Page 65

Renard

After Dolly sprinted out of Zhenga’s classroom, it feels fitting that I’m the one escorting her on the next date. Whereas the tigers and Flames can be overwhelming, I'm a soothing presence who allows her to spill all the worries she keeps bottled up.

Or, I would be, if my gargoyle wasn’t on a rampage.

Her presence in our nest the other night was wonderful, but once my old friend relayed why she was curled up as if the world was ending, I had to put a leash on my beast. He’s infuriated that our girl was so defeated, even in private, by a false claim that puts her in more danger. If they expel her, she’d be left with going home to those two nut jobs who gave birth to her.

That’s less safe than being here for more reasons than I can count.

I assume her behavior after class was because there are so many intricacies to shifter sexual behavior that no one in her family saw fit to educate her on. The ‘legend of the freaky cocks’—as the lioness so eloquently put it after the film on knotting—isn’t helping her feel less ignorant. I sense she was keeping her distance as she tried to process everything, but then her idiot friends forced her to focus on other things.

Aubrey thinks I can broach her safety on campus while we’re out without restarting her trauma. I have no idea how I’ll bring up that topic during our outing without making her angry, but I promised I’d try.

That’s a future Renard problem.

My current problem is figuring out what to wear tonight, and how I’ll keep my… issues… under control.

I originally planned to take her to La Belle époque , to dine under the stars. However, after recent events, I changed my mind. I’ll save soaking in the moonlight for a time when my inner monster is calmer. He’s been prowling under the surface for weeks, and though I know what happened isn’t Dolly’s fault, I’m having more difficulty controlling him than I ever have in the past.

Our version of Valentine’s this year will have to be a bit… less traditional to soothe the beast.

“Did the Captain drop off my keys?” I yell. Flames is in the bedroom, reading in his chair, but he should be able to hear me from the depths of my closet. Tilting my head, I wait for the huff of irritation and grin when I hear it.

“Two hours ago. They’re on the dresser. Take a chill pill!”

I cover my face with my hands, shaking my head at how ridiculous the dragon sounds when he spouts slang. Fitz is always teaching him that shit, and though it’s funny, he gets touchy when it doesn’t quite land. “I’m not hyper!”

That’s probably not true. I am a little hyper.

His lack of response isn’t unusual—despite how long it took for the grumpy book dragon to let me in, he’s eerily aware of how to deal with my emotional states. I suppose knowing one another for centuries makes things smoother, but our easy companionship didn’t take long to form. He calls me out on wanting to take care of people, but the nest he built on Christmas Eve got created because he knew it would make me happy. Gargoyles sleep in groups—similarly to wolves or cats—and unfortunately for me, exile stole that comfort. It made my first few decades at Apex a nightmare.

Aubrey figured it out within a week.

But he won’t be with me tonight, and it makes me nervous.

It’s been a long time since I’ve operated without a wingman, and even longer since my gargoyle has been this agitated. When I’m angry, even the hundreds of years of practice soothing my instincts fall to the wayside.

I walk through the closet, pawing through all of my clothes as I try not to panic. Delores reminds me so much of someone from long ago, and that ended in epic tragedy. What if my stars are aligning the same way? I’ll ruin it for everyone if I scare her off because of my temper and…

“I can hear you freaking out from the bedroom. Why aren’t you dressed yet?” Aubrey appears in the doorway, studying my face before he continues. “Are you brooding?”

I roll my eyes, turning to walk towards the casual wear end of the closet, so I don’t have to face him. “I am not brooding; I’m considering my wardrobe.”

He takes off his glasses, stuffing them in a shirt pocket—a sure sign he’s frustrated and doesn’t know how to address it. He, too, is pacifying his inner animal after the incident, and I know it’s even harder for him to keep his fury under wraps. Flame spewing rage is his Achilles’ heel, and even his squishy toys aren’t helping of late. We’ve gone on far more hunts recently than necessary, but the carnage seems to cool him down for a bit.

Other extracurricular activities would help, as well.

“Rennie, the snacklet likes you. She likes all of us; that’s why she agreed to this weird pentagram dating thing.”

“I think you mean polyam,” I chuckle.

Huffing, he shakes his head. “I didn’t, but that works, too. The point is, she wants to date all of us and that includes you. Stop reliving whatever it is from your past that you still refuse to talk about, even with me.”

Now I’ve done it. I’ve hit our sore spot.

I open my mouth to respond, but the tiny sand kitten he bought for Delores comes skittering into the closet. She immediately trots over to Aubrey, climbing up his leg to his arm, and then onto his shoulder. The tiniest ‘mew’ escapes, and I watch his face soften as he reaches up to scratch her ears.

Jinx to the rescue!

Arching a brow, I stare at him until he finally throws his hands up. “Fine! Something cute distracted me. But I’m not wrong—the past doesn’t need to ruin the future, Rennie. Dolly might be your second chance.”

“But who’s counting?” I reply, turning back to the wall of clothes.

“For fuck’s sake...” he mutters. “Wear the Farmani with the blue.”

My lips twist as he stomps off with Jinx in tow. He’s not mad; he’s worried, and I understand why. Aubrey believes if I don’t talk about my trauma, I’ll never get over it. That’s saying a lot, given his lack of detail about his own banishment, but we’re men. It’s in our DNA, I guess.

He’s right about the outfit, too, damnit.

I pluck the sapphire silk Farmani shirt off its hanger and grab a pair of black slacks before heading down the hall to shower. When I walk into the living room, I can tell his crankiness has faded, because he smirks at my outfit as he pets the kitten on his lap.

Know-it-all.

“Don’t forget your keys,” he says as he nods at the dresser.

Turning back to face him before I head into the bathroom, I sigh. “Thank you. We use vehicles so infrequently…”

A snort is my answer as I close the door behind me, but I know he heard the unspoken apology for being on edge.

I’m not the only mother hen.

“I had no idea you had a car like this. You guys keep surprising me with sexy machines,” Dolly exclaims as she runs her hand over the hood.

Shrugging, I round the side of the ‘62 Aston Martin. “I went through a car phase in the 60s. I learned to drive long before then, but it had been a long time. Plus, I got a wee bit obsessed with James Dean and so… There’s a warehouse in the city where I store them; I have quite a collection—your Mustang would fit right in.”

Her eyes widen, and she nods enthusiastically. “I love fancy cars. When I learned to drive, it made me feel free. I finally gained the freedom to drive during the summer, unlike all of my peers, and experienced the liberation of not having to rely on a creepy bodyguard for transportation.

The joy on her face makes my heart squeeze a bit, and I tilt my head. “Is that why you enjoy flying so much?”

“Um, no,” she replies quickly as her cheeks pinken. “I mean, yes, but I also like to share things with you and Aubrey. It’s like our special thing.” Ducking her head, she opens the car door before I can, and tucks in the long leather coat I bought her as she sits.

It helps immensely to have a small army of prey animals who will leave gifts on your girl’s doorstep.

She’s wearing the outfit I sent—a thought that makes the simmering beast inside preen with pleasure. I prefer this to his recent fury, so it’s a win. Shutting her door, I head to the other side of the car and drop into the driver’s side, looking over at her. “It is special, petit lapin . You’re the only person here who knows where we go and what we do when we hunt.”

I watch her wiggle in the seat, pressing her thighs together. Finally, she looks up at me, her eyes dark with promise. “I enjoy watching, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” I chuckle as I pull away from the Admission Building and head down the winding road leading off campus.

A pout crosses her lips, and she wrinkles her nose at me. “How could you tell?”

This time I laugh for real. For a girl raised by preds, Dolly has so little knowledge of how we work biologically. It’s curious and adorable at the same time. Her frown deepens, and I take pity on her, tapping my nose with one finger. A hand flies to her mouth, and she turns redder than I’ve ever seen her as she squirms in the seat.

“Oh my gods, that’s so embarrassing! That’s why everyone keeps...”

I give her another amused look as I steer the car onto the highway, taking us away from town and towards Cambridge. “Of course it is. Predators hunt by scent—surely you realize that.”

“Well, of course I do! I just didn’t think… Ugh—men!” She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest in irritation.

“Hunting for partners isn’t that different from hunting for food, petit lapin . It’s a different hunger, but it’s basically the same instinct.”

And you are my new favorite prey.

The parking lot at Liquid Onyx is packed, despite the hour. I’ve never been here before midnight, but even as early as ten, shifters are lined up at the door and around the block. Luckily for us, that won’t be an issue. I pull up to the valet and hand him the keys before walking over to Dolly’s side to open the door. She quirks a brow at me as I help her out of the sports car, curiosity written on her face as she looks at the long line of people in front.

“I should have guessed by the fancy outfit we were going somewhere nice, Rennie, but this is a surprise. You don’t seem like the clubbing type.”

“There are many things you don’t know about me yet, ma petite. Experiencing loss when you are young can cause you to develop a thirst for living, and I enjoy many things that might shock you,” I reply as I tuck her arm into mine. “Perhaps you will discover new things to enjoy as well tonight.”

We approach the door, and the massive gorilla shifter grunts before lifting the ropes for us without so much as a word. Dolly gives me another look, and I smile when she murmurs, “I believe you.”

Dance music pounds from the DJ booth as we make our way inside. I stop at the coat check, allowing her to peel the leather duster off and reveal the couture beneath.

My eyes start at the black patent leather platform boots, traveling up the wide fishnet stockings to the pleated black skirt—similar to the one she wears at Apex. The beavers in the laundry room were an excellent resource for sizing, and I’m glad I checked in with them before I ordered the outfit last month. Her glittering bunny belly ring is hanging just above the waistband, and I bite my lip as my gaze roams up to the tiny silver halter top. Her rainbow hair falls in waves, and I grin when I notice she’s wearing the choker I sent, with the tiny locket dangling from the ring.

She’s absolute perfection.

“Come with me; we’ll get a drink,” I rumble, offering my hand again as I work to get my reaction to her under control. “There’s quite a selection to choose from.”

“Are we going to… dance?” she asks, her eyes dancing with excitement as she looks over the crowded floor. “I’ve never been to a rave, but this definitely seems close.”

“Raves are more Flames’ thing, but we can add it to the list. I think he’d love to have another person to dress up like an electric light show with him.” That’s entirely true—I’m not a huge fan of the human-filled, fake furry festivals he loves so much, but I’d bet my last prey-so Dolly would bounce around with him until the sun rises.

Our dragon has such a soft spot for the cute and fluffy—and our girl fits that to a tee.

Dolly squeezes my hand as she looks at the neon menu above the bar, squealing. “Look at the drinks!”

“Uh, petit lapin , the fancy ones are all alcoholic. You don’t drink, so I’ll order you a?—”

“Hell no! I am not my mother, but I also want to live a little, just like you said. Can’t I have just one? That really pretty pink thing in the big fancy glass?” She turns to me and her expression is so sincere and bright that I groan.

Fuck. They’re all going to murder me if I let her get tanked, but…

“Just one,” I say carefully, motioning for the bartender. When the leggy flamingo comes over, she titters in excitement and I chuckle. “Dolly, this is Lucinda. She’ s one of the owners of Liquid Onyx. Lucinda, this is my… girlfriend, Dolly.”

The bunny in questions flushes pink with pleasure, and Lucinda flaps her wings, feathers dropping in excitement. “Holy Hades in a wetsuit! Renard, you cradle-robbing dog!”

My eyes widen, but Dolly just smirks at her and tosses her hair over a bare shoulder. “Oh, he’s not my dog. Three of my other boyfriends are felines, though.”

Well, I’ll be damned.

Clearing my throat, I give the flamingo a shrug. “She has a harem. It’s a thing.”

“Dammit! Why do you rare fuckers have all the fun?” Feathers fly again, and Lucinda sighs. “Okay, what do you and your adorable little girl want to drink?”

Dolly bristles at the ‘little girl’ remark, and I can see the Council heir magically appear in her bearing. Her spine stiffens, and her expression goes from sweet to regal in less than a second. The look she gives Lucinda is downright scary, because the way the flashing strobes hit her, it looks like her eyes turn red.

“I’m not a little girl, and Rennie hasn’t fully introduced me yet. My full name is Delores Rostoff Drew.” She waits for recognition to blossom on the flamingo’s face before she gives her a slow, knowing smile. “And I’ll have a Pink Bikini Martini.”

I’m definitely in trouble now. Not only have I unlocked daring Dolly, but I also found ‘possessive, scary heir’ Dolly, in one fell swoop.

Lucinda gathers herself, nodding as she looks at me. “Your usual? I’ll have someone bring it to the floor for you.”

“Yes, please,” I reply as Dolly stares her down. “Thank you, Lucinda.”

Tugging on her hand, I finally get my girl to budge from her stand-off with the bartender. I find a nice dark corner of the dance floor and tug her into my arms, brushing a strand of hair off of her face. The tension in her form fades as I trail my fingers down her jaw to her neck.

“Sorry about that,” she mutters. “I don’t know what came over me.”

I snort, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “That was the predator in you, petit lapin.”

Her hands land on my waist, and she sways her hips, moving to the pounding bass of the surrounding music. “Do you think there is a predator in me somewhere?”

“Oh, most certainly. Even without that display of dominance you put on for Lucinda, we’ve all seen you show others that being an apex predator isn’t always about what animal you have inside of you. It’s how you carry yourself, and that’s something that can’t be taught—you were born this way.”

Her tinkling laughter vibrates through me, and my tail drops immediately. It’s going to be damned near impossible to keep the gargoyle under control—all my pent-up frustration, rage, and heat paired with her bare skin are sending me into overdrive.

“You all still act like I’m too fragile to handle things, though.”

The assignment the others gave me flits through my mind, and I frown. She’s going to be irritated no matter what; I might as well rip the band-aid off now so we can enjoy the rest of the evening. “It’s because we worry about you, and none of us have had anyone to worry about in a long time. With the recent problems on campus, we would like to take extra steps to ensure you’re safe.”

She rolls her eyes, giving me a look reminiscent of every surly teen to come through my classroom. “Fine. What do you have in mind, an escort everywhere I go?”

Well, that was easy.

I nod and she throws her hands up, growling, “That was sarcasm, Rennie! I’m not a child!”

Oops .

“We don’t think you’re a child, petite. But someone is attacking students, and none of us would forgive ourselves if you got hurt when we could have prevented it.”

She considers my words for a moment and nods.

When I sigh in relief, she steps closer, looking into my eyes with a mischievous grin. Then she reaches down and wraps her fingers around the end of my tail, squeezing it lightly. “How about I show you what a big girl I am, and you can decide for yourself?”

Cue Renard losing his motherfucking shit in the middle of a club.