Page 67 of Let Us Prey

EmoBatMan: Uh-oh.

CSpot: I must have missed the email.

BabyGirl:Well, Rufus and Cori said they would help make yours, but I don’t know what you want.

EmoBatMan: That’s very kind of them, petite lapin.

TigerWoody: If you need sizes, I’m an extra large.

TigerKing: For fuck’s sake, Fitz.

CSpot: Why don’t I gather our sizes for you and you can have full creative freedom?

TigerWoody: I’ll give you something to measure, Chessie.

LustyLibrarian: Costumes?!!

EmoBatMan: We’ve broken Flames. It will take a while to talk him off a ledge. I agree; we trust you to choose.

TigerKing: I don’t, but fine.

TigerWoody: I’m all yours, baby girl. Make me something sexy. No, wait. Make YOU something sexy.

BabyGirl: Okay. But I don’t want to hear any complaints from the peanut gallery.

TigerWoody: Yes, ma’am! Ooh… how about you go as a dominatrix?—

“What’s the word,Dollybear? Are we making like a Fashion Week strike team or what?” Rufus asks. He’s got his Smackbook out and is already cruising the internet for group costumes as they wait for me to finish.

I give them a sheepish look. “They said we can pick. Chess is going to take measurements so wecan get started.”

Cori’s eyes widen, and she covers her mouth with her hand. “Oh my gawd. They said… you… can pick?!!”

My brow furrows in confusion as I nod. “Well, yes. Why is that such a big deal?”

“It’s a big deal because with no input, we can completely flip the script on your alpha assholes,” Rufus replies with a fancy grin.

“Mmmhmm,” Cori hums, scooting over to look at the costume websites. “Halloween costumes are disproportionately skewed to make women look like overly sexualized versions of everything. Who the hell fights ghosts in a goddamn thong? No one, that’s who!”

Smothering a giggle at her indignation, I study the pictures of the group costumes with a fresh eye. She’s right; everything from a sexy firefighter to a slutty pumpkin is represented, and it’s more than a little gross. I scrunch my face, thinking about what Fitz demanded. I’m not opposed to looking hot; if I’m honest with myself, I enjoy the hungry looks I get from my professors, even if they think I don’t notice. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun with a little role reversal.

Five slutty dude costumes coming up.

“Okay, I’m in. What do you guys have in mind?”

Rufus whoops, the dark flash of mischief in his eyes simultaneously frightening and appealing. “You’ll have to give us the inside scoop, cutie. We need to hit ‘em where it hurts.”

I arch a brow. “Inside scoop?”

“Tell us their soft spots, Dolly. You know, like what would irritate the hell out of them, and we’ll plan the costumes around that,” Cori responds as she clicks the trackpad to advance the page.

“I don’t think Fitz is ashamed of anything, guys.” My lips curve up as I consider for a second. “But we can make him look silly,regardless. It won’t bother him, but his antics will drive the others nuts.”

“Sexy nurse it is!” Rufus declares, scribbling on a notepad. “The hardest part will be shoes for these giant dudes, but don’t worry. I know a place.”

“Didn’t you say Fitz has big old feet like yours, Dolly? You had to wear his shoes that time, right?”

I nod at Cori, ducking my head. “The big ass feet make sense now that I know about the bunny part, I guess. Lucille always made fun of me.”

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