Page 35 of Plug and Claim

Was anyone’s?

“You’ll be exhausted...both physically and mentally,” Susie had warned. “And the whole pack will be watching the entire time. Are you sure you want to go through that?”

Susie wanted her to back out of the ceremony, to settle for another pack, and as Kira finally drifted off to sleep, she was tempted to do just that.

They can all fuck off.

But when the morning came, Kira felt a fresh wave of optimism.

She’d showered in the shared bathroom on her floor and was feeling much more like herself. Her brown skin was dark against the fluffy white towel wrapped around her, and her wet hair fell across her face and leant a fierceness to her yellow eyes.

“I can do this,” she said to her foggy reflection in the mirror. “This time tomorrow, I’ll be part of the Poplarin Pack.”

Despite her improved spirits, the school day ticked by so slowly it was excruciating, and the anticipation was killing her.

She still needed to break into the vampire hunter’s room and steal something of his before the initiation, so she skipped her final class of the day, Physical Education, to do it.

Whilst her classmates were outside enjoying the sun, she was sneaking into the dark corridor and turning the knob of the plain door. She was surprised to find it unlocked.

The door creaked open.

A cold draft met her as she stepped inside. The room was deserted, and she took a moment to take in the bizarreness of it. It was lavishly furnished, with a tall-backed armchair behind a large, heavy-looking desk, and several upholstered chairs facing it. Large windows let in the grey winter light, and one window was open and banging eerily against the wall.

Behind the desk, several large animal pelts were mounted on display, and the floor of the office was covered in similar pelts with hardly an inch of the floorboards visible underneath. She recognised the deerskin one beneath her feet, a light brown with dappled white spots. Byron and Mary had one just like it in their cottage.

Well, they used to.

She didn’t recognise what animal the others were from, which all had grey shaggy fur. She bent down and ran her hand along one of the rugs. The grey hairs were dense and coarse.

The room was thick with the musty smell of animal pelts, to the point that it smelled like death.

Bang.

She jumped and whirled around, but it was only the window hitting the wall. Clicking her tongue at her own jumpiness, she went to secure it.

When she turned back to face the desk, she had the horrible sense she was being watched. Except there was no one there.

It’s just nerves.

She sniffed the air cautiously, but all she could smell were the damn pelts filling her senses.

Wandering around the room, she examined bookshelves, rifled through boxes, and pulled out drawers. She needed something small that distinctly belonged to the vampire hunter, whoever he was. She half hoped there would be a letter or invoice with his name that would satisfy the pack’s requirements.

Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted a small jewellery box on top of a cabinet. She opened the velvet case tentatively and drew a sharp breath at the sight of the gleaming ruby ring, surrounded by sparkling diamonds. The engagement ring was magnificent, the blood-red stone large and oval-shaped as it dominated the gold band. She snapped the box shut and went to pocket it, but hesitated.

It would be despicable to take it. Truly awful. It was clearly intended for someone.

That was when she sensed movement behind her—a figure emerged from the shadows and moved swiftly towards her.

She shrieked, gold light dancing before her eyes as she began to shift, but the figure was on her in an instant. His cruel hands clamping over her wrists and shoving her against the wall.

“Nathaniel!” she gasped as she recognised the vampire. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” he asked in disbelief. His voice was cold and edged with something sharp that took her a moment to recognise—it was fear. “What are you doing here?”

“I asked you first,” she said, trying to push him back, but he held her firmly in place. “Aren’t you worried the vampire hunter will catch you here?"

Nathaniel lips parted in confusion, and then… “Ah. You think I’m in danger. That’s endearing. Let me educate you.” He released her wrists and spun her around so she faced the desk, her back pressed flush against his chest. “I am the danger.”