Page 29 of Martyr

“Like I’d give him a choice,” Lake said and Nix bristled from his hiding place.

“You already took that away when you bit him. First the sacrifice, now this,” Yejun stated. “Seriously? Can we stop the pissing contest now? You guys are both killing me here.”

Sacrifice? What sacrifice? Were they talking about the hacker they were after? Were they planning on sacrificing him to appease the Club? Nix held his breath in an attempt to hear more clearly, but of course the subject changed before he could appease his curiosity where that was concerned.

“What’s with you?” West grumbled, but it was obvious he was actually at least a little bit concerned.

All that blood loss from yesterday must have messed with him in more ways than one, because Nix found himself wondering what that might be like. What having someone who cared for you enough to even worry when they were clearly angry would be like.

He’d thought he’d found that in Branwen, but that was before. Now he knew better.

Even if she’d cared for him, it hadn’t been enough.

It hadn’t been to the extent that he’d always believed.

To the extent he’d cared for her.

“I don’t know,” Yejun replied. “I woke up like this.”

“Bad dream?” Lake asked.

“Yeah.”

“You always get a migraine after a nightmare,” West said. “Here. Take some meds and go sleep it off.”

“Can’t, I have to escort Nix to class.”

“I can do it.”

“It’s on the way for me,” Yejun pointed out. “You’re headed in the opposite direction. It’s too late anyway, even if you left to bring him now, you’d be late for training. I’ll go.”

“Why don’t we just ask him which of you he prefers?” Lake drawled.

“I’ll—” the chair moved again as West spoke, but he didn’t get to finish.

“There’s no need,” Lake cut him off. “He’s standing at the top of the stairs. Done lurking, Songbird? If so, why don’t you come down and join us before your coffee gets cold.”

Nix hesitated but, realizing he was caught, ended up descending the steps, making sure to take his time with it so it didn’t appear as though he was coming when called.

The first level of the Roost was mostly an open floorplan with the steps and the kitchen to the left of the living space. Like with the rest of the building, everything was decorated in warmtones of deep brown, with flashes of gray metal here and there. Wide windows took up part of the far wall and looked out over the back of the mountain, so there was only stone and vines for the view.

The guys were all in the kitchen when Nix got to the landing and turned, Yejun and West both seated at the long granite island, with Lake standing behind it.

The second Nix and the Imperial locked eyes, he held out a navy mug and waited.

He could either ignore Lake or follow the silent command and go get it…Nix clenched his jaw and walked over, choosing to round the side of the island the Demons weren’t occupying. He grabbed the mug, not caring when some of the contents sloshed over the rim and spilled onto his fingers, and immediately retreated to the end to keep the table between them.

“Don’t be like that, Nixie,” West cooed, but the grin on his face gave away what he really felt. He was happy to see Nix treat Lake poorly. Probably thought of it as karma.

Ironic, coming from someone like him.

Nix sipped at the coffee, pausing when it tasted exactly how he’d make it if he’d fixed it himself. His eyes found Lake’s, narrowing when he caught the Imperial’s mouth quirking in a self-satisfied smile he almost instantly corrected before his friends could catch it.

“Chances of letting me skip out today?” Nix asked, figuring he may as well ask.

“Low,” Lake clipped, but Nix was better at reading between the lines now.

“Which means there’s still a chance.” He cradled the mug in both hands, relishing in the tiny bit of comfort the warmth from it gave him before taking the risk to ask, “What would I have to do to get you to agree?”

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