For Fox Sake: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (The Chaos of Foxes Book 1)

by Emma Dean

  The words grated in his throat and she felt them vibrate against her hands as she screamed when the orgasm ripped through her. It made her hands clench and Finnick roared as he came, slamming into her from underneath, gripping her wrists so tight she knew she’d bruise but Kenzie couldn’t even feel it while the pleasure assaulted her.

  “I told you, you were falling for me,” Finnick said, letting his head fall back over the edge of the bed, eyes closing.

  She collapsed on top of him. “Think I’ll get pregnant?”

  “What?” he sat up so fast she almost fell off of him, but he gripped her arms tight.

  Kenzie was laughing so hard tears ran down her cheeks. “You should see your face.”

  Finnick glared at her. “Yes, I’m hilarious. I remember.”

  She snorted. “You really think I’d let you inside me without protection? I have an IUD.”

  He threw himself back down on the bed and she went with him, resting her head on his chest. His heart was still beating wildly, either from the sex, the scare, or a combination of both. “I don’t know,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking which was stupid of me, but…I have this vision of little witch foxes taking over the world. Starting early wouldn’t be the worst thing ever.”

  Kenzie smacked his shoulder hard enough it left a mark. Finnick laughed and tossed her off him, making a mess everywhere. “I hate you,” she snapped, still trying to process the witch fox thing.

  Her phone dinged and Kenzie caught the washcloth Finnick threw at her from the bathroom. Damn his ass was nice and those back dimples…she had it bad. “Go make yourself useful and get the tacos while I try to clean up this disaster.”

  Finnick grinned and slid on his pants, no boxers. The way they hung on his hips, lord help her. Kenzie watched him go and knew he was right. She was totally falling for him.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kenzie

  After the other night everything was…strange. Perfect. Awkward; and a little bit melancholy.

  Kenzie didn’t really know what to think now that there was some distance from the events of her date with Finnick. This was the real world, sitting in the car with Ash on their way to meet with one of Brad’s victims.

  Everything she’d felt that night was still there, along with a weird little ache in her chest. Every once in a while she’d found herself rubbing it. Kenzie knew this would only get worse, but for now she could pretend like it wasn’t happening.

  Then there was Ash.

  He politely said nothing when he’d picked her up that Sunday morning. Selene was busy with the weekly coven rituals as was the rest of her family. It had just been her, and Kenzie couldn’t figure out if he could smell Finnick or not.

  She’d washed everything and burned a scent-removing candle. She was wearing her charm now as they were on a job. But it wasn’t because she was ashamed. Kenzie lived with witches. There were things witches could pull from a space – like an aura. There was power in strong emotions, in fixed points…events so world-changing not even time travel could change them. There was power in violence.

  Kenzie didn’t know which her night with Finnick was, but she didn’t want anyone taking it from her. It was hers and now there was only her memory of the events to prove it had happened.

  Though over the last day and a half she’d wondered if she’d imagined it.

  Selene hadn’t asked for details when Kenzie had spent time with her on Saturday, watching whatever stupid show she wanted most of the day, making sure she ate. Her sister wasn’t looking good. After meeting with the victim she’d go back to Hunter and get the potion from him one way or another.

  Kenzie glanced over at Ash. He kept his eyes on the road, but he smiled. “Did you two have fun?”

  “He didn’t tell you?”

  “Oh he told me a little, but no details. Not that I’m asking. I just wanted to make sure you guys had a good time.”

  Did he really? Kenzie eyed him. This concept that they could share her made total sense on paper, but Kenzie knew men. This wasn’t normal.

  “Yes, we had a lot of fun.” She ignored the blush she could feel heating her cheeks. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. “You aren’t jealous, or disappointed it wasn’t you and I instead?”

  “Nah,” Ash said, signaling to get over. “I’m in no rush and I’ll be able to take you out in a few days anyway. I can wait for my turn.”

  Kenzie couldn’t help but laugh.

  “How are you going to top archery and cheese?” Finnick asked over the comms.

  Oh jeez. She’d totally forgotten everyone could fucking hear them.

  “I don’t have any plans to top you,” Ash said, making a gentle turn. “But she’s definitely going to have ‘a lot of fun.’ Just in a different way.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and Kenzie blushed again.

  She had no idea what he had in mind, or if he planned to do anything physical like she and Finnick had – but how would he know if they did anything? Knowing the way these foxes were though, he’d probably already picked up on it.

  “All right guys,” Hunter said. “Finnick and I are in position. The coast is clear. We’ll be able to see anything coming your way while you two get her agreement to testify.”

  As usual she couldn’t read anything from his voice. Kenzie never could, not alone. It was the imperceptible ticks, the elusive things in his eyes – that was how she could decipher Hunter. Without those things she was blind.

  Ash parked the car and Kenzie got out, taking in the area. There was nothing for miles. The girl lived east of the bay in Walnut Creek. She had plenty of land and no close neighbors. It made Kenzie nervous as she tapped her smartwatch.

  The area was scanned and the hybrid tech/magic program didn’t show any magic in the area or anything living except for the four of them. Just the woman in the house. Kenzie looked up at the building again and felt sorry for this person, whoever she was.

  The file on her had said she’d been living in the city, working at Brad’s law firm as a successful lawyer, and then one day she’d quit and moved away, completely disconnecting herself from everyone she knew.

  Kenzie didn’t know each victim as intimately as she should, but she’d seen the money transfers and some of the names.

  Abilene Anderson.

  “You need to do the talking,” Ash reminded her. “If necessary I can stay outside.”

  She nodded. “We’ll see what Abilene has to say first.”

  The porch steps were freshly painted and Kenzie stepped as carefully as she could. There were cameras, but they were Abilene’s and not bugs. It looked like she might have a smarthouse setup from what Kenzie could gather. She pressed the button on the high-tech doorbell and waited.

  “What do you want?” a voice demanded.

  Kenzie tried to smile as reassuringly as she could. “I was wondering if you would talk to me about Bradley Davis? My sister…” she purposefully trailed off, letting Abilene make her own conclusions as to the reason she was there. “I brought my boyfriend,” Kenzie said into the microphone. “Because I just don’t feel safe alone anymore.”

  There was silence and Kenzie could feel the tension in Ash while they waited. They didn’t need this one girl, but it would be nice. The list of victims was disturbingly long.

  “I’ll be right there,” Abilene muttered.

  Ash put his arm around her waist, spreading his hand across her stomach and pressing her against him. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “I like how cunning you are, mate. And I really like being your boyfriend. Even for a day.”

  Finnick grumbled about titles but Kenzie was entranced by the deep blue of Ash’s eyes. He wasn’t smiling and he wasn’t teasing. He was telling her exactly what he was feeling and thinking. How was he so…aggressively quiet?

  Heat flared in her belly and Kenzie had to swallow it all down when the door opened.

  She smiled at one of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen in real life aside from Selene. What the hell was she doi
ng all the way out here?

  “I’m not currently taking new clients,” Abilene said, inspecting Ash like he was particularly disgusting.

  “But I thought with your history, maybe you could help me?” Kenzie said. “My sister hasn’t been the same since.” Expertly weaving the truth into the lie exposed the real emotion there.

  Abilene’s face softened and she stepped aside to let them in. “I might be able to help you, but I can’t take this case. There’s a conflict of interest.”

  Ash and Kenzie went into the gorgeous, modern house. It was pretty bare. There wasn’t a whole lot to tell her about the woman they were going to try and convince to help them. The main space was very clean, and had a professional air to it. Like Abilene met clients here regularly.

  There was a kitchen a ways back, but nothing that would tell Kenzie anything useful. She already knew the girl had money from Brad, the ten thousand dollar piano sitting in the corner didn’t tell her anything new.

  And the only reason she knew how pricey the piano was is her mother insisted on having one despite the fact that no one in their stupid family could play. She thought it looked posh and then hired pianists to play during parties. It was an incredible waste of money.

  They sat down where Abilene pointed and Ash stayed close, their knees pressing together and he held her hand like a real couple would. It didn’t feel as weird as she thought it might. Kenzie couldn’t help stealing looks at Ash.

  It was his intensity. There was something about him she couldn’t deny, and what made her nervous was she didn’t think she wanted to.

  Ash watched her at every opportunity, leaving Abilene for her to deal with. Kenzie didn’t know how to think or feel about him. He was so intense, but he rarely said anything.

  “How long have you two been together?” Abilene asked as she poured iced tea.

  “Sometimes it feels like forever,” Ash murmured, still staring into her eyes.

  Fuck. Kenzie grabbed the iced tea and downed it. Her heart was pounding and she knew with one hundred percent certainty Ash had been completely honest just now.

  Abilene smiled like it was adorable. “What was it you thought I could help with?”

  “She’s definitely human,” Hunter muttered over the comms.

  Could he seriously smell her from that far away?

  “You got this Kenzie,” Finnick whispered into her ear like he was the one sitting next to her instead of Ash.

  Kenzie squeezed Ash’s hand and took a deep breath. This wasn’t going to be easy.

  “My sister was raped by Bradley Davis,” Kenzie told Abilene, silently asking Selene for forgiveness for the lie. “I want to take him down. Would you testify against him?”

  It was the rough and ready approach, but it wasn’t a topic that could really be eased into.

  Abilene’s face paled and her hands shook as she reached for the glass of tea. “No, I will not testify.”

  “Even if it means that he’ll be ruined?” Kenzie asked, watching the way Abilene glanced at her phone. Would she call someone, maybe the police?

  Ash could scent her every emotion but he didn’t react at all. He was as inconspicuous as possible so Abilene wouldn’t get scared. He barely even breathed he was so still and quiet.

  “I don’t think you understand what you’re getting yourself into,” Abilene said a bit shakily.

  Slowly Kenzie reached into her pocket for the piece of paper she’d printed out. Unfolding it she set it on the table and pushed it toward Abilene. “I do, and I’m ready for the consequences.”

  Abilene glanced at her and then picked up the paper. It shook with her hand, but the woman paled even further when she saw what was on there. Kenzie felt bad for her. She was still so young. In her mid-twenties and she’d been thriving. They were about the same age.

  Now it looked like she was barely surviving.

  “These are his victims?” Abilene asked. “How did you get ahold of this?”

  “Illegally,” Kenzie admitted. “So we can’t use it against him.”

  Abilene flipped the paper over and her skin turned green as the list went on. She dropped it like the names had burned her.

  Kenzie had never been raped, or sexually assaulted. Humans couldn’t hurt her, but she used to have PTSD so she understood how hard this was. She still lived with her tormentors.

  “It can help you move on,” Kenzie told her. “It won’t change what he did to you, but at least he would pay for it. And full disclosure, I plan on making him pay with everything he has.”

  Sometimes the truth was more effective than any lie.

  “Everything?” Abilene asked with a dark laugh. “He has so much money he’s practically untouchable.”

  “Well…I have money,” Kenzie admitted. “A lot of it, but this isn’t just a legal attack. We’re going to play dirty.”

  If she squinted and tilted her head ever so slightly this was just another game. Would she be the black pieces or the white?

  Abilene took another sip of tea and set down the glass. Ash squeezed her hand. A choice had been made, but Kenzie couldn’t be sure which it was.

  “I will lose everything if I do this,” Abilene admitted. “He gave me all this and he can take it all away just as easily. But…but at least I’d be able to live with myself. If it was just me that would be one thing.”

  Kenzie followed her gaze to the paper she’d printed out.

  “There are so many names.”

  “Too many,” Kenzie agreed.

  “I’ll testify on one condition,” Abilene said.

  Ash and Kenzie both tensed at the same time.

  “I’ve got movement,” Finnick muttered over the comms. “Something is happening.”

  Suddenly her heart was racing. What the fuck was going on?

  Kenzie looked at Ash but he was smiling pleasantly at Abilene. “What’s your condition?” he asked, finally speaking.

  “I won’t agree to this unless we could get him put away for life. If he can get out at some point, it will put everyone at risk. Not only that,” Abilene said, pointing at the paper. “We need evidence for everyone who agrees to testify.”

  “It’s raven shifters. Kenzie, Ash, get the fuck out of there now,” Hunter demanded. “Now!”

  Ravens…which meant assassins.

  Ash was suddenly on his feet and moving. He blurred across the room and tackled Abilene to the floor as the sound of cawing turned into gunshots.

  Kenzie threw herself to the ground, fingers flying over her smartwatch display as she went through every defense mechanism she had. A shield popped up and she tossed one of the pink smoke bombs. Instantly the room was covered and she crawled her way to where the other two were.

  Over the comms she heard Hunter and Finnick snap commands and locations at each other and then there was only silence.

  “How many of them are there?” Kenzie whispered. “What’s our exit strategy?”

  Someone’s foot. Kenzie cursed herself up and down for not bringing her enchanted glasses to see through the smoke. She’d brought so many charms, there had to be one she could use to get them out of there.

  Ash grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. “Are you all right?” he demanded, checking her over.

  Kenzie’s hands started shaking when she realized he was covered in blood. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  He looked grim as he pulled her into his arms. “I wasn’t fast enough. They got her.”

  That was when she saw the body on the floor with a massive hole through her head. Abilene was already dead and gone. Blood covered everything the more she looked around and Kenzie realized she had no idea what to do in a fight like this.

  She’d trained her whole life to take down opponents in hand to hand. This was nothing like that no matter how good of a shot she was. This was a small war in a girl’s backyard and Kenzie only knew how to run away as fast as possible.

  “Kenzie,” Ash murmured, taking her chin firmly in his hands. “I need you
with me all right? We both need to get out of here alive and I need you and that cunning mind of yours to help. What charms do you have?”

  “Nothing to make us invisible,” she snapped, flinching as gunfire tore up the walls and everything shattered.

  Grunts over the comms and the sound of fists flying.

  “There’s at least four.” Finnick said, growling as the sound of a fist meeting flesh came over the comms. “But based on raven hunting patterns I’d say there are six total. Hunter and I have taken down two.”

  “Kenzie, help me get us out of here. The smoke is dissipating,” Ash pressed.

  She shook her wrist, taking comfort in hearing the charms clack against each other. Then she pulled up her smartwatch again, checking the map. “There are nine ravens total, two dead bodies,” she said, ducking as more gunfire rained down on them.

  “Three,” Hunter corrected as the sounds of a dying gurgle came through the comms.

  Kenzie shuddered, but they needed Hunter’s cool, calculating calm. His willingness to do whatever necessary to protect his chaos of foxes. Did that include her?

  “Four,” Finnick said. “Hunter, I might actually beat you this time.”

  “Doubtful, but we can play this game if you like. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t sulk when you lose.”

  “What game is that?” Kenzie asked Ash.

  “Who’s the better killer,” Ash told her, eyeing the holographic map display that came from her watch, warping in the smoke.

  “Oh.”

  “Do you have any offensive charms?” Ash asked.

  Right, they needed to get out. Kenzie yanked one off her bracelet and crushed it against Ash’s chest. “Had I known this would happen I would have brought more. It’ll make you invincible for one hour,” she told him. “Nothing will be able to break through your skin, but be careful of your eyes.”

  “This one removes their fingernails among other nasties.” Kenzie pulled out her gloves from her back pocket and slipped them on. “I’ll keep these. You need protective gloves to handle them.”

  “I want to kill them,” Ash growled. “Not torture them. Do you have something that will clear a path?”