Page 69 of Property of Fox

“You done?” his voice cuts through the haze.

“Package is gift wrapped and loaded. Waiting for his delivery location.”

“Looks like there’s a lake not far away. Not ideal, but it will work. I just texted you the address to one of the boat docks. It’s more remote according to Google Street View. There’s a couple of primitive camp sites, but that’s it.”

“Great, just what I need—a romantic lakeside view for a corpse disposal,” I mutter under my breath, rolling my eyes. The irony of it all wasn’t lost on me as I opened the link he’d sent me,loading it into my GPS before steering toward the coordinates Azrael texted.

“Just don’t get seen,” he advises, his voice steady but clipped. “You know how it is—eyes everywhere.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m not an amateur here,” I shoot back. “I won’t be seen.”

The truck rumbles over bumps and potholes as I make my way down the dimly lit road leading to the lake. My mind races, replaying everything that led to this moment. Brea. The Hellion. The blood. Each thought twists like a knife through my gut, reminding me how close danger was this evening.

When I pull up to the dock, the place is eerily quiet, save for the soft lapping of water against the slick wooden pylons. Moonlight cascades over the surface, illuminating patches of dark water that look more treacherous than peaceful.

“Alright, buddy,” I murmur to myself as I hop out and peer into the back of the truck at my unfortunate passenger. “Time for a dip.”

Grunting, I lift the rolled-up bundle again and make my way to the edge of the pier. A faint rustle in the trees makes me pause. Adrenaline floods my veins as instincts kick in. Every nerve screams at me to bolt back to safety, but there’s no turning back now. I glance over my shoulder, the darkness swallowing the sound behind me. The wind carries a whisper of dread, yet I shake it off as paranoia. Just focus.

I take a step closer to the edge, the wood creaking with each step. The water lies below like a gaping mouth ready to swallow whatever I feed it. I release my grip just enough to shift him in my arms, positioning him for the drop. “Hope you can’t swim.”

With a final heave, I release him into the inky depths below. The splash echoes like a gunshot, slicing through the stillness of the night, and I immediately freeze, holding my breath as if the noise could summon someone from their home. It feelslike time stretches thinly as I listen while the lake swallows the evidence almost eagerly, pulling him beneath its glassy surface like a predator dragging down prey. I wait until he’s gone before heading back to the truck, changing out of my bloody clothes and into the t-shirt and pink polka dotted lounge pants that leave little to the imagination.

Disposing of my ruined clothes proves to be more challenging than getting rid of my undead companion. I scan the area and spot a smoldering fire pit at a nearby campsite. It's risky, but it's my only option. I move quietly towards the fire pit, dodging a tent where passionate sounds can be heard coming from inside. As I carefully add my clothes to the fire, I hear a high-pitched scream from within the tent. A smile spreads across my face as I realize that these unsuspecting individuals are unwittingly helping me cover up a murder. It's poetic justice, really.

Once I’m back in the truck, I fire off a text to Az, letting him know it’s done, before driving back to the house to gather up some things for both Keira and Brea. Until I know why he came here, I’m not letting either of them out of my site.

The truck shakes as I navigate the winding roads back. Thoughts race through my mind like a pack of wolves, gnawing at the edges of my sanity. Brea’s face flashes before me. Her green eyes filled with their usual defiance and that damn sass that could set fire to a field. It’s maddening, exhilarating, and in this moment, utterly distracting.

But danger doesn’t rest. I need to focus on her safety, especially now that blood stains my hands, figuratively speaking and literally now, too if you count those damned paper towels. The last thing I want is for Brea to get tangled in this mess or, even worse, get hurt because of me.

As I pull into the familiar drive, I kill the engine and sit in silence for a moment. The house stands still against the darkened sky.

I head back inside, going to Brea’s room first, finding a half-packed bag by the bed. It’s not much, but it’s enough to get her by for a few days. Keira’s room is the same. Either, they hadn’t unpacked yet or they were prepared to bug out at a moment’s notice. The latter making little sense as Brea said she was starting over here. I shake off the unease and refocus on the task at hand.

Satisfied with the two bags, I check the kitchen once more before heading out the front door, securing it behind me. I toss the bags into the cab and glance around, ensuring no one is lurking. Sliding behind the wheel, I pull out of the driveway and onto the road that leads into town. The quiet hum of the engine is almost soothing. I’m so lost in my own head, my body on autopilot, I only snap out of it when the hotel’s sign comes into view. I pull into the parking lot, finding the closest spot near the door in case we have to make a break for it. My pulse quickens as I step out of the truck with their bags.

I stride toward the entrance, keeping my head low and my shoulders squared. The hotel lobby is surprisingly quiet, the faint sound of a television murmuring from the break room in the back. I beeline for the elevator. As the elevator doors slide shut, I lean against the cool metal, taking a moment to catch my breath. My heart is still thrumming like a bass drum, each beat a reminder of the mess I just waded through. The faint ding of the elevator nudges me back to reality. “Focus,” I murmur to myself, steadying my grip on the duffle bags. I round the corner, conscious of every creak in the floor beneath my feet.Just a few more feet until you can fucking relax for a second.

I find my room and knock softly. “It’s me, firefly.”

The door swings open with a soft creak. Brea stands before me, tousled hair spilling over her shoulders like dark waves, her green eyes wide and alert. She opens the door wider to let me in. I am barely inside before her arms are around my neck, drawing me into a hug.

“I was so worried,” she whispers against my shoulder.

“I told you that nothing was going to happen to me. I keep my promises.” I peer over her shoulder to the sleeping form of Keira on the edge of the bed.

She pauses, looking down at my outfit. “What are you wearing?”

“You don’t like it?” I smile back at her. “It’s from your closet. I didn’t really peg you for a pink polka dot kind of girl, to be honest. Just be glad I picked this and not one of those sequined dresses I found.”

“Oh, those aren’t mine. Those clothes belong to Brea’s aunt.”

“That tracks,” I smile before Keira rustles in the bed behind us, taking all my jokes away in an instant. “Is she okay?”

Brea lets me go, turning to her slumbering friend. “She’s shaken up, but she fell asleep about an hour ago.”

“What about you?” I ask.

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