summon some assistance, he settled back in the chair beside her. "So, feeling any better?"

Ruelle nodded slowly. "A little." She hesitated, and then asked, "How...how did you know I was sick?"

"Lucian mentioned it," he replied smoothly. "Figured you might need someone to keep an eye on you and thought the infirmary might be a bit...risky, given recent events." His tone was light, but there was an undertone of caution. "And I agreed. Wouldn’t want any unfriendly visitors catching you alone now, would we?"

Ruelle felt her heart soften. Lucian, despite his cold distance and insistence that they weren’t friends, had cared enough to arrange for someone to watch over her. Glancing at Dane as she asked,

"If you don’t mind me asking... why does he hate humans so much? You don’t seem to share his feelings."

Dane’s smile held steady, but his gaze sharpened. He stated,"Funny thing about perspectives. Lucian and I aren’t so different, really." When her eyes widened, he chuckled softly. "Don’t worry—I don’t hate you. We just have different ways of handling it. Probably because we have had different experiences of the same situation."

Ruelle couldn’t help but be curious about what Dane was talking about. It seemed obvious that something had happened in the past.

"I hope he isn’t making it too difficult for you to share the room," Dane said meeting her eyes.

Initially she was sure he despised her. Especially with the way he glared at her, but he had helped her last night. She replied softly, "He is scary at times... but he’s been kinder."

Dane chuckled, "I wonder if Lucian knew you called him kind, he would probably be scandalised." After a pause, he added more seriously, "He may look composed but you must already be aware of the rough edges. He has built walls so thick and high around his wounds that they have never had the chance to heal."

Dane’s openness gave her a glimpse of something she didn’t know about Lucian. When they stared at each other, the vampire instructor leaned forward slightly and said with a crooked smile,

"I can tell you are curious to find out more, and I could answer your question. But I think it would be better for you to hear it from Lucian himself."

Ruelle’s eyebrows rose in surprise. She shook her head and replied, "T—That’s fine." She didn’t want to ask Lucian, because she was worried he would bite her head off for intruding into his personal matters.

A faint smirk lifted the corner of Dane’s mouth. He was aware that Lucian preferred walls to windows. But he also knew that if there was someone who could get his brother to open the door, it was Ruelle.