Chapter 114: What I Touch, I Keep

The last thing Ruelle had expected was for Lucian to walk into her class and ask her to step outside. But then again, she hadn’t expected him to bite her either.

Maybe classrooms weren’t as safe as she had once thought.

As Lucian turned and stepped out of the room, she felt several eyes land on her, which were half curious and half carried a look of pity, as if she were a lamb being led to be beheaded.

Rising from her seat with stiff legs, she stepped out into the corridor. Glancing back toward the door of the classroom, she took ten hurried steps before walking straight into Lucian’s back, his broad frame swallowing her from view. For a second, all she saw was dark fabric and felt the solid heat of him through it.

She was going to apologise, when she heard someone else’s voice—

“Lucian Slater,” came the mock concern of a man. “Struggling, are we? First-year lessons must be more your level. Best master the basics before involving yourself in work meant for adults. Or, if you need help, you can ask me.”

The person’s voice stirred an uneasy familiarity in Ruelle’s memory, even though she couldn’t see who it was.

Lucian stared at Minister Griswold, who walked to where he was with Mr. Mortis’ attendant. He agreed calmly,

“I am struggling with something.”

When Ruelle shifted out of reflex, Lucian’s hand reached back and clasped around her wrist. “If Sexton ever introduces levels below first year, Minister, I’ll be sure to recommend you for placement.”

Ruelle stilled as she felt Lucian’s fingers wrap around her wrist, keeping her where she was. Heat rushed to her face as he was holding her hand in the middle of the corridor and when she tried to tug it free, it only tightened.

Minister Griswold’s jaw flexed. For a moment, a sneer threatened to surface, but he smoothed it into a smile.

“Your wit is remarkable. But there was something I wished to ask you.” His gaze drifted just past Lucian’s shoulder before continuing. “The human Dane brought to Slater Mansion. Who was she? She was about this tall.” He gestured vaguely. “Though I can’t seem to remember the colour of her hair.”

Ruelle’s body stiffened and the realisation made her pulse thud painfully in her ribs.

“My brother has a habit of bringing several women to the mansion,” Lucian replied, his tone almost bored. “You’ll have to be more specific, Minister.”

“She lied to me. Said her name was Alanna Beckett,” Ruelle heard the minister’s words, fury creeping into his voice. “But Alanna Beckett was someone else,” he sneered, remembering the slap.

The minister gritted his teeth before deciding to end the conversation and stepped forward, intending to pass.

At the same time, Lucian moved with just a small turn of his shoulders and a slight shift of stance. It was subtle, as though he were merely watching the minister, while something behind his eyes calculated.

Ruelle, who had hidden behind Lucian, peeked just in time to see the minister disappear into the classroom. Her stomach dropped. If the instructor told him she had stepped out—

She didn’t get to finish the thought as Lucian’s grip on her wrist tightened and without a word, he turned and pulled her down the corridor. They passed two doors, then three. At the fourth, he pushed it open, guiding her inside the empty room and shut it behind them with a firm click.

Ruelle didn’t meet his aloof eyes. She was embarrassed about a lot of things and she waited for him to reprimand her about how tiring it was to keep her out of trouble. She tried to clarify the situation.

“I didn’t do anything to the minister,” she murmured, before saying, “That night the minister—”

“Ruelle,” Lucian said quietly, his gaze holding hers. “Don’t speak about another man when you’re standing this close to me.” After a pause, he asked, “Why have you been avoiding me?”

And just like that, the minister’s threat dissolved, overtaken by the far more consuming awareness of Lucian in front of her. She repeated,

“Avoiding you?” Her heart stumbled in her chest when his head tilted.

“Did I get it wrong?” Lucian’s eyes dropped briefly to the scarf at her neck. “I thought it might have something to do with what happened last night. Because of what I did,” he tapped his neck.

Ruelle felt ready to combust into fire and fall into ashes at the directness. She didn’t know what had pushed the aloof Lucian to say such things and he looked serious about it.

Outside the door, she heard the footsteps and the grumbling voice of the minister. Once the footsteps faded, she cleared her throat and tried to keep her voice light,

“Oh… that? I—I didn’t think it was worth remembering. You shouldn’t too,” she added. “It was just a b–bite. These things happen in Sexton with Groundlings.”

She nodded to herself as if the matter was settled and turned, fingers already reaching for the door handle as she turned.

The door opened a fraction before Lucian’s hand came down beside her head, palm flat against the wood and the door shut with a soft click. He didn’t touch her yet it felt like her skin remembered the brush of his lips and her vision blurred for a second.

Ruelle noticed Lucian’s shadow stretched over her and swallow the light on the door. Compared to Lucian’s calm and controlled presence, Ruelle fought the unsteady and loud humming beneath her skin.

She blurted,

“Everybody thinks Edward did it.” She didn’t know how Edward would react to it once he heard it, considering they had never spent the night together. “And it is so visible.” She wanted to bang her head against the door.

“I’ll be more mindful,” he answered, his voice low.

Was he planning to bite her again? The words he spoke last night rushed back into her mind. Why, why, why? Her words came in a rush,

“L–Let’s just forget that it happened. No need to be worried about being mindful. We can go back to how things were.”

When Lucian didn’t move or speak, Ruelle wondered if he was considering it. But the pureblooded vampire decided to throw fuel on the situation.

“I don’t want to forget.” His voice lowered and he remarked, “And I have no desire to let you forget either.”

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