Bedded by the Headmaster

Ch25: Rejected

Arken:

After Susie left the dark classroom, Arken remained standing as rigid as a statue for a long time. When he did finally move, it was only to sink down into a low crouch and hover there uncertainly for minutes on end, until his legs ached.

There was nowhere he wanted to go. Moving to any other location would not change the oppressive nothingness pressing in on him from every direction. Being anywhere else would not make him feel any more worthy of affection or bring back the brief optimism that had excited his being and poured life back into him for one fleeting day.

By Susie's appraisal, he had been measured and found wanting. He was sure his overconfidence reflected poorly on him. He had been certain she would accept his offer and had not even considered the possibility that she might refuse. It left him feeling...empty.

Perhaps that was why so few vampires presented it as an offer.

He was keenly aware, and he knew Susie was too, that not all vampires gave the wolf they'd set their sights on any choice in the matter. When they did, it was usually because the wolf had the protection of a pack. Sometimes, a vampire would instigate a claim anyway, even knowing it would be perceived as a challenge by the pack. Fights were infrequent but not unheard of.

Occasionally, the vampire lost. The number of wolves simply outnumbered the vampires, both within the academy walls and outside of it. It didn't help that despite their lethality, vampires almost always fought alone, and functioned poorly in groups without rigorous training. Vampires were 'lone wolves' by nature, a term most vampires hated for its unflattering comparison to what was considered to be the lesser race.

King Henrikk was very much aware of these problems: the dwindling number of vampires, and the natural cohesiveness of wolves.

Henrikk was a persuasive leader and masterful strategist, with a talent for exploiting the weaknesses of others. Surprisingly, he was also able to unite people, when he felt so inclined. His ability to unite an army of vampires and train them to fight as an efficient unit was a large part of why he'd been able to rise to power. He had rapidly and mercilessly exterminated the witches, overthrown Vampire King Dmitri, and eliminated the royal wolfen bloodline.

In Arken's opinion, killing all the witches—which were Henrikk's only source of magic and the reason he'd been able to create made vampires for his army—had been a slight oversight. As far as Henrikk knew, there wasn't a single witch left in existence, and his son Nathaniel had slaughtered the last one.

What would Henrikk do if he discovered that his son was hoarding a manor full of witches and wizards? Would he keep a few alive and utilise them for their powers to raise more soldiers? Or would he kill them all in his quest for control? Arken was tempted to hand the witches over to him just to find out.

In any case, he was quite sure that the silliest ones had been left alive to torment him. Although, given the witches' strong opinions on their imprisonment, he knew they felt the same way about him when he paid them a visit to feed.

The witches were held in a derelict manor house, which Nathaniel endearingly referred to as a 'containment facility'.

Arken had intended to inspect the prisoners again tonight, but he'd been counting on Susie's acceptance of his offer to make the trip possible. Not that he planned to tell her about what he did with the witches, but the entire process would have been smoother knowing Susie was waiting for him in his room—potentially, in his bed.

He laughed derisively under his breath as he swayed where he crouched, letting the muscles of his legs burn with dull pain.

Oh, Arken, you fool.