Page 119 of Beautiful Prey

“Jason, you asshole,” came a rough female voice, “why did you run ahead like that? I swear if I got lost, I would have killed you.”

“Not my fault you’re slow.”

“Hey, pass the lighter,” another said. Something dropped with a thud. I could hear them walking around but only caught their shadows on the trees. I heard the flick of the lighter, then several things thumping on the ground.

“Mal, grab some fire starter—not leaves, that shit will smoke us out,” said one of the guys.

Footsteps crunched nearby and I hardly breathed as the girl, Mal, got near. Almost close enough to see us. If they discovered us…I didn’t want to think about what Emery might do. He’d been very protective of this place. Of making sure no one found us…foundme. I didn’t need to think twice to know he’d kill to keep what he had.

And I didn’t know if I could stop him.

Yes, they were trespassing. But they were innocent. I could tell by their voices they were young. Likely younger than me. Maybe even highschoolers.

I wanted to voice this but Emery still had his hand over my mouth, his large body almost crushing me as he watched, his eyes narrowed in a defensive glare. His muscles were taut like he was ready to spring.

A few minutes later the forest around us lit up in a dim orange glow as I heard the crackling of a fire and smelled the tang of smoke.

“Here, Lance, catch,” said the boy from before—Jason.

“Hate this beer,” one girl grumbled as she popped a can.

“Suck it down fast and you won’t.” Someone laughed.

“Alright, alright, everyone good?” said Jason.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Cool.” There was a loud pop from the fire and someone gasped. The others laughed. “Scared?”

“Place has always given me the creeps…feels like someone’s always watching,” Mal said.

I stared at Emery but he didn’t so much as flinch.

“Maybe there is,” said Jason. “Lot of people died here, remember?”

“Yeah, that’s why I question why I drag myself out here with you.”

“No better place for tonight.”

“And speaking of tonight—c’mon raise your cans, people,” ordered the other girl.

Someone grumbled while others laughed nervously.

“Here’s to the Devil of Harper Pointe for making our town notorious.”

“And giving us a killer reason to bring back Devil’s Night,” the other boy—I assumed Lance—added.

“May they save Eve Martel and send him back to hell,” Mal finished softly.

There was a moment of silence. Emery’s gaze turned to mine. Carefully, he lowered his hand from my mouth, not making a sound.

I swallowed and took a slow, quiet breath.

There was the crunching of cans and someone burping, a few laughing after.

“I feel so bad for her,” Mal said after a pause.

“I just can’t believe the motherfucker got loose,” Lance said.

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