Prey

Chapter 11

He leaned back, taking hold of his glass that I'm pretty sure was just full of water.

"Tattoos are boring and less entertaining to watch," He took a small break to take a drink, "Did you know that they actually have to tie the pets down before that brand them? Its fun as hell to watch."

His sentence both disgusted and partially relieved me.

Disgusted because this was easily the most sadistic thing that's ever passed his mouth, and I knew for a fact that he didn't have that in him.

Then relieved because now I knew that this was all a ploy.

If I had to guess, another ploy to terrify his brother's new pet.

I found my previous quick rush of adrenaline turn into frustration as I now waited for a good moment to dig my heel into his calf.

I'd at least give him the decency to make sure his brother isn't looking.

"I guess. Have fun with that," Nico discouraged.

"You should do it with me." Xander offered.

Which was strange, Everyone knew what Nico's answer was about to be, but he asked anyway.

Sometimes I wonder what goes on in his head.

"I'd rather not," He responded within a second.

I felt Xander slump at that, adding to his act.

Nico's never been into literal mutilation, so I'd say his act was a little overboard.

"Well, who else am I gonna get to go with me?" He whined.

Nico let out a quiet sigh, a typical response to show the disappointment he had for his brother.

"If you're so persistent on going, then I'm sure Layla would be more than happy to go," I just barely noticed how he spoke her name almost like a mock, "She'd probably want to get some floral shit branded onto her pets back."

There were multiple issues in that statement, and Xander promptly listed one of them.

"You know her pet is dead right?"

I took the small moment where Nico was preoccupied with his drink to finally jam my heel into the front of Xander's calf.

He immediately tensed from both surprise and pain

Yet he didn't make a sound, instead, I think he was holding his breath to stop him from doing so.

It was almost impressive.

"How?" Nico inquired.

I felt him release his breath as quietly as he could, his arm snaking around my middle as some sort of response while he made me lean back with him.

I'm hoping it meant a surrender.

"Layla sucked her dry a couple nights ago. She told me that she was bored with how her pet acted."

Nico's tapping on the table brought my attention towards it, which then effectively made me notice that Khloe wasn't eating anymore.

"Okay, so it wasn't my fault." Nico settled with.

Xander just shook his head.

"Nah, she probably would have been on your case if she was."

Nico scoffed, obviously annoyed.

"If she was bored of her pet then I don't see why it matters. I should be on her case for wasting medical supplies on a pet she didn't even want."

Is that really what Nico thought was going on when she did that?