Page 164 of Collared by the Vampire Prince

Before I can decide what to do, the adjoining door to his private quarters to my left opens, and Susie steps into the office wearing a white nightdress. Her strawberry-blonde hair spills around her shoulders, and her golden collar glints at her throat.

“Arken, are you coming to bed?” She falters when she notices me, her wide eyes travelling over me. I brace for horror. For disgust. Instead, recognition dawns on her face. “Kira?”

I’m surprised they both recognised me in this form. Did Nathaniel tell them?

My wings draw closer to my body, my gaze darting desperately towards the balcony doors. Could I leap across the desk and force my way past Arken? Or will he try to grab me?

Unless I attack him first—

“I suspect,” Arken says, “that whatever you intend to do next would benefit from a moment’s reconsideration.”

A vicious growl erupts from me, ripping through the room and making them both flinch.

Susie takes a cautious step forward. “Kira, wait. No one is going to hurt you.”

Nathaniel is still calling somewhere within the castle, distant, but growing louder.

Arken blocks the balcony. Susie is standing before the door to their quarters. And Nathaniel is almost upon me.

Susie takes another step, lifting her empty hands. “Please. Just tell us what happened—”

I spin and flee.

Susie calls after me, but it’s Arken who takes up pursuit, footsteps thudding close behind as I race along the third-floor corridor on four paws.

Nathaniel is still nowhere in sight.

I skid around a corner and plunge into the long, narrow portrait gallery with a single door at the far end.

Using a stone window ledge for leverage, I spring towards the heavy timber beams overhead. My claws catch, and I hang from the ceiling.

Seconds later, Arken appears below, his robe snapping behind him as he races through the gallery and disappears beneath the next arch. I wait until his footsteps fade, releasing a breath of relief.

Now I can double back towards the office. Susie may still be there, but she does not frighten me.

I’m about to release the beam when Nathaniel’s voice rings from behind me.

“Arken! Did you see her?”

Shit.

Arken is somewhere ahead, but he does not answer.

Below, Nathaniel enters the gallery more cautiously.

The painted vampire nobles stir in their gilded frames, pale faces turning to follow him.

“That way,” an ancient lord whispers.

“No, no. She went left,” another croons.

A woman in black lace bares her fangs. “Don’t listen to him. She’s right there, you fool.”

From somewhere farther down the gallery comes a venomous hiss.

“Traitor.”

Nathaniel pays them no mind. He is already turning towards the archway when the noblewoman’s painted eyes flick upwards.