Page 122 of Beautiful Prey

“Don’t let them see you,” he said. I opened my mouth but his hand came up to grip my jaw, his thumb pressed to my lips. “I’ll be right back.” He seemed to consider his next words, as if they pained him. “Don’t move from this spot.”

It was a warning of his own. If I wasn’t here when he got back, he would hunt me down again. I was certain he was just scared, scared to lose me. But I was scared too. He had hurt enough people to get to me. If he hurt them, I couldn’t forgive him a second time.

He kissed my forehead. Then, he moved out of the shadows and disappeared into the dark.

Meanwhile, Kayla wondered if she could climb up to the treehouse while Mal told her she’d probably break her neck if she tried. Eventually, they returned to the fire.

Kayla cursed, “Didn’t Jason say he was going to use this crowbar to pry the door open? Better go give this to them.”

“He can find another way, can’t he?”

“Doubtful, you think that idiot can pick a lock? I’m gonna try to head them off.”

Mal groaned. “Great, guess I’m going in.”

“Feeling brave all the sudden?”

“No. But I’d rather not be alone.”

They were all going. I wanted to believe Emery wouldn’t hurt them, but if he got overwhelmed and had to knock a few out…then what would we do?

He knew the only way to keep them from finding us out was to make them sleep for good.

Fear gripped me and made me look around the tree. Maybe if I just called out and told them not to go it would freak them out and they might leave.

I took a step, ready to shout at them, when a twig snapped under me.

One girl whirled around almost instantly, making me jerk back behind the tree.

“Hey, who's there?”

I pressed close to the tree.Damn.

“Kayla,” Mal hissed.

“What?”

“I think someone is behind that tree.”

“For real?”

A few seconds later, their footsteps grew closer.

Shit.

My mind raced. If they saw me, it was likely they would recognize me.

“Hey! Hello?”

Thoughtlessly, I took Emery’s mask and put it on. They peered around the tree and saw me.

“Dude, what the fuck?”

One girl gripped the other. The taller one had on a beanie, hair tied back in a braid, wearing a long leather jacket. The other had short, cropped hair and was wearing a fluffy red coat.

“Um, what are you doing?” asked Kayla, the taller one.

I turned to them.

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