Page 154 of Collared by the Vampire Prince

I am my own Master.

“Kira?” Susie calls through the door. “Is everything all right?”

“Coming!” I fasten the collar around my throat once more. The magic disappears, but this time the silence does not frighten me. I can have it back with a brush of my fingers against the buckle. The collar is no longer a lock. It is a disguise.

I grab a clean blouse and skirt, then snatch a towel from the hook beside my bed. When I open the door, Susie is hovering anxiously on the other side.

Her eyes sweep over me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to rush you. I was worried you might have collapsed. Or felt faint. You know—from the blood loss.”

“I don’t think Nathaniel took that much,” I murmur. I hate confirming that she has correctly deduced the prince fed from me, but there is little point preserving one secret she already knows. “Please don’t tell the others.”

Susie blinks, then gives me a small smile. “Of course not. It can stay between you and me.”

“Thank you.”

I don’t know why relief washes over me. Why should I care what the others think? Half of them dream of being chosen by a vampire, and after tonight, I will never see any of them again. So why does the thought of them knowing feel unbearable?

I clear my throat. “Do you mind if I take a quick shower?”

“Of course not.”

“Thank you.” I hurry towards the bathroom, eager to rinse away every trace of Nathaniel.

His blood.

His mouth.

His scent.

Then I will put today’s events from my mind. By morning, I will be free, and I will never have to see Prince Nathaniel again.

The thought should feel like freedom. Instead, it opens a strange, hollow space inside me.

Chapter 24

Kira

The Academy takes an eternity to fall silent. I lie upon my bed fully dressed in my uniform, watching the glowing hands of the clock crawl towards midnight.

The long skirt and knitted jumper would be warmer, but this is better for running. The short skirt won’t tangle around my legs, and the blazer has pockets. Trousers would be even more ideal, but I don’t own any. I can still hear voices passing my door and pipes groaning overhead—vampires visiting wolves, or preying on unsuspecting ones daring to use the bathroom.

I was half-convinced Nathaniel would come looking for me. After today, perhaps he will decide I require further punishment. But the minutes pass, and no one knocks.

Byron and Mary will be waiting at the mountain safehouse. By breakfast, we could be eating porridge with milk and honey, and we’ll be happy—far, far away from here. My eyelids grow heavy.

When I next check the clock, it is nearly three, and I bolt upright. Silence presses on my ears.

It’s time.

Food from the kitchens weighs down my blazer: bread rolls, cheese, an apple and bacon. Enough to sustain me while I find a way out of the Capital. Once I reach the wilderness, I can hunt.

Outside my room, the dormitory corridor is deserted. Any vampires still feeding must be inside their victims’ rooms. The collar is still around my neck. It should provide me some protection if I come across anyone.

A shudder runs through me as I hurry upstairs. The stairs and foyer are empty, and I slip quietly towards the rear of the castle. Before I leave, I intend to collect anything useful. Until now, I have not dared steal something that might be missed. Madame Perfinette is still interrogating our class over her missing letter opener.

I approach the Potions laboratory, though my eyes are fixed on the dark passage that leads to the concealed entrance to Nathaniel’s quarters.

My stomach contracts as I think of the black door. The lavish room beyond it. The armchair before the fire. The enormous mirror facing his bed. His mouth against my thigh.