Page 101 of Plug and Drain

“At the very least, I hope he won’t want vengeance,” Harry said.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Sarah added, her agitated voice only serving to increase the swirling worry within Susie.

“Sure, because things are always so peachy around here,” Harry said sceptically. He gave Susie a sidelong look. “Maybe it’s not too late for you to go back and accept his offer?”

“Harry!” Sarah scolded.

“What? I’m just saying—”

“Be more supportive.

Sarah managed to rub Susie’s arm comfortingly at the same time that she punched Harry’s. “Don’t listen to him. You did the right thing. And you were brave. You’re always telling us to stand up for ourselves. It’s good to see you doing the same.”

“Really?” Susie asked.

“Yes,” Sarah nodded, squeezing her arm. “Good for you, Susie. Good for you.”

“Yeah, good for you,” Harry repeated, holding open the library door. He waved them through with a flourish and a “ladies first” that made Sarah blush.

Susie lingered outside with Harry as the rest of the pack filed inside. When they were alone in the empty hall, Harry let out another low whistle.

“So, you went and did a number on Arken. Oof. He must be so embarrassed after being rejected in front of all of us.”

“I don’t know what he’s feeling,” she answered honestly. She regretted her final words to Arken. He had taken care not to reject her in front of Zott’s class. It seemed a poor way to repay him, even if it had been an accident. She hadn’t known her pack was listening outside. “I don’t think Arken is the sort of person to care about what other people think of him.”

“I guess,” Harry said doubtfully. They entered the dim library. “Well, hopefully he won’t be angry at you. Maybe he’ll wake up tomorrow and forget all about it.”

Susie’s anxiety spiked at Harry’s words, but she calmly said, “I don’t think Arken will be angry.”

“You sure? Vampires hate not getting their way.”

They stopped outside the hidden door at the rear of the library. It was disguised as a shelf bearing mostly purple books.

“Arken is different.”

Harry frowned at her. “Different how?”

Susie scuffed her shoe. “He’s just…different to other vampires. He’s been quite nice to me, all things considered.”

“He was nice to you when he thought you were going to be his pet. Reckon he’ll still be nice now? Because I don’t want to spend a month’s worth of weekends in detention polishing that creepy pike. Or polishing Zott’s flagpole, if yah know what I mean.”

Harry sighed and drew her into a brief hug. “Look, I don’t care about me. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I don’t want to see any of you get hurt,” Susie said, pulling back.

Harry laughed. “Oh man, we are so fucked. Although, it could be worse. I suppose you could’ve pissed off King Henrikk himself.” He winked. “At least this way, you only rejected his right-hand man.”

Susie tried to smile at Harry’s joke, but her entire body felt shaky after the way she’d left her conversation with Arken. “I suppose that’s a silver lining.”

“See? And Sarah said I was a pessimist.” He grinned triumphantly as he tickled the spine of a purple book.

It giggled.

The bookcase swung open and they joined their pack in the secret room. An old magical candelabra flickered cheerfully, but Harry slowed the movement of the flames down and changed their colour to a deep blood red that bathed their faces and the old furniture.

“We don’t need this place to be any creepier,” Sarah protested, but she was smiling as she curled up on a floor cushion.

“Your bag, Susie,” one of the new recruits said, holding it out to her. “I found it on the ground.”