Page 85 of Let Us Prey

Holy fuck, the minx just bit me!

A roar escapes me as her sharp teeth dig into my neck, and I immediately let go of her wrists. Backing away with a shudder, I desperately try to maintain control of the flames bubbling up inside of me before I roast my entire goddamn collection and getmyself banished from another library. Her lips curve up in a satisfied smirk that makes me want to teach her a lesson, but I can’t. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.

“You...” I croak, straining to hold both my cock and my rampaging animal in check. “You can’t… simply do that. Shifters… can’t ...”

Her expression drops into despair, and I swear my heart hits the floor.

If I’ve hurt her…

“I thought you’d like it.”

I clear my throat, still not able to move any closer to comfort her, without fear of losing control. “I.. It’s not that I didn’t. It’s that… Oh, I can’t do this. You need a shifter sex ed class. I’m sure we can get it added to your syllabus for the spring.”

“Oh my god, I did it wrong again!” she wails.

Shaking my head, I rush over, fighting my animalistic urges so I can gather her in my arms. It aches to see her upset, and I don’t have the slightest idea why. “No. But you need to understand what an action like that means, before you do something you didn’t intend to.”

Nodding against my chest, she sniffles pitifully. “Okay. If you promise I didn’t mess everything up, I believe you.”

“I promise. It’s time to get you home now, anyway. It’s getting late,” I rumble as I run my hands over her back soothingly.

“Don’t wanna go anywhere they can find me. Bruiser will be looking for me,” Dolly mumbles as she looks up at me.

That must be the lizard from the back. Another growl escapes as I realize she fears the fucker. “I can escort you to the townhouse if you like. The tigers may still be awake.”

“Can’t I stay here with you?” She pauses for a moment and gives me a sly smile. “Or snuggle up with you and Rennie again?”

Horus, take the wheel of destiny, because I have definitely veered off course.

She keeps looking at me with big, teary eyes, and I crumble like a fucking cookie. I can’t allow word to get out that I let her spend the night, or I will never hear the end of this.

“If you stop crying, I’ll take you.”

The satisfied smile she gives me does absolutely nothing to calm the situation in my fucking pants, but it makes the scaly bastard inside of me smug as hell.

“I make no promises, Professor, but I have a feeling being with you will make me happy.”

May the odds be in my favor…

Fall in Line

Lucille

“Madame Lucille,I wanted to discuss your speech...”

I accept the chilled martini from the nervous headmistress, flicking my eyes around the room briefly, looking for anything suspicious. Once I effectively ended that nuisance meeting, the Council and other supposedly important preds got ushered into a separate lounge so the clean-up crew could dispose of the carcass, and I could get a drink.

Worth it.

Elite gatherings are never wasted occasions—they always provide an opportunity for business to continue, no matter the circumstance. Those with the most power and influence customarily provide a secure location to solidify deals that should only be discussed in person. We cannot put some things in writing or risk a recorded line, and we cement these transactions at private cocktail hours such as this one.

“Henrietta, I have no interest in listening to your beak flap about the students being in danger. Fear keeps the sheep inline—and the sheep include smaller preds. If their sad progeny can’t defend themselves, they do not belong at Apex.”

The eagle fluffs up a bit, pushing her glasses up her nose as she no doubt tries to figure out how to protest without looking like she’s questioning my decision. She’s smarter than she looks, as finally, she nods, and I smile into my glass in triumph. I refuse to have the Council or its heirs looking weak by adding security to the campus.

May the strongest survive.

It’s infuriating enough that my weasly informant got himself killed before he could provide much in the way of useful intel. Bruno and Bruiser paid a visit to the weasel’s parents weeks ago in order to secure their cooperation in keeping tabs on my errant child, and now that effort has gone to waste. He was getting mouthy lately, so I suppose this isn’t the worst outcome.

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