Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Roommate Options

Music Recommendation: Postcards - Alexandre Desplat

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Not just an Elite, but a man as a roommate.

"Lady Blake... a man and a woman cannot share a room," Ruelle frowned, her voice faltering at the scandalous implication. "That—that is improper. It’s—"

"Scandalous?" Blake finished for her, raising an eyebrow as though the very idea amused her. "In your society, yes. But Sexton isn’t exactly bound by such rules. There have been exceptions for those with special arrangements, especially when they are requested by an Elite."

Ruelle’s face flushed with heat as her friend shifted uncomfortably beside her.

Her mind spun with thoughts of societal rules, of decency, and reputations that were so carefully built, yet could so easily crumble. In her world, unmarried men and women did not share living quarters. Ever. If word got out, it wouldn’t just be her reputation on the line—it could ruin everything.

"I—I can’t," Ruelle stammered.

"You shouldn’t trouble yourself with the thought. It’s not as if he would agree to it either," Blake said matter-of-factly, shrugging off her robe and tossed it over a chair. "He’d rather burn down the room than let a human live with him."

Hailey, still wide-eyed, asked curiously, "Who are you talking about, milady?"

"Lucian Slater," Blake replied calmly.

Ruelle’s heart seemed to stop for a moment as the realisation sank in. Her pulse quickened; she hadn’t forgotten his cold gaze on her. The dark-haired Elite, who had already dismissed her as insignificant, the one who had looked at her with barely concealed contempt.

"If you’re hoping for a different roommate, you’ll have to check with the office," Blake added, eyeing Ruelle with a trace of pity. "But don’t get your hopes up."

Ruelle nodded weakly, her pulse quickening as dread settled over her. She knew the odds were slim. In a faint voice, she said, "I’ll check with the office."

"I’ll come with you," Hailey offered, but Ruelle quickly shook her head.

"No, Hailey. Stay here." Ruelle’s eyes darted nervously to the shadows cast by the flickering lanterns in the hallway. "I don’t want you getting caught up in this if Alanna finds you with me."

Blake’s presence was enough to keep Alanna at bay for now, and Ruelle didn’t want to endanger her friend. She offered a grateful bow to the vampiress. "Thank you for listening to us, Lady Blake."

Without another word, Ruelle slipped into the vast, cold corridors of Sexton. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the cold stone walls, and the faint, wavering light of the lanterns did little to chase away the creeping unease growing in the pit of her stomach.

Every so often, she glanced over her shoulder, her skin prickling with the sensation of being watched. The few Elites that crossed her path didn’t hide their disdainful stares, their pale faces illuminated by the dim light as their crimson eyes followed her movements.

The eerie flicker of the lanterns cast unsettling shadows as she neared the worn door of the administration office. It creaked ominously as it opened, and inside, Mr. Mortis sat hunched over his desk, his skeletal fingers flipping through a stack of old parchments.

"Good evening, Mr. Mortis," Ruelle greeted him with a respectful bow, her voice wavering slightly.

"Miss Belmont," Mortis replied without looking up, his voice dry as parchment. "You aren’t here to request to leave Sexton again, I hope. Two students tried that and found themselves leaving... permanently." He placed the parchment down, his bony fingers stilling as his cold eyes finally met hers.

Recovering from the chill of his words, Ruelle quickly replied, "No, I’m not here to leave. I... I wanted to see the list of students who don’t have roommates."

Mortis arched a brow, clearly unamused. "To switch rooms? We don’t have any vacancies among the Groundlings."

"I meant the Elites," she clarified, her voice barely above a whisper.

His eyebrows subtly raised at her words, but without question, he turned towards one of the filing cabinets. Pulling out a parchment, he laid it on the desk before her, and Ruelle stepped closer. She skimmed through the names, her breath catching in her throat as picked up the page.

Only five names—and all male.

Before she could process the implications, a familiar voice broke the silence. "Looking for a benefactor?"

Ruelle turned sharply to see Dane Slater, his blond hair gleaming under the lantern’s light, his lips curved in that sly smile she had come to associate with trouble.

"Mr. S," she greeted quickly, bowing slightly.

"Hello, Ruelle," he said, his voice warm but with that ever-present edge of mischief. His eyes slid down to the parchment in her hand. "Interesting list."

Ruelle explained, ""I need to move rooms. My roommate and I... don’t get along. She stole something of mine and gave it to an Elite vampiress who now... might be looking to harm me."

Dane hummed thoughtfully, nodding as if the story were only mildly entertaining. He took the parchment from her hand, scanning the names with a murmur. "Let’s see..."

"The first one’s a third-year. He likes experimenting on his human roommates. The last one... his roommate didn’t leave the room the same way he entered. Volunteered, he said." His lips quirked up in amusement before he moved on. "Then there’s Kane, second-year. He’s a fan of letting his guests feed on humans at his parties. Very social."

Ruelle’s stomach churned.

"Anthony Meyer’s next. He’s got a... fascination with dolls. Likes to dress up his human roommates." Dane smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "And lastly, Cedric Thorn. His roommate was found in the woods. Just bones."

Ruelle’s heart faltered, and she asked, "Lucian? Hasn’t he... killed people before? It isn’t a good idea."

Dane sighed dramatically, tilting his head as if feigning disappointment. "That’s not very nice, Lucian. The instructor for Interspecies Coexistence might be less than pleased to hear you refused that request."