Page 178 of Plug and Drain

Not me.

“This one is yours,” Sarah said, producing another brown collar, which was identical to the first. “Unless a vampire has presented you with a different collar, you have to wear the school regulation one.”

Susie turned the collar in her hands. It felt strange. It had a wide band made of supple leather. She was quite sure it was a dog collar. Unlike the elegant necklace Arken had presented her with, this was derogatory in the most obvious way, symbolic that wolves were considered lesser to vampires.

The key difference was that the brown collars didn’t mean she belonged to a vampire. It was just a new dress code. That’s all it was.

“At least the leather’s soft,” Susie said brightly, putting the collar on.

A look of despair came over Sarah, and she moaned, “You don’t have to put it on now!”

“That’s all right, I want to.” Susie smoothed her hair back, so the collar was clearly visible. “Technically, I’m not in my room. Wouldn’t want the headmaster to think I’m disobeying orders.”

Sarah’s eyes flashed with understanding, and she leant forward conspiratorially. “You’re…riling him up! You want Arken to see.”

Susie’s only response was to lift her chin higher, but she couldn’t stop the corner of her lip from twitching.

“What a bitch move,” Sarah said in awe, leaning back and staring wide-eyed as if seeing Susie in a new light. “Now, this is why you’re our pack leader.”

Susie raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m a bitch?”

“Because you never stop standing up for others. And you’re never afraid to call people out when you see something unjust.”

“Yes, well, I’m not sure how true that is any more…”

Susie felt her momentary spite waver as she thought of the Vampire King. She could still smell him on her, inside her; his essence mingling in her blood and radiating off her skin. She knew Sarah smelt it too, though she probably didn’t know that it was Henrikk’s scent. But she had to know it was a male vampire. Sarah had been polite enough not to comment on it, but it was obvious from her pale face and odd behaviour that she knew something terrible had happened. She became excessively friendly, and constantly asked Susie if she was all right.

It would take a few more days for the smell to fade entirely. Susie wondered if Sarah would go back to treating her normally after that. But at least there were moments like now where Sarah forgot to tread on eggshells, and Susie had never been more pleased to be called a ‘bitch’, not that it happened often.

Sarah placed her hand on Susie’s. “I’ve been at this academy a year longer than you. It used to be such a shitshow until you came along. I know you don’t feel like Student Council achieves much, but…you do. Sometimes, it just helps knowing that there are people fighting for us. Fighting to make things better. I know it goes unsaid a lot but, thank you.”

Sarah’s tears glistened, and Susie squeezed her hand, wanting to hug her for the hundredth time since she’d started visiting. Maybe in a few days, she’d be able to.

She wondered what the grumpy healer would say if she asked him for clearance on hugging.

Sarah gave a sob and looked away.

“It’s all right, don’t cry,” Susie said hurriedly.

“I wasn’t gonna,” Sarah said, wiping her eyes discreetly.

Neither of them mentioned Henrikk, but of course they were thinking of it. She could feel him sitting beside her, playing with her hair. Maybe commenting on how it was limp and oily.

Sarah had helped her wash it a few days ago. Maybe it was time to wash it again.

I doubt it would help, whispered the pike.

Susie batted the thought away. Shampoo. I need to ask Arken for some more shampoo.

She could have asked Sarah, but…it was an excuse to speak to Arken. She wondered if he would read to her again tonight.

They sat in silence as Susie set down her quill on her abandoned essay. “So…the academy was a shitshow before I came along, huh? Don’t let Harry hear you cussing like that.”

Sarah bristled and mumbled, “I’ll do what I want.”

Susie grinned. It was one of Harry’s favourite catchphrases.

Sarah jumped when the door opened, and Arken entered. Sarah began busying herself with textbooks, but Susie let him see her looking.