Page 70 of In Prey We Trust

Giggling, I wiggle my fingers at him. “Off you go. I’ll try to keep him mostly presentable.”

“As if I believe that,” the dragon grumbles as he stomps away.

Turning to Rennie, I twine our fingers together. “Someday, you’ll be able to tell us about the orchid and the amulets and all of it. I promise. But I won’t push you if you’re not ready because none of you have ever pushed me. You just have to know that no one in our family will be mad at current Renard for past Renard’s dumb mistakes. Okay?”

His smile is genuine as he strokes his long fingers over mine. “Sometimes, I forget you’re the young one and we’re the elderly folk when you act like that. It’s quite irresistible.”

“I hope so because you geriatric cradle robbers are stuck with me,” I shoot back. “No take backs.”

“Annnnd then you say things like that and I hear Fitz coming out of your mouth, so that illusion shatters.”

I shrug. “What can I say? Bunny see, bunny do, baby.”

What? That was a super mature comeback.

Can’t Hold Us

Delores

We don’t have a match this weekend, so by the end of practice Friday, I’m ready to check out from the stress of week two at Cappie. Rufus and Cori are coming over for a ‘Team Badass’ meeting to pull together all the intel we’ve gotten this week and plan our secret outing to Apex on Sunday. I can’t convince anyone to stay behind despite the dangers we’ve heard whispers about from our prey friends, so we have to coordinate. Eight people running around an off-limits site with weird contaminants and enemies isn’t something Felix takes lightly, so I expect him to be in full-on general mode.

He’s hot like that, so I don’t mind.

The Games practice was exhausting—Zhenga worked us hard and the daggers from the Plastics made my skin itch as I waited for a cheap shot to come out of nowhere. It never did and I’m thinking they won’t hit me from behind like the Heathers. No, I think Selene and her crew are more of a ‘head-on,’ public view group of meanies. That means I need to be careful of everything I do in front of them, because they’ll likely capitalize on my mistakes rather than sabotage me. Just the pressure I need to make me even more paranoid.

“Miss Dolly, you seem tired,” Kirby says. His bright smile draws a matching one out of me. I can see how Raina loves her triplets so much. It’s impossible to frown when faced with big quokka smiles all the time.

“Not physically, no. I mean, yes, practice was hard. But really, the constant vigilance is making me droopy, you know? I’ve got so many enemies to watch that it’s like I’m traipsing through a field of landmines all day.” I swipe my card at the first gate and we walk through, heading towards our destination.

The quokka nods, looking pensive for a moment before he replies, “I understand more than you think. That feeling is what most prey feel most of their lives. You weren’t raised like us, so it’s very draining to know you have to be on guard. We consider it part of life, so it’s not nearly as taxing.”

I blink. I’ll be damned. Kirby hit the nail on the head without meaning to. My animal hadn't emerged for most of my life and after the prom, she ran on fury and vengeance. Once we got used to Apex, we knew what to watch for, so it was easier, especially with the prey tunnels. Now that I’m stronger and embracing the way I was raised rather than my animal nature, being so passive is causing an exhausting conflict inside of me.

“Hades’ fiery toga, Kirby. I think you figured it out.” He looks at me curiously, and I sigh. “My bunny was very prey-like when I first emerged, but I’ve spent the past year allowing her to follow the pred instincts my parents taught me. All this worrying and darting around to avoid attacks is taking away the power I gave her. So I’m tired because everything inside me is in conflict.”

Nodding, he beams again. “I don’t pretend to understand how you can get your bunny to be vicious, but the Captain has told us about your fierce fighting. If you’ve trained your animal to be a predator, Miss Dolly, she will not be satisfied with behaving like prey anymore. She will want blood, just as they all do. You can’t fight that or it will fracture your peace with your animal.”

That’s why the Games practice and matches give me such a high—I’m setting her free again.

As we swipe again and head up the stairs into the waning sunlight, I look over at my escort. “I won’t get you guys in trouble by refusing to let you do what Rennie asked. But I am going to fight back more and hold my ground when I’m not in the ring. I think giving my bunny what she needs will help me take back my control.”

“Excellent idea, Miss Dolly. Though, perhaps don’t tell anyone I helped you with it. Just in case.” He gives me a sheepish smile and I know he’s worried I’ll go off the rails only to blame him.

I shake my head and wink as he walks me to the back door of the library. “It’s our secret, Kirby. Give Raina a hug for me and say ‘hi’ to the others. Okay?”

Kirby salutes me and waves as I move my arm over the scanner to go inside.

Time to show these overprotective alphaholes that I’m not fucking around.

“Pass the cheesy bread,” Cori yells from her spot with Rufus. He’s ignoring her as he texts furiously and my friend elbows him in the ribs. “Earth to Ru-Ru.”

Chess takes pity on her, rising slightly from his spot at Fitz’s side to hand her one of the bread platters. “I think he might be besotted.”

Fitz puffs up on my right side, grinning like a loon. “You’re welcome.”

A glass appears in front of me, and I look up to see Aubrey carrying two other glasses in his hand. He brought me a Dr. Pepper without being asked when he got scotches for him and Rennie. “Thanks, big guy.”

Rennie laughs as the dragon grunts and climbs back into the nest with their bounty. “Fitz’s gambit was rather ingenious, I have to admit. The triplets at the bookstore seem to make your sketchy friend happy, and it means they’ll be less grouchy if we have to go shopping again.”

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