Page 14 of Saint

The point was, he’d managed to find any and all excuses on why not to think about what had happened between him and Yejun, at least, not in great detail. Only now…

Someone touched his shoulder, and Nix yelped and twisted around, sliding backward in the dirt to escape. As soon as he processed it was West, he stilled, but the thrumming panic coursing throughout his entire body didn’t abate.

It wasn’t even really panic, per se. Nix wasn’tafraidof Yejun, at least, not the Yejun he’d gotten to know over the past couple of months. That guy he’d met that day? He was terrified ofhim, but logically, Nix knew nothing like that would ever happen again, if only because there was no way West or Lake would ever allow it to.

He wasn’t even necessarily worried about being alone with Yejun without the other guys there to protect him. Just knowing they wouldn’t approve should be enough to keep Yejunfrom doing anything. That and the fact he wanted to try and make amends.

If he was to be believed, of course.

Nix was honestly still a bit on the fence.

The two of them had yet to speak, really, aside from a few passing comments made around the others that typically Nix pretended not to hear or just outright ignored. Either he wasn’t ready, he was feeling spiteful, or both.

“What’s wrong?” West crouched before him but didn’t make any attempts to touch him again. “Why’d you get sick all of a sudden?”

He shook his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Maybe something I ate.”

“I made you breakfast and lunch,” West reminded, “and you picked at both so I ended up eating yours and mine. I’m fine.”

“Your stomach must be better.”

“Nixie.”

“It’s nothing.” He pushed himself onto his feet and brushed off his pants. “Let’s just go.”

Lake was standing outside of the car watching, but Yejun had remained inside. Nix avoided eye contact as he trudged back to the vehicle, going through the motions as West helped him inside and then shut his door.

“I’m sorry,” Yejun said in the brief moment the two of them were alone, almost too quiet for Nix to even hear.

Then Lake and West got in and the silence from earlier proceeded.

Chapter 5:

“He invited the whole godsdamn club.” Yejun held the champagne flute in his hand and scowled at the crowded first level of the manor. He was standing at the balcony railing that overlooked the stairwell, dressed in the tuxedo he hadn’t worn since their high school graduation. It was a little tight, but not the worst.

Unlike this party.

Lake was at his side, his usual icy mask in place. It’d be hard for others to tell, but Yejun knew the guy was every bit as pissed off right now as he was.

This was meant to be a small get together, a way for them to introduce Nix with the least amount of drama and pomp and circumstance. Instead, they were greeted by a bacchanalian affair.

All of the light orbs had been set to their dimmest setting, casting the entire place in a golden hue with shadows lurking inevery possible crevice. Round tables were laid out with burgundy tablecloths and towers of alcoholic beverages, some already partially emptied. Servants moved about with golden trays of fancy hors d’oeuvres, all morsels Yejun had known the names of since he was five.

The dress code was black tie affair, yet many had also come wearing masquerade masks, as if that would do anything to help conceal their identities. Still, traditions hardly ever contained any real logic. It was all just pomp and circumstance.

“This is the Night of the Nightshade,” Yejun decided.

“Yes,” Lake agreed. “I’ve already sent a message to Juri. He’s on his way now.”

Right, because if this was the ceremony, they needed their sacrifice. Of course Lake had already concluded what was going on and planned accordingly.

Yejun thought he caught sight of his mother drifting between the dining room and the drawing-room, and he spun around to avoid being seen.

Only to come face to face with Demitrious.

“Boys,” he beamed at them like he was truly the loving father figure he liked to pretend he was, “you made it!”

“It’s not exactly the event we thought we were attending,” Lake stated, voice devoid of emotion as he turned, settling his hands in his front pockets in a mockery of casualness no one was buying. He gave a pointed glance at their surroundings. “Night of the Nightshade isn’t supposed to be for another two days.”

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