Page 31 of Secrets and Shadows

“Mm, must be that Prey scent,” I quip, a smirk tugging at my lips.

Her mouth drops open in disbelief as she releases her friend’s hand, leaving him standing awkwardly behind her. He doesn’t seem too bothered, but Lilith... she looks like I’ve offended her entire bloodline.

Gotcha, my little fox.

“I know I’ve said this before,” she begins, stepping directly in front of me, “but I swear you intentionally pretend you can’t hear me. Can you please go annoy someone else and kindly fuck off?”

I shrug nonchalantly, towering over her smaller frame. “Annoy someone else? Nah. No one’s as interesting as you. Fuck you though? Yes, that I can do. Over and over. And you might even like it.”

For a moment, it looks like she might slap me, but she somehow manages to restrain herself, balling her hands into fists at her sides. I can’t help but notice the tiny vein popping at her temple.

Oh, I really get under her skin. My words scratch at her from the inside out, affecting her on a molecular level. And that thought only pleases me more because she has the same damn effect on me. Fucking same, Fox.

“You’re a pest, you know that? Like fleas. Itchy, annoying, and impossible to get rid of.”

“That’s me, all right. Anitchyou can’t scratch. Must be why you’reitchingfor more.”

“Um,” her Prey friend—what was his name again? Toby?—clears his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “Lilith, we’ll be late for our class…”

I know their class doesn’t start for another fifteen minutes, but his attempt to defuse the situation is evident. He’s trying to give her a way out, but she stands her ground, refusing to back down. She won’t unless I do it first. I know the little fox better than him, a thought that makes me smug.

And while I’d love to spend the whole day bickering with her—she looks downright irresistible when she’s all fired up—I have things to do. I want to bury myself in research and figure out if anything similar has happened to that might. Maybe I’ll hold it over her, use it against her, or maybe use it to protect her. Maybe all three. I haven’t quite made up my mind yet.

I make a dismissive gesture with my hand, signaling that our little interaction is over—and to annoy her even more. “Go on, Fox. If you want to see me again, you know where to find me after the sun sets…”

Her expression hardens, and I can tell I’ve struck a nerve. I brace myself for a sharp retort, but to my surprise, she doesn’t bite back. Instead, she spins on her heel, grabs her friend’s arm, and walks away.

Somehow, that dismissal affects me more than any filthy words could have.

Once I shakeoff the encounter with Lilith, I head to the dorms, the urge to smoke hitting me hard. I can’t stop replaying that fiery look in her eyes, driving me to the brink of insanity. A cigarette might help take the edge off.

One of the perks of being a fourth-year is that we have fewer classes and can focus on practical knowledge, leaving us with plenty of free time. Right now, that little advantage is going to be useful.

As I walk through the common room, absentmindedly toying with a cigarette between my fingers, a familiar slender figure steps out from the shadows.

I raise an eyebrow, pausing to give Savina a look. “I think I need to ask Headmistress Bennett to improve the lighting in our dorms,” I remark dryly. “Otherwise, people might keep sneaking around like that.”

Savina tilts her head to the side, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t unsettle me a bit when she does that. “That’s only a problem if you have something to hide.”

“That’s an invasion of privacy, Sav.”

“You’re in the common room, not your private bedroom,” she replies, a teasing glint in her eye.

Touché. I tuck my cigarette behind my ear and study her. “I’m guessing you didn’t come here to discuss floor plans, did you?”

“No,” she says, her tone light and playful. “Honestly, I’m quite pleased to have another female Predator around. Especially one who shares my disdain for you.”

“There’s a thin line between love and hate,” I counter, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You’d be wise not to toy with it.”

“Oh, trust me—you make it way too difficult to consider… that.” Savina flashes me a bright smile before glancing down at her long nails. For once, she actually looks… genuinely happy.It’s a bit weird. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be passing my no-smoking policy on to her. I could use her help in keeping an eye on any…unwantedactivities.”

“Lilith is probably the only person in this world who hates me more than you do,” I say, sarcasm dripping from every word. “So congratulations—you’ve picked the perfect person for the job.” With that, I pivot on my heel and head upstairs to my room, eager to escape Sav’s party-pooping vibe and find some peace before I hit the library.

But when I swing open the door, my mood takes a nosedive. Simon is sprawled comfortably across my bed, while Kai sits coiled like a snake by my window, his gaze sharp and assessing.

“What is this? A fucking intervention?” I mutter under my breath, more to myself than to them. I don’t bother shutting the door; instead, I gesture for them to leave. But they remain rooted in place, so I let out a frustrated sigh and close the door behind me.

Today is quite possibly the worst day they could’ve chosen for whatever this shit is.

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