Page 17 of Plug and Drain

She was afraid he wouldn’t, that he would be disgusted, and she hated that she cared what he thought.

Her heart was pounding in her chest.

“Whenever you’re ready, dear,” Arken said patiently as if they had all the time in the world. As if he was willing to wait as long as it took for her to comply.

Why?

Why was he constantly waiting for her to make each move? As though she had any choice in all of this? It was only the illusion of choice, and the pretence was more insulting than the rough way the others had taken her. At least they hadn’t pretended she was consenting.

She hated that. The way he was making her complicit in her own assault.

Grudgingly, she spread her legs a couple of inches apart. It wasn’t enough to provide him access, but enough for him to see between her legs. Despite her need to get this over and done with, she couldn’t bring herself to expose her pussy to him.

She waited with bated breath. Last year, her lack of eagerness to spread her legs for others had earned her a hard slap.

She was braced for the strike now.

But Arken made an approving sound.

“Good girl,” he breathed, sliding his hand along her inner thigh.

Susie was too surprised to be relieved that he hadn’t hit her. As if it was a trick.

“Good girl,” he said again, and this time, the praise rolled over her in a strangely pleasant wave. His hand stroked up and down, up and down, growing dangerously close to the apex of her thighs. He surprised her with a kiss on her left knee—a simple peck that wasn’t necessary but was sort of nice. His gaze flickered up. “Such a good girl. I’m going to take care of you.”

Good girl.

It was not the first time she’d heard that term of endearment. Positive reinforcement and affirmation were some of the methods routinely taught in Professor Zott’s class. The vampire students often adopted praise to encourage wolf shifters to comply.

No, Arken was not the first vampire to praise her. But he was the first one to make her believe that he meant them. So far, he had refrained from degrading her with clever insults and sly words. She was sure they would come eventually, but for the time being, he was being disturbingly civil—behaving like he were a respectable gentleman. It was wishful thinking, but it made for a nice fantasy.

Arken stroked higher, reaching the highest, most sensitive spots of her inner thighs. She bristled, half propping herself up on her elbows as every muscle in her body tensed, but Arken did not touch her heat. He rubbed her inner thighs, however, and it activated her senses in a buzzing frenzy. He glanced up at her again, and she felt her face grow hot as her clit throbbed.

“Does it feel good?” he asked.

What a strange question. He wasn’t supposed to ask her that. She was obligated to say ‘yes’.

“Yes,” she whispered, and it wasn’t exactly a lie.

“But you’re nervous?” he commented, looking concerned.

“Nervous?” There were many emotions and sensations coursing through her, including hot and cold tingles that emanated from where his fingertips grazed her skin and left her feeling fluttery and nauseous at the same time. Was she nervous? Yes. But mortified was the better word, although she doubted Arken wanted honesty from her. “No, I’m not nervous.”

“Good,” he smiled and gave her a small nod as if he’d asked her something as innocent as whether she was cold and needed a jacket.

Susie bit her lip, trying not to imagine herself in any context where she was outside the academy walls with the headmaster. Definitely not strolling down a country lane or through the bustling streets of the Capital. The only context in which vampires walked alongside wolves involved a leash, and Susie had zero interest in being anyone’s pet.

She let her head flop back against the mattress, staring at the ceiling.

A minute later, he was still rubbing her leg.

For fuck’s sake.

He was starting to get on her nerves.

“You don’t have to be so gentle,” she said, keeping her voice carefully meek and respectful.

“Do you not want me to be gentle?” Arken asked.