ash_knight17

The clock struck midnight when Ruelle heard the echo of footsteps. She tensed, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end in the cool night air.

"You shouldn't be here," Ruelle whispered, her voice a breathless murmur. The silhouette finally came to stand under the moonlight, his dark red eyes watching her and his inky black hair ruffling.

"Shouldn't I?" His voice was a dark caress, and she stood there captivated by the danger he exuded like perfume.

"I haven’t seen you for the last two days," his tone low. His hand reached out, fingers brushing against the silk of her nightgown, tracing the trembling outline of her collarbone. "Tell me, were you avoiding me, or perhaps... entertaining other offers?"

Ruelle’s heart raced, her breaths shallow. She declared, "I don't belong to anyone.”

"A bold claim," he murmured, his breath a tantalising chill against her skin as he leaned in. "Yet here you are, pulse racing, your body tensed as if in anticipation of my touch."

His fingers gripped her chin, tilting her face towards his. The moonlight caught his eyes, revealing a glint of predatory intent. "Or must I remind you whose touch you truly crave?"

Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Ruelle blinked at him. The pitter-patter of rain now faded into silence. She blurted out,

Lucian didn't deny it. "I do." His voice was smooth, effortless. A truth so straightforward, so absolute, that it required no further explanation.

She watched as he sauntered to his desk, picked up the lit candle, and dragged the chair toward the bed. The soft scrape of wood against the floor filled the silence. He placed the candle atop the seat.

When he turned back to her, she murmured to herself in confusion, "But you helping me..."

A faint smirk ghosted across his lips before disappearing. "What better way to spend an evening than stabbing a human's ears?" The words were casual, as if they held no real weight. He closed the distance between them, his tone bored. "It might quench the rage. Don't mistake it for anything else."

Ruelle hesitated. "You don't have to—"

Not so gentle