Page 10 of Eat. Prey. Love. (Apex Academy Capers #5)

Fitz isn’t wrong to wonder if I’ll raze this cursed place. The buildings and set-up are perfect for men like Rennie and I—all focused on learning and art and beauty. But they’ve allowed corruption to seep in and despite the majestic outer layer at Academie , the core is rotten as they come. I despise seeing the least objectionable school in the private pred system turned into a weapon.

For that alone, I could justify burning it to the ground without a second thought.

Setting our delectable bunny up to fail or be harmed simply emphasizes the need for us to show these snooty dicks who they’re messing with. Her smaller hand is tucked in mine as we walk across the manicured lawn towards the French version of the Shird. Fitz is discussing methods of dismemberment with Felix, who is seething like he used to before Dolly came to campus. His sore spot is his family and he needs to conceal it better. People will use it against him every time and all of us will suffer if he rises to the bait each time.

“What’s on your mind, big guy?” Dolly asks as she squeezes my fingers with hers. “You’re always quiet, but you seem simmery, too.”

I smile as I look down at her. Perceptive as usual, the woman who has entranced my entire family never fails to make us communicate rather than letting sleeping dragons lie. “This campus is amazing, but they’ve tainted it with their evil. I hate that, and even more, I hate knowing that every time we remove someone from your gallery of goons, another steps forward. It’s like some sadistic carnival game.”

She snorts, covering her mouth with her free hand. “What do you know about carnival games, grumpy pants? I can’t see you ever going to a crowded event with clowns and sugary shit and dangerous rides.”

“You’re not wrong, but alas, our mate has led me through some truly awful events in the past centuries. He enjoys studying humans and supes, finding new hobbies to amuse himself and dragging me alongside him.” My gaze cuts to the gargoyle talking animatedly with Chess and I notice he’s mimicking one of the stitches he’s having trouble with.

How did I get so fucking lucky twice? Sweet Ra, I owe someone a boon.

“We’re all enjoying your knitting lessons, you know,” she grins and whispers conspiratorially. “Even Felix. I think it relaxes him and he doesn’t realize it. ”

“Fitz’s knots are pretty funny,” I admit. “He’s trying harder than I would have expected.”

Dolly’s expression turns smug as she lifts our hands to kiss my knuckles. “I told all of you that he’s easy to teach if you adapt to how his brain works. Comparing the counts to lines of code was genius.”

Her praise makes me flush and I huff a surprised chuckle. I don’t know how she does it, honestly. Without even thinking about it, our girl is able to quell the raging fire in my dragon and the others’ animals as well. It’s completely effortless on her part and I’m baffled by the easy calm my fiery inner monster is bathed in now. “Do you think this place will be better or worse than Alexandré?”

“Who the fuck knows?” she groans. “I’ve gotten used to assuming the worst and being pleasantly surprised when I don’t find some fucking cartoon character trap waiting for me. It’s much easier on my anxiety than expecting people to act like they have any goddamn sense in their heads.”

I squint at her, my lips curling up playfully. “You’re awfully young to be so cynical, snack size.”

“Oh, please. I’ve been hunted, shamed in front of the world, disowned, lied to, threatened, and attempts to poison or kill me are common. The bullshit in my life doesn’t lend to being a ray of sunshine.” She pauses and turns to look at me seriously. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not happy with you guys. I truly am. It’s the rest of the world who can get fucked.”

“Even your band of merry shifters?” I tease. “Dolly Hood, the gatherer of misfits and rebels is a pretty good title for you.”

Her giggle is delightful as we finally reach the broad archway of the fancy arts building. “I prefer Queen of Anarchy, thank you very much. Down with the system and all that shit. ”

Looking at the others as they approach, I shrug. “If you want to burn it all to the ground and rebuild, we’ll all follow you to gates of Hell and back, Delores Drew. Just say the word.” The look she gives me has a flash of her mother in it and it makes my dick stand at attention.

Our sweet little bunny is sexy as hell when she’s plotting the downfall of the dictators.

“Oh, wow ,” Dolly breathes as she spins around the stage in a flurry of ballet turns. Her excitement is even making Felix smile as she looks around Academie ’s enormous theater in awe. “This even makes Apex’s look small. It’s swag as hell.”

Rennie walks over to her, grabbing her hand to kiss it before bowing low.

Here it comes—Frenchie’s going to dazzle her like a fucking Disney Prince.

“Rennie,” she squeals as he clasps her fingers and sends her spinning outward, before bringing her back in close. “Can you do a merengue?”

He chuckles low, setting their hands in position before they start moving around the large proscenium in a quick step. The music must be in their heads because it’s certainly not playing out loud. Regardless, the laughter makes my chest warm as they twirl around the stage like the couple in the dance movie they like to watch with ice cream. Before I can comment, Fitz rushes over, grabbing her hand when my mate spins her out again.

“My turn, my turn!” The tiger bounces like he’s on an upper, leading her into a jaunty swing step. I blink when he holds her waist to swing her around his body and into the air like a pro.

When did we turn into an episode of ‘Dancing with the Stars’?

“Fitzzzzzz,” Dolly yells as he tosses her in the air to catch her then dip her low enough for her long hair to drag over the wood. “You’ve been practicing without me!”

Chess looks over at me and winks, telling me she’s right. I’ll be damned. Shaking my head, I walk over to the Raj, joining him as he watches from the edge. “That girl might be a miracle worker.”

“You’re telling me,” he says fondly. “They’ll have us taking dancing lessons next.”

I blink, tilting my head as I smirk at him. “Who says I can’t dance?”

His brow arches and he snorts. “Your entire personality?”

Prepare to eat your words, tiger.

Winking at him, I stride over to his twin and tap him on the shoulder. “May I?”

“Of course, Blistering Basilisk,” he replies as he scoops Dolly up from the slide she did under his legs. “By all means, show us what you got.”

The red faced bunny takes my hands with a bright smile before asking, “A waltz?”

I shake my head, yanking her close, then dipping her quickly. “Ready for a tango, lunchable?”

That gets her attention and her posture changes quickly, forming the necessary pose as we begin. It’s been a very long time, so I’m not quick, but she’s a skilled dancer. If I mis-step a bit, Dolly gets me back on track with small nudges as we dance around the stage. By the time she’s winded, she’s lost the somewhat jaded look in her eyes.

Maybe my mate had the right idea after all?

“Okay, okay. You’ve all had your fun,” Felix grumbles good- naturedly. He looks less ready to maim someone, which is good. “Let’s check out the studios and classrooms.”

Fitz blows a raspberry at him as he pauses his jaunty dance with Chess. “Such a spoilsport, bro. Just admit you can’t dance and be done with it.”

The elder tiger gives him a cagey grin. “I’ll do no such thing.”

Looks like the Raj is keeping more secrets than we thought.

I’m surprised to find the arts building is laid out in a much more functional manner. The lowest floor is underground two levels and it has the studios and workshops for all the majors. On the next floor, there’s an enormous gym and the costume/stylist department. Dolly coos at the large doors to the costume storage, remarking that her polar bear friend is going to be in heaven. We bypass the ground floor since it’s mostly occupied by the theater, dressing rooms, and a few offices. Floors two and three house the visual arts, architecture, and writing departments. Theater and dance take up the fourth floor and vocal/musical arts are on the fifth. Everything is brightly lit, clean, and looks state of the art—it’s clear where the money goes in this place.

“Damn,” Chess says as we finish touring and come down the main staircase. “Their shit is next level. I wonder if I can sit in on some of the art classes when I’m not stuck with the bitchy body snatcher? The 3D printer looks sick.”

Fitz snorts as he slings an arm around both the cheetah and our girl. “If they tell you ‘no,’ I’ll handle it, baby. If we have to spend the rest of the year here, I promise to make sure every single one of us has a chance to do shit that makes them happy.”

“Even me?” I smirk at him as we exit the front doors.

“Why, Lord Draconis, I’m wounded. If you need more books to hump, I’ll make it happen! ”

Rennie has to cover his mouth to stifle the laugh threatening to escape and even Felix cracks a smile as he reaches over to whack his brother in the back of the head. The hyper tiger rubs the spot with a pout, no doubt hoping to gain sympathy from our girl. Too bad she’s giggling along with his other mate—he might have had a chance.

“Seriously, guys! I mean it,” Fitz grumbles. “There’s so much shit to deal with—Baby Girl has the Games and catching up with work, we have random lesson plans we’re not prepped for, there’s psychos running around… We gotta take the good when we can.”

“ C’est vrai, mon ami ,” Renard says with a sigh. “I’d hoped we could take time off campus to tour the wine region and Paris, but it appears we will have to wait until the spring or summer breaks.”

Dolly’s eyes widen and she lets go of the cats, running up to my mate with a look of pure adoration. “We can go tour the Catacombs ??! Like in Phantom ? Or see the Moulin Rouge? Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…”

The entire group stops halfway to the library as she has what appears to be a spazz attack in the middle of the fucking green. Ren, however, is smiling so broadly his face might crack; he knew exactly what he was doing keeping that plan to himself until the right time.

“ Oui, ma chére. We can even see Notre Dame, though it’s not quite as majestic as—oof!”

A flash of rainbow nearly takes him off his feet as Dolly barrels towards him with a squeal of glee that might have called a herd of pigs. He catches her in his arms, lifting her to spin around again as she keeps making the ear-splitting girl noises. “I’m going to kill you for hiding this, you big meanie!”

Fitz tilts his head, looking at the rest of with a shrug. “I probably would have hid it, too, if I knew she was gonna lose it like this. Holy nerds, BatBoy. ”

“Shut it, Fitzy. There’s soooo much cool shit we can do in Paris and I cannot wait to go.” Dolly’s feet finally touch the ground again and she pushes her hair out of her eyes as she glares at our fond expressions. “Don’t patronize me. Now I have something to look forward to besides magical fuckwits and new mean girls.”

Well, when she puts it that way….