Page 37 of Beautiful Prey

They turn. The shovel-jawed one goes grey.

“Adjudicator. This is candidate business. He killed one of ours.”

“I watched him do it.” I keep walking. “Sloppy, wasn’t it? He left two of you breathing. I’d have been thorough.”

“Then you know we’re owed⁠—“

“Come on, then.” I roll my shoulders and open my hands. “You wanted the boyfriend. Here I am. Could I have a go too?”

The pipe swings for my head. I catch the arm mid-swing and turn it over my knee. The bone goes with a wet crack.

He drops the pipe and folds into the leaves. The second one reaches me, and I put my elbow through his jaw and feel it give.

The third gets lucky. His fist finds the side of my head, and the visor takes it with a crack that spiders across one corner.

First thing of mine this forest has managed to break. Across the clearing he goes still, staring at the split in the glass like there’s something behind it.

I put the last one on his back and hold him there with a boot until he quits moving.

“Walk.” I let them find their feet. “Until you can’t see this tree. Come near him again, and I finish what I started here.” I look between them. “I could eliminate all three of you right now, but where’s the fun in that? I think I’d rather watch you limp through the Hunt with your wings clipped.”

They go, dragging the one with the broken arm between them.

Back in the trees, a shape that was watching decides against it and slips off. Let him carry it back. Let the whole camp learn what touching him costs.

I drag my tongue over my teeth and turn back to him.

He hasn’t moved. He’s still pressed against the pine with the pack crushed to his chest, staring at me, and it’s the staring that stops me where I stand. At the blood on my glove. At my mouth, where a grin is spreading. At the crack in the glass, and whatever of me is showing through it.

His green eyes have gone enormous, wet and wide, the long lashes fluttering like they can’t decide whether to stay open or shut. His mouth hangs slightly open.

Light help me, something wild kicks awake inside me.

“You.” His voice cracks in the middle of the word, and he has to start again. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know.” I lift the bloody glove between us and take a step closer. “Remember that bargain you turned down last night? Protection. One word from me and nobody touches you.”

He presses himself harder against the trunk, eyes darting between the blood on my glove and my face. “Just... get away from me.”

“Or what?”

His hand jerks the knife up between us. The point wavers just enough to betray the fear underneath it.

“Or nothing. I just don’t want your protection.”

A laugh slips out as I glance at the blade. “You’re still doing that when you could be thanking me?”

The knife trembles another fraction.

“Light, you really have no idea how to use one.” I step closer, watching the knife shake between us. “Those three were only the beginning. They’ll keep coming until you finish the Hunt or until they finally catch you. Still think my offer was overpriced?”

He huffs out a breath, shaking his head. “I... I don’t understand your offer.”

There it is. I fucking knew it.

“You can’t be serious. You really don’t understand?”

Heat drops low in my stomach, my cock answering before I’ve decided whether that’s irritating or interesting.