Page 74 of Let Us Prey

Taking a deep breath, I channel all the energetic fury she’s stirring up and funnel it into the lead-up run. My palms hit the wood as I execute the first cartwheel, each subsequent flip and twist getting more complex. The last move I do before I run out of stage is a back handspring, and as my feet hit the floor, I let the front one slide out until I’m in a full split.

Holy Shit, I did it!

Not bad for a self-taught klutzy bunny, eh? Lucille has always sworn that I was so clumsy as a child that they thought I had a balance problem, but here I am doing my best impression of Simone Biles and everyone is clapping and cheering!

Wait a minute. Everyone?

I squint at my friends in puzzlement when I hear an echo of their applause coming from behind me in the theater. Rufus does a little shimmy, clearly pleased with himself.

“Angel, that was incredible! What are you wearing?”

My eyes widen as I turn to find Chess standing at the edge of the stage with a box of sewing supplies for the costumes at his feet. Cori’s requested order must have arrived and now he… Oh, dear. I’m never going to live this down. I give him a sheepish smile as I wiggle my fingers in an awkward wave. “Oh, um, hi, Che…Professor.We were uh… just dancing. You know, to uh… burn off energy.”

Cori snorts and I whip my head around to glare at her, finding her studying her fingernails as if they hold the answers to the universe. The bitchy honey badger keeps grinning like theJoker,clearly enjoying the show. Great. Neither of them is going to lift a finger to get me out of the messtheycreated!

“This exercise requiredthatoutfit?” Chess quirks a brow, his lips curving. My nose twitches as I pick up on pheromones I’ve never noticed before, and I realize the pred trapped inside him must be trying to claw its way to the surface.

Why is that so hot?

I shoot him a bratty look, crossing my arms over my chest in a way I know stresses my boobs. “I’m wearing the required uniform for dance, which was my last block, and the schedule here doesn’t exactly allow for much time between classes. We were making costumes until we took a dance break, so it’s a good thing I didn't change.”

The struggle in his expression is real as I pop my hip out, and I almost giggle, enjoying the effect I have on him. We stare at each other in tense silence until Rufus finally hops off the stage, strutting to our professor and grabbing the box from him.

“Thanks, teach. This will help us continue to work on costumes, while taking sexy dance breaks.” Rufus bats his lashes and waves his hand. “Now shoo, so we can work on thesurprise.Go on now. Ogle yourgirlfriendafter class.”

My mouth drops open, and Chess pales before he nods and turnson his heel like he’s running from a plague of locusts. As he disappears, I hiss at the badger. “What was the point of that?”

Rufus drops to the stage and starts tearing open the box as he cackles like a madman. Cori sighs and joins him, giving me a ‘sorry, not sorry’ look. As much as I want to be mad at my friends—or possibly kill them slowly—I realize they may have just done me a favor by moving things along.

I guess I’ll let them live.

Wicked Games

Renard

My eyes sweepover the students in my garden as they gather their books to leave. I rarely end class early, but I’m sending them en masse to the library to research their papers on the impact of Gothic literature on modern works of literature and film. Twenty unplanned student visitors eager to Google vampires and werewolves ought to drive a dragon to distraction, which brings me no shortage of chaotic pleasure. Chuckling under my breath, I sort my lecture notes into a neat stack and move to slide them into my bag.

That’s when I notice Delores is still standing at the edge of the classroom, staring out into the lake.

The thumping in my chest feels like one of the rave DJ’s Aubrey listens to is in control of the muscle there. I watch her silently for another moment, unsure what to do. We’ve been alone many times now, and each time it gets a little easier, but it still makes me nervous. She’s wormed her way into our routine seamlessly—something I would have declared impossible a month ago. Her presence makes all of my misfit cohorts smile, and she doesn’tseem to want us for our inheritance or titles—in fact, Fitz has to beg her to allow him to buy things for her.

Ugh. I feel like I’m inadvertently giving an old literary cliche to her: she’s not like other girls.

I’m better than that drivel, but Delores Drew differs from the women at Apex Academy—students and faculty alike. She’s smart, kind, and completely unconcerned with anyone’s bank account or family provenance. Despite all the difficulties she’s had, she seems interested in spending time with various members of our outcast clan not to help her claw her way back into society, but because sheenjoysour company.

It’s fascinating and terrifying how she affects all of me so completely.

None of my friends are without trauma, most resulting in why we’re now living at Apex, instead of within our communities. Family and friends have damaged each of us in their own way, so it’s a struggle not to be naturally suspicious of the ingenue walking amongst us. If she betrayed any of us, I believe it would irreparably harm the broken men that gather in my Tower most evenings.

“Renard?”

Her voice draws me out of my musings, and I blink, feeling sheepish because she’s caught me staring like a fool…again. “Yes, Dolly?” I respond without tripping over my tongue. Her eyes are wide when they meet mine and a strange sensation zings between us. I’ve felt nothing like it before, but the pull towards her in that moment is undeniable. Making a mental note to ask Aubrey if he’s felt it around her, I watch her closely to see if she’s experiencing it as well.

Delores bites her lip, fiddling with her notebook, but I swear, her scent has changed. “I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions? I’m sure I can tackle my research project during work study in the library, so it won’t affect my paper if I don’t go therenow.”

Mon Dieu, this can’t be good. Is she going to ask about hunting? What am I getting myself into if I say ‘yes’? Before I can come to my senses, I’m nodding at her.

Merciful Lugh, I can’t control myself around this girl!

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