Page 61 of In Prey We Trust

I whirl around, my eyes narrowed as I hear a leopard purr behind us. It takes a lot to keep my face from showing relief when it’s not Lucille, but the woman looks like a distant relative. Knowing I can’t show any fear, I glare at her as if I’m going to attack. “You dare sneak up behind us like a coward? Do you know who we are?”

Felix pats my hand on his arm, giving the slinky cat a magnanimous smile. “Forgive my Princess. Her temper is genetic, I’m afraid.”

The leopard nods, looking suspicious before she replies. “I am aware of your reputation, Prince Felix. We have not had the pleasure of your presence before, nor your girlfriend, Miss…”

“Drew,” I reply in a tone that would make my mother proud. “My name is Delores Rostoff Drew—something you’d do well to remember.”

That gets her attention. Her eyes widen and she bows her head briefly. “Of course you are. My apologies, Miss. I did not intend any offense to you or the Prince. Please pass on my sincere gratitude to your families for my position here.”

Our families?

If my tiger is feeling uneasy, he doesn’t show it all. Instead, he gives her a piercing stare as he replies. “I would like to join the card—next. I’m feeling spry tonight and I haven’t had a good workout since Bloodstone. I believe you can make that happen?”

My entire body tenses, but I cover it by leaning into him with what I hope is a vicious smirk. He didn’t tell me he was going to jump in the fucking ring with a bunch of psycho criminals! How am I supposed to keep my reaction to that bottled up? I feel the leopard looking at me, and I know she’s watching to see if this is a set-up. Name dropping freaked her out a little, but not enough to risk her tail for a bored royal.

“Baby,” I say as I lick up his cheek. “You know I love when you’re covered in blood. It’s sexy.”

His jaw ticks, but Felix turns to give me a searing kiss. We battle for control for a moment and when he pulls away, the cat can see I bit his lip until it bled. That should do it—the children of Lucille Drew and The Raj of Bloodstone being violent nut jobs makes perfect sense. “Then blood you shall have, Princess.”

“Yes, Miss Drew, Your Majesty. I understand. Allow me to organize your request,” the leopard says, as she watches us. She speeds away, and I watch, tilting my head.

“She’s going to start the book first, isn’t she?” I give my date a wry look and he nods, eyes dancing in amusement.

“Most definitely. But you’re doing very well, Princess. I almost believed you for a second.” His arms wrap around me and he leans in to whisper, “Don’t worry about me, remember?”

I snort. “I saw the Staff Games, Felix. Fitz took over, but he didn’t need to. I’m not worried you’ll lose; I’m concerned about our presence being noticed by people we don’t want attention from. And I wasn’t lying…I do like you covered in blood.”

His grin is feral. “Perhaps the attention is the point, little bunny. Sometimes, hiding in plain sight works as well as fading into the background.”

“Whatever you say, Sir.” I wink and follow him as the leopard gestures for him to come closer by an enormous door marked ‘Staff Only.’

Here we go.

My stomach is full of butterflies as I stand in the roped off box our ‘host’ brought me to while Felix gets ready. I know why he wanted me to give off the ‘fuck with me and die’ air when we came in; he knew I’d be left alone while he did this. I’m keeping up appearances, looking around with a steely gaze and haughty tilt to my chin as I eye the people surrounding the VIP section. It’s not protected by anything other than a grumpy-looking bouncer and a few velvet ropes that will stop absolutely nothing from getting in.

If something goes wrong, the crowd has to believe coming after me will cause their immediate deaths.

As the current competitors tear into one another, I walk along the partition, sliding the tips of my claws on it idly. I keep a bored expression on my face, only barely glancing at them occasionally as I walk back and forth slowly. The movement is draining a little of the energy coursing in my veins, but it’s also cementing the impression that I could give a fuck less about everything around me. In truth, I’m studying the exits, the cameras, the people, and everything else Fitz told me to watch for. It’s both practice and practical because I have no idea how this risky ass gambit of my tiger’s will play out.

The Khans are universally feared, and he is the rightful Raj; everyone knows that even if they don’t accept it. If that evil old fucker dies, they’ll never choose a weaker royal to spite Felix. At least, I don’t think so. Fitz told me the new ‘heir apparent’ is a slimy little shit who abuses the females and can’t fight his own battles. Their ambush is too ruthless to put an idiot like that in the top seat, unless someone is pulling his strings. Felix putting on this show might ruffle some feathers—his enemies could see he’s not the beaten down wreck he was when he first arrived.

But then, my enemies might see how fucking fierce he is and reconsider; it’s a delicate balance.

A loud alarm sounds and I realize it’s serving as the bell. Looking down, I note the bloody mess in the ring that used to be a wolf. They don’t hold back in the underground scene, and the lioness who was in the ring is pawing at the air in victory. Before I can blink, it shifts and my eyes widen as I stare at a naked Coach Z pumping her fist in the air. She’s covered in blood, especially at the mouth from ripping the throat out of her opponent. It takes everything in me to continue meeting her eyes as she winks from the spotlight, but I give her a sharp nod of approval.

Zhenga makes a few more loops around the circle, letting the announcer go on about her stats and her family line. When she’s in front of me, she cuts her eyes to another section of the crowd. Following her gaze, I have to lock it down again when I see my new nemesis, Kamara Rakoto, standing in the shadows of the back row. What the hell is she doing here? Is this why Felix wanted to come? Coach Z moves on when she knows I understand, smirking and waving at the crowd despite being clothed only in wolf's blood and gore.

That’s one part of shifter behavior I haven’t gotten used to yet—zero fucks given about public nudity.

I pretend to yawn, dropping into one of the lush seats and crossing my legs as I pull my phone out. The excitement is dying down and I know it’s only a matter of minutes before they announce my boyfriend. That’s going to set them off like a firecracker and the kitsunes running bets around the crowd will start whizzing like the Flash. I can’t look as if I give a shit until Felix comes out; it has to look like his victory is a foregone conclusion in my mind. It is, but rich people always have this air of untouchable ennui. Lucille is always draped in it unless she’s angry, so I know exactly how to play this.

“As always, the Leonidas Liquidator has decimated her prey! Up next, a real treat for our fight fans: a surprise addition to the card. In a shocking turn of events, we have royalty among us tonight!”

That gets the crowd’s attention, but I don't move. I know who’s coming and they need to see me continuing to ignore the world around me.

“Get ready to place your bets, because we’re going to see blood and gore. Our top fighter, Brutus Leonidas, the exiled heir, will fight yet another cast off from a family of vicious cats. Make your choice between Brutus and the exiled heir to Bloodstone Isle: Prince. Felix. Khaaaaaan!”

Gasps, hoots, boos, and screams of delight fill the arena as Felix strides out in a pair of fighting silks, wrapped hands, and nothing else. He doesn’t need those wraps, nor did he need the oil adorning his gorgeous tanned skin from head to toe, but I know why he did it. He looks more like the exile he was when he came to Apex than ever—I’ve seen pictures—because his hair is growing out, his stubble is roguish and he’s wearing a flippant smirk only perfected by the insanely wealthy.

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