Page 35 of Come Out & Prey

Fuck!

Clutching my shoes, I hike the dress up and run like hell out of the ballroom and front door, almost tumbling down the steps of the building. When I get to the bottom, I look around in a panic before I remember the secret courtyard in the library I discovered last week. It’s enclosed enough that my scent might not draw them while masking me in the leftover pheromones of the hot professors.

I take off like a shot, hearing the train of my dress rip and the expensive shoes clack in my grasp as my feet pound the grass between Shirdal and the Draconis library. If I don’t make it, I’m going to die after the lousiest lay in predkind, and that really pisses me off. Gulping in huge breaths, I push my limbs to the max, almost leaping up the stairs of the library. The doors are open and I thank Athena, figuring she’s the most likely to be protecting my post-virginity scorned ass.

The halls are pitch black, so I have to pause for a brief second to allow my vision to adjust. Once they do, I picture the route I took to get to the main library doors, and then the steps I wandered along that took me to the little oasis amid cement and metal. When I finally find the door, I sigh in relief when it swings open without catching on a lock.

I suppose being a school full of predators makes you less likely to believe you need extra security to protect things.

Stepping onto the cool grass, I drop the shoes and reach down to rip the remains of the long train off my dress. It is definitely ruined—much like me—and I can’t stand to be contained any longer. The ragged hem now falls loosely above my knees and Iclimb onto the stone table on the right side of the tree. My legs criss-cross, and I briefly consider that I might flash someone, but given that I’m probably the only prey on campus hiding from ex-friends who want to eat me, I’ll take the risk.

I go to pull out my phone and realize it was tucked into the secret pocket of my corset, and I left that in the training arena.

Hera above, what in the literalfuckam I going to do now?

The dam breaks and the tears come, the absolute futility of my situation hitting me in the chest like a baseball bat.

I’m all alone and I’m going to die.

She’s Put A Spell On Me

Nothing like a bunchof teens blowing chunks all over themselves to ruin a decent buzz.

Aubrey’s snarly commands were impossible to ignore, especially since he put a little of that ‘alpha shifter’ shit behind them. Dragons aren’t called that—as he loves to remind me—but as the second-in-command to my Raj, the push of a true royal still affects me. My laced nip was wearing off, thank Bast, so I understood my friend’s implication that they could blame us for this crap because they forced us to be chaperones.

Listen to a bunch of rich fuckwits whine about their precious heirs’ safety in some dumbass tribunal?No fucking thank you.

I shifted and hauled ass to the infirmary as instructed, even letting the damn prey animals hitch a ride back so it’d be faster. Knowing I was that close to food without eating it is making my skin itch, but I have better control over my cat than that.

Luckily, the grumpy librarian didn’t seem set on me staying behind to help him coordinate the clean-up. I suppose I mighthave if asked, but since he didn’t, I grabbed my shit and headed out into air that doesn’t reek of vomit. If Felix had been with us, he would have ordered me to help and since he’s the only being on the planet I answer to, I wouldn’t be strolling along the grass untouched by sick high school kids.

Nice.

My ears flick when I pick up a faint noise coming from the direction of the library. Frowning, I alter my course, hoping I won’t find a sick kid I have to escort back to the puke palace. When I approach the building, I realize the sound is coming from the courtyard where I saw the gorgeous girl last week. My heartbeat speeds up—I couldn’t be this lucky twice, could I?

Creeping up to the dark alcove, I use my tiger’s eyes to see better. It wouldn’t do to get lured here for a beat down from a salty ex or some choad who lost to me in the ring. You can’t trust anyone in a snake pit like Apex and the sooner new arrivals figure that out, the longer they last—students and staff included.

When I get a few feet from the sound, I realize I should leave an offering somewhere because the gods are smiling on me for the first time in a while. The hot blond who sat here and pretended not to watch Chess and me explode is curled up on the stone altar like a fucking sacrifice.

Forgive me, Ra, for I have sinned…

I grin to myself at my dirty joke, then approach the edge of the grass quietly. If my luck holds, she won’t be heaving like her classmates. That would force me to do something adult-ish like take her to the nurses, and the last thing my dick wants me to be is responsible right now. My vision narrows as I notice sheseems to be ragged and I can’t figure out if that’s some stupid fashion designer’s idea of edgy or not.

Like I keep up with that shit. That’s Chess’ job.

“Are you okay?” I ask softly. I don’t want to scare her, but that’s exactly what happens. She shoots up like someone bit her, clutching the weird dress to her chest and scrambling backwards. I hold my hands up in surrender, then add, “If you need them, the nurses are giving out medicine for the stomach thing in the arts center… I can take you?”

Her expression fills with terror and she shakes her head. “No, no, no! Don’t make me go back there!”

A flashback of something that happened when we were cubs hits me, and I recognize her behavior immediately.

Someone hurt this girl and when I find them, I’m going to peel their hides from their body.

The realization that I’m dangerously angry over a girl I don’t even have a name for makes me confused. Sure, I’m a decent dude, but I stay out of people’s shit unless it affects the people I care about. It’s not that I don’t care as much as I’ve learned that trusting anyone not in my personal ambush leads to pain and trouble. Everyone else can get fucked is almost my life motto.

As much as I wouldn’t give a damn if this rich chick got dumped normally, something about this doesn’t feel right. Her scared tears are making something writhe in my gut and I can’t put my finger on it. The threat tumbled from my lips without pause, though, and despite my love of violence, I don’t offer to kill preds for merely upsetting someone.

Unless it’s Chess.

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