by Emma Dean
All Foxed Up
The Chaos of Foxes
Emma Dean
ALL FOXED UP
THE CHAOS OF FOXES
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Copyright © 2019 by Emma Dean
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, locations, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
For Lauren and Leigh.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Other Books by Emma Dean
About the Author
All Foxed Up
Chapter One
Kenzie
“Kenzie, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Selene frowned as Ash carried another box out to the foxes’ sketchy van.
She’d nearly filled their van already and then there were some more in her VW Bug. Kenzie wasn’t sure what she wanted or needed for 6 months, so she’d basically packed everything. It was partly to test the foxes’ patience and partly because she didn’t want her family rummaging around in her things while she was gone.
“It doesn’t really matter if you think it’s a good idea or not,” Kenzie told Selene, shoving the rest of her clothes in a third suitcase. “This agreement with Hunter is what got you the potion before the curse killed you. I’d pay the price again a million times over if I needed to.”
Selene sighed and that look of guilt crossed her face again. “I know and I appreciate it. You know I do.”
Kenzie did know her sister was grateful. She knew that Selene would see it as a life-debt for as long as they lived until it was repaid, but she was also Kenzie’s sister. There was no debt between them – not after everything Selene had done to help her survive in the clan as a powerless witch.
It had been two weeks since her sister had gone into a coma from the curse her ex had put on her. Kenzie would never forget the way she looked, so pale and lifeless. Moving in with the foxes had gotten Kenzie the potion before her sister had died.
The very potion that had given Selene her powers back after the curse had stripped them.
Kenzie owed the foxes everything for that and would have agreed to just about anything for it. Even if they had stolen it from her in the first place.
“Are you afraid we’ll be bad influences?” Finnick asked with a cocky smile on his face.
Kenzie glanced over her shoulder at him, trying not to fixate too much on the tight white shirt he wore that showcased every. single. damn muscle – or the tool belt that was slung low around his hips.
The jerk was finally fixing the door he’d broken on their date night. She tossed all her shoes into the suitcase. “You are bad influences,” Kenzie snorted. “Don’t pretend you aren’t.”
Finnick chuckled. “You’ve got me there.” He gave Selene a wink before lifting the door up to the hinges to check the position. “Don’t worry little witch, we’ll take very good care of her.”
Kenzie’s cheeks heated at the promise in those words. “See?” she said, plopping down on top of the suitcase to close it. “It’ll be fine. We’ll finish this contract and things will go back to normal.”
She knew this was for the best.
Even if she hadn’t made a deal with Hunter to save Selene, her sister’s ex – fucking Brad – putting hits out on everyone that happened to be on his victim list…she didn’t want that shit anywhere near her sister. So this move was prudent for many reasons.
“Is there another box or suitcase?” Hunter asked.
And just like the devil, he appeared whenever she thought about him. It was creepy.
Kenzie struggled to zip up the suitcase and Hunter brushed past Finnick to help her. When he crouched down to zip the stubborn bastard it was hard not to stare at his lips and remember the way he’d kissed her after the ravens had attacked that first time.
She’d never seen him so outwardly emotional before or since – it wasn’t something she could forget either.
He was a bit more open with her after he’d taken her to the hospital so she could give Selene the potion, but…things were still generally weird. Hunter was a weird dude. Kenzie kind of liked that about him.
“Anything else?” Hunter asked, looking up at her. Those golden brown eyes searched her own and Kenzie felt her heart flutter. It was so stupid and girly she immediately scowled. “One more bag. Six months is a long time. I’ve got a lot of stuff I can’t live without. Did you pack my computers up just like I told you to?”
Hunter didn’t say anything. He just looked at her and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.
Of course he’d packed it right.
Kenzie rolled her eyes and stood so he could take the suitcase. “I’m nearly done. What about you, Finnick?”
“Just one last screw. I thought you didn’t want me to rush?” Then he snickered.
Kenzie sighed and gave her sister a look. “Six months of this. But thankfully I’ll have you to visit me.”
Selene balked at that reminder.
Her sister’s open-mindedness regarding shifters made it so that Selene wasn’t painfully awkward around the foxes…well, less than she was before. Something about them put most people on edge; it wasn’t really her sister’s fault.
But her sister was not a fan of Kenzie leaving the house. Dating three fox shifters? No big deal, but those witch roots went deep. Clans were matriarchal. If anything, the foxes should be moving in with her.
Kenzie didn’t think that would go over well with anyone other than Selene and Edith. Her mother would probably have a heart attack.
Now that Selene had her powers back, the two of them could get back to work on their projects. Kenzie missed that time together, perfecting the tech so her sister could perfect the magic.
Then there was the job they’d promised to do for Samuel – Alpha of the West Coast Pride – so he didn’t punish the foxes, or the Six Rivers Pride, for stealing the potion that had saved Selene’s life.
Selene watched Ash come down and help Finnick hold the door just right. The two foxes muttered to each other low enough Kenzie couldn’t hear them without her charms. Hopefully Edith would be done with the majority of the replacements before she had to leave.
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea for us to do our projects over there,” Selene said softly. “It’s not warded.”
Kenzie sighed and looked around the room with her hands on her hips, making sure she hadn’t missed anything. Her sister could be so annoying sometimes. “Then fucking ward it, Selene. You have your powers back. We both know what happens if I don’t do this.”
Grandma Edith had put out a contract to take down Brad for the curse he’d put on Selene, consequences be damned. With both their families in the Bay Coven, they technically weren’t allowed to have feuds…at least not openly.
If anyone found out – well, Kenzie didn’t want to think about that.
But her foxes had taken the job, and to get the potion Selene had needed Kenzie had to help them complete the contract. What none of
them had expected was that fuckboy Brad to put out kill orders on the list of victims Kenzie had scrounged up on the darknets.
Just two weeks ago ravens had murdered one she’d been interviewing. They’d lost four more since then. But they’d also saved ten. It was just damn near impossible to get to them all since they had no idea who he would target next.
“Kenzie!”
Instantly she stiffened, underwear in one hand, when Hunter yelled her name – yelled. What the fuck was it now?
She was up and pushing past Finnick before anyone else could react. It wasn’t that Hunter sounded afraid – through their thin, tenuous bond she could feel his murderous rage. Whatever was going on, he wanted her to step in before he killed someone.
Ash and Finnick were hot on her tail and she ran up the curved driveway from her basement-level entrance to where the fancy front drive was. The van was there along with her restored, hot pink VW Bug, her sister’s Porsche, and…Peter’s fucking truck.
Dammit.
“Hey,” she said, glancing between the little twit and Hunter. “Peter, what are you doing here?”
Kenzie knew that favor she’d called in to get into Samuel’s office would come back around to bite her in the ass. She should have asked someone else for that spell.
Ever since they were kids Peter had been obsessed with her. They’d grown up in the coven together, always around each other of course thanks to coven events and meetings. Kenzie had been a curiosity for years before Selene had been born.
Peter had been nice enough, but his interest was borderline terrifying. It was too intense, too…‘I hide people in basements and wear their skin’ for her.
“I heard you were leaving,” the witch said, eyeing Hunter like he could take him.
Kenzie doubted Peter had ever worked out a day in his life. He kept up a good physique with magic and charms that amped up his muscles and metabolism, but it was all for looks. He couldn’t lift a hundred pounds, let alone take Hunter in a fight.
And the thing about foxes? Where there was one, there was always more.
Finnick and Ash flanked Hunter and somehow managed to keep her within arm’s distance. Their teamwork had always impressed her.
“Technically, I’m not leaving,” Kenzie clarified. “I’m moving over to the Golden Gate Park area. It’s not far actually.”
Something about the situation seemed tense though she couldn’t figure out why. Hunter was still furious which set her teeth on edge. He didn’t move a muscle either. He just watched Peter with a predatory stillness that sent a chill down her spine.
“We’re witches,” Peter said, taking a step closer to her. “We don’t leave our family. It’s not a good idea, Kenz. I came here to convince you to stay with us. You have the coven to lean on.”
She gritted her teeth at the nickname only her sister was allowed to use, and he knew it. “I’m not really a witch, Peter. You know that better than most. Staying with my family or the coven isn’t going to protect me the same way it would you.” She glanced back at her sister who was listening from the door. “No offense.”
As Matriarch of the Kavanagh clan, Selene had to stay out of this mess. The one good thing about being an outcast was nothing she did reflected on her sister.
Peter’s cheeks flushed as he finally turned his attention to Hunter, Ash, and then Finnick. “I’d heard you’d been mated but couldn’t quite believe it.”
The disgust dripping from his voice made the muscles in her shoulders tighten. “I didn’t realize you were such an elitist,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. “You really should leave.”
Preferably before one of her foxes lost it and then they’d have to deal with the coven.
Hunter shot her a look as if to say he couldn’t believe she was letting this fucker go unscathed. Ash and Finnick outright glared at the other witch.
“I came here to try and talk you out of this,” Peter said, reaching out for her despite every inch of her body screaming ‘don’t fucking touch me.’
Kenzie tensed but Ash’s fingers wrapped around Peter’s wrist. It was a simple, delicate motion that made the pain on Peter’s face seem out of place. “She told you to leave,” Ash told him softly, quietly.
So much pain promised in those gentle words.
“You can’t talk me out of this,” Kenzie told Peter, taking a step back. “I want to go.”
Why was he being so pushy about this? It wasn’t like she’d ever given him the green light to go out with her.
Yeah, he’d been persistent over the years despite his family doing everything they could to keep him away from her. It was why she’d always said no. Something about his pursuit of her had felt wrong. She was a conquest – a slap to his clan’s face. Nothing more. Not really. Because who could date the witch who was labeled an abomination?
“Look, I’m trying to do you a favor,” Peter griped, yanking his hand out of Ash’s grip. The fox let him, but stayed close enough to break the offending arm if necessary.
All three of the foxes moved, putting themselves between her and Peter…whatever they could sense…she knew they were all on the edge of some precipice she couldn’t see. Kenzie really, really hoped the other witch would just walk away.
“If you don’t leave with me now I can’t protect you,” Peter warned her.
“Why would I need protecting?” Kenzie shot a glance at her mates. Hunter and Finnick were scanning the trees while Ash stared at Peter.
Her instincts prickled and her skin flushed in warning. Shit. She hadn’t had time to repair her watch or replenish her charms since the fight with the ravens. All she had were a few nasty little pieces left…
“Because war has been declared,” Peter said, glancing behind her.
Kenzie realized he was looking for her sister – for her family.
Fear struck her hard and fast. She whirled around and ran for the house, screaming for Selene. Where was her fucking sister?
Ash’s snarl wasn’t enough to distract her, or Finnick’s curse as he realized she’d taken off.
In the span of one breath, one step, one heartbeat…her house exploded and a percussive wave hit her in the chest. It smelled of ozone—magic.
The blast threw Kenzie back and she slammed into someone. Hunter if her nose was right.
“Stop, Kenzie, you need to wait,” he said.
But she was already back on her feet, running towards the house where flames now rose towards the summer sky. They weren’t normal flames either. They burned so hot she saw pieces of the house melt in the red-orange flame that traveled too fast to be anything other than a curse.
Where the fuck were her sister and Edith?
Kenzie ran down to the door Finnick had just fixed, completely blown off its hinges by the explosion. “Selene?” She held up a hand to shield her face from the heat and peered through the smoke.
Then there was coughing and Kenzie followed the sound, burying her panic as she ducked down, covering her face with her shirt.
“Kenzie?”
Oh thank the Fates.
She dropped down to the floor, ignoring the glass and debris and crawled to her sister, yanking pieces of broken furniture off Selene. Other than a few scratches her sister looked perfect.
“Is there anyone else home today?” Kenzie asked, helping Selene stand as she took most of her sister’s weight.
Selene coughed again and pressed her hand to her side. Thank all the Fates for the wards carved into the house. If they hadn’t been there Kenzie had no doubt the whole place and anyone in it would be nothing more than ash.
“Edith was working on charms, but everyone else is at the Coven for a project,” Selene told her, glancing up at the ceiling as it started to catch fire. “Did you get her?”
Not Gram-Gram.
Kenzie just shook her head, telling herself the prickle of tears in her eyes was from the smoke.
“Goddammit Kenzie, where the fuck are you?” Finnick was tossing shit aside, peerin
g through the smoke and when he spotted her, he snarled grabbing Selene from her. “Don’t fucking do stupid shit like this,” he snapped.
“I’m always going to do what I need to,” Kenzie told him as they stepped outside.
Finnick glared at her as he cradled Selene in his arms despite her sister’s weak protests. He carried Selene up the hill like she weighed nothing. “I’m not saying don’t run into burning buildings, crazy girl. I’m saying don’t fucking do it alone.”
Oh.
She shot him an apologetic look. “I’m going to run into a burning building to get Gram-Gram now.”
Finnick’s face paled at that and he glanced over at Ash.
“I’ll go with you,” Ash told her. “Let’s go.”
“Keep her alive,” was all Hunter said. “I have to keep an eye on Peter.”
Kenzie gave the witch a disgusted look. Hopefully Hunter killed him. Slowly.
The huge house groaned and sirens sounded in the distance. But they didn’t have the time to wait for the professionals.
Ash easily kept pace with her as she ran into a burning building, once again doing something really stupid. Kenzie may not be sure what she wanted to do about her foxes and their unexpected mate bond, but she trusted them in situations like this.
Hunter would torture Peter for answers and take care of the problem he presented however he thought was best. Finnick would take care of her sister. And Ash would get her grandmother out of the destroyed house.
Kenzie couldn’t lose Gram-Gram. She just couldn’t. The old witch was one of only two people in the whole world who’d always been there for her from day one.
