Page 24 of Eat. Prey. Love. (Apex Academy Capers #5)
I spent most of yesterday morning helping Aubrey and Renard go through timelines from the past few centuries. It was tedious as hell, but their constant banter made it less cumbersome. I would have rather stayed with them to finish than go to my five hours of misery with the vulture, but alas, my presence on campus is tied to working as much as everyone else’s. She didn’t mention my angel the entire time, but no one who came in and out of her office looked better off. It worried me that students who seemed to need help exited looking worse for wear, but I couldn’t do anything more than slip them a card with websites on the back.
Not enough, I fear, but at least an option that isn’t harmful.
Reporting her to the administration didn’t work at Cappie and I highly doubt it would here. Whoever her benefactor is, they have a good enough reach to keep the vile woman protected in her little bubble. At least, at work, anyway. Farley is making his moves in the background with his people and we have to trust he’s getting shit done so we can focus on tracking down information on the bigger problems.
My family agreed with that assessment at dinner, but Ren and the twins promised to keep their eyes peeled for students who seem like they need assistance they aren’t getting. Felix even said he’d give Zhenga a nudge, and our girl swore to enlist Rufus and Cori. That eased my guilt a bit, and we were able to clean up and relax while Dolly worked on her homework. She was exhausted from long, physically demanding classes and a mountain of work that seemed excessive for the first day of classes.
But no one asked me, and this place feels geared to weed out the weak with impossible tasks—much like Apex.
This morning, Fitz headed out with our girl after our family breakfast, laughing as she complained about Felix still waking her early to go for their run. I offered to go, but the Raj hates when I come and refused to allow it. He’s still sore that I’m faster than him by a good bit, despite being told over and over that my animal is made for speed. Dolly pleaded with him to let me take her spot because of her aches, but he had us slather her with muscle cream and send her off anyway.
“Chess, you’ve drifted, man.”
I blink, shaking my head for a second as my eyes refocus. “Shit. Sorry, Aubrey. I was thinking about last night and then Dolly whining this morning because Mr. Taskmaster wouldn’t let her out of cardio. ”
Ren grins as he lazes in a big chair across the room. “The Raj is immovable about some things, it seems. I wouldn’t have believed it until I saw it because she’s so damn crafty. But he’s determined to get her endurance at peak in case shit goes down.”
I nod, straightening my files as I sigh. “His worry about her safety overrides the pouty lip and kinky nickname, I guess. I don’t blame him; my time in that office yesterday was like walking around on glass barefoot. I had to think about every fucking question the bitch asked and weigh my words to make sure I wasn’t giving her more material. I really wish we could excise that putrid, oozing boil.”
Aubrey snorts as he rises to go to the printer again. “You have a way with words, Chester. It’s disgusting, but it definitely got the point across.”
“I’ve never understood shifters who spend their lives purposefully being cruel to others,” I admit as I scribble a note on the timeline near ‘opium’ then look up. “Bloodstone was full of cats big and small who were so desperate for the old psycho’s approval that they watched the abuse and illegal shit going on without a word. And I’m not talking about people who feared for their loved ones—like the twins—but shifters who had no skin in the game, yet allowed atrocities and harm to come to others so they could vicariously enjoy it.”
“ Oui, mon chat ,” Renard says sadly. “I did not witness it in my clutch, but for one time, and I can empathize with your frustration and pain. It is hard to accept that there are beings whose greatest joy is seeing others fail or causing them to hurt. But it exists in all forms—humans, shifters, Fae, mythicals… None of us are exempt from rotten apples.”
“Dragons aren’t exempt, either. I don’t remember as much from my clash, but the ones online are insufferable elitists and do nothing but suck up to the non-exiled royals.” The librarian frowns for a second, pausing to notate something on one of his sheets before he continues. “And we know even the fucking students at these damn schools are barely more than mynahs for their parents’ agendas. Snack size has avoided those idiots from freshman year as much as possible, yet they seek her out to pummel her emotionally every chance they get.”
“ Really wish we could deal with those girls. I’m not one for hitting a female, but I’d make an exception for that Erikson girl. She’s got rancid meat where her heart and brains should be,” I grumble as I tuck my legs under me. “Imagine telling everyone how damn talented and successful and busy you are, but spending inordinate amounts of time bullying someone who hasn’t spoken to you in years. It’s pathetic.”
Ren grins, his eyes dancing as he looks at me in interest. “Chester Khan, I like this evil streak you’re developing in regard to our woman. It’s hot as hell and I volunteer to help you with any low-grade mischief you might want to get up to in regard to those vaches .”
Uh-oh. I’ve started the chaos gremlin up; is this going to get me in trouble with Felix?
The day goes by quicker than I would have expected, and when the Raj gets home, he joins us in the library as we work. He’s got lesson plans to deal with, but I like that he doesn’t hole up in a dark room with bourbon alone anymore. Having the guy I’ve always seen as my big brother back makes my cheetah happy—something he’s finally getting enough of. A purr rumbles in my chest as I sip the tea I went upstairs to make earlier, contentment filling me from head to toe as my tired eyes filter through the ridiculous amount of shit we’re digging through.
“ Kowabunga! ” Fitz yells as he bounces into the room, leaping over a table to come skidding to a halt in front of me.
Aubrey whips his head around, glaring at my mate like he wants to incinerate him on the spot. “ Fitzgerald Khan, I will fricassee your ass . Do not treat my library like a goddamn stadium.”
Rennie chuckles, his tail flicking as he winks at me. “Now, Flames. He’s like a puppy; you can’t be angry when it gets excited and piddles on the rug occasionally.”
“Yeah!” Fitz crows then scowls at the gargoyle. “Wait…. no. Fuck you, Stone Temple Poet. I’m all man and all feline—ask Chessie and our girl.”
I blink at them, looking from the winged ancients to the amused king for a moment before I shrug. “I don’t have any complaints. And… I’d rather not get the ick from you making him sound like some Lolita-esque grossness. Didn’t my angel wag her finger at you guys for that already?”
“Chesssterrrrrr,” the stone shifter groans as he flops out even more like one of us in his big chair. “Don’t be such a buzz kill, ami. You’re all les enfants to Flames and me; we pre-date the humans’ landing on this continent. How do you think I feel, mmm?”
The dragon snorts and I smile when small smoke rings flitter through the air. “Rennie is correct. I pre-date so many things I’m having nostalgia flashbacks in every era I’m sifting through.” He sighs, leaning back in the chair then sitting up again when it makes a suspicious sound. “I miss when the wealthy patronized the arts heavily; my best horde items are from those times. Now everything is made by mass production and it breaks so easily.”
My gaze drops to his chair and he nods. “To be fair, you’re a big guy, Aubrey. This furniture wasn’t made for preds of your size.”
“No shit,” Felix mutters and the next death stare is focused on the tiger. “It’s true, Draconis. Quit being cheap and have the Captain order you custom shit like you did at Apex. You’ll never live it down if the damn things give out while you’re working.”
Fitz grins manically, leaning in to pat the surly librarian’s head. “ He’s right, Growly Gecko. Baby Girl and I will laugh until we have to shower off to save face. No cap, big guy.”
“Fitz, what the actual fuck are you?—”
“Anyone home down here? Yoo-hoo!”
We all grin at one another, the jabs forgotten when her voice echoes in the outer hallway. Dolly appears moments later clad in her Pred Games practice uniform, dirt, sweat, and the smell of blood. It’s fucking delicious and the atmosphere in the room goes from joking to deadly serious within seconds.
“You smell good, Baby Girl,” Fitz says as he moves to her side, sniffing her neck with a shudder. “I think our girl broke a piece off someone, guys.”
She grins, her eyes flashing with the red of her bunny as she nods. “I took a chunk out of an ocelot. Coach Z tells us to pull our hits, but this chick refused to stop coming. I had to put her on the ground and do that… thing I do in the ring to make them fuck off.”
Felix tilts his head, smirking. “You dominated her, Princess. The Alpha bunny made the tiny kitten its bitch.”
Her nose wrinkles and Dolly shakes her head. “First, I don’t like that phrase. I’m a bitch by most definitions, and that does not mean I’m going to let some jackass pin me down until I concede.” A throat clears and she rolls her eyes. “In the bedroom is different because I’m consenting to giving up my power and that’s even more powerful than domination. Everyone knows that, Tiger Prince.”
The elder Khan chuckles, rising to join his twin in sandwiching her against him. “Very true, Princess. You’re learning so well.”
“Chess and I are aware of that fact, too,” Ren says with a yawn. “You’re not giving us praise.”
“ You don’t need it,” Aubrey mutters. “You’ve been a pain in the ass all day. At least Chester made lunch and afternoon tea. What have you done to earn your keep?”
“Boys,” Dolly says as she pulls away from the Khans. “Don’t bicker. It’s been a hell of a day, and I could eat an entire hippopotamus then have room for dessert. Maybe we can order in while I shower? I’d like to get this yuck off of me.”
Aubrey and Ren look at one another, then nod. The dragon gathers his papers, then takes Renard’s, creating neat stacks on the table. I follow suit, putting my pile next to theirs and stretch up on my toes. Fitz comes over and grabs me, burying his face in my neck this time.
“Don’t think I forgot you, love.”
He puts on the scariest psycho mask for the rest of the world, but with the people he loves, Fitz Khan is as soft as a baby blanket.
“I don’t get hugs,” the gargoyle mumbles and his mate snorts.
“You’ve been here annoying me all day.”
Dolly frowns at him, smacking the librarian’s big arm before she walks over to snuggle Ren close. “I missed you, even if he’s being a dick. I miss all of you when I have to venture out and deal with the rest of this damn campus. It’s full of snobs and assholes, like home, but with prettier accents.”
I can’t fault her for that statement—I’ve had the same experience and I doubt it will get better as the year goes on.