Page 19 of A Cock and Bull Story

“I still don't think we should condone murder,” I frown.

“Aye, lass, I agree,” Arthur nods, “but she was human. What can we do?”

“I. . . whaaa? What am I supposed to do with that explanation? If she had been a goat, would it have been any different?!”

“No,” Jack answers matter-of-factly. “It definitely wouldn't have mattered if she were a goat as they’re barely a Secondary.”

I glare at his sarcasm.

“Don't be an ass! I know that!”

“Well, Tertiaries can't be arsed with humans.”

“What does that even mean?” I screech.

“It means that they couldn't care less,” Sian adds.

“What do they care about?” I snap angrily.

Theo shrugs again.

“Fellow apex hunters,” he offers.

“These people sound like militant PETA! Screw squirrels—we only care if you're a ti—" I cut off. “A lion.”

Tigerbrings to memory the man's hand turning into a striped paw and slashing the woman's throat. I actively try to get the image out of my head by imagining my parents having sex. Funny how not even a couple hours ago I was trying to getthat imageout of my head—now, I gladly embrace it.

“Well, I hope some non-corrupt cops catch this fucker and put him in jail for life. Although,” I add sourly, “they would have a lot more to go on if we could give them more than just a hit and run report!”

Because that'sexactlywhat I feel happened. We basically are accomplices, not giving all the information—like hitting the car and running from the scene. Jack snorts.

“We'll be lucky if this is even mentioned in the news.”

“I'm surprised they even left a body,” Elise adds. “What kind of shifter was it?” she asks me.

Scarily enough, I know exactly what she means, but I want to keep pretending that it was just my imagination and that the man's hand didn't turn into a tiger paw—that he had used a knife to cut the woman's throat. It doesn’t even cross my mind to ask how Sugar Tits, I mean, Elise knows.

“I didn’t see anything but the woman and all the b-b-b-blood.”

The tears begin to well in my eyes again and Sian places a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Don't worry,” she soothes.

I smile weakly at her, but in my brain I scoff.

Don't worry?!

Whoever—whatever—these people are, they're obviously into cannibalism.

Jesus.

First, my parents are sex freaks.

Then, I let Jack fuck my ass, even though I’m supposed to be celibate—butt fuck it. I refuse to get anal over this one small relapse.

And, now, I’m a witness to a murder by a man who might be an animal—andnotin the sexy way.

Will the horrors never end?