Page 82 of Let Us Prey

Rufus’ source for accessories made for big guys was this amazing store called the Cubby Holer. We had a blast on a video chat with the owner as we ordered everything we needed to complete the costumes, especially the pieces for the growly librarian.

Fitz snorts and turns his head to give the dragon a nod of acknowledgment. “Nice one, Smoky. No, baby girl, it’s not full oftrees that will beat you up and throw apples at you.It’s just… private.”

“Uh-huh,” I reply, practicallyhearinghis suggestive eyebrow waggle as I peer into the darkness. My vision isn’t great in the dark—thanks, rabbit genes—but the guys seem to navigate okay. I don’t want to trip over a branch and make an ass out of myself before we get to what I’m suspecting isnota game. In fact, I’m pretty sure this is an invitation-only party, and I’ve been hornswoggled by the resident horndog.

The scent of cheetah precedes Chess as he sidles up on my other side. “You look lovely tonight, angel. I suppose I have you to thank for the fact that I’m traipsing through the forest in this historically accurate period dress? Excellent bead work, by the way—I’ll put in a good word with your professor.”

I giggle just as a shout echoes from the back of the group. “Ooh-la-la, Chess!” That was definitely Aubrey, and he’s snickering along with Renard as they bring up the rear. Chess flushes as red as his Moulin Rouge dress, then growls, which gets a snort from Fitz. I wrinkle my nose at the group antics.

Boys. They’re so fucking goofy, even when they’re like… older than the internet.

“Actually, you have Fitz to thank for being out here,” I counter. “He’s the one leading us on thisLord of the Flies-style hike. He swore there’s some sort of cool game out here, but I’m thinking he’s full of—oh my god!”

We hit a clearing, and right out in the open, slumped against an oddly shaped tree, is a dead body. I’m pretty sure it’s dead because it’s got blood all over—oh, shit. The bloodmightbe makeup, because I just realized it’s the weasel who was trying to talk to me before Fitz lost the plot. He was dressed as a zombie, so maybe…

I shrug the tiger off and rush over to the collapsed predator, dropping to my knees so I can feel for a pulse in his neck.When I can’t find one and my fingers come back bloody, I realize the mess isn’t his costume, and this isnota prank.

“Holy fuck, Baby Girl! You have a fluffy tail!”

Of course, Fitz would notice that now.

There’s a loud growl from behind us and Felix comes stomping through in his shimmering gown, as if he’s expecting the killer to jump out at any moment. “You didn’t disappear after you hassled this kid out in the open, right?”

Hera help me.His wings are fluttering behind him as he walks over and the glittering shimmer of his dress is making it impossible to take him seriously.

His twin shakes his head. “Hell, no. I didn’t want anyone else sneaking up to mack on our girl!”

“Fitz, he’s trying to protect you. Everyone saw you threaten this kid tonight,” Renard says as he gazes at the treetops, inhaling deeply. His voice goes soft as he murmurs, “Something in this place feels familiar.”

Aubrey walks over to look at the body, sighing heavily. Rainbow-colored irises flick to my rear end briefly and he arches a brow, but says nothing more. I turn away as goosebumps crawl over my skin, pretending to look at the dead student in front of me as I try to figure out if I’m feeling a prey instinct or something else. A puff of smoke spirals through the air from over my shoulder before I hear him growl, “I’m going to check the view from above.”

One powerful jump later, the half-shifted dragon is flapping his wings and taking flight. I’ve never seen a seven-foot-tall lizard in a tutu and fishnets before, but I’m never going to forget this image until the day I die.

Renard watches him fly off, shaking his head. “Dragons are always so dramatic. Aubrey’s probably bitching about the paperwork being anightmare.”

Felix grimaces, nodding at the gargoyle. “He’d be right. We’ll be up all night dealing with this mess.” His gaze finally lands on my tail, and he looks almost… wary. “That’s what we get for following something small and fluffy into the forest.” He awkwardly clears his throat and pointedly looks away.

I open my mouth to shoot back a retort when something sparkly catches my eye. Brushing off my knees as I stand, I walk over to where the moonlight is shining on something metallic on the ground beneath the leaf litter. It takes a second to kick off the brush, but once I do, I find a small plaque embedded in the ground.

“Guys! Come here!” I yell, way more excited than I should be, considering there’s an actual dead body a few feet away. Dropping to the ground again, I work to finish clearing the leaves and sticks off until it’s fully revealed. I hear them approaching and turn to face the group, grinning wildly. “Look at this! It’s a marker. Do you think it leads to a secret door? Maybe it’s how the killer escaped.”

Renard frowns, crouching beside me. His cape flutters out when he does, and it takes everything in me not to snort. “That’s the symbol for the secret prey tunnels.”

“I know! And the prey tunnels go all over campus, so it has to be how the murderer got away. We have to find the door… I mean, this kid doesn’t look like he’s been dead long, right?” I ask, as I trace my fingers over the design. The silence is deafening, and I turn to look at my guys, finding them staring at me in return. “What? Do I have something in my hair?”

“Uh, no, angel. You’re… awfully calm about finding a dead body, given that you’re… you know.” Chess trails off and I roll my eyes.

Why. Are. Men.

“Prey. You can say it; it’s not an insult,” I snipe back, irritated that they’re underestimating me because some kid I barely knew gotkilled. “It’s not the first dead body I’ve ever seen—even this close—and I’m sure it won’t be the last one I see at Apex.”

The tiger king gives me an amused look. “No, I suppose that’s true.”

The ground shakes a little as Aubrey lands behind them, smoke curling around his face. Oh, he’s all worked up about something. “I didn’t see anyone, but I stopped by the circle and asked Zhenga to call Henny, so we should have company soon. None of us have our phones because of our… attire.” His gaze turns to me and I grin, satisfied with my petty refusal to give them pockets in their dresses.

Welcome to my world, dudes.

“I think we should explore this door another time,” Renard murmurs as he moves to stand. He holds his hand out and I take it, moving out of the way so he can kick the brush back over the marker, clearly deciding we should keep its discovery to ourselves, at least for now.

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