Page 181 of Plug and Drain

He’s definitely not talking about the book.

She met Arken’s gaze. “Does it have a happily ever after?”

“I sincerely hope so.”

“I thought you said you’d read it?”

“I have. But it’s a trilogy. The new book is releasing soon, I hope.”

“Oh.”

He tilted his head at her. “I like to think it will all work out in the end.”

Susie chewed her lip as Arken went to the black door. “Wait,” she blurted.

Arken turned. “Yes, Susanna?”

Her heart was pounding in her chest.

We need to talk. Tell him, ‘we need to talk’. I’m ready to talk.

I’m not ready.

I’ll never be ready.

I’m…I’m breaking…

You’re nothing, little wolf.

Arken’s expression morphed from hopefulness to sympathy. “Oh, Susanna…”

No, she could not accept his pity.

She injected cheerfulness into her voice. “I was just going to ask you…Just out of curiosity…Where are you going?”

Coward.

He searched her face. “For a stroll. It’s a nice evening out. But…I could stay?”

Susie shook her head. “No. You don’t have to. I was just…wondering.”

“Hmm. You must be missing the fresh air. Wolves don’t do well in confinement, as I understand it.”

“It’s not that simple, actually,” Susie said, seizing on the change in subject. “We like dens, and caves, so we don’t mind the dorm rooms half as much as some people think, being underground and all. But we do also need open spaces and fresh air.” She was rambling, but she couldn’t stop, not with the pike sniggering in Henrikk’s tone. “I think it’s the idea of being trapped that’s hard to bear. It’s that fear that we cannot leave when we want to. That loss of freedom…if that makes sense.” She felt sheepish as she finished. The words had flowed from her, and she hadn’t stopped to take a breath.

Arken’s eyes twinkled. “It makes perfect sense. I think…vampires are not so different.” He looked up at the ceiling and narrowed his eyes, as if recalling a memory. Or maybe he could see Henrikk’s shadow, too. “It’s sad how quickly a home can become hell.”

“Who said that?” Susie asked.

Arken’s expression turned weary. “I did. It’s from…personal experience.”

“Oh. Where was home?”

“The home of the old vampire royals—King Dmitri and Queen Liddia’s palace.”

“Not so old,” Susie whispered.

“Not so old,” Arken repeated. “Less than two decades.”